When the novel begins, Sookie Stackhouse is still recovering physically and emotionally from the torture she received at the hands of demented fairies Lochlan and Neave in the previous book (Dead and Gone). She has finally settled into a relationship with the Viking vampire Eric, and her errant brother Jason seems to have his life in order, too, with a solid new girlfriend, Michele. But all the other people in Sookie’s life—Eric himself, her former lover Bill, her friend and boss Sam—are having family problems. Eric’s maker, Appius Livius Ocella, shows up with Eric’s ‘brother’ in tow—he is Alexei Romanov, only son of the last Czar of Russia, who as an adolescent witnessed the Bolshevik Revolution, including the slaughter of his entire family. He developed emotional problems as a result. Appius has sought Eric out as a last resort, to see if Eric can help restore Alexei to sanity. Meanwhile, Bill is still suffering from the silver poisoning he got via the teeth of Neave when he rescued Sookie from her torturers. He is not getting better, and may only be able to be cured by the blood of a vampire made by Bill's maker, the dead Lorena, but Bill refuses to ask his sibling for help.
The furor raised by the coming out of the two-natured continues, as Calvin Norris reveals himself to his co-workers and Sam's family deals with the news of having the two-natured in the family. Certain forces are agitating for a were registration system, and the weres suspect that they are under surveillance by the government.
Sookie begins to recover from her torture at the hands of Lochlan and Neave, but still has post-traumatic stress and anxiety. She wants to kill Victor because she realizes he is a major threat to Eric, Pam, and Bill, wanting them dead. But Sookie struggles with the idea of killing Victor in cold blood, rather than in the heat of battle or in self-defense. Victor sends assassins to kill Sookie, Pam, and Bill, without success. Sookie's cousin Claude comes to live with her, claiming he suffers without the company of other fairies (his triplets, Claudine and Claudette, are now deceased). Sookie's mad half-fae uncle, Dermot, has been wandering the property for reasons unknown, as has another unidentified fairy. Sookie seeks out Bill's "sibling", Judith Vardamon, to ask for her help. She learns that Judith was made vampire by Lorena in an attempt to placate a sullen Bill, her reasoning being that having a companion who so resembled Bill's late wife would please him. However, Bill avoids contact with Judith, believing that she blames him for her vampiric state. Judith won't contact Bill because she fears and hates Lorena. Sookie contacts Judith for the sake of Bill's health. Upon learning of Lorena's death, Judith is overjoyed and happily anticipatory of her visit with Bill. Her blood serves to heal him, and the two seem to build a rapport quickly.
Sookie is called upon to babysit her cousin Hadley's young son, Hunter, who is also telepathic. She helps him with the social nuances of being telepathic. Sookie attends a trial by the Shreveport pack, to learn why the body of Basim, a new were, was found buried on her property. She learns that Alcide's second is the bloodthirsty Jannalynn, who is dating Sam Merlotte. Sookie struggles to prevent the pack from killing any of their own. Ultimately, she learns that Colman, father of the baby Claudine was carrying, is seeking revenge on Sookie for the part he perceives she played in Claudine's death. He was going to kill her, but after seeing her mothering Hunter, he can't bear to kill her, and instead wants her to be arrested. Meanwhile, Alexei has been carelessly draining people and refusing to be controlled by Appius, and Eric struggles to control him. Ultimately, Alexei attacks and almost kills Pam and Eric, and kills Bobby Burnham (Eric's "day man"), and Felicia. The stories converge at Sookie's house, where Eric kills Alexei, Colman kills Appius Livius while attempting to kill Sookie, and Eric kills Colman. Sookie and Claude free Dermot from the spell that had made him mad.
Español
Al comienzo de la novela, Sookie Stackhouse todavía se está recuperando física y emocionalmente de la tortura que recibió a manos de Lochlan y Neave, dos hadas psicópatas en la historia anterior (Muerto y enterrado). Finalmente ha establecido una relación estable con Eric Nortman, el vampiro vikingo y su descarriado hermano Jason también parece haber puesto orden en su vida con una nueva novia, Michel. Sin embargo en el entorno de Sookie no dejan de surgir problemas familiares. El sire de Eric, Apio Livio Ocella, aparece en la ciudad con un hermano de sangre de Eric, el desaparecido zarevich Alexei Romanov, el heredero de los zares de Rusia, que al final de su vida contempló los horrores de la Revolución Bolchevique, incluyendo la masacre de toda su familia, lo que ha provocado graves problemas emocionales y mentales. Apio ha acudido a Eric como último recurso, para intentar devolverle la cordura a Alexei.
