It seems many of you are obsessed with Kate Beckinsale, specifically her Vampire character Selene from the action-horror film series Underworld. She’s a Death Dealer who fights in a war against Lycans (read: werewolves) but usually ends up fighting everyone — and for good reason: she’s been lied to for six centuries about who she is, never mind the pettiness between the factions and having to choose her allies carefully to protect herself and those she cares about.
Can I relate? Oh Lord yes. While I don’t have werewolves to deal with (thank God for small favors), it turns out Vampires are neither a freak of nature nor an accident in my circles. Our original creators, the Blood Workers, made us with purpose… and we’ve all been at odds ever since.
So, in relating to dear Selene…
Secrecy. Similar to Underworld, the other Vampires I deal with accept we don’t trust one another. Because Blood Workers have various individual powers they can choose to pass on or withhold, the skill set of individual Vampires can vary. Even exposure to a power can help one of my kind to develop it if given enough time, so if you’re going to destroy a fellow Vampire using “a cool new ability,” do it quickly before your opponent figures out how to use it against you. Selene is a master strategist at this; the longer we survive, the better we become.
Paranoia. It isn’t entirely our fault we freak one another out: we were made not to trust one another — even instinctively hate each other — so we would keep to our creator and trust them in all things. When the first makers were destroyed, Vampires fended for themselves due to the restrictions placed upon them. We were created to be the tribal figurehead: the warrior chieftain that others would look up to while heeding the advice of their “spiritual guide.” Paranoia may seem extreme until you realize everyone is out to get you, so we both understand this.
Protector. Of everything Selene does or can do, this is the one I relate to the most: she cares, often to the point of putting herself in personal danger to save someone else. Gaining her trust isn’t easy — she’s been screwed over too many times — but once earned, Selene will go the distance. I like to think of myself that way, but cross either of us and you should probably run.
Memory. Blood transference of memory — a part of a victim’s soul itself — is something which still gives me the willies. In Underworld, Vampires can’t keep secrets from one another because they can taste their memories through blood; in my experience, immortal blood is useless to another immortal (which is why we have to stay close to mortals), so the transference only works between Vampire and human. This feeds into the aforementioned secrecy and paranoia because we can still deceive one another, but keeping the memories of victims separated from your own is a chore, and cheating those boundaries doesn’t make it any easier.
Brooding. After six centuries: really, Selene? I did the everything-is-dark thing for a while, but after a year and a half I just couldn’t. It wasn’t me and was never me. Since purging my sire’s willfulness from my head, his memories often merge into my own and I catch myself being more sarcastic than I used to be, but the whole silent brooding over the city at night? I can’t do it, especially here in the country where the tallest structure is a water tower (cue the “Animaniacs” theme song). But hey, I can scare the living hell out of people by popping out of the shadows at them; it’s become a bit of a game for me now.
Smart, beautiful, deadly and dedicated, I’d like to think if Selene were real, we could be friends. And those blue eyes when she vamps out? Total girl crush.
And yeah, I’ll see the new movie when it comes out. How’s that for meta: a Vampire who likes Vampire movies?
Take your power seriously. Keep each other safe.
~ Janiss
I can count on one finger the Vampires who are as new as I am (no, I didn’t do it). Most I know are decades or even centuries old.
I’m six in bloodsucker years. In human years, I’m twenty-eight years old as of yesterday… if you count up from the day of my birth. While I still look twenty-two, I notice mortals aging all around me.
Let me be clear: I. Notice. Everything.
I’ve become very good at concealing what I notice. If you decided to skip the shower or the deodorant last night or this morning, I’ll know. The smell of the last thing you ate on your breath? Most likely. The color fade of your favorite piece of clothing every time you wash it? Oh yes.
There’s more. Thinning or graying hair? Yep. Age spots? Wrinkles? Any change in weight, up or down? That, too.
And what do I see in the mirror? Not one single solitary change.
Every detail suggesting the passing of time in others is a reminder that, barring some horrible fate, I will see every living person I know die.
I know some Vampires who lament this, but I’ve reconciled with it. Life is short for all but a few immortals, and you have to make the most of the time you have with them because you know they’re not long for this Earth — even if you are.
