Over the next few days, Degana grew closer to the family that cared for her. She helped around the house, helping with getting the crops ready and taking care of the children. But with each passing day, she prayed with less fervor and finally just quit praying all together. She even stopped wearing her golden cross that she wore around her neck and instead gave it to Alessandra, who proudly flaunted it whenever she could. Degana was losing her faith.

One night, about a week after Degana was found in the garden, she crept outside. Michael and Gretchen had never allowed Degana outside after dark, and they finally explained why.

In an old castle, just outside of town, there used to live a grave robber and doctor, Dr. Victor Frankenstein. He had made a great discovery: how to reanimate the dead. However, him and the creature were destroyed by the townspeople and a monster named Count Vladislaus Dracula. The man sold his soul to the Devil, and in turn was granted eternal life but with a price. He is dead, but at the same time living, and can feel no real emotions. And to sustain his eternal life, he must drink the blood others. He and his three vampyre brides then disappeared after the incident, leaving no clues to where they may have gone.

Shortly after the Frankenstein incident, Boris Valerious, King of the Gypsies, disappeared without a trace and is still missing. Now Anna Valerious is the only remaining Valerious alive. If she doesn't kill Dracula before she herself is killed, then nine generations of her family will be trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead.

So a man named Van Helsing and his sidekick, Carl, a friar, were sent to Vaseria to help the princess destroy Dracula. Everyone is afraid to venture out at night, just in case Dracula might be waiting for someone to unwittingly fall into his trap and become his next meal.

Degana paid no attention to Gretchen and Michael's warnings, but she waited until everyone was asleep to venture outside just in case they would try and stop her. She had long since changed her clothing to a simple woolen dress, much like the other villagers. She still stuck out like a sore thumb because of her looks, but she did the best to hide her wings, and hair, that she tucked up under a bonnet. She took this bonnet off now, and let her hair hang down past her shoulders, glad that that itchy cap was off.

Degana wandered off into the woods, knowing if any problem presented itself, she could quickly fly away without being harmed. She found a worn dirt path and followed it, not knowing where it would lead her. But giddy with the mysteriousness of it, she found herself half running along, not being able to wait until she reached the end. When she did, she stared in awe. The path had led Degana to Frankenstein's castle. She took a few steps forward and debated whether to explore it or not. But the old stones and deserted look of it decided for her. She had always had a thing for mystery and her curiosity was always said to be her downfall. Degana scurried up to the castle, and looked along the wall for a door. She found one and slipped inside.

Once inside the castle, Degana sneezed, sending a cloud of dust up to the ceiling. She found herself in a large room filled with all sorts of gadgets. There were huge electricity generators, and wires and metal spires everywhere. Degana hurried through the room, wanting to leave as it made her uneasy. She found a door leading out and slipped through, closing it silently behind her. She followed the set of stairs she found up. Suddenly, she heard garbled voices coming from ahead of her. Panicked, she leapt into the room that was on her right, closing the door quickly but quietly behind her. Once the voices had passed and continued down the stairs, could she breathed a sigh of relief.

"I thought this was supposed to be deserted…" Degana whispered to herself. A sudden chill ran down her spine as she remembered what Gretchen had told her of Dracula suddenly disappearing. What if he's here now? Degana asked herself. She forced herself to calm down and take deep breaths.

She turned and found herself in a library. Gasping, she ventured further in, staring in amazement at the hundreds of books that lines the shelves, from floor to ceiling. A fire was blazing in the large stone fireplace, adding a welcoming glow to the room. Degana wandered throughout the room, quickly forgetting her fear, and gazed up at the books, occasionally pulling one out and glancing at the title.

"I take it you enjoy reading, hm?" a voice came suddenly from a chair in front of the fireplace. Degana jumped, dropping the book from her hands. She had assumed that she was alone, and her heart raced as the voice chuckled.

"Excuse me for surprising you. I wasn't expecting any visitors either." The voice was clearly masculine, and was heavily accented with a Transylvanian accent. The voice seemed to draw Degana in as she suddenly found herself walking towards the arm chair. When she came into view of the front she stopped.

A man languidly sat in the chair with a bemused expression on his face. He wore very high status clothing and had his sleek, jet-black hair pulled back with a clip, but a few tendrils of hair escaped and hung in his face. His skin was amazingly pale but the feature that captivated Degana were the man's eyes. They were the color of deep mahogany, and seemed to be bottomless pits that she found herself drowning in. The man seemed no older than his mid-thirties, but his eyes betrayed that his true age was much older than that.

"I apologize for making a lady stand while I relax," the man said, suddenly rising to his feet. "May I introduce myself. I am Count Vladislaus Dragulia." Degana's jaw dropped.

"You're… Dracula…" she whispered, half to herself. The Count smiled a twisted smile and nodded once.

"And you are?"

"My name is Degana," she whispered, still not believing that this man was the monster everyone had told her about. He was so gentleman like, nothing at all like the creature Gretchen and Michael had described.

