A stunning new paperback edition of the original vampire story that inspired Dracula -- featuring blood-red sprayed edges, an eternally sexy spine, art deco design, and thoughtful layout for a seductive reading experience Sapphic longing meets gothic horror in this "exploration of obsessive first love [as] both exciting and monstrous . . . perfect for YA readers" and adult fans of Anne Rice (Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author) Steeped in the sexual tension between two young women, this is a beautiful, brand-new edition of the original cult classic which influenced Dracula and all the vampire stories that followed, including Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest - the beautiful Carmilla. So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her entrancing companion, one defined by mysterious happenings and infused with an indeniable eroticism. But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day... Pre-dating Dracula by 26 years, Carmilla is the original vampire story, a rediscovered classic of sexual tension and gothic romance.