CHAPTER 1

Everytime Sean opened his eyes in the morning, he felt the grin on his face. Then, the scent of Carrie, lying next to him. He felt her, spoonlike, lying under his left arm. Snuggling closer, he buried his face in her blonde hair, then kissed the nape of her neck. Carrie touched his hand, pulling it tighter around her, and fell back to sleep.

Sean had never been so happy in his life. They had met and fallen in love during the search for the murderer of Carrie`s husband. The pursuit of the vampire Alucard had led to their meeting with Dr. Abraham van Helsing and Sean`s eventual hiring by the Doctor as the United States` consultant to Interpol, reporting directly to van Helsing. Their division of the international police agency was devoted to the solving of crimes of a serious nature that cross international boundaries.

The work was challenging and invigorating, its only drawback the amount of time he had to be away from Carrie and his family. Carrie had three children, two girls approaching their teen years; Amie and Ann, and a four year old son, Wolfgang.

The girls` father was James Corgan, whose murder by the vampire Alucard had brought them together. It was the father of the boy that had caused them such great difficulty. Their pursuit of Alucard was resolved by his transformation to being human after sharing the kiss of a pious woman. It had been quite troubling to Sean that the woman who shared her humanness with him had been Carrie. His jealousy had further erupted when she shared with him the news of her pregnancy by Alucard.

They had spent many hours with Carrie`s psychologist, Dr. Elaina Koss, and Sean had shared many an evening with van Helsing and his friend Lieutenant John Kelly, who had shared the Alucard pursuit. With their support, and Carrie`s unquestioned love, Sean was finally able to accept Wolfie`s parentage and open himself to the wonderful life with which he had been blessed.

Sean, Carrie and the children lived in a large old farmhouse overlooking the Delaware River in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Carrie had sold the Corgan farmland in up-state Pennsylvania and they had used some of the proceeds for the down payment.

Sean had insisted that the remainder of the sale money be kept in Carrie`s name in trust for the three children. In his old-fashioned way, Sean had been anxious about using any of Carrie`s money in setting up their household but relented when he saw the joy in her eyes when first viewing the house. Amie and Ann had grown up in a farmhouse and Carrie had hoped their new home would help make their transition easier.

A month before Wolfie`s birth, on a beautiful spring day in May, Carrie and Sean were married on the rear lawn of their new home. Carrie`s parents and Sean`s family joined the celebration, which was presided over by the parish priest of Carrie`s parents. Lieutenant Kelly escorted the bridesmaid of honor, Lucinda Williams, their friend from Interpol who was an integral part of the Alucard pursuit.

There had never been any doubt of their choice as best man. Abraham van Helsing arrived from France with his usual five minutes to spare. After the girls had a chance to greet their Uncle Abraham and check his pockets for gifts [he reassured them of something left in the limousine with his driver], the marriage ceremony was performed on their new lawn.

As his gift to the new couple, van Helsing had hired the Black Bass Inn for the reception and the happy group left for the celebration. Sitting between Sean and the Doctor in the limousine, Carrie kissed her husband, then gathered van Helsing`s hand in hers.

As he saw the look of concern in her eyes, van Helsing squeezed her hand and smiled. Leaning close to her, he spoke, "My dear, no fears. The unborn is yours and Sean`s. There is no room here for thoughts of Count Vlad Tepes. He is no longer part of your life."

When they arrived at the Black Bass, just above New Hope, PA, the happy newly weds were swept away by the many guests at the reception. Amie and Ann joined a group of children at the side of the Inn where a flock of ducks were begging for food.

Van Helsing entered the Inn and turned right into the small bar. It was a modest-sized room with a few tables and a piano. Besides the bartender, it was unoccupied, as the main serving bar had been set up on the terrace overlooking the Delaware River.

The doctor sat at a stool in front of the famed pewter serving bar, which had been purchased many years ago when Maxim`s of Paris had undergone extensive renovations. He greeted the bartender and ordered a vodka martini, reflecting back to memories of earlier times at the Inn.

