The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories

A village has become derelict and abandoned; it is now overrun by night creatures. In a stately home, the vampire queen and countess of the land sits beneath portraits of her ancestors and reads tarot cards. She remembers the way a priest killed her vampiric father, and reflects on how she now owns the village and all the land surrounding it. At night she ventures into her garden and hunts for animals. If a traveler arrives in the village, an old watchman will invite him to the countess to be eaten. One day, a young soldier arrives. Elsewhere, the countess draws “the lovers” tarot card for the first time. The man is disappointed by the run-down village, but he meets the old woman and goes to the countess’s house. He is invited to dine alone and is suspicious of his surroundings, but dismisses his fears. After dinner he’s invited to meet the countess; he’s astonished by her beauty as well as her frailty. She acts afraid of him, knocking over her tarot cards. She collects herself and offers the man coffee before inviting him to her bedroom. Soon, he follows her, ignoring his fearful instincts. The countess becomes overwhelmed; she drops her glasses, shattering them.