I AM HERE

The freighter touched down on the dusty surface of Korda Six with a shudder and a whine of old mechanics. Ben stood at the ramp, gazing out as it descended, revealing the alien world beyond.

The planet’s surface was rugged and uneven, a patchwork of ochre and rust-colored terrain that stretched to the horizon. The air shimmered with a faint, golden haze, and jagged mountain ranges loomed in the distance, their peaks sharp and shadowed against the pale green sky. Sparse vegetation clung to life in cracks and crevices—scrubby bushes with waxy leaves and hardy vines that seemed to grow directly from the rocks. The heat wasn’t as oppressive as Tatooine’s twin suns, but it was still stifling, and the air carried a metallic tang that made Ben’s nose wrinkle.

The settlement near the landing pad was a modest collection of weather-beaten structures built from stone and scavenged metal. It had the air of a place long accustomed to fending for itself—pragmatic, functional, and entirely unwelcoming.

Ben glanced over his shoulder at Jon, who stood silently behind him, his small frame stiff with attention. “Stay close,” Ben said firmly. “And stay alert.”

Jon nodded, his expression unreadable as he followed Ben down the ramp and onto the rocky ground.

Ben took a deep breath, letting the Force wash over him as he closed his eyes and silently asked the question that had been plaguing him for days. Why am I here?

The answer was the same as it had been since the voice first whispered to him on Tatooine: Patience.

Ben clenched his jaw, frustration prickling at the edges of his composure. There was more this time, though—a gentle tug in the Force, a pull toward the distant mountains. He opened his eyes and exhaled slowly, turning in the direction of the range.

“This way,” he said, his voice steady despite the churn of uncertainty beneath.

Jon followed without a word, his small footsteps barely audible against the uneven ground. As they began the trek toward the mountains, Ben couldn’t help but glance down at the boy beside him.

The child was unnaturally quiet, his demeanor subdued in a way that felt wrong. Children were supposed to be noisy, curious, emotional. Jon was none of those things. He moved with a calmness that was almost eerie, his expression impassive, his presence in the Force tightly contained.

Ben felt a flicker of unease. Perhaps the Dark Woman shouldn’t have been entrusted with training a child. Her methods were notoriously unconventional, and though Ben had never worked closely with her, he had heard the stories.

His eyes drifted to Jon’s head, noting the lack of a padawan braid. That, at least, wasn’t surprising.

“Jon,” Ben said, breaking the silence. “How did you become her padawan?”

Jon didn’t look up as he replied. “She found me on the streets.”

Ben’s brow furrowed. “How long ago was that?”

Jon shrugged. “A long time.”

Ben pressed further. “How old were you when she found you?”

Jon’s steps faltered for the briefest moment before he said, “I don’t know.”

“How old are you now?”

This time, Jon glanced up at him, his blue eyes calm but guarded. “I don’t know.”

Ben sighed, his frustration softening into something closer to concern. “You look to be about ten,” he said.

Jon didn’t respond immediately, but Ben felt a faint ripple in the Force—a glimmer of quiet satisfaction that caught him off guard. The boy didn’t care, or so he claimed, but knowing his approximate age seemed to please him all the same.

Ben’s heart ached at the thought. The boy wasn’t as emotionless as he seemed; his feelings were there, buried deep beneath layers of repression and self-discipline. What had the Dark Woman’s teachings done to him?

Not that Ben was in any position to judge. He wasn’t exactly a paragon of mental health himself, not after everything he’d been through. The galaxy had taken its toll on them both.

As they continued their trek toward the mountains, Ben couldn’t shake the weight of his thoughts. He glanced down at Jon once more, the boy’s small figure dwarfed by the expanse of rocky terrain around them.

Perhaps they were both searching for something on this strange planet. Something that neither of them fully understood yet.

Ben froze mid-step as a fiery streak tore through the green-tinged sky, smoke and sparks trailing a rapidly descending ship. His eyes followed its chaotic trajectory, the distant mountain range framing its doomed path. A thunderous crash echoed moments later, shaking the ground faintly beneath their feet.

Jon, standing at his side, broke the silence. “That must be your task.”

