Chapter 3, A Bizarre Request

Mavis, Jonathan, and Dennis had been back in Transylvania for about 2 weeks now, and Jonathan was starting to get depressed again. Dracula was spending even more time with Dennis, trying to get him ready to go to Camp Winnepacaca the next summer. He wanted his grandson to be the best vampire in the camp the next year, especially after what happened the previous year.

One day, after Dracula and Dennis had finished training, Jonathan finally built up enough nerve to talk to his father-in-law about what had been bothering him for a while now. "Drac, you got a minute?" He asked tentatively, not sure how much his father-in-law would be willing to tell him.

"Sure, Johnny. Anything for you," Dracula answered smiling. His icy glare had softened much in the previous few years, the result of his grandson's love for both Dracula and Jonathan.

Jonathan took one last deep breath to gather just enough to strength to tell his father-in-law what he had been wondering ever since he realized that Mavis was his zing, even though now his reasoning was different. "Drac, I have been having the feeling for a while that you have been replacing me as Dennis' father. I know that you can teach him a lot about all the vampire stuff, but it's been making me feel bad."

Dracula was looking down at his feet. He had never even considered the possiblity that all the time he was spending with his grandson would affect Jonathan like this since he normally laughed anything off that was bothering him. "Johnny, that was never my intent," Dracula said frowning, the hurt he imagained that his son-in-law feeling affecting his voice as well. "I simply trying to train Denisovich to be the best he can be, and to control himself. I'm not trying to replace you."

"I know," Jonathan sighed, "it's just... like you can help him so much, and I can't. I just want to try and be helpful in the growth of my son. So, I had been thinking about this for a long time." Jonathan paused to take one last deep breath. He had both dreaded and wanted for this moment since he married Mavis. "Is it possible to transform a human into a vampire?"

Dracula sighed, as he suspected that this was going to happen eventually, but he still wasn't quite ready for it. "I knew this day was coming," the old vampire said softly as he placed his right arm around Jonathan's shoulders."

"You did?" Jonathan asked completely surprised at his remark.

"Mavis was supposed to talk to you about this before you two were married."

"I don't remembering that coming up, and I think that I would have," Jonathan said trying to search his memory for any recollection of that conversation, but was drawing a blank.

"She told me that you weren't ready then, but might want to later. Why did you change your mind?"

"I don't remember us talking about it, but now it seems like the only way I'd be able to spend time with my son, learning things that he has to learn as well. And besides, I see the bond that you and Mavis have, and I don't want to lose that with Denis."

"The short answer is yes, it is possible, bu-"

"That's all I wanted to know," Johnathan interrupted.

"Can I finish what I was going to say?" Dracula said annoyed. Johnny thought Dracula was about to smack him, but he simply shook his head.

"Sorry," Johnny replied timidly.

"Yes, it is possible, however it is not as simple as some movies make it seem to be. First, only your zing can make it work. If I were to try, at best, it would have no result. At worst, it could kill you."

"Ok, definitely don't want that" Johnny jokingly replied.

"So you will need to convince Mavis." Dracula thought about the procedure for a moment. It wasn't that it was that dangerous, but it was very personal. "I may have overstated the danger slightly, but it is a very intimate process. I have heard some vampires describe it as more intimate than sex, although I wouldn't know about that since I haven't done it in many centuries."

"Do you mean turning someone or..." but Jonathan couldn't finish his sentence, as Dracula's face was beet red. Jonathan was unsure if it was anger or embarrassment, but either way he didn't dare finish his question.

It took a minute, but Dracula regained his composure. "Well both actually, but I haven't turned anyone in centuries. But getting back on topic, you must have motives that are pure. You must have the desire to go through anything, because the process brings you close to death's door, even if done right. Finally, you and the vampire who bites you must be totally committed. Any hesitation on either of your parts, at best it will be ineffective, at worst, it kills you. Timing is critical in the process. So I must ask, other than your own insecurity, what is the reason you are even contemplating such an action?"

"Well you got my central one. But I have been thinking about something else. Mavis is 126, and I'm 30. She has, well I can't even guess how many years to live, and I have at best, another 70. I'm afraid that I will not see enough of my son grow up. I may not see him get married, or give me any grandkids."

