Why are we Drawn to Vampires?

Science fiction tends both to illuminate and obscure many issues relatedto human nature and its relationship to the animals below it and the spiritualnatures above it.  Our science fictionliterature and film are filled with creatures with supernatural qualities aswell as hybrid human qualities, not all that different from the ancient myths’depiction of a universe bursting with gods, demi-gods, and human-animal hybridmonsters.  Early in the creation ofmodern science fiction, the vampire was created (or perhaps borrowed from medievalmythology), an immortal monster who preys on human blood and is possessed withthe magnetism and predatorial instincts necessary to succeed both in the huntand in disguising its reality.  Sincethose early 19th century depictions of vampires, a steady evolutionof what vampires “are” has occurred, to the point where some of the more recentvampire story arcs such as The Twilight Saga render the vampire heroicand attractive, leading to our question for today: why are we drawn tovampires?