Jonathan Cade, a relatively young vampire of 150 years, is a police detective searching for a serial killer who is murdering young women with increasing frequency and alarming ferocity. His investigation, coupled with the brutality and methods of killing, makes him to believe another vampire is responsible for the murders. He is concerned that this vampire will expose the existence of him and his friends who thrive in Baltimore, 'the city that bleeds'. Henri Durante is a very old vampire who is going insane. His actions are becoming erratic and his kills increasingly brutal and obvious. His specific attraction to young women and the results of his hunger have brought the unwanted attention of both law enforcement and other local vampires. Jillian Klein, Jonathan's human ex-partner and budding love interest becomes very involved in Jonathan's case when the serial killer fixates on the beautiful young woman; thinking that possessing her can bring back to him the control he is slowly losing. In his first encounter with Henri, Jonathan is critically injured and finds himself contemplating an uneasy partnership with an old world vampire hunting society as a means to destroy the vampire they both seek. Jonathan has to decide if he should partner with these hunters or risk letting the killer catch the woman with whom he is falling in love.