A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

I've started jotting down and interweaving ideas for the final instalment so everything should be in place ready to type…

So remember if you'd like to see anything else let me know so I can add it in.

Chapter 8: Fatherly Affection

Vlad slowly turned to face Jonno, reluctantly taking his eyes from Erin.

"I'll be there in a minute."

"Now Vlad!" Jonno pressed, leaving no room for discussion. For the first time they noticed the way Jonno was clutching the back of his head, cradling a cold compress.

Vlad nodded, he could see the urgency in Jonno's eyes. He sped across to his wardrobe and pulled out his yellow school shirt, he might as well attempt to look like he was trying to attend school if Miss McCauley asked.

Vlad looked at Erin who nodded, she could speed there.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Bertrand was playing with the ties on the floor. Vlad groaned as he realised who the ties had belonged to in the first place. The stench of cheap perfume in the air made him feel sick immediately and he knew who it belonged to.

She didn't have a clue what she'd done did she? Becky had just released two slayers with a grudge against them and the Nobles back into the world.

Vlad entered the room to find the Nobles being cornered by Mina and Ingrid. Robin held a struggling Becky, forcing her back down into a chair. Vlad clicked his fingers and immediately everyone mortal stilled.

He concentrated for a moment, he hadn't tried this before. He clicked his fingers thinking about Mina, Jonno and Robin. As soon as he did he was relieved to see them moving and the others still.

"What happened?" He asked seeing the way their captives had been reduced from five to three, not to mention the added bonus of Becky.

"She hit me over the head." Jonno told him. Vlad looked around the room; he spied the dented goblet, which really would pack a punch it hit with it. "Before 'rescuing' the Hartleighs."

"See Renfield." Vlad told him, Renfield could deal with it.

Jonno's face was a mixture of horror, "It's fine." He protested quickly.

"So you're telling me we have two slayers running around out there?" Vlad's voice deepened as his annoyance pushed its way forward.

"And Chloe." Robin added, Vlad groaned turning away. He doubted Chloe would be of any use to them, she knew nothing about them. All the information she knew was known by every other slayer, she hadn't picked up any more knowledge as far as he knew.

"The Hartleighs have mingled with the students, we can't find them." The Count told his son, they'd be long gone by now anyway. "We can't do anything until nightfall."

"That's what they're going to be betting on." There was no telling the damage they could do in the meantime, unfortunately that would have to wait. "Maybe they can tell us something."

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Vlad clicked his fingers and immediately the Nobles unfroze. He watched them carefully. "You had the chance to leave, why didn't you?"

Steph looked at Erin, "I didn't want to." She tried to move closer to Erin but Mina held her back with a hand, "I want everything to go back to how it used to be."

Erin looked away; there was never anything that it could go back to. She'd never felt loved in their house so she wasn't missing anything.

"I thought you'd side with the Hartleighs." Ingrid muttered, now that Erin was a half fang she expected them to take the chance to escape.

Tom stared them down, "Her fiancé…"

"Illegal fiancé." They all snapped in the room at the same time.

"He's the one who put a stake in her gut. Any form of acquaintance is over."

With those words the conversation steered in a completely different direction to the one Vlad wanted.

"I'm sorry Erin." Robin apologised to her for the first time, they were on the subject so he wanted to say it. He didn't think he had the confidence to bring it up on his own.

Erin knew he was sorry, she wasn't angry with him for what had happened to her, she was upset that he'd distracted Vlad to the point Vlad had nearly been slain. If she hadn't had her wits about her she dreaded to think what might have happened.

"I know." She told him with a smile, it wasn't a grudge but it wasn't forgiveness yet.

"You stupid girl!" Thomas snapped interrupting them. Erin looked down feeling the familiar sensation of disappointment flooding her. Vlad immediately saw red he knew what it was like to feel like he was a disgrace. Vlad's fangs slid down unnoticed, the only sign was the way his top lip looked as if it were swollen slightly. "Do you have any idea what you put your mother and me through…!"

"Why should I care?" Erin asked, confidence going forwards as her emotions strengthened. "You didn't care about me! I told you I have a new family now and they accept me for who I am."

It had been a long haul but the vampires had taken her in once more, regardless of how reluctant they were to do so at first.

"You had a future as a slayer!" Thomas yelled at her. He hoped he'd have time to undo this before she became one of them but now it was pointless.

"Stop it Thomas!" Steph snapped at him, angry at the way he was treating their daughter. Looking now she could see they were in love and it wasn't a passing fancy. Vlad had wanted her to remain a human as long as possible that showed how much he loved her. Erin wanted to become like him to remain with him, she'd gladly accepted his proposal.

There wasn't anything either of them could do about it now but say things they'd regret. They had to learn to move on.

