“Jesus Christ. And this guy is your friend?”

Bennett snorted. “He is now because eventually…well, eventually, things changed.”

“Obviously, but when? How?”

“For three years, I was like a Basenji at his heels, mute and obedient. During meals, I’d sit at his feet. When he slept alone, I slumbered on the floor alongside his bed, and when he taught, I was the elephant in the room. His students knew I was there, sitting on the floor next to his desk, but no one ever dared to acknowledge me.”

“What do you mean, students? This guy, Max, was a teacher?”

“More like a tutor or perhaps drill instructor would be a better description,” Bennett said with a laugh. “Max was…is an intelligent man. Unfortunately, most of his coven wasn’t. Turned because they were brawny or by accident, or were effeminate enough to catch Max’s eye, most were farmers, fishmongers, sailors and, of course, the occasional prostitute.”

“Wait. Effeminate? Are you saying Max is gay?”

“Do you remember me saying when Max slept alone, I was on the floor by his bed?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, dear old Max was my introduction to homosexuality. I was nothing but an unschooled and unworldly peasant, so you can imagine my surprise when one evening I saw Max kiss a man full on the mouth. I was stunned. I had no idea. I simply had no idea, and later that night, while they departed for Max’s bedroom, I was sent to my cell. It happened more than once, and whenever I noticed slender lads among the recently turned, I knew I’d be sleeping in the dungeon that night. But don’t get me wrong. I had no clue what they were doing behind the door. I only knew I wasn’t invited.”

“Gotcha.”

“Except, with all their brawn or bedroom bent, none had the intellect Max craved. Given their longevity, vampires tend to have a lot of time on their hands, and Max was no different. He had a library filled with literature, the shelves positively overflowing with volume after volume on every subject imaginable, and he had an intellect worthy of discussing every word they possessed. The problem was he had surrounded himself with people just as uncultured and unlearned as me. Most couldn’t read or write, and trying to discuss mathematics or astronomy, let alone delving into the details of Homer’s The Odyssey or Dante’s Divine Comedy, was lost on them. Not to be dissuaded, after spending a year trying to teach several of them the basics, which fell on the deafest of ears I might add, Max picked out who he believed to be the smartest of his flock, a young fellow by the name of Edward, and he began tutoring him and only him.