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Beneath Blackthorn #9

Welcome to my penultimate Beneath Blackthorn post – a series of posts aimed at avid fans of Blackthorn who want a little extra insight.

RULES OF CONDUCT

When I created borders within the locales, it wasn’t only about giving humans a sense of security, but about intensifying the sense of segregation between the species. I didn’t want a purely ‘them and us’ feeling though, I wanted there to be a sense of imbalance not just between but also within the human and third species communities too.

One of the most conflict-inducing elements I introduced into the series was an individual’s morality and subsequent worth being defined by background, education or class – as if a certain status, ability, and not least origin, defined you as a ‘better’ individual. Of course, with markers like those, this new ‘temporary’ world inevitably eventually reinforced prejudice, intolerance and fear.

When creating the locales and, more importantly, the characters who reside there, I needed to get into specific mindsets. Here’s a snapshot of what I started with, as well as a sample of some rules of conduct that helped reinforce the infrastructure both physically and psychologically:

Residents of Summerton

Environment: Primarily suburban and rural but with a thriving, well-managed and maintained district centre. Range of amenities. Low-level pollution. Crime rate apparently non-existent.

Residents’ Background: A human-only district. Residents justify their places through significant and consistent educational, sporting, scientific, social or political contributions.

Opportunities: Educational and work opportunities are advanced and varied, though some residents specialise in work in Midtown. Superior medical and healthcare provisions.

Some rules of conduct:

  • Residential placement will be subject to annual review, wherein contributions will be reviewed and evaluated. Immediate family units will be treated as a whole unless requested (and accepted) otherwise. 
  • Residents are free to move between districts and locales, but venture beyond borders at their own risk.
  • Personal contact with the third species in the Lowtown or Blackthorn districts could jeopardize Summerton residency.
  • Support of political policies of the Global Council is a requirement. 

Residents of Midtown

Environment: Some suburban housing but consists primarily of a well-managed and maintained district centre. Lots of amenities, including some green spaces. Location for research institutions and consultation venues for the Global Council and third species.

Residents’ Background: Primarily human, but also houses the vampiric Higher Order and other third species ambassadors. Human residents justify their places through, in particular, important educational, social or scientific contributions. Many officers and agents with the TSCD reside in Midtown.

Opportunities: Good. Work opportunities are varied but mainly orientated towards health research because of the facilities located there. Education and general healthcare facilities are also good.

Some rules of conduct:

  • Those of third species origin cannot enter Summerton or move between locales, but are free to move between all other districts.
  • Human residents of Midtown can enter Summerton on approved family or work related ventures.
  • Only Global Council policies are to be advocated.
  • Third species residents are respectfully allowed their own practices, but all feeding is to be private and with licensed donors only.

Residents of Lowtown

Environment: Compacted. In need of development. High-level home security reinforces unease in the community. Housing is often allocated, not chosen. Crime rates, particularly during night hours, is reportedly high. Houses the locale’s penitentiary as well as the Third Species Control Division headquarters.

Residents’ Background: Primarily human but with a significant number of third species residents who have ‘earned’ residency.

Opportunities: Limited. Education, housing and medical provision is poor. Some elect to become non-licensed feeders for money, opportunities or protection.

Some rules of conduct:

  • Residents of Lowtown are not permitted to enter Midtown.
  • Residents of Lowtown enter Blackthorn at their own risk.
  • Using vampire blood for personal purposes is strictly prohibited and a prosecutable offence. Humans involved are at risk of having privileges revoked and jeopardizing any progression outside of Lowtown. 

Residents of Blackthorn

Environment: Primarily built-up but with outlying factories and warehouses. Impoverished and oppressive conditions. Night-life orientated except for cons who make the most of the daylight. Crimes are rarely reported. The district is ruled by key players both in the third species and con community.

Residents’ Background: Primarily third species. Vampires are in the majority, though a lycan pack resides in the north of the district. It is also an overflow facility from the penitentiary – the south is dominated by cons.

Opportunities: Legal? Limited.

