Posted by The Black Knight on August 31, 2000 at 03:50:18:
Chapter 16
Two weeks after O'Shea's ill-fated visit to the United States was October 31, All Hallow's Eve. That evening as the sun set over the hills of Eastern Tennessee Danielle Francis stood in her office
looking out the window. She didn't notice as Luke came in the door. Danielle shuddered as the sun went completely behind the hills.
"Guilty conscience?" Luke asked.
"How many people have died since you came to work here?"
"People die all the time Danielle." Luke said.
"How many? Six, maybe seven."
"It had nothing to do with you." Luke said.
"If I hadn't allowed Madeline Morrison in here, they would still be alive."
"You don't know that." Luke said.
"I just wish that you would all leave before there is more killing." Danielle said.
"Matty's a little stubborn about leaving somewhere once she's laid down roots. It took us nearly a century to kick her out of Transylvania."
"She should have told me that." Danielle said.
"There are certain things that she doesn't exactly like to talk about. Getting kicked out of Romania is one of them."
Danielle looked down at her watch and winced a little bit.
"Is there something wrong?" Luke asked.
"Misty Morgan should have been here by now."
"How much to you know about Miss Morgan?" Luke asked.
"I've known Misty Morgan for years. We went to college together for six years. She got her doctorate the year after I did." Danielle answered.
"A doctorate in what?"
"History and Sociology." Danielle said.
"Double major?"
Danielle nodded. Luke smiled as he walked to the door. An attractive young woman in her early thirties stood in the doorway and looked as if she were about to knock on the door. She had shoulder length light
blonde hair, very fair skin, and deep brown eyes. She looked very athletic even in the red business suit that she was wearing.
"Misty." Danielle said.
"How did you know that I was at the door?" the young woman asked in a low alto voice.
"She didn't, I did." Luke said as Misty walked in.
Luke shut the door behind her and Misty smiled a little.
"Do you two know each other?" Danielle asked.
"You could say that. Mister Drake graciously allowed me to work for the Drake Foundation a couple of years while I was in college." Misty answered nervously.
"She knows about us. We wouldn't be here if she didn't." Luke said.
"Us? Do you mean she's one of you? A vampire?" Danielle asked in amazement.
"Like I said before we live among you without you knowing about it." Luke said.
"How long have you been...? You weren't in college, were you?" Danielle asked as she sat down.
Misty laughed a little.
"Misty Morgan, as you call her, has been around for quite a long time. She was the first Empress of Rome, or at least she would have been if her father hadn't been killed before ascending the throne." Luke said.
"Julia? Scholars have been wondering for two thousand years what happened to Julius Caesar's daughter. You had some the most interesting questions about that in History class if I'm not mistaken." Danielle said.
"It was amusing. You wouldn't believe some the crack-pot theories that I've heard about what happened to me." Misty said.
"You said that you were born under the reign of Augustus Caesar, so how could you know who she is Luke?" Danielle asked.
Luke opened the door and started to walk out.
"Are you going to answer me?" Danielle asked.
Luke smiled as he turned around.
"Because she's my mother." Luke said.
"Everyone makes their mistakes." Misty said.
"Some more than others." Luke said as he closed the door.
Misty shook her head as she sat down in front of the desk.
"What was that all about?" Danielle asked.
"He blames me for what he is. He has ever since he found out that he's half vampire and I can't figure that out." Misty said.
"I thought he blamed his father for that."
"John? No he blames him for the death of his wife." Misty said.
"He actually married someone?"
"Hard to believe isn't it. He has all the warmth of a rock, but at one time he was very easy to get along with. Now all he worries about is trying to help people who can't help themselves. There are
times I wish that he had never run into that missionary in France." Misty said.
"If Luke is your son, then is Madeline your daughter?"
"No. Luke is my only child, thankfully. John has this bad habit of fathering children with mortal women and it comes back to haunt him. There are seven of them and none of them can even stand the sight of him except Matty." Misty said.
"Why do you all call her that? Luke calls her Matty, I've even noticed one of my students doing that."
"Because her real name is Mathilda. A little word of advice though: don't call her that. I wouldn't advise you to call her Matty either unless you want to die rather quickly." Misty said.
"But one of my students does it."
"Let me guess she's short, has light brown hair, bright blue eyes, annoyingly perky, and smiles a little too much. She probably goes by the name of Kim or Kimber." Misty said.
"Kim Faulkner. How did you know that?"
"Where you find Luke you usually find Kimber. I haven't figured out just why she follows him around, but she does." Misty said.
"She's not...?" Danielle began.
"No, she's not a vampire. I don't know exactly what she is, but she has been following Luke around for the past couple of centuries." Misty said.
"What about Charlotte Watson? She's been following him around like a love sick puppy since he got here." Danielle asked.
"I've never heard of her."
"Well you'll get to meet her. She's one of the student organizers of the Halloween Dance." Danielle said.
Danielle looked down at her watch again.
"Well it's eight o'clock. I really don't want to go, but I don't have a choice." Danielle said.
Misty smiled as they stood up.
"I thought you liked your job. Shaping young minds and the future." Misty said.
"Do you know what they call me?"
"No." Misty said.
"The Dragon Lady. I'm not that mean." Danielle said.
