Daughters of Darkness

Stefan and Valerie check into a grand Ostend hotel for their winter honeymoon. The hotel is nearly empty, heightening their sense of secrecy as they plan to travel to England. Valerie notices Stefan's reluctance to phone his mother, hinting at trouble ahead.

The mysterious Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory arrives by Bristol with her secretary Ilona and requests the royal suite. The concierge says it is occupied, so she takes the adjoining suite instead. Elizabeth reveals a chilling aura and she seems to age very little, fixating on Stefan and Valerie.

Valerie reads a local newspaper in their suite about Bruges' child murders, each victim's throat slashed. The chilling details unsettles her and foreshadow danger around the hotel. The ominous atmosphere deepens Valerie's unease.

During a visit to Bruges the next day, Stefan and Valerie stumble upon a freshly discovered crime scene. Valerie is disturbed by Stefan's morbid fascination with the murders. The encounter foreshadows the peril surrounding their stay.

Elizabeth and Ilona mingle with Stefan and Valerie in the hotel lobby. A police officer hints at knowing Elizabeth from years past. Elizabeth explains she is a Bathory descendant and recounts the violent legacy, while Valerie recoils and Stefan seems aroused.

Stefan uses the hotel phone to call his mother. The mother is revealed as a middle-aged, effeminate man who scolds him for marrying, yet expresses curiosity about meeting Valerie. The awkward conversation deepens Stefan's sense of secrecy.

That night, Stefan attacks Valerie in their hotel room, culminating in a brutal, sadistic rape. The violence reveals a dangerous, possessive side to their relationship and leaves Valerie frightened and trapped.

Next day, Ilona seduces Stefan while Valerie attempts to leave Ostend. Elizabeth intervenes, blocking Valerie's exit. The trio discusses the relationship, and Elizabeth warns Valerie that Stefan would treat her as inferior.

During a bathroom confrontation, Ilona slashes her hand on a razor and fatally falls on it. Elizabeth takes charge, ordering Valerie to help with the grim task of cleaning up. They bury Ilona's body on the beach and return to the hotel at dawn.

After burying Ilona, Valerie remains under Elizabeth's spell and refuses to leave Ostend with Stefan. A violent confrontation ensues and Stefan's wrists are slashed by a broken bowl as he bleeds to death. Elizabeth and Valerie drink Stefan's blood and wrap his corpse before loading it into Elizabeth's car to dispose of outside town.

The surviving pair flee in Elizabeth's car toward the France border, hoping to avoid daylight. On a dense forest road, sunlight blinds them and Valerie loses control of the vehicle. Elizabeth is thrown from the car, impaled on a broken branch, and the car explodes, ending their pursuit.

Several months later, Valerie discerns the change within herself as her voice takes on Elizabeth's. She approaches a new couple at a resort, signaling the continuation of Bathory's predatory legacy. The transformation completes as Valerie becomes the vessel for a sinister lineage.