Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird's friends have lost all faith in her, but she has determined to talk to them, to renew and strengthen their relationship. Aphrodite reappears re-Marked and joins the friends at lunch, but before a confrontation can ensue the famous archer fledgling James Stark arrives. Zoey meets Aphrodite and Stevie Rae after lunch and learns that Stevie Rae is much as she was before her death; the only difference is an aversion to sunlight. The two also reveal that Aphrodite's mark is fake, she is human but retains her visions.
When she goes to speak with them, Erin, Shaunee, Damien, and Damien's boyfriend (and a new member of their group) Jack, tell Zoey they felt betrayed when she shared Stevie Rae with Aphrodite rather than her friends. When she explains they make up and cast a circle to find out why everything has happened. Nyx explains Stevie Rae and Aphrodite, then warns the group that Dark events have been set in motion.
The friends, the "nerd herd" rushes to a Council meeting where they find Shekinah, the High Priestess of all vampyres, has arrived to revoke Neferet's declaration of war on humans. Erik has returned to take over Professor Nolan's position as drama teacher, to Zoey's dismay. On her return to the dorm, Zoey sees Stark practicing with his bow and learns his gift is that he never misses a target, but his body rejects the Change and he dies in her arms.
Zoey and her friends visit a local cat shelter, run by the nuns of the Benedictine Abbey, as a community activity for the Dark Sons and Daughters. The leader, Sister Mary Angela, startles Zoey with the difference between her beliefs and those of her stepfather. On the way back to the House of Night they encounter Heath, Zoey's ex-boyfriend, he says he's given up loving her because it hurt too much. Back at the House of Night Zoey is late for drama with Professor Erik Night, her former boyfriend. He casts her as Desdemona to his Othello, giving her a chance to explain her feelings, but storms off as the bell rings.
After class Zoey is met by Darius, a Sons of Erebus (Nyx's consort) Warrior, and taken to Aphrodite. She has been having visions of Sylvia Redbird, Zoey's grandmother, and gives Zoey a poem. Sylvia and Zoey work out that the poem is an ancient Cherokee prophecy predicting the rise of Kalona, a fallen angel. Sylvia warns Zoey and her friends of Raven Mockers: half-human, half-raven offspring of Kalona and human women he violated, and Zoey requests that she come to the House of Night for protection.
On her way to a Council meeting Zoey is attacked by a Raven Mocker and escapes Aphrodite's vision of her death by calling Damien who sends Air to her rescue. She overhears a conversation between Shekinah and Neferet; Neferet blames all the troubles she's faced on Zoey. After Neferet has gone, Zoey explains about the cat shelter and asks for a place for her grandmother. She then finds Erik and explains the situation he encountered that caused him to break up with her.
Sylvia Redbird arrives and stays in Stevie Rae and Zoey's room, they discuss what to do about the evil that is coming, but halfway through discover a Raven Mocker listening at the window. Shekinah asks Zoey to perform a cleansing ritual, and comes to tell her Sylvia has been in a car crash. Zoey and friends rush to the hospital and fearing the Raven Mockers caused Sylvia's accident ask to have Sister Mary Angela guard her.
Zoey performs the ritual and tries to introduce the red fledglings, but Neferet brings undead Stark and tries to frame Zoey. Stark shoots Stevie Rae, nearly killing her, and her blood brings to life Kalona. Neferet kills Shekinah and the 'nerd herd' escapes to the underground tunnels where the red fledglings stayed. The dangerous headmistress is revealed as the evil witch who brings Kalona back from his imprisonment in the earth, heralding a new era at the Tulsa House of Night.
The friends have found each other again, but have lost their safe haven with their escape from Neferet's dark handhold over the school. Stevie Rae's rediscovery of humanity and near death take their toll on Zoey's growing leadership; she begins to question who she has become, but turns to Nyx and her loving guidance. Zoey is still trying to figure out where her life is going and how to deal with the gifts she has been blessed with. The challenge Neferet poses is devastating, yet she is a believable character as she struggles with the problems rising from Shekinah's death and her friends' banishment. Like the rest of the series, Untamed is directed toward older school-aged readers.
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