Elizabeth looked at her husband and smiled.

Kittie smiled at the couple then turned to Dr. Dred. "If you'll all pardon me, I fancy a bite to eat and some fresh air," she said. She then pointed at Howler and said, "You!"

"What?" Howler asked, startled.

"Fix me a plate and bring it to me on the veranda!" she ordered, motioning to a large banquet table, heaped with food.

Howler looked at the table and then watched Kittie as she headed over to some elegant french doors that led out to the veranda. He stood there a moment, not knowing quite what to do when Dr. Dred noticed him.

"What are you waiting for, boy?" Dr. Dred snarled, "Your mistress asked you to do something."

Howler misunderstood the terminology and panicked. "She's not my mistress! I never touched her!"

Dr. Dred stared at him. "She's the lady that you serve. She's your mistress!" he hissed.

"Oh!" Howler said, blushing, "That kind of...I'm sorry."

Drak took Howler's cap off and smacked him in the back of the head with it. "Just get her something to eat and bring it to her!" he said, replacing the cap.

Howler turned and walked over to the banquet table. Frankie watched him. Drak rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"That vas wery peculiar," Dracula said to Dr. Dred.

"Yes, well, they're very peculiar!" Dr. Dred said.

Drak and Frankie moved over to the side of the stairs to talk as Dr. Dred and the rest went to mingle among the rest of the ball guests.

"Drak," Frankie said.

"What?"

"You know how Howlie's been doin' those things on his own, that he won't tell us about, lately?"

"Yeah...?"

"Do ya think he might be sein' Kittie?"

"Howler...dating Kittie Dred?" Drak asked.

"Uh huh."

"That is the most rediculous idea you've ever come up with!"

"But I..."

"No buts, Frankie!" Drak emphasized, "There is no possible way that Howler would be doing something like that behind our backs!"

Howler found an empty plate at the table and filled it with a couple pieces of meat, a piece of bread, some grapes, and an apple. He than went out to the veranda where Kittie stood looking out over the railing.

"Close the doors," Kittie said when she saw him.

Howler closed the doors and turned back to look at Kittie. The light from the ballroom glowed through the doors and windows of the mansion making it light enough to see on the veranda.

Howler stepped to within a few feet of Kittie. "Wow!" he said, "You look...wow!"

"Really?" Kittie asked. "You don't think this dress makes my butt look too big?"

"Oh, no," he said, "I think that's just the way they wore them back then...back now...right now. What do you call this time, anyway?"

"We're always in the here and now," Kittie said. "It's just that, right now, here and now happens to be there and then and we have to figure out how to get back to...now I'm confused."

"Sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Why didn't you get back to me about this?"

"There wasn't time," Kittie said. "Dad disappeared for a week and I didn't know until he got back and sent me here. He was apparently setting all this up."

Howler sighed. He suddenly remembered the plate of food he was carrying. "Oh, here," he said handing the plate to Kittie.

"Thanks," she said taking the plate. "Do you want some?"

"I really shouldn't," he said, "The guys might get upset if they found out that I had something to eat without them."

"Okay," she said, "I'll see what I can have snuck to you guys later. I have no idea what my dad's planning on feeding you."

"I hate to think," Howler said.

"Me too," Kittie said, placing the plate on a bench, "Right now, I'm more concerned about where dad's hidden the device that he used to get us here."

"Vampira's hidden it in the woods somewhere," Howler said, "Your dad says we'll never find it."

"You're kidding,"

"Nope," he said, "He seems to think he has a 'sure thing' with this plan and he's not making it easy for us to defeat him."

"Apparently he thinks he can turn your own leader against you before you even exist."

"Well, it seems to be working," Howler said. "I don't know exactly what your dad's told him about us, but we don't seem to be making a very good impression. Drak want's us all to talk to him alone to see if we can get him to change his mind about us."

"Sounds like your only chance."

"Yeah, Drak thinks that too," Howler said, "but you didn't see what happened earlier."

"What happened?"

"He went off on us for staring and not removing our hats," Howler said. "Let's just say, he scared the pants off of us."

"Shoot!" Kittie exclaimed. "Look, don't confront him just yet. Let me see if I can find out what he's been told and try to convince him otherwise first. I'll get back to you later and tell you what I found out. In the meantime, try to stay out of his way. I hate to think what could happen if you do something else he doesn't like. He has a rather brutal reputation in these parts."

"Yeah, I know," Howler said. "I'll try to convince Drak not to do anything just yet."

Howler had been having a hard time looking Kittie in the eyes while he talked to her. Her gown was low-cut and her corset had pushed everything upwards, giving her a nice amount of cleavage.

"What are you...*gasp*!" Kittie realized where his eyes were directed and crossed her hands over her chest.

Howler looked up at her. "I'm sorry." he said, "You've never worn anything that...revealing before."

"Be careful," she warned, "If my father catches you looking at me like that he'll have your eyes gouged out! There are plenty of people around in this time who would do it for him, too!"

"I'd better get back inside, then," Howler said. He turned and went, quickly, to the doors and let himself back in.

"Men!" Kittie exclaimed to herself as she watched him go.

Howler got back to Drak and Frankie as they were discussing what to do about their situation.

"Are you sure that's the best plan you can come up with?" Frankie asked.

"It's the only thing I can think of," Drak said. "If Dr. Dred manages to turn Dracula off to the 'Drak Pack' idea before we're born, we're doomed!"

"What's up?" Howler asked.

"What took you so long?" Drak asked.

"She was being kind of picky," Howler said.

"Figures," Drak said. "We were just discussing the plan for later."

"Um, yeah, I was thinking about that too," Howler said, "Maybe we should wait."

"For what?" Drak asked.

"To see what more we can find out about what Dr. Dred's up to," Howler said.

"We know what he's up to," Frankie said. "He's tryin' to turn Big D against us."

"Frankie," Drak said, "Try to refer to him as Count Dracula. If a servant were to call him something as informal as 'Big D'...well I don't know exactly what he'd do, but I hate to think!"

"Oh yeah, right!" Frankie said.

"What are you going to say to the Count, anyway?" Howler asked, "'Hi! You don't know me, but I'm your nephew from the future!'"

"Not right away, no!" Drak said.

"Are you nuts?" Howler exclaimed.

"Look, Howler," Drak said, "He's my uncle! He protected us when we were babies and he raised us like we were his own sons! Whatever happens, I'm not going to stand by and let Dr. Dred destroy all that!"

Howler sighed. "You're right," he said, "I just think we should..."

"Who's the leader here?" Drak asked.

"You are," Howler said.

"So we're agreed, then," Drak said. "After the ball, we talk to Dracula, alone."

"Okay," Frankie said.

"I guess," Howler said.

Drak glared at him.

Kittie, hurriedly, ate most of what Howler had brought her and went back inside with her plate. She walked over to the banquet table and found a servant to take it from her. She turned and found herself face to face with Count Dracula.

"There you are," he said.

"Oh, hello Count Dracula," Kittie said, curtseying.

"I must thank you, young Catherine," Dracula said, "My vife has alvays been rather self-conscious of her looks and your compliment has put her in a rather pleasant mood this ewening."

"Well, you're quite welcome," Kittie said, "I meant every word."

"As did I about you," Dracula said. "You must have young men falling at your feet back home."

Kittie blushed. "Well, one or two," she said, smiling.

"Vould you care to dance vith me?" Dracula asked, "My vife is dancing vith your father and has left me vithout a partner for the time being."

Kittie looked, nervously, at the people on the dance floor. She had never seen dancing like that before and she was apprehensive about faking it. "I'm afraid I don't know this dance." she said, hoping to dissuade him.

Count Dracula put his hand underneath Kittie's chin and gently raised her head with his fingers. He looked her straight in the eyes and said, "Don't vorry. I vill teach you."

Count Dracula took his hand out from under Kittie's chin and offered it to her again.

Kittie felt strange, as if her will wasn't her own anymore. Without breaking his gaze, she placed her hand in his and was led out to the dance floor. She found herself dancing the exact same way everyone else was.

This is so freaky, she thought to herself as she danced.

"You guess?" Drak asked Howler.

"Dracula just doesn't seem to think very highly of us right now!" Howler said.

"Which is why we need to try and talk with him!" Drak said.

"I just don't know!" Howler said. He turned and saw Dracula talking with Kittie.

"What's he doing?" Howler asked.

"Looks like he wants her to dance with him," Frankie said.

"Why is he looking at her like that?" Howler asked, a little agitated.

"It's a vampire thing," Drak said.

"A vampire thing?" Howler asked, spinning around to look at Drak.

"Ew! Right!" Drak said. "You know, Howler, I'd hate to think what what a terror she'd be for the group if she were...changed!"

"Changed?" Howler exclaimed. He turned and stared at Dracula and Kittie on the dance floor. "We've got to talk to him!"

"Exactly!" Drak said.

Frankie looked at Howler as he glared at the scene on the dance floor. He seems awfully jealous for someone who's not dating her. he thought to himself.

The ball was over at around 3:00 the next morning.

Count Dracula donned a black cape with a red, satin lining and a black, jewel trimmed cap and Elizabeth put on a deep red hooded cloak. They bade their hosts farewell as their coach was driven up to the bottom of the steps in front of the mansion. A footman opened the door of the coach and Dracula helped his wife inside. The footman then addressed the Count in Romanian.

"I beg your pardon, master," he said.

"Vhat is it?" Dracula replied in Romanian.

"There are some young servants who vish to speak vith you," the footman said, motioning behind him.

The Drak Pack walked out of the shadows, carrying their caps in front of them. They got to within a few feet of Dracula and got down on their knees.

"Oh, it's you!" Dracula said, speaking in English. "It looks like you've come to beg my forgiveness."

"Yes...we have, Count Dracula, sir," Drak said.

Frankie and Howler nodded in agreement.

Drak continued, "We didn't mean to be rude. We've just never been in the presence of someone like you before and we were..."

Frankie looked confused. "Yes we ha...Ow!" he said, being cut off by Howler who swatted him on the arm with his cap.

"Frankie! Let me handle this!" Drak snapped, looking back at Frankie.

"I have no time for buffoonery!" Dracula snapped, "If you have anything else to say, say it now and get it over vith!"

Drak looked back at Count Dracula. He was getting nervous. "W...we understand that our master, Lord Dredvale, has told you some rather awful things about us."

"Yes, he has!" Dracula emphasized. "And, from vhat I've seen, it's all true!"

"Wha...what exactly has he said?" Drak asked.

"He said you vere ignorant, lazy, ill-mannered, buffoons!"

"He's lying to you!"

"Vhy vould he lie to me?"

"Because he doesn't like us!"

"Obwiously!" Dracula snapped. "I don't like you much either!"

"You wouldn't say that if you knew who we are!" Drak pleaded.

"Hoo boy!" Howler exclaimed, softly.

"Who are you then?" Dracula asked.

"Here it comes!" Howler said.

"I'm your nephew from the future," Drak said, "You and your Countess raise us from infancy and..."

"My nephew?" Dracula asked.