The funny thing is, that should always be true… even if you’re not an immortal.
Meanwhile…
Birthday Meanings Of People Born On November 5th
According to SunSigns.org (sounds like a bad place already): I should be extremely talented — I try to be the best Vampire I can be — and an excellent communicator. I supposedly have a talent for writing… yeah, sure. Hmm: generally a private person (check), likes to work alone, and doesn’t need to be popular (also check).
Being comfortable with myself is a very important aspect of who I am (you have no idea). “Charismatic” and “passionate” are two words that describe me (yes, I’m still reading this), listens to reason but goes with their gut (oh yeah). Scorpions want to marry early in life, probably to a long-time friend (skipping through this part)…
This thing is listing how I probably eat and my general physical condition. I’ll note here it doesn’t mention an all-liquid diet or that I’m essentially the animated dead, but it does say I’d be great in the community relations field… blah blah blah writing again.
Red is my lucky color (also green) and a deck of Tarot cards makes an ideal gift for me (meh). Apparently, I am also quite secretive (nailed it).
Middle West Virginia isn’t exactly spook central or populace-palooza… which makes it perfect for the discreet Vampire. As such, there isn’t much in the way of trouble-making strangers (for the most part). Sure, we get a new crop of students over at GSC every Fall as well as those returning, but the college campus is essentially self-contained. Think about it: in spite of the influx of students from all over the East Coast, Gilmer County is still one of the five poorest counties in one of the poorest states in the country.
This brings me to today’s meandering thought: what other supernatural or paranormal creatures or things are also out there?
I found out about Vampires when I awoke as one, but my first real lesson was that secrets are currency. Money and people are easy to manipulate; everything else falls into place with a little patience and creativity. That said, whenever you try to pry a secret from another immortal, you either have to prove it will benefit them to share it or have a one of equal value to trade.
So, here’s what I’ve learned.
Vampires – We’re real. Not an alien race or even a perpetuating one (unless you count turning others). Vampires were made, not born, and our makers apparently did so in an attempt to consolidate their power. This brings is to…
Witches – Okay, but not really. The term I’ve heard is Bloodworkers: those with an innate ability to rend so-called magic from living blood. Like Vampires, they know there are essential properties contained within blood that yet escapes the detection of science. But if a Bloodworker made the first of us, what else could they make?
Werewolves (or were-anything/shapechangers) – Never met one or even heard of there being one. If they exist, they keep a lower profile than we do. The best story I’ve heard is that Vampires created the legend of Werewolves to explain away a Vampire’s nocturnal activities to foolish locals. “We killed the wolf! It was Old Bob, and now we don’t have to move away!” Cruel and sneaky.
Ghosts – This one’s still a mystery to me. I know people spotting an immortal can be mistaken for ghosts, and the daydreams of Vampires are haunted by our victims, but are ghosts real? As before, I’ve never met one… so why do stories about them persist?
Zombies – Really? Does anyone still actually think zombies are plausible sci-fi? Totally fantasy… and totally made up. Trust me.
Angels and Demons – We can throw God and the Devil under this one, too — do these folks really exist? I was raised in the Church of Christ; I believe what I was taught, but I also strongly question it. Never mind that science can’t yet detect the supernatural component of blood or the existence of a soul — I have proof that these energies are real and can be manipulated, so I can’t rule this one out (and neither should you).
Fae, Trolls, Goblins, and Such – I have no idea. Any misdeed a fairy creature has ever been accused of could easily be attributed to a Vampire, from stealing babies to seducing men. I have my doubts there are or ever were such things… except trolls on the Internet.
So, with this little pre-Halloween shared, what have you seen or heard? I’m ready to believe you.
I’m still seeing swoons online over becoming immortal. “Please turn me.” “I want to be one of you!” “Vampires are SO cool — be my maker!” “I want to BE somebody!” And the one that floors me: “You’re so lucky that happened to you!”
All I hear is, “I wish I were handicapped so I could get better parking.”
Seriously: it’s the same damn thing — and you’re ASKING for it.