Some rules of conduct:

  • Unless tagged*, residents are permitted to enter Lowtown during darkness hours but are to return by dawn. Curfew Enforcement Officers can incarcerate and prosecute offenders.
  • Travel beyond Lowtown is prohibited and attempts can incur severe penalties.
  • Public feeds are prohibited. Meds are issued to the lycan community as suppressants for their lycanthrophy.   
  • Co-operation with the law enforcement work of the TSCD is obligatory.

*All convicts are tagged to confine them to Blackthorn. 

So, are you ready to move in?

Only one more Beneath Blackthorn post to go, everyone. Where did the time go? I’ll be posting my last one on Sunday, where I’ll be sharing my personal take on creating the series.

Beneath Blackthorn #8

Welcome to my series of posts aimed at avid fans of Blackthorn who want a little extra insight. 

THE REGULATIONS

They’re mentioned in Blood Shadows, even more so in Blood Roses and they’ll continue to rear their head as the series continues. The regulations underpin much of the prejudice and paranoia in the series and weigh particularly heavily on the minds of the residents of Blackthorn. After all, it was the regulations that introduced the great divide between the human and third species communities.

What are they?

After the third species ‘outed’ themselves, the Global Council was formed and a new structure was put in place.

The regulations were ‘temporary’ provisions presented by the Global Council to ensure the safety and security of humans as well as taking into account the basic needs of the third species. This was to be until such time as the third species could be deemed ‘safe’.

What happened?

You’ll get more and more revelations about this as the series progresses, but as I promised you additional insight…

1) Terms negotiated

It was either potential all-out war or compromise, especially as whispers of a prophecy foretelling of vampires overthrowing human control coincided with the ‘outing’. To some, the outing was interpreted as the first step in the prophecy.

The third species representatives assured to the contrary. The Higher Order (the equivalent of vampire royalty) negotiated the terms – a place to live safely and control of those third species territories until such a time as a merger could be agreed.

They also brought with them a very tempting offer (no spoilers on that yet!) to encourage the Global Council to move forward co-operatively.

As part of the agreement, the Higher Order secured themselves residence in the more privileged Midtown where they work as so-called ambassadors between the third species and the local authority/Global Council. They cannot, however, be political representatives on the Global Council because those with shadows cannot be involved in decision-making that affects humans (a nice little clause the Global Council put in place.)

2) Locales created

A fresh start was needed to ensure adequate segregation. Cities, towns and villages were disbanded and third species ‘cores’ were created across regions. Temporary barriers were put in place and these cores were subsequently segregated from each other by series of outlying districts – a collection of which became known as a ‘locale’.

A locale consists of four border-controlled districts. In the Blackthorn series, they’re Blackthorn, Lowtown, Midtown and Summerton (more on those here). The further out from the nucleus, the better off you are and the greater the security. Only those in the outlying districts can move between locales.

Locale copy

3) New law enforcement introduced

The Third Species Control (and Intervention) Division was established to deal with minor and major inter- and intra-species issues. It is human lead though ‘consultative’ with the Higher Order.

4) Rules of conduct established to keep control, to keep the peace and to keep everyone in their place

It’s not all good for humans either. The shake-up of the locales also evoked a fresh take on society in general.

Not everyone can live in exclusive Summerton (or similar districts). Residential places have to be earned through regular academic and social contributions and achievements. Even healthcare has to be ’warranted’. Those who don’t achieve adequate annual pointage can be demoted to Midtown or even Lowtown and the climb back up is particularly hard, if achievable at all.

And, of course, if you’re third species but aren’t royalty, or don’t have a particular skill or gift that the Global Council needs, you don’t stand a chance of ever stepping beyond the Blackthorn boundary.

Where are we now?

Over time, this so-called temporary measure became more permanent. The barriers became more restrictive. The rules were tightened. The TSCD became more controlling. The cores gradually became the forgotten dumping grounds – let alone an overspill facility for convicts from the Penitentiaries. Unsurprisingly, locales across regions became a melting pot of unease, injustice and unrest – and none more than Blackthorn. Which is exactly the point I decided to start the series.

It’s my penultimate post of Beneath Blackthorn on Friday where I’ll be sharing some of those ‘rules of conduct’.

 

Beneath Blackthorn #7

Welcome to my series of posts aimed at avid fans of Blackthorn who want a little extra insight. This one is NOT for the squeamish! You have been warned!

