I have tea, a huge pile of sweets and some fanfiction to write, lets do this!
-YD-
"Ow!" Vlad knew Ingrid was asleep, not actually trying to set him alight but that didn't stop it being a painful return to consciousness. Ingrid growled in frustration, upset with herself - it had been a few days now since she had attacked him in her sleep. She wouldn't answer when he asked if that meant a nightmare or not though. "Better me than the wooden box we sleep in though, right?" Ingrid smiled a little, and Vlad was more than happy to forgive her when she kissed him in apology. It was hesitant and Ingrid occasionally got a little shaky if she overestimated her limits, but Vlad was careful not to lose himself in her soft lips. "No real harm done. Except to my wardrobe. If I didn't know better I would say its all a plot of yours to destroy my colourful clothes." The t-shirt he stripped off was dark green, and didn't really fit him anymore but Ingrid still hated colour.
"Yep, you got me." Ingrid eyed the mark on his chest, and Vlad made himself hold still as her hand traced around it. It stung, but after a particularly bad day when Ingrid had lashed out and cracked his rib, Vlad had a new appreciation for pain tolerance. "Don't apologise, this isn't your fault." She was getting better at meeting his eyes, and Vlad wondered if the emotional revelation was there in his face - he hadn't come out and said it, but that didn't mean Ingrid didn't know. It wasn't important though, as long as Ingrid felt safer with him he would do his best to deserve that. "Go shower, you smell like smoke." Smiling down at Ingrid, Vlad nodded and picked up clean clothes for the night. The water stung a little, but it was worth Ingrid sleeping next to him by far.
"So, how did Neil Lechuska - garlic that is a stupid name for a vampire - take the dimidius choice chat?" "I think it was a little overwhelming, he's had his whole life changed in all of a week and now he only has six months to decide if he wants it to stay that way. Still, he transformed fine, and he likes the castle well enough. Plus he has a sister moving in tomorrow." Lily West was a lot like Ingrid, fiery temper and dark attitude, sixteen and absolutely thrilled to find out she could become a vampire. She also had been in trouble for arson - Vlad's hunch on criminal records was turning out to be fruitful. And the fact the first two transforming dimidius teens were criminals had actually been a plus to some of the VHC members. Vlad was expected to explain himself - for Adam, for cancelling the networking weekend, the last two council meetings and just dropping in and out with two dimidius vampires. But he had a few days - the next meeting.
Ingrid left him to shower herself, buttoning her shirt as she left the bathroom and smirking when she caught Vlad looking. "Careful, you're drooling." Vlad grinned back, stepping closer to her. "Can you blame me?" There was a flicker of doubt on her face that would never have been there before, but then Ingrid shone through as she hit him with a look that could have floored ten men. "No, it is me after all." Forcing his eyes to stay up on her face in spite of her still-open shirt, Vlad kissed her gently and moved over to his desk to check all his reports were in order and finished. "Are you coming to this meeting? I'll make your excuses if you aren't up to it, and Roque will sit between you and Vaskow so the table isn't one short." Ingrid sat filing her nails while she waited for him, contemplating his question. "I'm going. I worked to get on the council, he's not taking that from me." Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Vlad brushed a kiss over her temple. "I'm proud of you. And I'll appreciate the view too, I don't think the others are my type." Ingrid nudged him off her, but she was still smiling.
"I don't think anyone has ever said that to me before." "That I'm proud of you? I have been since we were kids. No matter how many people try to slow you down, make you feel less important, you have never let them. Plus you've always kept me on my toes, I wouldn't have gotten this far without you. I mean, who got me through the early days at council? You." The smile on Ingrid's face could have lit up the room, blinding in it's intensity as she kissed him again. "Alright, enough of the gooey stuff before you break into 'somewhere over the rainbow'." Vlad smiled back, pressing a kiss against her hair and holding the door open for her. Ingrid rolled her eyes but walked through it, beckoning him to follow her. Wolfie could clearly detect the change in Ingrid today, staring up at her with his big eyes and asking for a hug. He was still careful not to hold her too tightly, and Ingrid didn't look shaken when he ambled off with his teddy to find Adam.