Ben didn’t respond immediately, his gaze lingering on the plume of smoke rising from the mountains ahead. But deep in the Force, the boy’s words resonated with an undeniable truth. He nodded once, silently agreeing.

“We need to move,” he said, quickening his pace.

Jon followed without complaint, keeping up as they made their way toward the site of the crash. The terrain grew more treacherous as they neared the mountain range, the ground shifting under their boots as the rocky expanse turned to steep ridges and uneven cliffs.

Nearly half an hour later, they approached the edge of a cliff overlooking a narrow valley. Ben dropped into a crouch and gestured for Jon to do the same. Crawling forward, they peered over the ridge, taking in the scene below.

The ship lay sprawled at the center of the valley, smoke billowing from its engines and hull. The damage was catastrophic—plating was torn asunder, and debris was scattered in all directions. But it wasn’t the wreckage that drew Ben’s immediate attention.

Two groups of Mandalorians clashed in the chaos below.

One group wore armor of varied colors, their designs mismatched but their movements coordinated and precise. The Haat Mando’ade—True Mandalorians. Ben recognized their style from descriptions Satine had shared during their time together.

The other group was starkly uniform, clad in gray and blue armor that gleamed even in the smoky haze. The Kyr'tsad—the Death Watch. Their name alone stirred unease in Ben’s chest.

He felt the sharp pang of recognition as pieces of the story fell into place. This was no ordinary skirmish. This was the day Satine had told him about, the day Jaster Mereel, the leader of the True Mandalorians, was betrayed by one of his own and killed.

“This,” Ben muttered under his breath, “is the moment.”

Jon glanced at him, curious but silent, as Ben felt the Force pressing against him, urging him forward. This was the point where it all began to spiral—this betrayal would lead to the rise of Death Watch, and in turn, to the chaos that would echo through the galaxy.

Ben’s jaw tightened. He couldn’t stand by and let history repeat itself. Not when the Force had brought him here.

“Stay hidden,” he told Jon firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Do not follow me. Stay away from the fight.”

Jon hesitated but eventually nodded, settling back behind the ridge as Ben rose to his feet and began moving toward the fray.

He passed the bodies of fallen Mandalorians on his way, each armored figure a reminder of the stakes of this battle. He spotted a sniper rifle lying near one of the fallen, and without hesitation, he picked it up. It felt foreign in his hands—he was a Jedi, not a marksman and he personally found blasters uncivilised—but the weapon would serve its purpose.

Reaching a vantage point on the cliff, Ben dropped into position, his eyes scanning the battlefield below. The skirmish was chaotic, the True Mandalorians outnumbered and pinned down by the Death Watch’s assault.

He adjusted the scope, searching for key targets among the Death Watch ranks. His breathing slowed, his focus narrowing as the Force guided his aim.

Ben wasn’t here to rewrite history completely. He couldn’t stop the Death Watch from existing, couldn’t erase their influence on Mandalorian culture. But he could shift the balance, ensure Jaster Mereel lived to fight another day.

And then he fired.

He took a deep breath, his finger resting lightly on the trigger. The Force swirled around him, sharp and decisive, as if time itself held its breath.

The valley was chaos incarnate. Blasterfire streaked across the battlefield, the cracks of shots echoing off the rocky walls as the True Mandalorians fought desperately against the overwhelming forces of the Kyr'tsad. The True Mandalorians moved as a unit, covering each other and holding their ground despite their disadvantage, but the Death Watch pressed in relentlessly, their disciplined assault forcing the defenders further back toward the wrecked ship.

The first shot dropped a Mandalorian mid-charge, sending him crumpling to the ground. Another found its mark in the chest of a sniper taking aim at Jaster Mereel, who was rallying his men from the center of the fight.

Ben fired again and again, each shot deliberate, each one guided by the Force. But precision had its price. After the fifth shot, one of the Death Watch soldiers spotted the flash of the rifle from the ridge.

“Sniper on the cliff!” the cry went up, followed by a volley of blasterfire in Ben’s direction.

Ben ducked behind a boulder, the air around him sizzling with energy bolts. He adjusted his grip on the rifle and tried to line up another shot, but the volume of fire made it impossible to aim.