FANGS AND FEEDING – Part 2

Blackthorn vampires do not bite to kill – they bite to feed. I’ll keep emphasizing that this is what they claim. They don’t need to kill because they don’t need copious amounts of blood at any one time. Small and regular doses are sufficient. In fact, Blackthorn vampires are at just as much risk during the feeding process as their human ‘feeder’ if they can’t control themselves properly.

How much is enough? 

A human can loose up to 15% of their total blood volume and still recover fairly quickly with little side effects. For example, up to 13% (about a pint) is the amount most people would give during a regular blood donation. This takes about 10-15 mins and, as long as the donor maintains a stable blood pressure (a steady taking of blood and being horizontal helps), there is no change in vital signs, nor is fluid resuscitation necessary. The donor may get a little light-headed but as long as they rest for a short while, they can continue with their daily activity soon after. As a rule, Blackthorn vampires follow the same principles – not just in terms of the volume they consume, but also the rate, force and position of the feed.

How much is too much?           

  • Lose between 15-30% and the person will develop some elevation in heart rate and their blood pressure will start to drop. Their skin will begin to look pale and extremities will be cool to the touch. They might start to hyperventilate. Blood transfusion is still not typically needed though.
  • Lose 30-40% of circulating blood volume and the person’s blood pressure will drop, their heart rate will increase, they’ll turn pale and will start to go into shock. A transfusion will be necessary.
  • Lose more than 40% and it is life threatening. Vital organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys are already failing. At this point, 50% of humans would die within 15 minutes.

Why they stop

Consuming dying blood makes Blackthorn vampires extremely ill. Those who have read the opening chapters of Blood Roses will already know about this. And if they don’t pull back before 40% consumption, they may as well kill their victim regardless because, even if their feeder does survive, the damage will be extensive. Feed any further, and it’s not just the victim who potentially dies. Over-feeding is a serious, prosecutable offence in Blackthorn.

It’s all about self-control

Subsequently, Blackthorn vampires learn how to control themselves quickly. The proficient ones, in particular, are very attuned into their feeder. They tend to feed slowly to maintain a steady blood pressure, will often have their feeders lying down and can also anaesthetise before feeding to reduce the shock of the pain. As well as knowing how much to take, they monitor constantly – seeking indicators such as level of consciousness, physical activity and the temperature of the body to know when they’re going too far.

Oh, but if you’re fed on by a master vampire like Kane, you’ve got all that energy drain to take into account too! He has to be a very proficient feeder indeed.

Keeping romance alive

I don’t want to lose sight of what Blackthorn is about though. It is a work of romantic fiction, not horror and certainly isn’t a post out of a medical journal. The feed is more about the intimacy of the act, as Kane tells Caitlin. It is a sensuous exchange of trust, conviction or sometimes power.

Reality bites

But this is dark paranormal romance. And it is Blackthorn. I’ve painted an image of controlled vampires who know how to behave. However, there are those who overstep the line without compassion for their ‘victim’. They can also be cruel – biting hard, feeding too fast or dropping the feeder’s body temperature to make the blood extraction a more painful experience. Don’t let me paint my vampires as civilised – they have every potential not to be. Which leads us nicely on to the next post…

Next week, as the posts start to draw to a close, I’ll share the regulations that the Global Council put in place, giving you more insight into the locale where Blackthorn is situated.

 

Disclaimer… In this day and age, I guess I have to put this: I am in no way a medical expert. All figures are approximate and individual cases vary. Although the information is based on medical fact, I have shared this in relation to a creative work of fantasy fiction. No blood loss can be deemed ‘safe’ and I do not advocate any practices involving blood loss or blood sharing. So, please don’t sue me and take my house because I like writing here and will miss the squirrels. Oh, and my husband will be very cross with me. :-0  

 

Beneath Blackthorn #6

Welcome to my series of posts aimed at avid fans of Blackthorn who want a little extra insight. 

FANGS AND FEEDING – Part 1

All Vampires Have Fangs – Don’t They?

Despite fangs being a defining characteristic of a vampire, they were never present in vampire mythology. Vampires have always had penetrative teeth of some description, but fangs as we know them today didn’t actually appear until the early 20th century. Ever since then, their style and placement have been manipulated.