"Better?" "Maybe." Vlad made their breakfast, leaving Adam's and Wolfies out for them to find and smiled when Ingrid completely flattened him at chess for a couple of hours. "Vlad! Vlad! Adam won't wake up!" Wolfie dashed into the room, whining in his throat as he did when he was anxious. "Stay with Wolfie, I won't be long." Vlad jumped up to Adam's room, and was immediately a little relieved to hear his heartbeat, hear him breathing. There was saliva on his cheek, where Wolfie had apparently tried to lick him awake. This reminded him of his dreamworld trip, when Robin had to slap him awake when pinching, shouting and shaking hadn't worked. Mentally apologising to his vrother, Vlad slapped him. Adam jerked awake, looking around in confusion. "Did you hit me?" He rubbed his cheek, grimacing at the sticky mess there. "Wolfie licked you to try and wake you, you've been unrousable for the last two hours. Sorry I had to slap you out of it, I was worried."
Adam nodded, climbing out of his coffin and heading to his bathroom. "If Wolfie hasn't eaten it, breakfast should be in the kitchen." "Thanks, I'll be down soon." Vlad wondered if the boy would drop again, then figured he would notice Adam didn't come down again and returned to Ingrid and Wolfie. "He ok?" "Seems to be having my sleep issues, only a couple of weeks to go. Final hurdles really. Wolfie, please don't eat the chess pieces." The knight fell from his mouth, rattling as it rolled on the floor. "Sorry Vlad." "Its ok, just don't do it again." "I promise!" Wolfie scrambled off, apparently worried he would get in more trouble if he stayed. He heard Adam greet Wolfie, and relaxed now Adam was awake and up and about. "You thinking dreamworld?" "Not sure, I haven't been to the dreamworld since I had those dreams about the chosen one. Have you ever been?" He could have staked himself for bringing up Ingrid's dreams, but the words were out now.
"No. I kind of assumed it just meant there was something wrong with me." "You should have asked, I wonder if the dream world was where whoever 'chose' me was looking. And once it found me, the dreamworld didn't need to weed out frauds anymore. I meant to look into it, but I haven't had the time." Ingrid raised an eyebrow at him, then her face shifted to pensive. "That's actually not a bad theory. Two does not make a fact though." "Well I know dad has normal, human dreams and nightmares, that one about mum staking him, more than one about Miss McCauley. I had... You know, teenage boy dreams. Even after my dance with the blood mirror." If vampires could blush, Vlad would be crimson as Ingrid stared at him, amusement clear in her face. "Gross." "Your fault." Vlad tried to be less casual about the apparent relationship he and Ingrid were edging into, but the filter between his brain and mouth was firmly on the side of his brain wanting to know if Ingrid was just using him to test her recovery or not, meaning things he knew he shouldn't say escaped.
"Oh really?" "Yes, and I am never bringing it up.. No, never mentioning it again!" Ingrid's smirk had only grown wider at the double entendre of his words, and Vlad felt more than a little embarrassed. He was mercifully saved by Adam and Wolfie appearing, and kept his mind on talking to Adam about his dreams. "Kind of weird, loads of my school friends were trying to slay me. Then it would shift to normal stuff you know, stuff that makes no sense except in Harry Potter or something." "Harry who?" Adam looked scandalized by Wolfie, looking to Vlad and Ingrid for help. "I'm with him, who's Harry Potter?" "I cannot believe my ears! You need to get a TV, and a boxset of the dvds. How have you never heard of Harry Potter!" Chuckling at the animated half-ling, Vlad clicked his fingers at his brother. "Adam, the dreams?" "Right, right. Yeah, then they would go back to slayers and stuff. I don't know why I wouldn't wake up." "Best guess is not everyone gets the same symptoms of impending vampirism. Just be prepared to get slapped awake, and if anything hurts you or says weird things to you, make sure you tell us. Not long to go now."
"Great, like my teeth don't hurt enough." A nearby glass shattered as Adam scowled, and Ingrid only jumped a little. "Sorry, I think my short temper is coming in loud and clear. I'm going to go chew on some ice, maybe some poor dead animal in the fridge too." "Me too!" Wolfie adored Adam, possibly because they were both illegal half breeds before Vlad happened and there was a degree of uncertainty to their futures. As soon as they were alone again, Vlad cautiously approached Ingrid. "You alright?" "It's easing a little, I'm still jumpy but I don't feel as sick and scared and trapped every minute of every night now." She let him hug her, and he wasn't sure who he was trying to comfort but it seemed to work, Ingrid didn't even tense in his arms this time. "I can't possibly understand how tough this is for you, but you're amazing, you'll get there." Ingrid nodded, only tensing a little when his hands slid down her back as they separated.
