Tamara sat fascinated watching her mother get ready for the ball. “Mom how is it you can still breathe when wearing that corset?” Tamara’s mother Annabelle smiled and continued tying herself up while saying “Practice is the best way. Speaking of corsets your 13 now Tamara. I have had a corset fitted to you and you will be wearing it tonight for the ball.” Tamara groaned and walked out of her mother’s room. She slouched over as she walked out into the hall. Tamara casually walked down the hallway admiring all the beautiful artwork her parents had decided to decorate with. She stopped at her favorite painting of 2 lovers dancing in a large ballroom. She got into position and pretended she was dancing with the man in the picture. She laughed as she ran into the railing of the balcony. She stopped laughing and peaked over the balcony she watched all of the servants preparing the ballroom for this evening’s ball. Tamara cautiously opened her door and stepped into her room. Helga’s red face stared back at Tamara. Helga furiously grabbed Tamara and dragged her to the middle of the room and began undressing her. Helga looked at Tamara and spat “Where have you been? I’ve been here for 30 minutes waiting for you.” Tamara sat still and tried not to smile at how mad she had made Helga. While Helga was turned around Inga rushed forward to put Tamara’s corset on her and made sure to make it a little loose. Inga winked at Tamara and Tamara managed a smile. Helga turned back around and noticed the loose corset, so she tightened it. Tamara and Inga both frowned at Helga. Helga saw the frowns and said “If she’s going to be a lady she needs to dress right.” Tamara frowned and said “What if I don’t want to be a lady?” Helga turned as red as a tomato. Tamara could have sworn she had smoke coming out her nose. Helga spat out again “I can’t believe you. If you aren’t going to be a lady then you’re going to be a disgrace. It is up to you my dear.” Inga began on Tamara’s hair while Helga finished up with Tamara’s shoes and dress. Tamara hated having to sit and get dressed. After Helga and Inga were done Helga walked out to retrieve Annabelle from her courters. Inga quickly switched out Tamara’s heeled shoes for some of Tamara’s boots. Tamara smiled as Helga and her mother walked in and Inga held the heels behind her back. Annabelle circled Tamara and smiled “You look lovely. Get downstairs and take a seat while I check on your sisters.” Tamara gleefully skipped out of the room into the hallway again. Helga watched Tamara skip out of the room and turned to Inga red in the face. Inga smiled and held up Tamara’s heels. Tamara looked over the balcony only to see that the ballroom was completely ready. She counted the thrones two for her parents, five for her brothers, one for her, and three for her sisters. Well, she thought none of my brothers have died yet that’s a relief. She walked down the stairs careful not to fall. Her brother Maybon was already down in his throne. He glanced toward her and she smiled. He looked very amused as he turned to flirt with one of the younger servant girls. As Tamara sat down her brother Maris came skipping into the room. He sat down in his throne and waved to her. She looked at her two brothers Maybon wore a blue themed outfit today and Maris wore a- she double took the look- Maris wore a pink themed outfit. Since birth Tamara had thought that something was very fishy about Maris and Maybon. She was so fascinated with them that she had actually talked to the doctor. The doctor had said that Maybon had a multiple personality disorder. Tamara heard a scream and ceased all thoughts she turned back to Maybon and saw that he had slapped the servant girl. The girl ran away crying. Maybon stood up and chased the girl proclaiming “Dammit not again.” Tamara remembered the first time something like this had happened. Maybon was only 18 then and he was flirting with the same girl. Maybon and that girl had had a thing for each other since they were 16. Maybon was sitting on throne just like this time, but back then was very shy and he didn’t talk to her just smiled, and then out of nowhere he had kissed the girl. Tamara always kept a notepad on her and recorded every time he split to his other personally she came back to the present and jotted down this latest outburst. She had asked the doctor if she could help him. He had mentioned that he needed more insight on her brother. She was happy to help the doctor she had constantly logged anything she saw about any of her siblings. She put her notebook away and looked toward the stairs here came Minerva and Mary. Minerva looked as skinny and sickly as ever she wore her hat still. When Minerva was born Tamara was so happy to have a sister, but now it was annoying Minerva was very organized and constantly bossing everyone around. Tamara had noticed that when Minerva was 8 she had begun to stop eating at all of the meals. Tamara had jotted this down and told the doctor he said that she had a disease that made her think she was to fat and so Minerva stopped