So here it is: my magnum opus. All further inquiries into being turned, remade, transformed, or whatever wonders you’ve imagined will now and in the future be referred to this post/document — I’ve been stewing over it for seven years and it’s time I unloaded. Feel free to skip all of this if you want to keep deluding yourself about becoming a creature of darkness and putting yourself in harm’s way that can’t be undone.
“Getting Lucky”: My Big Mistake
I turned left. That’s it — doomed in an instant. As I’ve done dozens of times before and a hundred times since, I crossed the Butchers Road bridge over the Little Kanawha River before turning onto Route 5. A right turn would take me in the direction of my Gramma’s old farmhouse; a left turn would head toward Glenville. I remember being a little hungry and a bit impatient, figuring I could nab a quick six-inch turkey sub in town and scarf it down it on the way back.
The laziest bloodsucking bastard imaginable was already eying my little red Kia Soul from inside his stolen black Cadillac Escalade. If I’d have gone home to Gramma’s, I would have known he was following me. Once you leave the main road, only locals bother with the backwater twists and turns you have to take get anywhere — and we all have guns (welcome to West Virginia) since our nearest neighbors may be five miles away, never mind any possibility of the sheriff’s patrol getting there faster than a pizza delivery. To coin a phrase: city folks just don’t get it.
I turned left and the bastard followed. I often park farthest away from where I’m going because I like to walk, and he’d cleverly positioned himself between where I stopped and my favorite local sandwich shop. I left the safety of my vehicle, assumed the (admittedly) handsome man in the pretty SUV was lost and in need of directions — and I awoke naked in a shallow grave covered in dirt. One glance and a few words — that’s all — and I was his toy. No seduction, no sweeping me off my feet, no promises of a better life; he stole me away and took everything from me.
Okay, here’s where Joss Whedon suggests I should lighten the dire mood: How does a lady Vampire flirt? She bats her eyes. Funny, right? Yes? No. Moving along…
Myth #1: It Can’t Be As Bad As All That
Vampirism changes you physically. A thimbleful of your once-favorite beverage or a lick off of a medium-rare steak fillet are yours to enjoy without incurring ill effects, but none of that compares to your craving for the sweet taste and aroma of warm, living blood — and you’ll want more than you need. “That’s okay, I’ll just go to a local blood bank and make a withdraw.” Nope, nope, and nope. You can’t freeze it or store it, and anything drawn that’s over an hour old is repellent.
You need warm living bodies to feed yourself (read: HUMAN only… no rats for you, Louis) and you need them readily. If you don’t satisfy that need, you’ll feel and look the part of a monster as your body betrays you and your mind devolves; you won’t be able to stop yourself if you slip too far away until that need is fully met. You’re going to want to connect with your old life — relatives, friends, co-workers — and they’ll be the first people you’ll want to sample. Oh, and children? Witches may hate them but Vampires LOVE them; that’s the blood you’ll want the most.
What would you get if your doctor became a Vampire? More blood tests than ever. Never trust “Dr. Acula.”
Myth #2: I’ll Still Be Me, Only Better
Sure, you get everything a supernatural predator needs: blackened eyes to see in low-light conditions, fangs and talons for ripping through flesh, strength and speed to catch and subdue your prey. If your victims can see and hear you, their minds become yours for as long as you like — but if you drink from them too heavily, their minds and memories stay with you… forever. A good rule of thumb is if you drain enough to kill them (whether you do or not) you risk a piece of their souls embedding itself within yours, starting with your maker (you can’t opt out of that one).
They judge and distract you, and your mind’s eye sees them in anything reflective: mirrors, chrome, even still water. If those sound like things you’ve heard Vampires avoid, now you know why. If you give into their taunts and interact with them — we call it daydreaming — it leaves you vulnerable; it makes it difficult to distinguish memory from reality, especially if you’re in dangerous territory. Remember how Vampires on “Buffy” lost their souls after they turned? It can feel a little like that, and sometimes you’re not sure where you end and they begin… a bit like going mad.
Here’s another riddle. What’s it like to be kissed by a Vampire? It’s a pain in the neck.
Myth #3: No Honor Among the Un-Dead
Oh, and then there’s every other Vampire on the planet instinctively wanting to destroy you. None of this “nesting” thing like rats or bats; if you lock two Vampires in a box for an evening, only one is coming back out. It isn’t as easy as the movies and television show to make a Vampire, either, so it isn’t done on a whim and you’re technically creating a competitor and/or possibly your own self-destruction.
