A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

If there's anything you'd like to see in this please let me know.

Chapter 2: Done

The hall burst into a frantic flurry of chatter at the actions of the thirteen vampires who stood in the doorway of the great hall. They were all of various ages but they were all male. Not a single woman was among them.

Each and everyone were dressed in a black garb, with no distinguishing marks on it. Not even the smallest crest was embroidered on it. All were large and muscled.

Vlad immediately pushed Erin behind him. Erin hated being protected but she knew Vlad couldn't change his habits now, not after eleven years. Erin nodded slowly to him, she couldn't object in front of the other vampires.

Bertrand let out a small hiss and Vlad's gaze automatically snapped to him. The authority in it quietened him immediately and he nodded respecting Vlad.

Vlad deliberately didn't show his fangs, they were uninvited and Vlad was determined to show them that their presence hadn't demanded a reaction from him.

"What do you want?" He commanded of them. The hall was silent.

"A new leader." They looked with distain at Erin, "One who doesn't have an ex-slayer for a consort." Vlad's head dropped lower as he looked at them daring them to go further. That was a low blow, one that didn't matter to him anymore. He'd heard all of it before. "And a 'woman' for a number two." They directed that one at Ingrid, spitting out woman as if it were a bitter pill.

Vlad had seen this before, he was resented because of his young age and power. A number of vampires didn't like the fact Ingrid had been given power simply because she was a woman.

The vampires stared at him expecting him to take his eyes off them but Vlad didn't look away once – he wasn't going to bow down to them.

Ingrid grinned at them, her comment too quick for anyone to stop her. "Better a woman than a wimp who needs twelve vampires to hold their hand."

"INGRID!" Vlad snapped at his sister.

That had definitely been the wrong thing to say as the vampires' lips curled in a ferocious snarl.

Then all chaos broke loose.

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Vlad could tell this would be a fight before either side moved. Ingrid, the Count and Bertrand shot to their feet along with two of the younger Council members – Amia and Tomak.

Vlad looked around, he wasn't going to risk any unlives in this fight, he wouldn't allow them to be used as weapons or shields.

"GO NOW!" Vlad shouted to the hall, immediately the crowd vanished with a bow or curtsey. Vlad rolled his eyes, protocol could really hinder their kind when unlives were at stake.

Vlad looked across to his left, Ingrid and Bertrand were ready. To the right Tomak and Amia were also ready.

Erin ripped at her dress tearing it so the length shortened to just above her knees; she'd liked that new dress but she couldn't fight in it.

Vlad nodded to Erin, immediately they all dove into the action.

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Vlad immediately aimed for his challenger, or rather his challenger aimed for him. He swung a blow at Vlad, Vlad hadn't been thoroughly prepared and his head whipped to the right. His neck cricked as it turned sharply.

It hadn't hurt, he'd withstood more than that.

He spun slightly but his challenger caught his cloak and held him, Vlad's back arched backwards at an uncomfortable angle. He knew the cloak would hinder him at some point. He clicked his fingers and it dropped from around him to the floor. Vlad remembered to readjust his weight to stop him from flying backwards.

Vlad kicked out his leg backwards, hitting the vampire in the stomach and the vampire went flying backwards. It wasn't a powerful kick from the angle but it gave Vlad the time he needed to compose himself.

The vampire rushed at him but he was ready for him, Vlad quickly deflected his blows with his arms. Vlad landed a powerful one in the vampire's chest hearing the ribs crack and wincing as they did so.

"Why are you doing this?" Vlad asked, his voice slightly tainted with anger. His voice was even as he didn't breath he didn't pant from the exertion. His enemy aimed for his head, Vlad dodged it easily kicking his leg out again, the vampire fell to the ground.

His opposition easily rolled and stood in a swift motion.

"You're weak. You let women control you, slayers too." Vlad let out a growl; no one 'controlled' him. "Our kind deserves better." His fangs revealed this time, his eyes turning onyx black. The vampire hesitated briefly, fear gripping his dead heart. He'd heard the Chosen One was to be feared but he'd never realised why until that moment. Regardless he'd gone too far to beg forgiveness, there was no choice but to continue on.

"So you're going to take my place?" He asked curiously.

He let out a small chuckle, "Not me."

Vlad wanted to ask more but didn't get a chance as the vampire prepared to launch a fireball at him. The ball of fire pulsed in his enemy's hand.

The vampire looked down as a long, wooden medieval slayer's lance protruded through the front of his stomach. He let out a squeak before turning into a small pile of ash.

Vlad let out a frustrated growl, he'd wanted to learn more. He nodded to Tomak, he could reprimand him but Tomak had protected his sovereign the first law of their kind.

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The rogues attacked Erin as soon as Vlad was cornered.

Erin hid a small smirk. She wasn't being smug – far from it, she just didn't like the fact they thought she wasn't able to defend herself.

The first vampire lunged for her sloppily and she easily sidestepped him. That first move was designed to test how she would react.

They really didn't have a clue.

He laughed and lunged for her again.

Erin ducked, extending her right legs outwards, spinning in a small arc. The vampire fell backwards, landing on his spine and crying out as his head cracked against the floor. The vampire stumbled as he struggled to stand.

The shock on his face couldn't be disguised and Erin felt a thrill of pleasure at that, she wasn't the weak Consort they'd taken her for. He'd underestimated her.

She'd been thoroughly trained as much as Vlad by Bertrand for two years and Vlad for the last nine. Granted she'd never beaten either of them, her skill was unmatchable.