As he sipped his drink, he felt someone standing behind him.
”Bram, is that a vodka martini that you`re having?"

Van Helsing turned to face Dr. Elaina Koss "Ah, my dear, it`s been so long. Would you please join me, for old times?"

Elaina nodded, then drew close to him, kissing him on both cheeks, "And what else would I drink here, Bram?"
The Doctor helped her onto a stool, then took her hand. "You look wonderful, Elaina. Do you have a picture at home that ages? How else could your beauty only continue to flower?"

"Aw, thank you, Bram, I only wish that were true! How long has it been since we`ve been here together?"

Van Helsing smiled back on his memories, "It was Christmas, nine years ago. You wore a silver lame blouse and a long black skirt; a simple necklace of pearls. It was the last time we were together."

"Oh, Bram, you remember! And do you remember how much we were in love?"

"Yes Elaina, I remember our love; it still sometimes haunts me."

Ten years before, Elaina Koss had won a fellowship to the University of London to spend one year as an Instructor in Residence in the Department of Psychology. Her duties were to offer a course in the difficulties inherent in growing up disadvantaged. The rest of her time was free for continuing education.

Elaina had interest in forensic psychology and she enrolled in the lecture series being offered by Dr. van Helsing. She found herself enthralled by his lectures and summoned the courage to meet him and offer herself if he had need of another assistant.

Within weeks, it was apparent to both of them of their mutual attraction. One evening, as the two of them were working late in the Forensics Lab, Abraham took the opportunity to address his mounting emotions.

He explained to Elaina that he had been married for seventeen years and had never felt such attraction for another woman in all that time. He had always been faithful to Cassandra, had never even considered being unfaithful. If only circumstances were different, he felt that his attraction for Elaina must be consummated if she felt the same for him. However, his wife was suffering from cancer and he knew nothing good could come from their going any further. Tearfully, Elaina agreed, and the rest of the year was spent trying to keep their passions in check.

Shortly after Elaina returned home to Pennsylvania, van Helsing was called to New York for a forensics consultation and he took the opportunity to call her and arrange to meet her for dinner. Perhaps it was the distance from his family, perhaps it was fate, but the two became lovers that night.

They spent the next week together, ending their time with a last dinner at the Black Bass Inn. That was their final time face-to-face until Carrie and Sean`s wedding. Cassandra had died three years before and it seemed both of them remained shamed by their unfaithfulness to this courageous woman. However, here they were together once more, at the Black Bass.


Their sharing a drink at Sean and Carrie`s reception was the last time Elaina and van Helsing were to meet until four years later when the Doctor arrived back in the United States to consult with Sean.

Although they continued to correspond in long Emails, the death of van Helsing`s wife after their affair continued to cast a shroud over their relationship. Their future together remained in stasis, though neither of the Doctors seemed able to emotionally distance themself from the other.

Since van Helsing had hired Sean as a consultant to Interpol, they had worked together on many cases that had repercussions in the United States and the Doctor had great confidence in allowing Sean freedom to work independently in the United States.

It was highly unusual for van Helsing to travel there for face to face meetings; his schedule forbade such travelling and Sean would fly to Interpol Headquarters in Lyon, France when personal meetings were necessary. It was therefore with some trepidation that Sean was driving to Philadelphia to meet with the Doctor. Whatever case had driven van Helsing to fly here must be of singular importance!

As Sean parked his car in the garage below the building at 15th and Locust Sts., his thoughts returned to his first adventure with van Helsing; their pursuit of the vampire Alucard. It was here that he first fell in love with Carrie during their adventure and it was also here that the Doctor offered him his Interpol consultancy.

Van Helsing had subsequently leased their apartment in this building as a permanent "safe house" for Interpol and Sean often used it as an office when involved in Interpol business. However, it was very unusual for the Doctor to travel here to meet him solely on business for the international police organization.

Sean took the building elevator to their apartment and opened the door. A smiling van Helsing looked up from his computer and crossed the room to greet him.