Traditionally, vampires had a mouthful of sharp, ratty-like teeth not unlike those displayed in the 2007 film 30 Days of Night – based on the comic series. However, the first visual performance of a vampire was is Nosferatu (1922) and, in this instance, he had two extended front teeth (incisors) to bite with. Hmm, not the most appealing! But that was back when vampires were there purely to terrify.

The Mexican film, El Vampiro (1957) was the first film to show a vampire with elongated canines. But, of course, the most famous portrayal of vampiric canines was by Christopher Lee in his role as Dracula in the 1958 Hammer Horror classic. (Bela Lugosi never showed his teeth at all in Universal’s version previous 1931 version of the infamous count). With canines long having been associated with masculinity, power and virility (mine are bigger than yours, etc, etc…), the introduction of these as the penetrating tool of vampires introduced the new romantic vampire with all its sexual and sensual connotations.

Since then, films and TV have continued to manipulate the size, placement and mechanics of ‘fangs’ to suit their own creative needs. Examples include The Lost Boys (1987) who bypassed those canines for lateral incisors as well as True Blood, whose creators again opted for laterals. True Blood also played with the mechanics, nestling the teeth in roof of the mouth like a snake’s to click into place at feeding time. Avid fans of Supernatural might remember a Dean and Sam case when a vampire had retractable fangs that protruded from the gum whenever it was time to feed. And then there was the time when Dean was ‘infected’ and that brought us back full circle to the mouthful of sharp implements of old.

I found this on Pinterest a while ago and I think it gives a great snapshot of some of those examples:

Source: sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net via Lindsay J. on Pinterest

So, canines or incisors? 

When I had to decide on the design of my Blackthorn vampires’ feeding teeth, there were a few things that influenced my decision.

Canines are the most deep rooted and pointiest of teeth and their primary purpose is for gripping and subsequently tearing food. However, a) Blackthorn vampires don’t need to grip their prey using their canines alone and, more relevantly, b) my vampires don’t tear during feeding – they pierce. I therefore decided to keep to the principle of incisors (albeit a pointier, non-chiselled design unlike ours), as biting and cutting is the prime purpose of those teeth.

Therefore, Kane quite rightly corrects Caitlin in Blood Shadows when she refers to his incisors as ‘fangs’ as this is an interchangeable term for the canine or, in humans, the cuspid. Caitlin didn’t get it wrong though (she’s worked with them long enough). When ‘fangs’ are referenced in the Blackthorn series, it is in relation to the old legends and not least the feral nature of vampires – so is used to provoke. Kane is therefore really correcting Caitlin about his nature.

And their position? 

My only issue with this was that I never did much like the physical appeal of the front or lateral incisors extending. I’ve always preferred canines positionally. So I decided to find some middle ground by giving Blackthorn vampires an extra set of feeding teeth between the lateral incisors and their canines. They’re much narrower than their neighbouring teeth (to account for the extra set) – but lethally sharp and extendable. They’re also hollow so they can drink through them like a straw with the rest of their mouth consuming any excess bleeding.

This additional set of incisors are, of course, an obvious way to differentiate my vampires from humans. It equally differentiates them from the lycans who have the traditional elongated canines true to their origins – after all, they do like to tear.

I’ll be back with part 2 on Friday where I’ll be telling you about the feeding habits of Blackthorn vampires. I hope you’re not squeamish!

Win a Signed Copy of Blood Roses!

Members of Goodreads can be in with a chance of winning one of three SIGNED copies of Blood Roses, the second book in my acclaimed Blackthorn dark paranormal romance series.

The giveaway started yesterday and will run until a week before the release date. Here’s the link:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Blood Roses by Lindsay J. Pryor

Blood Roses

by Lindsay J. Pryor

Giveaway ends April 19, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

If you decide to enter, I wish you oodles of luck.

And don’t forget, you can pre-order a paperback version of Blood Roses now by clicking on the Amazon link in the sidebar.

The release day is drawing near!

xxx

Beneath Blackthorn #5

Welcome to my series of posts aimed at avid fans of Blackthorn who want a little extra insight.

Last time, I explained what Blackthorn vampires can’t do. So this time it’s…

WHAT BLACKTHORN VAMPIRES CAN DO:

They can breathe and have palpitations.