eating to make herself skinnier. About a year ago Tamara had noticed the hat and talked to the doctor about that to. The doctor had said that because of the lack of food she had no nutrition and that was causing hair lose. Tamara’s dress was tugged and she once again came out of thought to see the littlest sister Mary smiling up at her. Mary smiled and said “Tam your dress is pretty. Love you.” Tamara smiled and glanced at her dress she hadn’t had time to take a look before it was a wine red her mother’s favorite color. Tamara glanced again around her and saw that Mina had sat down and was reading. Tamara stared at Mina for a bit she remembered when her mother had walked in with baby Mina and proclaimed that she was mute. Tamara was happy that her parents had still kept Mina because she had asked the doctor and he said that most people would put their baby on the streets if it was mute. Tamara came back to the present and glance at the boys. Myron and Maikel had sat down. Myron’s throne had to be bigger than everyone else is because of how overweight he was. Tamara looked to Myron’s hand and saw two of the chef’s sweet cakes in one hand and the other hand was being used to stuff a cookie into his mouth. Maikel sat properly like the next of kin should. Maikel was a Jr. to their father Maikel Sr. Tamara had never really liked Maikel he was too much like their father. Tamara glanced to the Maybon’s seat he was back and the servant girl sat on his lap. Tamara looked to the final empty seat beside her parents. She heard a crash and bang and immediately looked to the balcony just in time to see Mihnea get on the railing jump climb down to the last bit and do a backflip off the railing. Tamara had always liked Mihnea he was so cool and relaxed and he was so different from the rest of the family. Tamara remembered when they had had their first family painting. She had looked at her parents. Her mother Annabelle had golden blonde hair and forest green eyes that were always bright with laughter. Her father Maikel Sr. had red hair, freckles, and blue eyes that were very stern and focused. She had looked at her sisters and notice that they all had golden blonde hair with blue eyes and freckles, and then she had looked at her brothers and noticed that all, but one had red hair, freckles, and green eyes. She had stared at the odd one out. He had black hair, red eyes, and was extremely tan. She came back to the present and saw Mihnea staring her right in the face. She jumped a little. Mihnea laughed and said “Well, look who’s lost in her thoughts and jumpy.” Tamara laughed they had always had this playful banter. Mihnea was the first person to hold her when she was born. None of the older boys and her father were not around because they were all to busy with the kingdom. Mihnea sat down next to Maybon and smiled at the servant girl. Tamara had known for a long time that Mihnea was in fact sleeping with that servant girl while Maybon was trying to win her heart. Mihnea had always such a jerk to everyone, but Tamara. Tamara looked down to jot more notes, but her hair got in the way she blew it back and then stopped and brought it back to her face she stared at it for a while she had never realized before, but her hair was in fact not red like her father and her brothers, not brown like the maids, and not golden like her mother and her sisters, but black like Mihnea’s. She pushed her hair back and glance at Mihnea. Mihnea smiled back at her and winked and then pointed to his eyes. Tamara had some time before her parents actually came down, so she quickly and quietly dashed away. Minerva got up and stood in front of her. Minerva said frowning “Where do you think you’re going?” Tamara grabbed Minerva’s hat and shoved it down over her eyes and walked past. Minerva yelled at her while getting the hat off her eyes “You are in so much trouble when mom and dad get here.” Mihnea and Maris looked at her and said “Leave alone you brat.” Marius turned to Mihnea and they high fived. Tamara ran into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, her eyes weren’t green like her mother’s, blue like her father’s or red like Mihnea’s, but purple a deep purple. She stared at herself, black hair, purple eyes, and extremely pale skin. She ran into the next hallway and looked at the family portrait she had been painted with golden blonde, hair, blue eyes, and freckles. She ran back into the ballroom and found her parents on their thrones frowning. She was the only one missing Mihnea made quick glances at Minerva who smiled gleefully at the site of Tamara being late. Tamara quickly walked to her seat and sat down. She turned to Minerva glared at her and hit her in the arm. Minerva cried out and Annabelle turned to look at the girls Mary was smiling as usual, Mina was reading again as usual, Minerva was crying to even out her dress. Annabelle stopped the fact the Minerva was crying was out of ordinary. Annabelle glanced down at Tamara to find her jotting some more notes and smiling. Annabelle stared down at Tamara and said “Did you