"Yes," Drak said.

"From the future?"

"Yes," Drak said. "We aren't born until the year 1981."

"Yet, here you are, kneeling before me, as young men," Dracula said, skeptically.

"Yes," Drak said, "You see...the man you know as Lord Dredvale is our enemy. He's kind of a...a wizard and he has this...wand that he created that allows him to manipulate time and space. He used it to bring us here to make you think that we're bad people so that you wouldn't want to take care of us in the future."

"Really?" Dracula asked. "Your master varned me about this."

"About what?" Drak asked.

"About your incredible imaginations!" Dracula said, "And how you may use them in an effort to discredit him!"

"But..."

"If you walue your lives, you vill leave vithout another vord!" Dracula said and turned back towards the coach.

Drak was at his breaking point. "Big D, you've got to...oops!" Drak said, accidentally, out of habit.

Frankie and Howler gasped.

Dracula stopped in his tracks. He slowly turned and glared at Drak. "Vhat...did you call me?"

"I'm...I'm sorry," Drak mumbled.

"Big...Dee?" Dracula growled through clenched teeth.

"We call you that in the future," Drak said, nervously, "It slipped out!"

"Guard!" Dracula yelled in Romanian.

A large man that was sitting up with the coach driver climbed down and stepped over beside Dracula. "Yes, master." he said in Romanian.

"These cretins need to learn a lesson!" Dracula ordered.

"What's he sayin'?" Frankie shuddered.

"I don't wanna know!" Howler moaned, shaking his head.

Drak, Frankie, and Howler were chained to the wall in the dungeon of Count Dracula's castle. They were standing with their arms chained above their heads. Their ankles were shackled directly to the wall. Drak and Frankie were on one side of the wall. Howler was on the other side, facing Drak. A torch glowed on a wall nearby making it light enough for them to see their dingy surroundings.

"Got any more bright ideas?" Howler asked Drak.

Drak glared at Howler. "Yeah," He said, "If you get hungry, you can knaw on the guy next to you!"

Howler slowly turned his head to the left. There was a skeleton still shackled to the wall directly beside him. Tattered remnants of clothing hung from its shoulders.

"Aw geez!" Howler screamed, trying to move away from the skeleton but being held in place by the chains.

"That was mean," Frankie scolded.

Drak grinned at Howler.

Dr. Dred and Vampira had left the ball and went straight to the guest bedroom that they were sharing where they changed into nightclothes. Dr. Dred was putting a pillow and a blanket on a settee and Vampira was brushing out her long hair.

"I vonder vhere the Drak Pack got to," Vampira said, finishing and putting her brush down, "They disappeared right before the ball vas ower."

"I don't know," Dr. Dred said, "They may be out trying to talk to Count Dracula, with no success, of course. I seriously doubt that the Count will want to speak with them after what I've told him and what he's seen, much less take them seriously. Either that or they're out looking for the device to get them home. You're sure you hid it well?"

"They'll newer find it," Vampira emphasized, extinguishing the candle on the dressing table and standing up. "It's too deep in the voods."

Vampira walked over to one side of the bed. Dr. Dred was on the other side. "Good. I'd hate to be left stranded here!" he said getting into the bed. "Well, good night, Vampira."

"Vhat are you doing?" Vampira snapped. "You prepared the settee!"

"That's for you," Dr. Dred said, "I'm not sleeping on that thing. It's too hard. Blow out the other candles before you go over there, would you?"

"Vhatewer happened to chiwalry?" Vampira snapped.

"I don't know the meaning of the word," Dr. Dred said, snuggling underneath the covers and closing his eyes.

"Ooh!" Vampira screached and stomped her foot. She angrily blew out the candle on the table on her side of the bed and glared at Dr. Dred.

Dr. Dred laid on his back in the bed for a few minutes. He then felt something slither up onto his chest. He opened his eyes and found Vampira, in a large snake form, coiled up on his chest with her face close to his. She hissed and her long serpent's tongue lashed out in his face.

"Waaa!" Dr. Dred screamed and jumped out of the bed. He spun back around and saw the "snake" slither underneath the covers and come back up to lay its head on the pillow.

Vampira changed back into her human form and fixed the covers. "Good night, Doctor!" she said, snuggling down and closing her eyes.

Dr. Dred glared at her, took the lit candle from his side of the bed and stomped over to the settee.

Vampira smiled and sighed, triumphantly.

Kittie slept soundly in her room. She didn't think she could. She hadn't been able to talk to Count Dracula like she wanted to and she was worried when she couldn't find the Drak Pack. Still, she sent the maid, Miranda, after the ball, with some food and a message for Howler not to try anything yet.

"Good morning, My Lady," Miranda said, opening the drapes in Kittie's room the next day.

Kittie's eyes blinked open as the daylight shone through the window. "Oh, good morning, Miranda. What time is it?" she asked, sitting up in bed.

"It's nearly 11:00 My Lady," Miranda said.

"Is it that late?" Kittie asked.

"Everybody sleeps in after one of the Wambach's balls," Miranda replied.

Kittie rubbed her eyes and strtched. "Did you get the food and the message to my father's servants?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, My Lady," Miranda said, "I tried but they weren't in their quarters."

Oh no! Kittie thought to herself.

"Is there something troubling you, My Lady?" Miranda asked.

"No, I'm fine," Kittie said, "Thank you for trying, Miranda."

"I trust nothing's happened to them," Miranda said.

"I hope not," Kittie said, "I'll have to find out at breakfast.

Miranda helped Kittie get into her green dress and led her downstairs to the dining room.

The Wambachs, a distinguished looking middle aged couple, sat at breakfast at the long table in the dining room of their mansion. Dr. Dred and Vampira were there also. They were all engaged in a lively conversation about the ball the night before.

"Lord Wambach," Dr. Dred said as some servants took their empty plates away, "I haven't seen my personal servants since last night, just before the ball ended. You wouldn't happen to know what happened to them, would you?"

The Wambachs looked at each other in embarassment. "I'm terribly sorry, Lord Dredwale," Lord Wambach said, "Ve forgot to tell you. They vere taken avay last night by Count Dracula."

"What?" Dr. Dred asked, astonished.

Vampira gasped.

"They seemed to anger the Count so," Dame Wambach said.

"He had them bound and his guard borrowed von of our vagons to take them to the Count's castle." Lord Wambach elaborated.

"Oh dear," Dr. Dred said, "Am I going to need new servants?"

"I'm afraid so," Lord Wambach confirmed.

Dr. Dred and Vampira looked across the table at each other.

"Pity," Dr. Dred said, forlornly.

Kittie and Miranda got to the door of the dining room. Kittie opened the door a crack and listened a minute to the conversation going on inside.

"Go on in, My Lady," Miranda said.

"In a minute," Kittie whispered.

Kittie listened and Miranda stood next to her puzzled. Seconds later, they learned of the Drak Pack's fate.

"Oh no!" Kittie exclaimed, softly.

"I'm so sorry, My Lady," Miranda said.

"Shh!" Kittie hushed her, "I want to hear more."

Kittie listened as the Wambachs excused themselves from the table and exited through a side door, leaving Dr. Dred and Vampira alone in the dining room.

Dr. Dred and Vampira got out of their chairs and met at the end of the table to talk.

"Vampira, do you know what this means?" Dr. Dred asked, excitedly, "No more Drak Pack!"

"What is he..." Miranda started.

"Shh!" Kittie hushed her, "I'll tell you later."

"Vas this your plan, Doctor?" Vampira asked.

"Actually, no," Dr. Dred said, "I was going to incite the villagers near here to revolt against the Count and get the Drak Pack to transform to try and protect him. Naturally, none of them would have survived, including the Count. But this...this is so much better than I imagined!"

"How so?" Vampira asked.

"Dan't you see?" Dr. Dred asked, "They've actually been destroyed by the man they most admire...thier own leader! I just wish I'd been there to see Drak's face as the Count...well, whatever he does nowdays. Now all there is left to do is incite the revolt and destroy the Count!"

"But, von't the boys still be born in the future?" Vampira asked.

"Of course they will," Dr. Dred confirmed, "But without the good Count to guide them, who knows what they may be like. They may even be as evil as we are! I could even track them down, once we get back and get them to join O.G.R.E.!"

Vampira squealed and clapped her hands with glee. "It's brilliant Doctor!"

"Yes, isn't it?" Dr. Dred gloated. "We'll just wait a couple of days to make sure that the Drak Pack has been completely disposed of and then we'll start the revolt."

Kittie and Miranda were standing at the door, stunned.

"I don' understand, My Lady," Miranda said, "What is he talking about?"

"It's hard to explain, Miranda," Kittie said. "I'll tell you in private later."

"You must warn the Count!" Miranda exclaimed, "He'll be destroyed!"

"I intend to, Miranda," Kittie reassured, "What do you know about the Count, anyway?"

"Most people suspect that he is a vampire, My Lady, including me," Miranda confessed. "Nobody's been doing anything about him, though. He doesn't seem to be doing anybody any harm unless he's crossed and he's been doing that ever since anyone can remember."

"Whay didn't you tell me?" Kittie asked.

"I didn't want to frighten you, My Lady," Miranda said.

"Well, I'm not frightened," Kittie said, "In fact, I've seen things that would frighten even the strongest of men!"

"Please!" Miranda urged, "You must tell me what's going on!"

"After breakfast, Miranda," Kittie said. "For now, remain calm and go about your duties. Don't let my father know that you suspect anything."

"I won't my lady," Miranda said, nervously, "I'll go see that your breakfast is prepared."

"Thank you, Miranda," Kittie said.

Miranda curtseyed and hurried off to the kitchen. Kittie composed herself and entered the dining room.

"Good morning, father," Kittie said as she entered the dining room, trying to sound cheerful, "Good morning...mother."

"Good morning, Catherine!" Dr. Dred exclaimed, "And what a good morning it is, too!"

"Oh, really?" Kittie said, sitting down at one end of the table.

"Yes!" Dr. Dred exclaimed, "It seems that the Drak Pack greatly upset Count Dracula last night and were taken away to his castle to be disposed of! I'm so glad you had the opportunity to be here to see this!"

I really didn't have much of a choice, now did I? Kittie thought to herself.

"That's wonderful, father," Kittie said, unenthusiastically.

"What's the matter?" Dr. Dred asked, "You sound disappointed."

"I was just starting to enjoy fighting them...that's all," Kittie said.

"There will be plenty of other foes to fight once we get back," Dr. Dred reassured her, "The Drak Pack, however, would be born evil and become one of us. You know, if you find Drak attractive, I wouldn't mind having an evil vampire as a son-in-law."

"Or von of the other two!" Vampira quickly interjected.

"Whichever you prefer," Dr. Dred said and glanced at Vampira, "You know, that werewolf always did look at you funny. Perhaps he'd be interested."

"Really?" Kittie asked, nervously, "I...I hadn't noticed."

"Well, you think about it," Dr. Dred said. He turned to Vampira. "Well, Vampira, what do you say we go find some wine and celebrate?"

