Three substitute teachers arrive at the academy: Keith, Hayden, and Colin — all vampires, all employed by Keith's company. Keith's announcement during his introduction — that he has developed a potion capable of turning vampires into humans — fractures the room. Hogan, a vampire who takes his species identity seriously, rejects the idea while still supporting coexistence. Wade and Rylan find themselves drawn to it. Then the protagonist accidentally walks into a meeting that was not meant to be overheard, and discovers something that reframes everything: the academy grounds contain a key ingredient for the potion, and it is being cultivated there in secret.