"Uncle Gustav?" Max asked, trying to get his attention.

"Huh? Oh, yes Max, what is it?" he said as he moved some papers around on his desk.

"I asked if it was okay for me to go out riding my bike, but I don’t think you heard me. You looked as if you were lost in another world; what were you thinking about?"

"Lately I’ve had this dream of a little girl in a car, and the strange thing about this dream is I think it really did happen once."

"Can you tell me about it?" asked Max, even more curious.

"If I remember correctly, I was shopping one afternoon and I wanted to go by the toy store to look for some game that Klaus wanted. I saw this black car; nice car too, luxury type. I could hear a little girl singing some dark lullaby, and I walked up to the car and saw the window rolled down. There was a little girl sitting there, but that’s where the dream ends."

"Hmm, do you recall what she looked like?"

"She had light blond hair, and it shimmered almost like it was made of stardust. Angelic face too, like that of a doll almost. She was wearing a dark red velvet dress, possibly very expensive. She was a child of wealth, that I remember."

"So you just remember walking up to the car and then that’s it?"

Gustav nodded. "I guess that is why you caught me off in another world. I want to remember more about it. I wonder if she said something to me that shocked or frightened me...maybe that’s why I forgot."

"Well, maybe it’ll come back to you in another dream. Can I go ride my bike now?"

"Yes, but Max, stay away from Lucard’s castle."

Max laughed. "You tell me that every time I leave the house. Besides, it’s daytime."

"I don’t care, he could have you arrested for trespassing on his grounds. I don’t want you near that place."

"Okay okay, no riding my bike by the castle."

Max smiled as he rode up the hill that led to Lucard’s castle. He knew he could get in serious trouble for even being on the road, but he wasn’t going to ride by the castle...just near it. He began to pedal harder when he heard a car coming up the road, and decided to make a quick turn into the woods and hide just in case it was anyone he knew. A Mercedes convertible drove up the hill, a blond lady driving.

Max snuck out onto the road and saw the car park near the castle. Leaving his bike near the tree, he snuck his way through the woods to get a closer look; the woman stepped out and spoke to one of the servants. Just then Lucard walked out and gave her a quick hug, escorting her to a nearby black limo. The servant opened the door and she got in, followed by Lucard.

Poor woman, she probably has no idea who she’s with, Max thought as he hid behind a tree, watching the limo drive by, curious as to who she may be. He thought about going up to the castle and looking around her car to see if there was any information about her.

Max crept slowly up to the car and looked to see if any servants were around. Walking along the side of her car, he quickly jumped over the door and into the driver’s seat. There weren’t any papers lying around the car, so he leaned over to the glove compartment and tried to open it.

"Ugh, it’s locked," he whispered to himself. He leaned under the passenger seat and found an envelope, Lucard Industries written on it. There was nothing in it, but the envelope was addressed to a C. Lucard. "C. Lucard? Another of Alexander’s alias names?" he asked himself before stuffing it into his coat pocket.

Max sat up in the car, hoping no one saw him; as he opened the door and got out, he ran back to the woods to get his bike. He drove as fast as he could down the hill.

Sophie sat in her room reading when Max busted in. "Max, can’t you knock?" she asked, frustrated.

"I had to ask you something. You told me you saw some blonde woman at the jewelry store that you thought was a bit familiar."

"Yea, but it was probably just my imagination."

"You also said you saw her drive off in a convertible, right?"

"Yeah, it was black, I think a Mercedes or BMW. Why?"

"Today I was riding my bike near Lucard’s castle—"

"MAX! You know Uncle Gustav will kill you if he finds out you’re even near that place alone!"

"Yeah yeah, anyway, a black convertible Mercedes drove past going towards the castle. The driver was a blonde lady."

"You don’t think it was the same lady I saw, do you? Max, dozens of blond ladies drive convertible Mercedes all over Europe. She was probably on her way to a meeting with Lucard. Poor soul, I wonder if Lucard will keep the car.."

"Yeah, at first I thought she was just tonight’s main course, even after he hugged her and got in a car with him."

Sophie sat her book down. "I hear a ‘but’ coming."

"But, I kinda looked around her car after they left. I found this Lucard Industries envelope." Max handed her the folded envelope.

Sophie looked at the hand written name. "C. Lucard. So, most likely something addressed to Alexander. Maybe she works for him or something."

"Why the letter C? Why not A?"

"Hmmm, C, maybe stands for his middle initial...or ha! Count. Count Lucard."

"Count Lucard sounds stupid to me. Maybe she is C. Lucard?"

"What? You think Lucard has a wife or something?"

