After her suicide, Donovan is sentenced to 266 years in an Asylum cell that forces her to relive moments from her tragic life and the drastic mistakes that led to the night her husband JAMIE was shot and killed in front of her. At the same time, she is seen as an enigma because of her ability to control the celestial energy that runs the spiritual facility.
A riot breaks out in the Asylum and its power source - a celestial battery - is stolen by an ancient earthly order (THE ARANEA) that has learned how to manipulate the secrets of death and the beyond. The wardens of the Asylum need a mortal soul that can cross the veil of death and reenter the mortal world to track down the celestial battery before the Asylum - and all of humanity as a result - ceases to exist.
Imbued with the full power of a celestial, Donovan is given enhanced strength, speed, agility, the advanced knowledge of multiple fighting styles, as well as the ability to call up souls from the Asylum to aid her in times of need.
She will need her new powers, for the road she is about to take is perilous and if she fails it will mean the end of the human race.
The beautiful celestial is the backbone of the Asylum as its Northern warden for the Authority. She sees the potential in every soul that enters here – wants for their light. She knows that the Aranea's theft of the Asylum's celestial battery will cause a chain reaction that will not only bring about a war between the forces of light and dark, but mortal extinction. She can't have that. Over time she has fallen in love with humanity's passion and beautiful flaws. Maggie can relate to imperfection. She was assigned to the Asylum after falling from Paradise’s grace by giving her heart, foolishly, to an extremely charismatic agent of the Malifecium.
Maggie’s dark counterpart in the Asylum. He is also the only celestial who can boast that he bested the greatest Authority warrior to step foot in Paradise, if not through combat, by seducing Maggie into loving him. A love that Jude denies was ever requited, but even he's not that good of a liar...
While at odds with one another, and holding some deep-seeded sexual and emotional tension, Jude and Maggie respect the process and allow each other to command their ends of the Asylum, within reason. It’s a truce that has stood for millions of years. A truce that is now strained after the celestial battery, under Jude's watch, was impossibly stolen.
One of the souls Donovan calls down to earth to help in her mission to receive the celestial battery and contend with the Aranea. Tyler was once a world champion boxer with a gambling problem. To pay off those he owed, he became an arsonist for hire. During a job on Bourbon Street in the late-1970's, he lit a fire not realizing two kids were sleeping upstairs. He risked his life to save theirs, but the bar went up around him and he died in the process. Tyler was claimed by the Malifecium and has been serving a 637 year sentence. Wearing his burn-scars, he handles himself with both a cold determination and biting sarcasm. By working with Donovan he will begin to see his true value and, perhaps, even feel himself worthy of salvation.
Once a very accomplished nurse during WW2, who hid her trans nature out of fear but was exposed and almost beaten to death by her husband. She ended up killing him out of self defense and was sentenced and executed for it. Sent to the Asylum, she was given the opportunity for redemption, by Maggie, to be a true beacon of light and acceptance – helping those spirits in the Asylum who have completely lost their way.
Melina will become invaluable to Donovan as not only a resourceful pair of healing hands, but a faithful conscience and a bright heart during Donovan's treacherous journey on earth.
