Plot
The story begins as Anita receives a frantic call from Edward, known as Ted Forrester, a notorious figure who serves as both a friend and a deadly adversary. Ted, a master of death with a mysterious past, informs Anita that their mutual client Vittorio, an ancient vampire with a penchant for manipulation has been implicated in a plot that commodifies supernatural beings, using their abilities and bodies for profit. Vittorio’s involvement raises a red flag for Anita, who knows that his ambitions are always tied to darker purposes.
Reluctantly, Anita enlists the help of her lover, Jean-Claude, the Master of the City of St. Louis, and Micah Callahan, chairman of the St. Louis Fuzzy Coalition. Together, they delve deeper into this underbelly of the city, which leads them to a group of weretigers, including the formidable Victor Belleci, a powerful leader in the local weretiger community. With tensions rising, they must navigate alliances with both deadly foes and unexpected allies, including Bernardo "Bernard" Spotted-Horse, a seasoned supernatural investigator with roots in the Native American community.
As Anita and her team investigate, they discover that the skin trade is not just about profit; it’s a perverse form of slavery that has targeted vulnerable supernatural beings. Eleanor, a young wereleopard, is found dead, and her tragic story becomes pivotal in urging Anita to uncover the truth. The emotional weight of the killings forces Anita to confront her own beliefs about right and wrong within a world where morality is often manipulated.
Amid escalating violence, they learn about a secret network led by a notorious practitioner known as "Cannibal" Rocco, who has been luring victims into a dark circle. Rocco represents a previous chapter in Anita’s life, a reminder of choices she has made that haunt her. She must confront this specter of her past while balancing her responsibilities to both her human friends and the supernatural community.
As the investigation progresses, Anita meets the Rodriguez family, who are embroiled in the chaos. They include Manuel and Consuela "Connie" Rodriguez, who are determined to save their children from being swept into the skin trade. The family's trials lead to a shocking discovery that reveals deep-seated corruption within the ranks of law enforcement, represented by officers like Rupert Shaw and Officer Baldwin, who are entangled in the web of complicity and greed.
As Anita races to prevent a potential war between the weretigers and the vampires, she faces moral dilemmas that test her allegiance to both communities. The stakes rise when an insidious figure emerges: Marmée Noir, the enigmatic "Mother of All Darkness," who seeks to capitalize on the chaos to consolidate her power, threatening to upend the fragile balance Anita has worked to create.
In the set against the backdrop of a full moon, Anita faces off against both Rocco and Marmée Noir. It becomes a battle not just for the lives of the innocent, but for the soul of the city itself. Through cunning tactics, alliances forged in blood, and her unique abilities as a necromancer, Anita strives to dismantle the skin trade and uncover the truth before it consumes her and everything she holds dear.
The final epilogure of the violence, with the skin trade dismantled and moral lines redrawn, Anita must confront the repercussions of her actions, the relationships that have been tested, and the grim realities of a world where darkness constantly looms. As she looks towards an uncertain future, the story leaves readers contemplating the continuous dance between light and shadow in a universe where nothing is truly black and white.