Blackthorn vampires have an autonomic nervous system similar to ours – which basically means they breathe, have a heart rate, eat, perspire, salivate and get aroused. But their respiratory and pulse rate is vastly slower than a human’s. I’ve based their extended lifespan loosely on the as-yet medically explored theory that if we slow down our heart rates, we’ll live longer. Apparently, a human body has only so many heartbeats (about a billion) and so many breaths. With so many variables, it’s a complex theory the more you read into it, but perfectly plausible – so I decided to extend it to my vampires. And just like we can control our breathing and heart rate to some extent, so can they. They also have a similar nervous system to ours so can feel pain as intensely as we do.

They can self-heal quicker.

My vampires like to sleep (and not in coffins!). You don’t see much of it in the series – firstly because each story happens in a very short and intense space of time, but also because it would obviously make a somewhat dull read. Human bodies heal up to 50% faster through sleep. You can increase that heal rate for my vampires. Fresh blood also helps them rejuvenate by stimulating cell re-growth. On that note…

They can go out in sunlight.

Though folkloric vampires were believed to be more active at night, they were not generally considered vulnerable to sunlight. In fact, vampires could walk around like anyone else. Dracula’s a prime example – he lost his strength and power but could still walk around in the daytime. It’s popular culture that has made sunlight lethal to vampires. Sunlight won’t outright kill Blackthorn vampires, but their mild form of porphyria makes them intolerant of prolonged exposure to UV rays. Because of the extra stress this places on their self-healing, their bodies are under greater strain thus exhausting them quicker. In Blood Shadows, I refer to how Kane will have to go home and sleep after his walk home in daylight.

They can see themselves in mirrors.

It would be a crime if they couldn’t because they’re darn good looking. 😉 The reason vampires are reputed not to be able to see themselves in mirrors is because mirrors are believed to reflect souls which, of course, historically vampires don’t have. It was a particularly popular myth back when mirrors used to be backed in silver (see what I had to say about silver in Tuesday’s post). Okay, so my vampires don’t have souls, they have shadows. But with all that aside, if inanimate objects can cast a reflection, so can Blackthorn vampires.

They can be staked.

There are extensive theories as to why wooden stakes are recommended to kill vampires. One belief is that wood used to be alive so is subsequently said to suck the ‘undead life’ out of vampires. Some claim only wood from trees that bear fruit is effective. Others choose whatever wood was native to the area. The most commonly used woods are hawthorn and the rowan tree (lots of fascinating mythology around why!). In England, up until 1823, ash stakes (TVD anyone?) were deemed the most effective. Magical associations aside, using stakes has probably got a huge amount to do with the fact that vampire stories predate the existence of firearms. Wood would have been readiest and most cheapest substance available for the ordinary person. And why are my vampires susceptible to stakes? Because anything living that has a stake drummed into its beating heart is going to die.

They can enter your place uninvited.

Some traditions claim a vampire cannot enter a house unless invited by the owner. This is an extremely old theory linked back primarily to safeguarding against ghosts, demons and faeries. Vampires have always traditionally been classed the same way. However, as Kane proved in Blood Shadows, my vampires are more than capable of anyone’s home that they choose.

They can hear you coming long before you can hear them.  

They aren’t a superspecies, but Blackthorn vampires do have more efficient senses – hearing and olfactory senses in particular – allowing them to be more effective predators. They also have faster reflexes and reaction times, run faster and are significantly stronger.

They can resist killing you.

Blackthorn vampires feed on humans, but they do not set out to kill humans – or so they claim! Drinking too much blood in one go makes them ill. Drinking the last drop of human blood can kill them. Proficient vampires can feed efficiently and effectively and sense the right amount to take for both themselves and their feeder. Kane makes reference to this in his conversation with Caitlin in the bathroom scene in Blood Shadows. Feeding is worthy of a post in itself though.

So on that note, I’ll be back on Tuesday to give you some additional insight into my vampires’ feeding habits and why Kane refers to his ‘fangs’ as incisors.

Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend!

