by Peter Moore
I look directly into the sunset, then close my eyes and let the last rays of sunlight bathe my face.
It feels warm.
It feels good.
MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
Anadiploidy shock: negative reaction from LRT anti-codominance treatments (see Lychromosomal Repression Therapy)
Bi-specian: a species hybrid, e.g. vampyre-wulf, wulf-human
Burr’s Ridge: superior aspect of ear with pointed cartilage, site from which lupine cartilage grows during the Change. Named after Dr. Edward Burr (1889–1943). This is the structure that gives wulves slightly pointed ears when in human form.
DNA-mRNA Mutation Syndrome: negative reaction from anti-codominance treatments
Globin Crash (colloquial): a severe drop of hemoglobin; acute anemia that afflicts vampyres, which requires immediate infusion of iron and oxygen in their blood. Symptoms include weakness, disorientation, and fainting. Intake of synthetic blood products will typically resolve the condition within minutes.
Haemophilesis: vampyre’s excessive bleeding due to decreased clotting factors
Hemodipsia: a vampyre’s need for increased hemoglobin intake (Gk: heme=blood + dipso=thirst)
LMPI (Lycan-Metamorphosis Prodromal Illness): a varied set of flulike symptoms (headache, nausea, fever, vomiting, body aches) that some wulves suffer for a few days before a Change
Lycan-metamorphosis: the Change (Primitis Lycan-metamorphosis: first Change. Pseudo-Lycan-metamorphosis: partial Change before Primitis)
Lycardiomegaly: the naturally large size of the wulf heart; typically 30–40 percent larger than a human or vampyre heart
Lychondrocytosis: growing of cartilage in ears as they take on elongated lupine shape
Lychromosomal Repression Therapy: genetic therapy performed to repress lycanthropic phenotype traits (including Lycan-Metamorphosis)
Metahematosynthesis: blood cells during the Change
Soladurisis: (vampyre) burning in sunlight (Latin: sol=sun + aduro=to set on fire, burn, singe)
Vamporphyria: when heme levels decrease, porphyria is induced, causing a toxic buildup of porphyrins in the blood. Vamporphyria is a chronic, severe, and potentially lethal form of porphyria. It is an inheritable trait of all vampyres.
Vampyrolytic anemia: breakdown of red blood cells—and lowered heme—naturally occurring in vampyres. This is the reason they need to have an increased intake of VampHematin.
MEDICAL AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Coagudine: coagulation medication, used to slow or stop bleeding (effective only in vampyres)
Coumidex: blood thinner. Typically given after Coagudine to regain hemostasis. Used illicitly as a way to “get high.”
DermaWhite: a product that temporarily whitens skin by use of a bleaching chemical
Dial-a-Canopy: commercial company specializing in express delivery of Sol-Blok bed canopies
Factor XIV: coagulation agent, used only for small injuries
Fibrex (collar): Fibrex collars are worn by wulves at compounds. They are extremely flexible to expand when wearer’s neck thickens during the Change, and the material is exceptionally durable, untearable without industrial-strength cutters.
Hemometer: instrument that quickly measures basic blood composition status such as hematocrit, red blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, etc. Units range from sophisticated hospital models to personal, portable units for consumer use.
Hemo-Sealer: an ointment that quickly dries into a rubbery, waxy substance when applied to cuts or scabs. It prevents the scent of blood from arousing vampyres.
Lupine Fresh: deodorant formulated specifically for wulves
Lupinox: an over-the-counter treatment for the aches and pains of LMPI
Lycano Lock handcuffs: (police use) extra-strength carbon steel restraints; legally available only to police forces and units of the LPCB
Photoshield: chamber by doorway to prevent sunlight from entering house (similar to revolving door of a darkroom)
Sangre-Vin: wine infused with real blood; highly addictive, outlawed in the U.S.
Sol-Blok: Leading U.S. manufacturer of light-blocking products (window treatments, canopies that close over beds, body-cover suits, etc.)
