He sat in a comfortable cushioned sofa across from the bed where she slept. His eyes were fixed on the white-haired girl asleep on the bed. There were no windows in this room and the only light came from the chandelier that hung from above. He rose from his seat and took a closer look at his "guest". She was a pretty girl with nice features, about twelve years old. If allowed, she might grow up to be a beautiful woman. If allowed. He looked hard at her face. For a moment it seemed to change. It changed to a very familiar face.
"Lisa…?"
He was suddenly overtaken by a sudden lack of energy and he fell back into the sofa. He put his head in his hands and breathed heavily. Then he closed his eyes and laid his head against the back wall. His mind floated through several hundred years worth of memories. One in particular floated to the surface, a memory only forty-three years past. It was the last time he had been on earth. It was a painful memory and very much the reason behind his premature revival. It had not taken long for Vlad Dracula III to realize that his body could no longer regenerate itself every hundred years. He knew that not even a thousand years could repair the damage that he had suffered. Fighting his own sibling, a vampire of much the same caliber as he tends to do that to ones body. The once prince was well aware that the whip wielding Belmont's had their own special powers, but they had never done to him what his son Adrian, otherwise known as Alucard, had done. The distraught father tried very hard to find what he had done wrong with his son. In his lifetime, which was quite a long one, he had truly loved only two women. When his first wife committed suicide he lost his faith in God. When his own men murdered him he lost faith in humanity. It was on that day that he made a pact with the devil. He would forever be a scourge against humanity. His second love was named Lisa. There was something in her eyes. To him they were like mirrors. He had spent so much time in the darkness he had forgotten what he had looked like. Looking in the reflection in her eyes he didn't like what he saw. But it was not only her beauty that drove him to stop and ponder his ways but her bravery. He had originally been going to feed on another girl when she thrust her out of the way and took her place. Never had he seen such an act of selflessness from one woman to a complete stranger. In that split second moment that teaching that to "give one's life for a fellow man is the greatest gift" had never rung so true to his ears. He loved her ever since that night and he still did. She gave him a single son before…Lisa was crucified in front of the entire village, including an extremely young Adrian Farenheights Tepes.
"Do not hate humans. If you cannot live with them at least do them no harm. For theirs is a hard lot." Through clenched teeth she uttered these final words to her son. The image of finding her lifeless body nailed to a wooden cross would forever remain his justification that humanity should be destroyed utterly. When Adrian told him what she said he tried very hard to believe her words but could not. He had made a pact with Lucifer and it would be his destiny to hold up his end of the bargain. It was becoming a costly pact. Fighting his son was never his plan. Adrian had fought him before but he had resigned to let others do what he could only assume was an act that he could not endure. Murdering ones father could not be such an easy task. Only this time he did not hold back. Now Dracula has been forced to take drastic measures to insure his survival.
"Lisa…forgive me for what I do."
"Lord? Are you awake Lord?" There came a voice from beyond the darkness of his closed eyes. Without looking he thrust his hand out and grabbed tight around the neck of whoever had chosen to interrupt his thoughts.
"I…was…thinking. Something you might not be capable of. Now what is it," he opened his eyes to see who he was strangling, "my dear Gilles De Rais."
"I am overjoyed to see my Prince deep in contemplating his next move and I thought this news might prove important."
"I am afraid I still awake in ill humor Gilles as you well remember. What news do you have for me." He then let go of the vampire who promptly cleared his throat.
"The man-wolf is quickly approaching. Already he has reached the castle wall. I fear the wall's defenses will be insufficient to delay him let alone stop him."
"Insufficient?"
"The man-wolf has already defeated your pet sea-dragon and the giant skull warrior."
"I see your point. It is still too early for the ceremony. We must keep the man-wolf occupied for the time being." Dracula closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again. The door opened and two heavily armored gold plated knights entered the room. Their footsteps made a loud clanking sound. They stood behind De Rais and awaited instructions.
"Hell Knights. Bring the girl. We are leaving to a more secure location." Dracula rose from his seat and the two Hell Knights walked over to the bed to fetch the girl.
"De Rais, I will be setting up a few diversions for the lycanthrope and you will be among them."
"More than I ever, I exist to serve you."