hit Minerva?” Tamara looked up still smiling and shoved her notes into her secret pocket in her gown and replied “No, she’s crying because her dress won’t even out.” Annabelle again looked at Minerva who nodded. Annabelle looked back at Tamara and replied “Well, don’t do anything tonight or you’ll have your father to deal with. Tamara looked at her father and groaned and then went back to writing. Tamara heard a squeal and looked up. Tamara saw who had squealed and groaned. It was Maikel Jr.’s betrothed Linda. Maikel stood and hugged her. Linda kissed his face gleefully as if she hadn’t seen. Maikel sat down as Linda went to each sibling with a present. Linda stepped in front Myron’s throne bowed and handed him one of her mother’s famous sweet rolls. Myron rarely got to eat these sweet rolls, and so immediately dived right in. Linda moved on to Mihnea and frowned. Mihnea was gleefully smiling. Tamara smiled she knew what was coming next. Mihnea kissed her cheek and said “Oh my dear sister-in-law what have you brought me this time. A pen? A book? Oh!! I know!!! Your soul.” He smiled and kissed her cheek again and then sat smiling up at her. Linda did her best to smile and said “Um no to all I have brought you a painting.” Mihnea frowned and took the painting and then immediately began smiling. It was a painting of Linda and Maikel. Mihnea turned toward Tamara winked at her and said “Looked Tamara target practice for your archery.” Linda frowned and moved on to Maybon. Maybon stopped smooching the young servant girl and looked up. Linda smiled and said “I have something for both of you to share.” The servant looked confused as Linda handed Maybon a box. Maybon opened the box and began blushing. The servant peeked into the box and saw a ring. Linda smiled, patted Maybon’s shoulder and said “It was my mother’s wedding ring. I want you to present this when you’re ready.” Maybon stood and strode out of the room with the servant girl. Linda moved to Maris and looked confused. He frowned and said “What are you frowning for?” Linda smiled and said “Nothing my dear just admiring your clothes.” Tamara groaned she hated Linda with a passion the girl was trouble and as dumb as a door nail. Maris received from Linda a smile diary. Maris took it and gleefully and turned to Tamara and said “Tam do you have pen with you?” Tamara handed over her pen and casually waited for Linda to move to her. Linda stepped in front of Tamara. Tamara braced for the stupidity. Linda grabbed a box and handed it to Tamara. Tamara took the box, opened it, and groaned. Linda smiled even bigger. Inside the box was necklace. Tamara took the necklace and made the well explain yourself face at Linda. Linda grabbed the necklace from Tamara held it up and said “This was my grandmothers necklace. It is a good luck charm for any pure soul that wears it. It keeps harm from those who wear it. If you are engaged by something that has a deep hatred the necklace will present that deep hatred for the evil. Wear it always.” Linda stood Tamara up and put it on her. Linda whispered into Tamara’s ear “Did I get you the right present this time? Because last time I don’t think I did that well.” Tamara whispered back “Yes it’s perfect.” Linda moved away to Minerva as Tamara sat down. Tamara thought about the last time Linda had given her a present. The present was a hand sewn sweater with a horse on it. Tamara had used it as a burning arrow target the next day. This present however Tamara was more interested to know about. The trumpets sounded as the first guest walked in Tamara jumped from the sound and looked her best. Linda took a seat on Maikel Jr.’s lap. The doorman announced the name of about 20 people before. Tamara realized that the next person was different. The next person was a male not much older than her. He bowed before her parents. She stared at him and waited for him to present his name. Annabelle said “Please state your name and the city or country you currently live in.” The young man replied “Gabriel Van Helsing your highness. I live in Transylvania.” Maikel Sr. smiled and said “Welcome to our home please mingle and enjoy yourselves.” Gabriel bowed again and walked past the thrones. Tamara stared at him Gabriel stopped to wink at Tamara and went on his way. Tamara smiled took out another pen and jotted this down. Little did Tamara know that she and Gabriel would be meeting again. The rest of the guests filed in the thrones were pushed to the back platform of the ballroom and the ball began. Tamara’s siblings and she mingled about. Tamara recalled that her parents had chosen the theme of the ball to be a masquerade. Tamara was wearing her mask and mingling when she heard a voice behind her say “May I have this dance?” Tamara turned to see a young gentleman about her age with his hand out. She grinned it looked like Gabriel. Tamara took his hand and replied “Yes you may.” Gabriel and Tamara danced for a while than they began talking. Annabelle was dancing with Maikel Sr. when she noticed that a small wind was beginning. She excussed