Departing from a tradition that predates Bram Stoker's famous vampire novel, the stories in this unique collection depict the characters of Dracula and his descendants as benevolent, altruistic, even heroic. In these pages, readers will encounter vampires who are tortured by angst or self-doubt; vampires who act compassionately toward their own race or toward human beings; and vampires whose sympathy, tolerance, and generosity could put humanity to shame. Iconoclastic and fascinating, these stories represent the best work of many contemporary writers, including Ray Bradbury, Suzy McKee Charnas, Roger Zelazny, Tanya Huff, and others.