A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Slightly later than usual, I've sprained my wrist today (someone decided to leave something in the hall and I tripped over it, landing on my wrist awkwardly) so typing has been very painful.

Chapter 11: Self-Doubt

Vlad didn't have a clue what to do. Sethius wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. He leaned against the wall, his head tilted up towards the ceiling; his arms were folded over his chest.

Erin stood next to him, mirroring his position. The Count lounged in his chair, while Bertrand and Ingrid sat on the sofa shifting uncomfortably in the tense atmosphere in the room.

Ingrid folded her arms and looked at her brother. "So what are you going to do?"

Vlad looked up at her through lidded eyes. "Dust him."

"And you did such good job last time." Ingrid told him.

The Count looked up at her, "He was dead until your vampire resurrected him." He stopped, pausing tapping his finger against his chin. "That reminds me," He began as if reminiscing, "What for the love of garlic did you think you were doing?" The Count roared at his eldest child. Ingrid looked defiant pretending to ignore the question.

"I didn't know he was going to bring him back!"

Ryan cowered in the corner of the room, terrified by his mistress' attitude and anger. That was the problem with half fangs they would do anything to please their creators without thinking the consequences through. It was in their nature – they couldn't be entirely blamed but it didn't stop him from having to shoulder the blame.

Vlad's voice was quiet, as he wanted to know why his sister wanted to go against him. "Why?"

"How long before you made Erin Queen?" Ingrid burst out.

Vlad's face scrunched, "Queen?" How on earth had Ingrid made the leap from girlfriend to Queen?

"Before you gave her the power you promised me?"

"I said you would be my number two." Vlad snapped at her, "I never make my promises lightly."

Ingrid stepped back, she didn't think about how much Vlad kept to his word. "I'm sorry Vlad," She shouldn't have doubted him, he'd saved her because he cared, he'd offered her power because he cared and she'd thrown it back in his face.

Vlad shook his head why did everyone have to betray him? Everyone he'd ever known had betrayed him. He didn't know who he could trust anymore, it was a fuzzy line.

Bertrand was nervous as he spoke, Vlad had never known his tutor to be nervous but there was always a first time for everything. "You need to tell Ramanga."

"Good then you can tell that bat's breath that you are sharing your power with me." The Count told his son firmly. He gave his daughter a triumphant smirk.

"I'm not sharing my power with a power hungry vampire."

Usually his slur would be a compliment, but his father's face darkened as a snarl overtook his lips.

"I thought," The Count's voice deepened, "You didn't want it."

Vlad decided it wasn't worth beating around the bush; he was going to come out and say it no matter whose 'feelings' were hurt. "I don't, but its not like I can trust any of you with it."

The Count stepped back at his son's honest answer, "You promised me…"

Vlad relinquished his control for just a fraction of a second. His eyes darkened as his evil took over taking advantage of his negative feelings and playing on them until he gave in. "What choice did I have when I was tied to a chair with garlic on a pitchfork ready to plunge into my chest."

The Count winced as he remembered the garlic burning into his flesh, Vlad's retribution for that incident.

"Vlad!" Erin spoke sharply, trying in vain to calm the young vampire down before he did something he'd regret.

Vlad's head snapped towards her, a feral growl on his lips, "This doesn't concern you breather!"

Hurt flickered across her face at Vlad's outburst. Erin stepped backwards trying to get out of the angry vampire's way, this wasn't the Vlad she knew and trusted. This was 'him'.

The sight of her shock and horror made him regain control of himself. He forced his fangs back into his mouth and moved towards her. He felt the darkness ebb back into his min, he promised himself not to let it out around her again. Erin seemed unsure of him and that was what hurt him, he didn't want her to fear him. His eyes softened as they pleaded with her.

Erin saw Vlad revert back to his normal self. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to work out whether it was a trick or not. She knew how he felt; he was hating himself inside all over again, hating what he was and how everyone hungered after his power, bullied him into decisions.

