AtoZ Day 11: K is for Killing, Krasue, Kindred: The Embraced

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Killing

It has to be said that while researching these posts I have noticed that most vampires seem to kill. Some cause their victims to waste away slowly, others drain them of blood or life essence, killing them on the spot, a few spread plague in their wake and some simply tear their victims apart.

Often throughout history the legend of the vampire has been used to explain a swathe of deaths.

However, not all vampires have to kill. Some simply need a little blood from time to time and other, while making your life a little shorter will only take what life essence they need. I think some of the most interesting fictional vampires are these kind, especially if they kill simply because they like it.

Do you prefer your fictional vampires to be killer or to be merciful?

Creature Feature:

Krasue

This is the name of a terrible vampiric creature from Thai legend. According to Ghost and Ghouls it is the ghastly head of a woman that floats around with her viscera hanging down from her neck, tailing behind her.

Wikipedia goes on to say that she is forever hungry and haunts the night seeking blood to drink and flesh to consume.

She is also known as an Ap in Cambodia and Kasu in Laos. To dispose of her, her headless body must be found and crushed.

Movie TV Recommendation:

Title: Kindred: The Embraced
Summary: Loosely based on the White Wolf role playing game Vampire: the Masquerade. Clans of vampires, forever at odds with each other inhabit the world, hiding from humans behind what they call the Masquerade. To endanger the Masquerade is the most dangerous thing any of them can do. In each city Primogens of each clan keep their members in line and vie for power and to become the Prince of the City. In LA Julian Luna is this Prince and he finds himself at odds with Frank Kohanek, an LA cop.
Why you should watch this: The clan dynamics are complex, the characters are interesting (although a couple are a little whiny) and I just love all the vampire lore. It's not exactly like the RP game, but it has some nice touches from it.

Kill Instinct 

(#11 in The Diverse Life of Ianthe Jawara, Vampire)

by Natasha Duncan-Drake

Raising a hellhound puppy was a lot of work, as Ianthe was finding out. She hadn't had a chance to worry about anything over the last week as she integrated Lilith into the household and began training her. Hellhounds did not need to be trained the same way as normal dogs because they had a rudimentary intelligence and were empathic with their mistresses. However, that didn't mean they could be left to run riot.

Lilith had been introduced to Philips and the housekeeper and all the cleaning staff, so she wasn't about to try and eat anyone. Of course she had also met Alex. That had been fun. Ianthe disliked her maker so Lilith disliked Alex as well; that was just how it went. It was lucky she held a certain respect for the man even if she wished she could leave him well behind, because that translated as well.

"Come on, Little One," Ianthe encouraged as she held a chocolate drop in her hand; "I know you can do it.

Chocolate would poison a normal dog, but hellhounds really only had shape in common with such species and nothing except beheading or fire could kill Lilith. Ianthe had discovered quickly that Lilith would do anything for chocolate. It was an advantage she intended to use forever.

"Change for mummy," she said and held up the chocolate.

When she had started referring to herself as mummy she had cringed, but she kind of couldn't help it. Lilith was now her baby.

As she watched, Lilith went from big black puppy beast of hell into what looked like a normal husky puppy with bright blue eyes.

"Good girl," Ianthe praised and gave her the chocolate drop along with a big love.

It was one of the major advantages of hellhounds that they could change their appearance to look like a simple household pet. Explaining a big black dog with long fangs and glowing red eyes would have been tricky around town.

"You know, you're supposed to train it to kill, not look adorable," Alex's cool tones sounded behind her.

She looked up to find her maker standing in the doorway of the living room. She was using the common areas of the house because she wanted Lilith used to the normal routine of the household.

"A guardian that just kills things would be pretty useless," she replied and turned back to her puppy.

Lilith faded back into her natural form and Ianthe gave her another big love. She never wanted the puppy to be worried about changing back.

"That looks about as vicious as a basket of kittens," Alex pointed out.

Clearly he was in the mood for an argument.

"Lilith, guard," she said simply.

The puppy shot past her in a second, planting those too big feet wide as she took up a defensive stance. Then she growled, showing her teeth dripping with saliva as she simply grew. In a second there was no longer a puppy between Ianthe and Alex, but a full grown hound, hair bristling and mouth full of very, very sharp teeth. Another useful ability of hellhounds was that they had a demonic form and it was big no matter what size they happened to be at the time.

"There's my girl," Ianthe said, smiling.

"Well I suppose that's something," Alex said, sounding completely unbothered and just lifting an eyebrow at her.

"Killing won't be a problem," Ianthe said, "if it's ever necessary."

She didn't mean her words to be a threat, but there was an underlying current to them she couldn't quite hide. Perversely she saw something akin to pride on Alex's face for a second. Then he was gone with a dramatic turn that any actor would have been proud of.

"I will never understand that man," Ianthe said as she scratched Lilith behind the ear.

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A few of us discovered that we all had supernatural themes for the AtoZ so we got together and did a mini list. If you also have a supernatural theme (ghosts, monsters, witches, spells etc), please feel free to add yourself to the list.

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