10 Most Common Vampire Traits

CHRISTOPHER LEE AS COUNT DRACULA

Updated on June.16.2015

Vampires are forever.

Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person. -— Wikipedia

The horror world's favorite undead species seem to have it all. Favored above zombies and werewolves, these bloodsuckers almost take it all in their stride. I didn't want to wander too far out from the facts so, I made myself sit and watch/re-watch several fine vampire movies and series. And of course, I sourced for online info to boot.

Some traits, fans believe, make vampires what they are. These traits are regarded as prerequisites  for identifying bloodsuckers. And although, there have been drastic modifications in the field these characteristics remain seemingly untouched and well-preserved.

1. Thirst For Blood

What else is new? Thirst for blood is the definitive vampire characteristic. The idea is really pronounced in the movie Daybreaker. I'm yet to see a movie which refutes this fact. After all, it's the reason vampires are called bloodsuckers which is a synonym of the word vampire. But I might be wrong, you know. I'm judging from the point of view of someone who's watched only over 30 vampire movies/series. They feed both on human and animal blood.

2. Immortality

These guys are not called undead for nothing, are they? They've been dead and back, not back as humans but in a twisted form and this realm permits the abomination they became. In movies like Underworld vampires develop a technique which allows them to travel through time something called HIBERNATION. They stay frozen in a grave for a couple 100 years until the Elders activate or awaken them.

3. Hypersensitive to Sunlight

Generally, vampires avoid contact with direct sunlight. Those who risk it bust into flames or turn to ash. In Salem's Lot however, sunlight only hurts the night crawlers, it isn't fatal. The character Selene  in Underworld is no longer irritated by sunlight when she gains special powers after drinking blood of the vampire forefather, Alexander Corvinus. Dracula is only weakened by sunlight.

4. Extraordinary Healing Ability

Vampires heal fast. In Blade Wesley Snipes acting as the eponymous character slices off a vampires arm and in the next scene, regeneration of the lost arm occurs. In other movies, the regeneration occurs faster, almost instantly to a  point the vampire appears immune to weapons. These night crawlers also seem to heal faster in moonlight or to regenerate quicker after drinking blood.

5. Reproduction by Biting

Vampires bite to gain access to the human veins because they feed on blood. When a vampire bites, the venom is transmitted into the victim's blood stream and s/he turns. Even though, there are instances of vampire bites killing the victim outright, the fastest method of reproducing vampires is via biting. And most films and books seem to follow this idea.

6. Superhuman Ability

All works of film and literature seem to agree that vampires acquire enhanced strength when they turn. From Blade to Underworld to the more recent film Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, people do extraordinary stuff when they become vampires. And sometimes, they learn combat skills pretty fast.

7. Speed

Since Bram Stoker said, The dead ride fast, it seems every vampire book and movie has been trying too hard to live up to the very last letter of those words. Watch The Saga of Darren Shan and get a taste of what I'm getting at. But then, any vampire flick features fast bloodsuckers. Why not, no rational human is gonna wait around for one slow vermin to have a go at them. The adrenaline in a vamp's blood is always rushing to overflowing like a shot of morphine straight to the head.

8. Stakes

Every vampire is susceptible to stakes. The stake might be of oak or some other exotic tree, it might be ash stake or it might be a metal of any kind, silver, steel, whatever. Thing is once the stake goes through the heart of a bloodsucker, it dies. Another thing is if the stake is pulled out before the monster either busts into flames or turns to ashes, the wound heals and the vamp lives to fight another day.

9. Fangs

All the vampires I have read about or watched on TV have fangs. In certain situations, the canine teeth are retractable. They need these to pierce the flesh so they can suck out the juice.

10. Fire

All the guys with twisted lust for blood have an intense aversion for fire. Generally, flame destroys vampires of all power levels and many of their opponents wield it as a weapon when combating them. Even in the age of mass cleansing in European folklore, fire was considered a potent weapon of annihilation for vampires.

The traits listed here are true at least, eight out of ten times for all vampires in film and literature.

Keep your pen bleeding.

Akpan

Sick n' Tired

Sick n’ tired of being the joke,

Sick n’ tired of being the voice reduced to a stutter.

I’m sick n’ tired of being sick n’ tired:

I’m sick n’ tired of being told to step aside

While they mortalize

My dreams and aspirations before my eyes.

I’m sick n’ tired of watching from the sidelines

While premature gladiators claim the high prize.

I’m sick n’ tired of being afraid of tomorrow.

I’m sick n’ tired of holding it down solo;

I gatto make a break

Cause I’m sick n’ tired of being the mistake.

I am sick n’ tired of whining;

Sick n’ tired of crying;

Sick n’ tired of not tryin’.

I’m sick of unwinning;

Tired of failing;

Sick of falling;

Tired of stalling.

I’m sick of society’s ills making me sick

That I’m getting all tired out for being so sick.

I’m sick n’ tired of all this down-talking.

I’m so sick of it I’m gonna start walking.

I’m sick n’ tired of all this hating;

I’m sick n’ tired of all this playing;

I’m sick of picking up the rear in the pick up line,

I’m sick n’ tired I gatto git mine.

I’m sick n’ tired working my butt raw for nuthin’

I’m sick n’ tired of peanuts for a genuine thang.

I’m sick n’ tired of being pushed to the wall;

I’m sick n’ tired the hell it’s last straw.

I’m sick n’ tired of the tooth-fairy

I’m tired n’ talk-wary.

I’m sick n’ tired of living a fairytale

While reality sips cocktail.

I’m death sick of time and chance

It’s high time I made that advance

Cause I’m tired of living under the circumstance.

I’m tired of being the solitary reaper

Of the entire hood’s wild oats;

I’m sick n’ tired of the damn dilemma,

I’m sick n’ peeved n’ tired n’ fed up of being life’s scapegoat.

I’m sick n’ tired of people staring at me like what’s he all about?

I’m sick n’ tired of all this mess;

I’m sick n’ tired of this stress.

So, I’m done with failing,

Paths divided, I set sail off the shores of hard luck.

I’m headed east to the land of the sun.

I’m sick of stallin’

Set my gear in motion

I’m about to walk the Atlantic Ocean.

I’m sick n’ tired of waitin’

I’m throwin’ caution to the wind;

Making my debut.

I’m tired being bedfellows with regret.

I equip myself with mental kung fu;

Set my radar n’ pump the acceleration;

Play my position;

Align my locus.

Am I sick n’ tired of idling.

I’m going to take a walk, right?

The crows just lost their roosting spot.

I’m a be the light

Gatto let you in on it, I’m taking the torch.

I’m so sick n’ tired of status quo;

I’m so sick n’ tired of sticking to the code;

I’m going nuclear on level sub-zero.

Take this one time and get inspired

Do the right thin’ I shoulda done a long time ago;

I’m a rewrite my story, set myself up as the hero

Cause I’m sick hell, I’m tired.

Akpan