A 43-year-old bodyguard who has identified as a vampire for the past 23 years has revealed he loved the taste of his own blood so much that he now feeds on the blood of those he loves.
Joseph Burris - who goes by the name Ludavik - says that he was always into the gothic lifestyle, but upon tasting his own blood at the age of 20 he decided he would change his life around and embark on a new, darker journey.
After doing some research into why he was passionate about drinking his own blood, he realised that he related to the history and traits of vampires - including his love of the night.
Joseph, who has porphyria which causes him to burn easily in the sun, as well as struggling to see in the light, said: "I was always thinking outside the box of normal life to help me identify with more of what sat in my soul.
"I’ve only fed on the blood of a few trusted people and I prefer it to be the blood from lovers.
"I also only allow lovers to feed on my blood too because it’s an act of binding us to one another. It's more of a pledge to each other."
The bodyguard added that each 'vampire' is different, explaining: "Blood tastes different depending on the person's lifestyle. You are what you eat.
"So for example, someone who eats lots of meat will have a more thick consistency and saltier tasting blood compared to someone who’s vegetarian.
"Someone who smokes will have a different flavour to someone who doesn't. I like the blood I drink to come from a healthy individual, it simply has every flavour in the right amounts."
After exploring all the avenues of blood, Joseph, from Colorado, US, says that his fashion sense perfectly emulates who he wants to be.
He describes his ‘vampire fashion’ as a combination of Victorian-gothic style crossed with the cyberpunk look, stating that this naturally emits from him.
Speaking about how he has always wanted to be his true self, Joseph said: "Being who you are should always come naturally from within. It should be so strong others can feel who you are without any exotic clothes or actions of any kind.
"If you’re the real thing then it’ll come naturally, if not then nothing will ever happen."
And the vampire has never had reservations about telling people who he truly is, saying most people 'always recognise or reference' him as one.
And regarding his bizarre practice, Joseph admits that in the last 23 years, he has: "Drank between 22-25 pints of blood.
"However, the human stomach can only absorb small amounts of human blood at a time."
Prior to receiving any blood, he takes precautions. He said: "It's important to always have the lover or donor tested for HIV and AIDS before any action is done.
"Anyone can get a blood-born disease and one must be safe and take precautions at all times.
"I always make sure everything is clean and sharp when drawing blood, and I also make sure I have bandages close by."
