Prince Vlad Dracula was the king of the vampires and lord of the Undead. His name had become legend over the centuries. He had died on more than one occasion but always rose again, a malevolent force that could not be permanently destroyed. His usual base of power was in Eastern Europe, but he had come to Egypt to find something important. If he found it, the entire world would regret it.

Someone was there to stop him! They were called the CrossBreed.

The group of religious demon fighters had special powers and an unwavering faith in the Almighty. They had learned of Dracula's quest and pursued him all the way to Egypt. They could not allow him to succeed in his ambitious purpose.

Dracula tried to reach the temple of Nabu, assisted by a small army of Vampire slaves. He met some unexpected opposition from the CrossBreed. Noah, the storm-casting leader of the flock sent his companions to deal with the servant vamps. Fierce, leonine Daniel, along with Angel winged Mary, the size shifting David, rock-man Peter and sonic powered Joshua had fought many vampires before and easily dealt with the underlings.

But their leader was another matter. Dracula was dangerous, even for an experienced and powerful demon hunter. Wise Noah, along with the flame-powered and long-lived former JSA member Toro, confronted the King of Vampires in a fierce battle on the desert sands.

Noah brought down lightning bolts, and Toro used his flame powers to cut off the vampire. Dracula turned to mist to avoid the attacks, but Noah summoned up a powerful wind that blew the vampire king away from his goal.

Dracula was getting frustrated. For years he had searched for a way to make himself invulnerable to the usual means that can kill Vampires. Sunlight, fire, decapitation, a stake through the heart . . . The list is well known. Too well known! Thus, Vampires, once so feared around the world have spent more than one hundred years in hiding since everyone learned of their weaknesses. Dracula blamed his late nemesis Dr. Van Helsing for publishing the facts about vampires. The book became a best seller and has grown in fame. Now every school kid knows how to kill a vampire. He had long searched for a means to protect himself from these methods. His search had led him to Egypt, to the temple of Nabu. Here, he had been reliably told, was the answer to his quest. There was one other possibility, but this one seemed the best choice to start with. The other thing could still be sought if this failed.

Noah brought down more lightning, causing a collapse that buried the entrance to the underground temple. Dracula seethed in rage. To make matters worse, the other five members of the CrossBreed had defeated the vampire slaves and now joined Noah and Toro against the lord of the dead.

Dracula snarled in rage. He was outnumbered 7-to-1 by a group of powerful demon fighters who knew his weaknesses, and the information he had come for was buried. Even if he could get to it, the CrossBreed probably wouldn't let him leave with it. They'd destroy it if necessary. This endeavor had failed, he reluctantly admitted to himself. He was not going to fulfill his dream today. There was nothing further to be gained by fighting these religious fanatics.

There was one other lead he could follow. He decided to pursue that one, forgetting about the secrets of the temple of Nabu. He never liked Egyptian mysticism anyway. He preferred to look for the Book of N.

Dracula fled, knowing the CrossBreed would remain to guard the temple, rather than pursuing. Dracula was incensed with fury at his failure. Still there was one more chance. He had to find the book of N.

A large bat flew through the thick mist that covered the gloomy city on a nightly basis. The bat landed in a graveyard, and transformed back into his natural form of Dracula.

Dracula looked around. No one was walking the streets. He was surprised at the many churches he saw. "So many temples to the almighty, but so little hope to be found," he said to himself. Then he sniffed and took in the scent of hopelessness and despair in this little burg. He sensed evil and death. "This is my sort of town," Dracula said with a laugh.

The dapper, black-clad vampire lord walked though the town looking for a way underground. Ever since he failed to retrieve the information he needed from the Temple of Nabu last month, he had used his formidable powers of persuasion to weed out the exact location of the book of N. He had traced it to Transverse City. His instincts told him to look underground. The best stuff was always buried underground, he mused. He was very accustomed to being underground.

Michael Morbius ran through the subterranean maze of tunnels underneath Transverse City. He had succeeded in stealing the page of the Book of N out from under the noses of both Cole October and from Tygra.

Morbius intended to lose himself in the tunnels. He knew them better than Tygra or October, and was confident that he could hide indefinitely. Time was on his side. He had what he wanted. He had the page of the Book of N, and this was only the beginning of his good fortune.

Or so he thought. All at once, he found himself confronted by a tall, sophisticated, dark-haired figure with intense eyes. Morbius stopped short. He stared in fear, like a weak schoolboy confronted by the local bully.

"Hello, Michael," Dracula said.

"H . . . Hello, my lord," Morbius said.

Dracula eyed the paper in Morbius' hand. "What do you have there, Michael?"

"It's nothing of importance, sire," Morbius said. "Just a bit of hokum. Nothing to concern someone such as yourself."

"Indeed?" Dracula said, unconvinced. "Do you mind if I look at it?"

"Really, Lord Dracula, this is nothing . . . "

"Let me see it!" Dracula yelled. "Now!"

Morbius hesitated. Dracula stared at him with a burning, fearsome gaze. Morbius repressed a shutter.

