June 10, 2007 (NY Daily News / Clare Trapasso) -- Scour the Romanian countryside for vampires in time for the 110th anniversary of Bram Stoker's "Dracula." The summer version (July 10-17) of the popular Dracula Tour takes vampire hunters to several spooky Transylvania locales, including the Snagov Island grave of Vlad Tepes - aka Vlad the Impaler, the violent ruler said to have inspired the Dracula character.

February 16, 2007 (nbc5i.com / Dallas, Fort Worth) - An Arizona woman is under arrest, accused of tying up her lover on Valentine's Day in order to drink his blood. Police in Tempe, Ariz., said 23-year-old Tiffany Sutton allegedly tricked her 43-year-old victim with an offer of kinky sex.

I tremble with desire
From the storm and the night
Vanishing in passion's flames
At the coming of light
For the darkness conceals
The dance of the soul
Swirling and writhing
Within hunger's control

Gripped with the knowledge
That what exists for me
Can only be found
In the depths of ecstasy

Storm Spirit
March 21, 2002

December 24, 2002 (Newspaper Publishing PLC) - Rumours that Western aid agencies are collecting human blood in return for food aid have spread panic among villagers in famine-stricken Malawi, who are barricading their homes out of a fear of vampires. The anxiety is so great in parts of southern Malawi that farm workers in one of Africa's poorest countries are staying at home.

Bow me down to you
Bend my legs beneath me
Pull my head to the floor.

I have lower status than you.

Or so I chose.

Pull my hands out in front of me
Position me just right
Just how you want me.
Want me.

Claudia Lake