With pink skin unlike any other demonkin and little of her family’s formidable strength, Mira arrives at Aethervale Academy hoping her mind will earn her the respect she never found at home. But generations of peace haven’t erased the fear of her kind, and among students who recoil at her horns, even a little kindness is difficult to refuse.

That makes Elias particularly troublesome. The beautiful elf has more magic than he can safely control, a mouth that keeps him in trouble, and little inclination to restrain either. He wants to know what Mira thinks, and the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to stop thinking about him.

But the little lifeblood she drinks barely quiets her hunger. After a lifetime of wishing someone would come closer, Mira is finally being offered the affection she craves. When Elias leans toward her, though, she finds herself watching his throat, and hoping he hasn’t noticed.