Vlad watched as Erin tensed before him, he knew what was happening before she did. Her mouth opened and her fangs slid down for the very first time. Her actions made her parents jump back. Thunder rumbled in the background, Erin was quickly learning to access her powers. Her voice deepened as she growled.

"You just can't control yourself!" Thomas snapped at Erin, "You see why we never wanted you to become part of his kind. They make you do things you don't want to."

Vlad sped forward pulling Erin back towards him, wrapping his arms half protectively half restrictively around her stomach.

"Don't you dare lecture her on my culture!" Vlad yelled at Erin's parents, his fists shaking in anger. The light glistening of his still extended fangs. "Not when your own is so twisted, forcing women to…" He trailed off before he gave too much away.

The blow unintentionally ricocheted off Jonno and the young slayer opened his mouth to speak before seeing Erin's shameful gaze automatically linking it back to Vlad's tattered shirt. There was nothing in their culture to his knowledge that would have drawn that reaction from Vlad other than the contract and her true nature being revealed.

Vlad noticed her change and kissed her temple, "I'm not blaming you." He swore, this wasn't her fault it would never be her fault.

Ingrid looked at the young couple; she didn't understand what this was about. "Vlad?"

Thomas looked away; he didn't see a problem with what Erin had been taught. "Erin's been taught about our culture, there's nothing twisted in it."

Vlad looked at Erin, he wanted to say more but he didn't want to violate her confidence in him. Erin nodded, it was better it was in the open than have it come back to haunt them. Vlad closed his eyes before speaking, controlling his voice carefully, "Apart from telling her that its her duty to 'offer' herself if she upsets her husband?"

Jonno and Mina looked at each other, they'd never heard of this but they hadn't been taught the same things in the same way as Erin had.

Ingrid's eyes widened, Erin had upset Vlad. Surely she hadn't thought that he expected it of her or that she had to do that for him?

Bertrand hissed, no one was treated like that.

Her father shrugged as if it didn't bother him, "Erin knows it only applies to her being married as she won't …" Thomas looked between Erin and Vlad. Vlad pulled her tighter to him as Thomas' glare turned to a scold as he realised exactly how far along their relationship truly was.

The Count was by Vlad's side in an instant, "You mean she actually…" Erin nodded slowly; if she hesitated she knew she'd look weak. She closed her eyes waiting for the shouting that she was expecting from her future father in law; she knew he'd be angry with her for this. It was unheard of in the vampire culture.

The Count bent down to Erin's height, Erin trembled in fear, he usually only did that when she was in trouble. He looked at Vlad and Erin panicked as Vlad withdrew his embrace from around her.

The Count hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder, Erin jumped at the tender contact it was the last thing she expected.

"You were told to do that?" He asked her, Erin bit her lip and nodded, she still couldn't speak. "Have you ever done it to anyone else?" He questioned directly into her mind, he didn't want her to feel anymore embarrassed by asking her out loud. Erin jumped at the intrusion, it felt uncomfortable.

"She hasn't." Vlad told him telepathically, saving Erin from the embarrassment. Vlad was her first and vice versa.

The Count relaxed at his son's admission.

The Count studied Erin closely, his eyes never leaving hers, "No woman does that amongst our kind." He told her gently, looking at his daughter. Even though he always hid his affection for his daughter he still would never tell her to do that for anyone. He rarely felt disgusted but in that moment he did. Erin relaxed, Vlad had told her the same thing.

"I'm sorry." She told them all, she felt as if she'd let them all down. She felt as if she'd brought scandal to the Dracula clan.

The Count did something unexpected then, he kissed her forehead. Erin froze at the gesture. It wasn't a lingering contact it was brief but to Erin it meant everything. She'd never had any form of affectionate contact given to her from a father figure.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. Vlad would never take advantage of you." He knew his son's code of honour and affection for Erin. "No vampire would ever take advantage either."

Vlad lifted her chin, turning her to face him. "I told you it's not your fault. It doesn't change how I feel about you."

"I think you need to teach her about our culture more, tell her the options she has." They were still limited but she clearly would have more freedom as a vampire. "Tell her of her place in our society." Bertrand spoke to Vlad, he looked at Erin he didn't mean in the kitchen as her duties would be different being Queen to every other female vampire.

Ingrid gave Bertrand a strange look, almost as if she was proud of him for suggesting it. Vlad noticed the look and hid a small smile, he'd never seen his sister look like that at anyone not even Will. "I'll help." She offered.

Erin looked at Vlad with a hopeful expression on her face.

Vlad nodded slowly, he promised Erin he'd teach her. Right now he wanted the 'interrogation' back to its original subject. "But first we need to find the Hartleighs and decide what we're going to do with them."

They couldn't keep them all here forever.

Not that he had a clue what to do with them.

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

Thanks for reading.