It is no secret that vampires truly exist, live among us, and sometimes make use of their unusual abilities. But few people know that in America, in the heart of Montana, there is a real Academy where vampires are trained in the high art of magic. And almost no one knows that bloody vampire wars are being waged in the world, and that the Moroi race is opposed by the brutal tribe of Strigoi — vampires who have crossed the line of the law and do not shy away from murder. Even the walls of the Academy, the holy of holies of learning, offer little reliable protection against the machinations of dark forces. Young Moroi princess Lissa and Rose, her friend and loyal guardian, discover this firsthand when they find themselves at the epicenter of ominous events.