"Yes, well, some things aren't always what they seem," the Count said spreading his hands. Degana jumped, as she had not spoken any of those things aloud.

"And the same applies to you," he continued, making a slow circle around her, examining her up and down. "You appear human but you exude a different aura, you might say." Degana opened her mouth to speak but suddenly the door flew open and a man burst in, a silver crossbow, loaded and at the ready. The man stopped and Dracula turned away from Degana and smiled.

"It seems that today is a time for visitors," the Count said. "Welcome, Gabriel. I wasn't expecting you for quite a while."

"How do you know me?" Gabriel asked, slightly lowering his weapon.

"We have such history together, you and me, Gabriel," the Count said. As they talked, Degana slowly crept away from the Count. But her movement caught his eye and he turned. Just as he was going to speak, there came the sound of raucous laughter. Dracula's head shot up and Degana and Gabriel, both, took this chance to escape down the hallway. They ran for their lives as they heard and unearthly screech from the library. The sound of an angry predator, losing it's prey. This spurred the two on faster and finally they emerged in the night. There waited three horses. Two of them had riders already mounted, a woman and a small man.

"Hurry, Gabriel! We must flee!" the woman shouted throwing Gabriel his reins. Gabriel swung up onto his horse and then looked at Degana who was staring back at the castle.

"You. Come on. Let's get out of here," he said and pulled her into the saddle in front of them, and the riders' horses fled the castle.

The four of them arrived at a large manor, and they rode their horses into the stables. Gabriel dismounted and then helped Degana down from where she had been riding side-saddle.

"Are you all right?" he asked her. She stared up at the man, his hazel eyes worried. She nodded.

"Yes. Thank you," she whispered. Gabriel held her eyes a moment longer but then quickly parted and stabled his horse. Degana watched him walk away from her and she suddenly realized that she wasn't wearing her bonnet anymore. Her hands went to her head, but she knew that everyone had already seen her hair and that she would have some explaining to do. When the horses were taken care of, the woman led everyone inside and up to a medium sized room where she started a fire. Everyone settled around the fire and Gabriel immediately turned to Degana.

"Who are you? And what were you doing in Frankenstein's castle?" he asked. Degana suddenly felt all eyes on her, and her shy nature caused her to blush.

"I… my name is Degana, and I'm staying in Vaseria with the family Borokov. I was out exploring and I… just suddenly found the castle and I couldn't resist. I went inside and hid in a room after I heard voices. I didn't know that anyone else was in the room with me," she said quietly.

"Well, you are lucky then that we came. Otherwise, you would be breakfast for that monster," the woman said. Degana swallowed.

"I'm Anna by the way. Anna Valerious, and this is my home," the woman said with a warm smile.

"And I'm Gabriel Van Helsing. This is Carl," Gabriel said motioning to the small man who was sitting huddled on a chair. He gave a nervous smile.

"Hello," he said, his voice squeaking. Degana smiled.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, and then turned back to Gabriel, rising. "I really should be getting home. Gretchen will be worried sick."

"No. You should stay here until morning, just to be safe. You can stay in an extra room, come, I'll show you," Gabriel said, rising with her.

"But-" she started.

"Gabriel's right. You're welcome to stay," Anna said. Degana sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able to talk herself out of this. She followed Gabriel up the stairs where he opened a door for her, revealing a small and quaint bedroom.

"It'll do for tonight. Goodnight," he said and left her alone. Degana sat on the small bed and lit the candle that was on the nightstand, adding a little light to the room. She sat on the bed for a while, deep in thought.

The creature called Dracula was plaguing her mind. All she could think about was that man. When she saw him, he looked familiar. She sifted through her memories, looking for any shred of a memory that she had indeed met that man before. As she thought, she unfolded her wings, and began to preen absentmindedly, straightening bent feathers and smoothing them out.

Suddenly the door opened and Degana was yanked out of her reverie. She stared in shock at Gabriel who was staring wide-eyed at her. She immediately stood and backed away.

"I really should go…" she whispered.

"You're an… angel?" Gabriel said in awe. He closed the door, but couldn't stop staring at her. Degana nodded slowly, afraid what he might do, now that he knew her secret. Her wings were spread and poised for flight if she sensed any danger.

"Wow," Gabriel murmured.

"You're not going to… attack me?" Degana asked still cautious. Gabriel gave her a look of disbelief.

"Do you really think I would do that?" he said. Degana looked sheepish.

"Well, no…" she said. Gabriel slowly approached her, trying not to frighten her. She stood still and waited as Gabriel stretched out his hand and touched her wings. She shivered at his touch, but smiled as he ran his hands over the feathers lightly. Her heartbeat grew rapid at his touch and she quickly found herself leaning into him, their foreheads touching.

"I'm sorry, I just… I can't," she said apologetically, backing away before things got farther. The door opened and Carl stood there.

"Gabriel, you- ah…" he trailed off, his mouth dropping open when he spotted the two so close. Degana blushed deeply and pulled away quickly, smiling to herself.

Thank you for reading, now...please review! Flames welcome.