A bolt ricocheted off the rock beside him, too close for comfort. Gritting his teeth, Ben realized he couldn’t hold this position for long. The Force hummed a warning, and he rolled to the side just as another shot streaked through the space he’d occupied.

He reached for his lightsaber, the hilt familiar and steady in his hand. Igniting it, the blue blade sprang to life, casting an ethereal glow over the rocky terrain. Ben rose to his feet, deflecting shots with practiced precision. But using the saber meant he couldn’t fire the rifle, and the Death Watch were relentless.

Before he could decide his next move, a small figure appeared at his side.

Jon.

The boy dropped into a crouch beside him, his expression calm despite the chaos around them. “Give me the rifle.” Jon said firmly.

Ben blinked at him, stunned. “Are you out of your mind? Get back into hiding!”

Jon shook his head, his tone resolute. “It’s my task to help you in your task. Give me the rifle, Master.”

Blasterfire rained down around them, the Death Watch pressing their attack. Ben swore under his breath, barely able to spare a glance at the boy. “This is no place for a child!”

Jon didn’t flinch. “I’m not leaving.”

There was no time to argue. With a frustrated growl, Ben shoved the rifle into Jon’s hands. “Fine! But stay behind me, and don’t you dare get shot!”

As if to punctuate his warning, a bolt sizzled past them. Ben stepped in front of Jon, his lightsaber a blur of motion as he deflected the incoming fire.

Shouts from below reached his ears. “Jetii! There’s a Jetii on the ridge!”

Ben grumbled under his breath. “Great. That’s all we needed.”

Jon, undeterred, had already taken up position, the rifle steadied in his small hands. He fired with precision and remarkable calm, each shot well-placed and effective. Ben couldn’t help but glance back in surprise. The boy wasn’t just competent—he was unnervingly good.

“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” Ben asked, deflecting another volley of bolts.

Jon’s expression didn’t change. “The Dark Woman taught me. She said I should be able to handle any weapon.”

Ben dodged a shot that came dangerously close to his shoulder, shifting his stance to keep himself between Jon and the attackers. “That woman has a lot to answer for.” he muttered.

Jon fired again, dropping another Death Watch soldier. “She taught me to do my duty.” he said simply.

Ben grimaced, redirecting another bolt back toward its source. “And are you suicidal, too?” he snapped.

Jon’s reply was calm, almost serene. “There is no death. Only the Force.”

Ben felt a chill at the boy’s words, the mantra striking too deep. He was horrified—not just by the sentiment, but by the emptiness behind it. Jon truly believed it, and that belief left no room for self-preservation.

“Blast it,” Ben muttered, redoubling his efforts to shield the boy. The fight below raged on, the Mandalorians locked in their deadly struggle, but for Ben, the battle had taken on a new dimension.

Jon was proving himself capable, but at what cost? For the first time, Ben wondered if he’d made a terrible mistake in letting the boy stay. Yet even as doubt gnawed at him, the Force urged him forward. This was the moment, the turning point.

They had to see it through.

Ben’s heart clenched as he watched Jaster Mereel take a blaster shot to the knee. The leader of the True Mandalorians fell hard, his balance lost as pain visibly radiated through his body. He gritted his teeth and tried to rise, but the injury left him vulnerable. The Haat Mando’ade, already outnumbered, began to falter without their leader’s presence rallying them.

The Death Watch forces pressed their advantage, closing in with brutal efficiency. Ben deflected another blaster bolt aimed in his direction, his mind racing. He couldn’t stand by and let the True Mandalorians be wiped out—but what more could he do?

A desperate thought struck him as his eyes scanned the battlefield. Above a cluster of Death Watch soldiers, perched precariously on a ledge, was a massive boulder. It was teetering, loose from the wear of time and gravity. If he could bring it down, it would crush a significant portion of the Kyr'tsad forces.

But in a battle this chaotic, it would take precision, strength, and focus—more than Ben could manage. At least alone.

His eyes flicked to Jon, crouched beside him, still firing. The boy was steady and calm, but Ben could feel the Force swirling around him, unrefined yet powerful.

“Jon!” Ben called over the blasterfire.

The boy didn’t stop firing but turned his head slightly. “What?”

