Certain Dark Things
Page 29
Obayifo
Native to Western Africa. They glow in the dark and this property might have been useful for them to find their way, to hunt for prey, and to attract their prey, as their glow is said to be hypnotic, drawing humans to them. The Obayifo can conceal their glow by manipulating the perception of those around them, just like certain marine organisms deploy flaps of skin to hide glow-spots. They are not as physically resilient as the Necros and other subspecies and thus are more vulnerable to attacks.
Pishacha
Native to India. They are gaunt, have sharp claws and teeth, and are completely nocturnal. Pishachas, like the Imago, are able to alter their form and take on the appearance of others. They may also become “invisible,” camouflaging themselves. They can be identified by their red eyes, which, no matter what shape they take, remain visible, though savvy, modern vampires can utilize contact lenses or sunglasses to disguise this. They are said to live near burial grounds and burrow beneath the earth.
Revenant
Unlike other vampires, Revenants tend to live in solitude. Males are especially prone to living alone. While other vampire subspecies may interact due to trade or warfare, all vampires fear the Revenant because of its particular feeding mechanism. Revenants feed by absorbing the life force of creatures around them, generally humans, but they can feed on vampires. Revenants are capable of reading the minds of others. Unlike the mild telepathy displayed by other vampires, their mindreading powers can be quite refined, making them an extraordinary foe. However, Revenants have a number of physical ailments. They usually develop bone problems, which gives them their distinctive “hump,” and can suffer from diminished lung capacity—the breathless quality of the Revenant’s voice truly does indicate they are out of breath. Revenants are also very sensitive to light, sound, and smells. Revenants have extremely long life spans, though it is often hard to gauge their age because they can “rejuvenate” after a feeding, displaying unlined and unblemished skin. However, no matter how much a Revenant rejuvenates, he will never be able to straighten his bones or completely diminish the other physical ailments he suffers from, and which increase as he ages. Revenants possibly originated in Russia.
Tlāhuihpochtli
Plural, Tlāhuihpochtin. Original to Mexico. The name “Tlāhuihpochtin” is applied only to the women of this subspecies. Males cannot shape-shift and have shorter life spans. They are called Ichtacāini. These vampires follow a matriarchal clan structure. They can consume only the blood of young humans, and like several other vampire subspecies they are allergic to silver and garlic. The females are able to sprout wings and fly, a detail that might have given rise to American legends of flying witches who drink the blood of babies. They can walk in the daylight but are stronger at night. They are very private and prefer to reveal few details about their existence or their practices, though it is known they speak Nahuatl and hold in great esteem a number of ancient Aztec traditions, including the art of warfare. Before the arrival of Spaniards to Mexico, the Tlāhuihpochtin were a high caste of priests and priestesses, dressing in bird feathers and wearing jade necklaces. Their flesh was considered sacred and they were an earthly manifestation of the god of war. They remained celibate while serving in the temple, but when they concluded their religious duties, which usually encompassed two decades, they married and could beget children. These Mexican vampires made their way to the Philippines during the colonial Spanish period, giving rise to stories of the manananggal, supposedly a flying witch who sucks the blood of humans.
Wendigo
Native to Canada. A voracious subspecies that prefers cold climates. Very tall, with skin that is icy cold to the touch. They are active in the winter, and slumber during the warmer months. They have sharp claws and their eyes are said to glow in the dark. They were said to live in caves or mounds before the arrival of Europeans, but the modern Wendigo has had to adapt to the presence of new humans and new vampires, just as the Tlāhuihpochtin did. Nevertheless, they remain highly rural. The cities with the largest number of Wendigos are Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal. Vancouver is too warm for them and it is dominated by the Chinese Jiangshi. They can shape shift, acquiring the characteristics of a ferocious bear. In this shape they are very strong, but in their natural form they are considerably weakened. Their height draws attention to them, so they can’t easily pass as human.
