it's a pain
bordering on unbearable
enough to bring hot, salty tears
to your eyes and make
your jaw clench
in agony
as you pray
for it to end
its a pain
bordering on unbearable
enough to bring bitter bile
to your throat and make
your muscles tense
in torture
as you beg
for it to cease
its a pain
bordering on unbearable
but I bear it
and I am stronger
than ever
I can take it
its been worse
way worse
its a pain
bordering on unbearable
but I beat it

In _Nightshade_ Jack Butler introduces us to John Shade, the standard for a new type of vampire. The Butlerian vampire is a scientific vampire, a mutation of the human norm, rather than the embodiment of pure Evil that Stoker showed us in _Dracula_. Born of human parents, the Butlerian vampire is indistinguishable from a human throughout its life, and perhaps beyond.

A collection of short stories submitted to VO over the years.  Note that the ratings for the stories within range from K through MA.

I stood atop a hill
All around me was quiet and still
The greeness of the grass bold me over
My dark, cold, sleeping cover

Michael
February 23, 2002

There are many interpretations of the vampire myth both in folklore and legend. The nature of the vampire varies greatly from culture to culture and often from region to region with a general cultural area. In the pages of fiction, each author has his or her own unique interpretation of the vampire.