Dr. Dred held out his hand. Vampira put her hand in his and they left the room.

Kittie moaned and sank back in her chair. Miranda appeared through a side door carrying a breakfast tray.

"There's something about your father's servants, isn't there, My Lady?" Miranda asked, placing the tray in front of Kittie.

"Yes...there is," Kittie said, sadly.

"There still may be hope for them," Miranda reassured.

"What?" Kittie asked.

"They woiuld have arrived at the Count's castle rather early in the morning," Miranda explained. "If the Count is a vampire, he would have gone off to rest right away. He would want to have seen them punished himself which means he would be waiting until tonight to have it done."

Kittie jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around Miranda. "Oh, thank you, Miranda!" she exclaimed. "Can you help me get to the castle?"

"Of course, My Lady," Miranda said, "Just tell me, what's going on?"

Kittie sighed. "Alright," she said, "Come to my room with me. I'll tell you there."

Kittie grabbed the breakfast tray and hurried from the room.

"My Lady!" Miranda called as she ran after her, "I'll carry that!"

Kittie and Miranda got to Kittie's room and locked the door. Kittie ate and told Miranda the whole story of herself and the Drak Pack.

"I find this all very hard to believe," Miranda said.

"Well, you're going to have to," Kittie said, using her normal American accent, "You're caught in the middle of it now."

"Even if I believed time travel was possible," Miranda said, "why go to all this trouble just to get rid of three young men?"

"My father is a genius," Kittie explained, "He wants to be seen by everybody as a genius and be worshipped for it. The Drak Pack is always getting in the way of that."

"Why can't they just let him be seen that way?" Miranda asked.

"Because he uses his genius to commit crimes," Kittie said, "The Drak Pack are crime fighters. His genius always turns out to be his downfall, though. He gets so creative and elaborate in his schemes that he seems to miss things here and there. It leads to mistakes that allow the Drak Pack to defeat him."

"Are you one of those 'mistakes'?"

"Exactly," Kittie said, "He doesn't count on me being on the Drak Pack's side."

"Speaking of which," Miranda said, "I must go and arrange for a wagon to get you to the castle tonight. I still don't know what to believe, though."

"If you believe in things like vampires and werewolves," Kittie said, "you can believe in anything."

"I guess you're right," Miranda said. "Meet me out in the front of the mansion at 5:00. That should give us plenty of time to be at the castle by nightfall."

"Thank you, Miranda," Kittie said, "For everything."

Miranda unlocked the door and left the room.

"Hang in there guys," Kittie said outloud, "I'm comming."

Kittie put on her dark green hooded cloak and managed to sneak out at 5:00 without Dr. Dred or Vampira noticing. Fortunately, they were in their room, getting dressed for dinner.

Miranda brought the wagon, pulled by a large, brown horse, around the front and picked up Kittie. Together, they rode to Dracula's castle.

That's it right there," Miranda said as they got to within sight of the castle. It was a large, dark, brick fortress with several towers and trimmed with battlements. It was rather ominous looking in the twilight.

"Wow!" Kittie exclaimed.

They drove up to the front of the castle. A large gate barred the entrance.

"I'll wait for you here," Miranda said as Kittie got down from the cart. "Good luck."

"Thank you," Kittie said, "I may need it.

Kittie walked up to the gate. A tall, gaunt man dressed in dark clothing met her from the inside of the gate. His dark eyes stared out underneath thick, dark eyebrows. He addressed her in Romanian.

"I'm sorry," Kittie said, nervously, "I don't speak Romanian."

"You're English?" the man growled in a monotone voice.

"Yes."

"Your name?"

"Lady Catherine Dredvale."

"State your business."

"I've come to speak to the Count."

"Does he expect you?"

"No," Kittie admitted, "But he must see me."

"Vait here," the man said. He spun on his heel and went into the castle. He reappeared momentarily and said, "The Count vill see you."

"Thank you," Kittie said as the man opened the gate and let her in. He led her into the castle and down a hallway into a large throne room. There were several servants standing to one side of the room. There was a raised section at one end with stairs leading up to a platform. On the platform were two thrones. Count Dracula and Elizabeth were sitting in them. The Count was wearing the same dark clothing as before and Elizabeth had changed into a deep red satin dress.

Standing to the side of the Count was a handsome, pale faced man with dark hair and dark eyes. He was wearing a long, dark gray coat with red and black trim, gray tights, and black leather boots. He seemed slightly older than the Count.

Count Dracula and Elizabeth rose as the gatekeeper entered with Kittie and announced her arrival. Kittie walked up to the bottom of the stairs and curtseyed. The gatekeeper bowed and left to continue his duties.

"Lady Catherine," Dracula said, "How good to see you again!"

"Good evening, Count," Kittie said, "I'm afraid this isn't a social visit and I can't stay long."

"Vhat a shame," Dracula said, "My brothers just arrived and I vanted you to meet them."

"You have brothers?" Kittie asked.

"Yes, two of them," Dracula said. He motioned to the man in the dark gray coat and said, "This...is my elder brother, Mircea."

"Good ewening," Mircea said to Kittie.

"Good evening, sir," Kittie said, curtseying.

"My younger brother, Radu, is out taking a valk," Dracula said, "As soon as he gets back, you can meet him as vell. They vould also like to meet your father."

"Oh, you can't tell my father you have brothers," Kittie said.

"Vhy not?" Dracula asked.

"Because my father has a plot against you," Kittie said, "If he learns of you brothers, he'll want to harm them as well!"

"A plot?" Dracula asked, "Against me? Vhatewer for?"

"It's because of his servants."

"He vants them back?" Dracula asked.

"Actually, no," Kittie said.

"Good," Dracula said, "He can't have them."

"Are they still alive?" Kittie asked.

"Yes, they're in my dungeon," Dracula said.

Kittie sighed in relief.

"And they're going to remain there until they've learned not to annoy me!" Dracula continued.

"That could be awhie," Kittie said.

"Yes," Dracula said, "I know."

Miranda sat in the wagon in front of the castle waiting for Kittie to return. She was startled by a pale, handsome man who suddenly appeared beside the wagon. He was wearing a midnight blue tunic with a white ruffled collar, midnight blue breeches, black leather boots, a midnight blue cap, and a maroon cape. He said something to her in Romanian.

"I'm sorry," Miranda said, "I speak English."

"I said, it's dangerous for a young voman to be out in the night, alone," He repeated in English.

"I'm not frightened," Miranda said, bravely.

"The vay you jumped vhan you saw me?" he said, sarchastically, "I could have been fooled."

"You startled me...that's all," Miranda emphasized.

"Right," the man said, "Vhy are you here, anyvay?"

"My mistress and I overheard a plot against the Count," Miranda said, "My mistress is inside warning him."

"A plot against the Count?" the man asked, concerned.

"Yes," Miranda confirmed, "My mistress's father plans to incite a revolt against him!"

The man turned and ran at the front gate. Miranda gasped as she saw him turn into a puff of smoke. He went through the closed gate without stopping and changed back into a human form on the other side.

"Oh dear!" Miranda exclaimed, "There are vampires!"

"I'm afraid you've misunderstood me, Count Dracula," Kittie said, "My father's servants aren't really his servants. They're his enemies!"

"Then he should be glad that I have them rotting in my dungeon!" Dracula said.

"He is!" Kittie exclaimed, "But he also wants you!"

"Vhy?" Dracula asked.

"It's hard to explain," Kittie said.

Just then, the door to the throne room opened and the man in midnight blue clothing rushed in."Brother Vlad!" he said, excitedly.

"Vhat's the matter Radu?" Dracula asked.

"There is a servant girl in a vagon outside who says there is a plot against you!" Radu said.

"That's my maid," Kittie said, "She drove me here. She also overheard my father as he was plotting."

"She did say that, brother," Radu confirmed.

"Then ve must go and take care of your father before he can destroy me!" Dracula snarled.

"No!" Kittie exclaimed.

"Vhy not?" Dracula snapped.

"The only ones who can take care of my father properly are the three young men you have locked in your dungeon," Kittie said, "You must release them and let them handle my father."

"Vhat?" Dracula asked.

"They know his ways and can counter them," Kittie added.

"Absolutely not!" Dracula snapped.

"You must!" Kittie pleaded, "Your future is a stake!"

"There's that vord again!" Dracula said.

"What word?" Kittie asked.

"Future!"

"Did they tell you about the future?" Kittie asked.

"Yes!" Dracula said, "The dark-haired von told me some assinine story of how I raise them in the year 1981 and that he's my nephew!"

"Well..." Kittie said, nervously.

"Don't tell me you beliewe them!" Dracula said.

"I have to," Kittie admitted, "I'm from there as well."

Dracula stared at Kittie for a moment and yelled, "You are all...lunatics!"

Elizabeth stepped forward and put her hand on Dracula's shoulder. "Vlad." she said.

Dracula turned to her. "Vhat is it Betha?" he asked, still agitated.

"I've been thinking about the dark-haired boy," Elizabeth said, "There may be something in vhat he says."

"Betha!" Dracula scolded, "You can't possibly beliewe..."

"I noticed something in him!" Elizabeth interrupted. "The vay he speaks and gestures vith the other two! It's as if...you did raise him! If he could prove it in any vay..."

"I'm pretty sure he could," Kittie interrupted.

"Please, Vlad!" Elizabeth urged, "If vhat she says is true, then ve are in danger...and I am frightened!"

Elizabeth looked into her husband's eyes, pleadingly. He looked back and tenderly touched har cheek.

"Wery vell," Dracula said, turning back to Kittie, "I vill release them. But they must prove ewery vord they say or they go right back!"

Dracula looked at two of his guards who were standing with the servants and gave an order in Romanian. The guards left out the back of the throne room.

"Thank you, Count Dracula," Kittie said, "I assure you, you won't regret your decision. Now, I must leave."

"Leave?" Dracula asked, "Vhy?"

"I must get back to the mansion," Kittie explained. "My father doesn't know I'm here betraying him and if he finds out, I'm done for!"

"Wery vell," Dracula said, "Just make sure your father doesn't carry out his plan or I'll have you put in my dungeon!"

"I will Count," Kittie said. She turned to leave and spun back around. "Oh! I forgot to tell you. The only one who knows I have something against my father is the one that I called out to the veranda at the ball. The other two don't trust me yet so, please, don't tell them I was here."

"Vhat?" Dracula asked.

"Please, just do it," Kittie urged and ran from the room.

"If it takes me until the year 1981, I still von't know vhat's going on!" Dracula commented.

Drak, Frankie, and Howler had been chained in the dungeon for over half a day. They were uncomfortable, dirty, tired, hungry, thirsty, bored, and going a little stir crazy.

Frankie started singing. "Ninety-nine bottles of milk on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of milk! If one of those bottles should happen to fall..."

"Don't cry over it!" Howler quipped.

"Huh?" Frankie asked.

"Spilled milk," Howler explained.

"Oh!" Frankie laughed, "That's funny, Howlie!"

Drak rolled his eyes and sighed, annoyed.

