The Vampire-Werewolf Complex Read online

  The Vampire-Werewolf Complex

  Amy Sumida

  Copyright © 2013 Amy Sumida

  More Books by Amy Sumida

  The Godhunter Series(in order)

  Godhunter

  Of Gods and Wolves

  Oathbreaker

  Marked by Death

  Green Tea and Black Death

  A Taste for Blood

  The Tainted Web

  Series Split:

  These books can be read together or separately

  Harvest of the Gods & A Fey Harvest

  Into the Void & Out of the Darkness

  Perchance to Die

  Other Books

  The Magic of Fabric

  Feeding the Lwas: A Vodou Cookbook

  Enchantress

  There's a Goddess Too

  Table of Contents

  Why Women Love Monsters

  The Vampire

  The Werewolf

  Monster Mating

  Vanquishing the Vampire

  Wrangling the Werewolf

  Monster Hunting

  Why Women Love Monsters

  There's a trend in our works of fiction lately, the vampire, werewolf, human love triangle. It's popular. Pick up a paranormal romance novel or just walk into your local movie theater and you'll see vampires and werewolves as the love interest for the lucky heroine. These monsters just rub us the right way, they do something for us and it works. It's making Hollywood a fortune. Ever wonder why? These two fantasy figures represent males archetypes that women respond to in very basic ways. Two archetypes that are so different, it's virtually impossible to find them both in the same man... though we crave them equally. Men have the Madonna-Whore Complex, we have the Vampire-Werewolf.

  We're attracted to these two monsters because of what they represent but also because they actually exist, at least partially, in every man. We get glimpses of vampires and werewolves everyday and it's these glimpses that draw us to men. Now what if I told you that these two monsters were the keys to not only understanding a man's behavior but attracting them and even keeping them? I'm sure you'd be skeptical but the best fiction has its roots in fact and these myths were created because deep down inside, men held the seeds of them. Write what you know is a saying constantly told to writers and as an author, I can tell you that it's true for me. My best characters are based on real people and there's always pieces of me in my books. I'm certain that all the great novelists have employed this technique and so when we read Bram Stoker's Dracula, we can conjecture that the vampire is a partial representation of the man.

  Still don't believe me? I bet that if you peruse the pages of this book, you'll find pieces of your man in it. Probably several, and these pieces can be gathered together to give a bigger picture that will help you understand him better. As humans, we crave explanations and myth has always helped give them to us. We love our myths and we use them to explain the unexplainable. If a man has violent tendencies then he must have a little of the beast in him. Or if he pulls away from society and becomes a recluse, he must fear the sun. Yes, the stories are fictional but the ideas behind them are not.

  Now here's where it gets interesting. By figuring out which mythological monster he mimics best, you can actually discover what attracts, repels, and motivates him. You'll have a guidebook for him specifically. There are two main archetypes here but several aspects of them, figure out which aspects your man holds and you'll know him better than he knows himself. The next two chapters will reveal all the aspects of vampires and werewolves that pertain to men.

  A lot of these will sound like traits you don't want in your men and some of you women will probably think that you don't want either of these monsters. Well, there's a reason they're called monsters. These are deep rooted traits and every man has at least a few of them. We women have some habits that men find pretty damn annoying as well and they've learned to live with them. Relationships are about compromise and the first step to living with your monster is learning to accept his monstrosity. I'll help you with that and hopefully, in the end, his annoying habits can be transformed into charming quirks. We all have a little monster in us.

  Now, to discover which monster your man is, read through the next two chapters and give your man a point for each behavior you recognize. The aspects have several ways of manifesting and you must jot down a point for every way your guy behaves in a similar manner but you only have to give him one point for the entire aspect. So say, you're reading the section labeled: Drinks Blood(metaphorically, relax people) and you find that your man is both an opportunist and drains your energy, you would make one mark under your Vampire column. Proceeding through the two chapters in this manner, you would then tally up the points at the end and see which monster your man leans towards.

  After determining this, you should turn to appropriate monster section for the tips on how to get along with them. Now let's say that you tally up your points and you find that your man has 3 points under Vampire and 10 under Werewolf, you can safely assume he's a werewolf and turn to the section on Wrangling the Werewolf. This will help you learn how to attract and deal with his behavior, if not totally modify it. But now maybe those 3 Vampire points were for things that really bother you. No problem, you can read up on how to handle those under the Vanquishing the Vampire section, just disregard the general rules of engagement listed there. Okay, you ready? Let's talk monsters.

  Vampires

  The vampire, once considered a monster, has evolved through our pop-culture into a sex symbol. This representation of repressed desires and unnatural lusts has morphed even further into something more sensitive and refined. The vampire is no longer the dark hunter of our nightmares, he's now the tortured romantic of our dreams. He's the broken soul we long to heal, the man enslaved by his desires but longing to rise above them. He's the artist, the melancholy gentleman.

