Dracula's Guest

Dracula’s Guest is a gothic short story by Bram Stoker, first published in 1914, two years after his death. Often considered a deleted opening chapter of Dracula, the tale follows an unnamed English traveler journeying through Bavaria on Walpurgis Night. Ignoring his coachman’s warnings, he wanders into a desolate village rumored to be cursed and haunted by supernatural forces. As a violent storm erupts, he takes shelter in a mausoleum, where he encounters a mysterious and beautiful female vampire. The atmosphere grows increasingly tense as lightning strikes the tomb, seemingly destroying the undead figure while wolves gather in the darkness. The traveler narrowly survives the night, rescued under strange circumstances linked to Count Dracula himself. Rich in mood and suspense, the story emphasizes isolation, folklore, and the lurking presence of vampiric evil that would later define Stoker’s famous novel.