Just made a character a few days ago and i was going to buy a horse at the stalls. But the horse owners son and horse i was going to buy were apparently killed by vampires. This is ridiculous. How can i play this game when they spawn in without a sign and kill things i need?

Vampires are annoying, yes. Especially because you don't always see them coming.

I advice you to save your game when you're near a town or city.

Yeah it svcks when they attack a small settlement with little or no guards

Requires you to be careful. Start at earlier save. If you fast travel then wait before leaving area. Sounds like you might be outside riften? They always come from the woods to the left of main entrance(if facing entrance). Wait before entering city and meet them in woods before they get near gate.

I stay away from cities as much as i can, never jump right into city as a master vamp can wipe out several people before you can react, fast travel out of city zone and walk to city and kill harkon ASAP as it ends city vamp attacks.

Don't get started in the thieve's guild questline, as it will make matters worse with thieves that always get caught and attacked

Whiterun is especially bad about this. When I get attacked on a fast travel to Whiterun and get attacked by ONE Vampire, I immediately go out and get the other 2 that are at the stables. 90% of the time, I am too late to help, though. If I fast travel to Whiterun, I have started to fast travel to the stables, instead of Whiterun proper.

I believe fast traveling is more likely to trigger Vampire and Dragon attacks.. so if you avoid fast travel its not quite as bad

If you're on the PC, there's the mod http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/28235//?, which makes NPCs take cover during a vampire attack rather than stupidly rushing in and getting themselves killed. There are also a couple of mods that delay the start of the DG quests, so you're more ready, and maybe you'll have time to go around arming NPCs with better weapons, too!

Most definitely! When I finish with a cave, dungeon, or ruins, I usually fast travel to the nearest town, though, weighed down with a strength or fortify carry weight potion. I will slowly walk, though, if I am carrying too much for a potion to cover

Fast travel definitely ups the chances for an attack on the place fast traveled to. I'll fast travel sometime in order to try to get a dragon attack when I am need of some souls

If you fast travel to whiterun wait by the gate for thralls. They will show up and once you kill all you can leave. Everyone outside is safe as long as you don't leave before (consoles) they are all dead. Same goes for dragons

So, you see dead NPCs? Sorry, couldn't resist...

I HATE this! This drives me insane.. Even when your in a city and they attack.. If your not in the immediate area, theres no way of knowing unless guards start running...Even worse is the situation you highlight.. When theyre attacking areas that you arent even loaded into! Luckily i finally broke down, and purchased the pc version, after playing many many hours on the ps3, and i dont mind "Resurrect 1" on those npc's that were unrightfully killed! I hate it when my main vendors die, UGH..

Few times ive even gotten inheritence letters from Jarls of people ive never even met before, nor had any knowledge of a vamp attack!

This just happened to me yesterday, when I entered Solitude. 5 people dead from vampires!

but, I don't mind too much, it's just adding to the story for my character.

what ever happened to Todd's comment on a how a dead merchant will be replaced with one of their relatives? that would have been cool.