herself went to a group of servants and asked them to close the windows. The servants all went to the windows and shut them. Annabelle continued to dance however still watching the torch lights flicker as if a wind was in the room. Suddenly, a large gust of wind whooshed through the ballroom and the torches all flickered out. The ballroom was perfectly dark along with the rest of the house. Tamara had felt the wind and then had seen the lights flicker out. Gabriel grabbed her hand and she held him terrified. The ballroom was silent until a scream filled the hall along with more screams and the sound of fluttering wings. Tamara trembled as she waited for the screaming to stop. The screaming ceased and again everything was silent. There the all the people sat until the sun shown through the windows. Tamara had fallen asleep on Gabriel, but awoke with a start when she heard screaming and someone shaking her. Tamara opened her eyes and saw Gabriel’s unmasked face. Tamara stood and began running into where she saw her sisters crying. Tamara stopped as soon as she saw them and stood in stunned silence. Her mother and father were both dried up husks and dead. Tamara turned to see that her brother Mihnea was being cared for because he was seriously injured. Maybon was crying and laughing hysterically while the servant girl was holding him. Maikel Jr. was holding Linda and staring at their parents. Maris was holding Mary and trying to comfort her. Minerva was doing something she had never done which was not worry. She sat in stunned silence on the floor. Mina and Myron were huddled together crying. Tamara turned to Gabriel who was staring at her. Gabriel opened his arms and Tamara ran into them and began weeping. That next day all of Romania was mourning a large funeral was held for the citizens that died at the ball and a funeral was held for the queen and king. For the next week Maikel Jr. prepared to accept kingship. Myron stopped eating so much and lost some weight. Mihnea practiced more than ever with his friends on his fighting skills and wouldn’t talk to anyone even Tamara. Maris was constantly seen with the stable boy. Maybon and the stable girl were very rarely seen only to eat meals and then they would leave. Minerva was helping Maikel Jr. by organizing things for him and helping him clean up. Minerva was so in sorrow that she actually began eating more and gained some much needed weight, but she was okay with it. Mina was very rarely seen without a book on death or something along that same genre. Mary was trying to stay happy, but still missed her mom. She would go to the other siblings and ask for bedtime stories and then cry all through the story. Maikel Jr. had asked Gabriel to stay at the palace to keep Tamara company. Gabriel said yes and spent most of his time with Tamara keeping her company and letting her talk and cry whenever she needed. Tamara and Gabriel spent a lot of time together meaning that Tamara and Gabriel got to talk a lot. Gabriel told Tamara about his childhood growing up with a warrior because he was abandoned as a baby. Gabriel taught Tamara better archery, sword fighting, and fist fighting. Maikel Jr. would watch Gabriel teach Tamara. He respected Gabriel for being so willing to be Tamara. Tamara and Gabriel would come in covered in dirt and bruises a lot, but they never got dirty looks for it. 

 One day, Maikel Jr. gave Tamara and Gabriel so money to go to the circus while it was in town. Tamara didn’t want to go, but Gabriel convinced her to go anyway. Tamara and Gabriel walked in the big top and watched as the lion trainer stuck his head in the lion head. Gabriel was so excited that the lion trainer was able to do that and not get eaten. Tamara though of the first time she had been to a circus. She was very young and her love was for the hippopotamus. She begged her father for the hippopotamus. When they show ended Tamara and Gabriel grabbed a bag of candies and headed back for the castle. When Tamara and Gabriel walked into the castle Tamara had the strangest feeling that something was wrong. Tamara and Gabriel walked around the ballroom looking at the newest decorations. Gabriel asked “Why did they put up new decorations?” Tamara glanced around and said “Maikel is getting pronounced king tomorrow.” Gabriel looked and around and replied “Does something feel odd to you?” Tamara nodded. Gabriel and Tamara walked upstairs when a flash of lighting and a bang of thunder rung through the house. Tamara turned to Gabriel and said “Was it raining?” Gabriel shook his head and said “No, but I guess it is now. Huh that’s weird.” Gabriel grabbed a pair of glasses and stuck him on his head and started for the window. Gabriel pulled back the blind and gasped. Tamara dashed at the nearest window and looked outside. Tamara jumped back and screamed. Tamara had seen a thing she didn’t think existed. Gabriel rushed Tamara to her room and locked her in. Tamara screamed to be let out. Tamara sat for an hour listening to thunder and listening to crashing things in the house. At last the