A dystopian new adult fantasy- - - - -In the world after the gods return, Mallory is a chalice -- a rare fertile female consecrated by the goddess Asherah and marked by her firebird tattoo. She lives protected and pampered in Red City with other girls who will one day contract with the highest-bidding kings to provide natural-born heirs. From the moment she's identified as a potential chalice, Mal trains to detach her feelings from the world outside Red City; but when she's used as a pawn in one king's scheme for world domination, her rage overwhelms her ability to suppress her emotions. Caught in the power struggle between Red City and two opposing kings, Mal discovers the significance of her firebird tattoo. She's forced into the dangerous game of world politics - where her growing love for one king could destroy the game itself.  [PRINT LENGTH: approximately 428 pages.] [formerly titled Bleeder] Nominated for Best Romantic Science Fiction / Futuristic (2011) by The Romance Reviews