All Mariamne Niege wants is to finish her thesis and get a job. Unfortunately, she's a Guardian now, and her visions of the future have grown so intense she's blind to the world while in their grip. Her Watcher, Hanson, is sleeping on her couch and scaring her roommates when he's not shepherding her through the visions and calming her worsening nightmares. Then the earthquakes start, warning of an even bigger disaster—a cataclysm that could level her beloved city and claim countless innocent lives. A disaster her visions say are triggered by Hanson, even though he's sworn to protect her . . .

Hanson joined the Watchers to atone for a life of lies, but the only way he can stay close enough to Mari to protect her is to use some of his less-than-honest talents. She is the only witch who can ease the agony of being a Watcher, and the only woman in the world he wants. Then Mari's house is broken into and her roommates slaughtered, and in order to save his witch, Hanson is going to have to become more vicious than the Dark—even though it might mean losing her forever.