Present Day...

Kate looked at the beautiful countryside she found herself in. The green trees, the rolling hills, the mountains that seemed to keep going forever. It was wonderful.

She looked at the small town in Transylvania, busy and crowded for the upcoming festival. The Annual Monster Bash Celebration! Everyone would come in costumes, party and play games. She smiled as she thought just how much fun that would be.

However, she wasn't here for fun. Aunt Caroline had insisted she come to this area to find Dracula. Kate had rolled her eyes as Aunt Caroline told the same story to her as she had millions of times before while packing Kate's things.

Over 100 years ago, her ancestor Ludwig Van Helsing had found that an ancient being had inhabited his home. The creature was known as Count Dracula, a vampire. He had convinced the townsfolk that he and his wife meant them no harm, that they just wanted to live out their lives in peace.

Ludwig had never accepted it, sure that some sort of mind control was at work.

He gained the power to go against the vampire and convinced the people that Dracula was evil and set them upon him. They killed Dracula's wife and set his home ablaze.

Unfortunately for Ludwig, Dracula had escaped the flames. Ludwig had vowed then and there to hunt down the monster and finish what he started.

He took a trophy from the flames and carried it with him, passing it down from generation to generation as a reminder that they could defeat the monsters hiding among them.

Kate was the last of the direct Van Helsing line, a descendant of Ludwig himself.

According to Aunt Caroline, Kate had all the abilities that had been bestowed upon Ludwig all those years ago, making her the only one who could hunt down the terror known as Dracula.

Kate, however, found the whole story to be just that, a story. Dracula was a concept of someone's imagination, fictional. She would admit that she did seem strong and faster than other girls at her college, but she figured that was from her constant "training" as a child.

Aunt Caroline had raised her after her parents died when she was 8. She had a slew of cousins, aunts and uncles that all believed the story of Ludwig Van Helsing. To a young 8 year old girl who just lost the two people who meant the most to her, she accepted anything they said to be part of a family again.

Training involved learning a multitude of skills she hadn't expected to need to know. Loading a crossbow with a stake and then firing it accurately, using Holy Water as a weapon, how to make silver bullets. She had learned everything her aunt wanted her to know, but she yearned for freedom.

When she turned 18, she took it. She left home and went to college. She was going to learn culinary skills, maybe become a chef one day.

Aunt Caroline had been furious and nearly disowned her. It took 2 years before she finally spoke to her again, and it was to offer her this trip, but with a catch.

Rumors about Dracula in the area and, of all things, running a hotel had reached Aunt Caroline. She demanded Kate go and see if the rumors were true and, if so, destroy the greatest threat the Van Helsings had ever known.

Since she was on Spring Break, she decided that taking a week to explore the cuisine of Transylvania wouldn't be outside of her comfort zone. She could even look around for the person spreading the rumors and tell Aunt Caroline it was all a crazy story.

As she walked up the path to the small bed and breakfast she had found, she couldn't help smiling at the quaintness of it all.

Aunt Caroline had made all the arrangements, but didn't book her a room at the supposed Dracula-run hotel.

'He might remember your family name and kill you!' she had claimed. Kate was sure it was more a pricing concern.

Either way, as she looked around her beautiful room, the window gazed out over a small garden and across into the large forest, she felt at peace. Then, she narrowed her eyes at the sight of what appeared to be a building out there, past the trees.

"Excuse me," she said turning to the older gentleman who had shown her to her room, "What's that building across the forest?"

The gentleman smiled. "Oh! That's Hotel Transylvania. It's a wonderful hotel for both humans and monsters to relax."

Kate blinked before looking back out across the way. So the hotel existed, and the people in town believed that monsters stayed there. She chuckled to herself. How silly!

As she was left alone Kate wondered if that hotel was the source of the rumors. It was an interesting idea, of course, and would make great advertising.

She quickly changed out of the clothes she had traveled in and into a pair of blue jeans and an emerald green t-shirt. Her dark red strands were pulled up in a ponytail and she grabbed her flashlight, camera and her backpack.

She grabbed her room key and hurried downstairs. Time to explore this Hotel Transylvania. Perhaps the hotel would have some Transylvanian dishes she could try in the restaurant. She smiled at the thought before heading out into the woods.

The sun provided plenty of lighting as she walked deeper into the forest surrounding the small town and hotel. She couldn't believe it when the trees parted and she was standing at the edge of a cliff, across from which stood a glorious Gothic hotel. She smiled and looked around, finding the entry to the hotel at the edge of her cliff to the left.

She followed the cliff edge to the entrance, being careful not to look down. She couldn't really see the bottom down there and didn't want to know how far down it really went.

She gave a sigh of relief when she reached the entryway. She walked up the walkway slowly, stopping in the middle to watch the sun set over the horizon. She looked back towards the ever-darkening forest and considered going back to town, but …

She turned back to the hotel and continued towards it. Something inside was telling her to continue forward. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before and she wanted to explore it further. A feeling of understanding and confusion that she had never felt before.

