Vampire

The vampires in the Twilight series have certain, distinctive characteristics that set them apart from other fictional vampires, some of which include appearance, hunting styles and legends that differ from others.

Appearance
They are described as extremely beautiful, angelic, and they have a scent that is very appealing to the humans who get close enough to smell them. Each of them have eyes that are burgundy or ruby when the vampire is "full" and black when they're thirsty, with the exceptions of the vampires that choose to feed on animals' blood instead of humans'. With these exceptions, their eyes have a golden appearance when full and black when thirsty, their irises fading in color as time passes after their feedings. Purplish-black bruises appear under their eyes, becoming more pronounced with thirst. They are extremely pale, but flush slightly after feeding. Their skin is described as hard as granite, often compared to alabaster, and is also extremely cold and icy. It also sparkles in the sunlight, giving them the reason to never show themselves in public when the sun is out and uncovered by clouds. They do not need to breathe, however they generally do out of habit. They are also unable to sleep, age, or grow.

Abilities
All vampires are described as having superhuman strength. Their senses are incredibly keen -- they can smell blood and hear heartbeats from miles away. They also are able to run very fast, and running is described as a second nature to vampires. One of their most significant abilities is their immortality; they will live forever unless they are dismembered and then the pieces are burned.

Special talents
A small number of vampires gain special talents from when they are changed into their new form. If they had a characteristic or personality that was very dominant in their human life (such as charisma or sensitivity), it would be possible for it to be magnified into a power or talent after their "change". Some talents mentioned are mind reading and second sight.

Deviations from traditional vampire legend
Vampires in the Twilight world are different from most other literary vampires. One fact is that they have very few weaknesses - they are not harmed by holy water, the sun, garlic, or crosses. They do not need to hide during the day in any way. Additionally, they have a reflection in mirrors, cannot be killed by wooden stakes and will show up in pictures. Vampires in the Twilight series are also incapable of sleeping, and it is unknown whether or not they lose their souls after they become vampires or if they go to Hell when they are killed.