Vampirism

The center theme of "Guilty Pleasures" by Laurell K. Hamilton is vampirism. Anita Blake is a vampire hunter and executioner, one who destroys vampires that break the newly-introduced laws regarding vampires and murder. There are a large number of vampires in St. Louis, where Anita works and lives.

The vampires in Guilty Pleasures are broken into two basic factions. The first faction belongs to Malcolm, a master vampire and leader of the Church of Eternal Life. The Church of Eternal Life operates as any other mainstream church, except that it promotes immortality to vampires and humans alike. The church claims to have a doctrine of non-violent vampirism, allowing its vampires to only feed on the willing and able. The second faction, located across the river from the Church of Eternal Life, is the lair of the official Master of the City, Nikolaos. Although Nikolaos technically has control of...