"Let's see, where was I? Oh yeah!" Frankie said and continued, "Ninety-eight bottles of milk on the wall, ninety-eight..."

"Frankie!" Drak snapped.

"What?" Frankie asked.

"You're making me thirsty!"

"Oh, sorry," Frankie apologized. He then started singing a series of songs that he didn't realize he didn't know all the words to.

Drak growled and gritted his teeth.

Howler couldn't stop thinking about the skeleton that was chained next to him. He had no desire to eat it, it just made him nervous. Its skull was tilted slightly and facing his direction. Howler kept glancing over at it. It glared back with empty eye sockets. I'd rather be distracted by Kittie's cleavage. Howler thought to himself.

Howler turned and looked at the skeleton again. "So, what are you in for?" He asked it. "Really? Us too!"

"I'm lookin' over a four-leaf clover that I overlooked before!" Frankie started. "Tha...na na da da da...aw nuts!"

"Looks like this is great for weight loss," Howler told the skeleton.

"Will you guys SHUT UP!" Drak yelled.

Frankie and Howler jumped and looked at Drak. Drak glared back at them.

They heard a key being inserted in the lock on the door leading to the dungeon and looked in that direction. The key turned and the lock clicked open. They heard footsteps comming towards the corridor they were in and looked at each other, nervously.

The two guards appeared and started unlocking the chains binding Drak and Howler. Drak and Howler rubbed their sore arms as one of the guards went on to release Frankie.

The other guard spoke to them in English. "The Count vishes to speak vith you." he said.

The Drak Pack was then led out of the dungeon to the throne room.

Count Dracula was pacing on the raised platform as the Drak Pack were led in. Mircea and Elizabeth were standing near the thrones. Radu was sitting on one of the upper stairs.

The Drak Pack stopped at the bottom of the stairs. They took their caps off and looked up at Dracula, nervously. Dracula stopped pacing and stared straight at Drak.

"I have sources from the mansion that tell me your master has plans to get rid of me!" Dracula said.

The Drak Pack's jaws dropped.

"Get rid of you?" Drak asked.

"It's worse than we thought!" Frankie said.

"Of course! Without you..." Drak said and turned to face Frankie and Howler, "there would be no us!"

"We've got to stop him!" Howler said.

"Who did you say you vere again?" Dracula asked.

Drak turned back to Dracula. "Look, I know this is hard for you to believe, but I am your nephew and..."

"Vhat is you name?" Dracula interupted.

"Drak Dracula Jr." Drak said.

"Vhich von of my brothers are you decended from?" Dracula asked.

"Mircea," Drak said.

Mircea stepped forward. "I have many grandsons," he said, "None of whom are named Drak Dracula Jr."

"You're Mircea?" Drak asked. "Oh my gosh!"

"Vhy haven't I heard of you?" Mircea asked.

"Because I'm not going to be born until the year 1981," Drak explained.

"Yet, you are a young man," Mircea said.

"I know," Drak said, "That's what the Count said, but..."

"Show me your teeth," Dracula said.

"What?" Drak asked.

"I said, show me...your teeth!" Dracula insisted.

Drak flashed his teeth at Count Dracula.

"You do know vhat ve are, don't you?" Dracula asked.

"Yes," Drak said, "Vampires."

"Wery good!" Dracula said. "You do realize that no matter vhat year you vere or vill be born in, if you are related to us, you vould be a wampire as vell."

"I know," Drak said, "I'm a dhampir."

"A dhampir?" Dracula asked. "If you vould get your facts straight before creating stories, you'd know that a dhampir resembles a wampire in ewery vay!"

"I'm in my human form right now," Drak said.

"Verevolves transform!" Dracula snapped, "Wampires and dhampirs don't!"

"He's a werewolf," Frankie said pointing at Howler.

"Not now, Frankie!" Howler snapped, swatting Frankie with his cap.

"Ow! Stop doing that!" Frankie snapped, swatting Howler back.

"Ow!" Howler yelled, swatting Frankie again, "As soon as you stop..."

Drak spun around and grabbed Frankie and Howler's caps. "Give me those!" He snapped yanking them from their hands. He threw all three of their caps across the room and yelled, "Do you two want to be put back in the dungeon?"

"He does sound like you, brother!" Radu commented.

"Brother?" Drak spun around and looked at Radu. "Then...you must be Radu!"

"You seem to know a lot about my family," Dracula said, "Yet, nothing about wampires. Kindly tell me who you all really are and explain to me vhy you are pretending to be something you obwiously aren't!"

"I am your nephew!" Drak emphasized, "My friends and I do come from the 20th century, we're all monsters and we can change into our monster forms using a power that we have together!"

"Show me!" Dracula said, skeptically.

"Alright!" Drak said. He spun around to face Frankie and Howler and asked, "Ready guys?"

"Wait!" Howler said. He went over to a stair, sat down, and took his shoes off. He then went back to where he had been standing and said, "Okay, now!"

"Drak Pack Wacko!" They said, high-fiving. In an instant, they were in their monster forms.

Drak turned back around and flashed his teeth again. This time, there were fangs where his canine teeth used to be.

Dracula stared at them, stunned. "Im...possible!" he exclaimed.

"Yet, you just saw it!" Drak said.

Dracula walked a couple of steps backward, found his throne, and sat down still staring at the Drak Pack.

"How did you change your clothes?" Elizabeth asked.

The Drak Pack looked down. They were all dressed as they would be in their own time. Frankie in his brown clothing and big boots, Howler in his yellow t-shirt and blue jeans, and Drak in his formal wear.

"Well..." Drak said, a little confused, "this is part of our power but...normally, I'm the only one who changes clothes."

"Is this how you dress in the year 1981?" Elizabeth asked.

"No," Drak explained, "1981 is the year we were born. We're actually from the year 2001."

"But we were sent here in monster form in the other clothing," Howler said, to no one in particular.

"Of course, we never tried transformin' here," Frankie said.

"Vhat are you supposed to be?" Radu asked Frankie.

"I'm a Frankenstein monster," Frankie replied.

"A vhat?" Radu asked.

"His kind doesn't exist yet," Drak explained.

"A new breed of monster?" Radu asked.

"Yes," Drak said, "A man named Victor Von Frankenstein creates a monster in the year 1818."

"My great-great-great-great-great grandfather," Frankie elaborated, using his fingers to count the 'greats'.

"How does von 'create' a monster?" Radu asked.

"Well, Victor Von Frankenstein is a scientist and..." Drak said.

"A vhat?" Radu asked.

"A scientist," Drak said, "Someone who studies new ideas."

"Ah!" Radu said, "Go on."

"Well, Victor decides to see if he can bring a dead human back to life. He builds a very large man from spare body parts he gets from graveyards and uses lightning to spark life into him. Unfortunately, the monster didn't want to be brought back to life and ran amok, killing several people. It finally killed its creator, Victor, and died itself."

"But not before fatherin' my great-great-great-great grandfather," Frankie added, using his fingers again.

Drak continued the explaination of Frankie's family to Mircea and Radu. Elizabeth turned and looked at Dracula who seemed to be in deep thought. She went to him and knelt at his feet.

"Does something trouble you, Vlad dearest?" Elizabeth asked.

"How could he know?" Dracula asked.

"Know vhat?"

"I'we been hawing dreams, Betha," Dracula explained, "The wampiress who sired me, Dractina, comes to me and tells me that all monsters must change their ewil vays."

"Ve cannot change our vays!" Elizabeth said, "Ewen if ve vanted to!"

"Dractina says that ve must or be completely viped out!" Dracula insisted, "She says that ewentually, I vill discower three infant boys who vill have strange monster powers and show the vorld vhat monsters could be. I must raise them to be good and train them to fight ewil."

"The boy who calls himself 'Drak' said something to you last night about you raising them from infancy!" Elizabeth observed.

"Exactly, Betha!" Dracula said, "But this is the first I'we spoken of my dreams to anybody! How could he know?"

"Could this be them?" Elizabeth asked.

"They're supposed to be infants, Betha!"

"But, they said that Lord Dredwale is a vizard and sent them here vith a magic vand," Elizabeth said, "Perhaps ve should ask them more about him."

"You're right, Betha," Dracula said, standing up. Elizabeth stood up too.

Mircea walked back to Dracula. "There's something odd about the verevolf, brother," he said, quietly.

"Excuse me," Howler said, "The werewolf can hear you!"

Mircea turned around. "Vhy aren't you attacking anybody?" he asked Howler.

"Why would I want to attack somebody?" Howler asked.

"It's vhat verevolves do," Mircea said, "Vhen they transform, they seek out the nearest human and kill them!"

"I don't," Howler said, "I wasn't brought up that way."

"Vhat?" Mircea asked, "How could you not be brought up that vay?"

"All in good time, brother," Dracula said, "Right now, I must know more about this...Lord Dredwale!"

"Are you going to believe us?" Drak asked.

"I don't know," Dracula admitted.

Drak sighed. "Well, first of all, his name isn't Lord Dredvale. It's Dr. Dred. He's from our time, 2001. He's an evil genius and he tries to show everyone how smart he is by comitting complex crimes. His ultimate goal is to take over the world. You raise us and train us to fight evil..."

Dracula and Elizabeth looked at each other, astonished, then looked back at Drak.

Drak continued, "...so we fight him over and over again and always defeat him. He's always trying to get rid of us so that he can succeed and sending us to the year 1656 is his latest idea for doing that."

"Vith the vand he created?" Dracula asked.

"Yes," Drak said.

"How could somevon as ewil as my brother train somevon to fight ewil?" Mircea asked.

"Because, he's not evil in our time," Drak explained.

"You're insane!" Mircea exclaimed.

"No, he's not!" Dracula said.

"Vhat are you saying?" Mircea asked.

"I'm saying that there is a prophecy that ve must change or the monster race vill be destroyed!" Dracula exclaimed, turning to face Mircea. "I don't know vhere ve vill be in the year 1981, but if the prophecy holds true, ve vill be novhere!"

"How are ve supposed to change?" Mircea asked.

"I don't know," Dracula said.

"Is it ewen possible?" Radu asked.

Dracula looked at the Drak Pack. "Apparently, it is!" He said.

Mircea, Radu, and Elizabeth looked at the Drak Pack. The Drak Pack smiled.

"Then, you believe us?" Drak asked.

"Not entirely," Dracula admitted.

Frankie and Howler moaned.

"Either you do or you don't!" Drak said.

"It's as good as you're going to get!" Dracula snapped. "Now, you must help me do avay vith this, Dr. Dred!"

"Do away with...we can't do that!" Drak said.

"You just said you needed to stop him!" Dracula emphasized.

"Not by killing him!" Howler exclaimed.

"Killin's evil," Frankie added, "You taught us that yourself."

"Vhen?" Dracula asked.

"When we were twelve years old and discovered our powers!" Drak said.

"Fine," Dracula said, "I do have have an extensiwe torture chamber ve could use!"

"No torture either!" Drak emphasized.

"Vhat?"

