So all vampires have influence Emotions available on their vampire social wheel, even if they are level 1 and obviously have not unlocked this perk.
The bug report is here:
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/NEEDS-INPUT-A-V-Influence-Emotions-available-for-Vamps-who-haven/td-p/8026210Please go add a 'me too' as it needs much more exposure before it will be a priority with the devs.
The bug in a nut shell: All vampires, even born in-game and then newly aged teen vamps have this Influence Emotions perk unlocked. All the vamps can do the animation and it takes vampire energy for them to use it. However it has no effect on surrounding sims. It is an empty animation.
When the vamp has leveled up enough to buy the perk and then, of course, buys it, then it begins to work on surrounding sims and changes their emotions as it should.
It does need fixing as all your saves will be effected by this and every vampire in those saves will be effected. Including all your previously played but currently rotated away vampires, your currently being played vampires, all NPC vampires and any vampires currently being born in your games.