The Vampyre (1819) by John William Polidori (1795-1821) constitutes a foundational work for the fantasy genre as a whole and, more specifically, for the vampiric subgenre. However, to date, there has been no internationally published annotated critical edition that delves into the author, the intricate process of writing and publishing the text, or its relationship with the rich vampiric tradition that followed. From the perspective of its translation into Spanish, there has also been no completely satisfactory version of the text. This edition aims to fill this editorial gap by presenting a bilingual edition of the text with a new annotated translation. It is accompanied by a preliminary critical study that examines the complex relationship the author had with Lord Byron, the role of the famous evening at Villa Diodati in the composition of The Vampyre, as well as the intricate editing process of the novella (initially attributed to Byron). The study also explores its critical reception and the influence it has exerted on the vampire genre.