Greetings to all who have chosen to read my story.  Any questions or comments should be addressed to me via email: cody.hayes@sbcglobal.net

New Generation

Chapter I

Now God be thanked that all has not been in vain!
See!  The snow is not more stainless than her forehead!
The curse has passed away!-

Dracula-Bram Stoker (1897)

     The night air in the Romanian province of Wallachia was informing its citizens that winter was still here, but a warm fire inside the Tepes residence made everything bright and cheery.  Tonight was the first complete day that Adrian Tepes spent with his family since his return home after slaying the beast known as Dracula.

     From within the walls of the sitting room Adrian Tepes and Richter Belmont shared a glass of wine and discussed local politics until Adrian's eyes turned away from his brother-in-law to Gabriel Potter, a young Austrian man, who assisted Adrian in his battle with Vlad the Implaer; and his young son, Alcander.

     Gabriel extended his hand and motioned Alcander to slap his palm into Gabriel's, but when the blonde headed two-year-old attempted to slap his tiny hand into Gabriel's, Gabriel quickly pulled his hand away.  Alcander missed the slap, and Gabriel responded by tickling the child's tummy, making him squeal in laughter.

     "Tell me Gabriel," Adrian began, as he lifted Alcander from the floor; "would you rather spend your time tickling my two-year-old son, or a twenty-year-old Romanian girl?"

     "Well, lets think about that for a minute," Gabriel began with a grin.  "I think that a nice young Romanian woman would sound pretty good right now."

     "That's what I wanted to hear!" Adrian replied with a smile.  "I'll tell you what.  I think I'm going to give you some money so you and Ambrose (a young Italian that was also an assistance to Adrian in his battle with Dracula) can enjoy some of the night life in our town."

     "Really!?  You'd give us money?!"

     "Of course, I would.  You two were a major help to Richter and I; why wouldn't I give you some money to enjoy the evening?"

     "Thanks Adrian," Gabriel said returning the smile.

     "Think nothing of it.  It's the least I could do for you."  Using his free hand, Adrian grabbed some money from his pocket and placed it in Gabriel's hand.  Gabriel charged from the sitting room to the guest room that Adrian and Maria had prepared for him to change clothes, while Adrian returned his attention to his brother-in-law.  "Come Richter, lets sit down on the couch."  The two men reclined on the sofa near the family fireplace, with Alcander attempting to struggle off his father's lap and toddle down the hallway after Gabriel.  Adrian responded to his son's struggles by tickling him.  "No, Cander," Adrian began lovingly, "Gabriel needs to prepare for his evening tonight, so you can sit with Daddy for a while."  Alcander squealed until he became too tired to laugh anymore, choosing instead to cuddle up against his father's chest.  Adrian smiled at his youngest son, and stroked his blonde hair while he started to purr, a trait that Alcander and his older brother, Lysander, inherited from their father-the ability to purr when you're happy.

     Richter smiled at the attention Adrian gave to his young son.  "I can't wait to go home and treat Sidra the way you're treating Alcander.  I'm officially done with adventuring.  I'm never leaving home again!"

     "So you're already training Christian, huh?"

     "Yes.  In case the Monster was to rise again Christian will be ready to face him."

     "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Belmont.  Dracula is dead, and is never coming back."

     "So we've heard before, yet it does not always hold true.  Besides, even if Dracula was never to return Christian is receiving plenty of discipline with his training."

     "Hmm…" Adrian began.

     "What is it Tepes?"

     "I was thinking that maybe my two children could use the same kind of training."

     "Well, maybe Lysander," Richter started, "but I don't think that Alcander would be ready until you can get him away from his baby bottle."

     "No, he wouldn't.  But, I don't want them to be trained separately.  I want them to be trained at the same time.  I mean, I don't think that my father will ever come back, but that doesn't matter.  Lysander and Alcander could both use some good discipline when they get older.  It would make them both mentally and physically tougher.  I'd like to start training them…perhaps when Cander's about five, which would make Sander about seven.  I think those sound like good ages, don't you agree?"

     "Yeah, that should be all right I think, but do you think Maria will go along with it?"

     "I think so.  So long as I don't do anything that will hurt them, which I won't, then everything will be all right."

     Richter nodded, and motioned his head to the grandfather clock on the far wall of the room.  "Well Adrian, thank you very much for your hospitality, but I should probably get going."

     "All right, Richter," Adrian began, as he rose from the couch with a sleepy Alcander in his arms.  "I'll show you to the door, and then I think I'll do Maria a favor by putting Alcander to bed."

     "Dad!" came the cries of a running child charging down the stairs.  Lysander stopped at the bottom of the stairs with his mother behind him.  "Dad, you said that you would play with me."

     "And I will son," Adrian replied.  "I'm just going to show your uncle to the door, and put your brother to bed."

     "That's all right," Maria began, as she gently took Alcander from his father.  "I'll put Cander to bed, so you can play with Sander."

     "All right then," and turning again to his brother-in-law he added, "goodnight Richter."

     "Goodnight Adrian," he replied with a courteous nod.

*

     Later that evening Adrian was sitting in the master bedroom preparing for bed, and waiting for Maria to enter the room.  She had gone to check on the children; something she often did before she went to bed.  When she entered the room dressed in her beautiful white gown that Adrian loved, while her curly blonde hair rested peacefully past her shoulders and her sea-green eyes gleaming through the candlelight, Adrian asked her, "are the children all right?"

     "Sleeping peacefully," Maria told him with a smile.

     "Speaking of the children, I wanted to talk about them for a moment."

     "What about them?"

     "Well, when I was talking to Richter earlier today he told me about how Christian is already being trained in the art of vampire hunting."

     Maria nodded and said, "Yes, that would seem about right.  Christian is at the traditional age where Belmont children receive their training to fight Dracula should he ever return, although you told me last night that he would never come back."

     "He won't, but that's beside the point.  When the children get older I want to train them in a manner similar to how Christian is being trained.  I believe that it will help both of them become mentally and physically tougher, which are good skills to have in your life.  But what I wanted to ask you is, do you have any objections to me training Lysander and Alcander when they get older?"

     "Of course not!" she exclaimed.  Adrian blinked in response.  He had actually thought Maria would have been slightly against the idea.  "I know that I spoil them way too much, and I can't help myself when I do; so I think that a little discipline would do both of them some good one day.  All I ask is that you don't start when they're too young."

     "Don't worry, I won't.  I thought I would start when they are seven and five."

     Maria nodded.  "All right, that should be fine then."