Gartan is a vampire, assassin and pet of the Empress. Since She has been defeated and Her soul trapped in a book, he is now free, free to take his vengeance on the nobles who spat on him, the priests who laughed at him, and the army that ravaged his homeland. All he has to do is to destroy the book. 

But the Empress didn't break out of hell without being cunning and powerful, and that book is now pure evil. 

This is a collection of dark swords and sorcery tales that read like a novella and introduce Gartan's world, the world of Windhaven.