The next most common method of feeding, and the one most commonly used by (mostly fledgling) vampires either squeamish about feeding off of a living host or else ethically opposed to it, is using blood donated to a blood collection center.

There are advantages to this method. A big advantage is that the blood is pre-screened to be top quality, and catalogued. A blood connoisseur who prefers AB negative blood over O Positive will get AB negative every time.

One disadvantage is that because of the dearth of donors, and because of the collection centers’ primary mission of using the blood for human medical purposes, this supply comes at a premium. A one pint single-serving packet may cost upwards of $250, depending on type and availability.

Another concern is temperature. Blood packets are kept chilled to retard the breakdown of cells. The packets should be carefully reheated in a warm water bath before consumed. If heated too quickly, the blood cells break down and their nutritive benefits are lost.