There were only a few bad wake ups by the time they had to leave for Council, heading there early so Ingrid could settle back in before the others appeared, Vlad and Roque protecting her. "Are you two going to be ok?" Adam's temper flared randomly, Vlad didn't actually think he would hurt the little boy but he wanted to check Wolfie would feel safe. "Yeah, if it gets bad Wolfie knows to gas me and hide." Wolfie held up his garlic gas cannister, then hugged Ingrid and wished them luck. "We'll be fine, promise." "I will keep watch Master Vlad." "Thank you Zoltan." They had to leave now if they wanted to be early, and Ingrid really wanted to be early. "Got my reports, got my charming fiance" Ingrid slapped the back of his head "see, charming. Lets go." Worrying about everyone was exhausting, but surrounded by this little slice of family Vlad knew it was worth it. It felt strange to be heading to a meeting, but Ingrid took his hand as they walked in and it felt right.
"Miss Dracula. Your Grandness. Glad to see you both back here." "Thank you Hack. I'll see you soon I'm sure." Given that Hack was coming to the meeting, that was a given. Roque was waiting for them, holding out Vlad's staff and a dust urn. "Is this him?" "I thought you would prefer to dispose of him yourself." "Thanks Roque. Would you mind filling a gap, at least until I can arrange nominations for a new member?" Roque saw where Vlad was indicating he should sit, and called Father Tollund in to act in his stead as room security so he could take the spot. Placing the urn in front of him, Vlad stayed standing as he waited. There was a murmur between the four other men as they entered the room, and Vlad let Ingrid keep a tight grip on his hand as they walked behind her. "I must say, Morgan looks surprisingly like Roqueloire." Jacob had a somewhat malicious smirk on his face as he looked at Roque stood next to Ingrid.
Once the other members were in, Vlad held up the urn. "You'll all know I cancelled the remainder of the networking weekend, and the last two meetings. Morgan made the mistake of attacking my fiance, and he paid the price. Roque is acting as a temp until you each nominate a new member, and they had better be good ones. I gave some leeway while I got a hold on procedure, but I am not a pushover and now you know I will not stand for anything less than top standards and loyalty." The four others looked at Ingrid, until Vlad hissed to get their attention. "As for the other matter - my brother at the Hunt Ball. He's a dimidius, found after the law changes as proved by the dated report in front of you from the slayers guild. I know the new laws only protect a one time mistake, and that includes my own father, unless you all decide to pass the lie detector on having sex with humans? No. Good. Lets begin."
Vaskow was not happy to have been moved down a spot to fill Morgan's chair, and Vlad made a mental note to ask Ingrid whether she would prefer Hack or Jacob be moved next to her when they appointed a new permanent member. Three weeks since their last meeting, there wasn't actually a lot to go through - the cease fire was working, blood supply good, the dimdius to-find list was slowly shrinking down and Morgan was dust - that was still good news. "How are the two new Lecushka teens settling in?" "Well, considering how much of a shock it was and how traumatic it must be to be untransformed. The slayers are even happy the transformation has calmed them down, I think it's overall a big boost to the treaty." Vaskow audibly grumbled in complaint, so Vlad decided to make an example of him. Holding his hand out, Vaskow was pinned up in the corner of the ceiling, grunting in pain. "What was that you had to say? This is all about collaborating after all."
"Nothing your Grandness." The vampire choked out, so Vlad snapped his fingers to drop him to the ground heavily. "Good. If there's nothing else, I would like to get my fiance back to recuperating. Adjourned." Vlad pulled Ingrid into his hold as the others left, handing his staff off to Roque and thanking him again. "Anytime sir." "Roque, you've gone above and beyond. When it's just us, it's Vlad. "Of course si... Vlad." Roque left, taking Tollund with him and Ingrid finally relaxed. "You did amazingly, I'm so proud of you. Home?" "Yeah, I don't like being here still." Ingrid's honesty with her feelings had come along miles, though Vlad didn't dare hope that would be permanent as Ingrid slowly beat her demons. Lacing their fingers together, Vlad led Ingrid along to the outside. Flying back home, he was relieved to find the castle still standing, and Adam quietly playing board games with Wolfie. "How was it?" "Vlad got all fear me I'm the chosen one on them, couple of them nearly spilled their drinks but only one was stupid enough to make a comment, and soon learned the error of his ways."
