What happens if the blood runs out? Twin Rivers Hospital has a new executive director, and he has eyes on research money. How better to get it than to exploit Jake's unusual condition? In terror of becoming a lab rat-or worse, having the blood supply cut off-Jake faces more tests (and needles). But he's got bigger problems than Dr. Malloy. Hearing heartbeats, feeling the gnaw of hunger, and fighting uncontrollable fangs, Jake starts to worry he might be the monster he always thought he wasn't. Where is the line between victim and villain? Between disease and desire? Between epilemic-and vampire?.