Scenting Hallowed Blood is the second book in the Grigori Trilogy, following on from Stalking Tender Prey. Peveral Othman has been revealed as the reincarnation of Shemyaza, the original rebel who fell from grace thousands of years earlier.

Even though the story flows on well from Stalking Tender Prey, I wasn't as satisfied by this book. Perhaps because I enjoyed the supernatural aspects of the first book as accenting the story, while in this book the plot is driven by the spiritual aspects, which doesn't appeal to me as much.

Certainly there is no reason for the writing itself to disappoint. The characters are just as deep and complex, and their interactions are again described beautifully. Their motivations and desires are believable as is their development over the course of the novel.

Shem is particularly impressive, Constantine somehow manages to transform him from an evil opportunist, to a shambling husk, to a god of power, and does it convincingly. While many authors seem to limit the effect of events on their characters to mentioning occasionally that they are hungry or tired, Shemyaza is constantly buffeted and changed by what he's doing, and by what others are doing to him.

The Winter twins, Lily and Owen, Emma the grigori dependent, and Daniel, the reincarnation of Shem's vizier, are hiding out with Shem in a grigori house in London. They know that the Parzupheim will be searching for them.

Each is reacting to the environment in their own way. Lily becomes involved with Israel, another grigori at the house. Owen is catatonic after the events in Little Moore. Daniel is frustrated that Shem seems lethargic and disinterested, and he knows that Shem could heal Owen if he tried, but he won't.

Daniel meets a woman who calls herself Eve at a nearby cafe, not realising that she is an old lover of Peveral Othman, whose name is Aninka. Aninka and Taziel, another of Pev's victims, are trying to find Shem. Taz seduces Daniel, taking him home, when Aninka and Lahash, the Parzupheim assassin, burst in.

Lahash secures the keys to the grigori house and leaves with Aninka to capture Shem. When they arrive at the house, strange grigori creatures known as Emim are swarming over it, and they confront Shem, trying to convince him to go with them to the house of Enniel in Cornwall. To their surprise, he agrees and they leave.

They do not realise that Shem and Daniel have both been contacted by the spirit of Ishtahar, Shem's human lover who has been transformed into a goddess. She has been urging Shem to go to Cornwall and this is why he agrees. They call Taz and tell him to get to Cornwall with Daniel before the Emim find them.

Lily and Owen are captured by the Emim, and their leader, Salamiel. He takes them to Cornwall too, but to a different house, and Lily meets the venomous Sofia. Sofia has convinced Salamiel that she will bring Shem to him as soon as she can, but she is playing her own game. Salamiel's motives are pure, he was one of the original grigori who rebelled with Shemyaza.

Sofia is is also manipulating Tamara, a witch who is part of a Cornwall coven, the Pelleth. They have waited for the return of Shemyaza to wake the sacred serpent and fill the land with energy. Tamara resents the power of her coven mates and when she is approached by Sofia is eager to co-operate in another plan.

Shem is tired and dispirited, worn down by the bickering of the Parzupheim and their attempts to control him. Daniel is largely ignored by them, being only human, and he finds it difficult to play the role of vizier. One night Shem disappears, the Parzupheim are confused as to whether to blame Daniel or assume that Shem has gone to the underworld to wake the serpent.

Emma is also tired of the elder grigori and goes for a walk in the local village, only to meet Meggie, the leader of the Pelleth. She asks Emma to speak to Daniel about working with them instead of the grigori to prepare the local sites for Shem's work. He agrees and moves down to the village.

There is still no sign of Shem, who is completely enthralled by Tamara, who is using part of Ishtaha's energy to bind him sexually. Everyone is working toward the same goal, but with different purposes. Sofia is trying to ensure that the energy that spreads through the land will be dark and corrupt, and she almost succeeds.

When Shem goes to the underworld to confront the serpent, Lily and Salamiel are both drawn to the cliffs, while Daniel and Emma work with the Pelleth to send Shem strength. A tidal wave strikes the shore and everyone believes that Shem must have died, but they see him rise as a golden serpent, fighting with Sofia, who is a decaying dragon.

Lily and the other women step forward and call upon Ishtaha, who manifests as a giant woman. Ishtaha and another goddess, Seference from the sea, surround and absorb Sofia, freeing Shem. In the aftermath, Owen is healed and Daniel and Shem walk together to the house.