A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Sorry I had a senior moment (which is worrying for my age) I spent 30 minutes panicking thinking I lost chapter 10 when I haven't written it yet. It was chapter 9 I was after.

Chapter 8: Intent

Vlad roughly grabbed Chloe's arm, lifting her up slightly forcing her onto her tiptoes. His eyes never left hers, she seemed nervous at his sudden change in character. Vlad didn't let his fangs retract once – he didn't like being deceived.

Chloe swayed on her feet as she materialised in the throne room. Typically Robin was facing the other way so Vlad couldn't really check his reaction. Ingrid was the first to notice Vlad's fangs and the way Chloe didn't see phased by them, her reaction was instant, immediately she sped until she stood protectively in front of Erin and Wolfie.

Ingrid was the one who yelled at the top of her voice, "DAD! BERTRAND!"

Vlad let go of Chloe, forcing her to stumble backwards slightly. He knelt down in front of Erin, grasping her shoulder gently her shook her awake. Erin's eyes opened immediately, she fixed her gaze on his face and smiled at him. Vlad didn't return her smile.

Erin pushed herself up, her arms braced on the sofa, until she was sitting upright. "What's wrong?"

His controlled his voice, keeping it level, "Chloe remembers." Erin's gaze flew to the younger woman, "Wolfie sit next to Erin." He ordered his brother, Wolfie climbed onto the sofa linking his arm through Erin's.

"What's going on Vlad?" Robin finally asked, curious at his friend's sudden hostility towards Chloe.

A blur whizzed into the room, stopping in front of Vlad. Immediately Robin's eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped down in his seat.

"The mind wipe works on Robin." Ingrid commented bluntly with a smirk. She moved across preparing to wake him up. Knowing Ingrid it would probably be a slap.

Vlad shifted his eyes to look at his sister. "Leave him for now." Vlad told her, he didn't want Robin constantly fainting during the conversation. There was no telling how much damage could be caused to Robin's brain with the constant wipes and rebooting.

Ingrid nodded, moving away from him.

"He doesn't remember Vlad," Chloe spoke from behind him. "None of the family does."

Ingrid was suspicious, "But you do?"

Chloe offered them a small smile, "I never forgot."

"What are you doing here then?" Vlad snapped, he didn't want this. He didn't want to know he'd been torturing himself over losing his friends to find out at least one of them remembers.

Erin gave him a mental nudge before his temper went to far. Hers was all over the place but she chalked it up to his emotions not being under control.

Chloe looked up at him, she didn't understand why he was acting this way. "I wanted to see you again Vlad. We all missed you."

"I left for a reason, and you know why."

"I'm sorry Vlad…"

Vlad didn't want to hear it, he didn't like surprises. "For what? Hating a side of me I couldn't change, that last year you didn't even want to know me. I want to know why you decided to show up after four years?"

"Vlad you used to trust me, you haven't changed…" It didn't escape their notice that Chloe dodged the question.

"I'm a full vampire now Chloe, I'm the Chosen One, I'm married. I've changed." Chloe glanced at Erin, for the first time noticing the glimmer of silver next to her crest. A wedding ring.

Vlad expected a slight shudder at the word vampire but none came.

Chloe shook her head slightly, "Shouldn't you be asking me how I remember?"

Vlad half wanted to know, the other he wanted to kick her out and never see her again. He didn't want to get burned by her again.

"You never hypnotised me." Chloe told him with a shy smile, "I was the only one that was never affected. We both know why." Chloe gently took his hand, but Vlad stepped back. "Vampires can't hypnotise those they love." He shook his head, he never loved anyone before Erin of that he was sure. He knew what love felt like, and it definitely had never been love he felt for her.

Vlad played ignorant to her reason, "I can hypnotise Dad and Ingrid."

"Vlad, you know what I mean."

Erin looked at Vlad and Chloe, she really wasn't sure what to think. She could feel the confusion from Vlad. She reached out with her mind to comfort him.

"Chloe I loved you as a friend. I was 14 then," He spoke softly, "If you weren't hypnotised then I'm sorry you've had to keep this as a secret but…I honestly never loved you that way." He wasn't defending himself to Erin, he was defending his 14 year old self.

"Back then…"

Vlad had enough he clicked his fingers and she froze, awaiting his hypnotic suggestion.

It was as if he'd proved a point. His eyes flickered slightly, trying to decide what he wanted to say. He looked at Erin expecting to see hurt on her face but only found gentle understanding.

He instead decided to walk out of the room. Clicking his fingers behind him. Immediately Chloe burst into life.

Erin went to chase after him but Ingrid placed a hand on her shoulder, holding her on the sofa.

"I'll sort it, we might need his powers." She hissed at Chloe. Erin nodded, leaning back. She needed to focus her energy, if she needed to tap into his powers she had to relax.

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Vlad leaned against the brick archway columns. He missed the feeling of the sun on his skin; he missed the days when he used to be able to walk outside in the daylight. Somehow seeing the courtyard in the day seemed to calm him.

"Personally I don't think you loved her." Ingrid's voiced wafted towards him, a second before she appeared. Vlad's head dropped down in defeat.

He knew Ingrid wouldn't leave him willingly. "Leave me alone."

"I know what its like to love a breather, and you do too. If anything it was just a crush." It was unusual for Ingrid to actually be supportive. Ingrid was usually the observant one; if she hadn't noticed anything then she was probably right.

Vlad leaned his head back against the cool brickwork, "I want to know why she's here."

"You didn't buy that touching speech then?" She pouted slightly, tipping her head, "You're learning." Ingrid folded her arms across her chest.

