genetics.”
“Genetics?” she interjected.
I nodded. “Basically Vampirism is a parasite. It’s like a virus but it’s smarter than we would like to think. It’s a borderline sentient parasitic being that burrows into every last piece of our bodies, even down to the DNA structure. It rewrites things to its own specifications.”
“Think of it this way. The vampire parasite gets a host. The host has the potential, in their genetic makeup to be very strong. The parasite makes that potential reality. The host makes someone else into a vampire. When the parasite transfers it takes along specific traits from the host and rewrites its new hosts genetic code to reflect those changes, basically evolving and adding to itself with each new vampire.”
“If that were the case then wouldn’t the oldest vampires be the weakest?” she asked. “Since they don’t have dozens, if not hundreds, of previous vampires to draw genetic possibility from?”
“You’re forgetting something,” I pointed out.
“What”
“Blood.”
“Blood?”
“Why do vampires drink blood? What’s the point really other than a food source? I can live on animal blood though as a food source and I can subsist on food, just as a human. Animal blood and a cheeseburger and I’m in good shape. I don’t need to drink human blood.”
“Then why do they?”
“Genetic sampling.”
“Huh?”
I smiled. “It’s really rather simple. The vampire drinks a bit of blood from a human, say a track star. That person has a slight genetic propensity towards good muscle growth in such a way as to make them good track runners. The vampire then gains a very small bit of strength and speed from the genetic additions gathered from that persons blood.”
“So you mean to say that vampires literally collect DNA in order to make themselves more powerful?”
“Bimbo!” I cried lifting one finger into the air to punctuate my point. Gods, I love movies. If you out there didn’t catch the reference, shame on you.
“Basically the older ones usually have a greater supply of genetic samplings, as well as they’ve had longer for the DNA to incorporate itself. It’s not an immediate process. If I bit that track star a year ago there would still be a couple of more years roughly before I’d gain any benefits from it. The increase and gains are so gradual they can’t really be measured without special instruments and observation.”
“Over a few hundred years though there will definitely be a notable increase in all aspects of a vampire. Strength, speed, stamina, regenerative powers, reflexes, and intelligence all show a marked increase over time.”
“What about the gifts the clans have?”
“That’s a little more complicated but still falls under the same basic theory. Genetic possibility. No new gifts have shown up though in thousands of years so there is a hole in the theory.” I shrugged. “The gifts are abilities that no one can really explain, but it is still possible there is a genetic basis for their existence. You hear about psychics all the time. People that can bend spoons or read thoughts. Who’s to say control of the wind or other elements or shape changing isn’t out there somewhere as well?”
“What about the wolves?”
“Same thing.”
“Silver?”
“I’ve met humans that break out into a rash if they wear anything made out of silver. The wolves could just have a severely allergic reaction.”
“Transformations with the moon?”
“Only very new wolves do that. After a couple years they can transform at any time. But, there is the theory that the first wolf was a woman.” I smirked at her and she glared back at me.
“Very funny,” she drawled.
“I thought so.”
Beady walked back in right about then and broke up the conversation.
“Ya should get ta bed, man,” he said. “We got employees gettin’ here in a few minutes an’ ya can’ be goin’ till tomorrow night.”
I stood up and looked at Rachel.
“Genetics?” she interjected.
I nodded. “Basically Vampirism is a parasite. It’s like a virus but it’s smarter than we would like to think. It’s a borderline sentient parasitic being that burrows into every last piece of our bodies, even down to the DNA structure. It rewrites things to its own specifications.”
“Think of it this way. The vampire parasite gets a host. The host has the potential, in their genetic makeup to be very strong. The parasite makes that potential reality. The host makes someone else into a vampire. When the parasite transfers it takes along specific traits from the host and rewrites its new hosts genetic code to reflect those changes, basically evolving and adding to itself with each new vampire.”
“If that were the case then wouldn’t the oldest vampires be the weakest?” she asked. “Since they don’t have dozens, if not hundreds, of previous vampires to draw genetic possibility from?”
“You’re forgetting something,” I pointed out.
“What”
“Blood.”
“Blood?”
“Why do vampires drink blood? What’s the point really other than a food source? I can live on animal blood though as a food source and I can subsist on food, just as a human. Animal blood and a cheeseburger and I’m in good shape. I don’t need to drink human blood.”
“Then why do they?”
“Genetic sampling.”
“Huh?”
I smiled. “It’s really rather simple. The vampire drinks a bit of blood from a human, say a track star. That person has a slight genetic propensity towards good muscle growth in such a way as to make them good track runners. The vampire then gains a very small bit of strength and speed from the genetic additions gathered from that persons blood.”
“So you mean to say that vampires literally collect DNA in order to make themselves more powerful?”
“Bimbo!” I cried lifting one finger into the air to punctuate my point. Gods, I love movies. If you out there didn’t catch the reference, shame on you.
“Basically the older ones usually have a greater supply of genetic samplings, as well as they’ve had longer for the DNA to incorporate itself. It’s not an immediate process. If I bit that track star a year ago there would still be a couple of more years roughly before I’d gain any benefits from it. The increase and gains are so gradual they can’t really be measured without special instruments and observation.”
“Over a few hundred years though there will definitely be a notable increase in all aspects of a vampire. Strength, speed, stamina, regenerative powers, reflexes, and intelligence all show a marked increase over time.”
“What about the gifts the clans have?”
“That’s a little more complicated but still falls under the same basic theory. Genetic possibility. No new gifts have shown up though in thousands of years so there is a hole in the theory.” I shrugged. “The gifts are abilities that no one can really explain, but it is still possible there is a genetic basis for their existence. You hear about psychics all the time. People that can bend spoons or read thoughts. Who’s to say control of the wind or other elements or shape changing isn’t out there somewhere as well?”
“What about the wolves?”
“Same thing.”
“Silver?”
“I’ve met humans that break out into a rash if they wear anything made out of silver. The wolves could just have a severely allergic reaction.”
“Transformations with the moon?”
“Only very new wolves do that. After a couple years they can transform at any time. But, there is the theory that the first wolf was a woman.” I smirked at her and she glared back at me.
“Very funny,” she drawled.
“I thought so.”
Beady walked back in right about then and broke up the conversation.
“Ya should get ta bed, man,” he said. “We got employees gettin’ here in a few minutes an’ ya can’ be goin’ till tomorrow night.”
I stood up and looked at Rachel.
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