“Can you use a Force pull?” Ben asked hurriedly, blocking another shot with his lightsaber.

Jon hesitated, his expression cautious. “Not very well. Why?”

Ben pointed to the cliff above the Death Watch. “We’re going to bring that rock down.”

Jon lowered the rifle, his gaze following Ben’s gesture to the precarious boulder. For the first time, curiosity flickered across his otherwise stoic face. “You want me to help with that?”

“Yes, together,” Ben said, his tone firm. “Focus, and do exactly as I say.”

Jon didn’t argue. He set the rifle down carefully and shifted into a kneeling position behind a cover of some rock, closing his eyes.

Ben extinguished his lightsaber and knelt beside him, raising his hands. “Feel the rock,” he instructed, his voice steady despite the chaos. “Feel its weight, its shape. Let the Force wrap around it.”

Jon’s brow furrowed as he extended his hand, his small frame tense with concentration.

Ben reached out, the Force flowing through him like a current. He felt the boulder, massive and heavy, teetering on the edge. It resisted at first, the sheer weight of it a challenge even with his connection to the Force. But then he felt Jon’s presence join his, the boy’s power raw but surprisingly strong.

“Now, pull,” Ben urged.

Together, they tugged at the boulder. The rock groaned and shifted, dislodging from its perch. The ground seemed to tremble as gravity took hold, and the massive stone plummeted toward the battlefield below.

The impact was catastrophic. The boulder crashed into the midst of the Kyr'tsad forces, scattering them like leaves in a storm. The Death Watch soldiers who weren’t crushed outright began to flee, their morale shattered.

The remaining True Mandalorians seized the opportunity, rallying around Jaster Mereel despite his injury. They pushed forward, overwhelming the few Kyr'tsad who remained.

The battle was over.

Ben exhaled deeply, exhaustion threatening to claim him. The Force was still humming around him, but the weight of what they’d done—what they’d changed—settled heavily in his chest.

Jon sat back, his hands dropping to his sides. He didn’t speak, but there was a faint glimmer of satisfaction and exhaustion in his eyes, a rare crack in his stoic demeanor.

Below, the True Mandalorians regrouped around their wounded leader. Jaster Mereel, supported by two of his men, turned his helmeted gaze toward the cliff where Ben and Jon were perched.

Ben froze as a sense of dread crept up his spine. The Mandalorians had seen them—seen him. A Jedi.

The Mandalorians were a proud people, and the history between their culture and the Jedi was fraught with conflict. Even if Ben had just saved their lives, that didn’t guarantee gratitude—or trust.

Jon glanced at Ben, his expression unreadable. “What now, Master?”

Ben swallowed hard, his grip tightening on his lightsaber. He had no choice but to face them. “Now,” he said grimly, “we explain why a Jedi just interfered in their battle.”

“And if they don’t like the explanation?” Jon asked, his tone unnervingly calm.

Together, they rose, stepping forward to meet the Mandalorians’ gaze as the weight of their next challenge loomed ahead.

This AU kinda jumps off the idea that Vampires can shift what dynamic they are perceived as by the 'standard' AOB AU. It does that by playing with what a "Vampire" actually IS in here.

For the purposes of this AU there's two 'subtypes' of vampire. Those that came to Earth, and those in the AOB verse that get turned. As an aside, when they get turned, they keep the body-make up of whatever their secondary was before they were turned. This means the 'those that came to Earth' vampires don't actually HAVE any dynamics.

Which is why I started thinking about how we all have the "Uncanny Valley" effect thing in real life- and how it's possible through various studies to have genetic memory from those in your family line. My logic was well in order for all of humanity to do that, there has to be SOMETHING out there- more than one thing even- that caused it.

That makes it so very instinctive for humans to look at something that looks, acts, reacts like us and isn't and just know that something is off. That has something just slightly off that makes all of our instincts latch onto it like it's a threat, or something we need to be aware of.

So in this AU, my thought was that part of that reason was Vampires. The very first introduction of vampire species happened ages ago in this AU. Since this was built around DC as the basis for the AU I figured aliens are standard anyway so-

It was an alien species introduced, that looked like humans but wasn't. They're a creature that is meant to adapt, to be an apex predator. To be THE predator wherever they went. Most Vamp AU play with the 'ancient functioning immortal' thing- and these aliens that landed are to be fair.