Meet Caleb from Blood Roses

He’s dark. He’s dangerous. He was the most proficient serryn hunter of his generation. I’m so thrilled to be able to introduce you to Caleb Dehain from Blood Roses…

Blood-Roses-bites-Intro1

 

And if that’s not enough, there’s more Blood Roses news in the next couple of days – so stay close! And Beneath Blackthorn #5 is up tomorrow for those of you who want a little more insider info. 🙂

Beneath Blackthorn #4

Welcome to my series of posts aimed at avid fans of Blackthorn who want a little extra insight.

With the existence of vampires being recorded as far back at the 6th century BC, what is known about them varies from country to country and culture to culture. Most of what we now understand stems from 18th century Eastern Europe, the influences of Christianity and the success of vampire literature and films of the 19th and 20th century. There is no right and wrong when it comes to what vampires can and can’t do. There is just one rule – they survive by feeding on the blood of the living.

Look into the mythology of vampires and you will find reams and reams of information to support or dispute various claims regarding vampiric abilities. Throw the influences of literature and films into the mix and it all becomes incredibly complex. As a writer of fantasy, I can be selective about which aspects of mythology I want to apply. I can also create my own rules. What my vampires can and can’t do is as much about characterisation and plot as fitting in logically into the Blackthorn world I’ve created.

So, let’s start with…

WHAT BLACKTHORN VAMPIRES CAN’T DO.

They can’t live forever.

In case you missed it in the last post, Blackthorn vampires are not immortal. They are not the result of some evil spirit animating their undead body. They haven’t sold their soul in return for eternal life. They are a species in their own right.

They can’t shape-shift or change their features.

Blackthorn vampires can’t morph into another creature any more than their human counterparts can. They don’t change their features either. Eyes suddenly turning black or red, facial features becoming disfigured, or ears and nails elongating when they are harmed, angry or hungry is one way to represent the demon ‘outing’ during moments of stress. It gets used a lot on TV shows and films not only for that reason, but because visually it’s more interesting and generates more scares. With nothing to ‘out’ from my vampires, they stay looking the same aside from a few subtle differences. The ‘fangs’ I’ll be dealing with in another post.

They can’t be warded off by holy symbols.

Being warded off by holy symbols, primarily crosses or holy water, was established by the Christian Church to support their theory of the evilness of vampires. Again, mine don’t have any demonic association, hence no recoiling.

They can’t display superhuman abilities.

If Blackthorn vampires were a breed of supercreatures, then the tension in my stories wouldn’t exist. Introduce a few thousand super-vamps globally and it wouldn’t take too long for them to take over the world. They’re definitely more physically adept than us (more on that in Friday’s post), but not to the extent they can leap entire buildings, fly, knock through walls or bend steel. What would be the point of front doors, let alone border control?

They can’t read minds.

Vampires have been associated with hypnotic stares or an ability to compel as a way of controlling their victims. How sexy it is for a vampire to control another into doing what they want – especially in a romantic relationship – is down to personal preference. Personally, I think it’s much more powerful if an individual’s actions are generated out of free choice. What’s wrong with old-fashioned charm and a little bit of clever psychology? Hence no siring in Blackthorn! And if my vampires are psychic, where’s the tension? Most conflict in relationships arises out of trying to guess each other’s feelings, motivations or perspectives. It’s no fun if one side has all the answers.

They can’t develop disease, get drunk or be affected by smoking.

My vampires aren’t infallible but they can tolerant things our more vulnerable human bodies can’t. They can drink copious amounts of alcohol and smoke without any health or side effects because, basically, their resilience and self-healing abilities are more proficient. It’s one of the reasons the Global Council think it’s acceptable to leave vampires to cope in the pollution-riddled Blackthorn (whilst making the most of a few experiments here and there…).

However…

They can’t tolerate silver, garlic or hemlock.

A vampire’s allergy to silver is hugely debated. Some say it was borrowed from lycan lore. Some say silver is a repellant because of its holy connotations – one legend claiming that vampires originated with Judas Iscariot and that silver was cursed when he betrayed Jesus with 30 pieces of it. Others say it’s down to the mysticism surrounding silver’s lunar associations. According to Greek mythology, Goddess Artemis had cursed the first vampire on earth that whenever it touched silver, the skin burned. It also has a paralyzing effect. Whichever, silver upsets my vampires’ internal balance. And it hurts. They also hate hemlock. Hemlock is a genuine poisonous herb that causes paralysis (it was allegedly used to kill Socrates the philosopher) – hence why Caitlin laces her gun with it in Blood Shadows. Blackthorn vampires are allergic to garlic because the allicin compound it contains thins their blood to the extent of making them bleed internally and externally. It also gives them symptoms of low blood pressure. Very unpleasant.

