It took a plane ride, a coffee shop, and a tacky tour guide to convince me of one chilling fact: vampires exist. And they do. Well, sort of.

I had taken a family trip to New Orleans, a city rich with mysticism and folklore. It was on a ghost tour of the city that I heard talk of vampires. Now I know what you're thinking: ghost tours are cheesy, fake, and feed off of gullible tourists. Maybe that's true. But I've done my research, and this was more than a gimmick.

There are humans around the country that actually refer to themselves as vampires. And according to the Atlanta Vampire Alliance, there 5,000 of them in the United States. Many deck themselves out in gothic apparel and wear fangs so that their smiles mirror the bloodsucking creatures seen in movies. But what really defines them as "vampires" is their thirst for human blood.

Now, don't freak out. They don't slink through the streets at night looking for a bite. They take blood from willing donors only, and they do so in a careful way. Many of these donors are friends, family, or those interested in the lifestyle.

One such person was John Edgar Browning, a scholar and author who devoted a large part of his work to the study of vampires. He allowed a "real vampire" to feed off of him when he was in New Orleans. The Washington Post detailed his experience as so: "This person used a disposable scalpel to make a tiny prick on Browning's back, then used his fingers to squeeze the area until blood came out. He put his mouth directly over the warm liquid and lapped it up, repeating the process two or three times before cleaning Browning's wound."

In Browning's own article, he explains that there is no scientific explanation to account for their need to feed, though they themselves call it a "condition." Many have reported feeling very sickly when they go long periods of time without blood with symptoms like nausea and fatigue. They still maintain a regular human diet along with feeding, which they do around 2-3 times a week. This sustains their mental and physical health.

Browning also goes on to say that these people lead startlingly average lives. Most of them can be found doing completely normal things like walking their dogs in the parks or even volunteering at soup kitchens. I found this to be true during my own encounter in New Orleans, which is home to at least 50 of these vampires.

We had taken a coffee break on our ghost tour when our guide looked up from her crimson mug and waved. A man in line smiled back at her, revealing two shiny fangs so sharp I feared they'd pierce his lip. But other than the small weapons perched inside his mouth, he appeared to be completely average, sipping his coffee kindly and leaning against the counter in a black T-shirt and jeans.

You'd think it would scare people to see a man with fangs just lounging in a public place. But that's the beauty of New Orleans; it is bursting with color, buoyed by the vibrant and eccentric offbeat community. It is a haven, a place where people are free to sing of legends in the streets, pedal potions, and maybe even enjoy an indulgent snack.

If you'd like to know more, check out Browning's research note.