Rothswood, a small village nestled deep in America's forests, has long been a location where mysteries lie beneath the surface. In the early spring of 2007, those secrets begin to emerge.Adrian Vale returns to Rothswood after decades away, hoping for just one thing: redemption.Adrian, a vampire who refuses to accept his true nature, attempts to live quietly among people while concealing the monster he once was. But tranquillity was never intended for him.Seraphine Vale, his step-sister and the polar opposite of all he stands for, is close behind him.Seraphine, a beautiful, violent, and shameless vampire, lives in turmoil and temptation. Adrian seeks control, while she seeks freedom—and she is determined to remind him of the darkness they share.Their homecoming rekindles something ancient within Rothswood. They meet Lena Hart, an average girl whose life unravels when she realises she resembles a woman who lived centuries before and is linked to the creation of the two vampires. However, Lena's likeness is no coincidence. She is the last surviving descendant of Katarina Hartwell, the mysterious woman who long ago transformed Adrian and Seraphine—and whose blood may hold the secret to awakening creatures older than the magical realm itself.As unusual deaths begin to occur in the town, lost bloodlines reappear. Witches start to detect dark magic rising. Werewolves are once again roaming the forests. Vampire hunters arrive carrying wooden stakes and fire. And whispered through ancient stories is a name spoken only in terror: The originals. Four individuals that were never human. Four siblings that were not created. They simply existed.Nobody has ever seen them. But if the rumours are accurate, their return will forever change the magical world. Alliances will be put to the test in Rothswood, love may become hazardous, and foes may disguise themselves as people you most trust. Because, beneath the moonlight, every secret is revealed. And some creatures are born in the moonlight.