storm stopped and her doorknob turned and Gabriel hurried in with his bag. Gabriel had slashes in his shirt and was bleeding from a gash in his arm. Tamara rushed to her bathroom and grabbed some bandages and bandaged his arm and asked “What happened? Why was there crashing outside? Why has the storm stopped?” Gabriel shushed her and stuck his head to the crack under the door. He sat next to her, turned to her, and said “Someone attacked your house. I was trying to fight the attacker and got hurt. The thing in the window was the attacker and the storm stopped because the full moon is out.” Gabriel stood and grabbed Tamara’s hand and said “I have no other way to put this, but all of your brothers except Mihnea are missing your sisters are currently being escorted away from the castle to your other location, but you and are staying here. I have a bad suspicion and I need you here.” Tamara nodded and said “Okay, thank you for telling me. May I talk to my brother?” Gabriel nodded and they walked out and down the stairs. Mihnea sat on his father’s throne. The thrones were blood smeared and Mihnea was chewing on something. In the queen’s throne the servant girl’s body was placed as if she was the queen, but a large cavity in her chest revealed that something had torn out her heart. Tamara trembled up to her brother digging her fingers into Gabriel’s hand. Mihnea turned his head from the dead girl to Tamara and said “Oh look my little sister and Gabriel. Let me guess you’ve come to take me away right Van Helsing.” Gabriel grinded his teeth. Tamara let go of his hand and backed up “What’s going?” on she said shivering and sticking her hand on a dagger on her side. Mihnea looked to her and said “Oh he didn’t tell you he knows what I am and he is going to take me away to the same insane asylum that his father was put in. Isn’t that right Gabriel?” Gabriel turned to Tamara and nodded then turned back. Tamara backed up to the wall and asked “What are you Mihnea?” Mihnea laughed and looked through the ballrooms sun window and said “It’s funny you ask because it’s show time.” At that point Gabriel and Tamara looked up and saw the full moon come out from behind some small clouds. Mihnea bowed and his skin gave way to coarse brown hair. Tamara in the mere seconds of processing what was going on admired the werewolf in front of her. He had coarse brown hair the type she had seen on wolves and admired touching whenever she could. The werewolf had yellow eyes that stared into her the eyes were full of hatred and envy. She looked into those eyes and immediately understood why the eyes are the gateway to the soul. She read the eyes like an open book. The werewolf had just recently been introduced to the sensation of killing and enjoyed it he had a soft spot for human hearts and enjoyed the taste of any heart over any raw meat that the human had found at the market. Tamara read deeper and found that werewolves hated silver and a silver bullet to the heart would kill the werewolf instantly. Tamara turned her head away brought her mind back to the present and just in time saw the werewolf lunge at her. Tamara jumped out of the way and stopped she remembered what Linda had said and began franticly waving her necklace in front of her. The werewolf got close, but saw the necklace, shook his head, and instead turned to Gabriel. The werewolf stood on his hind legs and began walking toward Gabriel and said “You know I hate males, but you’ve got a good heart, so you’ll taste just as good as any female.” Gabriel looked into the werewolves hateful eyes and said “Why did you kill the girl?” He nodded toward the servant girl. The wolf stopped, turned toward the servant girl, and said “I no longer needed her. She was just a play toy to keep myself busy. I don’t need her anymore though.” The wolf turned back and looked around Gabriel and Tamara were gone. The wolf laughed and said “Well, he knows what’s good for him. Which mean I’ve got a kingdom to run.” Gabriel and Tamara had taken a horse from the stable and were now riding as fast as they could Tamara sat in front crying. Gabriel sat behind her with the bridle and leading the horse west. Tamara stopped crying to ask “Where are we going?” and began crying again. Gabriel answered “Brasov, Transylvania it’s the safest place I can think of.” Tamara stopped crying and her jaw dropped and she sat straighter up and asked “You mean Transylvania in Romania right?” Gabriel put his chin on her shoulder and nodded. Tamara began trembling and shaking. Gabriel put his arms closer to her waist and squeezed her waist. Somehow Tamara found that soothing and she got very tired and fell asleep. Gabriel saw she had fallen asleep and frowned he made the horses ride faster. He crossed the border in Transylvania and immediately started faster than ever toward Brasov. Gabriel around in Brasov and carried Tamara into the closest inn. Gabriel nodded to Tamara and then upstairs the innkeeper nodded and showed Gabriel to the room. Gabriel lied Tamara on the bed changed his bandage, took off his bloody