We can even sense when we’re pushing up against another immortal’s territory, but not enough to pinpoint where they are exactly or how many there are. We believe it’s meant to warn us away from each other, but many take it as a sign of “getting ready to rumble.” Sure, you can keep human friends, but will they want to keep you? Maintaining a so-called masquerade is nothing short of exhausting — especially knowing you can kill pretty much anyone and be done with it.
Who does Dracula get emails from? His fang club.
Myth #4: Nothing Can Stop You
The good news: you don’t have to sleep in a coffin. The bad news: you don’t sleep at all… or dream ever again, for that matter. You’re always conscious and always aware — unless you’re daydreaming, which is just as distracting as it sounds. It isn’t unusual for Vampires to be seen talking to themselves, because they’re actually not (see Myth #2). But when the sun is up between dawn and dusk and its light can touch the earth, within the earth is the only place a Vampire can hide. Being up, active, and not below ground in at least a shallow grave feels like becoming the walking dead. Your heart stops, your breath ceases, and everything feels horribly wrong… but when you’re down in the dirt, it’s all comfortably numb. If you don’t plan for this at the end of every night, it won’t go well for you.
At night, our physical bodies simulate life, retaining youth (unless we choose otherwise) and are hard to ignore. To quote a recent mockumentary: “We are the bait — but we’re also the trap.” People around us feel a fascination toward us, almost celebrity-like, an attraction they won’t understand, even to the point of empathizing our heightened emotion (read: if I’m sad, you’re sad). It’s difficult trusting anyone around us because we can’t always tell sincerity from influence. A Vampire becomes the center of attention but they can feel more alone than ever — never mind all the ways you can be subdued or destroyed (which I won’t go into details about here, mortal).
How do Vampires get around on Halloween night? Using blood vessels.
Maybe It’s Already Too Late
So, to recap: living human blood only; multiple personality syndrome; other Vampires want to destroy you; no sleeping or dreaming and you feel truly alone. Glamorous, right? Everything you wanted and more? Better than the way you have it now? Offing yourself is easy — just throw yourself at another Vampire and let paranoia take its course.
Having said all this, if you have been turned against your will or have found yourself unable to endure eternity, reach out to me; ask me anything. Modern technology and social media have created the perfect venue for immortals to interact in the human world like never before, all in a virtual place where we don’t need to fear one another.
Oh, and you can thank Timothy for telling me this one: Where do Vampires learn to suck blood? Law school.
Addendum:
As if asking to be turned, bitten, or unmade wasn’t enough, now I’m seeing folks tell others to ignore my warnings because I’m not talking about “real” vampires. Identify all you wish, but when I say “Vampires” (capital-V) I’m talking about the dangerous supernatural kind who’ll kill you when starved, not the misunderstood hemoglobin-deficient very-much-alive guys, a few of which who’ve decided at some point that “vampire” or “vampyre” meant them exclusively and that all other uses — including the origin of the word — are insults directed at them. Quite the contrary; I WISH the supernatural kind only existed in books and movies, but I can assure you no one talking about truly dangerous (read: Un-Dead) Vampires are referring to you: the kind I prefer.
Take your power seriously. Keep each other safe. Be indomitable. ~ Janiss
Dr. Karl and I chatted briefly over Twitter about this last night.
The word of the day is “Pupillometry.” Vampires can sprout fangs and talons, of course, but our pupils dilate far wider than the color of our irises, giving our eyes a black or dark red appearance when seen “vamped out” since the observed sclera (whites of the eye) almost disappear. As a supernatural predator, it’s one of the hardest things to conceal about ourselves in the wild since sudden widening is an involuntary response to danger and desire… even in mortal humans.
From Wikipedia: “Pupillometry is the measurement of pupil diameter in psychology. The method examines humans (including infants) and animals. Pupillary responses occur from birth and are involuntary. Pupil dilation of 0.5 mm can occur when elicited by psychological stimuli.” Like other parts of a lie detector test, the pupil diameter can provide an involuntary physical clue akin to a change in breathing or galvanic skin response.