Vampire health
Human diseases do not affect vampires, though a vampire will stay away from unhealthy humans because they will invariably vomit and reject tainted blood. Through their more advanced senses they can usually identify if a human is ill and avoid them as a food source. There are such things as vampire diseases, though, and they can grow ill if exposed to these.
Vampires heal at a faster rate than humans and can tolerate pain very well. Some vampires can even regenerate limbs. This means the most effective way to kill vampires is not using the mythical stake through the heart, but by burning them or cutting off their head. Vampires are highly sensitive to certain triggers, such as silver, garlic, and sunlight, which can incapacitate them far more easily than by employing a regular bullet.
Vampires can quickly be identified by looking at their blood, which contains a higher iron content than human blood, allowing for rapid coagulation. Vampire blood has a darker coloration than human blood.
Despite what the legends may say, humans cannot become vampires if they drink vampire blood.
Vampire sex and marriage
The sexual practices of vampires vary greatly depending on their subspecies. The idea of Dracula and his “brides” is likely based on the sexual practices of Necros: the Necros male does take several mates. But this is far from a universal practice. The Imago and Revenant are solitary and a male generally does not cohabit with a female.
Vampires follow strict clan rules and traditions, and many of them could appear old fashioned to Anglo-American humans. For example, many vampires follow elaborate courting processes. Vampires often marry to strengthen alliances, to solidify their place in a hierarchy, and for a number of other practical reasons. Arranged marriages are common.
Bisexuality and homosexuality occur among the vampire clans, though in specific and sometimes ritualized contexts. For example, though the Aztecs executed homosexuals and lesbians, lesbianism was allowed among the Tlāhuihpochtin. Nowadays, a high-ranking Tlāhuihpochtli will pick an appropriate and equally high-ranking male as her consort. She will be expected to mate only with this male but may keep female lovers.
Because vampires are less fertile than humans, reproduction is encouraged, even demanded, especially among the high-ranking classes.
Vampires—except for the Necros and Nachzehrers—shun humans as sexual partners. Vampires are seldom interested in sexual relations with vampires of a different subspecies. Certain vampire subspecies, such as the Imago, go as far as to encourage incest among their clan rather than mingle with outsiders. Vampires do not consider humans as viable sexual partners, which is logical since they cannot reproduce with them and humans do not provide vampires with any sociopolitical benefits.
Vampires in the modern era
For most of human history vampires were regarded as nebulous myths and legends, their existence remaining unconfirmed. Technological advances, however, forced the vampire from the shadows. In 1967 a joint task force organized by the governments of the United States and Great Britain revealed to the world the existence of five subspecies of vampires. Microscopes, X-rays, and other modern medical advances were used to identify them and later served to reveal the existence of the other five species.
The discovery that vampires were real prompted a variety of reactions from governments around the world. Some countries, like Spain and Portugal, deported vampires. Most countries adopted either a “vampire-free zone” policy or a “vampire-occupied zone” policy. A country that favors the vampire-free zone policy will designate neighborhoods or entire cities as off-limits to vampires. Mexico City, Vienna, and Prague are thr
ee large vampire-free zones. On the other hand, the vampire-occupied zone restricts vampires to specific neighborhoods or cities, which they may not leave without special passes. The United Kingdom, France, and Germany follow this policy.
Most governments track vampires, require special identification papers for them, and request that they regularly stay in contact with a sanitation unit. Some governments have established highly restrictive policies that bar vampires from working in certain occupations, such as law enforcement or medicine. Anti-vampire bias has generated resentment in several cities. Vampire and human clashes were not uncommon in Europe and the United States in the 1970s. In 1981, vampires led by Pierre Antoine Bellamy murdered more than two dozen Parisian police officers and declared that a “new world order” was at hand. Similar murders were repeated in London and New York. Eventually, elders of the most prominent vampire clans signed the current treaties with humans that establish rights and restrictions for vampires.
