Transylvania, 1885

"Marianne, you got yet another present," Frau Lang said and put the simple brown package on the parlor table.

Marianne Danielle, looking lovely and blooming like a rose with her red hair and lilac gown, smiled to Abraham Van Helsing and walked to Frau Lang.

"Who sent it?"

Frau Lang looked the beautiful card patterned with violets.

"From a dear friend, M", she read.

"Mysterious," Marianne said and started to tear the paper away.

Gorgeous gown of crimson satin and black lace, completed with veil, unfolded in all of it´s mature lushness.

"How lovely!" Marianne said. "Like a wedding-dress in different colours... look at that veil!"

"It is too voluptuous size to slender girl like you. "Frau Lang said. "And wedding-dress must always be pure white."

"This is pure," Marianne laughed. "It is dazzlingly clean."

Van Helsing smiled to them, the idyll of cozy home life, but suddenly his expression changed. He walked to the table and tore the card to himself.

Crimson, Gothic M told to him eveything he needed to know.

"What is it?" Marianne asked.

"Meinster send that to you."

"But..."

"Frau Lang, could I speak with my betrothed alone."

"Of course." Frau Lang walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"What is it?" Marianne asked, still holding the dress.

Van Helsing showed the card.

"We did not find Meinster´s body," he said. "Village men I sent to search it for proper Christian burial did not find anything."

"What do you mean?"

Van Helsing took Marianne´s hand and kissed it.

"I assume that Gina and that other girl did not die when the windmill was burned," he said. "They escaped and took Meinster´s body with them."

Marianne stared at him. "But how did they... resurrect him?"

"By blood and magic." Van Helsing watched when Marianne´s amber eyes were widened. "One of the village children is missing."

"Marianne clinged to him.

"Then let´s leave Academy, now. We can´t endanger Herr and Frau Lang and the girls! We must leave and try to lure Meinster to the trap."

Van Helsing made quickly his decision. "Start to pack, Marianne. I search carriage and horses to us." When Marianne was turning away, Van Helsing took his hand to his own. "And keep your cross near you. I call Frau Lang to be with you."