Beijing, October 1912. James Asher, his wife Lydia, and an elderly doctor of science who discovered his passion for hunting vampires arrived in China to check rumors about the appearance of a nest of Others. Of course, on the very first evening, after leaving the ship, Escher meets an old acquaintance - Don Simon Isidro. Partner. Defender. A killer and a predator, with whom they overcame so much together. Where did the mysterious creatures come from in Beijing, about the origin of which almost nothing is known? And why does the owner of the city not come out of the shadows, and why do the images of the most ancient vampires of China merge with the role of the gods who are worshiped in temples? And, finally, who killed the young girl on the evening of her engagement?