Ok, for you who guessed who Larissa's mom is, I'm not going to tell you who she is, and I'm not saying that any of you who guessed are wrong, but Chapter 4 gives you a very clear indication of who it is; you've just got to read between the lines a bit.

Chapter 5

"What? What did I say?" Larissa bent over Aleera, checking if she was okay as she had slumped in her seat and was staring wide-eyed at Larissa. Verona too was staring at her, but was more in awe and disbelief than anything.

"You mean you could be Aleera's daughter…or Anna's."

"I guess so. Why?"

"Because you would be looking at the only Aleera in Europe, that's why." Verona said slightly fiercely, her eyes turning an almost neon green.

"Really?" Larissa said happily. Verona nodded. "Then why are you so angry?" Larissa asked suspiciously, the joy still seeping through and making itself apparent.

"Because," Verona said harshly, "you other possible mother is Anna. I've been here for over three hundred years, and the only Anna I know of is Anna Valerious: our enemy. She has to kill us, or we have to kill her."

"Well, that isn't to good, is it? Anna's my mom; she kills my friends, or my friends kill my mom. Aleera's my mom; I lose potential friend or mother and friends. Problem right there, I think—oomph!" Larissa said lightly, until Aleera decided to wake up out of her stupor and throw her arms around Larissa's neck, that is.

"What's wrong with her?" Dracula said from besides Verona.

"We could just be watching reunion between possible mother and daughter."

"Really." He said in a dangerous voice.

"What's wrong, master?" Aleera asked over Larissa's shoulder, Larissa trying to pull away from the red head practically suffocating her, and failing to pull out of her death grip.

"You had a child with someone else!" he hissed furiously. "What do you think is wrong?" Dracula's eyes turned a sea blue in anger.

"Had I known I'd had a daughter, she would've been with us, and you would have known."

"How can you not know if you're with child?"

"Did you ever wonder why I was so sad when you met me?" Aleera answered with a question. Verona and Larissa were moving their heads back and forth as though they were watching a tennis match (not that they knew what tennis was…).

"Yes, as a matter of fact I did!" Dracula snapped. "But I'd thought that I should let you be. You were really touchy, if I remember right. So are you going to tell or did you just bring that up to bring it up?" he calmed steadily.

"About," Aleera paused, "Sixteen years ago, I did have a child. Birth to a baby girl in the middle of the night. I fell asleep soon after, before I even held her or got to name her. The next morning I awoke to my father telling me that my child was born still born and in grief her father had left. For good. I didn't think he'd actually leave; he said he would, with out child. It was a year and a half later you turned me."

"And from where I'm standing, if you're really my mom that would mean dad just picked me up and left. What a bastard." Verona and Aleera looked surprised at her choice of words, but refrained from saying anything. Dracula looked about to say something when a screech of clawed stone sounded and a werewolf climbed up and over the balcony. Once again, Larissa's reflex of snatching for her sword kicked in and this time was definitely noticed.

"If you're that quick to the sword, I'm not sure we should let you near one. Paranoia isn't a good thing to have." Dracula smirked a bit, turned to the werewolf and pretended he didn't hear Larissa's scowl-shot voice say, "It's not paranoia, it's instinct!" and the brides laughing.

While the brides were laughing at Larissa's indignant look, which surprisingly reminded them of when Anna gave them that expression, Dracula was conversing with the man dressed in rags; Anna's brother.

"Verona! Aleera! Come over here." Dracula looked ecstatic. Surprised at the rare expression he was wearing, they rushed over next to them. Larissa followed and hopped up onto the railing and slung her legs over the edge. Not exactly trying to listen in, Larissa nearly fell over backwards as Verona jumped against Dracula when Aleera rushed over to the man and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. "Thank you so much Velkan!" Velkan looked surprised at this and gave Aleera a strange stare. After, he spared a quick glance at Larissa before looking down again.

