The Comfort of Winter

I could imagine the reader wondering who would seek comfort in winter. Then again, I would assume the reader would long for the hot summer days. For my ancestors and me, the sun has proved the most efficient jailer, restricting our activities to the night. When you read my life, you will judge me, but can I ask you to consider the defence often put forward for the carnal acts of others? He was a man of his time . I offer no defence because I was a monster and still am. I arrived here from France under the umbrella of the Huguenot Diaspora in the company of a mortal who would become the love of my life, accepting me for what I was. We settled in London as Wren built his masterpiece, but our love was not to last, as God took her from me. So I lay with my love after taking a draught, which I hoped would afford me ceaseless sleep. However, this ended for me with waking in your city, now so alien. Within days I had to kill, not to feed but to save a young woman from a cowardly attack. My reward her friendship and that of her brother, a physician whose expertise has seen my need to feed cease. Soon the most unholy alliance would be formed when I joined my eldest enemy, the church, to oppose the property developers.