  We fantasize about him reading poetry to us, poetry which features ourselves and which he's written in his own blood. We want to draw him out of his darkness, show him the light and bring a smile back to his lips, never acknowledging that once the vampire's been cured, he's just a boring, moody man. The following sections will go over the behavior of different types of vampires. Make one notation for each type your man is and then tally them at the end.

  Drinks Blood

  You laugh, you scoff, you think about putting this book down, but wait! Consider this... have you ever felt drained after interacting with him? Does he tend to use people or take advantage of them either knowingly or unknowingly? Would some even label him an opportunist? Does he rationalize his behavior by saying things like “But they want to help me,” or “They offered, how could I refuse?” Do you end up doing exactly what he wants to do usually, even though he insists that you have a choice in the matter? This is classic bloodsucking behavior.

  The Bloodsucker tends to be a bit self-centered but not necessarily in a narcissistic way(though we're not ruling that out-check out the other aspects for a final judgment on it). Often, this guy just doesn't understand that other people have needs too, he's too focused on his own. This is the man that rushes out the door saying “Sorry honey, I need to get there early today,” even though you've just cooked him a huge breakfast and it's your anniversary. In his mind, he's focused on a goal and your actions have no bearing on it.

  He can be an acquirer, a collector of things, and he's always on the look out for more. He can even go so far as becoming a hoarder, gathering items that represent life to him like a vampire takes blood. He's a wanter, I want, I want, I want but it soon turns into I need, I need, I need. He doesn't really know the difference.

  His focus can result in good things too though and women often pu
t up with Bloodsuckers because they're very simply, good in bed. This man can work your body like a professional, like someone with centuries of lovemaking under his belt, and give you la petite mort over and over. He's the man who aims to please but its really because pleasing you means he's done the job right.

  He can be a perfectionist, the man who will suck the fun out of something because it needs to be done to his specifications. He's not the life of the party, he's the vortex that the party is sucked into. The man everyone wants there but only because they know if he's happy, the event is a success. They often have careers in demanding jobs that allow them to feed off of people. This is usually done under the guise of self-sacrifice or public service. He wants people to think he bleeds for them when actually they're the ones doing the bleeding.

  He has a way of making you feel like you owe him, that you should do what he wants because he's done so much for you. Women often find that they run themselves ragged trying to please this guy because unfortunately, this man is impossible to satisfy. He's insatiable, his bloodlust knows no end and he will suck you dry if you let him.

  Hates the Sun

  This can be literal and/or figurative. You've heard of people who are only happy when it rains? Well here he is except in his case, the rain is the dark, in which he'd like to be left. He's the man who'd rather not know, the one clinging to his beliefs and never ever seeing “the light”. He doesn't want to know about the new scientific evidence that disproves his theory on whatever. He doesn't care, it's not about right or wrong with him, it's about his truth.

  This truth can be something as small as when the proper time is to change the oil in your car to as major as Evolution versus Creation. He will be steadfast in his beliefs and he won't argue with you about them because he doesn't want another perspective, he's got his own.

  He can also be the loner, the one hiding in the shadows, behind a book, his work, or even his wife. This man isn't afraid of the dark, he's afraid of the sun and what it might reveal in him. He's the man with a secret, shoving things into drawers when you walk into the room, or rapidly hanging up the phone. He starts out as mysterious but soon his behavior turns sane women into paranoid snoops.

  We can't help but wonder what he's hiding, hell, anyone would. Is that a paper bag of pornos or body parts? Why does he disappear at strange hours and what the hell is in that locked drawer? When we reach our inevitable breaking point and either break into the drawer or accuse him of being a serial killer, he will calmly inform us that we had no business invading his privacy and make us feel like complete assholes. It's a talent of the Sun-Hating Vampire.

  Mind Control

  No he doesn't actually have the power to control your mind but sometimes it sure feels like it. Ever caught yourself driving to the store to pick something up for him and wondering why the hell you're doing it? You've just been whammied by the Mind-Controlling Vampire.

  This is the man who everyone agrees with. His opinions may not be right but they sure did sound good at the time. He's charismatic in a way that seems magical, and people respond well to whatever he's got to say. He can also be slick, talking circles around a subject until your either confused or so tired you just give up. He always has a plausible explanation for everything he does and even though you may think you've finally got the upper hand this time, he will convince you otherwise.

  He's very expressive and often, all you have to do is look at him to know what he's thinking... if he wants you to know. Usually the looks he gives are carefully constructed to achieve his goals and if he catches your eye at a dinner party, you can be assured that he either wants you to grab him a beer or get him away from a person he doesn't want to talk to.

  He can also be very charming and genuine. The way he speaks is mesmerizing but sometimes the way he listens is even more so. He pulls you in, makes you feel special, and focuses a look on you that's so intense, you feel like he just saw straight into your soul. This is the man who women gush about “connecting with”. “We talked for hours,” they'll say, or “he just understands me.” Women fall at this man's feet and half the time, he doesn't even have to open his mouth. Blammo! You've been mind controlled.

