PROLOGUE
"Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough,
Just a second we're not broken, just bent and we can learn to love again,
It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts., that we can learn to love again."
-Pink, Just Give Me a Reason

All was quiet in the dark forest. Suddenly, without warning, a dark stallion thudded through the trees. It's rider was cloaked in black, complete with a hooded cape. The hooded figure kicked it's sides as they galloped along. The rider looked up to the sky. silver clouds covered the moon, but a bright red glow shined through. The figure cursed, and urged his horse to go faster.

Meanwhile, Lady Blackthorne huffed as her sister, Rosette, pushed her on.

"Push, Genievive, push! Vladislav will be back any minute, he'll be here soon!" Rosette pressed.

The rider reached the outside of a dark, foreboding looking castle, and lept off the horse. Pulling off his hood, he revealed himself as a tall, skinny man with a hooked nose, thin moustache, and shoulder length black hair. He tilted his head, faintly hearing the sound of a baby crying. His eyes widened and he rushed into the castle, ignoring the various zombies that looked at him quizzically.
Rossete watched as Genivieve cradled her newborn son, the door was thrown open, and both women jumped. They relaxed when they saw the man.

"Am I too late?" He gasped.

"A little." Rossete deadpanned.

His shoulders slumped. "Genevieve, I'm so sorry."

"Hush Vlad! Come look at your son!" Genevieve said.

Vladislav, or Count Blackthorn, as he was commonly known, approached his wife's bed and gazed upon his son.

"He looks so much like you." Genevieve whispered.

"Unfortunately." Rosette giggled.

They glared at her, and the child began to cry.

"Shhhh, it's all right." Genevieve cooed.

"Can I-" Count Blackthorn hesitated. "Can I hold him?"

Genevieve smiled. "Of course love. Always." She handed him the boy. Count Blackthorn cradled the little baby in his arms, and felt a warm rush of love spread through him. He had a son. Nothing could be more beautiful then that. Then he looked at his wife. Okay, one thing could definately offer some compitition. Suddenly he felt sad.

"What's wrong, love?" Genevieve asked.

"I don't want him to live in fear." Count Blackthorn sighed. "We've been persecuted by humans for centuries. Not to mention-" He looked around. "You-know-who."

"I know." Genevieve sighed. "There is nothing we can do right now. But You-Know-Who wants you on his side. He wouldn't take interest in a barely born child."

"Unless he's mine." Count Blackthorn muttered. Genevieve looked downcast at this.

"Oh stop you two! This is supposed to be an happy moment! Nothing should ruin today." Rossete said.

BANG! Everyone jumped. There was loud banging and roars heard, and then there was silence.

"Stay here." Count Blackthorn hushed. He handed his son to Genevieve, unsheathed his sword, and crept toward the main door, pushing Rossete behind him.

WHOOSH! The doors flew open. The great Count Blackthorn was thrown to the side. Shadows crept into the room and encircled Genevieve, Rossete, and the baby, trapping them in a web of darkness. A figure rose up from the darkness and glared down at Count Blackthorn, red eyes blazing.
"Guess who?" He sneered.

"Boogeyman." Count Blackthorn snarled.

"Count Blackthorn. It's time."

"No it's not. You will never have my allegiance. Never."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that." The Boogeyman waved his hand, and his shadows swirled around Genevieve, her sister and child. "You know what the prophecy says." He looked out the door in which he had crashed through. Through the frame, you could see the window, and through the window, the moon was full, and bright red. "'On Blood moon's night, evil shall rise.' It is ti-"

The Boogeyman stopped when he heard a child crying. Genevieve discreetly shushed her son, but it was too late. The red eyes blazed in her direction.

"What do we have here?" he snarled. He sank through the floorboards and came up in front of the women. Rossete gasped. Genevieve clutched her son like a lifeline. The Boogeyman's eyes crept toward the infant and his eyes widened.

"A son!" He laughed. "So Count, you're a father now! Maybe.." The Boogeyman stared at his enemy's son greedily. "Maybe you aren't needed to me after all. A minion I'd raised from birth...now THAT'S guarunteed loyalty!"

"You're a monster." Genevieve said trembling.