The vampire let out a roar and charged at her sending her spiralling backwards into Vlad's throne. She let out a cry as it smashed under the force of the throw and gravity. Shards dug into her back making her grimace.

She rolled taking some of the throne with her, leaving a trail of wood and destruction on the floor.

Erin dug her feet into the floor and arched her back forcing herself upright and into a fighting stance.

The vampire's reasoning went out of the window; he'd expected her to remain on the floor – weak and powerless. He realised in that moment she was as highly trained as the Chosen One. This meant their plans were changed.

The vampire aimed for her throat trying desperately to mark her in her most sensitive exposed place.

That definitely was cause for treason in the vampire world. Attacking the Chosen One's 'Chosen' was punishable by ritual staking, as it had been for a millennia.

Erin drew back her fist and sent him flying. There was no way he was going to bite her and make her loyal to him. She had no desire to become loyal to anyone, Vlad had her allegiance willingly. She'd rather be dead than lose her free will.

The vampire in front of her gnashed his four sharp, pointed fangs trying to intimidate her. Erin tipped her head; Bertrand was far more intimidating when he was angry. The four hundred year old (approximately) always lowered his fangs in anger, it was instinctive with him, so Erin was used to seeing fangs gnashed in anger.

The vampire covered his teeth in surprise as he realised she wasn't swayed. She looked behind her at the throne that had been destroyed in the fight.

Before she could grab a shard of it she was yanked backwards by her right leg, the ankle twisting violently and she let out a strangled cry. It wasn't broken as there hadn't been a crack but it hurt just the same.

Erin spun one hundred and eighty degrees as the vampire tried to attack her again. She kicked out her legs knocking him backwards giving her chance to crawl backwards and grab the shard of the throne inbetween her fingers. She felt the splinters dig into her hand but she didn't care. She'd used it if she had to.

Erin gripped the makeshift stake, memories of Vlad finding out what she was filling her. They always did when they had to oversee (although they'd only had to perform three) executions over the years. Usually Vlad had to be the one to do this but she had no choice.

That momentary hesitation gave that vampire the chance he needed. Erin was twisted until she was underneath the vampire. He ripped the 'stake' from her hands and sent it flying across the room. Panic filled her, she was defenceless.

However the vampire's actions surprised her.

Erin was grabbed and roughly yanked up to face her attacker. Her shoulder felt like it was being torn from its socket.

Pain rushed through her arm, spreading out through her chest as she looked into the eyes of the vampire holding her.

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Ingrid saw it, she quickly dodge the sloppy punch. Bertrand anticipated her needs and threw something over to her, she caught it quickly – a stake. She twirled it around in her grip before plunging it into her attacker. She hated slaying another of her kind personally but it was in self-defence. It was either him or her. The vampire would have no qualms about slaying her.

As she spun she threw it back to Bertrand, she never understood why her brother didn't carry weapons about on his person, right now they could do with more than one stake between them. Although in the dress she was wearing she couldn't carry one.

Something caught her eye and she panicked. "Vlad!" Ingrid shouted to her younger brother. Vlad spun slowly turning in the direction she gestured with her eyes.

Erin was being held by their thrones by a burly, dark, shoulder length haired vampire. The vampire was taller than them, definitely taller than Bertrand, his fangs were lowered. Vlad feared he was going to bite her but he was just looking at her.

Vlad suddenly ducked another fireball that just skimmed his head, he threw one of his own successfully catching the older vampire in the chest who instantly disintegrated. He never relished taking an unlife but it had to be done to protect those he loved and his kind.

Vlad ran towards Erin, mindful that the other vampire had the advantage.

The male vampire seemed to sense Vlad before seeing him. "It's done." He told Vlad with a smug smile. Their task was complete now.

"What's done?" Vlad demanded; although he had a feeling he'd never get an answer from this vampire.

The vampire didn't answer he just smiled at Vlad before withdrawing a stake. If Vlad's heart still beat it would have stopped at the gesture. It looked a few centuries old at least by the rough exterior; modern stakes were smooth and rounded.

Before Vlad could react the vampire had turned the sharp, glistening stake in on himself and plunged it into his stomach.

The vampire didn't react; instead he continued to smile unnervingly, slowly his eyes closed and a relaxed expression crossed his face before he 'exploded' in a shower of glittering dust dropping harmlessly to the floor.

That must have been the signal, the remaining five vampires vanished from the room vertically – that was worrying in itself.

They had just been a distraction

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Vlad didn't hesitate for a moment; he sped towards Erin as fast as he could.

Erin remained staring into the space ahead of her; Vlad began to grow more and more worried. She didn't seem to notice he was behind her at all.

Vlad gently took Erin's arm, turning her slowly to face him.

"You okay?" He asked as soon as he saw her face. "Erin are you okay?" He repeated, lifting a hand to brush her cheek. He searched her eyes but found he couldn't read them for the first time since he'd met her; even then he'd managed to read some of her emotions. Now it was as if he was trying too look through tinted windows from the outside in.

Erin's expression was blank before a look of pure terror replaced it as she looked upon him.

She wrenched her arm from his tender grasp, moving as far away from him as possible and as quickly as possible. Vlad followed her thinking she was in some kind of shock.

Her eyes darted around looking for a way to escape. There was none. She pressed herself against the wall, desperate to disappear into it.

Vlad's world shattered into a million pieces with her next panic filled words.

"Who are you?"

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

Thanks for reading.