By Suzanne Carré
In my novel, Vampire Sexual Secrets, the vampires retire after a night of sexual activity to a bed, not a coffin. Vampires are not dead, or undead for that matter, but reside in a supernatural state somewhere between our consciousness and eternal freedom from the decay of death. They don’t need a casket, so I describe a structure carved from stone, topped with a feather-stuffed mattress to make it soft enough to recline on, and physically dominating the grottoes in which the vampires reside.
We see the bed as primarily for sleeping about eight hours of our day. We also associate the bed with sex, and decorate it appropriately to create a romantic atmosphere, in the hope our bower of love will reward with lovemaking. But sadly us modern humans don’t conduct more social activities within our beds like the ancients once did. In today’s world, the bed is a shrine to interior decoration, made neatly every morning, and defined for use after hours or when we are unwell. In keeping all things proper, we have demoted the function of the bed.
To the vampires, the bed is an essential piece of sexual equipment and central to their lifestyle. To qualify as a bed suitable for vampire sex, it needs a firm and solid base, to have a large enough surface for at least ten couples, and comfortably suitable for all sexual positions. But the bed is more than a place for resting and lovemaking, it is also the haven for pure love. The vampires conduct all manner of social transactions within the boundaries of the bed. It is necessary then for the vampires to keep the sheets “pure” or ready so that any fun sex they indulge in remains good, and promotes the harmony of the couple involved.
In the Master’s Chamber
The cave is the ultimate grave of the pre-Christian era, and for many ancient peoples, represented the realm of eternal life. A cavern deep within the earth also has an erotic overtone, being analogous to the primal womb from which all is created. In my novel, the cave living vampires reside in a subterranean labyrinth, where each of the concubines have their own grotto, and in the center of the vampire cave is a space for the harem male called the Master’s chamber. To get there mortals have to walk down a long corridor in complete darkness. If you have ever gone into a cave, you know the lack of light is so intense, no amount of candlepower can break the high-definition blackness.
The male might have a grotto for himself, where he recuperates his powers, but his bed is not a private piece of furniture. All non-sexual interactions with his girls must occur in his bed. Any negotiations for rules or rights take place upon his sheets. Even deciding punishment or compensation requires his bed. The male’s bed represents a neutral zone free of female control so all decisions made there are equitable. To maintain order, the male makes his bed the place for the females to gather whenever they need to settle arrangements such as sexual access and who will hunt.
His sheets don’t need any special preparation for these regular transactions and this means the vampires often refer to the male’s bed as a mating bed. Perhaps the wildest sex that goes on in a male’s bed is the hot sex of the feeding ritual. Intimacy is not promoted in such a bed until the male arranges to purify the bedsheets vampire style.
The bedsheets
Vampires have limited use for covering up in bed. Once mature, vampires expose to sleep and have sex on top of the sheets. So makes the necessity of the sex game to purify the bedsheets because these form the surface on which the sex takes place. Covering up in bed to make modest the sex is a very “unvampire” thing to do. The vampires have rules for sex, where private sex depends on respect for seclusion not hiding in shame.
The importance of naked flesh reclined upon the bed is to control the vampire’s supernatural powers. Naked channels this energy while wrapping in a sheet excludes the flow. The vampire pleasure of resting together, to have their bodies touching while they sleep, provides a convenient way to share their naked powers and rejuvenate from the sensual gratification they indulged in all night long. After the females have gathered for the feeding ritual and exchanged blood and sex, they curl up together to sleep away the morning hours.
Pillows for sex
Vampires use pillows for sex only. They don’t rely on these soft furnishings to support their heads when sleeping, but for altering posture during complex sexual positions. Vampires call sexual positions the expressions because they are for physically expressing love. Being as they are for lovemaking, the vampires do not see the point in straining to hold the posture while seeking their conclusion. So they use pillows to take the work out of sex and make it more pleasurable and leisurely. About the only time vampires try to keep the sex rushed and exciting is during a good session of lust, but then again, they don’t necessarily stay in bed for this form of sexual activity.
Pillows allow vampires to take their time. Lovemaking is not measured by how many times the couple conclude more than the pleasure obtained. And once satisfied, they intend to lengthen their togetherness without having to re-orientate, in vampire comfort, so they appreciate the support provided by a mound of pillows.
Rules in Bed
The prime rule for approaching the bed is to strip naked before entering. The construction and size of a vampire bed requires all those using the bed to crawl across the surface. Once in the center, recline but modesty is not an option because the pillows are kept to the edges until needed for sex only. Finally respect the bed as a safe place for love. When naked and reposed on the purified sheets of a vampire bed, you cannot violate the sanctuary by bringing feelings of hatred and revenge with you. The vampires extend this to their laws, and forbid any arguments from taking place on or in sight of a bed.
While the bed has many uses in the preternatural domain, it’s primary role is in sex. Next, I want to look at the sexual use of the bed.
