Ariadne Harlow didn't want to be the Golden Rose. With the prestigious title comes too much attention. But when the courting Season begins, she has eyes for only one vampire: the Valenul General. He cares for her, helped her recover after being abducted, and holds the power to keep the horrible monsters of her past at bay. A perfect match.

Azriel Tenebra didn't want to be the personal guard of the Golden Rose. Yet despite his misgivings, he ends up at her estate at the start of the Season. Before long, his struggles, and the real reason for his avoidance, rises: a fae bond connecting him to Ariadne. She's all he can think of, and it risks the safety of himself and everyone who gets between them.

Night after night, Ariadne can't help but be drawn to her quiet new guard, and Azriel's resolve to leave her slowly cracks. For when the General's intentions become evident, she must uphold her reputation, and that of her family, by accepting his hand. Anything less and the truth would be exposed, putting Azriel's life on the line and opening her to the scandal of the ages.