"Look," Drak said, "We know how to handle Dr. Dred. If you want him and the others taken care of, you're going to have to let us do it our way!"

"Others?" Dracula asked.

"His wife and daughter," Frankie said.

"Except, that's not his wife," Drak said, "She's one of the four evil monsters he has working for him in the year 2001."

"Then, not all monsters change?" Dracula asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Drak said, "You try to convince as many as possible, but some of them think you're crazy. Our fathers are some of the ones who don't."

"Vhat sort of a monster is this voman that Dr. Dred has vith him?" Dracula asked.

"She's a dhampir too," Drak said.

"A dhampir?" Dracula asked, "Does she transform as vell?"

"No," Drak said, "She's wearing a substance on her face to cover up how pale she is."

Dracula thought for a minute and asked, "Her name vouldn't be Wampira, vould it?"

"Uh...yes," Drak said, "Do you know her?"

"Wampira?" Mircea and Radu exclaimed.

"Oh no!" Dracula groaned.

Elizabeth moaned.

"I thought she vas hiding somevhere in Russia!" Radu said.

"She probably is," Drak said, "The one with Dr. Dred is from the year 2001. How do you all know her?"

"She's my vife!" Mircea exclaimed.

"Your what?!?" Frankie and Howler exclaimed.

Drak seemed to turn a shade paler. "I don't feel so good." he said sitting down on a stair.

"You mean she's his grandmother?" Howler asked.

"Only in step," Mircea said, "My children came from my forst vife."

"Thank you!" Drak sighed, relieved.

"She looks older!" Dracula said, confused.

"She is old!" Howler said.

"Wampires and dhampirs don't age!" Dracula snapped.

"You do," Frankie said.

"Vhat?" Dracula exclaimed.

"Ve age?" Elizabeth asked.

"Actually, you still look pretty good," Howler said, "You use some beauty creams that are available in our time and don't change much."

"Beauty creams?" Elizabeth asked.

"Ointments that keep you from getting wrinkles," Howler explained.

Elizabeth smiled.

"Vhat about me?" Dracula sneered.

"Mainly dull fangs and gray hair," Howler said, "A couple of wrinkes too, but not much else."

"I don't believe you!" Dracula snapped.

"Hey, I just remembered!" Frankie said, putting his hand in his back pocket, "I have your pictures in my wallet!"

"Your wallet?" Drak and Howler asked.

Frankie pulled his wallet out of his pocket. "Yeah, it appeared with my pants!" he said, flipping through the picture holders.

"Vhat are pictures?" Dracula asked.

"They're like portraits," Howler explained, "Someone invents something called a camera in the future.It looks like a small box. Light goes through a hole in it and whatever you aim the hole at gets put on a piece of paper inside it and you get a picture."

"Actually, these are pictures of your portraits that you have painted for the house," Frankie said, finding the photos and taking tham out of thair holders, "Vampires don't show up on film."

"Vhy?" Dracula asked.

"It works on the same principal as a mirror," Howler explained, "It just more permanent."

Frankie went up the stairs and handed the photos to Dracula. Dracula's jaw dropped as he looked at them. Mircea, Radu, and Elizabeth looked over his shoulders.

"That is you!" Mircea said.

"You hawe aged!" Radu said.

"I do still look good!" Elizabeth said.

"How does this happen?" Dracula asked.

"You always said we aged you," Frankie said.

"Whenever we did something stupid as kids," Howler added.

"I'd believe that!" Dracula commented.

"Do Radu and I age as vell?" Mircea asked.

"Actually, we've never met you there," Howler said, "We don't know yet."

"We also didn't know about Vampira yet!" Drak exclaimed.

"Do ve know that you're fighting her in the future?" Dracula asked.

Drak nodded.

"And ve don't tell you who she is?"

Drak, Frankie, and Howler shook their heads.

"You don't seem to like her," Howler commented, "What happened between you?"

"Yes!" Drak said, standing up and turning to face his relations, "I'd like to hear that story."

"Me too," Frankie said, "getting his pictures back and walking down the stairs. "It ought to be interestin'."

"Wery vell," Dracula said, "Her father vas Bartok Sarpe. He vas a Baron from Moldawia. Somehow, he vas sired into a wampire and, as some wamires do, came back and impregnated his human vife. The result vas Wampira.

"The Baron wreaked hawok throughout the country and vas ewentually tracked down and staked. Her mother raised her, alone."

"What year was she born?" Drak asked.

"1431," Dracula said.

"So, she's your age?" Drak asked.

"Yes,"

Drak smiled a little. Frankie and Howler snickered to themselves.

"Wampira grew to be materialistic and wain." Dracula continued.

"Ewen vorse than me!" Elizabeth added.

"Vhen she vas 15, she married her forst husband," Dracula said, "A vealthy nobleman from her country. A couple of years past and he died under mysterious circumstances. She inherited his fortune and liwed comfortably until she decided she vanted more. She married anpther nobleman and he too vound up dead."

"I'm starting to see a pattern, here," Drak said.

"Yes," Dracula confirmed, "She became a regular black vidow. She vent from country to country marrying noblemen and causing their deaths in von vay or another. Some of them liwed longer than others. They vere probably her favorites."

"When did she marry Mircea?" Drak asked.

"I'm getting to it," Dracula said, "The year vas 1579. She came after me forst. She grew tired of mere noblemen. She heard I vas the ruler of this country and a recent vidower. She met vith me and vas dissapointed to find out that I vas already engaged to ved Betha. She then found out I had an older brother, Mircea, and vent for him."

"And you married her, despite her reputation?" Drak asked Mircea.

"Ve did not know of her reputation," Mircea said, "If ve had, she vould not hawe gotten as far as she did into our liwes. My own vife had been staked many years before. I vas lonely. Wampira vas a real beauty and a seductress."

The Drak Pack made sour faces.

"I vas entranced, so I married her," Mircea continued, "Ve vere married but a few days vhen she came to me and asked me vhy I, as the older brother, vas not ruling the country."

"Why weren't you ruling?" Drak asked.

"In 1447, our father and I vere taken avay by assasins from the city Tirgoviste. They tortured us and locked us up to avait execution. The year before, our belowed mother had found out our father had been unfaithful many times and took her own life. Ve newer forgawe our father.

"Being locked in a cell vith him vas torture in itself for me. Ve argued bitterly. The executioner came for us and I told him I vished to see my father suffer, so they took him forst."

Drak had a pained expression on his face.

"Vhat's wrong?" Mircea asked.

"I...I just didn't expect this kind of thing," Drak stammered, "It's really not seen very often in our time."

"You did know of our family's brutality, did you not?" Micea asked.

"Yes, I did," Drak said, "But this!"

"I guess this is the kind of thing we're makin' up for by fightin' evil," Frankie said.

"Yeah, I guess," Drak said.

"We're going to be fighting for an awfully long time!" Howler said.

"Why weren't you executed?" Drak asked.

"Von of the guards came to me and said that I seemed like a wampire," Mircea said, "I asked him how he vould know and he said he vas von. He also vanted to feed. He said that If I allowed him to use me that I vould be able to escape...reletiwely unharmed."

"But, you'd be a vampire," Drak said.

"He said it vas better than vhat the assasins had planned for me," Mircea said, "So, I allowed him to sire me. He suggested to the assasins to execute me vith a liwe burial. They liked the idea and used it. The guard came back the next night and freed me from my tomb.

"I vent home and told my brother of the ewents. Ve decided that I vould be better off if the assasins thought I had perrished, so I gawe up my right to rule and vent into hiding.

"Wampira hadn't known I was a wampire before I told her this story."

"What?" Drak asked, "How?"

"I didn't tell her. I vas vorking up to it. I apparently hid it vell. She had also hidden the fact that she vas a dhampir and chose that moment to tell me.

"After the initial shock, she asked vhy I did not take back the throne that vas rightfully mine. I told her that I vas not going to reclaim my right simply to please my vife. Besides, my brother vouldn't like it. She insisted and I told her absolutely not. She took offense and and stormed off and locked herself in our bedroom.

"The next day, she found vhere I had hidden my coffin. She positioned a rather heawy sharpened log ower my coffin and rigged it to fall as I opened the lid. That ewening, I arose to find the log bearing down on me."

"How did you escape?" Drak exclaimed.

"She positioned it ower the wrong end of the coffin," Mircea said, "It vound up betveen my knees."

"Next, she came back for me," Dracula said, "But I had married Betha by then."

"That ewening, I reciewed a vedding present from her," Elizabeth said, "A bottle of vine. I had been sired and had no taste for it anymore so I gawe it to my councelors. They drank it and immediately died."

"Poison," Drak said.

"Yes," Elizabeth said, "Ve lost some of our best adwisors."

"Wampira came for me that night," Dracula said, "Expecting to hawe to console me on the unexpected death of my new bride. Ve confronted her and vhen she had exhausted all of her excuses, she turned into a mist and floated avay. That vas vhen ve found out vhat she vas."

"Next, she found me," Radu said, "She tried to conwince me to marry her and do avay vith my brother, Vlad, so that ve could rule together. I asked her about Mircea and she said that the assasins had caught up vith him. I told her the assasins vere no longer looking for him. Caught in her lie, she escaped into the night. Ve hawe not seen her since but hawe heard reports of her in Russia."

"Ve started looking into her past," Dracula said, "Ve vere stunned at vhat ve found. Ve felt wery greatful to hawe escaped her wrath. Ve ewen found a hollow tree vhere she had hidden her poisons and some personal possesions."

Something clicked in Drak's brain. "She hid things in a hollow tree?" he asked.

"Yes," Dracula confirmed.

"Near here?"

"Not too far avay," Dracula said, "Vhy?"

Drak smiled and turned to Frankie and Howler. "You know what I'm thinking?" he asked.

"The device?" Howler asked, smiling.

"Do you think she hid it in the tree?" Frankie asked.

"Where else?" Drak asked.

"Vhat are you boys talking about?" Dracula asked.

Drak turned back around. "Could someone take us to this tree?" Drak asked, "Right now?"

"Vhy?" Dracula asked.

"The wand that Dr. Dred used to get us here might be hidden there," Drak explained. "If we could get it, we could use it against him."

"I vill show you the tree," Mircea said, decending the stairs and heading for the door. "Come vith me."

The Drak Pack followed Mircea. They were at the door when Dracula spoke up.

"Vait!" Dracula said, "The verevolf must stay here."

"Why?" Drak asked.

"I vant to be sure you'll be back," Dracula said.

Howler looked at Drak, nervously.

"It's okay," Drak reassured, "Just do what he says."

Mircea, Drak, and Frankie left. Howler stood at the door. He swallowed, hard and slowly turned and looked at Dracula.

"Come here," Dracula said, beckoning him with his hand.

Howler cautiously walked back to the bottom of the stairs.

"Vhat do you know about Dr. Dred's daughter?" Dracula asked.

"What do you want with her?" Howler asked, suspiciously.

"Nothing," Dracula said, "She vas here to varn me of her father's plot and arranged for your release."

"She did?"

