Chapter One
Temptation at its Peak.
Vlad sat bolt upright. His face was covered in sweat, his eyes wide with horror. He tried to shake the dream away, shake all the feelings, all his vampire sensors were alight, burning with need, with want.
He stood shakily to his feet. It had been the same ever since he turned sixteen, ever since he looked into that mirror…
"Vlad?" Erin's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Vlad, where are you?" He hesitated, wary of himself…
"I'm in here…" he called, happy that Erin was here.
"Vlad, I missed you."
If it was possible, his heart would have melted. Those four words were all he needed to come back down to Earth.
Erin entered his room. She smiled shyly at him.
"Hello you." She whispered. Vlad was enchanted by her. He walked towards her and clasped her in his arms, hugging her, savouring every moment. She giggled against his skin, sending shock waves all the way down to his groin. He leant up and kissed her, filling his mouth with hers, relishing in the rareness of this intimacy.
"Vlad…" Erin released him, and Vlad moaned at the loss of contact.
"No, come back!" he pouted, rather childishly. Erin sighed.
"Vlad, we need to…talk." Vlad released her at once, stiffening at her words.
"We do?" he sighed; he had hoped Erin had good news.
"Yes…" Erin stared at the floor. "About...us..."
"There is nothing to discuss, we're perfect. Or rather, you're perfect." He looked fondly at Erin, she didn't return his gaze. This struck Vlad hard.
"Vlad, you're a vampire. You're the Chosen One." Vlad looked at her confused, unsure of her point.
"You... have…needs…" the words were barely a whisper upon her sweet lips.
"Needs?" Vlad was still confused.
"Yes, certain needs that I don't know I can give you."
Oh, Vlad understood entirely now… "Erin, we don't need to be like most couples. We are unique and I wouldn't have it any other way." Erin still avoided looking into his eyes.
"But, you…you're 16 now, you…" in a way of answering her, Vlad once again pushed his lips against hers, silencing them for a second. Erin broke free of his arms.
"I don't think I'm ready yet, Vlad." Vlad didn't say anything, just looked at her, longing for her to be in his arms once again.
"Erin, stop being silly, I know you're not ready and I don't think I am either, to be quite honest…" Erin stilled.
"You're not? But Ingrid said…" Vlad held his hand up to silence her, and raised an eyebrow.
"Ingrid said, did she?" Erin fidgeted. She knew she shouldn't have trusted Ingrid!
"Erin Noble, you make me the happiest I have ever been, in my life. Vampire or no vampire, I want you to be in my life. Whatever it takes, I will do it…" Erin smiled slightly. He made her feel that way too. "Anyway, let's go down, shall we, see what's happening?"Erin didn't want to, not yet, anyway.
"No, not yet…" Her voice once again was almost inaudible.
"Oh?"
"Vlad, I want to try something…" She slipped her cool long fingers through his silky black hair, down to the tip of his shirt, and pulled. She gazed in wonder at her Boyfriend. He was perfect, he was beautiful.
"Erin…" Vlad said, uncomfortable.
"Shut up, and kiss me…" Vlad obeyed, and before they knew what they were doing, they were doing it...
Vlad was sprawled amongst cushions on his sofa, Erin beside him. Erin coughed.
"Well, that was…unexpected." She avoided his gaze.
"Yeah..." Vlad laughed, falsely. Neither Vlad nor Erin knew what to do. They just laid there.
"Erin I…" Vlad began, shakily.
"Vlad, don't." She looked him up and down.
"We…"
"Vlad, I said don't!"
"But…"
Erin got up and began to get redressed.
"Erin, what we just did, what did we just do?!" Erin ignored him and continued to get dressed.
"Vladdy..?"
The Count's voice boomed inside the castle walls. Vlad stood up quickly, thanking the Count inside his head for breaking their awkward silence.
"Vlad!" The Count was becoming impatient.
"What, Dad?"
"Come here!"
What could have happened? Vlad dressed quickly and shot out of the room.
He didn't see Erin crying.
Once he was downstairs, he could hear his Father shouting at Renfield.
"What did you want, Dad?"
The Count looked up, obviously unaware how long Vlad had been there.
"I had a surprise for you, Vladdy."
"A..A surprise, for me?"
"Yes, don't look so confused, Vladdy, isn't a vampire allowed to treat his son once in a while?"
Vlad stared at the Count.
"Well, yeah, but-"
"No questions, Vladimir, just come with me!"
Vlad obeyed and followed his Father to the blood cellar.
"This, my dear boy, is for you."
The Count held up a bottle. It didn't take a genius to work out what it was.
"Blood, for me? How kind." Vlad whispered, sarcastically.
"Don't be like that, Vladdy, I want you to have it."
"I don't drink it though, do I?"
"Not what I've heard, Vladdy.." The Count muttered under his breath.
"What?!"
"Nothing.." The Count smiled at his youngest son.
"Whatever, Dad, keep your blood." He whipped out of the cellar.
The Count stared at the dust he'd caused in disbelief.
Maybe he'd been swapped at birth, he thought, bitterly.