What Is Vampire Sex?

Oct. 29, 2010 — -- Ladies and gentlemen of consenting age, an announcement: Traditional forms of lovemaking are out. Vampire sex is in.

From television (HBO's "True Blood," The CW's "Vampire Diaries," ABC's "The Gates") and movies (the oh-so-profitable "Twilight" series) to literature (Google "vampire books," get approximately 44,900,000 results), vampires and their signature form of sex have sunk their teeth into pop culture (apologies) in a major way.

It's even bled into (sorry, again) entities outside the vampire oeuvre. Ted Danson's character dabbled in vampire role-play in a recent episode of HBO's "Bored to Death;" Kanye West raps "I've gotta feel you, bite your neck to get familiar" on La Roux's "In for the Kill."

But, uh, what exactly is vampire sex?

"Everything is more intense, more dramatic, and more passionate than what one would normally expect," said writer L.A. Banks. "It's a love that can go all night but without the little blue pill."

Banks is the author of the "Vampire Huntress Legends" series, a 12-book saga dripping with erotica of the underworldly sort. She's won awards for her work in paranormal fiction; she was featured in the 2008 HBO documentary, "Vampire Legends." With those kind of credentials, she's pretty much the Dr. Ruth of vampire sex.

"The biting on the neck has to happen," Banks said. "What it does is it makes the sex something exotic and taboo. It makes it terrible and intriguing at the same time."

Blood need not be drawn, but a bit of red isn't unsavory. A little -- or a lot -- of waiting never hurts. Often, the mere anticipation of a romp with an immortal is enough to make a human heart race. That's how the "Twilight" series, which doesn't feature sex until the final "Breaking Dawn" installment, manages to keep up interest while everyone's pants stay on.

"The suggestion of 'What would happen if,' the curiosity -- the whole thing of the vampire is desire," said Banks. "If you have this pining, aching desire, that's part of the draw."