Okay, I am only putting out the first chapter to see how people will respond to it. Whether they like it or not, I'll continue writing it, but just for myself. Now, just to warn any Dracula lovers out there, he will be OOC because these are dreams, and we are all a bit OOC when we are dreaming. Anyway, I hope you all like it because I have enjoyed writing what I have so far.

...

Gwen looked back and forth as she hugged herself nervously; wishing that her Zen bear was there with her. This place was strange to her. It had no light, but she could see, which she hated since all she saw was mists. She had never seen a place like this before, and being there by herself made it all the more unnerving to the seven year old. She wondered if she would be able to ask her benefactor about this place if she got back home; if he'd even tell her. She had only recently learned about him. He was always nice when they talked, but he still spoke to her in a way that it felt more like an obligation than him actually wanting to. She'd have been willing to deal with that if it meant that she got to go home.

She flinched as she looked over her shoulder. This awkward place was bad when she thought she was alone, but now it terrified her as she could feel someone staring at her. She didn't see anything, but she knew that she wasn't going crazy as she slowly turned back into the direction she was walking in. She grunted when she walked into something solid and froze when it jolted back a bit. Slowly, she looked up to see a man towering over her in strange clothing. When she looked into his eyes, she froze in absolute terror to see them gleaming red. Remembering what she had read, she immediately averted her eyes to his lips. She flinched when they smirked at her as she stared at him cautiously.

"What is a young girl like you doing here?" he asked.

"Where is here?" she replied.

He looked to his side before saying, "This is the place where dreams are formed, the in between."

"So, if I wanted Zen bear?" she inquired, before looking down to see her Zen bear in hand.

He cocked an eyebrow at her as if to mock the stuffed panda wearing striped boxers. She pulled it away from his grasp as she glared at him despondently. He snorted, amused by the pout upon her face as well as the barely contained courage she still managed to possess within her. He crouched down to her level to even the playing field a bit, even though she didn't stand a chance against him.

"Not many children land in this place, their minds are too active, too chaotic," he stated. "So, what could you be thinking about to bring you here?"

"My mother," she said morosely.

"What about her?" he questioned, ready to move on from the simpering child's selfishness.

"What did she look like," she answered, much to his surprise.

"Why not ask your father?" he retorted.

"I don't have a father," she mumbled, which made him pause.

He had met many orphans in his time, and most of them he paid no mind. Even an orphan's mind didn't dwell within this realm long enough to linger, and definitely not to the extent she had. He then began to wonder what made her so unique that she would linger here. She looked up at him sadly as he stared into her big, blue eyes. With soft sigh, which felt out of character even to him, he picked her up and held her as she stiffened against him. He could feel her pulse quickening in confusion as she stayed frozen. It was then that he could tell that she was one of the unlucky ones; how unlucky, he was unwilling to ask. Carefully, he set her down and allowed her to back up to a comfortable distance.

"I would be happy to meet you here in the world of dreams so that you are not alone if you like," he offered, knowing that something was special about her.

She tilted her head as she looked at him incredulously, and asked, "Who are you?"

When he opened his mouth to respond, it only took a split second to realize if he had told her the name by which he was feared that she would immediately shut down. Not wanting to scare her off, he wouldn't risk telling her. However, he could sense some righteousness in this small girl and knew that lying would work against him, too. So in that split second, he smiled and calmly answered, "Vlad, and what of your name?"

She looked at him, guard up as she thought it before she muttered, "Hannah."

Casually, he picked her up and looked at her with a smile, "Hannah, that's a lovely name." She laid against him sleepily, and he seemed to know as he said, "I shall see you again, my dear Hannah."

She rolled over as she looked at Miss Kari, her social worker. Sleepily, she rubbed her eyes as she sat up. Looking around to see the orphanage, she realized that Vlad was telling the truth about where they were. She hugged Zen bear as she thought about that and remembered that he said that he'd see her again.

She was pulled from her thoughts as Miss Kari started lifting her up, teasing, "Get out of bed, you lazy critter. Your benefactor wants to speak with you; mustn't keep him waiting."

Gwen immediately jumped out of bed and ran to the phone they always talked on as Miss Kari ran behind, yelling to wait and get dressed. Gwen didn't even wait as she sat down, grabbed the phone, and put it to her ear. She set Zen bear beside her as she greeted her benefactor.

"Hello Mr. G," she stated.

"Hello Gwen," his Scottish accent coming through softly, "being lazy again today, are we?"

"It's not my fault you're a morning person," she whined in defense, pulling a chuckle from him.

"Yes, well, the early bird does get the worm," he replied.

"Yes, but the lazy bird misses the hawk's breakfast bell," she countered as she watched Miss Kari smacked her own forehead.

"Is that so?" He chuckled. She nodded before she gnawed on her bottom lip. "Gwennie, what's on your mind?"

He had never asked that before, she thought as she inhaled. "Mr. G, what is the place that dreamers go before their dreams take shape? What is the 'in between?'"

...

Alucard: You can't get away from me, can you?

MsN: Someone is Mr. Egotism.

Chase: Isn't he always?

Snape: That has been my understanding.

Alucard: Say what you want, but I always land in her stories one way or another.

MsN: Yeah, well this is Marvel's Dracula, not you.

Alucard: Ouch.