From the cradle of darkness blooms a bud of pure love - two undying hearts destined to become one. They share their secret pain and tragedies but find that the love that could heal them may be impossible without paying a dangerous price.Robert Weston is a noble killer, a vampire dwelling in the crypt of an old abbey. Held in bondage for years by the cruel hand and sadistic wit of his former master, Weston was left with no choice but to make a daring escape to freedom, only to be caught again in a web of bloodshed.Lucretia Stover is a lonesome Victorian ghost, invisible to all but the keenest eye. Caught between heaven and earth, she is haunted by a past life that begins to creep back into her memory.When the two meet by chance in the moonlight, their initial discomfort soon develops into a deep passion, wrought with centuries of bottled-up emotions, losses, and secrets. Their love becomes so strong that it begins to defy the laws of the material world in an exciting, terrifying way that neither could have expected. In desperation, Rob and Lucretia must find a way to be together in the same plane of existence, no matter the risk.The Pale and the Opaque is the first book in a saga of gothic romances that span centuries and is tinged with intrigue, dark beauty, and subtle violence, where people are not always as they first appear to be. Features exclusive illustrations by horror artist and writer, S.M. Shuford.