"I prefer to avoid controlling people, and I think you've seen what I prefer to drink by now. It's not from the land." D's not quite certain what a primal is, but it sounds like some kind of life consuming demon or other ancient thing from what little he's heard.

"Is aether the 'life energy' of your world?" Vampires don't drink life energy from the land itself but it certainly is something they take alongside the blood they consume.