A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

A slightly longer chapter.

Chapter 7: Distraction

"I thought you were going to hypnotise her." Erin hissed at the Count as they walked down the corridors towards the headmistresses' office. Ryan walked behind the silently watching the interaction.

It had been a few days since Miss McCauley had found out their secret and while Vlad was old enough to represent himself, Erin still had a couple of weeks to go so she needed her older brother who was listed as her guardian. That had given them a few days leeway to sort out their stories.

"She's very resistant."

"He means he can't hypnotise her." Vlad told her with a hint of sarcasm, unfortunately he hadn't been able to be alone with Miss McCauley to hypnotise her after his father failed.

"I thought vampires could hypnotise anyone unless…"

Vlad tilted his head looking very smug, "Exactly."

The Count looked between his son and daughter-in-law who seemed to be communicating a very silent conversation alongside their verbal one. "I am not in love with…" He protested loudly before lowing his voice as everyone's attention was drawn to him, "Miss McCauley." He looked at Vlad, "Anyway that's an old crone's tale."

Erin decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, "Vlad could try and hypnotise me," The Count and Vlad shared a look, one side scolding the other slightly sheepish. She'd have to ask about that later. "Or I could try and hypnotise Vlad to find out."

"You are not going to try to hypnotise me." Vlad told her sternly,

"Don't you trust me?" She teased, she knew Vlad as telling the truth but she didn't want to be lumbered with an even more irritated father-in-law than she already had to after this meeting.

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The Count knocked on the door, he waited for a few moments before turning on his heel, "She's not in." That as good enough for Vlad and Erin, they weren't going to argue. Unfortunately the corridor was filled with breathers so they settled for a brisk walk down the corridor. A brisk walk that sped up even faster as they heard the door creak open.

"Ah Count." Miss McCauley called, Erin and Vlad tried to hurry forward again but the Count grabbed their collars and pulled them back towards him, their shoulders slumped down in defeat. Vlad and Erin shared an annoyed glance. "And you must be Ryan." She turned to Erin's older brother, holding out her hand for him to take. Ryan shook it nervously, Erin could see he was holding back from the instinct of trying to bite her. "I had hoped to do this earlier in the week." She shot a look towards the Count who shuffled and winced.

"Trying to get Ryan her was…"

"I'm sure." Vlad and Erin looked down at their hands, her sharp tone had them both worried, "We have a problem on our hands Count…"

"Right," Vlad clicked his fingers sharply, immediately Alex froze in front of him her gaze fixed into his. His eyes turned green as his hypnotism came to the forefront of his mind. Vlad opened his mouth to speak but stopped as Erin hit him on the shoulder. "What?" He hissed at her, Erin gestured with her head, the door opened and someone he'd never seen before entered the room. With a defeated groan he clicked his fingers.

Their new group member was slightly plump, shorter than Vlad with long blonde hair. She had thick-framed glasses that covered her blue eyes as she stared them down.

"I'm Laura Winchester, I'm a counsellor and an advisor for Social Services," She smiled at them holding her hand out for them to take, not one vampire accepted the handshake. "Miss McCauley called me in to help you with this problem."

"We don't have a problem." Vlad and the Count growled angrily at her.

"Not for you maybe, however Erin is under the age of 18."

"For another two weeks." Erin told her angrily.

"At the time of marriage you were under 18." Laura's voice was patronising and that made Erin more angry.

"I gave my permission." Ryan spoke for the first time.

"You may have given your permission, but it wasn't parental consent." She pulled out a file from her bag, she flicked through it. It contained everything about Erin's education (omitting her training as a slayer of course), medical records and family history. "And according to this both of your parents are still alive." She looked between them, Erin shot a look at Vlad who nodded. He knew that she was estranged from her parents. "Do they know about your marriage?" She placed the folder across her lap before leaning forward and resting her chin on her hand.

Vlad linked his fingers with Erin's, squeezing tightly. He nodded for her to continue. "No and I don't want them to."

"They have a right to know, or was this a rebellion?" The woman leaned forward to squeeze Erin's hand but she pulled back. She fixed Erin with a more pitiful stare, Erin shook her head. "A marriage is easy to get into but hard to get out of."

"I'm don't want to get out of it."

The Count decided to speak, but Vlad was sure it wasn't going to help him. "It's perfectly legal in Transylvania."

"Maybe but your in England now, you obey our laws now Count." Laura told him forcefully, Miss McCauley watched the interaction. Maybe calling Laura in had been the wrong thing to do. Laura turned back to Erin, "Would you like me to ask them to leave?" Erin actually laughed at that one, the woman actually though Vlad was controlling her in their marriage.

