Lucy's background was heartbreaking. She had been born into a rural family and come to the big city with dreams. At first, she had been like the vast majority of hardworking, innocent girls. She became a maid in a duke's household. The duke, who rarely went home, began returning often because of her. Unable to tolerate this, the duchess dismissed Lucy.
But Lucy did not know what had happened and pleaded with the duke. The story that followed was like the way many people fell into ruin. Lucy later became a "social star," like a rose drawing swarms of admirers.
She had brought her friends to explore Rice Castle because of old rumors from her hometown. After the incident, she vanished without a trace. Van Helsing had thought the singing he heard at the manor that day was hers. It had not been an illusion; the Wolf Zone guards occasionally heard a woman singing as well.
What I hoped now was that the vampire would spare Lucy and let her pitiful soul be free, so she would not have to do evil things in the dead of night. Van Helsing, however, was worried, because in his past experience, Lucy would appear during the day as well. In fact, besides the tall man in a naval uniform, the children had also seen a young, beautiful woman appearing nearby. So far, though, no one had said they saw her take a child away.
"Is this some kind of magic?" I asked him.
Van Helsing answered that it was a state similar to sleepwalking, yet different from it. Humans in that state could have more blood easily sucked from them by vampires, and they would not resist.
"Is this a nightmare? Or something else?" I asked.
Van Helsing rose from where he had