So, not too long ago the question, "Does Roanoke have a soul" came into play.

Now, for those of you that know him, you'd say "yes, most definately. Someone that alive, that sweet, and caring can't *not* have a soul."

But, he is, in the end, a vampire. Vampires traditionally have no souls, they're simply re-animated corpses.

That posed an interseting problem for me. Because, while he's fed, he's kind, and he cares about the reprocussions of his actions. But when he's not, there's nothing behind those crimson eyes but a beast.

So, this was the solution. Roanoke has a soul, sure, but it's being held captive by the soul-beast creature. Part wolf, part cat, part raven, part rat, part bat...part all of the things he can become. The creature Anusia, the goddess that created his species, created first, and hid inside Strigorii, the first vampire. He craves blood because it craves blood, and it, in return for being fed, allows him access to his soul...the shining pendant around it's neck.

The soul is the house of memories, feelings, love, compassion....

Without placating the Beast, he can feel none of those things....