Vampire Dragons are members of the undead. They sustain themselves by drinking the blood of others. It is said that they are only “alive” at night, and seem dead or asleep during the day, as they cannot endure sunlight for long periods of time. Vampire Dragons can only reproduce by changing the eggs of other dragons, puncturing the shell with their fangs and injecting venom that kills the baby inside.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Many dragons are uneasy around Cope. Some would like to kill her as a preemptive measure, but they are stopped by others, who say she hasn't done anything bad... yet. She says she doesn't bite dragons. She also leaves their eggs alone, unless they deserve it! Whether an egg "deserves" to be turned has nothing to do with its breed or the parents' naughtiness level. Supposedly, Cope has a unique metric for determining deservedness, and she has explained it to those willing to listen, but it just confuses her audience. She's been honest with her intentions and kept all her promises so far, so the folks advocating slaying her are starting to look like the bad guys.