"This is mine!" Morbius snapped.

"Well, well, the worm has turned," Dracula said. "My little boy has grown up."

"I will not give it up!" Morbius yelled defiantly.

"Then I shall take it," Dracula said, moving forward.

Morbius backed up, but he knew that he had to either make a stand or lose the page. Tygra and October would probably be on his heels at this very moment. An idea struck him. If he could delay Dracula here, then when October and the Cat-lady come along, he could try and get Dracula to fight them while he himself escaped.

Morbius tried to surprise Dracula with an abrupt frontal attack. Morbius made a valiant attempt to take down the King Vampire with this reckless strategy. It failed. Dracula deflected Morbius with an almost casual effort. He then grabbed Morbius in his powerful hands and throttled him. Morbius tried to resist, but Dracula was too powerful. He manhandled Morbius with ease, battering him and throwing him to the ground. Dracula yanked the page away from the beaten Morbius and examined it.

"This is it," Dracula said. Although he was unable to read the ancient language, he was scholarly enough to recognize the basic style and form of the writing. It was the right language. This was what he had searched for. "At last!"

Morbius looked up at the powerful vampire lord, knowing that he was utterly incapable to taking the page away from Dracula. ‘I curse you for this!' Morbius thought, ‘I'll get it back! I swear I will!'

Dracula turned away from Morbius and strolled down the tunnels, as if he had all the time in the world and nothing to fear. "Goodbye Michael. It's been a splendid reunion. We must do this again, quite soon."

Morbius watched Dracula walk away. "I'll have the last laugh, you imperious bastard!" Morbius hissed. "You'll regret this! I promise you that!"

Morbius crawled off into the shadows, plotting and planning.

The Midnight Sons had returned from their latest tussle with the supernatural. They described the incident with Morbius and his attempted capture of Sedona Wade.

"I wonder what he wanted with Sedona?" Ariana wondered.

"I don't know," Torrance said. "I'm just glad I spotted them before he did whatever he was gonna do."

Sedona was too embarrassed at her capture to thank Torrance for his help. Torrance, for his part, was lamenting his ruined date with the lovely Julie West.

"Whatever he was up to, we'd better keep on out toes," Daniel Ketch said. "Cause I'm betting he's not giving up too easy."

"I'm sure you're right," Ariana said. "There's a lot we don't know. Keep your wits about you, everyone. Especially you, Sedona."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she said. "I can take care of myself."

Sedona walked out, her pride wounded.

"I'll watch out for her at school," Leslie said to Ariana.

"Good girl," Ariana said. "Keep a close eye on her. And report anything unusual to me. I want to know what's going on here."

Silas Androvich was still angry, lamenting the loss of the page of the Book of N the previous night. He had it so close and lost it. It was frustrating! He rubbed his goatee, his brow crinkled in consternation.

He had the sense that he wasn't alone. He turned and saw Cole October, his rival. October grinned at him.

"What is it now, Cole?" Silas asked. "Come to gloat again about my losing the page?"

"I've already done that," he said. "No need to rub it in. I have another matter to discuss with you."

"And that is?"

"We have a mutual problem," Cole said. "There appears to be a new player in town."

"Oh," Silas said. "I haven't heard. Who is it?"

"Your sources aren't doing you justice," Cole said. "I seem to have a sharper ear to the ground."

"Say what you have to say, Cole. Who's the new arrival."

"Dracula!"

Silas was suddenly very interested. The presence of such a powerful being could totally throw off the balance of power at a very crucial time. "You're sure?"

"The vampire population is buzzing," Cole said. "The big cheese himself has blown into town. This could be trouble for both of us."

"I have to agree," Silas said, his mind racing to compute all the possible ramifications of Dracula's arrival.

"We should share any information we get about his activities," Cole said. "It's in the best interest of both our causes."

"Very well," Silas said. "I'll let you know if I learn anything of importance."

"Fine then," Cole October said. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I have so much to do."

Cole October vanished into the dark, leaving Silas to contemplate his options.

Already, in the single day he'd been in Transverse, a loyal army of vampires had rallied around him worshipfully. Also, Dracula had created a few more Undead creatures, including the former owners of this home. He needed foot soldiers and he gave them instructions.

They were combing the city trying to find someone who could translate the page of the Book of N for their master. Since there were so many churches in Transverse and so many religious scholars therein, it seemed the best place to search for the person who could speak the tongue Dracula needed to comprehend. As soon as Dracula found a translator, he could begin the spell that would make him eternally indestructible.

Leslie entered the gym and watched Sedona tear the bag apart. Leslie shook her head.

"All pride and passion," Leslie muttered. "There's such a thing as too much pride."

"Watch this one carefully," the ghost of her grandfather spoke. "I sense danger in her future, and it is not necessarily from Cole October or Morbius."

Leslie nodded and approached Sedona, who kicked the bag so hard that she dislodged it and sent it skidding along the ground.

"That's one bag that will never threaten anyone again," Leslie said.

