Tag Archives: vampires

Is She or Isn’t She?

Ever wonder if that reclusive neighbor is something….different? Read on and get the real scoop!DSC09897

From the Archives of the Matriarchs

At the beginning, Great Goddess was. She is the Alpha and the Omega. She is Creative Force of all that Was, Is and Ever Will Be.

From Her Very Soul, she ripped pieces and formed the Goddesses in her own image. In blood and pain and sacrifice she gave birth to them. Their names are Mother of Magick who came to be called Hekate, Athena who was first known as Mother of Wisdom and Learning, Warrior Woman and Protector who came to be called Artemis, Woman of the Sun who refused any other name, and Woman of Fierce Darkness once called Amanirenas. These were the first five. Companions and co-creators with Great Goddess.

When their souls demanded them to create, she warned them that creation must come from ripping pieces of their own souls loose and implanting those pieces in the new creation. She told them that Creation could only be done amidst blood and pain and sacrifice for such is the nature of creation. Still their souls demanded for them to create and so they did.

Together they created all the universes, all the worlds, and all that lives within them. Except the Earth. Mother Earth was endowed with a strip of the soul of Great Goddess. From different parts of that strip of soul came the mountains, the valleys, the lakes, the oceans, the plains, the volcanoes, and all that make the body of Mother Earth.

Woman of the Sun took a piece of her soul and Created Father Sun then set him in the sky to warm the Mother. Amanirenas placed Grandmother Moon to shine when Mother Earth needed a rest from the strong rays and the warmth of Father Sun. Grandmother Moon fostered the quiet, the time for contemplation and feeling. Father Sun fostered action and growth.

Then Great Goddess took pieces of her soul and made the trees, the grasses, the flowers, and all that clothe Mother Earth.

Hekate, Athena and Artemis took pieces of their souls and made the animals, the creatures of air, of water, of earth. And because each piece of soul was unique, each creation–be it tree or be it tiger–was unique.

Great Goddess called together her companions and co-creators and they shared the worlds and universes they had created–each beautiful in its own way. Yet, when they gazed upon Mother Earth, in spite of all they had Created, they felt something was missing. Some essential element still needed to be brought forth. They Dreamed long and finally decided. This was a world where they could place small images of themselves, to watch each one grow and develop; to watch as they came into their creative powers. And so it was that Woman was Created. They let their Creative Powers rejoice and out of this celebration came the many colors and shapes and sizes of these replicas of Great Goddess and the Goddesses that Great Goddess named Woman. In a great burst of joy, they also created almost-replicas of themselves that Great Goddess named Man, for he was not fully a woman.

They Gifted Woman with a small bit of their own Creative Power. In her, new life could grow, but only in the image of the female. So it was that tigers gave birth to tigers and humans gave birth to humans.

Man begged to feel closer to Great Goddess and the Goddesses, begged to become more like them. And so, it came to pass that Great Goddess Gifted man with a seed that could assist in the creation of new life. Man rejoiced to be so close to Great Goddess, to be a part of creation.

Great Goddess created almost-replicas of the Goddesses and called them gods. They, like the almost-replicas on Mother Earth, could not create as the Goddesses did.

For millennia, all grew and prospered both in the Heavens and on Mother Earth. Woman and Man took only what they needed to live and they gave back as much as they took. So the balance continued.

After many millennia, the gods became restless. Unbeknownst to Great Goddess, they incited human males to anger and envy of the human females’ ability to create life. They filled the weaker male minds with thoughts that were subversive to all that Was and Ever Had Been.

Eventually, human males who followed the gods enticements were named Caine by the gods to distinguish them from the ones that followed the Way of Great Goddess. They named those Abella, as the leaders were always females.

During the Dark of the Moon, the followers of Caine rose up and slaughtered the unsuspecting followers of Abella, those who held tight to the Teachings of Great Goddess and the Goddesses. Millions died. That period of time came to be known as The Great War.

Because each living being held a piece of Great Goddess’ soul or a piece of the souls of the Goddesses, and therefore were given freewill, Great Goddess could not allow interference in The Great War, could not allow the usurpation of Freewill.

