Vampires

The Vampires of the Bloodbound series are undead creatures who possess incredible strength, speed, and immortality. Vampires feed and survive on the blood of humans and according to Adrian, it has been consensual for some time now. Due to being nocturnal, they require no sleep.

History
Vampire myths go back as far as Ancient Babylon... Possibly even further than that. When Your Character asks Adrian in Book 1, Chapter 2 how many vampires there are, he answers that he's not sure of the exact number of vampires around the world. He goes onto say that there are still many places where his kind still have to hide their true nature. When Your Character then asks about how many vampires there are in New York, Adrian replies that there's 180.

This is because since the 1920's, New York City has been ruled by six vampire clans. Each clan is ruled by a single leader with 29 followers. Thus it's 30 vampires per clan and six clans in total equal 180 vampires overall. Eighty seven years ago, the six clans leaders formed The Council and agreed upon a Pact consisting of two principles. The first being that vampires are only allowed to feed on willing humans. The second principle consisted of limiting the creation of new vampires, and subjecting it to the approval of the aforementioned Council. All of this allows the Clan leaders to keep the peace, preserve the secrecy of their kind and allows them to consolidate power behind the scenes.

If Your Character chooses to read  'Freaks and Monster: A Hunter's Guide,'   in Marcel's library with Adrian in Book 1, Chapter 9, he reveals that Vampire Hunters were actually real at one point. That they were an entire society going back for  a millenia and were determined to wipe out vampires. He acknowledges that some were good men, though a bit misguided. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum, there were certainly others who  Adrian views as petty sadists. In the 1850's there was a secret war between the vampire hunters and the vampires; the latter of which won. As far as Adrian knows, they have been wiped out entirely.

The Council
Each Clan leader is also the head of a particular sector that The Council has control of via their membership into the group. According a newly turned vampire by Marcel Lafayette, it was revealed in Book 1, Chapter 9 that The Council are the most power factions in New York City, but that there are a few other throughout the state. They are allowed fewer members, and the City Clans have authority over them.
 * Clan Lacroix: Entertainment Sector
 * Clan Castellanos: Commerce Sector
 * Clan Baron: Crime Sector
 * Clan Vega: Politics Sector
 * Clan Raines: Technology Sector
 * Clan Sayeed: Finance Sector

Turning
The process of turning a person into a vampire is fraught with risk. In Book 1, Chapter 3 Adrian explains to Your Character that if something goes wrong in the transition, the person in question becomes feral instead. If the vampire is welcomed into a clan, they receive a brand infused with the blood of the First Vampire, which protects them from becoming Feral. As a result, clanless vampires can turn feral at any moment. This brand is infused with the blood of their maker. It forges a personal connection that keeps their consciousness tethered to the vampire's body.

Adrian further explains to Your Character also in Book 1, Chapter 3 that turning humans into new vampires without the consent of The Council is strictly forbidden by the Pact. The Clan leaders are only allowed to create new vampires if it's to replace a vampire that has been killed... and only with the vote of The Council.

Ferals
They are in a sense still vampires but they are driven only by a desire to feed and kill. Feral are as dangerous as they are pitiable, but are also mindless and soulless. Their breath are rank, but much like regular vampires they also possess great strength. They snarl as they attack and when they do (attack), it is with pure rage. Ferals are dangerous to humans and vampires alike, seen as how their bites are infectious to both. A feral biting a human and/or vampire will subsequently result in the infected individual turning into a feral as well.

In Book 1, Chapter 4, Adrian revealed to Your Character that the feral that attacked you both in Central Park was once someone by the name of Douglas Courette. He was previously a bartender employed by The Baron.

Clanless Vampires
Jax is one of the many clanless vampires living in New York City while simultaneously trying to hide from The Council. He is the leader of the Clanless. In Book 1, Chapter 4, Jax is the one to reveal to Your Character that without the brand of an elder vampire protecting them, going feral is pretty darn common amongst this group of vampires. However, it seems that a select few can resist it through sheer will. Moreover, going feral can be delayed by them feeding off humans they were once close to prior to the Turning. All this has to do with the lingering emotional connection. But in many cases, it's only a matter of time before a clanless vampire goes feral. Jax further reveals to Your Character that while The Council could save all the Clanless vampires, they choose not to. As a result, clanless vampires are rejected by both the human and vampire worlds respectively.

Child Vampires
As of Book 1, Chapter 5, Lula Jacobs and Marcel Lafayette are the only (physical-looking) child vampires revealed thus far in the Bloodbound Series. Jax tells Your Character that Child Vampires are tricky because they don't have the self-control to feed on humans without draining them. As a result, child vampires like Lula are fed pre-exsanguinated blood.

Freaks and Monsters: A Hunter's Guide
The entry from this book talks about how 'vampires are among the most feared and terrible of the undead, for they possess not only animal appetites ut human intelect.' It goes onto say how some hunters' believed that vampires have infiltrated the highest echelons of power in human society(i.e. politicians, nobles, even kings potentially being vampires).' This particular entry also discusses how, 'slaying a vampire can be a Hunter's greatest accomplishment...'

Powers and Abilities

 * Immortality: In Book 1, Chapter 2, Adrian confirms that he does not age. This however does not mean he cannot die, but only that he is not affected by the normal human trials and tribulations of getting older.
 * Insomnia: A consequence of being a vampire is the immunity to drowsiness; as such, vampires are not hampered by fatigue caused by sleeplessness.
 * Superhuman Strength: The upper limit of such strength is still unknown, but in Book 1, Chapter 2, Adrian claims that he is strong enough to lift a car.
 * Superhuman Speed and Reflexes: Vampires possess increased speed and reflexes.
 * Healing Factor: Accelerated healing is an ability that allows vampires to heal from physical injuries at supernatural speeds. If a vampire uses their blood as a healing medium such as when Adrian was done feeding on Nicole. Vampires can heal the bite mark on their victims as well, using their own blood as a medium to accelerate the closing of the wounds.
 * Heightened Senses: In Book 1, Chapter 6, Lily mentions how she can feel the slightest air currents, how she can even see the tiniest pores in Your Character's skin and can hear the water running through the pipes three stories up. Thus we can assume the same came be said for other vampires as a whole.

Weaknesses

 * Sunlight: As Adrian stated, sunlight hurts them and can prove fatal after more than thirty minutes of exposure. Overexposure causes, as Adrian describes it, an accelerated heat stroke.
 * Decapitation: Dismembering or manually removing the head of a vampire will result in instant and permanent death.
 * Heart Extraction: Removing and subsequently destroying the heart of a vampire will also result in permanent death.
 * Unquenched Bloodlust: When Adrian first became a vampire, he felt the powerful thirst for blood which no amount of water can relieve. In the brief period where he resisted the urge, Adrian experienced severe discomfort whereby he eventually gave in to his instincts. It is unknown yet how long a vampire can remain thirsty or what the extent of pain is when this need is unmet.
 * A Feral's Bite: A bite from a feral vampire is infectious to regular vampires because it can turn them feral too.

Myths

 * In Book 1, Chapter 2, he mentions that garlic gives him a minor distaste, rather than kill him. This in turn means that it is not a real weakness for vampires as a whole.
 * Adrian claims that, contrary to the common stereotype, vampires do not turn into bats nor can they fly.

Trivia

 * Adrian references Twilight when he says that, unlike what was portrayed in the movie, vampires do not sparkle.