>Sympathy?
>Big business?
>Acceptance?
All of the above and of course, the most important one of all -
Rulership.
Vampires are painted as soooo irresistible to mere humans.
And oh the struggles they have with immortality, having no soul, having to feed on lowly humans to survive. The accompanying superpowers are just cold comfort. Blech…
IMO the vampire thing is to normalize humans-as-cattle.
The blood thing is symbolic 'the life is in the blood'.
Modern day vampires - although some do drink blood - their main gig is psychic draining.
Taking your life force from you by many means.
Taking your energy for their own.
Depleting you until you're weak and spent…and will do their bidding willingly.
These stories are mirrored in this world and they are ENERGY VAMPIRES.
Be aware, take back the life force they've stolen, don't let them take any more.