Portraits is a modern-day adaptation of Carmilla, a female vampire story, that takes place in present-day Los Angeles against a backdrop of burlesque and Victorian death photography.

Giada is a overachieving student who works to pay for college. Riccardo is a spoiled brat who answers her tutoring ad in order to improve his abysmal grades. She's shy and homely. He's handsome and brazen. As they say, opposites attract.