"Yes," Dracula said, "She says you are the only von out of the three of you who trusts her. Vhy is that?"

"They don't know that she's been fighting against her father yet," Howler explained, "The 'you' of the future doesn't want me to tell them just yet."

"Vhy not?"

"I don't know," Howler said, "Some sort of lesson, I guess."

"Is she trustvorthy?" Dracula asked.

"Yes," Howler said, "She's been warning me about things her father is up to to help us."

"Vould she be able to prewent her father from carrying out his plan to destroy me?"

"For as long as she could," Howler said.

"Then ve hawe time for you to stop him."

"I'd say so, yes."

"Thank you, verevolf," Dracula said, "That is wery reassuring."

"I have a name, you know," Howler said.

"I don't know," Dracula said, "Vhy don't you tell me?"

"Howler."

"Howler?" Dracula asked, confused.

"You know. Aaaaooooo!" Howler howled to explain.

Dracula's servants had been watching the Drak Pack from a safe distance across the room. They were nervous about the new monsters in their midst. When Howler howled, they all ran out the back of the room.

"Vhere are you going?" Dracula yelled at them in Romanian.

"I'll get them," Radu said, running after them. He reappeared moments later and said, "They vant to get him something to eat before he eats them."

"Did you tell them about..." Dracula started.

"Yes, I told them," Radu interupted, "They didn't beliewe me!"

One of the servants returned moments later with a dead chicken. He walked cautiously up to Howler and held it out to him. Howler turned and saw it.

"Aaaaa!" Howler screamed and jumped back. "What's that?"

The servant looked confused. He mumbled something in Romanian.

"It's a chicken," Dracula said, "It's for you."

"Could he cook it first?" Howler exclaimed.

"Cook it?" Dracula asked. "This new age of monsters is going to take a lot of getting used to!"

Mircea carried a torch and led Drak and Frankie through the woods for some time. They came to a large, dark tree with a thick, twisted trunk and stopped.

"This is it," Mircea announced. He pointed upwards and said, "The hole to her hiding place is somevhere up there."

Drak turned into a bat and flew up to inspect the tree. He flew around untill he found a large hole. "Here's the hole." he said, "I'm going in!"

Drak flew into the hole. He flew out seconds later holding the device with his toes. "We got it!" he exclaimed.

"Yes!" Frankie exclaimed.

Drak flew down and placed the device in Frankie's hands. He landed and changed back to his human form.

Mircea looked at the device. "That's a vand?" he asked.

"From the future," Drak said.

"Ah!" Mircea said.

Mircea, Drak, and Frankie walked back to the castle with the device.

"What do we do now, Drak?" Frankie asked. "Do we go back home and leave them here?"

"I don't know," Drak said, "We need to teach them a lesson somehow."

They came out of the woods near the castle. Drak looked up at it. There was a 3/4 moon hovering over it, illuminating the top slightly. "Wow!" Drak said.

Drak stood a moment gazing up at the castle when he noticed something. "Mircea?" he asked.

"What's that?" Drak aasked, pointing up at the castle.

"Vhat?"

"That thing up there," Drak said, "Between that large battlement."

Mircea looked. "That is a cauldron," he said.

"A cauldron?" Drak asked. "What for?"

"In case of attack," Mircea said, "You fill it with lead and boil it. When your attackers storm the castle it is dumped on them. There are several of them stationed around the castle for that purpose."

"Ew!" Frankie said.

"What's in them now?" Drak asked.

"Nothing," Mircea said, "They hawen't been used in a vhile."

"Hm!" Drak said and they continued on to the castle.

Mircea, Drak, and Frankie got back to the castle and went to the throne room. It was deserted except for a single servant. The servant led them to the dining room.

There was a long table in the center of the room. Dracula, Elizabeth, and Radu sat at one end. Howler was sitting on one side, stripping the meat from a roast chicken leg with his fangs.

"Howler!" Drak snapped.

Howler jumped and looked at Drak.

"You ate without us?" Drak snarled.

Howler looked at Drak, sheepishly. "The shervantsh were nervoush," he said with his mouth full, "They inshishted."

Drak glared at Howler.

"Sit down!" Dracula ordered, "There is plenty of food being prepared for all of you!"

Drak and Frankie sat down on the opposite side of the table from Howler. Mircea sat down at the end.

"Did you find vhat you vere looking for?" Dracula asked.

"Yes, we did!" Drak said, placing the device on the table.

Dracula, Elizabeth, and Radu looked at it.

"That's a vand?" Dracula asked.

"From the future," Mircea said.

Food was brought out on trays and placed in front of Drak and Frankie. They ate, hungrily, and drank water from goblets. Howler worked on his roast chicken.

Drak started eating slower and tapped a fork on his plate. He seemed to be in deep thought.

"Count Dracula?" Drak asked, "Could you have one of the cauldrons on the top of the castle filled with water by tomorrow?"

"It could be done," Dracula said, "Vhy?"

"I have an idea to teach Dr. Dred a lesson he'll never forget," Drak said and told Dracula and the others his plan.

"It sounds appropriate," Dracula said, "I'm impressed!"

"Why do we have to be in monster form?" Frankie asked.

"How else do you expect the villagers to follow us?" Drak said.

"What if the villagers...catch us?" Howler asked.

"We're doomed," Drak said. "So try not to let that happen, okay?"

"They prefer burning monsters at the stake these days," Dracula elaborated.

Frankie winced. Howler whimpered.

After dinner, Drak, Frankie, and Howler changed back into their human forms. When they transformed, they found themselves back in their 17th century servant's clothes again. They were shown to bedrooms and provided with clean clothing and water to wash up with.

Before going to bed, they met in Drak's room to go over his plan in more detail.

"Lookit you!" Frankie said to Drak as he and Howler entered the room. Drak was dressed in a black suit, similar to Dracula's. Frankie was dressed in a white shirt, black pants, and boots. Howler was dressed in a tan shirt, brown pants, a brown vest, and boots.

"What do you guys think?" Drak said, showing off.

"It's definitely you!" Howler said.

Dracula, Mircea, Radu, and Elizabeth entered the room. They looked Drak up and down.

"Now, you look like a Dracula!" Dracula said.

Mircea and Radu nodded.

"Wery handsome, indeed!" Elizabeth said.

Drak smiled. "Did you get the map?" he asked.

"Yes," Dracula said, holding up a large scroll. He brought it over to a table and unrolled it.

Drak, Frankie, and Howler went over to the table and looked at the map as Dracula showed them where things were. "That is my castle," Dracula said, pointing to a picture on the map, "And that is the Vambach mansion vhere Dr. Dred is."

"Okay," Drak said, "Now, we need to know the location of the nearest town."

"The nearest town is there," Dracula said, pointing on the map, "The town Cneajna."

"Cneajna?" Drak asked.

"It vas our mother's name," Dracula said, "Some people vished to build there and I allowed them to only if they named the town after her."

Frankie sniffed. "You're not all bad." he said, wiping a tear from his eye, "If you loved you mother that much."

"Yes, ve did," Dracula said, "She vas a beautiful voman."

"How far away is the town, Cneajna, from here?" Drak asked, a little choked up himself.

"About three miles," Dracula said.

"Perfect," Drak said, rolling up the map. We'll start there. We'll get some sleep and survey the land tomorrow morning. We'll carry out the plan and, if all goes well, you won't see us again until the 20th century."

"Yes," Dracula said, "Farevell, Drak Dracula Jr. And good luck."

Drak shook hands with Dracula, Mircea, and Radu. Elizabeth kissed him, gently, on the cheek. They then left the room.

Seconds later, Dracula returned. "Von more thing," he said, "Vhy did you call me Bigdee?"

"Oh, that!" Drak said, "It's not Bigdee, it's Big D."

"Vhat does it mean?" Dracula asked.

"Well, you see," Drak explained, "We discovered our powers when we were twelve years old and found out you were our leader. We decided to give you a nickname to reflect that fact. Our name, Dracula, starts with a 'D' and with you being the older, or bigger, Dracula, we decided to call you Big D."

Dracula looked at Drak a moment and said, "It's wery annoying!"

"I know!" Drak said.

"Don't ewer call me that!" Dracula said.

"I'm sorry," Drak said, "But you're going to be called that starting when we're twelve. We can't control what we did eight years ago."

"A blama!" Dracula exclaimed.

"You said that a lot when we were kids," Drak said, "What does it mean anyway?"

"Newer mind!" Dracula said, leaving the room.

"We're going to have to look that up when we get back," Drak said.

Frankie and Howler nodded.

A rooster in the courtyard of Dracula's castle crowed as Dracula and Elizabeth made their way down to their crypt. Their coffins sat, side by side, in the center of the room. They stood between them in a loving embrace.

"Ewerything vill be alright, my lowe," Dracula said, looking into Elizabeth's eyes, "I vill not let any harm come to you."

"I trust you, Vlad dearest!" Elizabeth said.

They kissed, passionately, and parted, entering their separate coffins.

"Sleep vell, Betha," Dracula said as Elizabeth closed her lid.

"You as vell, Vlad," Elizabeth said as the lid shut tight.

Dracula laid down and shut his own lid on his fingers. "Owwwwww!" he screamed, opening the lid and sitting up.

Elizabeth quickly opened the lid of her coffin and jumped out. She went to Dracula and took his hand.

"I did it again, Betha!" Dracula whined.

"It's the second day in a row, Vlad!" Elizabeth said caressing his hand and kissing his sore fingers. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Something about those boys makes me norvous!" Dracula said.

"Impending fatherhood, perhaps," Elizabeth said, "You hawen't done this kind of thing since our son vas born."

Dracula moaned.

"At least you'll hawe ower 300 years to prepare for them," Elizabeth added.

"Is that really enough time, Betha?" Dracula said, falling back on his satin pillow.

Elizabeth sighed and kissed his hand.

Drak, Frankie, and Howler woke early the next morning. Dracula's sevants served them breakfast and they headed out to look at their surroundings.

With the help of the map, Drak figured out his plan in more detail and explained it to Frankie and Howler. They were all nervous, but they knew it had to be done.

Once they knew what each of them was to do and when, they mounted horses, lent to them by Dracula, and rode to the Wambach mansion.

The Drak Pack got to within sight of the mansion and stopped.

"Okay, guys," Drak said, getting off his horse and tying it to a tree, "You wait here while I go and find a servant to get our message to Dr. Dred."

"Good luck," Howler said.

"Thanks," Drak said, walking off towards the mansion.

Kittie had gotten up and eaten breakfast with the Wambachs, her father, and Vampira. She was now back up in her room, looking out the window. She was nervous about the night before. She had no idea wether or not the Drak Pack had been able to convince Dracula that they could help.

She saw three horses ride up and stop in the distance. One of the riders got off, tied his horse to a tree, and left the other riders.

"Omigosh! It's them!" she said, running from the room.

Kittie hurried out the back door of the mansion and ran down to where she had seen the riders.

She hid and peeked from behind a hedge and saw Frankie and Howler on two of the horses.

"Oh, thank you!" she sighed.

