The Bloody Countess- Steampunk Vampire

[weirdlet]

"My father murdered- rather a lot of people, rather than see me die," the countess murmured.  "I was kept alive- barely- hooked into machines that hurt me terribly, that ran my blood out from my veins and through other living persons, who had never been asked nor volunteered their aid or their lives, either to mine or to medical research.  When he chose poorly, or guessed incorrectly, I would be in terrible pain and fear for my life- and I could never go outside, never see the sunshine.  I could hardly even leave my bed to visit the library, and that on rare occasion.  And always, always- I existed knowing that somewhere else in the house, bodies that had once been men and women, regardless of station, were being cavalierly disposed of- and that with every day I lived, more would join them.

"It's not that I regret living, mind you- I am glad to be alive, and to have lived beyond what was.  But, shall we say- I find noblesse oblige to run rather deeper in me than the average young gaddabout."

......

Steampunk vampirism- a young lady with porphyria is kept alive by her mad doctor father.  Years later, she's made improvements to his methods, such that- with a large troop of very careful baggage-handlers- she's able to travel on her own personal airship, throwing lavish parties with a peculiar, mirror-based game as a method of finding new blood-donors to volunteer a pint or two for her infernal machine, full of glass tubing and filters.

Comments

[gamiel.livejournal.com]

Have you read any books in the Parasol Protectorate series? It is light steampunk in a world were the acceptance of werewolves and vampires in to society is the reason for the rise of the British Empire. May be it could be an inspiration.

On the bit more dystopic line of books I can recommend 'Unnatural History' by Jonathan Green, with shows some of the shady sides of a steam-/dieselpunk London where queen Victoria is kept alive (or is she?) by cybernetics and role a British Empire that never fell

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

I have not, I may have to check those out.