Mientras tanto, Bill Compton, otro vampiro y ex -novio de Sookie, todavía sufre las secuelas del envenenamiento de plata que sufrió por culpa de los dientes del hada Neave cuando rescató a Sookie de sus torturadores. No está mejorando, y la única cura parece ser sangre del linaje de su sire Lorena, pero Bill se niega a pedir ayuda a su hermana de sangre.
Por otra parte en el mundo comienza a intensificarse el rechazo y el odio por la aparición pública de los cambiantes. Algunos grupos están presionando al gobierno para que cree un sistema de registro para los cambiantes y hay sospecha de que muchos están siendo vigilados por el gobierno.
El primo de Sookie, el duende Claude, se presenta en su casa para vivir con ella, afirmando que se siente solo tras la marcha de las demás hadas (sus hermanas, Claudine y Claudette han muerto). El tío medio loco de Sookie, el duende Dermot, ha estado merodeando por los alrededores por razones desconocidas, así como otra hada desconocida.
Sookie descubre que Judith, una "hermana de sangre" de Bill, todavía sigue viva y le pide ayuda para que le dé su sangre y lo cure de su envenenamiento. También descubre que Judith fue convertida en vampira porque se parecía a la esposa de Bill, y por eso éste la evita temiendo que le odie por haber sido responsable de su conversión en vampiro. Sin embargo, tras la muerte de su mutuo sire, Lorena, Judith está más que contenta de ayudar a Bill a curarse y los dos parecen establecer una relación rápidamente.
Sookie también recibe una petición para que haga de niñera de Hunter, el hijo pequeño de su prima Hadley (asesinada unos meses atrás). Hunter también es un telépata y Sookie le ayuda a aceptar y utilizar sus poderes procurando no llamar la atención.
Finalmente Sookie descubre que Colman, padre del hijo de su prima Claudine, la culpa de su muerte y quiere vengarse, pero después de verla cuidando de Hunter, no es capaz de matarla, aunque pretende crearle problemas y que la arresten.
La novela termina con el descontrol de Alexei Romanov, que siembra un rastro de cadáveres a su paso en un intento de reunirse con Jason, el hermano de Sookie, que mostró simpatía hacia él. En el conflicto final en la casa de Sookie los vampiros y hadas se enfrentan entre ellos. Apio Livio, Alexei y Colman mueren, y Sookie y Claude liberan a Dermot del hechizo que lo había vuelto loco.
Italiano
Sookie dopo essersi ripresa dall'ultimo attacco subito dagli esseri fatati cerca un meritato riposo tra le braccia del suo amato Eric, purtroppo entra in scena il creatore di quest'ultimo che accompagnato da un "nuovo fratello" porta subbuglio e tensione a Bon Temps. Sookie approfondisce la conoscenza di suo nipote dotato del suo stesso dono. Dopo il termine della guerra tra gli esseri fatati, il nonno di Sookie aveva deciso di chiudere il portale tra il regno dei fae e quello umano, pertanto Claude (cugino fae di Sookie) si trasferisce a Bon Temps temporaneamente chiedendo ospitalità a Sookie, si scoprirà poi successivamente che quest'ultimo cercava solo di proteggerla dalla minaccia di un altro fae che è rimasto esclusivamente per cercare di ucciderla. Rientra in scena Alcide (capo dei lupi mannari) che approfitta della bontà di Sookie che per un giorno proverà l'ebbrezza di diventare un santone. I sentimenti di Sookie per Bill sono ancora molto forti, infatti contatterà una vampira per cercare di salvare la vita al suo ex, il quale, in seguito alla battaglia esplosa nel capitolo precedente della saga è in condizioni di salute preoccupanti. La lama d'argento con cui era stato ferito ha avvelenato il suo sangue, che può essere depurato solamente bevendo quello di un vampiro da lui creato.