Thanks for reading this story. I am very interested in hearing your opinions on my story. Thank you again. I hope that you will enjoy my latest installment.

Lady Melinda

Chapter 4

Far underground of the compound in Transylvania…

Nix and Jarek carry the heavy silver coffin into a large circular room. Black velvet fabric hangs gracefully from the black pillars that encompass the cavernous room. They set Morganna's precious item carefully upon a large stone table standing in the center. They carefully examine the simple, metal sarcophagus.

"Well… Are you just going to look at it? Open it." Morganna says as she glides into the room followed by the rest of the clan.

"Morganna, there seems to be a slight problem."

"What problem?"

"The coffin, it doesn't seem to have any openings."

"There has to be an opening, they were able to put him in there; so therefore there must be a way to open it…" Morganna sashays around the coffin, and with a stern resolve she gives a command to two insignificant members of the clan. "Bring me the doctor."

Back at the Vatican…..

"Good morning."

"Carl is that you?"

"Good to see you VanHelsing."

"You're a priest?"

"Yes…Well, I hope that you're well rested, especially since you've had nearly two centuries of sleep."

"Yes…" VanHelsing slides on his brand new long leather coat. "Do you mind telling me what's going on" At that moment another priest enters the room.

"Father Carl, these are the papers you've requested."

"Thank you Samuel." Carl focus returns to the confused VanHelsing. "I'll tell you everything in due time. Come on VanHelsing, our plane is waiting."

"Plane? It isn't one of you inventions, is it?"

"Its good to have you back." Carl chuckles.

Back in New Orleans…

"You seem more comfortable all of a sudden."

"I am. It's strange, but I feel like a weight has been lifted."

"Whatever it is, I'm happy for it. It's good to see a bit of the old Liz." Alex jokingly glares at you from across the diner table. The two of you burst out laughing.

"Anyway, what are you doing tomorrow night?"

"I've got to pick father Carl up from the airport. Why?"

"You know the about the festival."

"Yeah."

"I just wanted to know if you were going to come."

"Tell you what, I'll drop by after I get father Carl."

"Great."

After the two of you are stuffed full, ya'll walk down the streets until Alex has to leave for work.

"See you tomorrow night." As Alex turns to leave you touch his arm and he pauses. You stand on your toes, snaking your arms around his neck in a hug. His arms wrap themselves around your waist.

"Thanks for everything you've done for me, Alex." You give him a quick peck on the cheek, but it's enough to make him blush.

"Anytime." As he gets into his car and flashes a smile at you before he drives away. You turn around and walk home. When you arrive Lurie has already left, and you have the house to yourself. You look at the clock and realize that you should be getting ready for work yourself. You head upstairs and start the shower.

Meanwhile in Transylvania…

"I don't care how you do it, just do it."

"Yes Madame." The doctor cowers beneath the imposing female vampire. Morganna follow the clan out of the room but stops in the doorway and turns to look at the doctor.

"You have one hour. It would be in your best interest not to disappoint me." Morganna slams the heavy metal double doors behind her. The doctor is left in the room with just a hand full of other humans including his own daughter.

"Oh dear." The small crew quickly set themselves to their task, but in vain, the coffin refuses to open. In the moment they are about to loose hope the doctor's daughter rests her delicate hand on a cross that is attached to the coffin, her hand slips and is cut upon one of the points. Her blood drips upon the coffin. The doctor rushes to her side.

"I'm all right." The blood slowly seeps underneath the cross unbeknownst to the humans. A fog replaces the blood and emerges from beneath the cross capturing the attention of the humans. The doctor fiddles with the cross until its movement triggers the spring loaded lid to pop up. The low laying fog encases the room. The small group peers inside only to find a half dressed decomposing skeletal figure with a large cross over his chest. The girl lifts the heavy ancient gilded cross accidentally letting the blood from her wound drop onto the transparent flesh.

"Do you think this is what she was after?"

"I wouldn't think so, but it is possible."

"Father, does he look different than he did a moment ago?" The doctor shifts the thick glasses on his face as he leans in closer to examine the body. The corpse's hand strikes from its simple prison and lands its attack around the neck of the scared doctor. The other equally terrified members of the group bolt for the door only to find it locked. The doctor's screams die and his limp body is thrown to the floor. His daughter paralyzed with fear can only look in horror at her father's lifeless frame. Only when her gaze shifts upwards does she see the grotesque figure become livelier and more human. The daughter's life passes just as quickly as her father's life before her. The absorption of her blood peels away another layer of death from the creature's form. As her body falls to the ground, the creature's attention adjusts to the screaming men at the door. Soon they too join the doctor and his daughter. As he drains the blood from his last victim, a small light begins to emerge in the darkness of room. In that light is the vision of a beautiful young woman in a pink furry robe brushing her damp hair. The creature drops the body of his last victim and moves towards the girl. She turns and fear is etched on her face. She closes her eyes. Wake up. Wake up. You're just dreaming again. Wake up. Wake up. Her voice seems far away. She opens her eyes. Her fear is replaced with horror.

"You are real?" his hoarse voice waveringly questions. He reaches for her but she recoils from his touch and falls backward into the wall. She emits a piercing scream. The vision is destroyed.

Back in New Orleans…

You have just stepped out of the shower and slipped on your most favorite worn out pink furry robe. You dry most of your hair but realize that you left you brush in your room. You find it and begin to brush your damp hair. You feel like your being watched so you turn and look behind you, only to turn around and see the dream man striding towards you. You close your eyes.

"Wake up. Wake up. You're just dreaming again. Wake up. Wake up." When you open them, you are horrified when his figure doesn't disappear, but seems to be closer.

You are real? His voice seems far away like an echo of his true voice. A strange look of questioning and hope reads on his face as he reaches for you. In fear, you recoil and fall backwards into the wall screaming your head off. Lurie runs into the room and the vision of the dream man is destroyed.

"Liz! Are you ok?"

"It was him."

"Him who?" You look at Lurie's confused face.

"Something is really wrong Lurie." Lurie wraps her arms around you in a hug, trying to comfort you. You look at the place where his figure had previously appeared.