The
connection between vampires and sexuality is easy to make primarily because of
the physical act of penetration in order to get at a victim’s blood. It’s also
not a coincidence that vampires bite on the neck, a well-established erogenous
zone. Other common feeding points include the wrist and the inner thigh.
Furthermore, it’s not hard to imagine a correlation between a vampire’s fangs
and legends of vagina dentata.
But the
sexuality goes deeper than simple physical attributions. Vampires universally
lure and seduce victims rather than use their superior physical prowess to
force themselves on victims. Their traits of physical attraction, the charming
demeanor, and the supernatural ability to mesmerize make them perfect at such
seduction. Moreover, vampires don’t stand out as supernatural creatures. They
blend in perfectly with society, even taking their place in the higher classes
where they wield political and financial power, making them even more
attractive.
There is
also the religious aspect to consider, at least for the European vampire. The
early Christian church concerned itself greatly with the idea of chastity, even
going so far as to forbid all sexual
contact for everyone. Fortunately
this was tempered, but sexuality never lost its sinful nature.