Cool, huh? Fine: I’m a science nerd. Anyway…
The size of the human eye is slightly smaller than a full-size gumball, just 24 millimeters wide. The color iris portion is a about the width of an M&M (red ones were my favorite), averaging 12-15 millimeters wide. Like the aperture of a camera, the pupil in the center can expand to a maximum of 6-7 millimeters in diameter, so some color is always visible…if you’re human.
Fun fact: Vampires, have incredible visual acuity. On the standard 20/20 human scale, an eagle might have 20/4 vision while a hawk has 20/2 vision; they can spot crawling ants during a fly-over. Incredible, sure, but if the doctors at Cedarcrest Sanctum are correct, Vampires have a 20/1 visual acuity or better. Let me put that in perspective for you: I can’t just see a fingerprint on a mirror from across a 20-foot room; I can tell you who it belongs to if I’ve seen it before… and which fingertip.
Okay, end tangent; back to pupils. When light decreases, your iris opens the pupil to take in more light and improve your vision, just like a camera, and contracts again when more light is available. The problem is that this also happens involuntarily when something attracts your attention, whether aroused or fearful. Humans have a maximum aperture opening of 7mm… good but not great.
Vampires are essentially nocturnal predators; our irises open far wider — a stunning 16-18 millimeters or about 70% of an eyeball’s width — and are unfortunately more readily noticeable to the observant.
“My… what big eyes you have!” Uh oh: busted.
The good news is we can control this mostly involuntary response the same way you can: being aware of it and guarding our thoughts, which isn’t always easy (for us) when there’s fresh blood around. It’s when we’re lost in thought (read: daydreaming) and are being observed by sneaky humans that we have the greatest chance of getting caught.
We can always make you forget what you saw, of course, but that’s not entirely fair, is it? Hey… I never asked to be a walking lie detector with built-in reprogramming capability.
Gilmer Country — home to both Glenville State College and our esteemed Cedarcrest Sanctum — was shown in a recent report to be the second-poorest county in West Virginia out of fifty-five counties. That sounds bad…until you realize the cost of living isn’t high here and college students (for the most part) aren’t working.
You also wouldn’t know it seeing all the upgrades GSC has been making over the past few years.
Fortunately, Glenville retains its country charm. I grew up in St. Clairsville “Go Devils!” Ohio — in spitting distance of Wheeling, West Virginia — but I consider myself a country girl and mountaineer at heart, always looking to spend as much time as possible at my grandparent’s farm.
I refrain from the word Hillbilly; I’m more like a Hillbecky.
I know Vampires in both Wheeling and Washington, D.C., but I can’t imagine subsisting in the city. Daytime below ground is a requirement for us, so penthouse suites and park-view condos are out of the question in terms of practicality — unless you have a private Batman-esque express elevator straight down into the basement. And how bad would living in New Orleans be with all the flooding? Yes, according to Anne Rice, the Big Easy is infested with immortals, but that has to be pure fiction; no one I know would spend their day’s rest in a flooded grave (it’s terrible what keeps happening there).
Vampires who are the feeding-on-criminal-scum types have to avoid authorities, closed-circuit television monitoring, and who knows what else. I mean, when people are hungry, they go where the food is; there’s a support system in place, right? You don’t put your Johnny Appleseed bag over your shoulder to pick fruit trees or milk a cow for something to pour over breakfast cereal. It’s the same with domesticated Vampires; you know where your next meal is coming from and it shouldn’t be a surprise pain-in-the-neck to anyone.
Still, the country is laid-back and takes its time. Give me the sounds of crickets and rustling leaves over sirens and screams any night.
Your mileage may vary…and isn’t that little vampire country mouse adorable?
Here’s a secret: animals can sense a Vampire’s presence — if the Vampire is very foolish.
So, too, can living people, but most dismiss the tell-tale signs as a mood swing or stray passing thought. What humans shrug off, animals are startled by because their emotions are not complex; they understand such emotions are not their own even if they can’t be sure of the source.
And all of it is the Vampire’s fault for not keeping their emotions in check. Fun, right?