  Garlic Repels Him

  Here we're talking about spice in all its forms, spice in food and spice for life. This is the man who chooses plain vanilla ice cream every time and will expound on the reasons why vanilla is so wonderful until you too are convinced that it's the best flavor in the world.

  He's a man who not only dislikes change, he staunchly believes that it will lead to his destruction. Do not move that picture and please, whatever you do, do not reorganize his shoes or his world will crumble. He's the man who doesn't want to try that new Ethiopian restaurant because starving people can't possibly know anything about cuisine, while he orders the same medium-well steak at Outback every weekend... no spice rub please.

  He's a man set in his ways and set in his tastes, a traditionalist who prefers the “old way” of doing things. He will often quote some mentor of his and wistfully reminisce about why their way of thinking, doing, or speaking was the proper way. Here is your classic vampire, the guy sleeping in the dirt of his homeland, not because he has to but because it's always been done that way. If he were Jewish, he'd be shaking his shoulders down a dirt road while singing “Tradition”. He's a staunch... republican, democrat, libertarian, comic book reader- whatever. If he does it, it's because he's always done it and he's always done it in the same way. Every time. Always. Mess with this formula and chaos will ensue.

  An Aversion to Crosses

  This can be seen in three ways. The first is the typical atheist, a scientific type of man, a scholar who thinks God was created by man to maintain control over the masses and comfort the weak with an afterlife scenario. This man would never set foot in a church because he would see it as a ridiculous waste of time. He hisses at your cross and backs away like the very sight of it hurts him, because it does. It represents weakness and fear, two things he cannot tolerate.

  The second type is the man who firmly believes in God and just as firmly believes that God not only hates him but is out to get him. This is the man that curses divinity, shaking his fist at Heaven and blaming God for everything bad in his life. God has become a type of scapegoat for him. Whatever horrible thing has happened, it's God's fault. “Why me?” He cries, and “What have I done to deserve this?” Always, it's an irrational belief that he's being persecuted, hunted in the dark of night while he lies vulnerable and dead to the world.

  Lastly, there is the religious zealot. Here is the man we see as tortured, the man forever trying to atone for his sins. He's certain he's damned but intent on spending his life making it up to God. He can be the most pitiful of the three and often women want to help this guy, instead of just rolling their eyes at him. Yet any attempt at help will be seen suspiciously and you might even be accused of siding with the Devil in his evil plan to prevent him from achieving redemption. Whichever way this vampire trait goes, it will be extreme, obsessive, and completely annoying. If your man has this trait, give him 3 points, not just one. Sigh.

  Cold-Skinned

  As much as vampires can seem overly emotional, there are versions that are quite the opposite. These Cold vampires are tight-lipped about their emotions to the point that you wonder if they have any at all. These are the stoics, the men that stare danger calmly in the eye without blinking. It's easy to find them attractive and mistake their coldness for strength. Sometimes it is in fact a strong man who controls his outbursts but usually, it's just a man who doesn't give a damn. He's cold, numb, and emotionless.

  A good example of this is found in the television series Dexter. The lead character is a psychopath who's taught a code of ethics by his policeman adoptive father. He becomes a vigilante, murdering murderers only after collecting enough evidence to prove to himself that they're guilty. We can't help rooting for this dark hero even though he stares blankly at anyone expecting emotion out of him, especially h
is neurotic sister. We sigh and pine over him. We find him thrilling and powerful. Even after being told outright that this man has no capacity for love and has a driving need to kill, we can't help but equate his coldness to the morose vampire and see it all as strength and heroic stoicism.

  Recently in the series, they've even hinted that Dexter does actually feel love. Psychologically this is impossible but to keep the female fans happy, it had to be added. We need to think that the monster can be saved and that he is, in fact, worth saving. I don't mean to imply that all Cold-Skinned vampires are psychopaths or are incapable of feeling love. What I'm saying is that they've shut off the expression of emotions for so long, that they've become numb to emotions. They have them, they just don't feel them as strongly as we do, and they find a certain amount of pride in that. They think that a cold face shows a depth of strength and their firm belief in that has influenced the way we perceive them. We can't help but respond to their confidence and agree that yes, this is strength and appearing heartless is sexy. We think that if we're appealing enough, if we're special enough, we'll be able to break through that cold exterior and find the warm hearted man beneath it all.

  Women will hang onto this monster long after the time they should have moved on, they can't help it. The Cold-Skinned vampire is the man women make excuses for, you'll often hear a woman defending this type of vampire by saying things like “He works so hard for us though,” or “He just wasn't taught how to express himself emotionally,” or even “I know he's just dying inside.” He's not dying, my darlings, he's dead. He's a vampire.