Howler's sensitive ears heard something nearby. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw Kittie ducking behind a tall hedge.

"Kittie!" Howler whispered to himself. He got down off of his horse saying, "Frankie, I've got some personal business to take care of. I'll be right back."

Howler tied his horse to a tree and went to the hedge where he had seen Kittie.

"Make it quick!" Frankie said.

Howler went around the hedge and found Kittie. They looked at each other a moment and threw their arms around each other. They stood in a tight embrace for a moment and Kittie said, "I was so scared!"

"You were scared?" Howler said as they broke their embrace, "You weren't the one locked in Dracula's dungeon!"

"I was scared you were dead!" Kittie exclaimed. "Dad said he wanted to get rid of you guys and Dracula. I went to warn him but I didn't know if he let you go or not."

"Yeah, I know," Howler said, "Dracula told me."

"He did?"

"Yeah," Howler said, "He also told us something interesting about Vampira!"

"Really?" Kittie asked, "What?"

"It's a long story," Howler said, "I'll tell you the whole thing later, but it got us the device back!"

"You have the device?" Kittie asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, Frankie's holding it." Howler said, "Drak has a plan to teach your dad a lesson."

"What is it?"

"I really don't have time," Howler said, "I gotta get back to my horse. I...I just wanted to see you a minute!"

Howler and Kittie smiled at each other and embraced again. Frankie came around the hedge, looking for Howler.

"I knew it!" Frankie exclaimed.

Howler and Kittie abruptly broke their embrace and looked at at Frankie.

"I knew you had to be datin' each other, somehow!" Frankie continued. "Drak didn't believe me! Oh no! Howlie wouldn't be doin' anythin' like that behind our backs he said!"

"Frankie..." Howler said.

"She's Dr. Dred's daughter, Howlie!"

"She's on our side!" Howler said.

"Since when?" Frankie asked.

"Since the beginning," Howler said, "Remember how she helped us?"

"Yeah, but she hasn't done that in a while," Frankie said.

"Yes she has."

"When?"

"She's been warning me about things on our dates," Howler said, "I've been finding out things before Dr. Dred tells Drak."

"So that's why you seem to know everythin' that's going on, lately!" Frankie exclaimed.

Howler nodded.

"So you're fightin' against your dad?" Frankie asked Kittie.

"Yes," Kittie said.

"Why?" Frankie asked.

"It's because of you guys!" Kittie said.

"Us?"

"Yeah," Kittie said, "Do you remember Cathy from the first grade?"

"Yeah," Frankie said. "How would you know who I went to school with?"

"Frankie," Kittie said, "It's me...Cathy!"

Frankie looked at Kittie a moment and said, "Cathy had blonde hair."

"It changed color when I was eight," Kittie said.

"Hair can do that?" Frankie asked.

"Yup," Kittie said.

Frankie stepped a little closer to Kittie to get a better look. He looked her in the eyes. "It is you!" he exclaimed. "Wait a minute! We have your school records back home and they say you never went to school anywhere near us!"

"The first grade year was a forgery," Kittie explained. "Dad left with me and O.G.R.E. when he learned that social services wanted to take me away from him. He forged the first grade records to get me in another school without letting on where he was. I gave Howler the real records on our first date."

"You knew?" Frankie asked Howler, "And you didn't tell us?"

"Big D didn't want me to tell you guys about her just yet," Howler said, "He wanted you to learn to trust her. Besides, Kittie wanted to see how long it took you guys to figure out who she was."

"Does Drak know?" Frankie asked.

"No," Howler said, "Not yet."

"Don't tell him," Kittie said, "I'm going to have to start dropping him hints."

"When did you know?" Frankie asked Kittie.

"The night you helped me find my dad," Kittie said, "I was a little distracted at the diner, but once I had settled in at O.G.R.E. island I realized there couldn't be anyone else named Drak or Howler!"

"But we fought with you in the first grade," Frankie said, "Why would you want to help us now?"

"We became friends in the end, remember?" Kittie said.

Frankie thought a moment and said, "Oh yeah! I forgot!"

"You were the first three kids who ever wanted to be friends with me, too!" Kittie said.

"So you're helpin' us?" Frankie asked.

"Definitely," Kittie said.

They all smiled and Drak came around the hedge.

"Where on Earth are those two?" Drak asked, exasperated. He turned and saw them all standing behind the hedge. "Oh! I see you've caught a spy!"

"Uh, yeah," Howler said, looking at Frankie, "We did!"

"You're in big trouble now, Kittie Dred!" Drak said, "You're not going to like what we have planned for you and your dad, I'll tell you that!"

Frankie looked at Howler and then down at the time-ray device he was carrying. He crefully aimed it at Kittie and fired. Kittie disappeared.

"What did you do that for?" Drak snapped at Frankie.

Frankie looked at Drak, sheepishly. "My finger slipped." he said.

Drak glared at Frankie and took the device away. "Give me that!" he snapped. "This better not happen later!"

"She could have gotten away and warned her dad, anyway," Howler said.

"Maybe, maybe not!" Drak said.

"Well, it's too late now!" Howler said.

Drak growled. "Come on! We have to get to Cneajna to meet Dr. Dred!" he said, walking back to the horses.

Frankie and Howler looked at each other. Howler smiled.

"Nice move, big guy!" Howler said, giving Frankie the thumbs up.

Frankie smiled. "She has been helpin' us," he said.

They went to join Drak.

All of a sudden, Kittie found herself standing in her father's lab. She was wearing the pajamas and bathrobe she had been wearing before she had been sent to the past. A smile slowly appeared on her face.

"YES!" she exclaimed, jumping around, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

She sighed, relieved, and leaned forward against Dr. Dred's workdesk. Scattered on the top were notes and instructions about the time-ray device. She looked at the papers and then glanced, smiling, at the paper shreader on the other side of the room.

Dr. Dred and Vampira were relaxing in the parlor of the Wambach mansion.

"Ah, Vampira," Dr. Dred said, "This is the life! Elegant surroundings, nothing to do, servants to wait on your every need...and no more Drak Pack!"

They both laughed, evily.

"Tomorrow," Dr. Dred continued, "I shall complete my plan to prevent the good Drak Pack from ever existing and we will return home victorious!"

They laughed again and sighed.

"Excuse me, My Lord," Miranda said, entering the parlor, "But I have a message for you."

Miranda walked over to Dr. Dred and handed him a neatly folded paper, sealed with a glob of red wax.

"A message?" Dr. Dred asked, taking the letter, "From whom?"

"I think it's from Count Dracula, My Lord," Miranda said, "That's his seal in the wax."

"Oh, really?" Dr. Dred asked, looking at the seal, "Thank you. You are excused."

Miranda curtsied. "Thank you, My Lord." she said and left the room.

"Vhat do you think he vants, Doctor?" Vampira asked, getting up from her chair and walking over to Dr. Dred.

"It's probably an apology," Dr. Dred said, breaking the seal, "'I'm so sorry I had to kill your servants, but they really bugged me!'"

Dr. Dred chuckled as he opened the note and read it. His face fell and he crumpled the sides of the paper in his hands.

"Vhat is it, Doctor?" Vampira asked, taking the note from him. She read out loud, "'Dear Lord Dredvale, Meet us at the edge of the town, Cneajna, at 3:00. Signed, your palls, the...Drak Pack?'"

"How?" Dr. Dred asked, confused.

"They must hawe escaped, somehow!" Vampira emphasized, "The Count newer lets anybody go!"

"They want a meeting, eh?" Dr. Dred asked, standing up, "We'll have to meet with them, then!"

Dr. Dred stormed out of the room with Vampira following close behind.

Miranda had been listening by the parlor door. She heard Dr. Dred and Vampira comming. so she started to walk away, nonchalantly.

"You!" Dr. Dred snapped at Miranda.

Miranda spun around, "Yes, My Lord." she said, calmly.

"Where is my daughter?" Dr. Dred asked.

"The last I saw her, she was in her bedroom, My Lord," Miranda said.

Dr. Dred stormed off towards the stairs with Vampira. Miranda smiled and went in the other direction.

Dr. Dred pounded on Kittie's door and opened it. "Catherine, we have trouble!" he said. He looked around the room. No Kittie. "Blast it! Where is she?"

"Ve're going to hawe to leawe vithout her, then," Vampira said, "Ve hawe to leawe now to be there by 3:00."

Dr. Dred growled.

Dr. Dred and Vampira took the Wambach's coach to the town of Cneajna. They walked around for a while, not knowing which edge of town to go to. Vampira asked around, in Romanian, and they were eventually pointed in the right direction.

They were approaching the outskirts of the town where they saw two horses tied tom a post. The Drak Pack, in human form, stepped out from behind the horses to the middle of the street and faced Dr. Dred and Vampira.

"Thought you were rid of us, didn't you?" Drak asked.

"I still could be," Dr. Dred sneered, "At least you don't have the..."

Drak produced the time-ray device from behind his back and held it up.

Dr. Dred's face dropped. "The device?" he asked. He turned and glared at Vampira. "I thought you said they'd never find it!"

"They couldn't possibly hawe found it!" Vampira insisted.

"But they did!" Dr. Dred yelled.

"How did you find it?" Vampira asked Drak.

"Grandpa showed us!" Drak said.

"Grandpa?" Dr. Dred and Vampira asked together.

"You remember Mircea," Drak asked, "Don't you, Vampira?"

"Mircea?" Vampira asked, astonished, "He's your..."

"Come on, Vampira," Drak said, "You knew Dracula was my uncle!"

"You look more like Radu!" Vampira screamed. "I don't understand! This is 1656! Mircea died in 1580!"

"Are you sure you didn't position the log over his coffin wrong?" Drak asked.

"I'm positiwe! I..." Vampira cut herself short when she realized what she had said. "Newer mind!"

"What is he talking about?" Dr. Dred asked.

"Nothing!" Vampira said.

"She's married to my great-great+grandfather!" Drak said.

"What?" Dr. Dred asked.

"She's my grandmother!" Drak said.

"Step-grandmother!" Vampira snapped.

"You're Count Dracula's sister-in-law!" Dr. Dred yelled, "And you didn't tell me?"

"It newer came up!" Vampira yelled.

"You didn't think it was important for this mission?" Dr. Dred yelled.

"Hey!" Drak shouted, "Remember us?"

Dr. Dred and Vampira turned and glared at the Drak Pack.

"Look," Drak said, "We're going to go home. But we can't go before we participate in an event that this time period was famous for."

"What's that?" Dr. Dred sneered.

"A good, old-fashioned, monster chase!" Drak said. He turned to Frankie and Howler and asked, "Ready, guys?"

Frankie and Howler nodded and held up their hands.

"You're bonkers!" Dr. Dred exclaimed.

"Drak Pack, Whacko!" the Drak Pack shouted and high-fived into their monster forms.

Drak handed the device to Frankie. "You know what to do!" he said, "And keep your fingers off the trigger!"

"Right!" Frankie said, saluting Drak.

Villagers nearby started to notice the Drak Pack in their monster forms. They scattered into shops and houses. Women grabbed their surprized children and dragged or carried them to safety.

