The Story continues on from the Truth

Methos's little visit had spurred me to do a little research, particularly into the Vampire and Shapeshifter virus. As they both got older, some vampires are able to mimic or copy some powers of certain shapeshifters; and I had never understood why till now. There are various types of Shapeshifter, Cat, Bear & Wolf. There are more types although they are rare. Each type carries a slightly different virus, and without having the right genes the human being bitten dies. E.g. should a human without some kind of cat genes be bitten by a Shapeshifter in Cat form, they will die. The same would occur if they had redundant wolf genes etc.

I know it may sound odd me saying that people carry 'cat' genes, but there is a lot of 'junk' DNA that we possess, and we don't yet know why. Have you also ever noticed how some people are happier in groups, and others loners? I suspect these genes have some direction or control over that behaviour.

I've studied the virus on different ages of Shapeshifter, and they carry a more complete form of the virus at about 800 years old, meaning a human being bitten will live no matter what. I'm, guessing it has done most of the alteration it can, and so any bite carries that information across. Remember how Immortals carry information in our Quickening? Vampires, and Shapeshifters, both are able to contain memories in blood or saliva. It is certainly a less destructive way to do it.

So that left me with a conundrum on vampires. The vampire virus seems to act on both dormant 'cat' and 'wolf' genes. Again without those characteristics, a human will die. Again, as the vamp ages, they carry a fuller more complete virus. Now a friend of mine Hugo, is a Vampire Shapeshifter Hybrid. He has an extra gene that many do not possess, one that allows the two virus's to interact without destroying each other.

Another thing, I've done dozens of tests on the 'dead ones', the other species of vampire, and have always been confused how they continue to move and exist despite not breathing. As far as modern instrumentation is concerned they are dead, period. Somehow, they carry another virus within their system which animates dead tissue, allowing movement and thinking. This same virus, allows regeneration from death, whether it be daylight or staking. Their death is almost as explosive as an Immortals.

If blood from the same type of vampire is applied to the red powder, or residue, they return to life! Even Immortals are not capable of that, although Methos did once intimate that Immortals, 'Living Vampires' and Shapeshifters are capable of something similar. At the time I thought Methos was yanking my chain. Now I'm not so sure. This same species of vampire cannot be recorded electronically in any way, and have a partially formed, yet altered mage gene. Surely this must be the source if that ability?

I've got the urge to test the virus from the 'dead ones' on myself, although I'm certainly not going to cut my head off just to see if I return to life.