The Shongairi conquered Earth. In mere minutes, half the human race died, and the cities lay in shattered ruins. But the Shongairi didn't expect the survivors; tenacity. And, crucially, they didn't know that Earth harbored two species of intelligent, tool-using bipeds. One of them was human. The other, long-lived and lethal, was hiding in the mountains of eastern Europe, the subject of fantasy and legend. When they emerged and made alliance with humankind, the invading aliens didn't stand a chance. Meanwhile, a select few of the blood-drinking immortals are on their way to the Shongairi homeworld, having comandeered one of the alien starships.