Dracula Hearts of Fire Book two of Dracula Hearts
CHAPTER ONE

DRACULA WALKED GINGERLY onto the brown carpeted living room floor as he carried his daughter Jenny and put her on the sofa. With his strength, she was as light as air. The 12-year-old awoke from her fainting spell; the reality of it was like running downstairs on Christmas morning and discovering that Christmas was canceled. Her father was Dracula! Who could have prepared for such a revelation? She didn’t want it to be true, but he looked proud and effervescent. She had to admit that he was a handsome vampire, although perhaps a monster, maybe not.

Dracula felt sorry for the child having to meet her father for the first time under such circumstances, a bombshell that no one should have dropped upon them like that. The shrapnel from the revelation had cut through her, shattering warm thoughts and good feelings. Her mind was a jumble of emotions colliding with one another. Jenny didn’t want to believe it, yet somehow she knew it was true. Was her father Dracula? Her father was Dracula! Jenny’s father WAS DRACULA.

But what did that make her? That was certainly a good question to contemplate.

Dracula attempted to convince Allison to reveal the truth in the past, but she had always put it off until the future. She didn’t want Jenny burdened because her father was the king of all vampires. Many stories were circulating about the Master, many of them horrible. He warned her that Jenny would feel cheated and that important information should have been revealed from the beginning. Allison was frightened of how it would affect Jenny in her day-to-day life. She was sure the child would feel different about herself, which was worrying. She was also afraid that Jenny’s reaction would put an immovable wedge between them. But now the bat was out of his cave, and no way to put him back.

Allison didn’t want to be the type of mother that never heard a peep from their children as they grew into adults, or in this case, her only child. Allison knew that the concealment had been wrong, but time had reinforced the wall that hid the truth as the years passed. She endured more than one sleepless night because of it, especially when Dracula threatened to spill it. Allison had always been intelligent and level-headed, but perhaps she had erred in this situation. The truth had to be dealt with, as there was no going back.

“Oh.” Jenny immediately sat up and stared at the both of them, a little embarrassed that she had fainted. She shook her white-blond hair out of her lovely green eyes and stared at her parents. Her parents! The information she received had been quite a shock to her system, an overload of sorts. She was a hybrid with extraordinary talents, with a vampire for a father.

Jenny was, in fact, a wizard and a potent one at that.

She had just discovered that her birth father was THE vampire. As Jenny considered her young life, it was starting to make sense; she now knew why she was such a powerful little thing. Simultaneously mad and confused, she was unsure of her next move. Jenny wanted to kick both of them in the butt but knew that wouldn’t happen. Jenny was so mad that she thought about picking up the sofa and throwing it, and she could do it. Her entire life had been a lie, and she felt betrayed. It was an untruth deeper than the ocean.

Allison felt sorry for lying to her daughter for all those years; she suffered the stress from the disclosure in a progressing headache. How was she ever to make up for it? Allison wished that she had told her years ago. Now she wondered if she might not be forgiven. The responsibility was all on her shoulders. “Jenny, are you okay?”

“I think so. What happened? Did I faint? How embarrassing!”

Her mother sat on the carpet, gazing up at her. She had never felt awkward around her daughter until now. Perhaps this moment would start her rebellious years, but she hoped not. What in the world had she been thinking? Everyone should know their parents and the fundamental nature of understanding oneself. The links that formed a family tree were important stuff. “You did faint, and your father caught you.” Allison’s head gestured toward Dracula, who was standing tall beside her.

Dracula smiled as he raised his eyebrows. He was handsome in his Armani suit and had captivating brown eyes. He was as impressive as they came; even vampires wanted to run away at his sight. His striking face was fortyish and exceptional; he made many pupils of the opposite sex widen with interest. Dracula looked down at Jenny and didn’t know what to say. Being close and personal with his daughter for the first time was strange, not knowing much about her except for what Allison had told him. It was an awkward situation for all of them. The vampire had butterflies in his stomach for the first time in centuries. Jenny forced him to look away because of the guilt.

“What were you thinking, Mother?” Jenny remained in a state of confusion. It’s not that she couldn’t believe it, but it was a lot to process in such a short time. The truth could be like a sandstorm in the desert, challenging to push through, but everything was clearer once beyond it. It would take some time for her to sit comfortably in his presence. Her mind had shifted into high gear, and she couldn’t slow it down. The girl wasn’t sure if she wanted to believe it, but the expressions on their faces were compelling evidence besides the fact that her eyes resembled his. What would her friends say? Then she remembered that she wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. What a secret to keep. “So Dracula is really my father? And this is not some sick joke?”

“No, yes, he’s your father.”

“Luke, I mean, Jenny, I am your father.”

“You didn’t think it necessary to tell me that Dracula is my father? I mean Dracula, come on!”

