A writing community that I’m in raised some questions about motivation in Two Vampires, and I need to clear them up. So, I’m writing the questions here. I know the answers to a lot of them, I just need to write them down, and then make them part of the story.
Why does Nicholas follow Megan?
Megan was his friend in life, as well as the one who turned him into a vampire. The way that he describes her physical form in the first journal entry is supposed to portray a twisted love for her. This needs to be more consistent throughout.
Why does Nicholas feel uncomfortable / get petulant about writing in the journal?
Nicholas is used to placing Megan on a pedistal, due to his “love from afar” for her. Her abilities as a seer enhance this. On some level, he knows that she is attempting to teach him to do the same, and his discomfort is meant to be irrational. This is a question that the behavior is supposed to raise, but may not be completely answered when he finally writes about the future.
Why does Megan search for the Mother?
Megan feels driven to find the Mother, both by curiosity about where she came from and by certainty that it will happen due to prophetic vision. To answer a more universal, destiny-ish why, Megan and Nicholas are an impetus to shake the Mother out of simply passing the years, and into something more. That “more” is intended to be unanswered (for now).
Why does the Hunter target Megan and Nicholas specifically, instead of destroying any vampire that he comes upon?
This is hinted at when Megan discovers that the Hunter’s informant knows the location of the Mother. He is trailing them to kill them, yes, but also to find the location of the Mother. She turned the Hunter’s grandfather into a vampire, which comes out in the university library scene. So, revenge.
Why don’t Megan and Nicholas kill the Hunter in the subway station, when they have him at their mercy?
Crap. I don’t know.
Why does the Hunter suddenly want to become a vampire at that moment of stress and weakness, when he’s been trying to kill vampires for the entire story?
Both Megan and Nicholas have the ability to cloud the minds of those around them. Like prophecy, this is something that was inherited from the Mother. They are aware that the Hunter is coming for them at the subway station, and take advantage of the Hunter’s sleep-deprived state. Also, this is supposed to expose the Hunter’s doubt and base desires, through the bit about the Adversary. Some foreshadowing of this doubt is in order.
Why is the Hunter unable to pull the trigger on the Mother?
There are two main forces in play here. First, the Mother’s ability to cloud minds is far more developed than either Megan’s or Nicholas’. She has clouded his mind, in self-defense, to the point that he has difficulty telling his limbs to do anything. Second, the Hunter’s curiosities about what happened with his own grandfather, his battle with his shadow (the Adversary), and his self-doubts are rushing to the fore at this crucial point. He finds himself overwhelmed by everything.
Why does the Mother choose to turn the Hunter into a Vampire, instead of kill him?
Same thing that let him survive the subway. Now I just have to figure out what that is.
How is the Hunter a mistake from centuries past?
He’s not. It should be decades past, as the timeline does not allow for the Hunter’s grandfather to be centuries old.
Also: Megan’s prophecy should move from the end to the beginning. Duhr.
Every politician is a human in disguise. – Matisyahu
