Kaleb enjoyed his pictorial interview yesterday enough that he wanted to come back and do another today, though more on the serious side. So I sat down with him this evening and let him talk.
Me: So you mentioned rather bluntly yesterday that you are a vampire, and were born in the late 1600′s. How old are you?
Kaleb: Three hundred and thirty-one years old. I was born in 1679 and turned in 1698, two days after my nineteen birthday.
Me: Was this an intentional transition or…?
Kaleb: Completely. I witnessed the Salem witch trials when I was thirteen, and this awoke in me a great fascination with the darkness. I spent the next several years seeking a way to possess such power, and when I turned nineteen I found my sire.
Me: Do you practice magic then, speaking of the witch trials?
Kaleb: Yes, though I should mention that those persecuted during the trials were not witches. That aside, I spent many years after my transformation studying the dark arts. Much of my practice falls under the purview of necromancy, but I’m not a one trick pony.
Me: Do you have any special powers that came with becoming a vampire? Any limitations?
Kaleb: My vampirism helps with my practice of necromancy as it brings me closer to that which I call up, but there are a few other intrinsic benefits. I’m strong and fast, and heal rather quickly. I can also shift my shape to that of a wolf. As for limitations… Garlic is mostly an annoyance due to the heightened sense of smell that comes with being a vampire. Holy weapons like crosses and holy water are more detrimental to younger vampires, but are also somewhat belief-influenced. If you world is ruled by a Judeo-Christian god, then such weapons would seem more frightening. Sunlight is also more detrimental the younger you are, and while I would still die if sent out into direct sun I can survive overcast days.
Me: Do you ever regret your decision?
Kaleb: No, never.
Me: Speaking of which, how do you feel about your blood appetite.?
Kaleb: It’s never bothered me, I was not a squeamish person to begin with and I’ve always seen it as a survival of the fittest situation.
Me: So no moral qualms? What of the “vegetarian” vampires out there?
Kaleb: Everyone is obviously welcome to make their own choices, but I think if you’re going to claim to be more moral you should think about that for a moment. Those vampires see vegetarianism as more reasonable as they don’t eat their own kind. They don’t cause the kind of despair and pain that comes with human deaths. However I have spent time among several wolf packs due to my abilities, and I’ve seen the kind of pain that can be caused by the death of a member. It’s all about perspective.
Me: What do you think of the recent vampire craze and the resulting media frenzy?
Kaleb: It’s annoying, especially when you’re being type-cast if you will as one kind of vampire or another. You’re either an Edward or a Lestat, and Angelus or someone from True Blood. When in reality we are all different. It makes the feat of staying hidden more difficult, and causes a lot of head-shaking.
More to come! 
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