Vlad knew he would have to discuss this with Ingrid, he couldn't discuss this with Erin, she didn't know the Branaghs – they did.

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Erin looked at Chloe giving her a smile, trying to look polite. Erin shifted slightly forgetting Wolfie was curled into her, Wolfie let out a whine in an apology she gently stroked his hair.

Chloe stared at her; "You're a vampire too then?" Erin didn't have the typical black hair of vampires.

"Yeah, a half fang." That explained the blonde hair. "What do you remember about Vlad back then?" She asked curiously. It would be nice to find out how her husband used to be.

Chloe smiled, "He was different, not so bitter." Erin knew Vlad was bitter, but over the last few months he'd grown less and less angry and more accepting of his life.

Erin knew she needed to defend Vlad's actions before Chloe called them into question, "Vlad hated mind wiping you all. It's hurt him mentally and physically." Chloe looked at her with interest but she wasn't going to give her any extra information until she was sure she could trust her.

Erin leaned forward slightly, in her seat.

When she spoke there was an air of superiority in her voice, as if she was proud of knowing something Erin didn't. "Vlad always knew his destiny back then," Chloe told her, "He knew he was the Chosen One." Erin grew confused, "He accepted being a vampire." Something really wasn't right. The Count's head snapped up, Bertrand tipped his head.

"He never tried to get out of it?"

Chloe shook her head, "Never."

Erin knew that was a lie, there had been the Hallowe'en Curse, the attempted smashing of the Blood Mirror, the Staff of Carpathia…to name a few.

"What about the Staff of Carpathia?"

Chloe furrowed her brow. "What Staff?" Erin gently reached out with her mind, Chloe wouldn't know anyway and brushed her mind against hers. Chloe was really confused at her question.

"Sorry I must be thinking of something else."

A silence covered the room, Erin looked at Bertrand and the Count. The Count was just as confused, the breather should have known about these things. He gave a nod towards Erin, she stood slowly ignoring the way of nausea at her stomach moving slightly.

"I'll go and see where he is." Chloe nodded, not noticing Bertrand moving closer to her.

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Vlad and Ingrid were deep in conversation when Erin found them. It had taken a few attempts as her speed seemed to be acting up, four times she'd ended up in the wrong place. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder making him jump. Vlad turned rapidly smiling as he saw her.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Chloe?" Ingrid asked, a slight snap in her voice. Ingrid hated being caught off guard.

Erin ignored her focusing on Vlad. "There's something wrong with Chloe." He shook his head, confused. She took it as a sign to continue. "She's convinced you always wanted to be a vampire."

Ingrid snorted, drawing an unamused look from Vlad, "He never missed a chance to get out of becoming one."

"Thanks for reminding me Ingrid."

"She doesn't even remember that Hallowe'en." Vlad frantically shook his head, trying to get Erin to stop talking. Ingrid noticed his actions. Her eyes narrowing.

"Why would a breather forget Hallowe'en?" She grabbed Vlad's collar bringing him closer, it was just like being 14 again. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." He told her unconvincingly,

"If I find out you did anything to stop me becoming a vampire goddess I swear I'll…do something." She gave up when she realised he'd be able to stop her in a heartbeat.

Vlad was the first one to speak after a few moments, "We can't hide out here all day, she's going to notice at some point." He held out his hand for Erin to take, Erin took it gladly. He pressed his forehead against hers. "I promise I don't love her." He felt guilty about her hearing Chloe's suggestion for why she could remember.

Erin pressed a lingering kiss to his lips, "Vlad you just hypnotised her, I think I worked it out." She laughed.

He smiled widely as she pulled back from him, she tipped her head before pulling him back to the throne room.

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"Why can't you trust me?" Chloe asked tears in her eyes, but Vlad wasn't going to buy it. Trust was earned; Chloe had lost his when she revealed his nature to her family the day he left Stokely.

Erin was the one who answered; she could feel the hurt Chloe was causing Vlad. "Because anyone who comes here tries to slay him!" Vlad kept his back turned, his eyes closed as he tried to focus. He knew Erin would cover for him. He went through her memories of four years ago, Erin was right.

"You passed his test!"

Ingrid was the one who answered with a smile, "Actually she came to slay me." Chloe did a double take, Erin tipped her head giving Ingrid and irritated glance. The truth was Ingrid was flattered, it showed someone did care enough to try and slay her.

Vlad gave off a sigh, "Lets start over." He turned towards Robin and clicked his fingers. Immediately the teenager woke up, he jumped up on his feet. Robin seemed embarrassed he'd 'fallen asleep'.

"What did I miss?"

"Nothing." Vlad told him, doing his best to plaster on a warm smile. He wasn't prepared to have both Branaghs remember just yet. He still didn't know anything about her intentions.

"So are you coming into town?" Robin looked outside the window at the dusk. He gave Erin a concerned look, he really wanted to get to know his friends 'fiancée'. "Fresh air might help."

Vlad gave Erin a nervous look, he didn't want to risk her taking a turn while they were out, "I'm feeling much better Vlad," She nodded with a tilt of her head, trying to convince him. He wasn't happy but he'd feel better knowing she was with him.

"Yeah, let us get changed and we'll meet you outside in ten."

Robin bounced slightly with excitement, "Great."

Vlad pulled Erin from the room; once they were far enough down the corridor he stopped and turned to face her. His head jerked in the direction of the room.

"You're right." He told her, Erin let out a groan she'd been hoping she was mistaken, "She remembers vampires but she doesn't remember anything about me."

TBC

A/N: Thanks for reading.