clothes, and got clothed. Gabriel glanced casually behind him and noticed that Tamara’s eyes were somewhat open and he pretended not to notice instead he turned around and kissed her on the head. He put his shirt on and walked out. Tamara had a split moment awake and saw that Gabriel’s shirt was off and smiled, but when he had turned around she nearly lost it. Apparently that entire sword work and fist fighting has paid off she thought as she peeked at his bare chest. As he kissed her on the head she had drifted back to sleep. When Tamara woke up she found Gabriel at the table in the room she looked around and saw a meal on the table also two plates sat on the tray one plate was empty and the other filled with food. She stood only to find that she was still in the same clothes. Gabriel shifted in his chair and said “If you want to change the new clothes are at the end of the bed and I can leave the room.” Tamara went to the end of the bed and said “I want to change, but you can just stay just promise you won’t turn around.” Tamara turned to Gabriel. Gabriel nodded and said “Promise” Tamara began taking off her dirty clothes she noticed that a mirror was propped up opposite of the bed and walked closer she look at her arm. That’s funny I never noticed that before she thought as she examined a new bandaged area on her arm. Tamara continued getting undressed. She tossed her clothes onto the floor and reclothed in the new clean clothes. She went back to the mirror and looked in no dress, but instead pants and tunic with a belt and boots same as Gabriel except his were black and he had a hooded cloak. Her clothes however were also black, but she had a red hooded cloak not a black. Tamara picked the clothes and tossed them into the fire across the room from the table that Gabriel was at. Tamara walked over to the table sat down and began eating. Gabriel watched her sit and then closed his book to watch her. Tamara swallowed some of her food and said “So I’d like an explanation.” Gabriel moved his book into the bag hanging on his chair, turned back to Tamara, and said “My real name is not Gabriel Van Helsing. Gabriel Van Helsing is my father who was killed by Vlad Dracul. My real name is Beniamin Van Helsing. I have no idea how your parents died, I have no idea how you brother was turned into a werewolf, but I do know that you have a gift and you want answers so that’s why you’re here.” Tamara nodded and stopped chewing to say “Why did you lie to me?” Beniamin bowed his head and said “I thought you would be safer and obviously I was wrong. My family has been after Vlad or as you may know him Dracula for centuries, but we have yet to find him which is why you’re here.” Tamara sat in stunned silence with her mom gapping open like a fish. Tamara and Beniamin sat in silence for about an hour. Tamara went back thought about what Beniamin had said. When Tamara was very young she had always been fascinated with the supernatural now all at once those stories came back to her. The first story she had read was about a sad mad man named Vlad the Implaer. He was known as the cruel ruler of Transylvania in the past. He spiked all of his victims and prisoners. His methods were simple invade and attack and then eat in his yard while watching his enemies die. His story was also well know because he was believed to be and ancient race of supernatural being, a vampire. Tamara had been fascinated with this part of the story the most. Tamara had begged for a book from her parents to get her a book about vampires. The book described vampires as their old transalation vampire. The vampires were and evil race and it turns the first human believed of being a vampire was in fact Vlad the IMpaler or Vlad Dracul. Vlad later renamed himself Dracula after the death of his wife who was murdered by one of his enemies. Later Tamara read that Dracula’s three wives happened to be gypsies owned by the king of the gypsies King Valerious. Tamara had read this and ran to her mother asking her if she was related to King Valerious. Her mother had sat her down and said “Yes Tamara I am the king’s granddaughter. My mother you grandma is his daughter Princess Anna and my uncle is Prince Velkan.” Tamara had been so thrilled she went back to the book and began writing again. The book had later went on to describe a countess that was believed to be a vampire because she bathed in the blood of young maidens. The book had said that many Romanians believed the Countess to be a descendant of Dracula. She read further and found out that Dracula was later known for creating and breeding werewolves. At that time Tamara was so into the supernatural that she grabbed at the chance to read a book about werewolves. The werewolves are a human bitten by another werewolf. The werewolf at first only changes during full moons, but by his tenth moon can usually change whenever he wants as long as the moon is in view. She had gone to every library and studied about these supernatural beings. Beniamin shook Tamara’s shoulder and said “Tamara you okay?” Tamara shook her