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.

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.

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’.

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  

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 6^th century BC, what is known about them varies from country to country and culture to culture. Most of what we now understand stems from 18^th century Eastern Europe, the influences of Christianity and the success of vampire literature and films of the 19^th and 20^th 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.