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the side of a certain Prince Vlad Dracula to help him reclaim his throne. Once again, I rely on your familys loyalty and kindness.
    Come quickly, for time is of the essence. Any guest you might bring would be truly welcomed.
    Your grateful servant, V.
    Chapter 2
    The Diary of Abraham Van Helsing
    (Translated from the Dutch)
    2 May 1893. EVENING.
    So quiet here at home, and so sad. The student nurse, Katya, was still here when I arrived home from my lecture at the hospital, and so I took my dinner and went in to sit with Gerda for a time. As usual, no change, though I told her the simple details of my day and the neighbors news in as cheerful a tone as I could command. It is becoming increasingly difficult, for she is becoming a skeleton. I fear she will die before Zsuzsanna is destroyed.
    Now I sit watching Mama as she sleeps. I am glad again to stand the night watch over her, and always restless when I must be away after sunset. (Gerda I am not so concerned about; the mark on her throat means that little further harm can be done her.) Katya stays the night when I must be away, and was able to come this evening during my lecture. She is young but responsible and levelheaded and can handle any medical emergencythough it is not those I fear so much now that Mama nears the Abyss. I have sworn to my mother that I will see her safely to the other lifenot that her poor diseased brain comprehended what I told her, though I know her spirit understands. I will let no vampire deprive her of an honest death.
    But it is so hard to watch her die.
    She looks a bit worse tonight, with her once-beautiful silver hair spread brittle and tangled upon the pillow, her face sallow and haggard and pinched from constant pain.
    It is hard to see her thusshe who had been my one comfort and strength during all these difficult years. Since little Jan died so many years ago (can it truly be twenty-two now? The pain is so fresh), leaving my poor dear Gerda quite mad, Mama and I have depended so upon each other. We were all that remained of our little family. She was uncomplaining and brave, even all those many nights when I would travel and be gone for daysor rather, nightsat a time, ridding the world of Vlads evil spawn. At times, I feel guilt at leaving her to accomplish my grisly work, but I know she would have it no other way. How else shall I avenge the death of her little grandson and of her first and truest love, my father, Arkady? How else shall I give them and all my victims peace?
    What a blessing it would be to have my father here now, to have his knowledgeable help (yet how strange to write this of one who was a vampire). Remembering back to the first days after I had met him, and my unkindness to him, my repulsion and mistrust, I am ashamed. Forfrom what Mama has told me and what I learned from her diary and from my interaction with the man himselfhe was clearly the noblest of souls, and died in an heroic effort to save us all from evil. Even the curse of vampirism could not sully his good heart.
    Mamas cheeks and eyes seem more sunken tonight as well, no doubt because of dehydration; Katya said she vomited her supper and would take no more, not even water. She had also been moaning in agonydamnable tumours!so I administered an injection of morphia and now she sleeps peacefully. (I would take the drug myself if I did not fear its addictive properties, or the fuzzy-headedness it causes; I must always remain as alert as possible. As for Mama, I cannot deny her. What does it matter if she dies addicted, so long as she is not in pain?)
    I yearn for peaceful sleep myself; mine has been uneasy of late, and filled with dreams which disturb me. I am convinced they contain some cryptic message I might decipher, and so I have brought my journal into Mamas room to write as I sit in the old rocking-chair where she had so often comforted me in my childhood.
    So here is the dream: I am running with boyish glee through a great evergreen forest. The air is