As I’ve mentioned, vampirism doesn’t come with an instruction manual, and the secrets to unlocking our supernatural capabilities are jealously guarded among my kind.
This particular hindrance was discovered by accident while trying to stop a young boy from turning — I’ve mentioned Denton before — but I was so distraught by the thought of this horrible thing happening that someone else in the vehicle felt my grief, actually becoming distraught himself over the power of my emotion. This is somehow an extension of a Vampire’s thrall: area-of-effect emotional influence. In other words, if I’m on the prowl and feeling frisky, you may start to feel it if you’re close enough, even succumbing to it naturally if you were so inclined; why enthrall and command someone who already feels the same as I do? It’s the same ability that makes people take notice of us: a natural attractant to make the trap’s bait a bit more irresistible.
Good thing some of us use out powers for good, hmm?
And that brings me to my point: no one, not even a Vampire, is thinking all good or all evil thoughts.
I never had pets growing up; I mostly read books, studied, and did things inside with my parents and outside with my closest friends. Since becoming a Vampire, I worried about being near animals — kind of like I worried about being in a church. You see movies, you hear things, but while I’ve never been struck by lightning in a chapel, animals did act up when I was nearby until I discovered the truth: they were bothered by me worrying about me bothering them — a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Whenever I’m having a strong emotion, I avoid people but especially animals now; they can tell when I can’t keep my feelings in check, no matter how passive an expression I put on my face. I’m not angry all the time anymore than I’m happy all the time — is anyone?
So the next time your pet acts up for no reason or you feel unusually happy, sad, or hateful, don’t worry…even if you rightly suspect a nearby Vampire is the secret cause of it.
Give us a few minutes. It usually doesn’t take us too long to get things figured out.
Janiss has taken Memorial Day weekend off, so I hope your weekend was enjoyable and that a few moments were spent remembering those who gave everything to defend their country.
To provide a brief series update, the first draft of the fourth and final book is well under way, but I took a little time before a convention this past weekend to compile all the new images (and a few of my newest) to create an all-new novel series book trailer.
So, what kind of must-see television does a TV-addicted Vampire watch after hours? Praise science for inventing DVRs and time-shifted recording capability!
“Penny Dreadful” – I was hooked from the very first season. It’s actually refreshing all of the Vampires are bad guys (read: “True Blood” got silly), but Ethan Chandler played by Josh Hartnett makes me wish werewolves were real…and that I could have him ONE. Have one. That. Plus the rest of the cast is incredible, and while the show gets very dark, they never stop trying in spite of all the creepy.
“Game of Thrones” – Fantasy Soap Opera 101. Aside from the sexposition scenes (two characters humping while discussing plot points; no, I’m not kidding), it’s addictive because of the cast (they’re SO good) and the incredible locations. I was all about Dani and Jon Snow, but Arya’s arc is wonderful and everyone wants to go drinking with Tyrion (although he might find my preferred vintage a bit strong for his taste).
“Better Call Saul” – The only reason I took a chance on this was because I binged “Breaking Bad” and couldn’t stop thinking about it. The show has none of the elements that would normally attract me to it, but waiting to see how Slick Jimmy becomes Saul Goodman is crazy — not to mention Bob Odenkirk knocks it out of the park.
“Supernatural” – The Winchester brothers and Castiel. I’m good.
“Supergirl” – No one told Melissa Benoist “It’s just a comic book show,” and she gives it her all. I want to be her friend, let her cry on my shoulder…all that stuff. The show’s science is frustratingly bad and the shadow of cousin Superman overshadows too many of Kara’s accomplishments, but I really want this to see a second season and tweak those bits.
“Agents of SHIELD” – Skye’s my girl. Yes, I still call her Skye. Daisy? Really? Nope…my rules. And Clark Gregg’s pretty sexy for an older guy. Am I right? Don’t leave me hanging here…
Neflix Marvel Shows – Daredevil. Jessica Jones. More Daredevil. Just keep them coming, Netflix.
“The Blacklist” – James Spader is awesome (if you didn’t know) but Megan Boone goes toe-to-toe with him. Yes, it’s a cold-war spy-thriller police-procedural, but in the best possible way. Also “Tom” is getting a spin-off (co-starring Famke Jenson), but with four episodes to go this season, no one is talking about what the new show’s even about! This is the only NBC show I watch because I’m still mad at the network for canceling both “Constantine” and “Dracula.” I also wish they’d bring back that cool, dark, and serious “Dark Shadows” series they tried in 1991.
