*A big Thanks to Chloe Neill for making Bite Club part of the blog tour for Twice Bitten! I am so thrilled to have her as a guest and as you know, I absolutely cannot wait for Twice Bitten to hit store shelves. As an added bonus, Chloe has generously offered a signed book and some swag to one lucky commenter (I am so jealous...kidding...well sort of)! The contest details will be at the end of this post. Without further ado...Chloe Neill!
The (Chicagoland) Vampire Mythology
Hi, everyone! I thought I'd spend a little time today reviewing the vampire mythology checklist in the context of the Chicagoland Vampires series (with some comparisons to other paranormal series).
Generally, I tried to stick to the basic biological constraints of vampirism with some tweaking here and there for the modern setting.
Soul or No Soul?
In the Chicagoland Vampires world, vampirism is a communicable genetic mutation. (I know, I know. Willing suspension of disbelief.) :) As Ethan essentially tells Merit in SOME GIRLS BITE, she never died, and her heart never stopped beating. Thus, vampirism has no effect on one's soul, nor are vampires "undead," previously-dead, once-dead, etc.
Thus, when vampires sleep (which they do during the day), they are actually asleep. They are not temporarily dead or unconscious. They can force themselves to stay awake, but this is generally difficult to do--the equivalent of a human trying to stay awake after 2 or 3 sleepless days. There are also no coffins in my world. (Cadogan House has a luxe bed for its Master, and dorm-style beds for the Novitiates).
Blood-drinking?
The Chicagoland vampires must drink blood from humans and other vampires. Blood is, as Mallory points out, "another vitamin." Vampires can (and must) also eat normal food, and do get hungry. Merit has strong smoked-meat cravings, although that may just be Merit. :)
Sunlight?
No sparkles here. ;) The Chicagoland Vampires sleep during the daytime, and have a severe allergy to sunlight. Vampire skin in sunlight would begin to blister after only a couple of seconds, and a vampire would be reduced to ashes quite quickly.
Immortality and Healing?
The CV vampires are immortal; they will not die of old age, and they appear to be the age at which they are turned. They heal quickly.
Stakes, etc.
An aspen stake through the heart will kill a CV vampire. As in the traditional myth, CV vampires can also be killed by other methods including sunlight and removing the head (usually in conjunction with other dismemberment that renders the body unable to heal). Thus, a few slashes with a katana won't kill a vampire; it takes substantially more damage.
Mirrors, Crosses and Garlic?
These three items are not part of the CV mythos. Garlic and crosses are ineffective (as it's a genetic mutation, not a demonic possession), and vampires are visible in mirrors. (The latter is true because I wanted Merit to be able to see herself post-transformation.)
Powers?
The CV vampires are generally stronger than average humans, can jump higher, and have increased stamina. They may be particularly fast ("vampire quickspeed") and, to varying degrees, can glamour humans into following their commands. Masters can telepathically communicate with their Novitiates, and some vampires have psychic or empathic abilities. Also, vampires' eyes silver when they are aroused (emotionally or physically) or hungry.
Thanks for reading today! I hope this look at the CV myth has been informative!
Contest details:
*Contest is open to US and Canada
*Must leave a comment that explains what part of vampire mythology you find the most interesting. Eternal life and a front row seat as history unfolds? Superspeed to ease your escape from sticky situations? Drinking oodles of blood from unsuspecting strangers? Just let me know and you'll be entered to win!
*Contest is open until July 8th and I will announce the winner the following day
*please leave an email address unless one is included in your profile
