Dracula smiled at the patrons in his restaurant. He loved watching people enjoy the food of his homeland as well as relaxing in his hotel.
As he walked around the edge of the room, observing everything, he saw her. The red head that had bumped into him earlier that day, Kate.
Her hair was still up in a ponytail, hanging straight down the center of her back. She took a seat and smiled as the zombie waiter gave her a menu. She didn't freak out like some of the humans did when they visited for the first time. She was a nice girl.
It was part of the reason he didn't want her wandering about the forest at night. It was easy to get lost out there and would have caused problems had something happened, even accidentally. So, he had offered a room up until morning. They weren't at capacity tonight even with the big Monster Bash coming up in town in a few days.
However, that would change the closer they got to the celebration. For now, he was glad he had an option for the young woman.
He continued on his rounds, ignoring the girl for a while. When he looked back towards her about an hour later, he found that she had ordered traditional Transylvanian dishes rather than the burgers and pasta they offered for the human guests. He watched as she took a bit and seemed to savor it before moving on.
She had said that she was training to be a chef and it seems as though she hadn't lied about that.
He almost moved to walk towards her when he felt a tug on his cape. He turned to find himself looking down at his grandson, Dennis.
"Hiya Papa Drac!" he said with a huge smile.
"Hello my little Denisovich. How are you today?" He smiled down at the young boy. He was getting too old, at 8 now, to pick up.
"Great. Mom said that we can go swimming later."
Dracula smiled. "Sounds like a lot of fun."
"You'll come too, won't you?"
He glanced back at the woman at the table. Something about her drew his attention, but he wasn't sure exactly what it was. She took another bite of food and her eyes closed as she ate, a smile slowly forming on her face.
She wasn't beautiful, but she wasn't plain either. It wasn't her looks that drew his attention, then what was it?
"Papa Drac?"
Dracula turned his attention back to his grandson and smiled. "Of course I'll be there," he said. "Now run along to your mother and I'll see you a little later."
"See ya later, Papa Drac!" Dennis said as he rushed out of the dining room. Dracula smiled as the young boy before turning back to the room.
A pair of bright emerald eyes were watching him now, accompanied by a shy smile. For a moment Dracula stood in shock. She was prettier than he thought. That smile lit up her green eyes and almost made them look like emeralds.
He smiled back briefly before continuing his rounds. It had been way too long since he had last been with a woman. No woman after his late wife could compare so he hadn't bothered to pursue any. What would be the point? You only zing once and his zing was gone.
Kate watched the young boy leave the dining room before turning back to Dracula. He was watching the child run with a smile that only a father could have. Was that child his? A sharp pain filled her at the thought, although it confused her.
He turned back to the room and his bright blue eyes caught hers. She gave a shy smile, which he returned, before he went back to his job.
She turned back to the delicious meal she was enjoying. She hadn't noticed anyone else in the room as she ate, no one except Dracula.
Why he caused this conflicting emotions inside her she didn't know. On the one hand she felt like she should be doing something other than sitting there eating, and on the other she was acting like a shy schoolgirl with a crush.
"He's married," she whispered to herself as she continued to eat. However, reminding herself of that thought did nothing as her eyes still sought him out through her meal. After the child left, Dracula left as well so she took a deep breath and continued eating her meal.
After she finished eating some of the most delicious and unusual Transylvanian dishes, she stood and started to head back upstairs, her mind trying to work out all the flavors and spices that were in the dishes.
On her way she passed a young woman in a bathing suit following the same young boy she had seen visiting Dracula in the dining room earlier. The child bumped into Kate.
"Oh! Dennis, be careful!," the young girl said. She looked up at Kate with the same blue eyes Dracula had and smiled. "Sorry about that," she said. "He's just excited to go swimming."
Kate smiled back. "It's okay. No harm done."
The woman laughed before another man came up behind her, this one with the same wild red hair the boy had. "Hey Mavis, do you think Dennis still needs these water-wings?"
Kate looked at the group and could tell that they were a family. If that was the case, then how did Dracula fit into this? She had seen the child rush up to him and hug him, just like a child would do to a family member. He was too young to be the boy's grandfather and the two people in front of her were way too young to be Dracula's parents. Maybe they were uncle and nephew? That made sense and would explain the family resemblance between this girl and Dracula as well.
That had to be it.
"Well, I'll let you get back to the pool plans," she said before moving past the small family and down the hall to her room.
She was exhausted after a long day of flying and then hiking through the woods. She needed to relax and get some sleep.
She still had to walk back to her own hotel in the morning.
She removed her jeans, shirt and bra, leaving her in just her panties. She wasn't really a fan of sleeping semi-nude, but all her clothes were back in her room at the B&B. She had no choice.
She washed up as best she could before crawling into the super soft bed and falling asleep.
Dracula waved at Dennis and Johnny as they swam in the pool. That young boy meant the world to Dracula
He turned to his daughter, who was sitting on the pool's edge with her feet in the water watching the two boys swim.
"So," he said knelling down next to her. "How's my favorite vampire?"
She smiled at her father. "Good Dad. Just glad that Johnny and Dennis are having fun right now before Dennis goes back to vampire school next week."
Dracula nodded. It was hard with the 8-year-old kid in school now. However, it did let Mavis and Johnny have some time alone. Something they had been missing since Dennis was born.
"Also, I have some news."
Dracula turned to his daughter with a raised eyebrow. "Oh! You aren't planning on leaving the hotel are you?" He said, his voice becoming very worried suddenly.
Mavis smiled. "No Dad. I can see how happy both Johnny and Dennis are here. I'm happy to be here too. My news is that...well..."
Dracula placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder and looked at her with concern. "Is everything okay?"
Mavis laughed before taking another deep breath. "I'm pregnant...again."
Dracula's eyes widened and then he smiled at his daughter. "Another grandchild," he said softly. "That's wonderful news!"
He pulled his daughter into a hug and couldn't help the feeling of warmth the flowed into him. Life was great. His family continued to grow and expand as was his love for them. He couldn't be happier unless, somehow, Martha was here with them.
However, he knew that would never be. Martha was gone.
As he stood and walked from the pool area, he wrapped a hand around the ring on his finger.
Martha's ring had been exactly the same as his own, just smaller. After the fire had died down he had gone back to look for it, as a keepsake he could give to Mavis when she grew up to remind her of her mother.
He hadn't found it.
To this day he wondered if it had melted in the flames or if the townsfolk had found it and sold it for money. Either way the ring was gone and the only things Mavis had to remind her of her mother was a book she had made for her 118th birthday and portraits he had around of her.
He felt a slight anger fill him as he thought of why Martha wasn't there.
Ludwig Van Helsing.
That stupid man had killed Martha, taken a mother from Mavis and left Dracula all alone. There would never be another zing for him, she was his one.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, allowing the anger to slow release from him. It didn't matter now. Over 100 years had passed and Ludwig Van Helsing was dead.
There was no reason to fear the Van Helsings anymore.