For the first time in Russian - the famous masterpiece of the famous Lucius Shepard, who raised the vampire theme to previously unattainable heights!

The time of action is the second half of the 19th century.

The place of action is Banat Castle high in the Carpathian Mountains, a gigantic figment of the imagination of a mad architect.

Once every five hundred years, a Family comes to Banat. Vampires from all over Europe are preparing to discuss strategic plans for the future and take part in the Pumping ceremony: to taste the sweetest, most intoxicating - golden blood.

But on the eve of the ceremony, unimaginable news flies around the castle: the Golden Girl, the result of centuries of work by the best vampires - breeders, was villainously killed! Single-handedly drunk to the bottom by an unknown criminal!

The Patriarch of the Family entrusts the newcomer vampire Michel Behaim, the prefect of the Parisian police, to find him. Dashingly taking up the case, Michel soon realizes that the murder is just the tip of the iceberg, that the true background of what happened is more complex than he can imagine, and that rival vampire clans are using him as a bargaining pawn.