Vlad realised then he couldn't do this at all. He wanted them to be a family; just for once he wanted a family who actually loved each other.

If he couldn't even get his family to get along and think of anything other that power, how could he lead a nation?

He closed his eyes before anyone saw the emotions in them, before anyone could ask him anything he sped from the room.

The second Vlad had left Erin spun around to look at the family, "We have Sethius to deal with and all your doing is fighting over Vlad's power!" She yelled at them, she knew they could drain her for speaking out if they wanted to but this needed to be said. "Do you want to know why Vlad hates himself so much?" They all stared at her unsure whether they wanted to know. "Because none of you have ever given him a reason to accept what he is."

The family remained quiet at her outburst, she had shocked them into silence and they had to admit that she was right.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Vlad leaned against the wall before dropping his head down into his hands. His eyes burned as he fought to keep his emotions in check. He pressed his palms into his eyes trying his hardest to keep the wetness from falling.

They all wanted him to fail. He wasn't the person to do this, he couldn't lead them the way the vampires wanted him to lead them. Sethius was out there in the first place because he had to open that stupid book.

Why couldn't his family make it easier on him? Why did they always have to fight between themselves and make things harder for him? All he wanted was for them to get along and still they stabbed him in the back. As far as scoring went this latest 'hitch' was a ten out of ten if not a twelve or thirteen out of ten.

Erin watched from the doorway of the mirror room, Vlad obviously didn't want anyone to find him by hiding in here. She gave a half smile as he ran his hands through his hair ruffling it, the light glinting off the face of his watch.

She knocked on the door lightly and his eyes snapped to hers. She could see them glistening in the light, black and puffy. None had fallen down his cheeks to her relief.

She walked across the room until she slumped down next to him. Vlad didn't talk he just stared at the mirror in front of them; Erin followed his gaze only seeing herself in the mirror.

"Do you miss it?" She asked him quietly. He gave her a questioning look, and Erin gestured towards the mirror.

"Sometimes." He told her softly, he didn't give it much thought. It didn't do to dwell on what had been ripped from him. "I can't lead them." He whispered quietly.

"You can." She answered taking his hand in hers.

"If they want the power they can have it."

Erin shook her head, "You don't mean that."

"All I ever wanted was to be normal. They don't think I can do it so they might as well have it." His dreams of a normal life were gone the moment he was announced the Chosen One.

Erin gently turned his cheek towards her, she traced her fingers along it. "You're the only one who can stop him." She had faith in him; she knew what he was capable of, she only wished he would believe it himself.

"It's my fault he's here in the first place."

"Vlad," She shook her head, he couldn't carry the weight on his shoulders by himself. No one else seemed to want to share it with him. "If they had more slayers blood they would have release him first, besides Bertrand and your father were always pushing you to open it."

"I should've known better than to do it."

"No one knew what it was." She told him. "I though it was a cure for Ryan, I encouraged you Vlad, some of this is my fault too. It was my blood that opened the page…"

"And that's what makes you so desirable to him." Vlad told her sadly, "He had a taste of your blood and now he wants more."

Erin kissed his cheek softly, "I can look after myself." She wanted to reassure him she was fine, that nothing would happen to her. She wanted one more thing off his mind.

"I want to protect you." He told her fiercely, it's all he cared about now. His destiny didn't matter as long as everyone had it mapped out for him, he only cared about the one person who knew him better than anyone.

"I know." She whispered. Vlad lifted his arm to wrap around her shoulders. "Vlad you're the only one who can rule them, you care about everyone, you're fair and you know right from wrong. You did it last time."

Erin leaned into him, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder, "I thought I was ready."

"You are ready, just trust yourself." Erin tipped her head to look up at him. Vlad shrugged, Erin smiled she knew it meant he'd have a go. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

Erin always had confidence in him, especially when he didn't feel it himself.

As long as he had Erin on his side he believed he might just do it.

TBC

A/N: Thanks for reading.