Pulling the dust urn from his backpack and handing it to Ingrid, Vlad shrugged. "It probably helped that we started with Morgan's dust. Burn it, toss it in a garlic pit, whatever you want Ingrid." She stood looking at it for a moment, then hurled it into the fireplace where it shattered and flared as the dust burned. "Bastard." "Never repeat that word Wolfie." Vlad heard Adam forbid Wolfie from swearing, but his eyes were on Ingrid who was staring into the sparks of burning dust. Approaching her slowly, Vlad reached for her hand. "He's gone, he can't ever hurt you again." She didn't push him away, but she didn't say anything either, just sat heavily on the sofa and swallowed down blood. When the bottle was empty it went smashing into the fireplace too, and Vlad barely blinked before Ingrid had let go of his hand and flitted away. "Stay here guys." Adam nodded and grabbed Wolfie, and it was a testament to his trust in Adam right now that Vlad didn't worry about leaving them as he chased after Ingrid.
She was in their room, and she wasn't asleep this time as she tried to flame him. Drawing in a deep breath, Vlad closed the door behind him. "Talk to me." "Go away!" Normally, Vlad would give her space but this was different. "Not until you talk to me. I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, may as well save us the trip and talk." He didn't get too close, Ingrid looked angry, and terrified. "Ingrid, please?" She started shaking, but Vlad made himself keep his distance, let her come to him. "I'm so sick of feeling this way. I want to be me again. I want to be mad at you for not noticing I was gone, not desperate to be near you to feel safe." Guilt shot through Vlad, knowing he thought the same - if only he had been faster. "I know. I'm sorry. I will never forgive myself for not seeing you were gone in time." "Is that why you do this? Put up with me hurting you in my sleep, the nightmares, the need, the fact I can barely let you touch me?" Shaking his head, Vlad felt tears rise at the idea he protected Ingrid out of guilt. "No! Do you really think that little of me? Yes, I feel guilty, but that isn't why I want to be with you."
Ingrid didn't look convinced, anger clear on her face still and body still shaking. "Come on, you know I wanted you before this happened. You didn't know what I wanted more than anything was for you to stop looking at me like what we did was wrong, to wake up and not find you gone. I have that now, but I would give it up in a breathers heartbeat if it meant you didn't have to go through what you did." Her anger was lessening, but Ingrid still looked terrified. Swiping the tears that spilled over his cheeks, Vlad sat down in their coffin. "Why?" "Why what? Why do I want you? Why would I give up what I wanted if it would take that fear out of your eyes? There's a lot of questions here." "Both." Vlad didn't see the point in lying, not when he wanted her to believe him. "Because I love you. And I don't mean I love you because your my sister, I mean the whole my heart tries to beat again when you smile at me, I will spend the rest of eternity getting fireballs in my sleep to stay next to you, would lay down my life in a second to protect you way." She looked at him in disbelief, making him feel tiny and vulnerable as she towered over his seated position.
"I... What?" "You heard me the first time. When I suggested this bloody engagement I just wanted us both to have the freedom to make our own choice, and for us to be close like we were saving each others necks from Elisabetta. Then you kissed me that first time to annoy dad, and it threw me. I tried to tell myself I just needed to get laid, I was just hard up from it being a while since Erin, but by our crypt warming party I was losing my mind. And then you... And we. And then you looked at me like I had done something awful, and I hated myself. And then you came back. And again and again. I just told myself I had to let you make the rules, and I told myself it was just physical. Amazing, perfect, but only physical. Then you got hurt, and you needed me and nothing else mattered. It was Adam who made me see it, he saw it first when I was watching you sleep. It was like seeing the world anew, and now all I want is for you to be happy, to make you feel safe and protected. I love you."
"Whoa, backtrack. Adam saw it?" "Yeah. I denied it, obviously but he basically gave me his blessing, said I was good for you and it 'doesn't freak him out nearly as much as when he first heard it'. We never even told Wolfie it wasn't for real, he's never so much as brought it up." Ingrid slowly moved to sit next to him, and Vlad kept himself still so she wouldn't get spooked. "I don't know that I can be what you want." "Let me be the judge of that? I'm not saying we should get married tomorrow. We still have four and a half years almost, I'm just asking you to give me a chance." Ingrid met his eyes, and she didn't look horrified nor was she bolting. "Come on, it's not like I'm proposing. I did that already." That won him a slap to the back of his head, but Ingrid tentatively nodded. "Ok. A chance." "That's all I'm asking. May I be permitted to hold miladys hand? See, I can even talk like I'm courting you old style." "Thirty seconds and I'm already regretting it." The words were in jest, but the sparkle in her eyes was pure Ingrid.
