They can, though usually we have to drink them "through" a human. We haven't had a chance to go partying for a while though (and last time we did, we went quite overboard and got abducted by hunters).
While we're in this simulated 1920's world, caused by spooky haunted manor magicks, we're actually human. Relatively weak and powerless, though temporarily free of Malkavia, and able to experience the sun and nature. My character is rather conflicted between wanting to stay in this dream (she was ghouled in the 30's, though she hardly remembers that life) and needing to complete the mission her sire assigned her.
She's even rather disgusted by the rest of the party. Previously this was hidden under a mask of quiet obedience, but here in the dream she's been exchanging snide barbs like a normal person. Ironically I think it's bringing them together as people.
Anyway, we're in the 1920's to gather information on Malkavia. Death is no threat, in fact it's generally the way out (though sometimes we just respawn, it's not clear why). We do keep derangements and lose spent willpower points normally, though.
The last thing that happened was... rather explicit brain surgery. On my character. She claimed to be allergic to anaesthetic so she could stay awake and learn, trading cooperation for information (she is tough as nails, and this worked fairly well). The doctor is no sadist and finds her cooperation convenient, if a bit surprising, and is discussing his work rather freely.
She also demanded to watch the procedure on her "Dreadful, disgusting" companions
What he's doing is very weird, though... He's inducing immortality in a very odd way. He carefully cuts up the subject's hindbrain, removing certain "unwanted" bits. Seemingly inducing a state of torpor... in *humans*. And a sensation very similar to the initial embrace. At this point, before WW2, he only has the first half of the embrace though... The euphoria, death-like experience, and the draining of blood. We've seen the result in the manor: slow, seemingly immortal zombie-like creatures. But at that point he somehow had access to Malkavian vitae, which he administered via IV. The results weren't true vampires but, essentially, he seemed to be scientifically creating insane vampire zombies.
This is what he did to my character, except without the vitae part. Like half an embrace, one that ended in unspeakable diablery-like horror instead of dark rebirth. She's currently a bit mindless, but I think that'll end once she dies.
He probably found the vitae source during WW2... many of his notes were in German, which my character fortunately learned as an Allied medic in the war (where she met her sire). I may need to ask the GM for a reminder about what they said. This is all so weird, I needed to take notes before I forget.
....
>they drugged my laudanum
That's kinda the point. ;P
Indeed
Basically we all got laudanum, the Gangrel just asked for it. My character asked for water but figured she was being drugged, the point was to get captured. She almost stayed awake, even.