A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

I'd like your opinion…

Would people like to see a mating ceremony or should I just leave them 'engaged'?

Chapter 14: A Day to Remember

Erin played with the wristlet around her wrist; she let out a small smile laughing slightly. She traced the Dracula crest on her wrist, she never thought she'd love something like this so much.

They'd parted after midnight in an effort to get some sleep although she doubted she could get any sleep she was so ecstatic at what had happened.

She never thought she'd ever get married let alone have a boyfriend. She had to correct herself; 'mated' not 'married' although to her it was almost the same thing.

"What's funny?" Vlad asked her, dropping a kiss to her throat. Erin turned slowly, revealing the knee length, plain blue dress to him, she wore a matching cardigan. He wasn't used to seeing her in anything but trousers, he could only remember seeing her in a dress twice before – and both times weren't exactly memorable for the right reasons.

"Nothing, just thinking about us." She beamed at him, she felt giddy inside. "Happy Birthday."

He rolled his eyes and she shook her head. She knew he'd been dreading today.

"Are we going to tell them?" She asked him quietly, reaching for his wrist and feeling the wristlet under his charcoal shirt.

"Do you want to?" He asked her, in truth he didn't want to give them too much information, the Council coming was bad enough as it was.

"I don't want it to slip to the Council." She admitted, "They're already going to be tough on you." She chanced a look at him, "I'm not saying keeping it a secret forever. You're not angry are you?" She didn't want him to think she was changing her mind about them.

Vlad kissed her quickly. "No. I feel the same." She felt herself relax, she didn't realised she'd tensed. "Lets get this over with."

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The throne room had been completely redecorated to mark his 18th birthday – in the wonderful colours of black and red.

Black balloons were pinned to the walls; the table was covered in a red cloth with various (edible) looking treats over it.

Renfield handed him a goblet of blood. Vlad cautiously sniffed it double-checking it hadn't been switched with human blood, as far as he could tell it was soy. He sipped it, relieved to find out it was. Renfield had been severely punished over that last time.

"Happy Birthday Vladdy." The Count's voice echoed from behind him, making him jump and nearly drop his goblet. Erin hid a smile behind her hand; at least Bertrand hadn't seen it he'd give Vlad a right ticking off for letting himself be surprised.

The Count sat himself down on his throne, Wolfie ran in giving Erin a quick hug before hugging Vlad and sitting at the table; automatically grabbing a chocolate cake and stuffing it into his mouth.

"Happy Birthday Vlad." Bertrand and Ingrid spoke at the same time from the doorway before glaring at each other. Erin bit her tongue as she and Vlad shared a knowing look.

"Shut up, Vlad." His sister told him as she pushed past him seating herself at the table.

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Wolfie had given him a new watch as a present. He looked at Renfield who nodded; obviously it had been a joint present. Since defeating Sethius the first time Renfield and Wolfie were getting along more and more.

Bertrand had given him a new set of vampire law books along with a book to make notes of any new ones or ones he wanted to change. He should have known Bertrand wouldn't let him forget any of his training – still he appreciated them.

Ingrid had given him a bottle of blood as a joke before producing his true present. She'd bought him a matching pair of silver goblets with the Dracula symbol on – she made him promise them not to use them until he and Erin had officially been declared mates. Ingrid had also bought him a new cloak; she knew he needed a spare one.

Erin held out a carefully wrapped present to him. Vlad took it from her looking interested at he mystery item.

"I hope you like it, I couldn't decide what to get you." She admitted quietly.

Vlad tore at the paper, curiosity getting the better of him. He carefully unwrapped the tissue paper surrounding the item.

He lifted the item from the box, he looked confused.

"It's a Dictaphone." She shrugged. "I thought you could record the Council meetings, keep a record of what you have and haven't agreed to."

A smile crossed his face. She knew he didn't trust the Council at all, this way he could prove to his kind what he had and hadn't passed.

"It'll be useful Vlad." Bertrand told his former student, impressed with Erin's idea. This way Vlad couldn't be backed into a corner.

"I also got you this…" She handed him another bag.

He reached into it feeling the familiar texture of leather. He withdrew the item slowly from the red paper bag. He felt the black silky lining. He slowly unfolded the gift.

Erin had bought him a plain leather jacket. He slipped it on. It fitted him perfectly. It was longer than his others, thigh length. It had a zip at the front, with a collar similar to his usual formal jacket. He did zipped it up completely.

Erin chewed her lip slightly; she knew Vlad hated being told what to wear. "Do you like it?"

She'd seen it and thought it would suit him perfectly, she knew how much his usual jacket annoyed him as it rode up so easily.

Vlad smiled, "I love it." He moved across and hugged her.

"My present now!" The Count interrupted clapping his hands. Vlad stepped away from Erin with a groan turning towards where his father as pointing.

Vlad gingerly walked over to the large red velvet covered crate. He had a bad feeling he knew what was inside.

Erin gave him a sympathetic look as she sensed his dread. Vlad pulled at the velvet revealing the crate. With a click of his fingers the crate opened, there was no straw padding inside so he could see straight away what his father had given him.

His first throne.

The throne remarkably was quite plain, there were no jewels and it wasn't made of gold like he feared. It was a thin throne, not a wide one like he'd feared. There was a small amount of red lining on the throne in order to make it more comfortable.

