What They Don't Tell You About Vampires

Vampiric Heritage

I live in an old, small town where myths and tales are too easily believed. It's as if everyone has their own dark story running through their blood line. 

Cerys' story is a little strange. She claims every generation that's passed away through their family is still present in the house they've lived in for over 200 years. Cerys has told us a few times how she thought she felt the presence of her dead relatives but no one believes it. Even she convinces herself it could be because she was tired or it was just a reflection or a shadow. 

Kasey's story is definitely more worrying. Her family claims to be untraceable through history and could be a result of not originally being from this earth. Of course that's a little out there. Most likely the reason she barely mentions it. Kasey likes to believe it was from an early adoption but the lack of documents to prove prevents that theory being believable. More believable than her family being a race of aliens though.

Then there's my story. The Baker bloodline. 'Blood' is the key word here. Apparently my family are the descendants of vampires. Seems totally ridiculous I know. I've seen diaries and legends in our attic with ancient drawings from our originators from almost 400 years ago. Mum tells me that they were actually written by our great, great, great grandfather called Acheron who allegedly had an 'obsession' with vampires and was fascinated by the thought of being one. Acheron wrote over 50 journals describing the form and beauty of vampires. He believed that vampires were harmless and their unconscious desire for human blood wasn't honorable among them. The journals depicted vampires being able to repress the urge for human blood and over generations evolving to the compensation of animal blood such as cows, sheep and so on. Supposedly vampires used to roam around in public unnoticed but all the fiction about vampires and their weaknesses that I've seen on TV prove otherwise. Vampires are supposed to burn in the sun, die from wooden stakes and sizzle like bacon from crosses and garlic. Acheron's diaries contradicted all of those weaknesses claiming vampires could walk freely in the day, wooden stakes weren't a threat and that they even wore crosses and favored garlic in their food. Essentially, he described vampires appearing as regular humans but with super human abilities at the cost of the urge for human blood.

I've always loved the thought of being a vampire. Acheron's journals paints a side to vampires that isn't displayed in media. The idea of immortality, increased strength, speed and senses is breathtaking. Most importantly, Acheron's concept of the ability to suppress the need for human blood. Don't worry, I'm still opposed to the notion of draining animals alive. It's better than murder though right?

Unfortunately, I've never found any information in the journals on turning, that's what I'm calling the transformation from human to vampire. Acheron never wrote of how vampires came about. Mum says it's because it's all 'make-believe' and if he 'made up' the method of turning, people would try it and soon catch on that it's all pretend. I have two theories for why he never detailed the turning process. Firstly, he never discovered it. Acheron's journals were a constant timeline through his life of his discoveries on vampires. It could be that he never quite discovered the method. The second theory is that he did discover the method but purposefully avoided it in his journals. Maybe Acheron thought, regardless for his admiration for the beauty of vampires, allowing others to transform would be too dangerous and cause a sinister epidemic eventually destroying humanity. I favour the second theory as the complete lack of acknowledgement for turning through his journals seems more deliberate than accidental. If Acheron was trying to discover the method, surely he would've mentioned his intentions of unveiling the method?