"Oh, you're so funny," Sedona said. "You could be a writer for Chevy Chase."

"You ready to go?" Leslie asked.

"I'll be along in a minute," Sedona answered.

"I'll wait."

Sedona looked sternly at Leslie. "Are you baby-sitting me?"

"Don't be so defensive," Leslie said. "Can't a friend stick by you?"

"Just don't be thinking I need protection," Sedona said. "I can deal with anything they throw my way."

"No doubt," Leslie said.

A few minutes later, the two girls were exiting the University. They found Torrance waiting for them.

"Hi, ladies," he said.

"Are you here to ‘protect' me, too?" Sedona asked, in a testy voice.

"Not everything is about you," Leslie interjected.

"She's right," Torrance said. "We've got work. Ariana's sources are telling us there are two vamp nests across town. We're supposed to get them while it's still daylight."

"Cool!" Sedona said. "I'm dying for a little kick-ass action!"

Leslie gestured and chanted, casting a spell. She caused all the doors to open and all the windows to be uncovered. Inside, the sleeping vampires were burned by the rays of the fading sun. Sedona and Torrance charged in, weapons in hand, and took full advantage. There were 8 vampires inside and 5 were killed in the first 10 seconds. Sedona got three and Torrance got two.

The last three proved a bit more formidable, and they were ready now. The threesome put up a good fight but not good enough. Sedona killed one of them and Torrance a second. Leslie joined the battling duo in surrounding the final creature of the night, as the last rays of the sun faded outside.

"You may kill me, but the master will eat your intestines!" the last vampire snapped.

"Oh really?" Sedona said. "Well tell your Master that . . . Nah, never mind. I'll tell him myself. You'll be too busy being dead."

Sedona lashed out and quickly slew the final vampire. Leslie looked outside and saw that it had gotten dark during the fight. "We ended this not a moment too soon," she said.

Torrance scratched his head. "I wonder who this master is," he mused.

"That would be me," a powerful, heavily accented voice announced.

The trio looked at the doorway and saw the tall man in the elegant black attire. "I am the master," he said.

"And who in the name of Halloween are you?" Torrance asked.

"I am Dracula."

Everyone hesitated. Was it really him? Had the lord of all vampires come to Transverse?

Dracula tried to take advantage of their hesitation by using his hypnotic powers. He rarely bothered using his mind control powers on men. Where was the fun in that, he felt. Therefore, he looked Leslie in the eye and tried to drain away her will, making her his slave. But Leslie was a talented mystic in her own rite and fought the power of the mesmerizing stare.

"Resist him!" Her grandfather's ghost insisted. "Don't look in his eyes! Fight!"

Leslie suddenly raised her arms and chanted. "By Chythulu, I summon the Zephyr winds!"

A sudden gust of wind hit Dracula from behind, pushing him forward. Torrance swung his sword at the off-balance vamp, hoping for a quick decapitation. But Dracula was no novice to combat and rapidly recovered from the unexpected attack. He faded to mist and the sword passed right through him. He re-materialized behind Torrance and slapped him hard, knocking him across the room.

While Leslie prepared a new spell to deal with Dracula, Sedona charged him, stake in hand. But Dracula caught her with his stare. She froze, transfixed by his otherworldly eyes. The vampire worked his way into her thoughts.

"Sedona, don't look at him!" Leslie yelled, raising her hands for another spell.

Dracula raised his fist and displayed his ring to the sorceress. Leslie cast her magicks, but the spells were somehow deflected by the ring, which rebounded them back at Leslie. Leslie was stunned by her own spell. Torrance, still dazed by the powerful blow, was struggling to his feet.

Sedona and Dracula stared at each other. Sedona felt a thrill of ecstasy, as if she were being seduced. A look of desire crossed her face and she smiled at the handsome vampire king. She dropped her stake.

Torrance stumbled to his feet, and took stock of the situation.

"Hey, Sedona, don't just stand there!" he yelled. "Do something."

Torrance attempted to transform to his werewolf self, but Dracula quickly kicked out, smashing Torrance in the face with his shoe. Torrance toppled into the next room. Leslie still lay on the floor, momentarily immobilized by her own power.

Dracula held out a hand to Sedona, who hadn't taken her eyes off him. "Come with me, lovely one," he said, more in the nature of an order than of a request.

"Yes master," she said, and took his hand, allowing him to lead her from the room.

Leslie was still on the floor, recovering from her backfired spell. She could barely speak. "Sedona, stop! Don't go with him. Fight him!"

Sedona seemed not to hear, and if she did, she didn't care. She only had eyes for Dracula. They walked out of the cottage, hand-in-hand.

"Come back!" Leslie cried, forcing herself to rise. Her feet were like lead, but she struggled to the door and peered outside. Sedona and her vampire captor were gone. "Oh no!" She whispered.

Torrance returned from the adjoining room. "Where is he? Where's that son of a . . . "

"He's gone!" Leslie said. "And he's got Sedona!"