Vampire (Stephen King) - Classification - Type Ones

Type Ones

Type One vampires are "lesser demons", the last remnants of the Prim (magical beings who predated creation and dissolved when Gan made the multiverse). Although humanoid in shape, they are extremely deformed, with an emaciated appearance; enormous, inch-long teeth that force their mouths open; and large amounts of tumors, body hair, and other physical defects. Their bodies are adapted for the seeking and consuming of blood: their noses are attuned to smell even traces of blood from long distances, their teeth are built for piercing and draining skin, their stomachs can expand to hold as much as half their body weight in blood, and their tongue is long and prehensile, and can produce anticoagulants to apply to bites on victims.

Type Ones have lifespans of thousands of years, and can hibernate for hundreds of years. They also are surrounded by blue or indigo auras. These represent their life energy, and when the aura goes out, Type Ones almost immediately putrefy into stinking yellow puddles. Type Ones are especially vulnerable to crosses, which cause them to burst into flame.

Type Ones are also known as "Grandfathers", and their presence is almost always signified by the presence of "Grandfather Fleas". Grandfather Fleas are large, vicious insects that not only drink blood but eat flesh and lay eggs in corpses. Grandfather Fleas usually begin to appear prior to the arrival of a Type One. Billy-bumblers (such as Oy), creatures native to All-World, are especially adept at killing Grandfather Fleas and are often trained to do so.