"Why not. I mean at first I just thought it was an envelope to him, but we don’t know everything about Lucard. What if he has some wife that he keeps hidden away?"

"Yeah, in his attic, like in Jane Eyre."

"Is that a book or a movie?" asked Max.

"Both, but a book first." Sophie started to laugh at the thought of Lucard having a wife locked up in one of his towers.

"What’s so funny?" asked Max.

"The wife in the book is insane and locked up in a tower. I can just see some poor woman losing her mind married to Lucard. And we all know his castle has several towers. It was just a funny thought."

"Oh, well she didn’t look too crazy to me. She was happy to see him, and wherever they were going she didn’t look like it was to her death or anything. It was just strange."

"Max, all you want to do is spy on Lucard. We always have to have our guard up when it comes to him, but you’ve got to respect his privacy sometimes. Still, I’ll keep my eyes open for that blonde I saw."

"Okay, but lets not tell Uncle Gustav about this just yet."

"Of course not, Max. I’d hate for you to get grounded because you went riding your bike near Lucard’s castle. Let’s at least tell Chris."

"Okay, but he’d better not tell on me either. You know he’d jump at the chance to get me in trouble."

"Like you wouldn’t do the same!" Max stuck his tongue out at her and left the room. Sophie sat and tried to think about the lady she’d seen buying the necklace. I can’t see her being married to Lucard. They almost have the same eyes. A sister? Wait, what are you thinking, Sophie? Lucard is a vampire. He can’t have a sister. Any family he has is dead. Very dead.

"So, what’s the new secret?" Chris asked while stuffing his face with a hamburger.

"We think Lucard has a new woman," said Max. "Maybe even a wife."

"Lucard? Married? What does she look like?"

"Tall, blonde," said Sophie.

"Hmm, I’d like to meet her!" Chris smiled but noticed Sophie’s glare. "Unless of course she’s a vampire."

"Well if it’s the same lady I saw at the jewelry store, she had a reflection in a mirror," said Sophie as she took out the envelope Max found. "Max found this in her car."

"Did Lucard change his name again?" asked Chris, eating a few fries.

"I think she’s C. Lucard," said Max.

"Maybe she’s his wife. Or what about family member?"

"Chris, he’s a vampire, and several centuries old!" said Sophie.

"Oh, maybe it’s his mom."

"What?" said Max.

"Remember there was that one book you read about the vampire returning to his home and turning his own mother into a vampire and she looked much younger?"

"I don’t think so," said Sophie. "Besides, from what the Helsing history of Lucard suggests, he never had a sister. And his mother, according to legend, died when he was very young."

"He can’t have kids, can he?" asked Chris.

"Chris, where do you think of this stuff?" asked Max. "Vampires can’t have kids. They’re dead...or, well, undead."

"Hmmm, I remember reading about vampire children in a book Uncle Gustav has. Maybe we can ask him about it without telling him what we think," said Sophie.

"You ask him then," said Max.

"Okay, I’ll just say I’m curious about it."

Gustav sat in his library, looking at a book on his desk. His mind wasn’t on the book, but rather on his dream. He remembered that the child had blue eyes, very pretty eyes, with something timeless and dark about them. It was as if she saw into my soul. Knew my thoughts. Like an angel would look at you...a dark angel.

"Uncle Gustav?" he heard Sophie call from the hallway.

"In here," he said. "What is it Sophie?"

"Did you ever hear of any legends about vampires having children?" she asked, walking in. "You mean tales of vampire children? Most vampires stay away from it because children can be deadlier vampires, but the practice to create a vampire child has been forbidden by most."

"Not creating a vampire child, but a vampire actually having a baby of their own."

"Such a strange topic, Sophie. What made you think of this? Nothing has happened to you, has it?"

"Oh no, nothing like that! I was watching one of those ridiculous daytime talkshows where some lady claimed to have a vampire child."

"Those shows are getting stupider every day," Gustav sighed as he stood up from his desk. "There has never been any record of vampires having children, but there’s a legend of a gypsy band; they had a rare body chemistry, compatible with that of a vampire. If I remember correctly, when one did get pregnant usually the mother and child died before birth, but for all I know that could just be some gypsy tale. Look in any of my books on gypsies and see if you find anything. Let me know how your search goes; as for me, I think I need a little nap."

"Are those dreams still bothering you?"

"Not as much anymore, but I remember more of it now. I’ll see you later, Sophie." Gustav said as he left the room.

"Sleep well," she said after him.

Gustav walked upstairs and lay down in his bed; Sophie’s conversation made him wonder about his dream. It must be just some crazy nightmare. I’ve never seen a vampire child, and no vampire would ever create one, he thought as he closed his eyes. Especially Lucard, not his style at all.