News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Mum-of-two Julia Caples is a real-life vampire - who drinks almost two litres of blood a month from willing human donors.

The 45-year-old has been sucking blood for over 30 years while bringing up her two children, Alexi, 11 and Ariel, 24.

Care-­worker Julia 'hunts' for willing 'donors' -­fellow vampire fans willing to let Julia drink from them -­at her local occult and oddities store.

During drinking sessions at her Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania home, Julia carefully cuts them with a pagan-­like sterilised knife she designed herself.

She believes that guzzling down the the lifeblood from others keeps her feeling young and vigorous -­just like ageless vampires from cult movies.

"When I feed off of a person and drink their blood I feel stronger and healthier," she said.

"I know scientifically there's not a lot nutrition in blood, but maybe there's some value we haven't discovered yet.

"I feel more beautiful than any other time when I'm regularly drinking.

"I'm also extremely healthy with no major health problems, and I have an abundance of energy all the time.

"At times I've drunk half-­a-­gallon a month."

WARNING - GRAPHIC PICTURE BELOW

(Image: Barcroft Media)

Her fascination with blood began as a young girl, during her first kiss as a teenager, when she got the urge to bite her sweetheart with disastrous consequences.

"It was my natural instinct and I liked the taste, she said. "I just got an urge and can't really explain it. It's never gone away.

"Needless to say though, he never kissed me again."

She says she and goth friends did it occasionally through her teens, but it wasn't until Julia met ex-­husband Donald, 49, that she started drinking regularly.

Counsellor Donald, who's still good friends with Julia and shares parenting duties, got married in a vampire-­themed wedding in October 2000 and even drank from each other to celebrate.

(Image: Barcroft Media)

The pair became part of a subculture of vamp fans who would hit New York nightclubs and drink from each other.

But when the pair had son Alexi, they decided something had to give and Donald vowed never to drink again.

"I gave up, so Julia didn't have to," he said. "We agreed that one of us would need to stop and focus on parenting full time.

"Julia still likes to drink, but she's also an amazing mother, and her children come first. She'd never let it stop her mothering her kids."

Despite his mum's efforts to keep her lifestyle secret from him, Alexi is beginning to suspect his mum's ghoulish ways.

"We have all these decorations at home like coffins and dolls. I'm starting to think she's a vampire," he said.

Daughter Ariel also worries about Julia's bloody habit. "I don't agree with it," she said.