Constanta is the narrator and a young vampire originally from a small Romanian village. Reborn into immortality and stripped of her human name, she is fiercely devoted to her maker but deeply conflicted by her new existence. She holds onto her religious faith and personal morality, attempting to use her vampirism to enact justice on wicked individuals. She is maternal, protective, and increasingly restless under the strict control of her immortal husband.

Dracula is an ancient, powerful vampire and the patriarchal head of his immortal household. Operating out of a crumbling Romanian castle and later traveling across Europe, he possesses a scientific fascination with the physiology of vampires. He is highly possessive, charismatic, and volatile, demanding absolute obedience and isolating his partners from the human world. He refuses to view humans as anything more than food or subjects for his research.

Magdalena is a brilliant Spanish noblewoman whom Dracula describes as a modern Machiavelli. Accustomed to engaging deeply in politics and philosophy, she embraces vampirism hoping it will grant her greater freedom to explore the world. She serves as a peacekeeper within the household but struggles deeply with the stagnation and isolation of her new immortal life.

Alexi is a vibrant, nineteen-year-old Russian artist's model who joins the vampire family to escape poverty and starvation. Tempestuous and full of life, he refuses to sever his ties to the human world, frequently attending literary salons and befriending mortals. His stubborn desire for an egalitarian existence frequently places him at odds with the strict rules of his new household.

Hanne is a young human embroiderer living in Vienna. She forms a brief friendship with Constanta, providing the vampire with a much-desired connection to humanity outside the castle walls.

The Plague Doctor is a desperate physician attempting to save his village from a deadly epidemic. He seeks the aid of the local feudal lord, completely unaware of the true predatory nature of the castle's inhabitants.