Arene said nothing as tears slid down her face.

"Take her away and lock her in the turret room," Dracula commanded the Dwergi and watched with a smirk as his servants dragged the girl away.

"But, my lord," ventured Nicola, "I thought you wanted her dead?"

"All in good time," replied the Count. "First I want her to witness the success of my plan!"

This said he moved to the first girl and bit savagely into her neck.

Nicola watched as he moved round to each girl in turn, before returning to her side.

"Igor, let us begin," Dracula cried out flinging his arms out wide in a gesture of triumph.

Igor went to one of the nearby pieces of machine and threw a switch. Electricity shot through the cables and each girl jerked as the surge hit her.

Dracula moved towards another machine. A large basin stood on the top with pipes running out of the bottom of it. Dracula bit into his own wrist then held his arm over this basin.

Nicola watched in awe as his blood flowed freely into the machine. She could see it running through the pipes then into the tubes and straight into the necks of all the young women.

All the eyes of the women shot open and blood could be seen passing across their pupils. Nicola could see the changes taking place within them and soon she could sense that they were all vampires.

Dracula stepped back from the machine and Nicola ran to his side.

"You have done it, my master," she cried out as he wrapped his arms around her and looked with pride at their newly wakened daughters.

"Igor," he called out. "Have the Dwergi attend to them. They must rest for a few moments then we must take them out to feed. Keep the atmosphere electrified till then."

"Yes, my master," replied Igor as he set about his task.

"My children live," declared Dracula to his bride, "and no one can stop us now!"

Arene did not even struggle as the Dwergi pulled her away. All her mind could focus on was what Dracula told her. Her? The last of the Van Helsings? Her family had lied to her. All her life and even in the afterlife, they had lied to her! Was that why she never had a real home? Was that why she had been shuffled from foster home to foster home - to keep Dracula from killing her?

"Why?" she mentally questioned as the Dwergi dragged her up the stairs. They reached the turret room and opened the door. The first one shoved her inside and whispered for the other to keep watch. Arene stumbled in and they slammed the door and locked it. Arene ran and tried to break down the door, but she had very little energy and all she was able to do was get a large cut on the side of her arm. She fell to the ground shaking; for the first time in her life, she was really scared. She rubbed her eyes as the pain, exhaustion and sadness finally caught up with her. Looking around, she found a small patch of floor, got down, wrapped her arms around herself and cried herself to sleep.

Dracula and Nicola stood together in a tight embrace. Nicola could feel her master's love once again now that his plan was complete. It was as if she felt she could never leave his arms.

"My children live!" he declared to her, "and now no one can stop us!"

He leaned down and kissed her passionately. Nicola felt the warmth run through her and was about to give him another kiss when a strange feeling passed through the both of them. A presence... there was another near by! It was a presence similar to Arene's, only much stronger. Dracula's fangs extended.

"Come, my bride," he said, taking her hand. "We must find out who our new visitor is."

With that, the two started off into the castle, not noticing the man in the rafters.

The figure looked down on the two vampires talking to each other before they ran off into the palace. He smiled. That was what he had wanted. He was a tall man, about, if not taller, than Dracula. He wore a long brown duster, knee-high boots, dark pants, a grey turtleneck, a black vest with several little charms on it and a wide brimmed hat. A bandana covered the lower half of his face. His face was strong and sort of angular. He had long brown hair and deep brown eyes, which appeared rough, but were actually very soft. Being careful not to be seen, he jumped down from the rafters and walked slowly up the stairs to the turret room. Reaching the doorway, he quickly defeated the Dwergi who were guarding the door and obtained the keys. Unlocking the door, he very slowly walked in and gazed down at Arene, sleeping peacefully on the ground.