[split] Vampires and Vampirism

['thul]

Having read more vampiric novels, these beings have decided to reactivate this thread.

Current source of vampirism:
House of Night Series - P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Urban fantasy set (mostly) in a small town in North America. Interesting take on vampirism. (vampire change isn't even remotely instant. It takes roughly four years.

Growing through all those changes in a matter of days (or hours) is illogical. Just try to think how long it takes anyone to grow teeth. Then add in the dozens of other changes common to vampires. Then add in the fact that to avoid complete drainage of bodily resources. Obviously it has to take time, particularly if the changes to the body are significant.

Beyond minor details that do not affect plot greatly, 'thul will avoid spoilers.

These books also operate with the traditional "good" & "evil", or as put here, "Light" & "Darkness". Those two forces have personifications in the form of bull-like creatures, but their power is far beyond that of anything. Direct contact with either personification is hazardous.

Vampires gradually adapt during the four-year transition, slowly gaining the attributes that vampires have and humans lack. Drinking blood is natural to vampires, but not to humans. Thus to those early in the changes, it tastes rather horrible.
Another interesting difference from 'normal' vampires is that to survive the changes, fledgling vampires have to stay in relative proximity to adult vampires most of the time or risk death due to changes not going according to plan. (similarity to Elderling changes?)

Vampirism here is also genetic. It is not infectious. a small percentage of all teenagers have latent genes that are triggered sometime after puberty (roughly early high school age), and thus start to become vampires. Not all succeed. Some die.

Now... Someone (*looks shiftily at farseer*) discuss this when compared to other forms with 'thul. A good discussion is wanted.