States of Grace

Franzicco Ragoczy di Santo-Germano is a successful merchant in Venice. His lavish lifestyle and rumored cache of magnificent jewels have attracted the wrong sort of attention and without Santo-Germano''s noble―and papal―connections he might be imprisoned his property confiscated. Also under surveillance is the vampire''s mistress the lovely and talented musician Pier-Ariana Salier. Elsewhere Ragoczy''s publishing business is being investigated by the Inquisition. Erneste van Amsteljaxter a writer whose intelligence Ragoczy finds attractive is tarred with the brush of heresy. Ragoczy is trying to help her when he learns that Pier-Ariana has disappeared. Back in Venice Santo-Germano finds that his fortune has been embezzled and that he is accused of kidnapping and possibly murdering a young man who had been spying on the vampire and his mistress. Another spy has discovered Santo-Germano''s true nature and intends to kill him before he can feast on all of Venice!