Dracula Lives (UK) Vol 1 49

Events of this issue happen between Tomb of Dracula #21 and 23...

Dracula has returned to London, England, and his first stop is the British Parliament where he pays a visit to Lord Henry, a politician under his thrall to discuss matters. He requests the Lord work into getting him diplomatic immunity so that he is no longer haunted by the police while operating in Britain. Dracula then begins discussing the acquisition of a castle just outside of London, one owned by Shiela Whittier.

Up north from London is a cemetery where a grave begins to stir for the first time in 30 years. Not too far away is the home of Martin O'Hara, who is once more doling out punishment on his daughter Angela, who is getting punished for allowing her boyfriend Ted Hannigan to get her pregnant out of wedlock. Ted tries to stop Martin from hitting her daughter anymore, and is knocked aside, he dies from a fatal blow to the head. As Angela cries over the death of her lover, the spirit of Lilith, the daughter of Dracula rises from a nearby grave and takes possession of her body. Changing Angela's body into her own form, Lilith then attacks and feeds upon Martin before flying off in bat form.

While at the home of Quincy Harker, Quincy receives a phone call from Frank Drake and Rachel van Helsing who report that Dracula has been killed in an explosion. Quincy reports this good news back to Taj, who silently retires to his room where he finds a letter from his homeland in India, it's contents prompting him to pack his things and leave to return to his mother country. A short while later, Lilith arrives at the home of Quincy Harker, taking on the form of an innocent woman, she knocks on the door and asks Quincy for help, with a fake story about her father dying. When Quincy has his back turned to her, Lilith resumes her vampire form and feeds upon him, then leaves.

Later that same night, Dracula arrives at Castle Dunwick, the home of Shiela Whittier. Entering the estate, Dracula rouses Shiela, a woman with mysterious scars all over her back. She comes to find out who is in her home and finds Dracula greeting her with a purposeful smile.

While elsewhere in London town, Lilith frequents the Red Bull Tavern, where she picks up a man and makes him her next victim. With the discovery of the bodies, Inspector Chelm pays a visit to the home of Quincy Harker to tell him of what has transpired to find Quincy alive but unconscious, he has his men call for an ambulance.

Back at the home of Shiela Whittier, Shiela completely submits to Dracula thinking that he is one of her former tormentors. Dracula assures her that he is not, and tries to inquire about her whippings however Shiela changes the subject. When Dracula tells her that he must go, she tries to convince her him to stay, but he does not. Upon exiting the manor, Dracula spots another vampire bat flying in the sky, recognizing it as his daughter Lilith.

Surprised that she is alive once more, Dracula follows after her across the countryside to London. He follows her to a football game, and confronts her. The two talk about their past together, about how he does not care for her as she was the daughter of a forced marriage to a woman named Zofia. Zofia, centuries ago was thrown out of Dracula's palace where she would take her daughter Lilith to Lianda, the gypsy woman who would eventually turn Dracula into a vampire. When Dracula would get revenge against her by feasting upon Lianda's own son, Lianda would cast a spell that would turn Lilith into a vampire that was bent on causing her father as much trouble as possible.

With the reflection over, Lilith asks Dracula to drop their grudge toward one another and asks him to form an alliance so that they can rule vampires together. Having other more pressing concerns, Dracula rejects this idea and leaves by changing into bat form. With Dracula's departure, Lilith vows to get revenge against Dracula.

As Quincy Harker recovers in the hospital, Dracula returns back to the home of Shiela Whittier just in time to save her from a fall down the stairs. He learns that someone is in the house and has been tormenting her. Rushing upstairs he finds his slave Lord Henry, who tells his master that he has been brought to do horrible things. Admitting to being the one who tormented and tortured Shiela, he pulls a gun out and kills himself, unable to find any other way to stop from doing it ever again.

As the Cat, Greer Nelson is struck by a new Hydra weapon that will condemn her to death by radiation poisoning. To save her life, her mentor Dr.Tumolo takes her to the hidden lair of the Cat People to have her reborn as Tigra, the Were-Woman. Hydra attacks again, abducting Tigra, Tumolo, and the Cat People in an effort to gain the secret of their ultimate weapon. Jack Russell, the Werewolf, happens to be passing by when Tigra is taken and joins the fight. In order to defeat Hydra, Tumolo releases their final secret upon them, the same Black Plague that the Cat People had released and cured centuries ago.

Transported to Egypt to recover the Ruby Scarab, the Living Mummy finds opposition from the Living Pharaoh, who has found that the Scarab restores some of his lost mutant powers. After defeating one of his guards, the Mummy's presence is alerted to the Pharaoh who sends his other guards out to attack. They, however, prove to be incapable of stopping the Living Mummy.

When the pyramid's traps don't work either, the Living Pharaoh uses his restored powers against the Mummy. During the fight, however, the Scarab is stolen by an unknown party who makes an escape. Furious, the Pharaoh tries to use his powers to destroy the Mummy, but finds that they are slowly fading. Once they are completely gone, the Mummy decides that the Pharaoh is no longer a threat and goes after the man who stole the Ruby Scarab. While high in the air Dr. Skarab, Janice and Ron are arriving in Egypt by plane, hoping to secure not only the Mummy, but the Scarab for themselves.

This story is continued next issue...

A ship briefly goes through a time warp to the year 1519 and return to the present day just in time to avoid being sunk by a sea monster.