“iZombie” – If I only had one show to watch forever and ever, this is my go-to choice addiction right now. I need a girlfriend like Rose McIver in my life, but for now I enjoy thinking of Liv Moore as a shadowy reflection for myself. I also love Ravi, Blaine (in spite of himself), and Clive. Any episode of this program will have you laughing, crying, and thrilled at the same time. I even forgive all the Vampire tropes they stole to make zombies cool again.
“Orphan Black” – Tatiana Maslany playing, what? Twelve different clones at this point? This is the story of manufactured women trying to be controlled by their creators and rebelling in all the best ways. In my opinion, it may well be the most dramatic science fiction series of all time, but there are too many idiots out there who think “science” and “fiction” can’t be as dramatic as desperate housewives. Also: Tatiana is so convincing as all these different characters that you’ll see them as different people, but the real treat is watching the actress play one clone posing as another clone!
Maybe in a few weeks I’ll talk about shows I used to watch and why I stopped. You know…because we all have better things to do with our time.
Janiss: We’re back for another evening of hot cocoa and immortal talk. Say hello, Nancy.
Secrecy. Similar to Underworld, the other Vampires I deal with accept we don’t trust one another. Because Blood Workers have various individual powers they can choose to pass on or withhold, the skill set of individual Vampires can vary. Even exposure to a power can help one of my kind to develop it if given enough time, so if you’re going to destroy a fellow Vampire using “a cool new ability,” do it quickly before your opponent figures out how to use it against you. Selene is a master strategist at this; the longer we survive, the better we become.
Protector. Of everything Selene does or can do, this is the one I relate to the most: she cares, often to the point of putting herself in personal danger to save someone else. Gaining her trust isn’t easy — she’s been screwed over too many times — but once earned, Selene will go the distance. I like to think of myself that way, but cross either of us and you should probably run.
Brooding. After six centuries: really, Selene? I did the everything-is-dark thing for a while, but after a year and a half I just couldn’t. It wasn’t me and was never me. Since purging my sire’s willfulness from my head, his memories often merge into my own and I catch myself being more sarcastic than I used to be, but the whole silent brooding over the city at night? I can’t do it, especially here in the country where the tallest structure is a water tower (cue the “Animaniacs” theme song). But hey, I can scare the living hell out of people by popping out of the shadows at them; it’s become a bit of a game for me now.
According to 
This brings me to today’s meandering thought: what other supernatural or paranormal creatures or things are also out there?
I know Vampires in both Wheeling and Washington, D.C., but I can’t imagine subsisting in the city. Daytime below ground is a requirement for us, so penthouse suites and park-view condos are out of the question in terms of practicality — unless you have a private Batman-esque express elevator straight down into the basement. And how bad would living in New Orleans be with all the flooding? Yes, according to Anne Rice, the Big Easy is infested with immortals, but that has to be pure fiction; no one I know would spend their day’s rest in a flooded grave (it’s terrible what keeps happening there).
So, too, can living people, but most dismiss the tell-tale signs as a mood swing or stray passing thought. What humans shrug off, animals are startled by because their emotions are not complex; they understand such emotions are not their own even if they can’t be sure of the source.
“Penny Dreadful” – I was hooked from the very first season. It’s actually refreshing all of the Vampires are bad guys (read: “True Blood” got silly), but Ethan Chandler played by Josh Hartnett makes me wish werewolves were real…and that I could have 
“Supernatural” – The Winchester brothers and Castiel. I’m good.
“iZombie” – If I only had one show to watch forever and ever, this is my go-to choice addiction right now. I need a girlfriend like Rose McIver in my life, but for now I enjoy thinking of Liv Moore as a shadowy reflection for myself. I also love Ravi, Blaine (in spite of himself), and Clive. Any episode of this program will have you laughing, crying, and thrilled at the same time. I even forgive all the Vampire tropes they stole to make zombies cool again.
Cedarcrest Sanctum 