head and brushed away the thoughts for now. She turned to him and said “Yes of course I think I’m just tired I’m going to bed.” Beniamin settled the fire down and the two slept. That night Tamara’s dreams turned to nightmares almost instantly. IN the dream she saw her brothers being tortured by a dark haired man, another blonde man, and her brother. She tried to change her view to see the man, but all she could do was watch and listen. The dark haired man was talking to her brother Mihnea as if he had known him forever. The dark haired man said “If they won’t speak I will allow you to bite them, but give me a chance my son.” A sudden fear came over Tamara. What was the dark haired man talking about Mihnea wasn’t his son was he? The dark haired man turned and she compared the dark haired to Mihnea. Black hair so dark it looked like it blended into the darkness of their cloaks. Red eyes blazing like an open flame in a blazing fire. The pale skin that never seemed to change no matter how much sun they probably got. Mihnea turned nearer to her direction and replied “By your word father.” He walked over to a large table and sat down. The dark haired man again began torturing her brothers. She couldn’t watch, so she took this time to look around the room. The room was large and contained a large vaulted ceiling decorated with disturbing images of people on spikes bleeding to death. She examined the ceiling further the blood looked almost real to her. She went back to the room; the walls were a deep maroon color with black accents here and there. The large table her brother sat at was a mahogany wood along with its fine chairs each had a pillow that was a maroon color lighter than the walls. The bookcases lining one wall were also mahogany and accented the large couch in the left corner well. The couch was a black color that drew attention. On this couch lied a beautiful woman brushing her hair. On the table next to the couch sat a wine glass full of a red liquid. Tamara moved on she didn’t like the look of that red liquid. She instead moved her eyes back to her brothers. Tamara goggled at the sight she saw. Linda sat on Maikel’s lap whispering in his ear, but she looked different her hair was now as red as the liquid Tamara had just looked at. Linda’s eyes were now the same red that the dark haired man’s eyes were. Tamara stepped only to find that she had walked through a third woman this one was blonde and had the red eyes also. Linda and the other two women all were dressed in deep maroon gowns of a silk that was not quite transparent, but also not completely opaque. Tamara sat down on the floor and continued watching the scene before her. Linda got up and moved to Mihnea. She sat on his lap and began drinking from a cup also full of a red liquid. The dark haired man moved to Maikel and asked “Do you know who I am young king?” Maikel was able to barely nod at the question and replied in a raspy in voice “Yo-You-You’re Vlad the Impailer, Vlad Dracul or-“he coughed trying to let the last part out. Dracula looked impatient and hesitantly brought his hand up to beckon Mihnea to him. Linda leaped off his lap into the seat next to him and Mihnea casually got up and moved to Dracula’s side while Dracula said “Spit it out small king my patience is testing.” Maikel managed his breathing and spurted out “You’re Dracula.” Dracula moved to his side and whispered something. Tamara had to strain her ear, but she heard Dracula say “That’s right my young king.” Dracula turned to Mihnea and said “We have prepared a coach to pick you up for your departure. I have already placed a body in my yard as if they hung themselves.” Dracula bowed and continued “My king your kingdom will be youthful with you on the throne.” Tamara backed up, that was the whole plan, she thought, to get Mihnea on the throne. She watched as Mihnea turned again this time it was much easier. She watched as he lunged at one brother after another. She closed her eyes, but the crunching of bones as Mihnea cursed her brother’s with immortality and the longing for hearts. She woke up with a start she felt tears rush down her face and she began weeping. Beniamin woke up, went downstairs, came back up with tea, soup, and bread, and tried to comfort Tamara. After she had calmed down Beniamin asked “What’s wrong what did you see?” Tamara explained what she had seen as best as she could. Beniamin sighed and said “If you saw in your dream that means that it happened last night which means we need to get back on the road.” Tamara nodded stood up straightened her clothes and began to straighten the beds. Beniamin packed to bags with food and thanked the inn keeper for letting them stay. As Tamara walked out of the inn the innkeeper handed her a bag and said “Take this it will come in useful. By the way good job being prepared you already have your cross.” The innkeeper pointed to Tamar’s necklace and went back inside. Tamara realized what Linda had said and smiled well at least I’ve got this to protect me she thought as she hopped on the next horse with Beniamin.