The Birth of Vampires in The Vampire Chronicles

Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles are legendary in the world of vampire fiction. Her imaginative novels on the history of vampires have captivated countless readers. One of my favorite parts in the books is when we learn how vampires came to exist. Many authors write about vampires, but few go into how the first vampire was created – Anne Rice did.

Here are how vampires were created in The Vampire Chronicles.
(Warning: LOTS of spoilers)

Six-thousand years ago, twin sisters Maharet and Mekare lived peacefully in a valley not far from Egypt. There, they practiced the art of witchcraft and communicated with the spirits.  Most of these spirits were kind good spirits who would perform minor requests for the witches. But some of the spirits were evil and would make their presence known by trickery and horrible deeds. One of these bad spirits came to the twins and called himself Amel, he claimed to like the taste of human blood, even admitting to take small amounts of blood from humans.  Maharet and Mekare told Amel to leave, and he did, but only after warning that someday, they would call on him.

Maharet and Mekare’s powers then attracted the attention of Akasha, the young queen of Kemet (now Egypt), who sent them an invitation to visit her. They refused, not trusting the invite. The queen’s next request came in the form of violence. The twins were performing funeral rites for their mother when the Akasha’s soldiers descended on their village, killing many and dragging the twins away.

When the twins arrived in Kemet, they answered all of the Queen’s questions about the spirits honestly. But, their answers did not fit with Akasha’s own beliefs, so they were labeled as blasphemers and were thrown into jail. The next morning, the Queen asked them the same questions again. Mekare called on the evil spirit Amel, against the wishes of her sister, to display her power. The wicked spirit frightened the Queen and her husband, King Enkil, so badly that the sisters were ordered to be release released, but not before being punished. Their punishment was to be raped in front of the whole court by Khayman, the King’s steward.

Maharet and Mekare eventually returned to their home and rebuilt their life in the valley. But their peaceful life was destroyed a year later when Khayman arrived with an army. He took them back to Kemet, and explained that the spirit Amel, furious at the humiliation of the twins, had stayed and caused mass chaos at the palace. He tormented the king and queen day and night, driving the two mad. Amel had also been harassing Khayman for his part in the rape, ripping his house apart and unearthing his father’s body from its tomb. The nobles were displeased with the King and Queen for bringing this trouble on them, and had plotted to kill them.

Eventually, the King and Queen attempted to confront Amel, but they were attacked by assassins. This is when Amel entered Akasha’s body through her wounds just as her soul was escaping, binding himself to her flesh and her soul, creating a new being. Akasha then drained Enkil of all his blood, taking it into herself. Next she had Enkil drink her blood and Amel’s essence joined with his body and soul as well.

It was this fusion between a human and an incorporeal immortal being with a taste for human blood that resulted in the first vampire.

To know what happens next with Maharet, Mekare and the others you’ll have to read the books. But this is how Anne Rice’s vampires were created.

- Moonlight

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