Disclaimer: I don't own Dracula 2000, but this story is my own.
Note: This chapter explains the connection between Lauren and Mary.

'The Importance of Knowing a Subject's Background Before the Interview' "There's no way I can get this done." groaned Lauren. A week had passed since she met Drake Canter. She just could not get him out of her head. The way his beautiful eyes seemed to gaze into her soul, his odor of sweet spice still clinging to her dress, and most of all, the sexy tongue roll in his kiss. Yet, there was one question that lingered in Lauren's mind-when (if ever) were they going to see each other again?

"Oh my gosh, this is silly. I really need to finish this damn essay." , Lauren sighed. Just as Lauren had flopped down on her bed, and started typing on her laptop, someone knocked at the door. Lauren lazily rose from the bed, shuffled towards the door, and opened it.

"Told you I would find you." Lauren's face immediately lit up.

"Drake, I wasn't expecting you!",Lauren said, her voice clearly full of delight.

With a slight smile, Drake sensually replied, motioning towards the open door, "I can leave if you want me to..."

Lauren quickly responded, "No, no, I didn't say that. Please come in." Drake entered the dorm. Lauren glanced down at the clothes she was wearing- a black camisole top, and a pair of very short black shorts. Both items of clothing revealed lots of skin. I might as well have answered the door naked, Lauren thought to herself. "I'm going to go change into something more appropriate. Make yourself at home." said Lauren, walking to her bedroom.

"Home." , repeated Drake with a whisper.

Drake surveyed the room. Like any typical college student, Lauren's room consisted of simply a bed, a desk, a small couch, and a television. Her tan walls were adorned with a Nirvana poster and several pictures of Lauren with her friends. Drake's attention was particularly drawn to a photo of Lauren and what appeared to be her mother. He slowly ran his fingers over Lauren's smiling face in the picture.

"That's me and my Mom." , Lauren said, standing in the doorway. She had changed into a green tank top, blue jean capri pants, and had taken her long brown hair down from the ponytail it was in.

"Yes." , Drake replied, with a certainty like he already knew. "No pictures of your father?" , asked Drake.

Lauren's smile lessened as she answered, "I never knew my father. I don't even think he knew about me. From what I could get out of my Mom, bless her heart, she had had an affair with a prominent business man from England who stayed at the inn my grandparents owned. The only thing I know about him is his name on my birth certificate, Matthew Van Helsing. Like the name from Bram Stoker's book. I used to have plans of finding my father, but my mother said he was a crude, cruel man who would surely deny the affair with her, and foremost, deny having a daughter with her. From the moment she told me this, I haven't wanted anything to do with my father."

Drake walked up to Lauren, looked deeply into her eyes, and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't upset me, don't worry." , replied Lauren, gently touching Drake's arm.

Drake's eyes burned into her own as he spoke, "How about we go for a swim? I know of a lovely secluded place at the lake we can go to."

"Sure, I would like that. I've never been one to venture far out into the water, though. I have a fear of high water." , answered Lauren.

Drake laughed and said, "Very well then. It's only a short walk from here. And Lauren, I wouldn't let you drown."

Ever since Mary had the vision about Dracula and the woman, she had been having a recurring dream every night. Mary's father Abraham Van Helsing was in the dream, dressed all in white. He kept saying, "Mary, I have something to tell you. You have---". His voice was always silenced by the sound of a baby crying, followed by a child's laughter. Then Mary would wake up. Just having had the dream for the fourth time, Mary sat up in her bed, and rubbed her head. "What are you trying to tell me, father?" , Mary yelled aloud, frustrated.