Dracula attempted to infuse a bit of humor into the situation. “Look into my eyes.” He was immediately aware of the error in judgment and felt stupid. It was rare for him to feel awkward, but there it was. The Master was ill-at-ease, uncomfortable, and even a little self-conscious. No foe could ever faze him, yet little Jenny had instantly instilled guilt with just a tinge of panic. Life still had surprises for him, after all, and in a way, he appreciated it. It had not been the dreary day that Drac had expected. He crossed his arms but thought it might appear too stern for the situation. Dracula felt like running away, which made him shake his head slightly and smile. It was challenging for him not to change into a bat and fly off.

“Shut up,” said Jenny. “You owe me a hell of a lot of birthday presents, DAD. And that was some way to meet my FATHER, MOTHER.” She emphasized both her parents. “Oh, by the way, your father just happens to be Dracula. Nice. What would you like for lunch? And by the way, your dad is Dracula. Lots of ways to tell me, MOTHER.” She gave stern looks to both of them, one at a time, and lingered on Dracula’s eyes. Neither parent knew what to say in their defense. He could technically blame it on Allison, but he wasn’t going to do that. Dracula could not recall anyone ever staring at him for that length of time, and again it made him smile. It appeared that she was a chunk off the old block.

“What would you like for all of those birthdays?”

Jenny thought that she would hit him with something big and, of course, expensive. It was common knowledge that Dracula was rich, and everyone was aware. “A red Ferrari 458 Italia? Push-button start, very nice.”

“Done,” said Dracula.

Allison shook her head. “You’re not buying her a Ferrari; she’s not old enough to drive.”

“She can play in it in the driveway until she’s old enough. Some kids have a dollhouse; she’ll have a Ferrari. What’s wrong with that?”

Jenny observed their bickering and liked it; it could be helpful in the future. Perhaps she could pit one against the other as they would have plenty of guilt for years to come; at least, she hoped it would be the case. Jenny could get her father to buy her a seat on one of those flights into orbit. She looked up at Dracula and then at her mother. “Mother, is he serious? I’ll bet he’s rich, though. Does that mean we’re rich?”

There it was. Another reminder of things that should never be revealed, but Allison was beginning to doubt her judgment. Should she inform or not inform? That was the question. A parent’s guidance was like walking a tightrope; one way or the other, they would fall. Allison didn’t know how her daughter would deal with the information she was about to deal, but the hand was hot. Maybe it was the occasion for digging everything out of the attic. Yes, all the cards should be on the table, although her conscience waved a red flag. She was starting to regret getting out of bed. “You’ve always been rich, Jenny, from the day you were born.”

Jenny’s cute face scrunched as she attempted to figure out what she meant. “Say what now? What the heck is that supposed to mean?” Jenny stared at both parents, first at one, then the other, and then back again. Sounded like gibberish unless it was an attempt at diversion. Of course, this was the perfect place for diversionary tactics.

“Your father opened a bank account for you the day you were born, but you don’t get it until you’re eighteen.”

“Really? How much? A million? Two?”

“Let’s just say that you’ll never want for money.” Her mother smiled.

“Nice answer. Dracula was serious about the Ferrari?”

“Oh, he probably is, but no, you’re not getting a Ferrari. Dracula, what happens when she turns the key or presses the button and heads up the road at two hundred miles per hour?”

“That seems unlikely. The street isn’t long enough to attain such velocity. Well, I suppose it is, but I ah. I, ah, I should be going now?”

Jenny shook her head. “I wouldn’t go more than a hundred and fifty.”

Silence ensued as they all considered the situation in their way. Dracula was happy with having the opportunity to stare at his progeny up close and personal, and like her mother, she had a fire in her eyes, and he liked that. He expected nothing less. Jenny had areas of her mind blocked even to him, which her father found most interesting. What kind of powerhouse had his genes created? He could tell Jenny was a little frightened of him, but he also knew that an entire mafia family couldn’t make her cough up that information. He considered that she was probably exceptional to such a degree that even he couldn’t imagine it; this made Dracula very proud of his daughter.

Jenny considered that if Dracula was her father, how freaking powerful did that make her? Would she one day be the new Dracula? No, she knew that was a stupid thought. But if Jenny was a wizard descended from Dracula, did that make her the most powerful? The answer was probably not because a wizard was a mixture of power, knowledge, and experience. She thought that if she were dumb enough to become overconfident, it would most likely get her killed.

Allison was on a guilt trip and feared it would be a one-way ticket. Would their relationship recover, or would it be forever strained? One thing was sure; Jenny would never let her forget it. Reminders would be thrown at her for the rest of her life. Allison’s eyes searched for forgiveness, and then she remembered. “Jenny, your grandmother is outside waiting for you. Are you going to postpone, or will you go out with her?”