Somnambulex: prescription sleeping pill for vampyres
SynHeme: commercial beverage, synthetic blood (developed by Sandor Bartlett)
SynHemesicle: dessert; frozen fruit-flavored SynHeme on a stick
Tylenol-V: Acetaminophen 4000 mg, formulated for vampyre use
Vamp-EYEr: producer of blue-hued nonprescription contact lenses, sold at malls and online
VampHematin: the agent in all forms of artificial heme; active ingredient of products such as SynHeme and VeniHeme
VeniHeme: synthetic blood for medical use; intravenous (IV) used when a vampyre is hypovolemic and needs an infusion
SLANG
Blood-flood: copious bleeding after an injury, due to vampyre decreased clotting factors of haemophilesis (also known as speed bleed and heme stream)
Blue-tooth: one who drinks too much SynHeme Caffeine Plus (Blue tooth stains can be removed by a dentist)
Crumpskull (strongly derogatory): a wulf, specifically one who has post-Change cranial deformities (named after comic-strip character “Crump” who is an unlucky wulf boy with a lumpy head) (see Face-case)
Doglet (derogatory): young wulf
Face-case (derogatory): a wulf, specifically one who has post-Change facial deformities (see Crumpskull)
Fang-banger: one who prefers to (or will only) have sex with vampyres
Furburger: a werewulf corpse (esp. as food for scavengers)
Hamp: human who is a vampyre wannabe; gets blue contact lenses, dyes hair blond, etc. (see also Wamp)
Hooked in: the state of a vampyre who is addicted to blood
Howler (derogatory): wulf
Howler-prowler: one who sexually pursues wulves
Keeper: person who illegally rents cage space (usually unhygienic and cramped) to unregistered wulves during full moon (high mortality rate for these wulves)
Lunadog (derogatory): wulf also lunabitch (f)
Moondog (derogatory): wulf also moonbitch (f)
Moonrunner: an unregistered wulf who evades the authorities
Mutt (mildly derogatory): wulf
Poacher: a civilian hunter of unregistered wolves, often in league with local police
Prima vampyreena: a conceited and spoiled wealthy female vampyre (also, PV)
Rabies baby (derogatory): infant wulf (most common in plural, as rabies babies)
Regen: vampyres’ heightened healing abilities
Roaster (derogatory): a vampyre
Sun-scorch: soladurisis (vampyres’ severe burning in sunlight)
Throw a clot: to get anxious, upset, or excited (vampyre use)
Wamp: wulf who is a vampyre wannabe (see also Hamp)
Wulftag: tattoo of a wulf symbol, legally required to be applied to the right hand of every wulf at birth. A red ring is added when the wulf registers for a compound.
Wulf-whacker (derogatory): someone who is sexually promiscuous with wulves
ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES
AAWRA: The American Association for Wulf Rights and Advancement. Social action group dedicated to protecting rights of wulves
LPCB: Lycanthrope Protection & Control Bureau
LRC: Lycanthropic Rest Center. Medical facility as an alternative to going to compounds. Very expensive; technique (drug-induced coma) highly dangerous.
So many family members and friends have been supportive of my writing, that it’s going to be hard to list them all here. But I’ll give it a try: many thanks to members of the families Tiven, Kohn, Bihaly, Moore, and Shenfeld; thanks to pals Abi Morrison, and amazing writer Kevin Baker.
Thanks to Alessandra Balzer, who welcomed the book to its home at Hyperion. And thanks to all the other people at Hyperion who made the book look good and read smoothly.
Huge thanks to my phenomenal editor, Ar
i Lewin. Her excellent judgment, sharp eye, keen wit, and unbreakable tenacity kept me honest. She accepted nothing less than my absolute best, and the book is much better for it. And big thanks to Catherine Onder, the final member of my Dream Team of editors, who joined us late in the game, but still ran the book all the way into the end zone.
I’m fortunate and grateful to have the best agent on the planet, Jodi Reamer. As smart as they come, Jodi has given me sage guidance, candid and valuable criticism, and unwavering encouragement. Always protecting my interests, she is my literary bodyguard.
Thanks to my at-home consultants and moral supporters: Jake, whose instincts for good writing are as sharp as a vampyre’s fang; and Hedy, who supplied much-needed fashion advice (for the characters, not for me).
And finally, deepest thanks to my wife, Ellen. When she first heard my idea for the story, she said, “Vampires and werewolves? Um, you’re kidding, right?” In spite of initial…concerns, she became an unending source of enthusiasm, support, and inspiration for me not only in the writing of this book, but every day of my life. She is my SynHeme: I couldn’t live without her.