He studied it closely, above the back, carved into the wood and embossed in silver, were the crests of the Dracula clan and the original Draculesti clan badge. In the centre of the two crests was the official symbol of the Grand High Vampire – a carving of the bone crown of office this middle carving was embossed with pure gold.

"How come he gets a throne?" Ingrid asked outraged.

"Because he's the Grand High Vampire so he needs one!"

"You can have one too." Vlad told his sister, trying to appease her.

Ingrid wasn't sure what to say, she didn't really want one she was only saying it to make a point. A thought crossed her mind. "Will Erin get one?"

The Count stuttered slightly a million ways to start a sentence falling from his lips.

Bertrand hobbled forwards, "The day she mates with Vlad she'll get one."

Erin and Vlad shared an instinctive look, a smile crossing both of their faces. "What do you know?" Ingrid asked automatically.

"Nothing." They both answered with matching smiles.

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Erin tapped Vlad's chest lightly as he groaned at the sight of the Council striding through the doors. He finished fiddling with his collar, the stud kept coming undone.

Erin was wearing plan leather this time, she didn't have any decoration of any form on her jacket. She wasn't a fan of decoration Her jacket was square cut with laces at the front to hold it to her figure and long sleeves once more. She was wearing leather trousers and this time her boots were underneath them.

Vlad was wearing the new jacket Erin had given him underneath his cloak. He couldn't believe how much more comfortable it was than his usual formal wear. He was dressed in his usual formal leather trousers and boots. Erin squeezed his hand.

He slowly withdrew his hand from hers as he beckoned Renfield towards him – he knew what he had to do.

Vlad lifted the crown from the box Renfield held out to him. He did well to resist the urge to shudder as he touched the bones.

The Council members stood stiff as they watched him. Three members looked eager as if they hoped the crown would kill him, he'd had enough experience with this 'thing' to last him a lifetime.

Slowly Vlad lowered it onto his head, he felt the bones scrape against his head as he did so. He braced himself waiting for a rush of power like last time but was thankfully relieved not to feel anything.

The Council automatically looked at each other before dropping to their knees in front of him. He was officially their leader with that small action.

The Draculas followed suit, Bertrand struggled slightly to bend his knee. Ingrid held out a hand to him, helping him.

Erin and Ryan looked at each other confused before deciding they needed to follow the Council's example. Erin dropped to her knees in front of Vlad.

Vlad's expression changed suddenly, he didn't want this. Erin was to be his Queen and Ingrid was to be his number two. He didn't want them to bow to him.

Vlad rushed over to Erin. He took her chin and pulled her head up, "Don't bow to me." He pleaded. "Never bow to me."

Ingrid took a chance and looked across to her brother, she saw the glimmer of platinum on his right wrist where his jacket and rode up along his arms slightly as he touched Erin.

Erin raised her gaze to his, and nodded. He held out his hands, she grasped them as he pulled her up. He kissed her chastely, thanking her for listening.

"Ingrid get up." He told his sister, Ingrid looked at him in confusion. Vlad nodded and she did as she was told.

Erin looked up at him, smiling softly at the regal pose he struck.

"Don't look him in the eye when he's wearing that crown!" Yulis yelled at her. Erin immediately dropped her gaze.

Vlad head snapped to Yulis, but he didn't look angry instead he offered him a piece of future information. "Erin will look me in the eye and so will Ingrid. They won't bow to me because I don't want them to, the same goes for Dad and Bertrand."

"Bertrand isn't related to you either through mating, marriage or blood."

Vlad looked between his sister and Bertrand, Erin followed his gaze with a small smile. "Not yet."

Ingrid flashed him a warning look, Vlad knew he was safe she couldn't touch him – at least until the Council left.

He opened his mouth to say something but found himself being cut off…and not by anyone in the room.

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Vlad clutched his ears doubling over, his mouth opening in a silent scream.

Erin was immediately in front of him, she bent down tilting his chin up so she could look into his eyes. "What's wrong?" His family clustered around him, placing hands on either of his shoulders.

"Too…high." He ground out between his teeth, his legs buckled slightly forcing him to the ground.

"What's too high?"

Within seconds of her asking the other vampires in the room clutched their heads, screaming.

Erin and Ryan's senses weren't as sensitive as theirs.

The vampires around them fell to the floor, their legs buckling as the sound overpowered their senses. The Council lay sprawled, Huunter seemed to resist the effects longer than the others but he soon succumbed.

Bertrand managed to catch Ingrid before she landed awkwardly lowing her more gently to the ground as he succumbed to the sound, passing out.

A few seconds later she felt it. It was like her ears were on fire, her head pounded as it reacted to the continuous sound. She felt sick to her stomach. She watched as Ryan fell to the ground.

"ERIN!" Vlad yelled, but it came across muffled as if she had cotton in her ears.

Around the corner she saw figures emerge. The familiar figures of Jonno and Mina.

They smiled as they saw their victims lying on the floor unable to harm them.

Erin's eyes rolled into the back of her head as Jonno drew his stake, his eyes fixed on Vlad. She couldn't stop him from staking any of them.

Jonno smirked as he looked down at Vlad. "Not so powerful now, are you Vlad?" Vlad tried to force himself up but found his strength had left him, he collapsed down again. "You won't forget today, will you?"

The last thing Vlad saw before slipping into unconsciousness was Jonno turning slowly, trying to decide which vampire to slay first.

His sharp stake raised preparing to drive it into one of their chests.

He couldn't stop him.

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

Thanks for reading.