Gabriele Says:

My Hobbies

Okay - so you want to know what a 400 year old vampire does in his spare time? Well, other than feeding - which I do enjoy immensely, I like to observe your society through film and TV.

Immortality is wonderful. But sometimes the days, weeks, months and years can be long. I don't work, obviously, but I do have a company that keeps control of my finances. We all need them after all. Don't be surprised by that ... how else do you think I can live this discrete lifestyle? I have several houses all over the world. Quite a few of them in the UK - an apartment in Manchester as you know and I have a house, mansion really, in Surrey. Although we haven't been spending much time there lately.

I like to travel - sometimes a quick exit has been essential. I also have several identities. Lilly says I'm like 'James Bond' with my obsession with new IDs, but you can never be too paranoid. The last thing any of us needs is to be caught by the authorities. I for one don't want to end up a lab rat with my fangs filed - Spike was quite a depressive when that happened to him in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'.

Lilly, who is reading this over my shoulder, has just told me to point out to you that I do know the difference between fiction and reality and realise that Spike and Buffy are just characters in a TV show. But, I stand by my paranoia. It's not impossible - after all I remember Roswell all too well...

Other hobbies include watching vampire movies. I just think most of them are hilarious. One of the worst I saw lately was '30 Days of Nights' where we were portrayed as being shark-like and also shown to have no mercy for our own kind. Erm ... Well we are blood thirsty monsters, I've never denied that. In fact I'd hate for anyone to think me a wimp at all. There's no angsting and nonsense going on in our world. Blood is blood and we'll take it when we feel like it. These days I'm incredibly happy with my immortality and accepting of my blood lust. But - seriously ...? Would we be so stupid as to wipe out an entire town? I think not. Having said that, like most vampire movies, it was good for a laugh.

Among my favourite renditions of vampires has to be Bela Lugosi's, for his deeply sinister and provocative performance. I loved Frank Langella and Louis Jordan too. All very moving and sexy - I think they were good role models for me in the 20th Century. Seduction played such a large part of the game then. Later, in the 80's, it was Chris Sarandon in 'Fright Night' - that was very cool. Loved his coat. Of course when it comes to lovable rogues - you just have to admire James Marsters as Spike.

I understand a lot more about your culture through film. Vampires and immortality never seems to go out of favour, or at least, I noticed that every few years, what happens is that you have a new villain that everyone loves to hate.

I suppose what I'm saying is. I really don't mind being the next bad boy. I understand how these things work, and deep down, you really won't believe I'm real anyway.

So my latest hobby may well be blogging a bit more for you. After all, I'm not so inhuman that I don't like a little bit of adoration. Don't make the mistake of thinking I've been tamed though. If I meet you in a dark alley, some day soon, it won't matter to me if you're a follower: I'll still drink you dry if the mood dictates.

Gabi x

Lilly - Blog 1 - Introduction

I'm Lilly, oldest of the vampires and the ultimate source of the vampire gene. Currently I'm indulging my sexual fantasies with my lovers, Gabriele and Ceasare.

Chez is naturally finding this a little easier than Gabi, since he is not of a jealous nature. We live in a secret lair, underneath a castle in North Wales. But don't get any ideas that if you turn up there we'll even talk to you, or turn you. For a start you'd have to be a carrier of the gene, or rather you'd have to have it in your DNA.

We're a little fussy about who we share our lives with, so you're more likely to become a meal than a new member of the family. If that's your bag, then come on over, blood donors are always welcome.

By the way, I'm looking for a new Renfield. My last one died of severe anemia... Anyone out there any good with fixing heating and air-conditioning units? You won't remember a thing about how to get in the lair, nor even being there at all. But I'll make sure you have some benefits, a mysterious reward placed in your bank account perhaps? Does that appeal at all?

Anyway, hit me with your comments ... I may answer, if the mood takes me.

Lucrezia - Blog 1 - Introduction

My Thoughts

I started talking to Sam Stone after she published Futile Flame. You see, she only had Gabriele's viewpoint of what happened in that book. Yes, I did tell Gabi the story about my life, and - but he misrepresented me a little bit. After reading Futile Flame, I realised I had to put my side across. I'm not sure what I want to say to you really - other than I've been maligned. You who've read Lilly's story in Demon Dance will now think that I have some hidden agenda. But why should I have one? Why even care what any of the others are doing? It's not as though their miserable, sterile lives would interest me really.That's when I went to see Sam. She was very interested in listening to my stories of the missing years. 'My readers will enjoy hearing more about you, they've been curious,' Sam told me. 'You're quite the woman of mystery.'

So, I told her about a few of my adventures. But don't get any ideas that they reveal everything about me ... I still want to remain a 'woman of mystery' as I rather enjoy the title. Sam is apparently publishing the stories in a collection called Zombies in New York and Other Bloody Jottings. This is going to be available in Feb 2011 by a company called Telos Publishing. The title is of course based on one of my stories - it's about the time I left my Renfield, Rocco, alone in New York. You can't believe the state I found things in on my return ... But you'll have to read all about that yourselves. I'm in no mood to discuss it today.

If I'd known what I was letting myself in for, I'd have never met up for coffee with Sam in Harvey Nichols in Manchester. Now, I'm under contract. That is to say, we've made a deal and I promised to talk to you pathetic mortals for her.

So, this is your opportunity. Ask me. What do you want to know?

Lucrezia Borgia Dec 2010
(AKA Lucy Collins)