symptoms

time girlfriend had accidentally cut herself, and I licked it up happily ;). Apparently she saw that I thoroughly enjoyed this and offered me some more blood at a later time. Using a dagger of mine, she would prick her hand or finger, and I would feed until she told me to stop. NOTE: Using a dagger, and cutting on the hand was probably not the smartest thing to do. We were lucky that nothing went wrong. But, anyhow, she began to feed me regularly. I won't tell the whole story here, because it has more to do with my Awakening so it'll be in that section.

The craving for blood, especially when you haven't fed in a long time (like me right now... ugh!), for me at least, has many side effects. The "Beast", evil streak, feral side of us- whatever you want to call it comes out. And you'll do things that you shouldn't and take risks that you shouldn't. You certainly enter a mania. I've found that, in being a hunter (as vamps naturally are), we all have that extra will that drives us. For instance, most predators don't eat until they're hungry. So what is it that drives them, gives them the energy to hunt, when they certainly aren't getting any from their stomach? It's their will. Their will to survive keeps them going, giving a surge of energy, like superadrenaline. Personally, I've had such a craving for blood that I start shaking, because I'm so full of energy (and obviously I can't go hunting in society- ironically enough this coming from a hunter, I think it's a bit immoral. It's also illegal, and will likely get you thrown either in a prison for a loooong time, killed, or living your life out within four rubber walls.

From, everything I've seen, the blood isn't necessarily required to live, but similar to vitamins, necessary to living a healthy, positive life. I'm quite certain, that a lack of blood, shortens your life as well. My family members have been known to die young, and many have told me in secret of times when they did have blood. But either it scared them or they kept everything in secret. Also, the fact that going without makes you irritable, tired, sluggish, and can induce a kind of temporary insanity, is certainly reason enough to feed regularly.

However, another risk is in diseases. There are many blood-born diseases that we have to worry about, since we are at high risk of catching them unless we are extremely safe about our donors and sources of blood. For instance, there are many STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) that are also blood-bron, like AIDs.

One last note, we have to make sure, that by all means our donors are kept safe. If a cut goes to deep, or hits a gushing vein that's gushing a bit too fast, or anything else goes wrong, we have to know what to do. This means knowing first aid most definately, and some level of both anatomy and bloodletting methods. True, we could simply go to an emergency room, but there are two big problems with that. One, "Ok, Doctor, you see what happened is I'm a vampire. But, shhh, keep it a secret. Anyway, I started to make a cut so I could get my blood, but something must've gone wrong, because blood just started pouring out!". Heh... yeah, right. You better think up an awfully good excuse before you choose that venue. Second, if blood is gushing, or a vital organ is punctured (what kind of bloodletting are you doing?!), there isn't much time to pack up and make a trip to your friendly, local ER. Action needs to be immediate. Ambulances could work, but scroll up and read the doctor choice, and you'll probably change your mind.

So, you think you want to be a vampire?
Want to be turned? Well you may have heard this before, but we go through a lot too. Read this, and think twice about exactly it is that you're seeking. Additionally, no one in their right mind would "turn" you even if they knew how. Even the rumors detail only people that vamps watch for YEARS. Essentially, your shot is about 1 in Infinity. I woulnd't hold your breath. To my fellow vamps, this can just serve as a reference as to what others go through. I know there are some that don 't go through as much, but also some who go through much worse. Nevertheless, here's my symptoms and experiences.

- Craving for Blood -

I really hadn't noticed a pattern, until my awakening began. But then, looking back, I realized I had always found a way to obtain blood in one way or another, and that what I had been feeling was a dire craving, that I had to satiate. As a little kid, whenever my friends were bleeding (I know it sothing from a little taste (which tortures more than anything), to whatever limb they got cut being gently drained in my mouth.

Growing up, I started shifting to girlfriends. I didn't make a spectacle out of it, but whenever they cut themselves, I would lick up their blood (pretending to just be playing around and being sensual. It is sensual, but that wasn't exactly my primary concern at the time). Then, the whole thing took another turn; one day my long-