Each chapter begins with a quote from Hans Christian Andersen's, "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", which has frequent references within the tale to Lord Baltimore. The novel consists of several tales all interlinked around Baltimore and the men who know him.
Captain Lord Henry Baltimore leads a night attack on a battlefield during World War I; after his entire squad is killed by enemy fire and Baltimore himself is wounded in the leg and left for dead, he awakes some hours later to see giant bat creatures feeding on his dead men. When one attempts to feed off him, he slashes at it with his bayonet and scars its face hideously - the giant creature in return wounds him and infests his leg with such terrible gangrene that when he is later brought to hospital, it is amputated - hence his famous jointed wooden leg. Unknowingly, Lord Baltimore struck a powerful vampire who is so angered by Baltimore's actions (he is forevered scarred and blinded in his right eye) that he strikes down a "plague" upon warring Europe. People think this to be a sickness which spreads quickly across countries, but in truth it is vampirism. Baltimore returns home from war haunted by his encounter on the field, yet happy to be home early on account of his leg. But upon arrival, he discovers his parents and sister have succumbed to the plague - only his wife Elowen survived.
And so the plot turns to three of Baltimores' companions who have helped in the past - battlefield surgeon Doctor Lemuel Rose, gentlemen trader Thomas Childress Jr., and sea captain Demetrius Aischros. They have all been called to meet at an inn with Baltimore, and while they wait for him, each tells two tales - how they met Baltimore and why they believe his tale of the vampire encounter to be true. The Doctor treated his leg, Childress grew up on his island home and Aischros shipped him home after the war... From their tales of Baltimore and the supernatural it becomes apparent that Baltimore has become a man bent on a mission to kill the 'Red King' vampire, who infested his family and then murdered his beloved wife. He travels to kill the lesser vampires in hope of reaching the Red King, and has called his three friends forth in hope of their aid.
Italiano
Prima guerra mondiale, fronte delle Ardenne. Gravemente ferito, il capitano Henry Baltimore, unico superstite di una battaglia infernale, risveglia l'ira di un essere mostruoso, un vampiro. E il mondo cambia per sempre: una pestilenza che neppure la morte è in grado di fermare si diffonde in tutta Europa. Soltanto Baltimore, controfigura tragica del tenace soldatino con una gamba sola, può combatterla. Nella sua lotta senza fine contro le tenebre convoca tre amici in una solitaria locanda, tre uomini dal passato inquietante che possono capire la natura del morbo che sta divorando l'umanità. Saranno loro i testimoni dello scontro finale contro il Male in cui Baltimore si troverà a fronteggiare una volta per tutte la creatura che è la sua nemesi da molto, troppo tempo... Español
El Capitán Henry Baltimore dirige un ataque nocturno en un campo de batalla durante la Primera Guerra Mundial; después de que todo su escuadrón sea aniquilado por el fuego enemigo y el propio Baltimore sea herido en la pierna y dejado por muerto, despierta horas después para ver a varias criaturas similares a murciélagos gigantes alimentándose de sus hombres muertos. Cuando uno intenta alimentarse de él, le clava su bayoneta y le hace una horrible cicatriz en el rostro -la criatura lo hiere a su vez y le provoca una terrible gangrena en la pierna, que le tienen que amputar cuando es rescatado y llevado al hospital -donde le ponen una pierna articulada de madera. Sin saberlo, Baltimore hirió a un poderoso vampiro, que está tan enfurecido por el ataque de Baltimore (le ha dejado una cicatriz permanente y le ha cegado su ojo derecho) que provoca una "plaga" que se extiende por toda Europa. La gente cree que se trata de una enfermedad mundana, pero en realidad se trata del vampirismo.
Mientras tanto, Baltimore regresa a casa de la guerra atormentado por su encuentro en el campo de batalla, pero contento de poder volver aunque haya perdido una pierna. A su llegada descubre que sus padres y su hermana han sucumbido a la plaba. Sólo su esposa Elowen ha sobrevivido.
La trama pasa a tres de los compañeros de Baltimore que lo ayudaron en el pasado -el cirujano militar Lemuel Rose, el comerciante Thomas Childress Jr. y el capitán de navío Demetrius Aischros. Todos han sido convocados para reunirse en una posada con Baltimore, y mientras le esperan cada uno cuenta dos historias -cómo conocieron a Baltimore y por qué creen que la historia que les contó sobre su encuentro con el vampiro es cierta. El cirujano trató su pierna, Childress creció en su tierra natal y Aischros lo llevó a casa en su barco después de la guerra... De sus historias sobre Baltimore y lo sobrenatural se hace aparente que Baltimore se ha convertido en un hombre destinado a matar al "Rey Rojo" de los vampiros, que ha infectado a su familia y después asesinó a su amada esposa. Baltimore viaja matando vampiros con la esperanza de encontrar al Rey Rojo y ha convocado a sus tres amigos para que le ayuden.