Cheyenne Lane never believed it could come to this--imprisoned by her own family, who are plotting to overthrow the vampire Council. Ripped away from the happiness of her summer romance and friendship in New Orleans, Cheyenne is forced to begin her education at Clandestine, the Deuxsang university, a year early. She is guarded constantly, separated from her best friend Anne, and desperate for any word from Eli and the witches. Meanwhile, her cousin Lilith has discovered that Cheyenne possesses all four vampiric abilities--unheard of for a Deuxsang--and intends to use her in the Ascending's rebellious scheme. Cheyenne knows she has to find out the truth: about herself, her people, and the world she is a part of. She soon discovers, however, that the more she learns, the less she knows about anything. At 17, Cheyenne finds herself the center of a centuries-old conspiracy involving the vampires, Deuxsang, and witches, and everyone is telling her who she should trust and what she should do. Her head is too full of voices and opinions, and it's time for Cheyenne to make up her own mind. Is she ready to step into the role she was made for? Then again, knowing who made her and how can she be certain that she should?