How do you stop a vampire whose fangs aren't his only weapon--or even his most powerful? That's the question facing Tina Sanders when she realizes that one of the pharmaceutical trials that she oversees at Wakestone Trials is not what it appears. To unravel the mystery, Tina recruits Father Miles Pulaski, a demoralized priest at a neglected parish whose research was manipulated by a religious think-tank that Wakestone Trials employs for clerical cover. Little by little, the pair realize that Jacob Wakestone, the billionaire philanthropist who runs Wakestone Trials (officially) and the city of Durham (unofficially) has been draining and disposing of the patients in Tina's pharmaceutical trial in an attempt to turn himself into a vampire. Tina and Miles discover that not only does Wakestone command a growing army of vampires, but also the civic, scientific, and spiritual leaders of the community. Tina and Miles find their faith in science and God tested when they attempt to save the patients and institutions that Wakestone has corrupted. Can they do so without losing their lives or souls? The Staff and the Stake is the debut novel from Spencer Allen. As an autistic author, he strives to create stories that celebrate acceptance, justice, and diversity.