Just a one shot.
Ingrid bit down firmly on her bottom lip, as she mulled over Bertrand's proposal. Bertrand watched her intently, waiting for any change in her features that would indicate an answer to his question.
He continued to move his gaze downward, past her sultry curves down to the blood red points of her heels. Sharp enough to stake someone.
A gentle cough brought his attention back to her face.
"Something interesting down there?" she said her eyes alight with a sadistic kind of pleasure. If Bertrand had been a breather, god forbid, he would have been scarlet from head to toe. But, he wasn't about to let Ingrid of all people have the upper hand.
"Just making sure that if this doesn't go the way I planned, I know what possible weapons you're hiding."
"And what way did you plan for this to go?" she whispered oh so seductively, making sure to mouth each syllable.
"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were trying to seduce me."
"Me? You're the one who has the non-plutonic proposition."
"If you knew me at all, you would realise this is merely a power play. Vlad is getting out of control. I cannot control him physically anymore, but emotionally..." Ingrid's eyes lit up at this statement.
"So emotional manipulation by showing him exactly what he can't have?" The question was rhetoric, but Bertrand answered anyway.
"Exactly, a situation with finesse."
Ingrid pondered this for a moment.
"And what do I get out of this little arrangement? There seems to be nothing in it for me."
"Well, if you want Erin to become the Queen of Vampires and the Princess of Darkness, then, by all means, don't help me." At that statement, Ingrid's face morphed into one of pure anger.
"No one, especially not a half-fang, is taking my place on the throne." Bertrand smiled internally. Everything was going to plan. "But I still don't trust you after our little rendezvous. You framed me for trying to kill the half-fang in the first place. Why should I trust you?"
"You shouldn't trust anyone. But, what do you have to lose from this particular situation? We both get what we want and the added bonus of removing the half-fang permanently." Bertrand's lips curled upwardly into a smirk at the comment. I certainly get what I want. Vlad needed to empty his head of all these stupid, idealistic hopes. Once and for good and if that meant doing whatever it took, then so be it. Bertrand walked up closer towards Ingrid until she could feel his breath on the back of her neck.
"It's a win-win." He delighted in the shiver that ran down her spine. Ingrid sharply turned to face him and glared.
"I believe you used this tactic the last time you manipulated me. You may be stupid enough to use it again, but I'm not stupid enough to fall for it." And with that little outburst, she stormed off.
Her mind may have disagreed with the proposition, but her body said otherwise.
With that thought, Bertrand left somewhat optimistically.
