Chapter 31 Summary: The Creature and the Kiss

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens in 1903 Seattle. John Varley, acting on behalf of the crime boss Jim Templeton, walks into Davis Starling’s unfinished tavern. He kills two of Starling’s men with Templeton’s pistol, then searches for Starling. In the office, Varley finds a bloody scene: Starling’s severed head on the desk and a tall, gray-skinned, black-eyed creature standing behind it. The creature claims it killed Starling for welching on a deal. Varley raises his gun, but the creature moves faster and overpowers him. The narrative then jumps to the present, where Varley and his companion Johan are hiding in a barn after ditching a van full of cocaine. Police arrive. Varley steps out, Johan fires a shotgun, and in the ensuing fight Varley feeds on a state trooper, ripping his head off. After the kill, Johan kisses Varley, and Varley recognizes this as love.

Key Events

Varley enters Starling’s tavern in 1903 and shoots two men: one in the head, the other in the shoulder and throat.
Two of Starling’s other workers flee.
Varley discovers Starling’s office drenched in blood, with the man’s severed foot and head present.
A seven-foot-tall creature with gray skin and black eyes stands behind the desk, holding Starling’s head.
The creature says it killed Starling because he “welched” on a payment, and taunts Varley about killing what is already dead.
Varley attempts to shoot the creature but fails; the creature attacks (implied off-page).
In the present, Varley and Johan hide in a barn. A state police cruiser arrives and two troopers enter.
Varley steps out; Johan fires the shotgun, wounding one trooper.
The other trooper shoots Varley multiple times, but his wounds heal instantly.
Varley grabs the trooper, rips his throat open, and feeds on his blood.
Varley decapitates the trooper and continues drinking from the stump.
Johan kisses Varley, and Varley feels this is love.

Character Development

John Varley: This chapter provides his origin story. In 1903 he is a hired gun motivated by Templeton’s approval and blackmail. He kills without remorse but is shaken by the creature’s otherworldly presence. The modern Varley is fully undead, able to heal instantly, and relishes the kill. His emotional arc culminates in accepting Johan’s kiss, acknowledging a bond he never expected.

Johan: First seen in the barn, he is gleeful and reckless, armed with a shotgun and unafraid of the police. He initiates the attack and later kisses the blood-soaked Varley, showing deep intimacy and acceptance of Varley’s monstrous nature.

The Creature: An unnamed, undead being that kills Starling. It speaks with contempt and seems to have existed for decades. It foreshadows Varley’s own transformation, as it too was once human.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Blood and Consumption: Blood is the central symbol of power and connection. Varley drinks from a severed neck, and the creature’s office is awash in blood. Consumption becomes a form of love and survival.

Transformation and Identity: Varley shifts from a human hitman to a vampire-like creature. The chapter contrasts his human motivations (desire for approval) with his later predatory nature.

Bond Beyond Humanity: Johan and Varley’s kiss, smeared with blood, redefines love as something that can exist between two killers. It challenges conventional morality.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 31 is the turning point that reveals the novel’s supernatural core. It answers questions about Varley’s inhuman abilities by showing his first encounter with an undead creature and his subsequent full transformation. The kiss with Johan cements their partnership and sets the stage for the rest of the story’s bloody trajectory.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Varley agree to kill for Jim Templeton in 1903?
Varley is motivated by Templeton’s fatherly approval and by Templeton’s knowledge of Varley’s past in Redding, which acts as blackmail.
What does the creature mean when it says, “how is it you’ll kill what’s already dead”?
The creature implies it is undead, so conventional weapons cannot destroy it. This foreshadows Varley’s own immortal state.
What is the significance of Johan kissing Varley after the trooper’s death?
The kiss shows that Johan accepts Varley entirely, including his monstrous nature. It transforms the act of killing into an expression of love and partnership.