The alternative is a life force goddess / vixen who takes the life force of others, to remain ... young and beautiful ? Why is this such a common theme / myth / archetype / trope no matter the culture or time of humanity?
Probably the same reason why it is so scary for humanity to think that we die and there is nothing else after death...Yet at the same time we find it equally scary that the dead remain with us in some form of necrophobic reality...No it is better if we believe in life after death, but the ghosts leave this area of reality / plane of reality and go someplace else...Necrophobia is the ultimate NIMBY get those dead things some place else, put them in heaven or the underworld just keep it away from me for I do not want neighbors who have moved on yet I want to know that I can move on and live a good life after death
The paradox of wanting both of these things at the same time causes us to desire an answer we can reconcile and find happiness in. Just like the paradox we want to grow old except we don't.