House of the Vampire, The by George Sylvester Viereck (1884 - 1962)

The House of the Vampire is a 1907 novella that is a very unusual vampire story. A young writer comes under the powerful influence of a mysterious older master, who seems to have left a trail of ruined proteges in his wake. The story is as much about the nature of artistic creation as it is a chilling vampire tale. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett)