That is a very good point! And what about how that Vampire Nick seemed to move "in a regal way " which to ME shows that Nick was a true ANCIENT monster .( Perhaps I have misjudged the wife?!)

I got the feeling that his wife was possibly made a thrall just before they moved into the house, so that Nick could live in the attic and she could keep him a secret. I don’t think vampire blood can sustain another vampire, so Kerry needed to collect her husband’s blood when her own wasn’t enough anymore. Had Kerry been a vampire, I don’t think Nick would’ve regenerated like he did, since undead usually do not have any flowing blood.

Ben told his dad a couple of times that he could see a monster around the house, at one point even inside his own bedroom. I think Nick infected Ben during one of these nightly visits, whereafter Kerry had to make him special cacao laced with her own blood to satisfy him.

So in short, Kerry was the thrall, Nick a vampire and Ben got infected (maybe because he was smart and Nick wanted to use him later). Our protagonist was to be kept as livestock while the rest would live off his life insurance money.

Yeah vampires famously do charm. That’s the sort of vibe I’d gotten there