Interview with the real life Vampire (s)

Interview by M

Are vampires real? Yes. Real life vampires exist and consider themselves to be such. We interview two lovely thoughtful vampires to learn about vampire Thirst, culture and more.

How do you identify yourself? What sort of vampire do you consider yourself? What does the word 'vampire' mean to you?

Sarasvati: "Vampire" is actually pretty far down the list of things I consider when I think of who/what I am. I first identify myself as human, female, by my occupation, by a few of my favourite hobbies, and then an "Oh, yeah, I'm a vampire too". I don't let it be what defines me any more then a diabetic would let diabetes define them. I am the sanguinarian, blood drinking, sort of vampire.

The word 'vampire' means MANY things. It depends on the context. when reading my favourite novels, it even varies depending on the author. I guess that, in a psychological test, if someone said "vampire" my first response would still probably be "cape". The fictional/mythological vampire is more "vampire" to me then I am. Yet when you tell someone you need to drink blood in order to feel right/normal, the next thing they usually say is "So, you're some kind of vampire?" The term is sticky.

Zilchy: I identify myself as a vampire in the sense that I consume energy, be it in the form of blood or prana/chi from others around me. By this definition in contemporary metaphysics that would make me what's called a 'hybrid' vampire, though I detest the term and would prefer it just be left as 'vampire' without any modifiers. To me a vampire is anyone who needs to draw on outside sources for sustenance - which is very broad and can encompass a number of different people, However, when I say 'vampire' in conversation or for purposes of education I'm referring to those who consume vital energies.

How does your definition compare to that of the vampiric community's? Do you consider yourself part of the vampiric community? How difficult was it to join?

Zilchy: My personal definition of the word 'vampire' is more or less in keeping with the one espoused by other vocal members of the vampire community. Though, being an individual, I do have my own minor inconsistencies and subtleties in my lexicon and terminology that you wouldn't find elsewhere. Since I consider myself to have these needs, I'm basically considered to be a part of the community by default. There was no process of joining or being accepted, above and beyond my coming to accept that the set of conditions I was experiencing was indeed vampirism.

Sarasvati: Depends on which part of the community. The Vampire community is HUGE, encompassing psivamps, sanguins, lifestylers, donors, posers and even some parts of the BDSM community. Some of which would agree with me, some of which would deny there is ANY flexibility to the word "vampire" and some would think I wasn't liberal enough with the definition. Yes, I do consider myself part of the vampire community. No, it wasn't very difficult to join. The nature of the internet makes it hard to judge who is telling the truth and who is not, so most sub-communities are rather open in who they allow in - generally only banning people if they prove themselves to be absolutely full of it or a detriment to the group (either legally or by being a troll). I just had to show up in a chat room... Apparently I showed up enough :)

When and how did you realize you are what you are? Before realizing this, did you have a feeling that you were different?

Sarasvati: It wasn't really a specific pinpoint in time, more of a process. It tarted in 1994 [when Sarasvati was fourteen years of age], A friend slipped and cut her knee. In helping her, I got blood on my hand and licked some of it off. Not sure what possessed me to lick it, but my headache went away and I felt better then I had in a while. This opened a huge box of questions for me. I didn't really read a lot of vampire novels, was not goth, had no connection with Anne Rice. Count Von Count from Sesame St. and Count Duckula were my only real exposure to vampires at that point. So I didn't even think "vampire", I thought "freak". I hid it for a long time, experimenting with rare steaks and such but not trying human blood again until 1998 after stumbling across Sanguinarius's website and chat room. I accepted it a little more then because there were others with the same problem, so maybe I wasn't such a "freak" after all. I've always been different... Bt more in the nerdy, geeky bad jokes and horrible sense of humour sort of way. Mostly I had a feeling I was sick. I felt tired, run down, had dull headaches that weren't debilitating but a constant annoyance, stomach problems and digestion problems.