She walked into the revolving glass doors and into the most beautiful lobby she had ever seen.

Aunt Caroline could never have afforded a place like this. Kate smiled at her aunt's silliness. Dracula running a hotel? How funny.

There were many people in the lobby, most of them in elaborate monster costumes. They all had to be professionally made, there was no way an amateur could have made most of them.

No one turned to look at her as she looked around the lobby. She was so distracted by the gorgeous view that she didn't see the body she suddenly ran into.

The force knocked her back and she started to fall, only to be caught at the last second before she hit the ground by a pair of strong arms.

"Whoa there, watch your step." A deep voice said, a Transylvanian accent attached.

"Sorry," she said as she regained her balance. She looked up, embarrassed, only to find her heart skip a beat.

This man standing before her was incredible. Tall and regal with dark black hair slicked back, a handsome smile and the most beautiful pair of blue eyes she had ever seen. The paleness of his skin and the darkness of his hair and clothes only made the eyes pop out more.

Two conflicting feelings filled her. The first was the same one that had pushed her to come into the hotel and the second was as if she had flown to the highest point and kept going. Both were extreme and both were conflicting, causing a wave of dizziness to overcome her momentarily.

She swayed and he reached out and took her arm gently, his touch only causing the feelings to intensify. He helped her to a chair and she sat, willing this sudden dizzy spell to pass. "Sorry," she said again. "That's never happened to me before."

"Are you alright?"

She opened her eyes and fell on his hand still on her arm. His left hand with a wedding ring on it. She let out a breath. Of course he was married. She never met good-looking single men.

Her eyes narrowed on the ring a moment longer, but not because of what it symbolized. That ring...looked familiar. She just couldn't place it at the moment.

The hand disappeared and she followed it up and continued until she was looking into those blue eyes again. This time she took in the man's outfit as well.

She giggled at the sight. "Let me guess," she said gesturing to the outfit. "You're Count Dracula."

He raised an eyebrow at her, a look of confusion upon his face. "Yes, I run this hotel."

Kate couldn't believe this. Her aunt had sent her off on a wild goose chase, all for a man who dressed like a vampire as a gimmick for his hotel. She knew it was crazy to begin with, but even for Aunt Caroline this was crazy.

"And you are?"

She blinked. How rude of her. "I'm Kate," she said with a smile. "Just so you know, I'm not staying at your hotel." She looked around the lobby. "Although I wish that I was."

"Oh? Then why are you here?"

She stood, slowly in case the dizziness returned, before turning to face him. "I can see your hotel from my bed and breakfast in town. I heard it was lovely and wanted to see what I was missing out on. Plus, I was hoping I could check out your restaurant and sample some of the cuisine you have here. I'm studying to be a chef you see."

He smiled at her. "Of course," he said, "but I'm sorry to say that the hotel accommodations are for the hotel guests only."

Her smile faded. "Oh! I didn't think of that," she said before taking a deep breath and smiling at him again. "Well, at least I got a nice walk and got to see the beauty of your hotel for myself. Thank you for helping me."

She turned to leave but suddenly he was in front of her, stopping her movements. She blinked in surprise, he moved so fast, before looking up at him. He was looking down at her with wide eyes. "You walked here?"

Kate nodded slowly. "Yes, I enjoy nature."

"But, it's dark now. How will you get back?"

Kate pointed to her feet. "Same way I got here."

She moved to walk around him, but he stopped her again. "That's not safe. That forest is safe to walk through during the day, but at night..."

"I'm sure I'll be okay." Kate knew she would be. Aunt Caroline's training had made sure that she could take care of herself in any situation.

He shook his head. "No, I insist. Tonight you stay here and you can walk back in the morning."

Kate's eyes widened. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. "I can't afford to stay in such a nice hotel. I'll be fine walking back on my own."

Again, the owner stopped her from walking around him. "No, I insist. No charge." She opened her mouth to once again tell him that she would be fine. "You could try out the restaurant for dinner tonight if you stay."

She closed her mouth and her eyes widened. She really did want to try the food. It was the main reason she was coming to Transylvania in the first place. She smiled. "Okay, stop pulling my leg. I'll stay."

The owner seemed to relax at those words before directing her to the desk. "I'll just grab a key and get you set up."

"Thank you...um..." she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what I should call you."

"Dracula."

"No, seriously."

He turned back to her with a key in his hand, confusion on his face. "Why not? It's my name."

Kate nodded slowly at that. He took his role very seriously. "Okay...thanks Dracula."

He handed her the key and explained how she would find the room, also pointing out the restaurant as well. She smiled at him again before heading off to find her temporary bedroom for the night.

What a strange man, actually wanting people to call him Dracula. He must really take this whole hotel business seriously. She wondered if he was the one spreading the rumors. It wouldn't be a surprise. It was a great gimmick.

Either way, at least she would be able to check out more of this gorgeous hotel and try some Transylvanian cuisine. After all, that was the whole point of taking this trip in the first place.