"So are you, my dear. Now." The Boogeyman held out his hands. "The child."

"Never." Genevieve spat.

Behind the Boogeyman, Count Blackthorn found his sword. Running up to his enemy's head, he brought it down to his head. The Boogeyman whirled around, and shot a ball of fire at the Count. With his hand. Genevieve cried out. Rossete gasped as her sister's husband fell on the floor. The Boogeyman snatched the baby from Genevieve, though he had to fight her and Rossete for him. He won, and cradling the baby, he attempted to make his escape. He would have, but he felt a clawed hand clutch his leg.

"No." Count Blackthorn rasped. "I'll do anything!"

The Boogeyman froze. The child in his arms was crying, so his voice was barely audible when he spoke. "What?"

"I'll do anything you ask. Just please-not my little boy." The helpless Count sobbed.

The Boogeyman tilted his head back, thinking for a minute. Then he grinned, bearing his animalistic teeth. "Join me. And I will spare the boy, and your family."

Count Blackwood rose unsteadily. "Yes." He coughed. "I swear to join you."

The Boogeyman grinned. He strode over to Count Blackthorne. Then he reach into his chest and ripped out his heart. Genevieve screamed, but she and Rossete could not do anything. They could only watch as the Boogeyman towered over Count Blackthorne, red eyes blazing.

"You will be my minion." He said, still holding Count Blackthorne's heart. "You will never remember any compassion for your family ever again. Your only purpose is to serve me."

"No." Count Blackthorne murmured.

"Yes." The Boogeyman whispered, grinning.

Count Blackthorne stared into his enemy's eyes. "Yes..." He murmured, and collapsed behind a mahogany table, out of view from the women.

The Boogeyman strode over and handed the child to it's mother. The shadows trapping Genevieve and Rossete faded away. "You are safe for now, little one." He murmured. "But I will return for you."

Suddenly, there was a flash of black. Count Blackthorn was standing in front of the group.

"Vlad!" Genevieve gasped. But this man was not her husband. He was a tall, darker, more sinister version of the man that she had once loved. The two women were in shock, they couldn't move, much less do anything.

"What is your wish, my master?" Count Blackthorn hissed.

"Ah, my minion. I will call for you when I'm ready. For now, stay with your wife, her sister, and your son." The Boogeyman nodded at Count Blackthorn, who bowed. Then he strode out, ignoring the horrified women behind him.

"Vlad?" Genevieve questioned. Her husband, or what was left of him, whirled around and hit her in the face.
Rossete gasped. Count Blackthorn, unlike many men, had never laid a finger on his wife. He loved her too much. But that love was gone, apparantly, and the Count glared down at Genevieve.

"Let me make this clear Genevieve." He snarled, and Rossete's stomach lurched. Her brother-in-law almost always called her sister by his pet name for her: Genny.

"You do not speak to me unless you are spoken to by me. You will do nothing unless approved by me first. Your only purpose to me is to take care of our son and to care for me. You will never talk back, leave my sight, or allow that child-" He nodded at the baby. "-to misbehave. Step out of line, and you will suffer. Do you understand?"

"I do." Genevieve choked on her sobs. "I do Vladislav."

Count Blackthorn smacked her across the face again. Rossete wanted to stop him, to smack him herself. But she knew her sister's husband was not himself. The real Count Blackthorn would have been horrified to learn he had smacked his wife.

"Do not call me Vladislav." He snarled. "To you, I am Count Blackthorn. Understood?"

Genevive nodded. Grumbling, he stalked out of the room.

"Henchman!" Count Blackthorn shouted. A plump looking zombie in a top hat trotted out eagerly, grinning at him with his decaying teeth. His name was Louie, and he loved Count Blackthorn like a son.

That is, until Count Blackthorn smacked Louie in the face. Whimpering, the zombie glanced up at him in shock.

"Stop staring you little wretch! Prepare my horse, I am taking a journey!" Louie nodded, still whimpering as he stared at his master in disbelief and limped off.

"I am taking a journey." Count Blackthorn declared. "To the soothsayer in Ireland. She will determine my son's gifts, and, more importantly, if he will be more powerful then me." And, without saying goodbye to Genevieve or Rossete, he was gone.

