Section 1: Prologue and Chapter 1 Summary

In introducing himself to readers that have not already read the Vampire Chronicles, Lestat tells that he was created in 1789 and catalogs his strengths and physical characteristics in an effort to entice the reader to continue reading his tales. He claims that the events in his story do not result from the fact that he is a vampire as they could have just as easily happened to a human. David meets Lestat in an opulent hotel across from St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York because Lestat has urgently summoned him. After reminiscing briefly, Lestat explains that he has summoned David because he thinks he is being stalked by the Devil and he is afraid. Specifically, Lestat recalls a story David had told him when he was human, a story of feeling like he had witnessed a tear...