"As always Gilles, you were the man I trusted the most. There is something that puzzles me though."
"And that is Master?"
"The girl's hair was well tended to don't you think? It had quite the woman's touch. In fact for a girl who was stripped from her home in the middle of the night she looks quite presentable. Would you care to enlighten me?"
"Yes I was afraid you might notice. The Master Oldrey has yet to turn his wife and child."
"What! He has defied what is my will! That all should be turned and serve me!"
"Master, my bite was not sufficient to turn him totally. I…"
"Irrelevant! If he was turned by my curse his mind belongs to me."
"That is something else that I have yet to tell you. The villagers have been becoming, uncontrollable. It is no small wonder that one under your curse would be resisting you."
"I see your point De Rais. Nevertheless I will remedy this immediately."
Gilles watched as his master closed his eyes. He was still becoming accustomed to his new skills and the fact that he himself had been resurrected. Hundred's of years ago, Gilles De Rais was Vlad Dracula's most trusted commander. He had discovered the plot that Dracula's own men had forged the letter that led to his wife's suicide and that those same traitors were planning to assassinate him. Unfortunately they killed him before he could warn his master. His last memory was looking up at his master, trying to warn him of the traitors behind. Then he watched as a soldier from behind beheaded him. After his life on earth ended he served his master in the Nether World but had never returned to him on earth. Before he was merely a lost soul in hell serving his prince, now he was a vampire who needed blood to survive. But not any mindless vampire, a vampire of rank, a vampire who could control his thirst and think clearly in order to serve his prince. He was back once more on this untamed earth, and still serving his lord. Now Gilles De Rais watched as his master reached out to the mind of the current living descendant of his family Jeremiah A. Oldrey, or as he wished to name him, Or De Rais.
Dracula had closed his eyes once more. This time he focused his mind. He looked deep within himself and found the place within. When one falls under his curse their eternal soul becomes his. He keeps all those souls within him where he can control them and communicate with them. If the mind had anyway to interpret what was within this ancient vampire it would see an ocean people all screaming for their souls. Then they would see Dracula hovering over them all waving his arm, parting the sea of lost souls until only two remained. Dracula stood face to face with the master Oldrey.
"Jeremiah Oldrey, hear me."
Dracula put his hand on his shoulder and locked eyes with the man. "Listen to my words. The world of death is a fantastic one. It is one you should share with your family and the rest of the world. Especially share it to anyone who comes through your villa. You are lord of this annex and your wife should support you, she should give you a drink when you are thirsty. And you are very thirsty aren't you?"
A smile crept onto the man's face as he responded, "Yes Master." Then Dracula opened his eyes once more. Gilles De Rais was staring at him. "He will no longer pose as a problem to us."
"Delighted my Prince."
Somewhere inside the villa a once good kind husband and father turned and left for one of the doors down a hallway. His mind filled with dark thoughts and mad ideas of what he should do next. Oddly excited by this new perspective on his undead existence he headed for the Archives where he wished to record his thoughts. Then he would find his wife, and then his son, and then they would be together as one happy undead family.
"Very well handled Master."
"I must thank you Gilles. Your help in manipulating your great grandson has been most helpful."
"Thank you my Prince."
Dracula, Gilles, and the Hell Knight's who carried Ada exited to the hallway. "Are you well adjusted Gilles?" Dracula asked his commander.
"Irrelevant Master, I'm here only to serve you."
Dracula laughed. "Such loyalty was a rarity in our day. Today it must be extinct. Together Gilles, we will achieve what we had only dreamed of in our day."
"Yes, we must make humanity pay for its injustices against you and let your beautiful darkness reign over Wallachia."
"Darkness…"
"Am I to be the only diversion for the man-wolf?"
"No," he turned to Gilles De Rais, "you know the villagers. They can be so uncontrollable."
They continued walking down the hall reaching the farthest door before the hallway turned to the right. After that door they went into the door immediately to the right and began down a flight of stairs.
"Master, I'm curious why this man-wolf is so special? There seem to be so many about on the island. The one we are carrying, her brother, and that other one."
The master smiled. "Speaking of our man-beasts, where is the other one?"
"I don't know he slipped away after you gave him strict instructions to avoid... Master, you don't think…"
"Interesting" the master replied.