Chapter One

 

It was a dark day.

A day of sorrow, pity, pain, and thunderstorms.

At least it should have been...

I don’t know why my father’s ‘Funeral’ was scheduled for a Wednesday, very odd to have it on a Wednesday, but his adoring fans insisted that I give him the send off he deserved.

Go figure.

So there I stood holding twenty pound the Urn that I had placed my father’s ashes in, waiting impatiently for the Priest to finish yelling his sermon over the noise of the storm raging outside of the chapel. Imagine they tried to take the urn away from me, idiots the whole lot, like I’d trust my father’s ashes to anyone else.

Finally the Priest asks his God to bless my father’s ashes and I take him out of the stuffy funeral chapel. The two hundred Hunters of the Night Creatures follow me as I walk the short distance to my mother’s Crypt, two hundred fans of the famous Red Dragon; Vampyre, Werewolf and Warlock Hunter Extraordinaire.

“No one follows me in, is that clear?” I shout to the crowd as we reach the steel gate that is the door to the crypt. No one said a word, although quite a few looked as if they wanted too, I nodded to show my approval, turned and then nodded to the crypt keeper to unlock the gate.

My mother’s silver casket lay on a raised marble pedestal in the middle of the spacious crypt, there was enough room in here to accommodate at least six other full sized caskets. A foot away from the head of my mother’s casket I had requested another marble pedestal placed, one that was just big enough for my father’s Urn.

“Hey Mom, I brought Dad to rest with you. I know the two of you said you didn’t want to be cremated, but I had no choice.” I told my mother’s casket as I placed my father in his final resting place. “They turned him before slaughtering him. You know that Werewolves believe that their Souls can only be released through fire. Please forgive me.”

“Are you still talking to corpses?”

I spun around, almost knocking my father off his pedestal, “What are you doing here?”

“Now Ravenna, is that anyway to talk to your dear beloved Uncle?” The tall, thin Bloodsucker asked with a smile full of mockery.

“Hmm, right, I’m not going to ask you again. There are over two hundred Hunters waiting outside, I’m sure that quite a few of them would love to have your dust to add to their collections Uncle Drac.” I tell him steadying my father’s Urn. “And don’t say paying your respects to the dead, because we both know that’s a lie.”

“I came to say fare well to an employee; your father’s death was most inopportune. And I have asked you before not to call me by such, my name is Dracula, not Drac. Do not mock me my dear Ravenna, your fate rests in my hands this year remember.”

“Do you want to explain that one to me a little better? How exactly is my fate in your hands?” I ask the cold hearted creature. “Just because my mother was a Vampyre and my father left me in your care, doesn’t mean that I have to attend your ridiculous ‘Courting Ball’. I’m more human then Vampyre and you know it.”

“My poor naive niece, because you have been left in my charge, and you are almost seventeen years of age, it is in fact mandatory that you attend the Courting Balls, yes all four. The Year of Choosing is very specific in its rules and regulations. Your first ball is next week; if you can not find an escort yourself then I will have one of my servants do the honours.”

I glared at my uncle, “I’ll find my own date thanks, and the last thing I need is one of your lackeys making a complete fool of himself in my name. I’ll go but I’m not going to marry anyone I don’t find appealing. Your rules be damned.” I brushed a lock of my jet black hair out of my face.

“If a request for your hand is made, I will consider talking to you about it before I accept or reject the Vampyre in question.” Drac said baring his fangs.

“Oh and I suggest that you mention my blood to them before they find out the hard way. I would hate to kill my new husband because he tried to drink silver blood.” I told him casually as my pet boa found its way into the crypt and slithered over to us.

“Fair enough, I will be in touch with you shortly my dear Ravenna.” He hissed as he disappeared from site.

“Oh Pollux, there you are.” I knelt down and let the five foot long snake slither up my outstretched arm and across my shoulders. “Mean old Uncle Drac’s trying to marry me off, what am I to do? Say good bye to my parents Pollux, I think we’ve let the Hunters wait long enough.” With my snake around my shoulders, I walked dry-eyed from the crypt and addressed the waiting crowd, “My late father appreciates that you have all come but no one is allowed to enter my parents’ crypt, so all of you can go home. Mr. Morelock if you would relock the door…”

Slowly the crowd of hunters dispersed, until there was only one man left. “Rae do you need a ride back?” He asked me, eyeing Pollux wearily.

“No Arty, thanks but I have a ride.” I pointed to a large black van sitting a short distance away from Arty’s car in the Parking lot.

“Alright then kid, I’ll see you on Friday for the convention then?”

“Naturally, I have guns to sell.” I laughed and started away from my parents’ crypt, no umbrella to protect me from Nature’s fury, and not caring.