What lurks in the dark is not always a monster. Sometimes it's your deepest desire. Long ago, Val made the decision to stick by his captain against mutinous shipmates. He has spent a millennium on Earth protecting humans as a matter of honor. He also made the fatal mistake of falling in love with a human boy who died trying to birth Val's son. He's sworn to never open himself up to such pain and guilt again. Mackie was forced to run away from his family to save himself from their homophobia and abuse. He learned to live by his wits and the sale of his body. He's reinvented himself as a brat with a need to be dominated and tamed. He thought he'd found the perfect man in Val, only to discover he had given his heart to a vampire—one that pushed him away when an ancient, hidden war reignited. As Val and his cohorts battle with their old crew members, he tries to keep Mackie at a distance from the danger and his heart. But Mackie will not be sidelined as either a soldier or a lover. He is waging a war of his own to win Val back. The next chapter in the alien war is heating up. A deadly drug is flooding Boston, threatening to turn the city into a battleground. Val and the others need help, and one bratty twink might be the best weapon they have. He may also be the key to unlocking Val's heart and giving him back the happiness he lost. Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of drug use and sexual abuse.