Terahime is frozen over for winter, and time seems to slow as Dante and John face the outcomes of their escape from Captiva City. The king has been assassinated, Red Wine is missing, Captiva City is on lockdown, Fallen Arbor has bounties out for their heads, and John is clinging to life. A guilt-stricken Dante cares for John, their debts stacking ever higher as nothing seems to ease the priest's pain. When the Guild calls Dante into action, he's caught between revenge and a strange need to gain experience. Armed with a soul weapon, he unravels both past and present. As he becomes stronger, something more monstrous grows inside him. Grandemere changes as Fallen Arbor's presence is now publicly known. As parleys of peace between The House and The Tower bring the Civil War to a truce, the people are talking more than ever. Rumors of Viceroy Falco's demise by the Blood Prince and his priest have reached even Terahime. As the Ice Breaking Ceremony nears to ring in the start of spring, the Blood Exchange is looking for the next Blood Champion of Terahime to compete in the Scarlett Isles. Will Dante choose to join the final rounds? John can't believe how long it has taken to get back on his feet, but a simple glance in a mirror reveals his gaunt and weathered body. Against all odds, John is hellbent on living up to the Saint's Mark across his back, becoming a beacon of hope for the whole of Grandemere. Confessions come to light, complicating what bloodlust means for both star-crossed lovers: an addiction, a need, and even a curse of their own making. Can Dante and John survive the secrets to fight this battle together?