"You need to come and talk to me when you are certain of this request. I can tell Mavis how it needs to be done, but until you are at the point that your first reason isn't even a factor you are not ready. The last one you gave me, is the best reason. As far as getting you more time to interact with your son during his training, I do not have an issue with that. You can come anytime. Do you want me to relay any of this to Mavis, or would you like to tell her yourself?"

Just then to Johnny's horror, Mavis can outside to check on Dennis. When she didn't see Dennis, she was nervous about what they could have been discussing, as she caught bits of their conversation. "What did I catch you two talking about?" she snapped at them.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Jonathan tried to lie to his wife, even though he knew better.

"Just talking about Denisovich's training," Dracula tried to cover for his son-in-law.

"I don't believe you. Either of you!" she snarled exposing her fangs, displaying her 'monster face'. "Daddy, can I please talk to my husband. Alone!" Dracula immediately turned into a bat and got out of there. "Johnny, please don't lie to me," she returned to her normal caring tone, "I know what has been bothering you."

"You do?" He said puzzled, while thinking what a coward his father-in-law was.

"Yeah, your mom filled me in at the nail salon."

"I specifically asked her not to say anything," he uttered almost under his breath, but Mavis heard his remark.

"Don't be mad at her. She wants exactly what I want, and that's for you to be happy. Anyway, I kind of guessed what it was anyway."

"You did?"

"Johnny, I'm your wife. I know when something is bothering you. It just takes me some time to figure out what exactly it is."

"Well, since you know what it is I'll get it off my chest, and I mean all of it. I've been slightly resentful of the amount of time your father has been spending with Dennis. I feel like—"

Mavis interrupted, "But honey, he is only trying to help him better harness his powers."

Johnny gave Mavis a dirty look. "Please let me finsh." Mavis looked guilty about what she had said. "I feel like I'm becoming more distant to him since his powers manifested themselves. As far as your father helping, I know he is trying to help him, but it is hurting me. I feel like I should be honest with you, so I will. There was a part of me that wanted to see Dennis' birthday pass without him gaining his powers. But I knew that was selfish of me, so every time I started to think that I did whatever to get that thought out of my head. I was also conflicted, since you wanted to move away from here if he didn't get his powers, but I wanted to stay regardless."

"Oh, honey. I never thought about what you wanted during this. I only thought of Dennis' safety."

"I know that, Mavy, and that's why I never brought it up to you. The truth is that I didn't want to move back. That is why I started to explore the world. Santa Cruz is boring. There is always something new and different here going on. But I don't want to lie to you anymore. The truth is that I was talking to your father about being more involved with his training. He said that he only wants the best for Dennis, which is what we all want, but with me being human there is little I can assist with, except being a guinea pig, which I don't think Dennis would go along with anyway. When he said that, there was only one other alternative for me to seek."

"Please tell me you didn't ask what I think you did?" Mavis now almost sounded more scared than angry.

"I asked him if it was possible to turn a human into a vampire" he answered.

Mavis thought back to what her sister-in-law had sworn her to secrecy on; it might not be necessary to turn him. She couldn't tell him why, so she had to lie to him. "Oh, I was afraid it was something else. Well, what was his answer?"

"It is, but it would have to be you who did it to me. It has to be your zing. But even still it is dangerous. He told me my reasons were backwards right now. Until I have them in the correct order, I couldn't even ask you about it.

"Johnny, I don't know about this."

"I don't either, but we can cross that bridge when we get there. There's one other thing, honey."

"What's that, Johnny?"

"Your father said that we discussed this before I proposed, but I don't remember us talking about it."

"I'm sorry, honey. I lied to him." A guilty look came over Mavis. "I couldn't commit myself to it, no matter what you said."

"Why didn't you just tell me that then?"

"Because I thought you would want to, but I didn't know if I could do it right."

Jonathan now had a guilty look on his face. "I wouldn't have put you in that position. If you didn't think you could have done it, I wouldn't have pestered you."

"Thanks for understanding Johnny." The two embraced sharing a small kiss."