They can’t turn you.

As Kane said in his interview on GraveTells: “…we sure as hell don’t turn you as your religious leaders would like you to believe, anymore than drinking cow’s blood would have you grow hooves and chew the cud.” They can’t turn people because they don’t carry a virus and, as stated at the beginning of the post, are not part of a transmittable evil lineage. Once a vampire, always a vampire. Once human, always a human.

I’ll be back on Friday with what Blackthorn vampires can do.

Beneath Blackthorn #3

Welcome to my series of posts aimed at avid fans of Blackthorn who want a little extra insight.

The Third Species and their Shadows

For thousands of years, even before the term ‘vampire’ was known, blood-consuming supernatural beings have appeared in every culture around the world. Apart from rare occasions when they’ve been constituted as deities, they have almost always been associated with evil origins. This was further enforced by the introduction of Christian ideologies, with vampires not only deemed as a risk to our physical self but our spiritual self too.

The most popular belief is that vampires were once human before being transformed into the undead. Whether reanimated by an evil spirit upon death or willingly having sacrificed their soul in place of immortality, whether bitten by a vampire or having consumed the blood of one, in each circumstance the human’s soul is lost and their links with the afterlife subsequently severed.

Those beliefs don’t apply in Blackthorn. Blackthorn vampires aren’t immortal. They’re not humans reanimated or contaminated and they’re most certainly not the undead because Blackthorn vampires were never human at all. They didn’t swap their souls for immortality because they never had a soul to swap. Instead, vampires and other third species (e.g. lycans) have ‘shadows’ in place of souls. They are born that way and are subsequently a species in their own right.

This doesn’t mean they’re exempt from the judgement of human ideals, concepts and beliefs though. Blackthorn is based in an alternative reality but the humans that oversee it are still governed by the same historical and religious influences as us, right up to the point the third species outed themselves.

And it is the human-orientated Global Council (responsible for the political and social set-up since the third species came out into the open) that use evidence of this absence of a soul, and the presence of a shadow in its place, to define the third species.

The Global Council reinforces the theory that the soul is a pliable facet responsive to redemption, unique to the human condition and tightly associated with the afterlife. Humans are consequently defined as the ‘first’ species in the hierarchy of morality because, with the most to lose, they have profound reasons to govern their actions.

Any species whose actions do not need to be restrained by conscience, that are not subject to judgement and who, by the soul’s very absence, are excluded from redemption, are subsequently a lesser species morally. Until they prove otherwise, those with shadows instead of souls are hence categorized as the ‘third species’.

With this theory behind the Global Council’s propaganda, reinforced by the physical risks the third species pose because of their predatory instincts, the decisions to ‘cage’ the third species is upheld.

But do the Global Council really believe in the divisive connotations it enforces, or is it just another excuse to retain the upper hand? Is the melting pot it has created within Blackthorn intentionally so? And is the very ‘darkness’ implied by the existence of shadows within the third species a darkness at all?

I’ll be back with more vampire mythology next week, when I’ll be sharing some more traditional beliefs and the origins behind them – and how I’ve applied (or not applied) these to Blackthorn vampires.

Blood Roses For You!

Blood Roses, the second book in my Blackthorn series, isn’t available yet but I’m excited to tell you the first three chapters are now live! So, if you’re ready for your next Blackthorn instalment, grab yourself a drink, maybe some solitude and click here.

You’ll be meeting Caleb and Leila – the next couple whose romance is going to be integral to the future of Blackthorn. Vampires and serryns are a deadly mix at the best of times but, as I peel away Caleb and Leila’s layers through the story, you’ll start to see just how much of a lethal combination these two are.

But enough from me – as always, I love to know what you think. Please do get in touch if you have any comments to share.

I’ll be back here later with my third ‘Beneath Blackthorn’ post.

Have wonderful weekend!