They could almost see Jenny’s brain jumping into a lower gear; she always appreciated the time spent with her grandmother. “If we’re stinking rich, why do we live here?”

“Jenny, you’re the one that’s stinking rich, as you so eloquently put it.”

“I’ll bet he’s helping you out financially.”

“Maybe.”

“Mother, my whole life has been a stretch. What a complete lie I have lived, not knowing my father. Does that make any sense, or am I babbling? Is there a bankbook around here with my name on it? Dracula, would you be so kind as to read her mind and tell me where it is? For whatever reason, I can’t mind her. Otherwise, I would have known that my father was you-know-who, the big cheese with teeth. They say that you are the most powerful creature on the planet. Let me see your fangs.”

“No.” Dracula continued to feel uncomfortable.

Allison got up and stood beside Dracula, and they held hands, and Jenny pointed at them and told them to stop it. Jenny stood and made her way to the window and looked out. Hannah was busy putting on rouge, and Jenny could sense her excitement from where she was standing. She didn’t feel like going out, but she would go because her grandmother was looking forward to the outing, although she knew her mind would be busy with the Dracula thing. “I’m gonna go. I don’t want to disappoint her. Mother, we have some talking to do when I get back.”

“Maybe I’ll run away from home.”

Dracula smiled as he looked down at Allison. “Ha, you’re going to get lectured.”

Jenny turned and looked up at her father. “Wait a minute. Wait a freaking minute? You’re standing out there watching the house once a month?”

Dracula shrugged. “Maybe. Is it a crime to want to get a glimpse of my daughter?”

Jenny wanted to give her father a good kick in the shin but didn’t dare. “I can’t wrap my brain around it that you’ve been lying to me for years. Does Martin even exist? Was he ever a real person?”

Allison shook her head. “No, I thought we’d established that.”

“So, mister Dracula, do I have any brothers or sisters running around?”

Dracula shook his head at her tenacity. “No, I believe you’re the only one. There were others long ago.”

Jenny nodded. “Who, Jack the Ripper? Attila the Hun? Aren’t I special?”

“More than you know.” The Master raised his eyebrows for emphasis.

“Oh, brother. And you, Mother, how he sent you a card with a single word. Nice. What was the word, bullshit?” Jenny looked up at Dracula and examined him; he looked down at her and smiled as best he could. “And you, where’s my autograph?”

“What would you like me to sign?”

“Oh, never mind, I don’t even know if I want it anymore! It’s just not the same when Dracula’s your father! I bet I could sell your pants on eBay for a fortune. I suppose my uncle is a werewolf? Lovely family tree, Mother. Why don’t you just take a branch from the family tree and beat me with it? Oh wait, I think you just did.” Jenny left the house and slammed the door; she stuck her head back in with another statement. “If my grades fall off a cliff, you’ll know why. I should tell Nan, and you can deal with her stroke, heart attack, and nervous breakdown. Where the heck is my purse? On my shoulder, of course?” She slammed the door once more.

“That went well.”

Allison took her hand out of Dracula’s and gave him a look. “This is your fault, you know.”

Dracula looked down at Allison, enamored by her beauty. He went into her mind and asked her for a kiss, but she refused. “How the hell is it my fault? You lied to her. I told you to tell her years ago, but no, you refused, and now it’s my fault? Tell me about this Martin guy.”

Allison slapped him. “Dracula, that is not the least bit funny.”

“I’ll tear him to pieces. I’ll eat him if I have to.”

“It’s your fault because you didn’t force me to tell her. I’m only a defenseless woman, not a vampire.”

“I see.”

“Shut up. Jenny is never going to forgive me. I’ll tell her that you wouldn’t let me tell her. Yes, that could work.”

“That wouldn’t work for me. I’m sure Jenny will forgive you in time, though I imagine she’ll play the Dracula card for the next few months. Perhaps years. Who the hell knows? She’s a feisty little thing. I can’t wait to get to know her better.”

“Why don’t you go with her to the next parent and teacher meeting? Wouldn’t that raise a few eyebrows?”

They embraced as their eyes met. A passionate kiss, and then Drac stopped and stared. “Oh, how I’ve missed that.”

Allison smiled as she started to melt. “You can stop showing me images of us making out. I’ll never forget, so you don’t have to remind me.”

“Shall we?”

“Right now?”

Dracula ran his fingers through her hair. “Better now than when Jenny comes back. She probably won’t be in a good mood for a few years. I know you want to.”

“No. Oh, I suppose.”

Dracula picked up Allison and headed for the bedroom. “Don’t scream too loud.”

“After all this time, I make no promises.”

“And I like it when you scratch my back.”

“Oh, I’ll scratch you, alright.”

The Master blurred into the bedroom, and the wind slammed the door behind them.

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