Eclectic Feeding (sometimes more than a supplemental measure)
By: Grayangel
In the years since my awakening I have discussed often what makes a vampire and how these elements adapt and define the lives of the vampires they touch. One (nearly) unanimously agreed upon concept is that a vampires primary feed is what defines they type of vampire they are. Be it Sanguinary, Pranic, PSY, Empathic, Elemental, or Negative Energy. Each has their own unique feeding styles and views of their nature, which have been tempered in the fires of their primary feed. I've read quite a few articles/discussion out there about the types of feeding. However there is a great dearth that comes to mind; discussions of the vampires whose (like myself) "primary" feed is eclectic. Being an eclectic feeder is one of the pan-ultimate mixed blessings out there. It affords us the ability to feed from basically every source out there. And I'm sure that any vampire who has gone without for very long because of their feed not being available sees the advantages granted within the is innate aptitude. On the other side of that however remains this truth, the eclectic feeder not only can feed from all sources but needs to. With developed skills we can substitute one type of energy for another, and I dare say that an eclectic feeder has an easier time of this than any other types of vampires would. Even so we have to feed from each source sooner or later as only so many substitutions will work. We are then faced with the added complexity of staying aware of our feeding to a very high degree. Take the challenges of knowing how much too feed, from what/who and when that all vampires face, and multiply them geometrically for an eclectic who has to not only keep those things straight for each energy source but who also has to make sure that they know when the last time they fed from each type was, how much, under what conditions, and so fourth. I can be fully fed from an empathic energy source and need not feed again that night, but this does not lessen my need for a pranic or elemental feed. A parallel would be a Bear as compared with a Lion and a Blue Jay. True the Bear is the most likely to find something to eat. But if it were to eat just as the Lion does it would get ill sooner or later. The same is true for the Blue Jay. And while the Lion and Blue Jay have a harder time finder their source of food, they know once they've found it that they will be sustained (provided there is enough of course). An example of this is my current situation. I have been very well fed lately due to spending hours and days out during the Mardi Gras festival & due to some very delicious thunderstorms lately. Not to mention the inherent radiance of the city of New Orleans. However it has been roughly a year since my last sanguine feed and even with a rather vast supply/reservoir of energy at my disposal I still feel that ache of something missing (happily I have learned how to determine what this specific ache portends). And even though I was going to parades daily and I was out walking and exposing myself to the elements I was still craving a pranic feed for quite a while (up until a visit from my beloved allowed me the chance to satiate that hunger). Another duality of being an eclectic feeder is the way that the vampiric society as a whole tends seem only half aware of us, often thinking of us as one of the other types of vampires who displays some sort of knack for alternate styles of feeding. This can be a bit bothersome to more developed eclectic feeders however is really rather minor. To the newly awakening eclectic feeder however it could pose a dire threat. If a newly awakened eclectic were to mistakenly believe themselves to a different type of vampire they could end up getting very ill and very depressed as they fail to feed enough to sustain themselves despite having a ready supply of what they mistakenly consider their primary feed.
This article is to serve as an introduction and will be followed by a more detailed article later. For those awakening however I will give you a quick rule of thumb as to how you might determine that you are an eclectic feeder, if when you hear other vampires of differing types talk about their primary feed you think "yeah I that sounds like me", then look into it more deeply you may very well be an eclectic.
I hope this first article is informative and serves to expand interest and awareness regarding the eclectic feeders within the vampiric community.
Blessings of darkness and light, Grayangel