Disclaimer

I do not own the characters, storylines, or quotations of anything related to the Dracula novels, movies or audio-plays, but I do own my OCs and the storylines I invented and created for this Fan-Fiction story.

Summary

Dracula lives and returns to England — as head of the infamous Circle of Seven. In search for the legendary bloodstone which could enable him to lead a normal life, he reveals himself to Mina, to whom he's linked in more than one way. Hunted by his archrivals Jonathan Harker and Abraham van Helsing he takes her to his homeland, but unforeseen events, deadly vengefulness and an unexpected sacrifice make the vampire doubt his goals — until his path crosses that of blind Rena Bradley...

Parts of the story are based on Bram Stoker's novel, Frank Langella's portrayal of Dracula in the 1979 film "Dracula" and audioplay series "Dracula and the Circle of Seven" and "Dracula vs. Frankenstein".

Dracula — Children of the Night

Mina: "I'm so cold..."

Dracula: "I'm afraid I'm not the right one to keep you warm, huh...?"

("Dracula and the Circle of Seven: Fear of Death")

Prologue: Farewell

While night was approaching in the east and darkness draped in blue-black velvet spread over the dense forests which had always shaped the mountains and valleys of my homeland, I was unable to take my eyes off the dramatic spectacle which caused the sky to the west to burst into flames.

A blood-red sun sank over the horizon, once again throwing itself with all its might towards the inevitable end of a dying day, as it had done for thousands upon thousands of years, before it would triumph over the night again the next morning.

A never-ending battle of invisible forces, erupting again and again in colourful bursts, slowly changing from that same blood-red into a shimmering violet and blue until — black, tacit and heavy — night came upon all those who lived their lives in the shadow of those invisible forces — including those who many secretly called the children of the night.

I couldn't help but smile at this thought, just as I couldn't help but look at the sunset, for I was one of those children of the night, even though I was no longer forced to live out my existence in eternal darkness.

I do not deny that I enjoyed the warmth of the last rays of sunshine on my skin as much as the spectacle that unfolded before my eyes, after I had to do without both for a long, a far too long time.

Being able to walk among people during bright daylight, especially under a blazing sun – I only realized how much I was missing this when I was denied the opportunity to do something mundane like that.

When the moon became my sun and the night became my day.

When the man I once was got transformed into something forced to dwell in the shadows, feeding on the life force of others.

Instinctively, I felt for the deep red stone I had been wearing on a necklace for some time.

For those who were unaware of its significance, it might have seemed plain or even shabby, for me, however, it was a means to return to a life that I had long since thought was lost to me forever.

Thoughtfully, I ran my fingers over the even yet rough surface of the jewel.

Obtaining it had once again involved deceit, betrayal and loss, as had been the case so many times in my unnaturally long life. But never before had deceit, betrayal, and loss been associated with such a stale aftertaste, perhaps even a hint of guilt, as this time, for my pursuit of power had ultimately demanded a cost that I had not been able to foresee.

It never occurred to me that the price I'd have to pay for a gem and a life of relative freedom would rob me of the last thing I cared about, and for which I might even have been willing to turn my back on the Circle of Seven.

But even if it wasn't my hand that wielded the deadly blade which snuffed out the life of the woman who gave up hers for mine on that fateful day ten years ago, it was I who was to blame for her death.

It was I who decided to break the bond that existed between us, knowing full well and yet coldly ignoring that she would have been willing to exchange her world for mine if I had been honest just this once. If only I had given her back what I had taken from her: Our son.

And so, in my efforts to find, judge and crush the monsters who had once destroyed my life, I had become such a monster myself, had stolen my own flesh and blood from his mother and done to him the same my father once had done to me.

As the last rays of sun faded over the horizon, a cold breeze blew up from the valley.

Night had come.

Time to leave had come.

I didn't want to, but I had no choice.

I knew nothing I could do would undo what had happened, and neither my unnatural strengths nor the immense power I held would bring back what I lost back then.

My innocence, my son and...

"Farewell, Mina, my beautiful..."