HOUSTON – Blood sucking, dark and evil -- the images have become part of modern pop culture, but Local 2 is learning Houston has its own self-proclaimed vampire community that isn't quite as dark.
The community has lawyers, teachers and maybe even your next-door neighbor.
"There's no telling how many of us there are," said Houston vampire Tarik Rever.
Rever has long black hair, shining eyes.
"Natural light affects me," said Rever. "I'm not really fond of garlic."
But he's more than meets the eye. By day, Rever works at a local store.
"Just ringing up people, cashiering, selling stuff, you know, promotions, event planning," said Rever.
By night, Rever is not sucking blood or preying on the dead at graveyards. He's an artist. On weekends he devotes time to re-habbing a house for the art community.
"We basically do stuff like restoration projects that restore older houses and bring culture in," said Rever.
Rever suspects there are a surprisingly large number of vampires in Houston.
"It's definitely over 1,000, easy," said Rever.
Rever said many are afraid to acknowledge their true being.
"Sometimes people will go against their natural instincts because the pull of gravity of this world. You know, whether they go to a 9-to-5 corporate job or they're a teacher or have certain expectations thrust upon by their families," said Rever.
So how can you tell if you might be vampire?
"In most cases people have an inert, dormant part of them that can be vampiric. I'm starting to feel sick when I'm not around people. That's a big thing," said Rever. "You know, if you're feeling healthier around people you might be subconsciously pulling in their energy. Someone has a sense of perception like their mental acuity is very sharp, their sense of smell, their hearing. I (won't) say superhuman, but acute."
Rever said he's proud to be a vampire.
"I'm just like right here, drinking in the energy of this room. I think it's a natural thing for me so I don't fight it at all," said Rever.
Rever said you shouldn't be afraid of vampires, saying they're genuinely nice and jovial.
If you think you might be a vampire or just want to learn more, you can connect with Rever's vampire group ANKH through Facebook.