"The Vampyre; a Tale" by John William Polidori is a short work of prose fiction written in 1819. Born from the same legendary ghost story contest that produced Frankenstein, this tale follows young Aubrey as he travels Europe with the mysterious Lord Ruthven, a charming nobleman who delights in others' ruin. When Aubrey discovers the horrifying truth about his companion, a binding oath prevents him from warning those he loves most. Polidori transformed the vampire from folklore creature into the aristocratic predator recognized today. (This is an automatically generated summary.)