Zilchy: While it would be much more fun and exciting to say that I was cornered in a dark alley by a mysterious figure in the seventeenth century, that's simply not the case. I have to say that the earliest recollection I have of considering that these inconsistencies I was experiencing in my life could be vampirism was when I was about thirteen. Not that there wasn't a lot going on in my life already at that age, being in the throes of hormonal shifts and all, but I was very reluctant to accept such an outlandish idea.

What do you think made you a vampire? Do you feel that you were forced into this or was it more of a personal choice?

Zilchy: A friend of mine recommended that I should look into 'vampirism' as the cause for all the abnormal troubles when I was about thirteen. I didn't come to fully embrace the idea until almost 3 years later. That said, I guess it was more of a progression toward reaching an understanding about myself than anything else.

Sarasvati: I am science-minded, so think there is a physical cause. I don't know exactly which line to run down yet, though. The primary suspect at this time is an amino-acid problem. Either my body cannot produce amino acids in adequate amounts, needs more of them than usual, or cannot absorb some amino acid that is important to digestion and I suspect a hypothalamic connection (vampires tend to have lower body temperatures and reversed circadian rhythms, both controlled by the hypothalamus). I'm just a little fish, though, so my research is slow since I cannot devote all my time to it.

If there was a 'cure', would you accept it?

Sarasvati: Yes.

Zilchy: Provided that a cure existed, I probably would decline. After having lived this way for so long I would basically be forced to rewrite my perceptions of the world around me and I think that I'd feel like I'd lost something, even though needing to cope with the trials and tribulations of vampirism in daily life isn't something I'd wish upon anyone.

Have you told other people that you are a vampire? If so, how did they react?

Zilchy: I generally don't bring it up unless the other party brings it up first. Otherwise, I'll prime the discussion with topics such as energy manipulation, reiki, alternative spiritualities and other such non-mainstream topics to see how well it'll be received. I've gotten a wide range of reactions, so that's why I really only bring it up if it's absolutely necessary and have adopted the slightly less stressful approach of letting the curious come to me.

Sarasvati: I have a couple of friends that know and my husband knows. Reactions were mixed... I have had one boyfriend dump me because of it, a couple of friends just don't believe me but still are good friends, and a couple of friends have offered to be donors for me. And my husband, he married me anyway :)

What changes did you have to make to your lifestyle? Did it change your opinions on other issues, such as politics or religion?

Sarasvati: Lifestyle-wise mostly I have to remember to have sunglasses, good ones, everywhere. I probably have 6-8 pairs scattered around my house, car and work. You never know when a pair will break :) I can go outside without them but it hurts and I get a heck of a headache very quickly. I also pay more attention to the SPF and duration of sunscreen then I did before. I keep a closer tab on my health so I can differentiate between "I feel sick because I need blood" versus "I feel sick because something else is wrong".

I don't think it changed my political or theological views... But, you know, I have never thought about that. Perhaps being a vampire has made me a bit more liberal if anything... I can't throw stones at other peoples "sins" if I drink blood, eh?

Zilchy: Really, the only changes I had to make regarding my lifestyle were to avoid the sun (because while I can go out in it and thoroughly enjoy outdoor activity without fear of spontaneous incineration, it's not the most comfortable thing in the world - nor are blacklights, which is inconvenient at bars, clubs and parties) and learn to adapt and react to subtle energetic shifts in my environment which others might not notice so readily. Of course there's also the ever-present need to find and keep regular donors, which is something I was very lucky with - I've never really had a situation where I had no way at all to gain the energy I needed, though others aren't so fortunate.

How do you procure the energy you need?

Zilchy: Without going into too much detail, only to spare your readers a lengthy interview, I can obtain energy through several means which can be lumped under the headings 'psychic' or 'sanguine' - pertaining either to blood or chi/lifeforce energy. Sanguine feeding is by far the simplest and definitely preferred method, only requiring that I take between one and four ounces of blood from a willing (and CLEAN, as verified by a blood test) donor once every two weeks or so. Psychic energy manipulation is more difficult because it requires an expenditure of energy in order to achieve results. There are several different methods under this heading - some requiring a physical touch, others not. The multitude of different applications for psychic feeding methods alone could fill a book (and it has. Several, in fact). The frequency with which I need to feed varies depending on what day to day life requires, but on average it's once every two weeks.

