The Viking berserkers of Odin were among the most fearsome and vicious warriors to this day. They were known to often use witchcraft or necromacy to defeat their fows but one of their most powerful assets was their bloodlust. They became so invigorated in combat that they actual drank the blood of their foes, sometimes biting them to death viciously.
The idea of sexual drinking of blood and the vampyre cult/religion/wicca did not arrive until later though and it is believed to have been started by the Valkyrae (female Viking berserkers adorned in scantily clad armor to seduce opposing forces then kill them). A certain group of Valkyraen berserkers would slay men by seducing them through wicca then drinking all the life out of them. It wast most likely the early Valkyrae that started the vampyre cult as we know today.
Around 200 bc the vikings started to populate two area's 1. Modern Day Greece and Italy and 2. Romania (Transylvannia). Surprise Surprise! The Vikings were however stopped by the Celtic races and had very little influence vampyricly on those cultures.
This Vampyre cult of witchcraft/sadism moved it's way to the heart of the romanian cultures and Russia, and of course through Greece and Italy and caught it's firm hold in europe. Some how for reason's unclear the cult led very early to the egyptians. The specifics of how are under discussion still. Now about the 1600's or so began the Medevil times and spiritual revolution and the church in europe became in great power and began to persecute all heresy. And who do you think who be at the top of the burn and stake list. Vampyre's. Their popularity had spread through the exhibitions of Vlad Dracule so now vampyre's became mosters to be desroyed. Mass persecution enveloped and as with the witch hunts facts about vampyres became way over exaderrated. Most of the the indivuals staked burned or beheaded at that time were not Vampyres.
What is a vampyre? The answere is simple yet complex. The first and most obvious answere would be anyone who drinks blood and drinks "the life from the blood" and has a bloodlust. What makes vampyres vampyres, is that they have a bloodlust whether they choose to fulfill it or not doesn't change the fact of what they are.
What is "the bloodlust"? The bloodlust is an intense desire or yearning for the spiritual aspect of blood. It is like a hunger but decisively different. The bloodlust causes a thirst in the throat and in the chest but not in the stomach.
What is "the vampyre cult". The Vampyre Cult is an ancient and evil wiccan cult that casts spells of necromacy (having to do with death). This cult is ancient and vast and can be extreemly powerful (according to folklore).
Do vampyre's have special powers? Oh yea. Immortality....not really but longevity,yes. According to folklore all sorts of amazing powers come from drinking the life from the blood and it varies from individual to individual.