Genevieve weakly staggered out of her bed and collapsed on the ground, comforting her crying son. To Rossete's suprise, her sister wasn't crying.

"Sister, you must leave."

"No."

"Genny, he might harm you! Vladislav-he's changed!"

"I'm well aware of the change in my husband Rossete. I will stay, because-" Genevive's voice cracked. "I still love him."

Rossete didn't respond. In fact she was perfectly still. Genevive looked at her oddly.

"Sister?" Genevieve asked.

Rossete took a deep breath. "I understand."

Genevieve looked confused. "What?"

"Vladislav is not the one in the prophecy. Your son is."

Genevieve gasped. "What?! Have you-" She hesistated. She and her sister were vampires, but they came from a long line of fortune tellers and seers. The age-old gift had been passed down to chosen generations, and Rossete had been one of the chosen.

"I have...a feeling. It is only a feeling, but I will consult with the spirits tonight. But your son is the one. Of this, I am positive. He will either destroy the world and turn evil...or save it." Rossete kneeled next to her sister, blue eyes blazing.

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I. But the child has a special destiny. You need to keep hims safe Genny."

"Oh god, Rosy. You know I will." Genevieve sobbed.

"Now.." Rossete looked at the little baby. "what are you going to name him?"

"Vladislav, after his father." Genevieve whispered.

Rossete's eyes turned dark. "Genevieve.." She warned.

"I know Rosy." Genevieve sighed.

"At least give him a different last name. A secret one."

"Why would he need a secret last name?" Genevieve scoffed.

"What if you need to go into hiding? What if your husband threatens him? You'll need to change his last name, why not do it now? It'll save time." Rossete explained.

"Fine." Genevieve sighed. She thought for a moment. "I know." She said. "It'll be-"

"Don't tell me!" Rossete interrupted. "Don't tell anyone except the boy, when he gets older. Make sure he keeps it to himself, and make sure his father never knows."

"All right." Genevieve muttered. "Aren't you being overdramatic?"

Rossete glared at her. "I have a horrible sense about what's occured tonight Genevieve." Rossete said. "The most horrible sense...like when mother died..."

Genevieve's chest clenched. Her sister was not joking like she normally did. Rossete was dead serious.

"I know one thing for sure." Rossete continued. "You need to keep the boy safe. He's too important to let go of, or, even worse, to join his father in his new life of evil."

Genevieve nodded. "I believe you." She whispered.

Rossete stood up. "I will follow Count Blackthorn. Make sure he won't do anything bad. Or, if he does anything evil."

"Because you think he's evil now." Genevieve said bitterly.

"No." Rossete whispered. "I care about him too. But I'm afraid he's gone. You know how the Boogeyman is."

Genevieve softened, both in tone and manner. She did not speak, but she nodded. Rossete left her sister and nephew without speaking.
The little boy let out a whimper. Genevieve cradled him. "Shhh, Vladdie." She whispered. She gazed upon him for a minute. The baby looked up at her, sniffing. Her heart broke at that moment, and that was when she finally started to sob.

"Your auntie's right." Genevieve sobbed. "Your father is gone. You-you will not grow up knowing the man I loved. I'm so sorry, my little honeybat." She sobbed harder. Little Vlad looked up at his mother, blue eyes round. He softly touched her face. His mother looked down at him startled. Then, he smiled.

Genevieve smiled back, through her tears. "Oh my sweet." She kissed him on the forehead. "Your last name will be my mother's. It will be our secret. Daddy will not know. He won't know he loves you for a long time. But I know, he will always love you, deep down inside his shattered, undead heart." She paused for a second. "You'll meet your real father someday. I promise."
Vlad chirped, waving his little hands. Genevieve laughed, and became lost in thought, nuzzling her face a tuft of her son's pitch-black hair. Just like his father's.

"Vladislav Dracula does have a nice ring to it...your Grandma Dracula would definitely approve."

A/N- Do I have you going all like, whaaaaat? I haven't read the original Dracula novel (yet), but I know the story, and it totally doesn't fit with the Dracula of Hotel T. So I'm making my own origin story for him and the other monsters.