A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Can't wait for next Monday's ep. I'm really going to enjoy watching a whole hour of Young Dracula as it seems they're putting eps 12 & 13 together as an hour instead of the last one on its own.

Chapter 21: Reactions

"Yes." Erin answered her head held high, she wasn't ashamed to admit it. Jonno and the slayers moved away from the table, pushing their chairs back. No one seemed to notice the high-pitched whine of the chair legs on the floor, they were all too interested in the argument that was about to take place.

She might as well get all the 'bad news' out of the way in one go. Erin lifted a hand to her collar, in a tugging motion she pulled it down exposing her neck to everyone around the table.

Vlad closed his eyes, flinching at the sight of the transformation scar. Vlad jumped up, banging his knees on the table and immediately covered it up, pulling the material from her firm grasp. It wasn't a mark of pride. Erin saw the anger at her actions; in that moment all she wanted to do was prove something to her parents she hadn't considered how it would affect him.

"Sorry." She whispered, pressing her forehead against his. He pulled back, tucking her crest into her plaid shirt, before gently tracing his hand up towards her neck stroking the scar there.

"Just warn me next time." He offered as his own apology, he'd overreacted.

Erin reached up and stroked the hair behind his ear, "Agreed."

Everyone in the room watched the exchange in complete silence, unsure how the situation was going to go down. While the slayers and the vampires had an uneasy understanding how the Nobles would react to the knowledge of their daughter turning was beyond them – at least they didn't know about Ryan yet.

"Does this mean I win?" A voice asked from behind Erin, Vlad chuckled and bent down to his younger brother.

"Yes Wolfie, you win." Wolfie let out a cheer before running back to his seat and sat down looking ever so smug at the adults surrounding him. "You'd better go shopping." He whispered to his wife, Erin blinked at him at least she only had to buy paper for him, although she'd buy him some crayons as well.

"A vampire? I thought you were vegetarian?" Her father roared, "I don't know about you Dianne but I can't see how it can get any worse?" He flung his arms around, narrowly missing Erin and Vlad. "We brought you up to slay them not marry them!" Vlad pushed Erin behind him in a protective gesture, drawing the taller man's gaze. There was no point in hiding anymore, although he kept his fangs securely in check, which was more than could be said for Erin.

Erin stood up and snarled at Steven who was taken aback at his daughter having fangs, he'd been hoping deep down she was playing a joke on them.

"Erin Elizabeth Noble…" The full name was used to scold her.

"Dracula." Vlad corrected automatically.

"What?"

Vlad couldn't be bothered keeping his fangs in check now. "She's now Erin Elizabeth Dracula."

Dianne remained seated, her legs not supporting her weight at all; the new information had left her speechless. "You don't do anything easily do you?" She eventually snapped at her daughter, "You don't settle down with a normal slayer boy and have a nice family do you? No you have to marry into the Dracula family, do you know how much shame you've brought on our family? All I can hope is that it was a way to slay the Chosen One." Erin shared a glance with Vlad, they didn't know who Vlad was. "Although you're probably hypnotised."

"Vampires can't hypnotise the ones they love." Everyone around the table said together.

"I can't see any other reason my daughter would chose to become a monster…" Vlad winced

"Your daughter chose to marry my son so he could take his place as the leader of our kind. She is his Queen."

Vlad and Erin, along with the slayers on the table really didn't want the Nobles to know that piece of information.

Bertrand chose that moment to interrupt deciding to play mediator to them all. "Maybe we should all sleep on it. I think everyone has had enough of a shock today." Everyone seemed to consider his suggestion, nodding in agreement. The slayers could keep an eye on the Nobles and through observation try to predict any moves they might make.

Steve and Dianne didn't seem thrilled at the idea, but considering they found out who their daughter was now married to they could perhaps find a way to deal with the situation more reasonably.

"Fine but I don't want that…vampire sleeping anywhere near my daughter."

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Erin clicked open the coffin, she couldn't sleep on her own anymore. She half expected to see one of her parents maintaining a vigil inside the room. In an instant Erin whizzed across the room, dressing quickly in her leathers. She needed to get out the school was too crowded for her liking at the moment. Her parent seemed to suffocate her…they'd hadn't even been there a day.

Walking over to their wardrobe she pulled out Vlad's set of leathers, he'd be too noticeable in his pyjamas.

She cursed the floorboard outside their room as she tried to quietly close the door. Vlad insisted on the hinges being well oiled, all she had to do was convince him the floorboard needed sorting.

Erin sneaked into the throne room where Vlad lay across the sofa on his back, holding a book in the air. It wasn't the Praedictum Impaver, as he wouldn't risk translating it while the slayers were around. This was the one occasion when everyone agreed to actually sleep through the night.

"Can't sleep?" He asked without even lowering the book.

"No." Vlad slowly lowered the book before glancing up at her, his eyes widened at the sight of her dressed in leather minus her cape.

"Erin what…"

"Here." She threw the leathers at him. "We're going out." Vlad caught them with ease; she had a certain look about her that told him not to argue with her.

