A Dhampir in Balkan folklore is the child of a vampire father and a human mother, with vampire powers but none of the weaknesses. A dhampir is believed to have the unique ability to see vampires, even when these are invisible, and is unusually adept at killing them.

Although it's generally vampires who are considered deadly, those who hunt them down can be just as lethal, as the following modern-day stories reveal.

August 2, 2002 (The Calgary Herald) - Mathew Hardman's preoccupation with vampirism was chillingly foreshadowed in the months before he killed his 90-year-old neighbour. During talks with a German student on an exchange visit to Llanfairpwll, he betrayed his attraction to the "things of the night." He told her he believed the Anglesey village was "a perfect place for vampires" because there were many elderly people there, and if any of them died after being bitten it would be assumed they had suffered a heart attack.

I sit here
naked
and welcome you to me
never before have I opened up
like I do to you
I feel your strength
flowing through my veins
my body trembles
relief rushes over me
crashing down on me
like a wave
yet
I want more
I can't get enough of you
I hunger
I thirst
for your sweet taste
your soft scent
you
your eyes
burn me
scorch me
pain
you promised
yet
I can't get enough of you
I never will
for the eternity
we are together
one

After vowing to never again write about Lestat, this best seller reveals she has one more vampire novel in her. Her newest religious book is Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana.  Anne Rice recently engaged in an online chat to answer questions from fans.

1. Do you ever plan to write additional books for the Vampire Chronicles series?