Ro The child-eabalus, diverts the Roman populace with parties, circuses, and celebrations, while his randovernment is riddled with scandal and no business is conducted without bribes which grow ever larger Religions joust for pro to overthrow the ancient Roman pantheon Courtesans, once honored for their skills and protected by special guards, have becooczy Germanius Sanct&39; Franciscus, already subject to extra taxes and regulations because he is a foreigner, falls under the maleficent eye of Telemachus Batsho, a minor functionary who dreams of power and wealth When Franciscus thwarts his atteood birth, Batsho swears revenge Franciscus finds his activities closely monitored and is accused of treason and conspiracy His friends, threatened with sie him to leave the Eternal City But Franciscus has many ties to Rome He has taken under his protection a beautiful courtesan as brutally beaten by the veryher She has been the vampire&39;s sustenance for many ht of the fa despite the vareat medical skills; her son has converted to Christianity and rails against his natia, who has sacrified her own life to care for her mother, realizes that when her ly fanatical brother Deternatia invites Franciscus&39;s attentions, infla him with the power of her untapped sexuality Unfortunately, they are not unobserved, and their siration that destroys Ignatia&39;s fas about the vampire&39;s True Death