"You wound me." Vlad clutched his chest and fell back dramatically, getting the desired effect when Ingrid chuckled even as she rolled her eyes. "Idiot." "Yeah, well now I'm your idiot." Ingrid yanked him back to a seated position by the collar of his shirt, and Vlad could have melted there and then when she kissed him. "Oh good garlic, you're going to be even gooier than ever aren't you?" "I shall attempt not to be since I know it makes you want to stake me a little bit. No promises though. Are you alright to go back down now? Only I think Wolfie might try to gnaw his way out of Adam's restraining hold if he doesn't know you're alright soon." She thought about it for a moment before nodding, letting him hold her hand and it had a whole new meaning for Vlad now. "I'm still not... I'm not magically better now, you know that right?" "I don't care if it takes six months or six hundred years - though I hope you don't suffer because of him for that long - for you to be 'better', I will settle for the hand holding and sleeping." "See, gooey already. Shut up and lead the way."
Vlad didn't have to say anything for Adam to notice the new dynamic, and Wolfie was just happy Ingrid was alright. "We were about to give up waiting for you two, late lunch it is." Adam's temper was almost directly linked to his appetite lately - if he was hungry, he was grumpy. "Here, have a bat biscuit while you wait." His brother got no chance to argue as Vlad shoved the bat shaped biscuit in his mouth, and that naturally meant Wolfie wanted one too. "Here, now either help or go sit with Ingrid. Quietly." Wolfie pined a little, then sat chewing on the bat biscuit while Vlad made food. Ingrid let him hold her as they reclined in the living room for the rest of the night, and when Wolfie shyly asked Ingrid to put him to bed for a change, she went with a smile. "Are you going to lie and say its not how I think it is again?"
Figuring Adam deserved the truth, since he lived here and had led Vlad to it, he answered honestly. "When you asked before, it wasn't like that. But we talked, and Ingrid said she's willing to give me a chance. Are you going to be ok with that?" "Had you asked me that when I first came here, I would have turned and ran. Now, I see it. I don't know, maybe sometimes there's an error and people who should be together get mixed up with siblings. I just... I never want the details. And never tell my mother." Chuckling and clapping his brother on the back, Vlad nodded. "I can do that. But there isn't much to tell. I'm a glorified pillow when she sleeps, and sometimes she holds my hand. That's basically all there is to it, I'm no magic cure for what happened. I hope torching Morgan's ashes helped though. Come on, coffin time." They headed up and parted ways at their bedroom doors, and Vlad felt stupidly giddy about the idea Ingrid was his contractual betrothed, his sister... His girlfriend? He wasn't sure that was the word, but it would have to do for now.
"Will you stop smiling like a vacant zombie? You'll give vampires a bad name." "Bite me, I will smile if I'm happy. And you're here. So I'm happy." The excitement began to make way for something else, and Vlad had to excuse himself to the bathroom for a 'shower' - dealing with his body so he wouldn't traumatize Ingrid. "I have never seen you move so fast, what was that about?" Vlad shrugged as he opted for another t-shirt that no longer really fit him, just in case Ingrid got fiery in her sleep. "No, really. Are you sick?" "No! I was... I had to take care of something." Ingrid stared at the bathroom door in confusion, then her eyes widened as realisation dawned. "Oh." sitting in the coffin next to her, Vlad felt a little over-scrutinized as her eyes were drawn downwards. "It's not going to bite you, I just didn't think either of us would sleep all that comfortably if I didn't deal with it." He could see the hesitation in her, and leaned over to kiss her gently. "I meant what I said before, I can wait as long as it takes. Don't apologise for not being ready, I understand. Now lay down, it's been a long night and unlike you, I need my beauty sleep." "Ok, I'm definitely staking you for the cheesy lines." "Harsh, I was only pointing out you don't need the help, I do." Ingrid finally settled against him, and he wasn't sure if he imagined her nuzzling into his chest a little more than usual. "Oh I don't know, you're alright looking. I guess. Maybe. Nah, you're right, go to sleep you need all the help you can get." Every insult made him smile - a reminder Ingrid would get through this, that she was still in there and coming back.
-YD-
my biggest flaw - I can never remember to stop writing day by day all the time. I will get moving on, I have things to be excited for!