I stepped off the train in a small town called Bistritz. I inhaled deeply, savoring the smell of the fresh mountain air. I remembered this place from years ago. However, just like before I ouldnt be able to stay and explore. I needed to find a coach that would take me to the castle.

"Mina I hate you making this trip alone," Jack had said just before I had boarded the ship that would take me across the English channel to Calais. I had smiled up at him with a sisterly affection. Since the night I had told him of my plans to come back here he had been like an older brother to me.

"Jack, I will be fine. Thank you for all your help and for being such a wonderful friend," I hugged him briefly. He smiled down at me as we came apart. It finally sunk in that I might never see him again.

"I know what it is to live without your soul. Please Mina, be careful and I must warn you it wont take long for Professor Van Helsing to learn those books are missing. I cannot guarantee he will come looking for you if he discovers the truth," said Jack, he leaned in and let his lips brush against mine. I allowed it. How could I deny him this one thing? After all he had done for me. Our kiss only lasted a few moments then we broke apart.

"Goodbye Mina," Jack said and with that he turned and walked away. I boarded the ship and thus began my long journey.

The books jack was referring to were mine and Jonathon diaries. After Johnathan had returned from Transylvania he had given me his diary in hopes that it would shed light on what had happened to him. Though I had taken both of the volumes and typed them out, Professor Van Helsing had asked and received both original books. At the time I had given them hoping it would save Johnathan. What I didn't realize at the time is that they had been the one thing that condemned her Prince.

A week before I had left I had asked Jack to retrieve them from the professor and he had done so without any trouble. I was afraid that the Profesor would become suspicious if I asked for them so Jack decided it would be best to just take them. I prayed that he could lie convincingly.

Crossing the channel had taken three days from Whitby then from Calais I had hopped on a train through France. My journey took her through Sweden and Hungary though I noticed nothing of the scenery. My stomach was all in knots the closer I got to carpathian mountains. All I could think of was getting to Transylvania...to him.

I began walking to the Golden Crown Hotel where I would spend one night then get on another train to Budapest through the Borgo Pass.

That night I lay wide awake. After having a wire sent to Jack to let him know she made it to Bistritz safely, I had taken a small meal in my room but I didnt eat much. Just mostly pushed my food around having no appetite. This time tomorrow I would be riding in a coach towards the prince. I would be in his home sometime tomorrow night. Did he still love me? Want me? Would he have more brides like those women he had kept when we first met?

"Can I get you anything else ma'am?" asked a young maiden, making me jump for I had not seen nor heard her enter.

"Yes, umm you can take the food away please. I think my appetite has diminished due to travel. Also I would really love to have a bathe," Ihanded the girl a coin before she took the tray out. A bath sounded amazing at this point.

After I had washed away most of the traveling grime I slept deeply that night. I dreamed of my Prince holding my hand as we walked in the sun. She dreamed of Lucy, dancing happily in a medow full of wild flowers.

"We will be passing into the valley shortly miss. The castle is two miles from there," yelled the wagon driver. I nodded trying not to jostle myself too much. The morning had been a total disaster.

I had been woken up extremely early to the sound of pounding on her door at the inn. apparently the Inn keeper and his wife had somehow been informed of my destination and told me to leave immediately. Technically it was their daughter who told me since her parents spoke no english, but they knew how to glare at someone, apparantly a universal language.

I had dressed quickly and made my way downstairs huffing and puffing trying to pull my trunk for no one would help me. The day was crisp in the early morning and the sun had yet to rise. I understood their suspicion for she had read about it in Johnathan's journal and though it caused some unease in me it also made me hopeful. If he was truly gone then why should they be afraid?

It took nearly two hours to find someone to take me through the pass and even he was skeptical and charged way too much, but with no one else to make the drive I had little choice.

"I take you to the gates of castle...then I go!" he said but, at least he had offered to carry the trunk for me. The trip had been uncomfortable at its best. I was seated in the back of the wagon as it jumbled and jerked across the rocky ground. Dirt and dust flew everywhere and a the sun rose it became very humid. After an hour of this and I was very queasy and couldn't even watch the scenery for fear I would be sick. So much for taking a bath I thought as I looked down at my dress now covered in road dust.

I must have dozed off in the wagon for I was brusquely awoken by the driver.

"Miss! Miss! We here!" he said. The wagon had stopped. I looked around as I crawled out of the back of the wagon. The road wound its way up away from them towards the porticulus and beyond that...the castle.

"Please take my trunk to the side door" I said. If my memory was accurate that would lead into the great hall.

"No! I tell you I take you to castle and now I go!" replied the driver. He promptly got up into his seat and turned the wagon back away from the castle, leaving me alone with my fate.

"Damn this bloody country and their silly superstitions!" I huffed dragging my trunk up to the castle at a snail's pace. I had taken off my gloves and removed my shawl. I was sure my face was flushed and I was sweating from the exertion and the Romanian heat. The sun was beginning to descend into the western sky. I tugged the trunk hard when one of the handles broke and I fell backward landing smack on my rump in the dirt. I let out a tiny yelp and used my hands to break my fall.

Once I was upright, I gave the trunk a good kick in frustration. I'll come back for it if I have to. I turned my full attention on the castle.

It lay just as I had remembered. Beautiful and dominating. Frightening and yet welcoming. She had dreamed of it several times in her early childhood and adulthood. Out of nowhere I was standing underneath the portoculis . When did I get here? It seemed a moment ago I was further away gazing up at the structure.

Mina...

The voice! His voice. I half ran towards the side door. It was here that Dracula and I had entered after the fight. It was through this door I had left with Johnathan. I reached out my hand to push the door open.

Meeeeeeeeeennaaaaaaaa

It was coming from the courtyard. I walked slowly underneath the spiked gate and into an open space. The ground was stone as were the walls enclosing it. Weeds grew up and down the walls and in the cracks of the cobbles. There was no life in this place but, I could feel something. Something alive underneath the surface. A magnetic pull drawing me in. Across from the portcullis was the main door. It was taller than three men standing one on top of the other and just as wide. Made of a very old kind of metal and fashioned to keep out intruders.

Come to me.

As I stepped forward the doors opened in to the castle. I stopped to look into the entrance suprise obvious on my face. It was completely dark except for the light from a candelabra. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust as I realized that someone was attached to the light.

"Hello my sister, we've been waiting for you."