My Take on Vampirism
(Mainly with The Lost Boys in mind)
(This is constantly being updated btw)
With how often I'm watching TLB and thinking about them, I thought I would explore my own take on vampirism. This is purely for fun and it all stems from multiple different pieces of media - so basically its just my opinion.
(Fair warning, I'm AWFUL when it comes to explaining things in a way that makes sense to others lol)
If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!
Turning -
Being turned into a vampire does not mean death - vampirism is a kind of purgatory or limbo; the person is not dead, but they are also not alive in the traditional sense.
To start the turn, a person must consume the blood of a living vampire (This is also the only way a vampire can 'have' children).
However, once this is done, the person is not actually a vampire. No, they are actually only a half-vampire, better known as a Halfie.
So, to complete the turn, the Halfie must then make their first kill and then drink their victims blood.
After that, the now fledgling vampire will experience a (literal) ‘drop' as their body accept vampirism. They will go unconscious, leaving them vulnerable, so this is where their pack/sire will step in (hopefully they have one). To protect them, they are put into a safe place, like a nest, so their body can go through the changes safely.
The turn can take from a few minutes to a few hours.
The fledglings skin will turn paler and colder, the blood in their veins and their heart beat will slow down (but not stop)*, and their fangs, which started to develop over their time as a Halfie, will finish maturing.
Their blood will almost crystalise in their veins from the drop of their body temp. So this leads to their blood taking on a glittery look.
* While turning causes the blood to slow down, when a vampire gets excited (ahem), their blood can, for a short time, starts to rush through their veins again; it can also make their skin go slightly less pale.
The hard part is not over though, as when the new vampire wakes up, their body is not used to its new 'form'. Due to their new found ability to hear and smell everything around them, they are instantly overwhelmed. Their pack/sire must take extra care to talk calmly and softly to them.
General Info -
A Halfie can go out/stay awake during the day, but only for short periods of time. If they stay out too long, they can become exhausted, and this leaves them vulnerable.
A Halfie can drink the blood of a full-blooded (heh) vampire without then becoming a vampire themselves.
Vampires are pack animals, so its fairly rare to find a lone one.
There is a type of “venom” in a vampires saliva that causes a blissful feeling to their victims (or partners) to make them more willing victims, which makes them easier to feed from.
Vamps have two sets of fangs that elongate when 'vamping out' - on the upper set of teeth, there are the larger and more prominent canines, and then the smaller ones on the lower teeth that are there to mainly help hold on to unruly prey.
^^ When a vampire is freshly turned, they will not be able to retract their fangs into their gums at will like their older pack mates. It does take some time for them to learn to do it, but when they do, it's like second nature!
Vampires use telepathy to communicate with their pack (this starts during the Halfie period, but it grows stronger over time)
A vamps appearance is perfectly designed to appear incredibly attractive and enticing - this is their main way of catching their prey.
To blend in and fool humans, a vampire can breathe and make their heart beat at will.
The thing about running water? A complete myth - (most) vamps actually enjoy swimming!
All vampires have the basic powers: flight, strength, speed etc, but its very common for some to have personal powers.
A vampire can come into your house uninvited, but if you do invite them, then that is a kind of loophole for their powers: they can see themselves in the mirror, they can even eat garlic and drink holy water if they wanted to. Like I said, its a loophole, even they don't understand it!
It is possible for a vampire to drink the blood of another vampire, but its not considered feeding. It’s more common as a way for vampires to bond.
You can take pictures of vampires! They can 100% be seen in photographs
Vampires can have sex! :)
Somehow, vampire's take on minor animalistic traits. For example, they can purr or rumble to show that they are happy and that they feel safe.
Vamps can eat human food, but, while it can make them feel full, it holds absolutely no nutritional value to them.
Vampires can dream - their dreams are longer and clearer than the dreams of a human, and they can recall more of them when awake.
Vampires see their vampirism as almost a separate part of themselves. This doesn't mean they're ashamed of it, it just means they view their vampirism as something to be lovingly catered to, if you get what I mean? So sometimes you'll hear them saying "Oh, my vampire's a little hungry/tired". It a pretty normal to hear that.
(This is an idea I'm still toying around with, but I recently came across @luv4fandoms Lost Boy's in Rut series and I thought it was such a fascinating idea to think about, so absolutely all credit for this next bit goes to them!) Since an eternity is such a long time, a person's vampire (reference above point) will be on the look out for a compatible mate. When it does find a mate, the vampire will go into a type of rut. During the rut, it is extremely common for the two vampires (assuming that they're both vamps lol) to drink from each other. This forms a bond between the two. (sorry that was an awful way to explain it)
Vampires love trinkets and jewellery! They adore collecting things over the years and some even make it a habit of gifting things to their pack members or their mate(s).
Hurting/Killing a Vampire -
There are only two real ways to kill a vampire: a stake to the heart, or exposure to sunlight.
However, their are quite a few ways to incapacitate/harm/repel them. For example, holy water, garlic, blessed items like crucifixes, or silver.
Silver is a favourite among hunters due to its purity and supposed spiritual power. The best way to carry silver, is in bullet form.
Fun fact! Silver is the only thing that can scar a vampire.
Silver bullets have an immense affect on vampires, because, while it cannot kill them (at least not straight away), it puts vampires into a type of coma, and if the bullet is left in the body, the metal will slowly poison them, keeping them unconscious and vulnerable.
To be brought out of this coma, the victim should be given time in a safe place among their pack, and plenty of blood.
There is a ritual among packs that has been passed down over the many centuries. When a vampire is attacked and shot with a silver bullet and left unconscious and powerless, the members of their pack will capture and imprison their attacker, keep them alive, and feed them small amounts of their blood mixed in with the other blood over time. And when (or if) they wake up, they are offered the rest of their attacker's life as a reparation and to further their healing.
And just to finish off, a very tiny thought I had regarding a vampire omegaverse AU (I don't know how those two would come together so that's why there is only one thing):
Vampires love to drink blood from the neck and/or the wrist because since its so close to the scent glands, it enhances the taste of the blood. This is a very common bonding ritual between mates.
So, what do you guys think? I have a problem with rambling, but, despite the fact I don't think this will get a lot of attention, I think it's fun to share my thoughts; no matter how jumbled up they are.
Like I said, this is all just my opinion and the way I would do vampires if/when I write them.
I am working on some TLB stuff rn, mainly David x Michael, and some Poly! Lost Boys all dating Michael (cuz I love that idea; who doesn't want four really hot vampire punk boyfriends?) Anyway, I doubt any of them will see the light of day, cuz I have commitment issues lol
Okay I'm rambling, bye!
