While there is no scientific evidence on the true existence of the fictional characters seen on TV, predatory beings that may behave similarly to vampires have existed in the past and may still exist. The story of Count Dracula, for example, is based on a true story about Vlad Tepes, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler, who was the Prince of Wallachia and would punish his victims (the boyars of Wallachia) by using stakes to impale them. After killing his victims he would have them placed around him still on the stake while he sat there and ate his evening meal. He was said to have killed between 40,000 and 100,000 people this way. Vlad Tepes was not the only one committing such savage acts. Blood countess Elizabeth Bathory, who lived in today’s Slovakia, was said to have killed over 600 young girls and bathed in their blood to retain eternal youth. If these claims are true (she was convicted of 80 murders) she would be the most active female serial killer to have ever lived. Both tales of Vlad Tepes and Elizabeth Bathory were many times compared to modern day interpretations of vampirism, since both dealt with savage acts against human beings and included excessive bloodletting that was part of the cruel rituals of both persons. Both stories also played in the Balkan regions, which led to associations with the Transylvanian birth place of Count Dracula. Therefore, it is not the fictional vampire characters we should fear, but everyday individuals with psychopathic capacities. Individuals who blend so perfectly into our society that nobody suspects them. Individuals who are true predators and are able to get away with their bloodlust by behaving like social chameleons. Many former killers who were caught have expressed an obsession with the victims blood and even admitted to being sexually aroused by seeing the victims bleed to death. There have also been psychopathic serial killers who have killed persons (including children), drank their blood, and ate parts of their bodies or organs (i.e. the heart). In fact, many serial killers obsessed with victims’ blood there thus dubbed “vampire killers” and a connection was always made with lust and sexual excitement from drinking others’ blood or basking in it. So to answer your question of what I think of vampires, well I think that the fictional characters depicted in movies and TV shows are not real. However, the concept of the vampire was certainly based on the truly horrendous personalities of the numerous psychopaths who have committed unspeakable crimes against humankind in the past and continue to do so in the present. These crimes may be so unbelievably cruel that we wish to impose such violent behavior only on supernatural creatures influenced by Satan.

Vampire is just another creature, like us and animals, who live to survive by sucking blood and preying others.
Vampire is always portrayed as devils and been considered as one of the demons in certain beliefs.
No one has proven that vampires either exist or not. Lots of books and old tales are referring vampires as the same creature like bats, who do not sleep at night, have sharp hearing and night-vision, plus, they live in deep forest.

The famous movie, twilight, is a good way to understand certain behavior of vampires but not necessarily true.

Wow wtg with your comment, dtrivera! Predatory humans exist on all levels of society from the richest of rich to the poorest of the poor.

They're just like the other creatures you've mentioned. They're completely mythical.

If we can get clear pictures of galaxies that were created less than a billion years after our universe came into existence, you'll need a whole lot more than some blurry photos of a blob to convince me otherwise.

They're as real as Big Foot, Dog Man and the Loch Ness Monster. Which is to say, no they are not real.

If you're looking to find out about a vampire all you have to do is look around for someone who is 1) always wearing black 2) talks to the same group of people constantly and hardly adds others 3) if they seem to like to be shaded during the day 4) if the group of people they are with a lot are always away from the rest of the people, it'd help to look for them at a school 5) people who are usually always talking in a group with someone who is watching for adults as they have a discussion 6) and finally, if they seem a little 'different' each time you come in contact with them. I hear that vampires don't live in the same body forever, they do die and are judged by God. Then my friend told me that they're 'reincarnated' and they end up sharing the body of a human. Like, your friend, say um, Joe. Joe could be human but with a vampire soul named... um, Jason... and they are two different people who have to act similar so that way no one thinks random stuff. But I think its still weird, because honestly I'm working on this information with my friends word. lol

When it comes to movies or TV ... I'm fine with them as long as they don't sparkle.....

http://geek-tastic.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/giles1.jpg

No, we don't sparkle. And yes, we do exist & garlic is an irritant only. We've fabricated stories throughout the years for human sake. The only things we do not like are wood, especially pieces sharpened to a point & direct sunlight.
It appears DTVRIVERA has watched the Vampire Chronicles....don't believe everything you read....or see.

I think vampires as they are portrayed in movies, television and literature do not exist, however, there are humans who possess vampiric traits, like having the urge to drink human blood regularly, avoid sunlight, growing fangs, and having unusually pale skin. I actually know someone who claims to be a vampire. He has been studied in labs. They have not been able to disprove his claim that he is a real vampire. So who knows!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/38/81695190_f35a42a6e3.jpg

Vampire bats exist. Vampire humans do not.

As much as I liked Dark Shadows as a pre-teen, and as much as I like the idea of living forever (though not drinking blood), I have to admit that I live in the real world where there are no vampires who fly around at night, sleep in coffins exist only on human blood, have super human strength and live forever.

I am somewhat disappointed with the wimpy vampires that are so disheartened that nobody understands them and they whine about it all the time. I agree with Dave Barry on wimpy vampires, "you're a vampire for god's sake, go fly around the city and BITE somebody".

Watch the scary vampire get knocked out!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bCKJk8NArY