In the Dark - The Hero

A vampire hero?
The vampire is a creature people have claimed to see in various forms in several countries and throughout history as early as the 16th century. The Transylvanian vampire is said to have eyebrows that meet. The Bulgarian vampire has only one nostril, and the Mexican vampire a fleshless skull. The Russian vampire has a purple face. The Brazilian type had plush covered feet. Supposedly, many could turn into bats or wolves. How can I shape a hero from these vastly different descriptions? Easy. He could be or do anything I could dream up. The possibilities were endless.

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My Take?
Somewhere in the myth is an ounce of truth. Most vampire stories have two core similarities: the creatures only leave their haunts at night and they feast on human blood. Keeping the foundation, the history of this species began to take form. These vampires hide from a world that doesn't understand them, and the sun which could easily destroy them. They live in Balinese, an underground city of vampires. The hero of In the Dark? A knight in shining armor. Okay, no armor, but he does have a sword. And a gun. 

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Soren
Combine a vampire and a knight, and you get Soren Rayner. He's a Guardian, and a protector of his people. A good guy with a clear sense of right and wrong... according to his culture, not yours. Soren doesn't make mistakes. Mistakes cost lives, and that is not a path he's willing to go down again. But when a human woman cries out for help, his years of rigid training and his dedication to helping those in need, led him right into one giant mistake. She recognized him as vampire, leaving him with only two options. Keep her or kill her.


P.S.  Yes, I know. Don't hate. I was a teen in the era of Buffy. He's the first image that comes to mind when I think vampire and cop all in one. It simply can't be helped, and I'm not complaining.

Jen Colly

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