Trapped in a necromancer's tower on the longest night of the year. Merek is a pillar of his country community and a confirmed bachelor. He had his chance at love, and he let it slip away. But he's got friends, a faithful dog, and a snug home. Holidays can be difficult, but Merek knows how to handle loneliness. When he volunteers to house-sit for a necromancer on the day before Solstice, Merek expects to be doing the job with no companion apart from his dog. He's displeased to be trapped in the tower overnight by a sudden snow storm. However, everything changes when his old lover shows up on the doorstep. Ian is cold and clearly afraid of something. Merek lets him in. That was his first mistake. The kiss was his second.