The blame shouldn't be laid at Anne Rice's feet, but in the past 15 years or so, Vampirism has been on the rise as an "alternative lifestyle." These are not folks who simply wear black, and read gothic novels. They sport dental implants, come out only at night, and yes, drink their lovers' blood.
(If I learned anything at my years in NYU, it was that people in Greenwich Village are WEIRD.)
And recently a young boy in Texas was accused of belonging to a vampire cult:
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_more.php?id=64507_0_10_0_M
Really wierd story ping, guys.