There came a time, however, when Artemis wept and threw herself at the feet of Great Goddess. Those the Goddesses loved had been reduced to small groups and even then the Children of Caine hunted them. She begged Great Goddess to allow her to save the remnants of their people, those who were known as the Children of Abella.

And so it came to pass that Artemis bestowed upon the Children of Abella certain powers. Among those powers were enhanced senses, enhanced strength, and near-immortality. The other Goddesses gathered close and they, too, bestowed certain powers upon the Children of Abella. In return for the many powers, Artemis demanded that the Children of Abella adher to the Purpose set by Great Goddess Herself.

The Children of Abella must never kill without reason, and must seek to help the Children of Caine overcome their blood that had been poisoned by envy, greed, hate, and needless violence.

So the Children of Abella would never forget their connection to the Children of Caine, Artemis decreed that in order to live, the Children of Abella must drink the blood of the Children of Caine. To remind the Children of Abella that none are free of fault, they were afflicted by sexual lust. The only way to be free of the Lust was to find their True Mate, be that mate a Child of Caine or a Child of Abella. Not all would find a True Mate.

Because the root of human male envy was the human females’ ability to create life, among the Children of Abella only the female could create life. To more tightly bind the Children of Abella to the Children of Caine, only a liaison with a human male would result in a child.

Because males brought about destruction, only females could hold power over the Children of Abella. Born females received Powers upon their 24th birthday. Before the receiving of power, they were brought to the House of the Head of their Family and watched over as the Power Came Upon them. Not all survived the Coming of Power. Born males never received powers nor were they able to impregnate females of either species.

Both Born male and female could Create new Children of Abella through a controlled bite and sharing of blood. Only females were allowed to do so without explicit permission of the Head of the Family. Created males were a lower caste than Born males. They could aspire to the Born male caste through accomplishments.

Huvams–those children born to a Vampire mother with a human father–became the leaders of the Children of Abella. Created females could aspire to leadership through their accomplishments.

A World Council of Five Matriarchs ruled all the Children of Abella.

The world was divided into regions and each region was headed by a Matriarch. Within the regions, First Councilwomen ruled the Heads of Family. The Heads of Family were responsible for all Children within their extended Family.

Over time, the Children of Abella came to be called Vampire. The Children of Caine came to be called Human and mostly forgot that the Children of Abella still lived.

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FIVE FANTASTIC FINDS!

FIVE FANTASTIC FINDS!

I #lovetoread. Always have. I grew up surrounded by violence and beset by poverty. Reading saved my life. That love of reading has never left me.

Today I would like to share five books that I have enjoyed. Perhaps you will, too.

1. The Reluctant Cowboy by #ElizabethGarcia.  (literary, romance, gay) (http://www.westtxwriter.wordpress.com)

As a lesbian woman, I found The Reluctant Cowboy all too real. The issues faced by Jed Petersen are heartbreaking, yet the way he overcomes them reminds me of courageous people in the #LGBT community that I have known.

I highly recommend this book for its honesty and its integrity. It does not gloss over reality, but takes those realities and creates an inspiring story of love and courage. And Elizabeth Garcia does all of this while weaving an intriguing story. I stayed up all night reading it.

2. The Value of Life  by #AndyCrowson (thriller)(http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/andycrowson)

Young boys are kidnapped. Josef Lindahl , a rookie #detective with a psychology degree, is brought into the case. A ransom note arrives, but there is no monetary amount. That is left up to the parents to decide. Josef believes he knows what the kidnapper wants, but it is guaranteed to cause trouble at police headquarters.

A unique twist to a well-known story line. I love finding books like this.

3. Anathema: Causal Enchantment Series, Book 1 by #K.A.Tucker (paranormal, vampires)(http://www.facebook.com/K.A.Tucker.Author)

Evangeline, a young woman with emotionally distant foster parents and no friends, meets a beautiful older woman, Sofie. Sofie offers what Evangeline craves the most: to connect with someone. She is even willing to overlook Sofie’s erratic and violent behavior, monstrous dogs and terrible nightmares of white-eyed monsters. But what she doesn’t understand could very well get her killed.

Tucker has built complex and interesting characters that I rooted for even when I didn’t like them. I have all three books that are available in this series and anxiously await the final book.