Sarasvati: Ah! Hot debate topic... Is it energy I get from blood or something else? This is heavily debated in the vampire community. Debate probably leans more toward the energy side, as a whole, but I am personally on the "other" side :)

Anyway, I have donors. Typically my husband, but I also have a few good friends who will donate. All have been tested and get tested regularly for disease. Depending on the person, I use either a sterile scalpel blade over the shoulder blade on the back (more muscle, more blood, but the shoulder blade isn't a mobile area so the wound heals quickly and cleanly, plus there are no major vessels to accidentally cut) or I use a needle and syringe. I get more by the syringe and prefer it, but some people are not comfortable with needles.

Have you ever had to go without energy? How did that affect you?

Sarasvati: Oh yes. That 1994-1998 period with just rare steaks occasionally... Not ideal. There were periods in college I would not have a donor, either. It affects me both physically and mentally. Physically I get the sick signs I mentioned above... Headaches, stomach problems, intestinal upset, muscle pain, poor sleep, and lethargy. Mentally I would be easily distracted, grumpy, short tempered, quick to anger and more physical in my anger.

Zilchy: There was a period where I did have to abstain from sanguine feeding out of consideration for my only blood donor at the time. I can honestly say it was a thoroughly unpleasant experience, which reinforces the claim by sanguine vampires that psychic means of feeding are certainly not a replacement if you're primarily a sanguine vampire. While I do believe I've almost been to the breaking point with how long one can go without feeding, there are others out there who have gone much longer than I have and have reported physical ill effects, as well as a sort of psychotic episode known as 'vamping out,' during which the individual could perceivably be driven to stop at nothing until they get the energy they need. Obviously this is the kind of situation that proper maintenance can avoid.

Have you found any of the typical vampire myths to be true?

Zilchy: I haven't found any of the vampire myths to be completely true, but I have found that some of the stereotypes are simply embellishments of conditions which exist for us. For example, as I previously mentioned, sun exposure certainly isn't lethal - however it IS uncomfortable. I burn quite badly after as little as fifteen to twenty minutes in the sun, even with sunblock applied. I currently use SPF 50, but have been informed of lotions as high as SPF 100.

Sarasvati: Sun gives me a sunburn faster then most and gives me headaches, but I don't burn up. Garlic is fine. Crosses, running water, holy water, all no problem. Mirrors are normal, silver is fine. Though I haven't tested it, I'm pretty sure if you cut off my head or put a stake through my heart I would die :) So I guess those could go in "true myth" category!

Can you turn a person into a vampire? If so, how and under what circumstances would you do it?

Sarasvati: Nope, and I wouldn't if I could. No immortality, so it wouldn't be a life-saving manouvre. It's not like the books, so the person would probably just wind up grumpy that they missed out on all the "cool" stuff... And the world just doesn't need any more grumpy people. ;)

Zilchy: There are some within the community who say that turning someone into a vampire is possible, but I'm not one of them. Even so, if it were possible, I'm fairly sure that the vast majority of the people who already approach us asking to be turned really have no idea what's involved and would be operating from assumptions picked up from Anne Rice and Stephanie Meyer novels. I have more reasons to back up my position, but if I were to continue we'd be here awhile.

Do you know what occurs when two vampires procreate? What about a vampire and a human?

Zilchy: There really isn't any data regarding what happens when vampires procreate. Emergent research done internally suggests that vampirism is probably not a genetic trait and that it also is not a result of nurture since members of the vampire community come from all socioeconomic, religious and racial backgrounds. Though some members of the community frown upon vampires having relationships with non-vampires, some of them even going so far as to call mixed relationships a form of bestiality because the vampire in question is 'playing with their food'.

Sarasvati: Well, when two vampires love each other very much... Wait, sorry... I couldn't resist. Actually, it is the same as humans. We have kids, sometimes they turn out to be vampires too, though it doesn't seem to be the majority case. Maybe it skips a generation? We don't know yet. There does not seem to be a fertility difference if the couple is vampire-vampire or vampire-human.

