Much has been written about Vlad Dracula, everything from Bram Stoker's bloodsucking monster to slightly less devil-like fiends. My novels' Vlad is "reformed" (by love of course) and my stories deal with covens of guardian vampires that try to protect humans from the traditional type of vampires, human criminals and evil politicians seeking to enslave people.

The following is from pages 147-149 of my third novel in the “Immortal Relations” Series, “Immortal Relations Coming Out” http://amzn.com/B00G5BQS18 best read after reading the second, “Immortal Relations, Love and War” http://amzn.com/B00A4IEHL6 which is a stand-alone novel as it reviews the major parts of the first novel without its explicit togetherness.

In this excerpt Vlad, now patriarch of the Guardian Vampires is talking with Gary Logan a vampire of only a few years but now a trusted friend. Vlad has explained how he and other older vampires need little if any blood and Gary asks why out of control vampires continue attacking humans:

     Vlad replied (through thought transference) They get a thrill from the hunt and then, as the life drains from their victims, it provides a rush from the feeling of power over the living.

     I thought, If I may be so bold, have you had such feelings in the past?

     Vlad smiled and nodded slowly, It was a very, very long time ago Gary. We were fighting what you would call “an asymmetrical war” against Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror and his Muslim invaders who outnumbered us at least three to one. I was looking for anything to slow them down. I guess you would say I used psychological warfare by building the “forest” of impaled enemy soldiers we had defeated in previous battles. While we had numerous successes against units of the invaders we unfortunately were unable to hold off so large an invading army. It was about this time I was changed into what I am today. I was always in the front lines of battle and routinely soaked in blood. Perhaps that is what changed me into a vampire. One of my own Generals saw me surrounded by enemies and saw blood spurting up in the air. Thinking it was my blood he sent word that I’d been killed. My dear wife was distraught and threw herself from the heights of my Poenari Castle into the Arges River below.

     Then my second cousin, Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, from whom I had sought help in prosecuting the war, imprisoned me. Locked away, I soon became crazed with the desire for blood I would have otherwise found on the battlefield. Many fellow prisoners died because of it and after my escape I was a plague on the land. It took all too long before I regained some sense of my lost humanity.

     With downcast eyes Vlad thought, That is where the myths, legends and stories about me started – I’m afraid I earned them all.

     I reached over and patted him on the arm, “I’m sorry I brought up a topic that has induced clearly painful memories for you.”

     Vlad smiled at me, “No, it is alright. If you haven’t heard the story before I think you need to know the type of vampire you follow. I hope it won’t detract from our relationship.”

     “Never fear of my continued admiration and respect for you. You were a great leader fighting to free your people from an oppressive invader. Since you had no one to guide you after you were changed, as a ‘newborn’ vampire you did what came naturally. However, it begs the question, how did you stop?”

     “I married again and she helped me overcome the constant thirst, giving me some of her own blood, and lead me back to God.”

     With tears in my eyes I thought, in reply to Vlad, Women are clearly the superior gender, without them we men would be little better than wild beasts.