Thanks to my darling beta xx This will be a short one

Chapter 1

There were three portraits of the Chosen One at Garside Grange. One was hanging on the wall of the foyer, right opposite the main entrance. The other one was placed in the great dining room, on a place of honour. The third one was hidden in a secret place. Or Count Dracula thought it was in a place no one would ever find it. Wolfie had been careful not to mention that he knew where it was, nor those times he'd seen the Count just staring at it, mumbling something to himself. However he sometimes used that portrait so no one would disturb him. In that very moment he was staring at it, wondering if anyone could ever make such a gorgeous picture of him.

Vlad was perfect. He was tall, dark and his sapphire blue eyes glowed even in the painting. He looked like a leader with that noble expression on his flawless face. Fifteen-year-old Wolfie could stare at the portrait for hours, dreaming of being like him. He wasn't even a half of his half brother. Of course he had grown up, he was tall and fit, but that was all. He still looked like a kid. He was still just Wolfie.

With a deep sigh the boy turned around and exited the room, making sure the Count would never find out he had been there.

Garside Grange had been awfully quiet since Vlad had taken his place on the throne, as the Grand High Vampire. Erin had left with Malik, both were still missing. Ingrid had taken her place in the High Council, and Bertrand had been dust for years now. All Wolfie knew, was that the place he had once called home, wasn't the same without them. It was just the four of them now, him, the Count - who was away most of the time - Renfield and Zoltan. Not a very interesting group.

Wolfie walked through the empty corridors lightened by the cold light of the candelabrums. The shadows danced on the walls endlessly as Wolfie passed by. He stopped behind the door of the room that used to be Vlad's. He stood still for a few moments, gathering his courage, and pushed the door cautiously open. The room was like Vlad had left it. Empty. Zoltan was in there though, as Wolfie had imagined. He was always there.

"Hey Zoltan", Wolfie greeted, closing the door behind him. The hellhound turned his head towards the boy.

"Master Wolfie!" he said, seemingly amazed, and possibly also pleased for the visit. Wolfie had spent a lot of his time with the hellhound when he was younger, but with school and everything time had just passed by. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Wolfie stepped closer, looking a bit embarrassed. He sat on Vlad's old coffin, the only thing in the room that could be used as a chair, and layed his gaze for a while. He waved his feet restlessly, trying to start the talk.

"I've been wondering... there are some questions I hoped you could answer", he said then. Zoltan looked at him heeling his head slightly.

"Of course, I will do my best master Wolfie. Just how can I help you?" he asked. Wolfie's leer was still pointed to the floor, and it took him a few moments to gather himself. Zoltan said nothing, just waited in silence. Wolfie reminded him of the young Vladimir, maybe just a bit more insecure than him.

"I'm a werewolf, right?" Wolfie asked finally. Zoltan nodded. "Why do I turn into a dog and not a wolf? It makes no sense right?"

"I could say that's because you are only half a werewolf", the hellhound said.

"And that's the reason why I don't need blood?" Wolfie asked. Zoltan was quiet for a moment, hardly looking at him. Then he nodded slightly.

"Am I a Dracula Zoltan?" asked the boy then. He knew he was, Ingrid had tried to use his tears when she needed the tears of a Dracula, but only said by Zoltan it would count. Wolfie trusted him.

"Well master Wolfie, you are not a Dracula in blood, but you certainly are one in bond", the hellhound started. "You've been taken under their roof, and brought up as one of them. You have Count Dracula's total approval. Yes, you are a Dracula."

Wolfie said nothing for a while, just thought about his next move. There was one thing he wanted to know more than anything else, but the subject was quite delicate and he didn't want to obtrude. But this was about him, and Wolfie wanted to know who he was, what he was. So after a moment he took a deep breath and rose his gaze to meet Zoltan's.

"I'll be sixteen in a week. What happens if I look in the Blood Mirror on my 16th birthday?"

Zoltan's reaction was unexpected. The hellhound froze completely. Wolfie looked at him for a while, but when he didn't seem to be going to give a proper answer, he reclined a little closer.

"Zoltan?", he asked. "What happens when I look in the Blood Mirror?"

Re-asking the question seemingly made the hellhound awake for he shook his head.

"I don't know master Wolfie. Nothing I guess. Just promise me you won't try", he said. Wolfie looked at him carefully. For some reason, he felt like Zoltan was lying. But why would he ever lie to Wolfie? They were friends.

Once more Wolfie felt like he was left out of everything. He'd never been in a major role in all Vlad's adventures, he'd never contributed into saving anyone. He'd always been a kid, a puppy, sometimes bullied by Renfield, sometimes used by Ingrid. Never anyone had asked him how he felt about something, not even when he'd been right all along. He was a Dracula, yes, but he was a bastard,a mix between two predators. Lost in his own dream of becoming something great.

"Master Wolfie, are you okay?" Zoltan's voice awoke him from his thoughts. The hellhound looked at him worriedly, but Wolfie nodded and smiled. "Promise me you'll stay away from the Mirror".

Wolfie stared at him for a moment, then he nodded slowly.

"I promise. Sorry for bothering you and thank you for your answers", he said, getting up. He opened the door and smiled once more to the hellhound before sneaking back in the corridor. He leaned against the wall for a while, trying to collect his thoughts.

The talk with Zoltan had cleared at least one thing: Wolfie was tired of being lied to. He would look in the Mirror.