In an era when so many people feel comfortable 'coming out of the closet', are more vampires 'coming out of the coffin'?

Sarasvati: That does seem to be the case. More media attention and the current "trendiness" of vampires seems to be making more people talk more freely about it. The internet, again, seems to affect this with videos from vampires on YouTube popping up with fair regularity.

Zilchy: I'm not sure that the open-mindedness given to homosexuals is a good yardstick by which to gauge whether or not vampires are coming 'out of the coffin,' but it's definitely clear that modern society is more friendly to vampires than it was even ten years ago. I think the trend will only increase and as it does you'll see more of us out and about.

Are there currently any movements to gain political recognition and rights for vampires?

Zilchy: Currently I do not know of any political or social movements for the rights of vampires outside of fictitious ones created for the HBO series 'True Blood,' which I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with, considering that even members of the community were convinced enough that they had to look twice to make sure they weren't real organizations.

Sarasvati: Not that I know of. In the vampire community there are actually two factions... Those that want to show the world and be more open and those that do not. I'm in the "not yet" crowd. We don't know enough about ourselves to be telling other people what we are. We have too many questions unanswered. To have all of us pop up now would not accomplish much, I don't believe. Maybe when we know more and have more solid answers. There is a sort of in-between group that tries to monitor the media attention and keep it as honest as possible... Trying to prevent people who are not really vampires from taking the limelight and giving vampires as a whole a bad name.

What's your opinion on the current popularity of vampires in young adult fiction?

Sarasvati: Frankly, I love it. I am a ravenous reader, and sci-fi/horror is my favourite genre... I devoured the Twilight Series, love Anita Blake, Sookie Stackhouse and The Dresden files and many other series and single books. I love the diversity. No one depicts "their" vampires the same as in any other series. It is fiction, fun to read... I only get annoyed when people e-mail me claiming to BE from the books. Usually at least once or twice a year someone e-mails me claiming to be Lestat, Akasha, Claudia, Edward or whoever else is popular at the moment. Those get ignored.

Zilchy: Honestly, I think that the recent resurgence of vampires in young adult fiction is, like all things, a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have a flood of people looking for answers about what might be out there - and possibly gaining a bit of knowledge in the process. On the other hand, you have a bunch of twelve to seventeen year olds either desperately searching for their very own Edward Cullen or wishing so hard that the fiction were true that they start forcing themselves into vampirism - even if that's not really something it is, and even if it wouldn't have been a problem for them had they not found the community. Additionally there's also the potential for predators to use the vampire as a shield behind which they could lure in unsuspecting young people for their own agendas. Of course there are bad apples in every bunch but the community by and large does a fairly good job of keeping itself clean. The added exposure could cause an explosion of interest which would make it easier for those who wish to do harm to others to hide.

What's the worst thing about being a vampire?

Zilchy: I really don't think that there's a single worst thing about being a vampire. Sure, there are aspects that are less than perfect, but it's a bit like being diagnosed with adult-onset Diabetes. It's just something you learn to live with - however inconvenient it may be.

Sarasvati: The health problems that come with being Thirsty, especially for those who do not have a donor. It is rough. It's like knowing exactly what you need to feel normal is everywhere, but you can't get it... And in some cases are afraid to ask for it.

What's the best thing about being a vampire?

Sarasvati: The bad jokes, books and movies, IMO. I LOVE making fun of the bad ones. I love making inside jokes with friends. Horrible, horrible jokes. "I'm an optimist, I always see the donor as half-full..." I have great friends I would have never met were I not a vampire, either.

Zilchy: The best thing about being a vampire, I would have to say, is the amazing feeling you get after a good feed. Nothing beats the sense of vitality and enrichment you get from that - and what makes it even better is when your donor sees what they've done for you and feels the same set of emotions for being able to allow you to achieve that state.

We love our vampire information-donors with a warm love and want to thank them for their honesty and time.

• Visit Zilchy's website
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