William Solaire is turned into a Vampire in France as part of an attack from a roaming Clan. His Maker is a cruel man who turns him in a bid to bolster his Clan's numbers. He subjects William to repeated bouts of Invocation, forcing him to commit horrible acts in his Maker's name. Later that next year, William manages to kill his Maker and strikes out on his own, vowing to never become a Maker himself.