Erin looked her in the eye, "No I want my husband to stay." She enjoyed the way the woman flinched at the word 'husband'.

"Right," The woman clearly hadn't anticipated that, she glanced down at her file, "What about children? You don't want to have them early and then have them split between homes, what…"

Erin stood up, her hand slipping loose from Vlad's. "This is none of your business," She told the woman, "Are you married?" A glance down at the woman's ringless finger told her all she needed to know. "You have no idea what being married means or how it feels to be married to the one person you love more than anything in the world. Vlad has fought for me to be accepted by his people and you have no idea how much that means." Erin strode over to the door and pulled it open. The vampires in the room winced as they heard the hinges creak from the strength her anger had produced. "I suggest you get married before you lecture me on mine."

Vlad knew then exactly why he'd married her, Erin was a straight talking woman who got to the point straight away and could see through people, she was never afraid to defend the ones she loved. Vlad knew she was more noble than any other potential bride was and that made her so perfect for being his queen. He felt his love for her grow more if that were possible.

Vlad winced as a small shower of splinters settled over him from the force of the door slamming shut.

"I think that went well." Laura commented Vlad and the Count shared a look torn between amusement and horror. "But I'd like to schedule three more assessment appointments over the next few days…" The adults groaned and slumped down slightly. "I also suggest you keep it a secret for now." She advised.

Miss McCauley really wasn't sure if bringing in the Social Services was really the best idea. Never did she expect her to treat Erin like she was incapable of making her own decisions, she'd worked with them before and they'd always seemed more professional and friendly. The fact she had managed to work up Erin – who usually had the patience of a saint – was rather worrying.

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Erin stalked down the corridors, her mood was very dark. Vlad caught her arm, pulling her into their room before she could protest.

"You've got combat training with Bertrand haven't you." She let out a low hiss. "It'll help." Vlad lifted his hand to her neck, stroking it softly. "Bertrand prefers to train when his student is angry, he says it makes us focus."

"I have never wanted to bite someone more in my life." Erin told him, pacing back and forth. "Not to drink her blood but to see that smug smile wiped off her face." A smirk crossed her lips as she imagined herself doing that.

"Violence isn't always the way." Erin stopped and glared at him, "Maybe not some of the time," He conceded, "But it isn't going to make it any better."

"It'll make me feel better." She muttered softly, making him chuckle.

He decided to tell her all the bad news in one go, "She's visiting again over the next few days." Erin slumped back, folding her arms across her chest as she leaned against the wall. She braced her legs forward so they angled 45 degrees from the wall. "Don't let her get to you." He whispered.

Erin nodded, Vlad strode forward a few steps, coming to stand in front of her. Vlad braced his hands on either side of her head smiling softly. "You're not angry?" She checked, she wasn't sure how Vlad would react to her outburst.

"No, I loved the speech." Erin's face warmed, she'd said whatever came to her mind at the time. "I'm sorry she found out."

"I didn't think it'd matter so much when they found out." Erin admitted.

"I'm not sure who else they've told." He whispered, "I'll see if I can 'contain' it next session." By 'contain' he meant find out who knew and if it were only Winchester and McCauley he'd hypnotise them to forget.

"Have I told you how much I love my husband?" She asked him softly, grinning.

"Love you too." He replied before closing the gap and kissing her. Erin slowly moved her legs back until the reached the wall and she had reached her normal height. Vlad didn't move his hands from the wall, he just pressed himself closer to her, not once breaking their kiss.

A knocking on the door drew them apart. In sync they turned their heads to look at the open door.

Ingrid stood there looking very gleeful for herself, for once not pulling a face at seeing them kissing. Alarms bells sounded in Vlad's head. "Slayer ambush!" She crooned.

Vlad groaned dropping his hands to his side, his slumped forward until it rested against the cool wallpaper clad wall. Erin dodged from underneath his arms.

Erin kissed Vlad's cheek softly, "Deal with the slayers and I'll see you later, if I survive my training." Erin turned to Ingrid as she walked through the door, "Don't' get too carried away." She advised, Ingrid tutted and rolled her eyes.

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"You seemed to be enjoying yourself." Ingrid commented innocently, looking up and down the hallways.

Vlad paused cricking his neck as he forced the spark of annoyance back down. "It's none of your business Ingrid."

"How did the meeting go? I heard Erin stormed out." This time there was genuine concern in her voice and Vlad actually felt like telling his sister the whole story.

"It went too far."

Ingrid's next comment Vlad wasn't sure to take seriously or as a joke. "It would solve all your problems if you drained them both of blood."

"Somehow I don't think that'll help Ingrid." Vlad muttered, she laughed at his typical reaction. Shrugging and hiding a smile.

