CHAPTER 10

Loneliness and despair filled the soul of Count Vlad Tepes. It had been five years since he had become human, yet his life felt more barren and empty than his existence as Alucard. Other than servants, his only human contacts were with his Parish priest and with his one true friend, Captain Broz.

His conversations with the pastor were superficial, the few times that Vlad had ventured to reveal his true feelings were met with the need for prayer and forgiveness. Vlad could feel the anxiety emanating from the priest; counseling a former vampire was clearly beyond his intelligence and experience. He found himself spending less time at the church, his expectations of being eventually accepted in the community recognized as folly.

In five years his only social contact had been with Captain Broz. Although their meetings were never more than monthly, the Captain being head of a large shipping empire, Vlad looked forward to these dinners at his castle. Broz brought news of the outside world and always seemed genuinely pleased to see the Count. However, until the past month, neither man spoke of the woman who had given him human life.

Vlad had always felt a certain reluctance in his friend to speak of those days, as if Vlad should move on, make a new life! However, Vlad had been pondering the papal document that revealed the secret to making a vampire human. The German Count who had been made mortal by the kiss, freely given, of a pious woman. How did he live a happy, normal family life? Why was this joy denied him? Was he that evil, his deeds so dastardly, that God would deny him happiness?

As Vlad brooded over this, the major difference in their lives became clear to him. Count Wilhelm married the woman who had saved him; Carrie had left him to return to Philadelphia, perhaps to the arms of Sean Taylor! In five years Vlad had not spent a waking hour without Carrie`s face entering his thoughts. The night she had made him whole, lying next to him, her head resting gently on his chest.

With these thoughts overwhelming him, Vlad had demanded his friend to bring news of Carrie at their next meeting. Captain Broz reluctantly agreed and Vlad spent the intervening month with daydreams of a happy life spent with his true love. Finally, the waiting was over! Captain Broz would be at Redicz Castle within the hour!

Vlad was sitting in his library when Captain Broz arrived for dinner. He shook the Captain`s hand and poured two flutes of Dom Perignon Champagne from the bottle that had just been opened. Bowing to Broz, Vlad lifted his glass in toast. "To my oldest and only true friend."

As the two men drank the wonderful Monk`s drink, Vlad led the Captain to his sitting area and started his CD player. The overture to Mozart`s "Le Nozze de Figaro" filled the room. Broz seemed a little nervous as he heard the familiar Riccardo Muti recording; it was extremely rare for Count Vlad to play comedic Opera, especially with a theme of successful marriage! Had the Count already had access to the information he possessed about Carrie Taylor?

The Captain sat back, a forced smile on his face. He would wait `til Eternity if he could spare the Count his news. Vlad felt his uncomfortableness and spoke.

"Captain, why don`t you just tell me what news you have of Carrie? It`s clear that you are upset."

The Captain leaned over and refilled their glasses, taking time to light a cigarette. "Count Vlad, first the news I`m sure of. Carrie and Sheriff Taylor were married six months after she returned to Philadelphia. They have a home in Bucks County, PA, where they live with their three children."

"Did you say three children, Captain?"

"Yes, Count, her two daughters with James Corgan, and a young son, Wolfie."

It took all of Vlad`s steely control to remain seated, sipping his wine. "And how old is this young son?"

Sweating profusely, Broz replied, "He was born three months after their marriage."

Vlad reflected on this, remembering the night that he had spent with Carrie, only days before she returned from his Castle. "The child is mine! Why haven`t I heard of this before?"

"Please, Count, you had pledged to yourself that you would not check on her life, only that I should assure myself that she was in no need!"

"Wolfie is my child! I have no doubt! The Tepes line is continued! I must see them! I am going to Philadelphia!"

"But Count, you have vowed to van Helsing to never leave Roumania, in return for his not prosecuting you as Alucard!"

Vlad stood, pacing the floor, one of the few overt signs of anger that Vlad allowed himself. "To hell with the vow! And to hell with van Helsing and Sean Taylor! Book me immediately on the fastest charter you can arrange."
"One second, Count, I have further news. Van Helsing is in Philadelphia with Carrie and Sean. This is a very rare occurrence. You are not aware, but Sean has joined the Doctor as an Interpol investigator. Even given that, when meetings between the two of them are necessary, it is Sean that travels to Lyon, France to meet at Interpol Headquarters. Further, van Helsing has ordered the large Interpol Gulfstream jet to pick up a group of passengers at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Something important is going on!"

Vlad stared directly into Broz`s eyes, a frightening sight to see the fire in that black penetrating gaze. "Broz, I`m sorry. We will have to postpone our dinner tonight. It is imperative that you discover the flight plan and passenger list of the Gulfstream! If Carrie is on that plane, their destination is mine!"