DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dracula (this is Bram Stoker's brainchild) nor do I own the concept of Dracula 2000 (that credit goes to Wes Craven…and hats off to him for picking a studly guy to be the Prince of Darkness). The only parts I do own are my character Garnet, and the other various characters I came up with, aside from those who were from Dracula 2000. Please enjoy!

… She tossed and turned among the twisted black satin sheets, dreaming of him again. Lightning illuminated her dark room as she fought against having the dream. Thunder shook the room as the rain pelted against the roof of the house. Every night, she had the same dream, over and over.

Giving into the dream that flooded her subconscious, she envisioned herself walking through a darkened hallway, wearing a flowing blood red dress that splayed on the floor with each step.

Candles suddenly lit up on their own, one by one, slowly illuminating the hallway. She sensed a presence behind her but dared not to look over her shoulder. Her breath, hitching in her throat in a shallow manner, caused her to feel slightly dizzy, almost as if something were taking control of her.

She found herself walking into a room lit with more candles and a great big bed looming in front of her, fashioned in red silk sheets. Immediately feeling the sensation of stepping into a bath of warm erotic oils, she shivered.

Her curiosity got the better of her as she approached the bed, wondering what was driving her actions.

She reached out her hand to touch the sheets and heard a voice behind her. She knew that voice from somewhere but could not put her finger on it. There was something about that voice that made her submissive, wanting to hear the sexy lull over and over.

Commenting on her intuitiveness, his sexy voice rolling over her in deep sensual waves, he then said the one thing she thought would never escape his lips.

"Garnet"…

Garnet Shepard sat bolt upright in bed, her surroundings becoming familiar to her as she regained her composure…she sighed as she looked at the French doors that were mysteriously blown open because of the storm.

"Oh fuck" she sighed, clutching her sheets to her chest as she tried to erase the memory of the dream from her subconscious "I had the dream again. Mom will kill me if I don't sleep well tonight. And God only knows how Dad will react to it."

Garnet started to settle down, staring out at the open French doors as the storm ravaged the city. She always loved thunderstorms, even as a child. And even now, as she watched the lightning illuminate her balcony, she sat there, transfixed as she started to regain her composure.

"I wonder who that guy is in my dreams" she whispered, unconsciously rubbing the back of her neck as she stared out the doorway. "It must mean something-"

Before she could even finish her sentence, a man appeared in the doorway of her balcony, clad all in black, wearing a flowing cloak.

His face was concealed in the shadows of the night before a streak of lightning lit up the room, making him more visible to the eye.

Her breath caught in her throat as she saw his flawless skin, given an opal-like phosphorescence by the flashing in the sky. He had dark, shoulder length hair that flowed in many sculpted lengths, and eyes the color of lapis lazuli, tinged with red at the end of his irises.

The man stared at her for a long time, as she kept her eyes glued in his direction, not daring to let him out of her sight.

'Oh shit' Garnet thought, wondering if she was still dreaming 'Is this really happening? Is there really a man standing there?'

He remained at the threshold, staring intently at her as she pondered whether she was hallucinating or not. Garnet took a deep breath and looked away momentarily as she stood up.

"Who are you?" she said, in an unfaltering voice before noticing that the man had disappeared. She slowly approached the balcony doors, cautiously reaching out to close them.

Her hand grasped the handle as a vision suddenly forced its way into her subconscious. There she was, in the looming bed of her dreams, with the man kissing his way down her exposed body.

She shut her eyes and turned her head before opening them again.

The vision had disappeared, and her arm was being soaked by the cold hard rain. She pulled the doors shut and locked them, breathing heavily.

'Did I imagine this or was it actually real?' she thought, slowly retreating back to her bed…

… Mary Shepard sat at her kitchen table, staring at a prescription bottle intently as she had done many times before in her youth. For as far as she could remember, she was taking many pills to counteract the visions she had, and the nightmares that haunted her once-pleasant dreams. She had eventually found the cause of those nightmares and nearly fell victim to them until she gained enough strength to fight.

She sighed, mentally scolding herself for letting her mind wander to those days in New Orleans, when she was a young, cautious girl having terrible nightmares about a man she hardly knew…a man responsible for so much loss and pain…she would never lay eyes on Lucy or her father ever again because of his sadistic cat-and-mouse game. It brought a dull ache to her chest.

Simon Shepard walked into the kitchen, frowning as he saw his wife lost in thought. He knew that all-too-familiar look she had when she was letting her mind wander to parts that should have been long-buried.

"Mary" he said softly, causing her to break out of whatever reverie she was in "You need to stop letting your mind wander"

Mary smiled fondly at her husband and reached out to him. He moved closer to her and leaned down to kiss her.

"It's been over for a long while" he whispered, hoping their daughter wouldn't hear "He's been locked back up in that dungeon in Carfax. He is no threat to anyone right now."

"I know" Mary whispered, sighing as she pulled away "I should be feeling peace of mind because you've taken over my father's work, but I still feel that he could be set free again"

"I will never let that happen" Simon promised, taking Mary's hand and squeezing it lovingly "I will never let him near you or our daughter"

Simon pulled Mary out of the chair she was sitting in and encircled her in his arms.

"You shan't worry, darling" he whispered, pulling her in for a kiss "You are safe now. I'm here"

He then kissed her lovingly until he heard a disgusted voice behind him.

"Oh get a room!" said the unmistakable voice of Garnet, their 25 year old daughter "I never want to see you two kissing like that ever again"

Simon and Mary both sighed and laughed as they pulled away from each other.

"Did you have a good sleep, darling?" Mary asked Garnet, sitting back down at the table.

"For the most part, yes" Garnet replied, opening the refrigerator door to retrieve a bottle of orange juice "You know how much I like thunderstorms"

"Yes" Simon teased her "We know! Speaking about things you like, how would you like to come with me to Carfax to help with the yearly inventory?"

"Sounds like a total bore" Garnet said, stifling a yawn as she opened the bottle "What's in it for me?"

"I believe that Justin McCartney will be there to help as well" Simon said, knowing how much his daughter liked his assistant.

Both Simon and Mary had to stifle a laugh as Garnet perked up, her dark eyes sparkling.

"Why didn't you say so?" Garnet immediately replied, her eyes sparkling excitedly. "I'll be glad to help out"

"Good" Simon said, smirking at his only child "I'll be leaving shortly, so please get ready"

"Yes, Dad"…