Vampires are not just imaginary creatures of fiction or legend—they really exist. They are the people who, having never received love, settle for power instead, and become experts at robbing others of their vital energy. We've all known them.

In her fascinating study of this dark psychological archetype, Barbara Hort looks to traditional myths as well as to their modern equivalents in literature, theater, and film, following a blood-soaked trail to such unexpected destinations as The Silence of the Lambs, "Snow White," and the Broadway musical Gypsy. She offers insight into how psychic vampires originate, how we allow ourselves to be caught in their clutches, and how we can protect ourselves from their seductive influence.