Her missing friend left one warning: Don't let them be kind to you.
Investigative journalist Anya Serrano arrives in Thornwick, Vermont, searching for an archivist who vanished without a trace. Instead, she finds a town where roses bloom through October frost, everyone knows her name, and no one will tell her the truth.
Then she meets Rhea Thorne.
Three hundred and ninety years old, devastatingly beautiful, and accustomed to absolute obedience, Rhea is the powerful witch who has protected Thornwick for centuries. She is also hiding secrets that could destroy everything Anya believes about the town—and about the woman she cannot stop wanting.
Their attraction is immediate. Their chemistry is dangerous. And when Anya discovers a mysterious black tree spreading across her skin, she realizes that Thornwick's kindness comes with a terrifying price.
Every thirty years, a woman disappears. Her name is erased. The town survives.
This Halloween, Anya is next.
With the Lantern Vigil approaching, Anya must uncover the truth behind an ancient bargain while navigating a passionate relationship with the very woman who helped preserve it.
Because in Thornwick, surrender can be intoxicating. Trust can be deadly. And the difference between being loved and being possessed is everything.