While the three vampires were busy being excited, Larissa spoke. "Velkan?" he looked at her and his gaze stayed this time. "Ann's brother, tight?" when he nodded, slightly confused, she went on. "Hi. I'm Larissa, you possible niece. Always nice to meet possible relatives."

"R-relative?" Velkan's voice was hoarse and full of disbelief. Larissa smiled and nodded her head. "So," she said after a pause, "why are they so excited again?"

"The Frankenstein monster. I found it alive this morning." Velkan replied.

"Ah, that explains it then. So, uncle of mine, tell me about yourself."

"Well, I-"

"Velkan! Be ready tomorrow. You're going to go on a little…hunt…with my brides. I'll tell you tomorrow." Velkan looked as if he was going to protest, but wasn't given the chance to as Dracula swept out of the room, Aleera and Verona soon following. Larissa and Velkan were then in the room in silence. "Are you tired?" Larissa asked slightly cautious.

"No. Are you?" Velkan grinned. Larissa returned the favor and responded, "Hardly. So…" They spoke for the rest of the night—which consisted of approximately five hours.

"I can't believe this!" Larissa was pacing in front of the couch Dracula was reclining on. "Of course they would have split! It's only common sense; a decoy. And I'll bet you sent Aleera and Verona right to it!"

"And I assume that Anna took the monster and the monk and will meet up with Van Helsing after setting the decoy? (A/N: brilliant predictions, right? guilty smile) Anyway, who was the general of an army again?" Dracula said sharply, Larissa's pacing and rambling getting on her nerves at last. She snapped right back, "I think that is precisely what is going to happen!" then said mockingly, "And if you must know, I just happen to be the youngest and first female ever commanding officer for the army of Rome, thank you very much."

"Smart aleck," Dracula muttered as Larissa got tired of walking is circles and sat next to Dracula on the couch. Sitting in silence, both with identical pensive looks on their face, they gave off a wave of ease that might have startled most had they felt it.

(Three hours later)

Larissa was lying on the floor, face down. "Why can't time bloody FLY!" Larissa yelled, voice muffled, attempting to hit her head against the floor, although the attempt was futile. An extremely thick and plush rug was separating her head and the stone beneath it, effectively preventing her from hurting herself.

"The same reason pigs can't fly." Dracula's response received him a glare.

(Four hours later)

"Oh, finally! Dawn! They should be back soon." Larissa really couldn't understand how she had lived with only the company of her father growing up. Honestly, several weeks earlier, she could have gone days to weeks without having to utter a word, and now it infuriated her if she didn't have someone to talk to!

PoV change

Aleera and Verona could sense the approaching dawn as they flew into a hysterical dive after the coach (that supposedly held the monster) as it plunged into the chasm of rock.

"Aleera! We cannot let the creature be destroyed!" Verona yelled to Aleera, who had grasped a wheel of the coach and was spinning in circles. They were unable to stop or even slow the coach that was dropping like a stone, causing them much dismay, as for once, they weren't strong enough for something.

"Aleera started to look slightly green, despite her complexion. Before leaving the coach, Aleera yelled over the wind,

"Save him! Save the monster!" she let go and soared into the air, going to search out the second carriage.

Verona moved over and yanked the door open, then reeling in shock that it was empty. Noticing the ground getting ever closer, Verona quickly swept over the interior of the coach. And find something she did—just not as good a thing as she would have hoped. "Stakes!" she screeched before flying as fast as she could away from the coach. Wisely realizing she was unable to reach the top of the chasm before the coach hit bottom, Verona streaked to a ledge in the rock wall. As soon as she reached it and flattened up against the rock, the coach hit and exploded, the stakes swishing through the air.

A couple of stakes embedded themselves in something near Verona. Verona's eyes were wide as she fearfully looked down to see where they did so. Observing where the stakes were embedded, Verona could do nothing but collapse to the ledge. And she didn't get back up.

I've been told that it helps if you ask for reviews, and i see that a lot of people have at least come to this story. so if you could please take a few seconds and tell me what you think of the story, i'd appreciate it!