“It wasn’t just a kidnapping. As Max had feared, their greed was endless, and Simeon and Napoleon were prepared to do anything in order to walk in the sun again. They were determined to find out what made me so special, and at first, they called in a few physicians hoping to discover the answer. Back then, though, medicine was basically herbs and leeches, so after a year of poking, prodding, and drawing blood with no results, Simeon and Napoleon killed the doctors and took matters into their own hands. They started by feeding on me almost daily, hoping that my blood would change them into daywalkers, and when that didn’t work, they began…they began cutting into me. They thought if they could eat my organs, that would somehow turn the tide.”

“Jesus Christ. That’s sick.”

“There was never any anesthesia, of course. They didn’t see the need to not cause pain. They absolutely loathed me, and more often than not, they’d just squeal like delighted pigs and continue cutting. They knew the only thing that could kill me was if my heart was pierced or my head was taken, so they basically had carte blanche to do what they did. And when nothing worked, they’d take out their anger on me. They’d beat me to a pulp and then give me enough blood to regenerate…and then start all over again.”

“I’m afraid to ask how long—”

“Eight years.”

“Eight years,” Ruby said, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh, my God.”

“It’s funny, too, because the man I had loathed for what he had done to me would become my savior.”

“Who? Max?”

“No, Yannick,” Bennett said, shaking her head. “He was traveling through France and stopped by Napoleon’s to rest his men and horses. It wasn’t unheard of. The homes of all the originals were always open to the others, and he wasn’t at all surprised to find Simeon there. It was well known Simeon and Napoleon got along famously. While most thought Napoleon nothing more than a buffoon, he was a buffoon who, like Simeon, believed vampires should rule the world. Anyway, over dinner one night, Napoleon’s arrogance finally raised its ugly head, and he spilled the beans. He’d had Max’s pride and joy chained up in his dungeon for the past eight years, and once they discovered how I could walk in sunlight, vampires would rule the world.

“Yannick cut his trip short and returned to England. He woke up Max and told him what had happened, and two weeks later, every member of Yannick’s and Max’s clans descended on Napoleon’s castle. Outnumbered and fearing their demise if they stood in his way, Simeon and Napoleon had no choice but to allow Max to retrieve his charge.”

***

France – The Winter of 1650