Author's Note:

Well after this there will only be two more chapters. To tell the truth I've kind of gotten sick of the character Mina. I don't know why but now she's just bugging me. Go figure.

But I like the other characters I've come up with, especially the teachers since they're all based on real friends of mine, (who have agreed to it). They've been really good about giving me good ideas about what their characters can do though some of their ideas have been a little out there (for example the suggestion that Jack the Ripper should show up or any of the ideas that involved dragons). I think they're all part of the group account I am part of, (mbus55).

Anyway, thanks to enigmagirl2727, SpeedDemon315, and Fortune Zyne for reviewing. Thanks also for just taking the time out of your busy lives to read this story!

Chapter #9

"So," Dracula said sharply to Claudia, "you have failed me?"

"I'm sorry sir," Claudia said looking at the ground.

"I'm afraid sorry does not correct this rather grievous mistake," he told her sternly.

"I will go out again and get them sir."

"Don't bother," Dracula said with a smile, "they will come to us."

--- ---

Mina felt a mix of many different emotions as the heavy doors swung slowly open. She was, for the first time ever, seeing the place where not only her parents had lived but the place where her ancestors had lived. She felt as if she was looking into the past. She could almost picture her mother and father in the mansion, despite the fact that she'd never met her father.

Van Helsing held Jill and Rosita back as Mina stepped into the front hall. It was still full of the furniture that had been there when the house was lived in. Mina touched an oil painting gently wondering who the man depicted there was and how he was related to her. She looked over at Van Helsing but he just shook his head.

"I wish I could tell you about the house but I was only in it a hand full of times. Your mother will know all about it though."

"Do you think she'll tell me?" Mina asked. "She's never wanted to talk about it before."

"I think," he sighed putting an arm around her shoulders, "it'll be different this time. Now that you know so much she can't refuse to answer all of your questions."

"Do you think she'll answer all of my questions?" Jill asked sweetly coming up behind Van Helsing and Mina. Rosita followed Jill tentatively.

"I really don't think that Lydian will," he answered her.

"You don't think I'll what?" Lydian asked as she entered the room followed by the entire tribe of gypsies.

"Mom!" Mina cried happily as she flung herself at her mother. "I missed you mom, more then I thought I would."

"I've missed you too honey," her mom assured her as she returned the hug, "I even missed your high-jinks. Or at least I did until your teacher came to report your latest bit of misconduct."

"I'm sorry mom," Mina said hanging her head, "I found pictures of dad and Dracula and some other people with the last name of Valerious."

"It's okay honey," Lydian sighed looking at her daughter, "I understand. I would have told you everything if I thought that you would be finding out that information on your own."

"But you didn't," Mina accused.

"This is not that time for this," a commanding voice said, turning they all saw Madame Vouyent entering the house, leaning heavily on her gnarled walking stick. "You may figure out these petty things later. Vilhelmina let me have a look at you."

"I don't even know who you are," Mina said suspiciously looking at the short elderly woman warily.

"I am the woman who told your mother she was pregnant with you," Madame Vouyent snapped bopping Mina on the nose with her walking stick, "so you'll at least do me the courtesy of coming over and letting me get a good look at you."

Mina shot her mom a desperate look. Lydian nodded solemnly and Mina sighed, defeated and walked over to Madame Vouyent who peered up at her.

"Yes," she said finally, "you are a Valerious. You look like your father and even resemble your aunt Anna a little bit."

"You knew my father," Mina asked curiously looking at Madame Vouyent in a new light.

"If you are very good I will tell you all about him and about your family."

Just then the door swung open again. Looking over they saw Carl, Andrea, Frank, Anne, and Patrick standing in the doorway.

"There you are," Lydian said going over to them, "Madame Vouyent and I were just about to tell everyone our plan. Come one, let's all go into a more comfortable room, one with a map preferably."

Soon they were all in a sitting room Lydian had passed a map around with the Valerious family mansion and Dracula's new lair circled. She was explaining to everyone the plan she and Madame Vouyent had come up with.

"Dracula will attack us at nightfall," she told everyone, "we know that he needs to kill Mina in order to stay alive."

"We also know," Madame Vouyent continued, "that we need someone with werewolf venom in their veins to kill Dracula."

"So I guess I have to kill Dracula," Mina interrupted, "as I happen to be the only person here with werewolf blood."

"That is true," Madame Vouyent agreed while Lydian scowled. She wasn't happy about this part of the plan though she knew there was no other option.

"I don't think it would be wise to wait for Dracula to come and kill us," Lydian said, "we'll have a better chance if we're the one doing the attacking."

"There are forty-two gypsies able to fight," Madame Vouyent told them, "but even with those gypsies and all of you this will still be dangerous."

"But the gypsies will still fight?" Van Helsing asked quickly.

"We owe a lot to the Valerious family," Madame Vouyent answered, "we should have fought for them sooner."