n 1989, Lara, 16, is expelled from an English boarding school for injuring a classmate.
Her estranged father, Dr. Hill, an art historian, must now take her along on a research expedition across the Iron Curtain.
Their destination is the Castle von Karnstein: Once an opulent 19th century mountain spa, the castle is now nearly a ruin, set for demolition by the towns despotic General Spiegel.
Lara struggles to co-exist with her distant father, when a car accident thrusts the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla, 17, into their lives. Finding Carmillas charms irresistible, Lara eagerly follows her out at night, where they explore the castle and surrounding forest.
When Carmilla suddenly disappears, the castle's dormant supernatural forces awaken.
As Dr. Hill obsesses with a hidden mural, whose shadowy images mirror his own dark secrets, Lara succumbs to a mysterious illness. In feverish dreams, Carmilla appears and forces Lara to witness unspeakable horrors.
Other young women in the town of Styria experience similar visitations, leading to madness and a rash of suicides.
With darkness descending and the town in chaos, General Spiegel seeks to exact revenge upon the Castles inhabitants. Trying to hide from the General and the feral village girls, Carmilla offers Lara an escape into an enchanting, hidden world.
But before she can enter, Lara must commit a final ghastly act that will unite her and Carmilla forever.