For a woman of her time, I quickly noticed that Alexandria was different. She was dressed in a simple blue dress even for this time period, despite the beautiful sapphire earrings she was wearing and her beautiful wavy dark hair. It was mostly covered up by the black and blue velvet cloak, that made her appear like the cover of a romance novel.
"So what's your story?" She asked pulling me out of my thoughts.
"What?" I responded not sure what she meant.

"Well for so long you've dressed as a man and told the world that you're a man," Alexandria answered. "Why reveal yourself to me all of a sudden?" Hearing that I or whoever they thought I was, Sherlock Holmes had been hiding himself or I guess herself from the world. Maybe I needed to find out why and solve this mystery that way I could go home. So I brushed the dirt off my new outfit and put on my best performance. Some of what I said actually was true though as I couldn't resist the urge to get the guilt off my chest.
"I had a kind of rude awakening," I answered. "I lost someone very close to me and I feel I took her for granted."
"Why would you think that?" Alexandria asked.

She looked at me with a sad expression and I barely stopped myself from crying as I ranted about what happened to my parents. And how I had been so distraught over it that I never bothered to tell my best friend that I was grateful for everything she had done. She had given me a place to stay, tried her best to get me help, and continued to be her positive upbeat self while I was moping.
"You feel you failed her," Alexandria said reading my thoughts. "Whatever happened wasn't on you."
"Maybe not but I could have told her how much I cared about her," I answered. "She was a little sister to me and now she'll never know that." A single tear managed to make its way down my face and unexpectedly Alexandria placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Maybe she already knew that or she didn't either way dwelling on what happened won't change anything," she told me. "I understand wanting to go back and undo a choice you've made, but if you look carefully you might find someone to help you through it." It wasn't a pep talk I was expecting to have today but before I could thank her. She pulled me towards the reception desk where the man from my dream was standing writing with a feather pen. I stood there nearly having a panic attack while the man greated Alexandria and attempted to charm her.
"Ms. Van helsing it's lovely to see you after all these years," he took her hand and kissed it much to her disgust. "How did that boarding school turn out for you?" He asked.

"Dorian Gray you've haven't aged at all," she answered and pulled her hand away. "And I ran away from that horrible place, all I learned is that everyone expects women to like being treated like items," she continued. "And I'm not having it, I didn't join votes for Women for nothing." I was surprised by her boldness and Dorian didn't say anything about her words. Just asked to see her invitation and asked her if she had reconsidered his proposal.
"Wait he proposed to you?" I asked.
"Oh I've done it so many times but she keeps turning me down, I'm beginning to think she might have a secret husband," Dorian answered and while Alexandria said that her life was none of his business. He asked to see my invitation and when I showed it to him, a shiver went up my spine.

First he looked like he was younger than Alexandria, but he spoke to her like he had known her since she was a child. Something was up with this man and the more things began to click in my head. I could tell he was a liar, a little corrupt, was the heir of a wealthy family, and while he was hiding something. He did have a good heart underneath all his uptight demeanor, but the words of him not aging stuck with me, like a bug buzzing in my ear.  "Ah yes Ms. Holmes, we've been expecting you, follow me please." He took my invitation along with Alexandria's and placed it in his coat jacket. My nerves continued to scream at me to leave this place and run, when he offered his hand to me. I didn't take it as I wasn't going to risk letting my nightmare come true, so I politely declined and said that he didn't need to grab my hand.

He didn't seem to like that but something told me that he didn't have a say. As he escorted us through the hotel I could see a ton of Victorian people going about their daily lives. But the further we got into the hotel the less people I saw and when we finally reached two double doors. Dorian opened them to reveal a large ballroom with a golden chandelier, quartz walls, marble floor, a long table with ten total chairs and a ton of open windows letting the room light up like a Christmas tree. A ton of others were present in the room, some men and some women. Most of them were wealthy in some way which made them stand out in the crowd of servants carrying trays.
"Here we are ladies welcome to the dinner party," Dorian said. "We've all been invited by the host and expected to spend the next ten days here."

"Just who is the host anyway?" Alexandria asked while I observed all of the guests. There was a man with pale almost white skin dressed in all black. I would have said he was Clyde if I didn't see the red eyes and pendant around his neck. Dracula was what immediately came to my mind, and the only thing that could prove me wrong was if he didn't start drinking blood. Nearby a trio of women all dressed in Victorian style dresses  and a pagan styled jewelry. I couldn't believe my eyes when I realized the three could be witches. An older man who was hiding in the darkest corner of the room, not interacting with anyone was dressed in a soldier's uniform. Headless horseman, judging by the fact that he's hiding a horse reign in his satchel. Along with the obvious warrior theme and the other Victorian themed monsters.

My thoughts were loud but I didn't care as I was too focused at observing the guests. A dark skinned lady dressed in a gothic vintage tailcoat and a pair of goggles on top of her head. Nearby a strong built man with messy blonde hair dressed in all brown who could barely speak kept trying to get the woman's attention. But the only sound he could make was grunts and groans and once I saw the green tinge on his skin. Along with the two nails sticking out of his neck, I know right away that it was Doctor Frankenstein and the monster. The host wasn't kidding about a ton of monsters being here, as I running out of observations. Another well built man who was the only one not decently dressed, as his clothes were fairly simple even with the silver touches across the blue fabric and I almost thought he was a servant until Alexandria began talking to him.

"I was beginning to get worried." He said and Alexandria smiled.
"Connor you know that I wouldn't leave you here with Dracula," she answered. "I know the two of you don't get along." So my suspicions had been correct, Dracula was here and if his enemy was here and not carrying a bunch of weapons. It meant that the man Alexandria was talking to was the wolf man. He sniffed the air and I was worried he would come bite my head off, but he waved at me and gently took Alexandria's hand. Unlike with Dorian she took it and I wondered if the two already knew each other. Everyone seemed to have some kind of relationship with the other, but these two seemed uncommonly friendly with each other.

"I wouldn't watch the two for to long," a voice from behind me said and I turned to see who I thought was Edward. It was like I was talking to his ancestor that looked exactly like him. "The two aren't supposed to even be talking, their families are at war."
"You don't say," I answered. Wondering if he was meant to be the invisible man or something because I could see him clearly. "Sherlock Holmes." I said sticking my head out to shake his.
"Oh I thought you would be a man." He admitted.
"So did a lot of others, but clearly I'm not, so who are you?" I asked feeling the urge to fix my hair.
"Hyde, Edward Hyde," He answered. "You might know me by my other name Dr. Jekyll."