Darren, Evra, and Mr. Crepsley leave the Cirque Du Freak and get a taste of the city, but when corpses drained of blood are discovered, Darren and Evra must confront a dangerous creature of the night.

Two boys who are best friends visit an illegal freak show, where an encounter with a vampire and a deadly spider forces them to make life-changing choices.

The lives of Darren and Harkat are at risk as they face monstrous obstacles on a desperate quest to the Lake of Souls.

As Darren faces the final showdown with his archenemy, Steve Leopard, he seeks a way to trick destiny and avoid the requirement that one of them die and the other become Lord of the Shadows, fated to destroy the world.

Darren begins the Trials of Initiation to prove himself worthy of being a half-vampire, even as the the clan's blood foes, the vampaneze, gather near Vampire Mountain.