"Good morning, Sean. It`s so nice to see you in person again. It must be four months since I`ve been able to break free and come here to see you and your family. How are Carrie and the children?"

"Everyone`s fine, Bram. The girls seemed to have developed a keen interest in boys and Wolfie just gets bigger and smarter each day. They`ll really be disappointed in missing you this trip."

"As I will, Sean. Please give them all my love and would you take the gifts I`ve brought for them when you leave?"

Sean shook his head, smiling, "As always, Bram. You know you`re spoiling them?"

The Doctor escorted Sean to a chair in the living room. "Ah, Sean, forgive an old man his pleasures."

Sean nodded and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Now, Bram, what case is so important that you have come here from Lyon to discuss it with me?"

Van Helsing lit a cigarette, begging for time. "Sean, there has been a series of mysterious deaths in Europe that may have implications for your family. I thought it prudent that we meet privately to see if you agree with me."

Sean leaned forward on his chair. "Do these deaths have something to do with Alucard? Has he reverted back to vampire?"

"No, Sean. As soon as I was informed of this cluster of murders, I had Lucinda contact Interpol in Bucharest. Count Tepes is still living in Redicz Castle and we have no reason to believe that he has ever left Roumania. As a matter of fact, he seldom ventures outside of the Carpathian Mountains, save for the opera season in Bucharest."

"Well then, Bram, what could these killings have to do with my family?"

Van Helsing poured two cups of coffee and continued. "Perhaps it would be best for me to explain what my research has discovered. About a month ago, the Surete police in Paris asked for Interpol consultation into a series of murders that seemed very likely related. Over the previous year, there had been six unsolved killings which had the stamp of a psychopathic predator. The first three had been of prostitutes and bore eerie similarities to the Jack the Ripper slayings of a hundred years ago. The bodies were found with their throats and abdomens slashed, with very little blood at the scene. The police originally attributed the lack of blood to the bodies being moved from their killing grounds, but when the bodies of the next three victims were found, police were on the scene very quickly. The bodies were of two men and a woman of moderate to rich circumstances and the police were forced to redouble their efforts into the investigation of the deaths."

Sean lit a cigarette and questioned, "And there was no blood at these scenes either?"

"Exactly, Sean. I requested more detailed autopsies of the last three victims, especially of the throat wounds. The results were just as you might suspect. The neck slashings were an attempt to cover puncture marks in each of their throats. I feel certain that these murders were committed by a vampire!"

Sean replied, "And how do you relate these killings to my family? It doesn`t make sense! Neither Carrie nor I have ever been in contact with any vampire other than Alucard. And since his transformation over four years ago, he has lived an upright life and has not even attempted to leave Roumania."

Sean stood and paced the floor. "Bram, what other information have you gathered? How are you relating these killings to me or Carrie?"

Van Helsing waited until Sean had sat down, then continued. "After I felt convinced that the Paris murders were committed for blood, I asked Lucinda to contact the member European countries for any evidence of similar unsolved murders. What I found was very disturbing and is the reason I asked to meet with you. With the help of French police and the British Secret Service, I have been able to verify thirteen additional deaths over the past four plus years."

"Two years ago, there was one in Le Havre, France and three in London. Three years ago, bodies drained of blood were found in Northampton, Nottingham and Leeds, England and three in Edinburgh, Scotland. The year before that, two bodies were found in Perth and three in Inverness, Scotland."

Sean shook his head, having difficulty following Van Helsing`s logic. "How do these murders tie together, Bram, other than the draining of blood from all of the victims?"

Van Helsing opened a map of Western Europe that was lying on a table between them and pointed to a dark line he had drawn in ink on the map.

"Sean, it was over four years ago that we discovered that the vampire that killed Carrie`s husband had been infected by Alucard`s lover, Mondrian, on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. As you can clearly see, the killings from that time until now can be directly traced from that area to Paris. For me, the only question left to be answered is the identity of this vile killer, this thing that calls itself vampire!"