But I wondered what it would be like, to have a vampire that has...adaptability. Rather than going the old and stuck in their traditions and ways route in the way standard Vamp lore does, I wanted to change it up. They're a hunting species. They are built to travel to different universes/worlds/across space and fit in.

It's not instant of course, they cant just like...shapeshift. So what they do, is they look for races that are of similar make up in at least looks first. If they can land and blend in, they have time to adapt as needed. They're long lived and just as clever as humans can be.

When they first landed on Earth, they looked like AOB standard humans- but they didn't have the secondaries, they didnt fit quite right. And they hunted. As they spread across the world, and stories of these beings that looked human, but didn't smell like them, didn't have quite the right body build for an omega, an alpha, or a beta, were just so slightly OFF, the stories humans would tell about creatures (the long white faces, the solid black eyes, the sharp teeth, the avoidance of sunlight, the things that could maybe be human but are just the slightest bit NOT, enough to get your attention and make you wary) across the world spread. Stories that said be wary told children be careful.

The longer they stayed, the more they adapted: faces shifting to closer to standard, learning to mimic the kind of scents AOB verse has, the structure of the body changing. Adapting to deal with the sun instead of burning in it in a way a human didnt- still sensitive to it but no longer deadly if managed correctly. Learning that humans were clever and creative, were INTERESTING, changing often enough to keep an immortal on their toes. But also enough to kill them if they werent more careful. That the pack instincts would make whole neighborhoods turn on them if they stepped wrong And thats just the ones that came TO Earth.

Then you have the people who were CHANGED. The ones that were on Earth and earned the regard of a vampire enough they chose to change them. Those that started in an AOB verse, who had dynamics. Some were changed out of love, yes, but a lot for control.

The turned blend better- it's not an adaption to look like AOB humans, they ARE, their just MORE now. Those that had to shift to blend still set off the uncanny valley effect now- but humans at this point are not as aware of the supernatural possibilities that are REAL in DC verse (and maybe vampires helped that be so, so only certain communities remember and still learn and pass things down) The turned that might at some point leave Earth, that would travel space in any capacity will find they adapt to places across the galaxy and unless they have a teacher dont know why. Don't know the race of vampires are BUILT to adapt to species and hunt them, to blend in and feed, are built to spread the 'virus' that originally created vampires on their original home world before they ever steps food into the wider verse.

This does mean that BORN Vampires (at least of the generations that came before this Earth) can only breed to make born vampires with those that have the right parts to their standard (since my brain works with AOB dynamics having the parts needed to have children in omega). Thinking the vampires that come to earth have functioning "sire and carrier" gender subtypes, but their make up might be a bit more...alien than standard AOB.

But it works in functionally the same way. Once AOB verse people start getting changed, they still have their sexual secondary body make up and if they want biological pups would still have to make it work by standard- though there is always the child by adoption or child by bite.

Speaking of child-by-bite! Since it's an alien based take on Vamps that can and will adapt to blend with other species (again it's not shapeshifting in full, so they cant shift too far from human base looks hence looking for species that CAN be blended with) children that get turned or are born vamps actually age to prime before they stop. Better to blend and hunt with later, so the cells allow for change to continue until it's in prime shape.

So for this AU I'd get to play with alien vamps, how old they actually are, bringing in bits and pieces of culture, tech, and knowledge of various species across numerous galaxies, and maybe even eventually dimensions, when they figure out that it's possible to jump those.

VS

AOB turned Vampires who are learning some of the stories passed down all over the world are actually based off THIS creature, are real and something they should have been aware of and are now part of.

I wanna play with how Bonds present from their packs when they die, vs Bonds made by turning someone, how a pack that WILL be having their packmate back, vampire or not, that want the bonds back would mix across in "a vampire capable of making bonds that aren't turning, but instead built on pack bonds" and the virus that adapts to hosts when it changes them, and is BUILT to adapt the host to new environments and take advantage of everything it can to make sure they survive.

