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SNEAK PEEK - VALERIE THE VAMPIRE - CHAPTER THREE
🕑 Added 2019-01-01 05:06:10 +0000 UTC“We had no idea the forms in which evil would come. So multitudinous, so varied. We could never have defeated them all, not the handful of us who believed and rallied to stand against them. But what else could we do? How could we back down, knowing what they were capable of when their hunger was unleashed?”
-Professor VanHelsing
They truly are a varied kind, these blood drinking creatures most commonly known as vampires. For every kind we think we know of, at least two more exist. We should count ourselves as lucky that they keep their own numbers dwindled so as not to let humanity become too aware of their existence. It's honestly worthy of being a conspiracy theory, the way they maintain their individual groups without interference from one another.
Vampires do not exist as one cohesive society. Though there are some who suggest there is a conclave which oversees the running of things, there has never been any suitable evidence towards these ends. Most of the vampires who were willing to speak on the subject refer to their kind as a loose collection of clans and family groups. Some are more of what we've come to expect from these blood drinkers. Cavalier, vaguely noble, and all too human in appearance while approaching their victim only to turn into a more predatory mind set once they have them alone. Colloquial known as the “American breed”, these vampires tend to find sunlight abhorrent, and have an allergy to silver. They are however very fond of mirrors and, while unable to consume garlic, don't seem to have any allergic reactions to it. Religious artifacts don't seem to hinder them in the least, so do not depend upon a cross to keep you safe. Often considered the least harmful of the newer breeds, as they are largely content to live and let live.
Others, such as the Russian upyr, are seen as one step above feral, barely able to control their appetites long enough to blend in with human society. They have a strong repulsion regarding the Catholic church, and even the shadow of a cross falling on them seems to make them flee. Preferring the dark forest, and often coming down into a village only to feed, they are able to withstand sever freezing weather. Vulnerable to fire, though it will not kill them unless the blaze it hot enough to reduce them to cinders, it can weaken them enough to contain their corpses in a properly blessed container.
Though their forms may vary, all vampires share a few common traits which identify them as a part of the whole. All of them are unable to withstand direct sunlight, though while some are entirely nocturnal, others can withstand an overcast or cloudy day for a dew hours. They all seem to share a functional immortality, in which unless the specific weakness of their species is known, they can not be killed, only weakened. None of them have an overt fondness for running water, though some seem capable of crossing it if they are in a carriage or interred in a box of grave dirt. All vampires seem to have some manner of heightened senses, such as sight, sound, spatial awareness, strength, agility, et cetera. And of course, they all require the same means of feeding themselves. Some species can subside of animal blood, while others require human. Some can get by on a pint of less a night, but yet others require a more lethally obtained meal. This can risk exposure of their kind, and since the late 1800's there have been no confirmed vampire killings. It would seem they have their own methods of policing themselves as well.
Vampires typically remain in their homelands of origin, with only a few species moving about as the boundary lines change and human civilization encroaches. It is said that one clan may not pass into the territory of another without express permission and an agreement of good behavior until they've moved through. There is generally a great deal of fuss when two different species of vampire are forced to share territory for any amount of time, but don't let them fool you. They'll manage well enough if it's a necessity.
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Val Benkovich
GAAAAAHHHHHH YAAAASSSS!!!!!!!!!!