Not all vampires have fared poorly in the past couple of decades. Mexican vampires face relatively few restrictions, though a number of them have acquired their prominent positions through the formation of cartels.
Vampire religion
There is no one vampire religion. Originally, vampires followed pagan traditions, but nowadays almost all Necros follow the Christian faith, albeit in a modified form, and other groups have followed suit, taking up different religions. Nevertheless, many vampires do still follow pagan traditions. The Tlāhuihpochtin continue to celebrate Aztec festivities and pray to Aztec deities, even if they do not do so in the same way their ancestors did. The most important god in their pantheon is Huitzilopochtli, a deity of war, the sun, and human sacrifice. Just as in the old days they will lance their skin and offer their blood to the gods or engage in ritual combat. In comparison, Wendigos practice an animistic and shamanistic religion.
Croneng’s disease
A disease that makes humans hemorrhage from the nose and gives them sores, transmitted through bodily fluids (saliva, sweat, semen, blood, etc.). Vampires are very sensitive to diseased blood and abhor Croneng’s because it spoils their food supply. Even a Nachzehrer won’t feed on someone with Croneng’s. Urban legends say Croneng’s disease is a designed disease, created to exterminate vampires, but it did not work the way it was intended to. Other urban legends indicate the opposite: that vampires gave humans this disease.
Deep Crimson
One of the large, human-organized crime groups in Mexico City. They do not trade with vampires and regard them as a scourge. Members sport red clothing and/or red tattoos.
Renfield
Slang, used to refer to a vampire’s human companion. Any high-ranking vampire has a human companion who can carry out tasks for him, such as guarding the vampire’s lair during the daytime. A vampire’s assistant is generally well treated by the vampire.
Renfields should not be confused with the “puppets” created by Necros, humans bent to their will through sexual or blood contact. Renfields also differ from the Jiangshi’s human avatars or shells. Renfields retain their autonomy, but choose to serve vampires. Most vampires can maintain a noninvasive, mild, telepathic bond with their Renfield.
One important task carried out by Renfields is to serve as emissaries. The Victorians had calling cards; vampires have Renfields.
Tlapalēhuiāni
A vampire’s human companion. (See Renfield for more details.)
Xiuhtlahtōlli
A word utilized by the Tlāhuihpochtin that means “precious speech.” It is the crude telepathic bond that joins together a human and certain vampires. Other vampires have different names for it, such as “blue note” or “resonance.”
ALSO BY SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA
Signal to Noise
This Strange Way of Dying: Stories of Magic, Desire & the Fantastic
Love & Other Poisons
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA is the author the critically acclaimed novel Signal to Noise and the short story collection This Strange Way of Dying, which was a finalist for the Sunburst Award in Canada. She was a finalist for the Manchester Fiction Prize, and a recipient of the Gloria Vanderbilt/Exile Award for Best Emerging Writer. She has edited or co-edited seven anthologies, and is the publisher of Innsmouth Free Press, a Canadian press that specializes in horror and dark speculative fiction. Certain Dark Things is her second novel. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Epilogue
Glossary
Also by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Press.
CERTAIN DARK THINGS. Copyright © 2016 by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Kerri Resnick
Cover photographs: woman’s face © felabs/Shutterstock; hummingbird © nutriaa/Shutterstock; smoke © Claire McAdams/Shutterstock
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Moreno-Garcia, Silvia, author.
Title: Certain dark things: a novel / Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Description: New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2016.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016007861 | ISBN 978-1-250-09908-2 (hardcover) | ISBN 978-1-250-09909-9 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Vampires—Fiction. | Paranormal romance stories. | BISAC: FICTION / Fantasy / Contemporary. | FICTION / Literary. | FICTION / Fantasy / Paranormal. | FICTION / Romance / Fantasy. | FICTION / Fantasy / Urban Life. | GSAFD: Fantasy fiction.
Classification: LCC PR9199.4.M656174 C47 2016 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016007861
e-ISBN 9781250099099
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First Edition: October 2016
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