A glint of sliver made Vlad turn, he felt his fangs drop before remembering where he was and forcing them to retract. He signalled with his head to the woodwork classroom. Ingrid took a deep breath smelling the unmistakable scent of a slayer. Erin didn't have that scent she realised, probably because she hadn't actually killed a vampire. That changed the scent of a breather, tainting it slightly.

There were only to slayers, both were dressed as N Power employees. They clearly didn't have a clue what they were doing, both of them were quite young and if they had experience it didn't really show. The way the toolboxes trembled as they opened and closed the cupboard doors (did they seriously expect a fully grown vampire to jump out of something the size of a cookie jar?) was purely laughable.

As expected the slayers had used a disguise (just like Jonno and his father used to), the only thing they'd forgotten to check is that the school was powered by EON, not N Power. Vlad grinned, he knew they'd use this trick as expected Jonno hadn't come with them.

Vlad smirked at Ingrid; did these 'energy inspectors' really think they would get by unnoticed?

Ingrid strode in letting her heels click against the floor as she approached the two slayers. With a click of her fingers the door snapped shut making the two boys in front of her jump and spun to face her. Their stakes weren't even drawn. Vlad knew then that rookies had been sent to scope them out, hardly the surprise attack he'd been waiting for.

"Ingrid Dracula, I'm what you've been looking for Slayers." The two boys exchanged a worried look at the thought of their disguise being penetrated. "I've been expecting you."

Ingrid let out a grin as she gazed down at the two slayers in front of her. She opened her mouth allowing her fangs to be shown. Vlad shook his head, Ingrid always took pride in her fang display.

The two slayers fumbled in their pockets for their stakes, the sharp ends snagging and pulling at their jackets. Vlad could hear the distinctive sound of fabric tearing.

Ingrid enjoyed toying with breathers and Vlad was actually pretty content to let her have her fun. He'd stop her before she went too far but he'd planned for this and he intended for the slayers to know he was ready.

Ingrid glided towards the slayers who seemed frozen to the spot even without the aid of hypnosis. Her fangs opened wide as she aimed for one of their necks. Their eyes were squeezed shut as they trembled before her.

"Ingrid." He warned lowly and she snapped her mouth shut, they still showed but were no longer primed to drink their blood.

"Fine." She answered but she didn't retract her fangs

The slayers cracked one eye open to look at her. Fearful of what she hadn't yet done and what she might do.

Ingrid placed her hands on her hips and bent forwards so she looked into their faces. They didn't pose a threat to her at all.

"Boo!"

She barely whispered it but in a flash they were running out of the door at a speed that would have made a vampire proud.

Ingrid leaned back and let out a cackle, she'd enjoyed that. Vlad began to chuckle along with her.

"I thought they would put up more of a fight." She admitted sounding disappointed, she'd been looking forward to an actual confrontation.

"You might still get it." Vlad told her trying to sympathise for a fraction of a second but his sister saw right through him.

A clap of thunder echoes around the school, building in pitch as every second passed. The siblings turned to each other. They didn't recognise the signature of the thunder at first. The Count was a slow rumble, Bertrand had too much control and neither of them had grown angry that left…

Vlad didn't wait he just ran.

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Vlad knew something was wrong, he ran towards the training room as fast as his feet would carry him.

Bertrand lay sprawled across the middle of the floor, his face flat against the dusty floor. A few feet across from him lay his wooden samurai training sword. Ingrid ran towards him, kneeling next to him and turning him over gently. Ingrid wiped the dust from Bertrand's face, patting his cheeks lightly before slapping him as hard as possible in an attempt to wake him up.

Vlad frantically searched around the room, looking back and forth. There was no way Bertrand would just collapse and Erin didn't have the power to do that unlike himself. Even with the training at the moment Erin was terrified of hurting Bertrand when she attacked him.

A groan made Vlad look around to Bertrand. Bertrand's head moved back and forth as he tried to regain consciousness fully. Ingrid helped him sit up pushing his back slightly as he rolled onto his elbows then his knees. Bertrand rubbed the back of his head, pain flared through him as he touched a sore spot. In his four hundred years he'd never been caught out until now.

"Where's Erin?" Vlad asked loudly, he threw his mind out trying to brush against hers but there was nothing. It wasn't like being blocked; he knew what it felt like for her to block him, this was something else.

"They took her." Vlad relaxed slightly, at least she hadn't been slain. His eyes turned pure black in fury.

"Who?" Bertrand shook his head, stumbling slightly. Ingrid grabbed his arm holding him back.

Something wasn't right about this, why leave Bertrand alive? Surely they wouldn't leave a witness?

Ingrid sniffed the room cautiously, pulling a face as she gagged, "Can you smell garlic?"

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

Thanks for reading.