Chapter Nine

Complications

Erin dared not look around. Ingrid made a beeline for the exit, but Vlad stopped her.

"Erin?!" A sheepish looking Erin turned to face Vlad.

"Vlad..."

"Don't. You lied to me. You lied to me again, Erin. You said you'd never slain a vampire, why did you lie to me?" His voice was menacingly calm.

"I never wanted to hurt you. Or anybody else, but I had to avenge-" Vlad stared at her wide eyed.

"Something else you're not telling me, Erin?" Gone was reasonable Vlad.

Ingrid slipped quietly away to find Jasper.

Vlad was stood statue like still, his arms were rigid, fists clenched.

"Before you.."

"You were in love with another vampire..-" Vlad unclenched his fists.

"-I know, I heard you tell the whole story to my sister.-"

"-You know what?-" Vlad spat.

"- Eat Garlic!"

"Vlad..."

"and!-"

Vlad seethed,

"-And he was the Love of your Life?"

Erin looked up at him.

"Yes..."

Vlad growled.

"Vlad, I thought he was dead! I thought I watched him die three years ago!"

Vlad was past caring for her reasons.

"Erin. Get out. For your own sake, just get out!"

"No."

Vlad spun around.

"No!?" Vlad punched the door, cursing as the splinters hit him.

"That's what I said."

Vlad could hardly see straight with rage.

"Erin..-"

He said, too calmly, "I said go!"

"No, and you know why? Because we are going to talk about this like adults, or is that to hard for The Chosen One?"

Erin knew she was pushing him, but she didn't care.

Vlad growled.

"You want to talk like adults, yet when the important stuff comes up, like me being second best, you don't tell me!"

Erin laughed.

"Oh, for goodness sake, get over yourself. Get over this. I had boyfriends before you and it just so happened one of them was a vampire!"

Erin struggled to keep her voice from raising.

"Vlad, I love you, I didn't tell you because he doesn't matter now I have you."

"See, so I am second best then!"

Erin's patience was wearing thin.

"Vlad, for goodness sake! I loved him, I didn't tell you because it's too painful for me to talk about! I was fourteen years old and I watched my boyfriend being murdered, or at the time I thought he was being murdered, anyway."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, he's obviously not dead!"

Erin couldn't hide the smile on her lips as she said those words.

"And how is that?"

"Because I'm here."

A new voice echoed around the walls.

Vlad's fangs dropped once again and he spun round to see his competition.

He crouched.

Then he lunged at the stranger.

"Who are you?-"

He asked, calmly.

"- And what the bat do you want?!"

Jasper, not at all shaken by his tone, spoke up.

"My name is Jasper Tyrone Fenwick, and I want Erin back."

Vlad laughed unkindly.

"Well, I'm afraid your mission was unsuccessful, she's my girlfriend now."

Erin stared in disbelief as they quarrelled over her like a slice of meat.

"Erin Franchesca Noble will always be the woman I love, no matter what, and I will do anything it takes to get her to talk to me again, I love you, Erin."

Erin couldn't help herself.

"I love you too, Jasp."

Vlad screamed with rage, causing Erin to jump.

"Vlad, I..."

Vlad looked at her venomously.

"What, Erin? I don't ever want-..."

Erin held her hand up.

"You don't want to see me again, okay, so I'll just go find a breather to bite then, shall I? I mean if you don't want me, to hell with your Peace Plan!"

Erin shuddered as she said those words. She would never, could never, bite a breather.

"Whoa...hold up, Erin, you're a vampire?!"

Jasper stared at her hungrily.

"I guess so, yeah."

He smiled at her and her heart melted into thousands of tiny droplets.

She just couldn't believe he was back!

"So, go on, the pair of you, get out."

Erin had momentarily forgot about Vlad being in the room.

"Vlad, shut up, I'm not going anywhere and neither is Jasp..."

Vlad spluttered with rage.

"If I ever see either of you again, I will dust you. That is a promise, believe me."

Erin laughed coldly and began to walk out of the room.

Then a thought hit her. She ran and jumped into Jasper's arms and kissed him on the cheek.

Vlad stared at them both in anger and disbelief.

"Don't do that!"

Jasper leaned in so close to Vlad, Erin thought he was going to hug him.

"Erin will always love me more than she loves you, I will always be her One True Love, Vladimir Dracula, so don't you forget that!"

He grabbed Erin and whipped out of the room.

Vlad stared at the dust storm he'd caused.

A silent tear slid down his cheek and splashed onto the floor.