4. The Heat of the Moon by #SandraParshall (Book 1, Rachel Goddard Mysteries)(http://www.sandraparshall.com)

Rachel Goddard, a young veterinarian, is slammed back in time when a client’s dog is hit by a car during a thunderstorm.Flustered, the client leaves her three-year old daughter alone in the clinic’s reception area. The child is  crying, “Mommy! I want Mommy!” when Rachel finds her. The child’s cries trigger a flashback of Rachel with her baby sister, Michelle, abandoned during a thunderstorm at night. Haunted by baffling memories, Rachel seeks the truth behind the flashbacks. Her psychologist mother battles to prevent Rachel’s quest. The heart breaking truth Rachel uncovers forces her to make an unthinkable choice.

Sandra Parshall is a new discovery for me. I am enjoying her books: good  writing, well-developed characters, solid plotlines.

5. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran (philosophy)

Published September, 1923, this book is considered Gibran’s masterpiece. I discovered it at age 15. For me, it is not so much a masterpiece as it is a book of meditation, a book that forces me to view the world with a different perspective, a book that always enriches me.

One of my favorite passages deals with Gibran’s philosophy about work.

“Work is love made visible.

And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.”

Gibran’s words sit on my heart every time I lay my hands on the keyboard and begin writing. My novels, short stories and poems have indeed been ‘love made visible’.  I hope others find not only entertainment in my work, but also words to take away with them, to turn over in their minds and to perhaps discover a different perspective.

What books do you love?

I would love to hear. Leave a comment here or join me on facebook and share your FANTASTIC FINDS.

Find Aya’s novels at:    http://www.amazon.com/author/ayawalksfar

Sketch of a Murder: The Avenger is killing wealthy prominent men. Sergeant Nita Slowater must work with her  contentious superior, Lieutenant Williams, to stop the killer before an innocent man dies.

Dead Men and Cats: Megan Albright and Janie Sampson, a lesbian couple, must stop a murderer who is targeting gay men and cats.

Good Intentions: Bev Ransom’s best friend and employer, Rene, dies unexpectedly. In her quest to learn more about Rene’s mysterious past, Bev uncovers a twenty-year old secret that devastates her. Who can she trust when no one is who they seem to be?

Visit with Aya on Facebook:   http://www.facebook.com/ayawalksfar

Be sure to stay tuned to Aya’s  blog for updates on novels, author interviews and all things write:  http://www.ayawalksfar.com

Dissertation: The Truth about Vampires

In the Secret Archives of The Matriarch
Dissertation: The Truth about Vampires
By Serena Longer, First Councilwoman of the North American Vampire Coalition

Through the millennia vampires have had to propagate certain falsehoods for their safety, and the safety of humans closely associated with them. Here is a brief, and true, history of the vampire race, and the establishment of the North American Families.

When Cain murdered his sister, Abella, he and his children then attempted to eradicate Abella’s progeny. They cruelly hunted the children, murdering and torturing any they found. Their rationalization for such extreme actions was that Abella’s children followed a false diety, the Great Mother.

Artemis, Protector of the Vulnerable, intervened. She granted certain powers to Abella’s children, making them no longer fully human: superior strength, superior speed, superior intelligence, superior senses, some magical abilities, and near immortality.

In return for the Warrior Goddess’ protection, an agreement was made between the children of Abella and Artemis. This agreement was thereafter referred to as The Goddess Gifted Purpose, usually referred to as simply The Purpose.

According to The Purpose, Abella’s children would use their gifts in an attempt to guide and protect Cain’s progeny. They were to try to bring about the salvation of human souls by helping them to evolve beyond their genetic predisposition to murder and destroy not only other two-legged, sentient beings, but the other beings, such as animals, birds, even the trees and the Earth Mother as well.

Five hundred years after The Purpose was set out, a number of vampire families fell away from The True Path of Artemis. They began to use their ability to enthrall, and to enslave, humans and to treat all humans with contempt. Certain powerful vampire families made it known as to what they were, and often left drained human bodies where they died.

Panic among the human population ensued and years of bloody fighting occurred. This was the time of The Great Fall. Artemis’ People not only fell from The True Path, but also many of the Ancients and Teachers were murdered either by powerful vampires wanting to usurp their authority or by panicked bands of humans. Humans rioted through many vampire estates burning and beheading.

