Vampires. What makes them so special? Could it be the way they've been recently depicted as gorgeous, undead, sneaky, perfect, utterly irresistible human beings with a taste for the theatrical and...well...blood? Yeah, sounds about right. So far, people have altered the image of the vampire in so many different ways that they've turned from the monstrous, deadly Nosferatu, to the charming, witty version of today's seductresses, womanizers and bloodsuckers.

Books and movies have become the perfect place for vampires, and all of their little friends, to hit center stage. They've taken over the cinema with movies like Blade, Underworld, 30 Days of Night, True Blood and even the Twilight movie. They've been shaped and recreated to meet the standards of today's modern society and people just keep thirsting for more. And why wouldn't they? Vampires are those tall, dark, handsome, dangerous types that everyone seems to have a weakness for at some point. The real question is, HOW?

Vampires began as monsters. To be more specific, vampires are the damned, the dead, the demonic, the killers that haunted people in the night with their need for blood. Who would really even think of falling in love with a walking corps that has abnormally long teeth, crazy finger nails, white skin, and likes to drink essence of human? How would your first date really go?

Measly human: "Yes, I think I'll have the green salad."

Vampire: "The very rare steak sounds good. Perhaps the raw sausage or the juice from the meat package. Heck, maybe I'll just eat you."

Well, crap, that didn't go well. Either your first date left you with two, very suspicious teeth marks on your neck...or you're dead. *Sigh* Sounds romantic. No, really. It's a little strange, when you think of the original image, yet somehow they weaseled their way into the modern era and evolved into half the world's fantasy. Why wouldn't you dream of a sexy, hypnotizing, dreamy dude sucking on your neck and professing his love...or she, it could go either way (though, the vampire industry has seemed a little more centered around females). Today, vampires are highly emotional, incredibly powerful, and deeply disturbed beings, who really just need to be understood and accepted *tear*. It's hard for the modern vampires, being so gorgeous and immortal. Who would want that? That's just asking for depression. Then again, if you ask me, being drop dead gorgeous, naturally rich and having a giant, dark mansion in the woods where you can plant secret doors in closets and plot world domination seems like a pretty carefree life. Maybe they have it good. Maybe a little too good. Perhaps we should shun vampires for a while and call on them again when we are in need...or lonely...or want to fantasize about our fake vampire lovers. Anyways, we love the idea of dead hotties. We're suckers for the thought of being in a relationship with a creature older than our grandparents, paler than powdered sugar, colder than a penguin's butt, and dead as a doornail. So, how did they become so awesome? Who knows? All in all, the world loves vampires, despite all their freakish ways, and just seems to be having a ball with all the different mood swings vampires have been experiencing through the years. Are they man eaters, are they charmers, are they princes, peasants, shape shifters, allergic to silver? Any way you put it, they are intriguing and powerful little suckers, despite the fact that they are fictional. There's definitely some potential in vampires.