Drak and Howler untied the slipknots on their horse's reins. They quickly mounted the horses and rode off.

Frankie held up the device. "Ya want it?" he asked Dr. Dred, "Come and get it!"

Frankie turned and bolted through a field near the village like a football player.

"Come on, Vampira!" Dr. Dred shouted, "We've got to get that device!"

Dr. Dred and Vampira pursued Frankie through the field.

Men from the village came out of their homes, carrying farm tool and other items that could be used as weapons. They gave chase after Dr. Dred and Vampira.

Vampira was having trouble running in her long skirts.

"Doctor!" she screamed, "Vait up!"

Dr. Dred stopped for a moment. "Why can't you transform into somthing that runs faster?" he yelled.

"In front of the willagers?" Vampira snapped, catching up, "Are you out of your mind?"

Dr. Dred growled and they continued the chase with the villagers not far behind.

Frankie's powerful legs carried him swiftly over the countryside. He soon got to within sight of Drak who had stopped his horse and dismounted about a mile away. He ran up and passed the device to Drak.

"Okay, Frankie," Drak said, "Get on to the castle!"

Frankie mounted the horse and sped off.

Drak waited until he saw Dr. Dred, Vampira, and the villagers in the distance. "Hey! Over here!" he shouted.,/p>

Dr. Dred saw Drak and headed in his direction with the others. Drak turned and ran.

Howler was waiting next to his horse at the two-mile mark to the castle. Frankie rode up on the other horse. Howler handed Frankie the reins from his horse.

"They're commin', Howlie!" Frankie said, "Get ready!"

"Thanks," Howler said.

Frankie rode off, leading the other horse by the reins.

Frankie got to Dracula's castle where two servants were waiting. Frankie dismounted and ran into the open gate of the castle as the servants took the horses to their stalls. The gatekeeper closed and locked the gate and got out of sight.

Drak ran to where Howler was waiting and handed off the device. "Here you go," he said, "Good luck."

Drak turned into a bat and flew off.

Howler waited until he saw their pursuers. "Yoo hoo! Dr. Dred!" he called.

Dr. Dred stopped and glared at him a moment. He was obviously out of breath but he continued his pursuit. Howler darted off.

Howler ran as fast as he could through a wooded area and up a small hill to Count Dracula's castle. He ran up to the castle wall and found where Drak had put a mark on the ground. He looked up and saw Frankie leaning over the battlement. Frankie flashed him a thumbs-up.

Howler turned and saw Dr. Dred and the rest coming towards him.

Dr. Dred got very close and said, "Nowhere else to go but up, eh Howler?"

"Nope," Howler said, "I guess not."

Dr. Dred and Vampira lunged at Howler as the villagers ran up and started crowding around. As they lunged, Drak flew down, in bat form, grabbed Howler's shoulders in his toes and lifted him off the ground and to the side. Howler lifted his legs and tail to prevent them from being grabbed. Drak flew with Howler up to the safety of the battlements leaving Dr. Dred and Vampira standing on the mark that Howler had been standing on.

Dr. Dred, Vampira, and the villagers looked up at their prey.

Frankie tipped the cauldron sending a torrent of water down on Dr. Dred and Vampira. The Drak Pack looked down on them and disappeared one by one.

The villagers were stunned to see the monsters they had been chasing simply vanish into thin air. They looked at each other and then stared in shock at Dr. Dred and Vampira who were soaked to the bone.

Dr. Dred looked at them, fuming. "What are you looking at?" he sneered.

Vampira looked at Dr. Dred. "Doctor!" she exclaimed, "Our makeup!"

"What?" Dr. Dred exclaimed. He wiped his face and looked at his gloved fingers. Wet makeup was smeared on them and down the front of his coat. "Oh no!"

Dr. Dred looked at Vampira. Her own makeup was running in rivers down her chest and onto her dress, showing her pasty-white skin beneath.

The angry villagers came at them and blocked their escape with their farm tools. One of them came up carrying a length of thick rope.

"Well, Vampira," Dr. Dred said, "I guess we're done for!"

"Vhat do you mean 've'?" Vampira asked, turning into a puff of smoke and floating away.

"Vampira!" Dr. Dred yelled.

The Drak Pack found themselves back in the warehouse they had been transported from.

They looked at each other and smiled. "Yes!" they all shouted together.They laughed and jumped around unaware of how tired they actually were from their adventure.

They calmed down and Drak set the device again. They changed back to their human forms and Drak zapped them with the device.

Dr. Dred was tied to a large stake on a hill outside Cneajna. There was kindling wood piled underneath him. A large, pink rat was chewing on the ropes that were binding him.

"Hurry, Vampira!" Dr. Dred snapped, "Before the villagers get back!"

The rat spat out pieces from the rope it had been chewing on. It crawled up onto Dr. Dred's shoulder and asked, "Do you know vhat rope tastes like? It's disgusting!"

Drak, Frankie, and Howler walked up onto the hill. They were dressed as young noblemen.

"Hey there!" Drak called.

Dr. Dred and Vampira looked at them. "Oh, it's you!" Dr. Dred sneered.

"Got a problem?" Drak asked.

"Problem?" Dr. Dred asked, "What problem? They just want to BURN ME AT THE STAKE!"

"Oh darn!" Drak said.

"What's the matter?" Howler asked.

"We forgot to bring marshmallows!" Drak said.

"Aw!" Frankie and Howler said together.

"Very funny!" Dr. Dred sneered. "I don't suppose you've come back to rescue us, have you?"

"And why would we do something like that?" Drak asked.

"Because it's not in your nature to knowingly let someone go to their agonizing death!" Dr. Dred said, "Not even me!"

Drak looked at Dr. Dred and sighed. "You're right," he admitted, "Besides, it wouldn't be any fun in the 21st century without you!"

Drak aimed the device at Dr. Dred and fired. Dr. Dred disappeared. The Vampira rat fell onto the pile of kindling with a thud.

"I don't suppose you'd let me stay for a vhile," Vampira said.

"So you can go find your younger self and warn her about Mircea?" Drak asked, firing the device at her, "I don't think so!"

Vampira disappeared.

Drak turned to Frankie and Howler. They all turned and looked out over the fields and town nearby.

"You know, guys," Drak said, "It might be interesting to do some exploring. I mean, these are the lands our ancestors lived in and traveled through! Who knows the things we'd experience, the people we'd meet, the things we'd see!"

They all sighed, looked at each other, and said, "Nah!"

Drak aimed the device and fired at Frankie and Howler. He took one last look and turned it on himself.

Dr. Dred and Vampira found themselves in Dr. Dred's lab. Vampira changed into her human form and sat in a chair. Dr. Dred sank into his swivel desk chair.

Mummy Man, Fly, and Toad came in through the open door.

"Zo?" Fly buzzed.

"So, what?" Dr. Dred sneered.

"So, do we have to worry about the Drak Pack ever again?" Toad asked.

Dr. Dred glared at Toad. "What do you think?" he growled.

"They...beat you again?" Toad asked.

"Bingo!" Dr. Dred snapped.

"They're bound to zlip up evenzually," Fly buzzed.

"They should have slipped up 345 years ago!" Dr. Dred snapped.

"Hey!" Fly said, "Don't get znippy with uz! We weren't even there!"

"I have a right to be snippy!" Dr. Dred snapped, "The Drak Pack almost had me burned at the stake!"

"Ew!" Fly and Toad said together.

Mummy Man grunted.

Dr. Dred put his elbows on his desk and put his head in his hands. "It feels like I've forgotten something." he said.

"Like what?" Kittie said, walking into the room.

"Kittie!" Dr. Dred exclaimed, "When did you get back?"

"A few hours ago," Kittie said.

"How?" Dr. Dred asked.

"The Drak Pack caught me," Kittie said, "Frankie was holding the device and his finger slipped."

"Well," Dr. Dred said, "At least you're alright!"

"You forgot me?" Kittie asked.

"Well...I..." Dr. Dred stammered, tapping on his desk. He looked down at his desk and stopped tapping. "Wait a minute. Where are my notes?"

Kittie grinned. She walked over to the paper shreader, took the top off, removed the waste bin, carried it over to Dr. Dred, and dumped a load of twice-shreaded paper over his head. "The next time you want to drag me off to another place and time...ask first!" she shouted, slammed the bin down on the desk and stormed out of the room.

Dr. Dred sighed, heavily.

Toad picked up a couple of handfulls of the shreaded paperand tossed them in the air. "Whee!" he said, "Toad love confetti!"

Dr. Dred grabbed a flyswatter that was hanging on a hook beside his desk and swatted Toad.

The Drak Pack found themselves in the warehouse again. They went outside into the night, found the Drakster and drove home.

By the time they got back, the adrenaline rush that had been sustaining them had almost worn off. They opened the front door and staggered in, exhausted.

Draka and Joni came rushing out of Big D and Aunt Beth's parlor upon hearing the front door close. They stood a second, looking at the Drak Pack.

"Ohmygosh!" Draka sighed, relieved.

"Drak!" Joni cried. She ran up to Drak and threw her arms around him, almost knocking him off his feet.

Drak put his arms around Joni and stroked her hair. "Oh Joni!" he sighed.

Big D and Aunt Beth came out of the parlor behind Draka. Draka went up to Drak. Big D and Aunt Beth sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness!" Aunt Beth said, putting her arms around Big D.

"You boys had us vorried sick!" Big D said.

"You've been gone for two days!" Draka said, "Where were you?"

"Yes," Joni said, loosening her hold on Drak, "Where were you?"

"It's along story!" Drak said, "You wouldn't believe where Dr. Dred had us!"

"Try us!" Draka said.

"Could we tell you tomorrow?" Drak asked, "It was a really rough escape and we're really tired."

"You do look vorn out," Big D said, "It can vait until tomorrow."

"Thanks Count," Drak said.

"Good noght, Count," Frankie and Howler said.

Drak kissed Joni and the Drak Pack started upstairs to bed.

"Count?" Big D asked, "Since vhen do you call me...Vait a minute! I know! Vhat did you boys think of my dungeon?"

"Dungeon?" Draka and Joni asked.

The Drak Pack stopped in their tracks on the stairs. They turned their heads and glared at Big D.

"It was lovely! Thank you for asking...BIG D!" Drak emphasized as he, Frankie, and Howler stomped the rest of the way up the stairs.

"Vell, it vas nice vhile it lasted!" Big D chuckled.

"What is this dungeon you're talking about?" Draka asked.

"Yes," Joni said, "And, why is it your dungeon?"

"Vhy don't you gorls come back in the parlor and sit down?" Big D asked, "Ve vill explain ewerything!"

"You'd better!" Draka said as she and Joni walked past him on the way to the parlor.

Big D and Aunt Beth looked at each other and smiled.

"Tell me, Vlad," Aunt Beth said, "Vere they vorth all the trouble?"

Big D put his arm around Aunt Beth's shoulders. "Ask me again in another 300 years!" he said, leading her to the parlor.

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