I wanna see a virus based in adaptability that MADE vampires what we would know them as running straight into Human's are space orcs and their world is a death world mixed with all the things that come with having pack bonds and AOB dynamics. Because the virus is going to latch onto everything it can once it enters a new host, and in learning how the body functions, read what should by optimal from every blood-drink, and possibly change its host to work with that, and adapt

If AOB verse vampires leave the Earth to travel elsewhere, and were to change someone, the virus would work to adapt their body to AOB standard. Maybe not the secondaries as a regular AOB human would know them, but the bonds created through pack? the senses? the differing body make up to let them hunt and be dangerous from pre-city days? the differing pathways in the brain that are lit up?? It's going to change all of that. Add it, use it.

Turning is painful, and often deadly due to the fact the virus DOES that. That it uses everything it's picked up from all the races to come before, and it will work on making the best adaptable hunter it can, will make it so it has more change of being passed on, of living. A pack-based world like an AOB?? The virus would have a wild time.

So- the more willing a turn, the more likely they are to survive! Mind over Matter sort of- it's still really dangerous of course, still very much possibly deadly, but a willing change makes the body more likely to survive all of it. If they're utterly unwilling, it's much more likely to kill them! Which means most vampires when they decide I want to keep this one actually TRY to get consent, to win over their chosen, because they WANT them to survive it! (Some of it can be love, but some can also be done through manipulation and lies, or other such things so it's not always HAPPY and willing.)

Hunting is done with the intent to blend in and feed- a good chunk of the vamp population- turned and born, earth-made and other, nowadays are all careful to only take what they need, to be careful with how MUCH they take, and to vary whom and where they take it from. Never to turn, but to simply feed.

You have, of course, the bad eggs that will just take that want a thrall not a partner or family or just manipulate people into following them without making them a thrall depending. That turn many, and break them through the bonds made, bend them to their will but that's more likely to bring hunters.

(Its also why the rumors about vampires are so much LIKE that- the ones found are often new and not in control, or just plain don't care and will rip through whole populations. But the good ones? The ones that want to adapt and hunt and thrive? they're very very good at being careful. Of making it just some tick- a kink they have with bloodplay, or working together to get blood bags, of finding a way to make it odd, yes, but not dangerous and worthy of being hunted over. So a larger population that normal vamp lore in this verse are actually willingly turned one way or another. Or those that didn't want to be turned, but are absolutely the type to want to survive no matter what. (The brain is fascinating and I wanted to play with that and how it might effect survivability of a turn)

Animals can't be infected by the virus in my head, cause it needs that bit of sapience to actually latch in and change them properly. I just absolutely believe some of the original vampires took various other planet pets with them if they could. And unless the creature already had the ability to make a sort of mental bond, it wouldn't actually have a bond with their vampire, or through them to others. They can be trained to respond to things and do it well of course but not linked into the mind in my head. Though if it IS an animal from another planet that DOES have the right level of sapience to actually change and it manages to survive that change...I'd say it has a bond with the 'sire' that changed it, Should they later be added to a pack, the pack would be able to sense the 'familiar' but not quite so well or as close as the one it's bonded to.

Running past animals I had some thoughts about Heat and Rut and how it plays with vampires verse. Vampires being present as predators to packs absolutely contributed to the way they synch on rut and heats, on the denning down for better defense among other things. I like to imagine the rut and heat hormones- since my AOB AUs do not allow actual mating or pack bonds to be formed when they're in heat or rut cause the pheromones fuck up the bond settling right- develop that as a partial defense against vamps in this au. or at least it works unexpectedly in their benefit, since my AOB au has that even in non vampire aus.

The level of wild chemicals and pheromones and everything going on means that Vamps CAN drink blood during someone's heat or rut, but it would mess with the vampire. Those who came to earth- their bodies dont know how to process or handle those chemicals and it makes them all kinds of off and unbalanced. Makes them want to drop the meal and just NOPE right out of it most of the time. Or makes them kind of high or drunk. Body just cannot process it.

The cocktail of chemicals in the blood CAN be addictive to some of these kind of vampires cause it's so different and can lead to a serial killer type problem that needs to get handled but the normal response for most is to decide not gonna drink that when they're bodies are all over the place and then sometimes to go find their mate cause they end up kinda horny.

