In 1792, Philip Radclife, the bastard son of Benjamin Franklin, comes toFrance to deliver a letter to Thomas Paine. But the guillotine of theTerror has the nation under its bloody blade - and he is caught up in aconflict more horrifying than the Revolution. Unknowingly, he saves thelife of Prince Vlad Dracula, the most eminent and honorable of theNosferatu. In doing so, he makes a powerful ally, but by foiling Vlad'sbrother Radu's attempt at fratricide, he and his descendants are doomedeternally to suffer the vengeful assaults of a powerful vampire. Now in1996, the current Philip and June Radcliffe are kidnapped on theirhoneymoon. Their captor, a mysterious Mr. Graves, swears that he istrying to protect them. But as his thrilling story unfolds, involvingNapoleon, Robespierre, Madame Tussaud, the Marquis de Sade, the ScarletPimpernel, and Charles Darnay as well as Jerry Cruncher and DetectiveDupin, the young couple refuses to believe him - a mistake that isalmost certain to cost them their lives.