We open at midnight, and things are quiet. Too Quiet. The silence is broken by hurricane force winds, followed by tremendous hail, and soon a mighty storm rages.
But not every sleeper is awakened. For in a dark old house, in a room filled with antique furniture and an odd portrait, sleeps a Distressed Damsel. The writer goes to great pains to tell us how beautiful and desirable she is.
Lightning flashes, followed by close thunder, and the girl awakes. She sees a dark figure at the window, tapping at the panes with its fingernails.
A nearby mill has caught on fire, and the reddish light forms a hellish backdrop for the dark figure. Naturally the girl tries to call for help, but can manage only a hoarse whisper.
The portrait appears to be looking at the intruder, which finally smashes a small pane, sticks in a fleshless hand, and unlocks the window. No Vampire Invitation needed here!
The figure has a bloodless white complexion, eyes the color of polished tin, drawn-back lips...and fangs. It glides along the floor, its long fingernails drooping from its hands.
The girl is repelled yet fascinate3d, and cannot speak or flee.
The clock strikes one, and the figure hisses. The girl's hair covers the width of the bed, which proves her undoing, as the creature seizes her lovely locks and pins the girl down. Then the vampyre begins to suck her blood!
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This first chapter has been reprinted quite a bit as an example of how Purple Prose is not necessarily a bad thing. The traditional vampire story elements of darkness, age, innocent maiden and horrific creature blend well here. The girl appears to be a bit of a Purity Sue, but this was a more common type in the mid-Nineteenth Century.
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