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.
Mr. Crepsley leads Darren Shan on a dangerous trek to Vampire Mountain, the very heart of the vampire world, to be presented to the Council, but an encounter with the Vampanese along the way means trouble.
When Darren Shan returns home, he is met by old enemies and scores to be settled, and with destiny certain to destroy him, the world seems doomed to fall to the Ruler of the Night.
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.
Algebra class, two old friends, and a creature with deadly hands test Darren's determination as he travels to Mr. Crepsley's home town to search for the murderous vampaneze.
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.
Darren Shan leaves Vampire Mountain as part of an elite force on a life-and-death mission to find the newly-risen Vampaneze Lord, who is set to lead the vampaneze into war against the vampires.