"You're intimidating to some people."
"Who me?" Danielle asked innocently.
"Yes you. You're a strict teacher so I've heard. You're the one that students hope they don't get."
"That hurts Misty, it really does." Danielle said laying her hand on her chest.
"The truth usually does Miss Francis." Misty laughed.
They walked down the hall and to the cafeteria. On the other side of the cafeteria Luke and Madeline stood by the door to the basement talking. Madeline's eyes widened as Misty and Danielle walked into
the room.
"Is that who I think it is?" Madeline asked.
"Yes it is." Luke answered.
"Who is it?" Charli asked as she walked up to them.
"Someone you really do not want to meet." Madeline said.
"Sounds exciting." Charli said.
"I was serious girl, that woman is dangerous." Madeline said.
"No more than you I hope." Charli said.
"A lot more than me. She's a lot older and very cunning." Madeline said.
"Who is she?" Charli asked.
"For all practical purposes she's Misty Morgan." Luke said.
"Who is she really?" Charli asked as she noticed Dracula walking toward them.
"She's someone that you ought to meet. She's Luke's mother." Dracula said.
"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Luke asked.
"I found out about that tricky little board meeting you set up tonight and had William take my place." Dracula said.
"Board meeting?" Madeline asked.
"Yes, he set up a board meeting of the directors of the Drake Foundation." Dracula said.
"And you sent William to cover for you. Does Alexis know that he's here?" Luke asked.
"No, but I'm sure the he knows that she is, and that you are." Dracula said.
"More likely than not." Luke said.
"Who's William." Charli asked.
"It doesn't matter." Luke said.
"I would expect that out of you to her." Madeline said.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Charli asked.
"When you see Alexis, have her to meet me at my house at midnight." Luke said as he walked toward the door.
"Aren't you going to tell me?" Charli asked.
"You would be better off not knowing." Luke answered.
"What about you?" Charli asked looking at Madeline.
"I learned a long time ago not to stick my nose in a lovers' quarrel." Madeline said.
"Oh! I don't like the sound of that." Charli said.
Madeline smiled and nodded to her father. Danielle and Misty walked over to them.
"Miss Morrison, Doctor Tepesch this is Doctor Misty Morgan our newest History professor." Danielle said.
Dracula and Madeline nodded slightly.
"And this is Charlotte Watson our student organizer." Danielle said pointing to Charli.
"I've heard quite a bit about you." Misty said with a slight smile.
"It's mutual Miss Morgan." Charli said coldly.
"I see my reputation proceeds me, or at least part of it." Misty said with a smile.
"I see that we need a server at the refreshment tables so I will be moving along." Danielle said.
"If someone ever had a reason to feel nervous right now, it would be me." Charli said.
"You have heard Luke's version, not mine." Misty said.
"Does it differ enough to matter?" Charli asked edging away from Misty.
"You've been spending way too much time with him, you're starting to talk like him." Dracula said.
"That's what he said." Charli said edging away from Dracula.
"He does have an uncanny ability to judge the human spirit." Madeline said.
Charli looked a little nervous as she shuffled away from Madeline.
She realized that she was caught in the middle of three very powerful and very dangerous vampires.
"Excuse me Charlotte, are these three bothering you?" Kim Faulkner asked as she walked up to them.
"Hello Kimber. How long has it been now, fifty no seventy years since we've seen each other." Misty said.
Kim held a necklace up to Charli.
"I believe that you dropped this a minute ago." Kim said.
Charli gasped as she saw the crest on the pendant at the end of the necklace.
"Let me help you put it on." Kim said.
Charli let out a sigh of relief as Kim fastened it behind her neck.
"You do know how to spoil our fun as always Kimber." Misty said as she backed away.
Madeline smiled a little as Kim looked at her.
"Leave her alone." Dracula said as he walked away.
"Thanks Kim, if you only knew what that thing means." Charli said.
Kim lay her hand on Charli's back and Charli winced.
"I do know what it means remember." Kim said.
"You're not that strong are you?" Charli asked.
"No, but they won't try a direct confrontation with Luke, Alexis, and I. They're afraid that they would loose." Kim answered.
"I resent that." Madeline said.
"That does not make it any less the truth." Kim said.
"I would back my brother against the Count any time and you know it." Madeline said.
"You wouldn't back a thoroughbred against a shetland pony unless forced to do it." Kim said angrily.
"One day you and I are going to walk into a dark alley somewhere and only one of us will come out." Madeline hissed as she walked toward the kitchen.
"She didn't sound too happy." Charli said.
"She's always complaining about something anyway." Kim said as she walked away.
"Now where did Luke go?" Charli said to herself.
"He left about five minutes ago. He said he had to go run an errand or something." Kelly Nelson said as she walked up to Charli.
"Well I guess there is always something else to do at a party." Charli said.
"There is always Doctor Tepesch. He seems like a nice enough guy if you just have to dance with a professor." Kelly said.
"For some reason I find myself disliking him more every day."
"Join the crowd Charli. He's creepy, always hanging out with Miss Morrison down here. She's enough to drive you crazy." Kelly said.
"I've heard it said that she's done that once or twice."
"Really, where did you hear that?" Kelly asked as they began to walk back into the crowd of students at the middle of the room.