After being turned into a shadow-wielding, bloodthirsty Daemon in 1649 by Lilith, Xander moves through his dark, immortal life with new meaning. As the first Lamia on earth, he must lead the Courts of Daemonium to maintain the balance between mortals and Daemons. More importantly, he must ensure he remains in control of his own mind to prevent Lilith from taking over again. Those around him are not safe, he can never allow anyone too close. Yet in 1882, his entire world shifts in the most unexpected of ways...Adriana is an inexperienced Luciferus Incantrix who will take her great-grandmother's seat in the Courts. Her light-summoning power is the strongest hope they have in the fight against Lilith, but she is burdened by self-doubt and unable to bring forth the magic they need-until she meets him. With Xander's guidance and antagonising antics, Adriana must use her emotions to strengthen her magic. But can she live up to such high expectations? Will she be the saviour they need? Or will the pressure and her conflicted feelings for Xander be her downfall... and his?Her light has the ability to cut through his darkness, to shine through his despair. And she has the power to destroy every ounce of his control.Lord of Shadow and Blood is the first book in the dark fantasy series, The Courts of Daemonium, and is intended for mature audiences. Please check trigger warnings before proceeding.