AOB turned vamps get shoved into a kind of...phantom or pseudo heat/rut because their brains REMEMBER this cocktail and what to do with them- so it doesn't lean into a feed frenzy or something, it's more likely to set them into whatever habits they had when they went into heat or rut- to convince their body they are in one. So around pack theyre gonna nest down and/or caretake, maybe go find their mate, around enemy pack, it makes them aggressive and dangerous, which just leads to messy fights they dont want to set off. So they're careful about that. Brain functions and are again fascinating, and the vampires CAN breed so I've been debating if turned AOB vamps still get some version of a heat or rut still.

Vampires turn each other with bites, draining, and shared blood. So I think pack-bonding would work with a bite as well, since their bodies are literally built off of it, and an AOB turned vampire would have all the right glands to bite too, so it works on 'came to earth' and 'turned AOB Vampires' too.

Since I imagine an almost-pack bond between those who get turned and the one who turned them, they DO have the mental bonds! They're not QUITE as deep as a pack bond, but it does give them the awareness of each other, the emotional sharing, and a bit of sway. AOB Vamps tend to have an even deeper bond to those they change, though it's still not quite pack. Not unless the INTENT is there, because I imagine AOB all have venom sacks of their own that let them add to their packs, or give mating bonds, and the vampire venom is just...a newly added sack. AOB Pack bonds are deeper. What I'd refer to as "soul level" in my head. More open, thicker, stronger. More able to support communication on them, more varied uses. Vampire Turning Bites are more...surface level? An awareness of the person they turned, a little sway on them, but none of that emotional vulnerability or give and take in the same manner. A double bond- pack that was then turned by pack- is more akin to the soul mate bond in my head. all of what you'd get as pack but deeper still- now able to send images and share senses between them, make each other stronger. Things like that.

I do love the idea of some areas having packs that worked with and bonded to Vampires as pack or mates, who adapted to coexist and may not remember it now (or maybe theres some that DO so you have pockets of interesting worldbuilding and safe spaces for not only vampires but those that want to learn about them and know where or who to ask. Places for vampires to bring humans they want to turn so they can learn and get a second opinion from. So those that adapted with the vampires are more prone to be...enticing to a vampire. Their scents, how they move, what they know. Vampires are- in my head- actually built to BE social if not with the pack bonding they once had- the virus wants to spread- it needs to meet people to do that, build.

So packs that react well to vampires and welcome them actually usually end up with generations worth of protectors from them! In the know towns or buildings, people- they act as a sort of...underground railroad type but for blood and the things vampires need. Maybe even other supernatural creatures that can learn to function and live in relative peace with each other. Genetically, I feel like these people who blended with vampires, maybe were born far enough down the line to NOT be vampire on birth- are more likely to survive and thrive with the change, smell better, have a bit more predator to them, a bit danger to them.

Now to jump back to the original verse I built this for because I saw DC Vampire Dick Grayson and my brain went HELLO???-

My thoughts about this AU in specific were more Dick's circus is a traveling set of vampires Some of them are came to Earth vampires, are very old, and it makes their circus remarkable because there's things from literally other worlds in there that can blend as props or normal enough.

Mary and John- Dick's parents- are actually TURNED vampires. They have Dick as a born vampire, but he grows up in a troupe that shares all the stories he needs to know so he knows a lot more than most turned vampires do.

They also survive this AU. they end up discovering Batman and Bruce Wayne while there, and are fascinated (eventually leading to a polyship there and an eventual (but not without some major thinking and planning on B's part and only in this case talks) turn on Bruce's part!)

So Robin does still take to the skies if a bit differently- and there may be some extra capes depending on Mary and John. I still want Tim to see Dick at the circus and maybe the Grayson's still fall but as vampires dont actually die and Bruce as Batman KNOWS about the supernatural and is able to help them get out of there? And I know Talons and the Gray Son were a thing in regards to the circus that leads me to the fun thing about them in this AU-

Talons aren't native to Earth in this AU either!! They're a previous world's attempt to kill off vampires and they like to hunt them down from world to world, and turn their own soldiers, make them undying so they can match up to a vampire and possibly kill them.

You could technically still set Dick up to be Vampire King if you wanted in this au, or not but it lives rent free in my head now.