This could be because vampire bats, by their nature, are closely related to the vampire itself. They are nocturnal, and feed exclusively off the blood of various mammals and other vertebrates. They have very sharp teeth which they use to pierce the victim's skin, and then they lap up the blood as it flows. The ability to transform at will into mist has brought many advantages to the vampire, allowing him to escape vampire hunters and other dangers quickly. Back to top of Page Skin Historically, vampire skin was dark instead of the alabaster skin we see today in film.
Skin naturally turns darker and sloughs off the bone as the body decomposes.
Today, vampire skin is by nature very white and smooth. This is likely due to the fact that these creatures are nocturnal, and never get to see the sun. Their skin therefore gets bleached over time. Also, the vampire is an undead creature, and unless he has recently fed, there is a lack of colour-giving blood in his body. In The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice describes the vampire skin as nearly transparent when the vampire is starved for blood.