An Unusual Take on Vampires

Okay, let’s set aside our most recent image of sparkly vampires from Twilight that we’ve all come to either love or loathe. The idea of vampires spans many centuries and can be found in many cultures throughout the world. In Africa, for example, vampire myths range from shapeshifters who hunt children to a lawless monster who drinks the blood and eats the nail clippings of nobles. Yum.

For those of us in the Western world, our mythology of the vampire has been mostly shaped by the literary works of authors like Bram Stoker, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, or Percy Bysshe Shelly. We tend to see the vampire as a cursed figure, undead, and wielding fearsome powers. Of course writers love to play with long-held myths, right? So it’s no wonder that even now we see new mythologies arising or interesting twists to the old ones.

In Dracula, the big baddie himself recoils from the sight of the Crucifix because Vlad had cursed God and condemned himself. So, what if a vampire hasn’t gone down that path and doesn’t react in the same way to a religious object? Or, what about that vampire that actually has a conscience or soul? Even better–half vampires!

In the world of The Tower’s Alchemist, vampires and vampire lore exist as well, but with a slight difference. Wizards have known of them as Cruenti (Latin for bloody or stained with blood). The Cruenti (in my book) are men and women who have made pacts with demons in order to obtain or enhance magical powers. However, instead of feeding off of regular people, they crave the blood of wizards. The problem with being a Cruenti is that the longer you prey on wizards and cement your bond with your demon, the more you deteriorate into a deformed monster, with little reason left, and practically no humanity. These are the “Black Wolves.”

Have you ever read (or visualized) an interesting twist on vampire lore? Oh yes, Dicey, I’m looking at you with your awesome narcoleptic vampire series 😉 Please share!