At this time there arose a type of human, from Cain’s descendants, who wielded magical powers. These magical powers consisted of various talents such as the ability to use the mind to light fires, read other human minds, guard against enthrallment by vampires, superior leadership skills, great strategic minds, the ability to recognize supernaturals, and the ability to break vampire enthrallment of other humans. These humans were often longer lived by several hundred years than normal humans and continued to develop the strength of their talents as they aged. They also experienced no human tendency toward disease or disability.

Once enthralled humans were released of their vampire enthrallment, they could not be re-enthralled. Shortly after the human’s release, the human went mad with bloodlust toward vampires and set out to kill all vampires. This condition was called vamp-kill-crazy. They had the ability to recognize vampires on sight, though they could not recognize other supernaturals.

Entire vampire families were wiped out during the time of The Great Fall. Eventually, vampires hid, and the humans who once knew what they were died off, as humans are prone to do.

Vampires became more cautious for a long time, taking what they needed, but no more. Many returned to The True Path and the Teachings of Artemis.

Another several hundreds of years of relative peace and prosperity for vampires followed. Until The Time of Hunting. Human history notes this era as the Dark Ages. Old legends were revived and the few humans who were magic-wielders emerged to lead the human populace against the vampire race, again.

During this time, some vampires fled Europe, and the ones who remained went deep underground. They often passed themselves off as human.

After the hysteria died down, The Time of Hunting came to an end. The vampire population was once again decimated. The families who survived created the World Council of Vampires and set out certain rules of conduct known as the Edicts of the World Council.

Among the Edicts of the World Council the first and most stringent one was against Open Enthrallment. The Policy of Open Enthrallment said it was a vampire’s right to enthrall humans who would then provide sustenance for the vampire and his/her family. This was much like the keeping of cattle among humans. Once the human grew too old or too ill to provide sustenance they were killed. Furthermore, selected humans could be turned against their will. The Edict was named The Policy Against Open Enthrallment. The Edict provided standards for–under strict guidelines governing who could be enthralled, as well as who could be turned–the keeping of humans.

The second most important edict to be released by the World Council was The Edict of Mythology. This edict decreed that all vampires propagate certain mythologies concerning supernaturals, and especially concerning vampires.

These mythologies served several purposes. The most important ones were to misdirect human recognition of vampires, and to cause humans to believe that vampires were nothing more than stories told to frighten children.

Among the mythologies are the most popularly believed ones:
Vampires are destroyed by sunlight.
Vampires cannot go into a church, or other holy edifice.
Vampires must sleep in coffins, sometimes with the dirt from their homeland.
Holy water, and other holy artifacts can physically harm, and sometimes destroy, vampires.
Vampires must kill in order to stay healthy.
Vampires are cold to the touch.
Vampires have no heartbeat.
Vampires do not breathe.
Vampires do not have souls.
Vampires cannot propagate, except by ‘turning humans.’

There are, of course, many other mythologies, usually depending on the location.

The World Council, however, refused to enforce The Purpose. It was decided that such matters must lie within the realm of each vampire’s Family. So, religious freedom was born among the Children of Abella, at least, at the level of the Matriarch or the Patriarch of the specific Vampire Family.

As Families grew, they frequently migrated to other parts of the world. Strong vampires within a Family were either killed or released to found their own Families.

Entire territories were claimed by the strongest vampires. The Longer Family claimed the North American Territory, which consisted of what came to be known as the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico.

Over time, the Matriarch led in a progressive movement to give limited autonomy to Families established within the North American Territory. A council was established, The North American Vampire Coalition. The head of the territory, and ultimate voice of authority remained the Matriarch.

The First Councilwoman wielded authority second only to the Matriarch, and often handled the normal business of governing forty Vampire Families. The head of each Vampire Family was named as that Family’s councilperson. The councilperson met periodically with the First Councilwoman to handle disputes and other business.

Upon the death of the Matriarch, the power and title of that position would automatically fall to the First Councilwoman. The First Councilwoman’s female child would inherit the First Councilwoman position.

This paper is an overview of the history of the founding of the Vampire Race and the establishment of the North American Vampire Coalition.

See other entries in the Secret Archive of the Matriarch for further information and additional subjects.