Battle lines are being drawn between the enclave of Penton, AL, and the Vampire Tribunal. Mirren Kincaid once served the tribunal as their executioner, but when assigned a killing he found questionable, he abandoned the tribunal and resurfaced as the second-in-command of Penton. Now the tribunal wants him back. They capture Glory Cummings and send her to restore Mirren's bloodthirsty nature. Glory sees a man burdened, could her magic help Mirren discover the love he doesn't believe he deserves?
Severity reflects intensity, not value — “central theme” means a warning is a core part of the book, not that the book is bad.