He swung his legs off the sofa until he sat in an upright position and cricked his neck. The sofa really wasn't all that comfortable, no wonder Ingrid couldn't wait to get to her own room after being healed. He began to shrug off his t-shirt before stopping and pulling it back down. "A bit of privacy please."

Erin blinked rapidly, unsure exactly what to make of his request. Frankly she felt offended, "I've seen it all before."

"I meant close the door." He smirked at her flustered and embarrassed expression, he struggled to hold in his laughter as she stiffly walked over to shut the door.

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The young couple strolled through the grounds, enjoying the fresh night air. Erin missed the mist her breathing caused on cold nights like this, it was a silly thing but she supposed it was true, you do miss the small things. They reached the small wooded area on the edge of the school grounds. Finding two horse chestnut trees standing opposite each other they leaned back against them. Vlad arched his back slightly as Erin leaned against hers with her shoulder.

"I don't think they like me." Vlad joked.

"They don't even like me Vlad, and I'm their daughter." Erin told him, "They're always like that. Why do you think I ran away with Ryan? They don't even know about him." She let out a laugh, they'd insist he'd be slain when they found out just like they would with her.

"Erin they do love you." Vlad pushed himself off his tree, arching his back before stepping towards her in a few paces.

"No Vlad, they don't." He cupped her cheeks in his hands. "Your family is the closest thing I've ever had to one. Even Bertrand treats me better than they ever have. You heard my dad he wants me to have the house, car and two kids with another slayer, just so I can carry on the family name." Vlad began to chuckle, "What?"

"Nothing, we just make a good team. Rebelling against parents and our 'destinies'."

Erin began to laugh, "Yeah just hope it won't run in the family." The implication of her words sank in and the air turned serious. "I didn't mean…"

"I know."

They remained quiet for a few more minutes before Erin voiced the thought that had been bothering her for a while. "How long is it before I have to, you know, provide an heir?"

Vlad softened, this was one topic they'd always avoided completely, "When we're both ready." He told her, "I don't care what the Council wants, its what we want."

"They'll be angry." She warned, she was glad he didn't pressure her, not that she ever thought he would but there was always that treacherous small piece of doubt in her mind.

"Let me deal with the Council." He gave her a cheeky smile before resting his hands on the coarse bark either side of her head.

"Okay." She smiled, Vlad would defend her against them. Their job was only to advise him not lay the law down for them to behave in their personal lives.

He leaned forward and gently captured her lips with his, enjoying the feeling of her melting beneath him. Vlad pressed himself closer to her opening his mouth, Erin moaned slightly as his tongue brushed against hers. Erin wrapped her arms around his shoulders pulling him even closer.

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The throne room was quiet, it seemed she was the first one up. She supposed she'd better wake her brother before they had another personal visit from 'that woman'. Laura Winchester was really pushing her limits and Ingrid could tell that Vlad was reaching the end of his tether as well.

A slight movement caught the corner of her eye and she saw a blonde head move slightly, before resting once again next to a black head.

Ingrid smirked as she tiptoed behind them. She pulled a revolted look as she saw how comfortable they looked in each other's embrace. If Erin's parents saw them they would kill them, and while that was empting to let happen she had a better idea.

"Ingrid…" She pressed her finger to her lips the moment she heard Bertrand speak. A sly smile covered her lips as he came close to her peering over the edge of the sofa seeing what held her attention. "What are you going to do?" His question was more of an exasperated one; as if he knew exactly what she was about to do.

Ingrid reached behind her and grabbed the largest book she could find. Bertrand managed to save the oldest book, snatching it out of her hands. That book was the one Vlad used to translate the Praedictum Impaver, they couldn't risk any of the pages being damaged.

With a smirk she held it high above her head. "Oops!" She muttered before letting go.

BANG!

The book hit the floor and Bertrand's judgment had been right in taking the first book of her as the spine split into thirds. Pages flew into the air creating confetti that rained down on the vampires.

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BANG!

Vlad and Erin jumped up off the sofa, fangs bearing as they spun around in the direction of the sound.

"Oops, sorry did I wake you?" Vlad didn't bother to answer instead sharing matching eye rolls with his wife. Bertrand had his arms crossed tightly over his chest shaking his head at her 'fun'. "Can no one take a joke?" She muttered rhetorically.

"Was it a good hunt last night?" Bertrand asked quietly, his lips quirking slightly. Somehow he always managed to look whoever he was teasing in the eye.

"We went into the grounds for some 'us' time. Not that we should have to explain it to either of you." Bertrand nodded but Vlad could tell he was amused at the Chosen One having to sneak off to get some alone time with his wife.

The door creaked open and bleary-eyed slayers traipsed into the room, it looked like they'd spent the whole night taking turns to watch over Erin's parents. The door creaked closed slowly before shooting open and sticking on the floor as Wolfie raced into he room, closely followed behind by Renfield.

"Give that back you mangy mutt!" Looking closely it looked like Wolfie had stolen the Count's morning paper.

"I'm giving it to him!" Were the final words of Wolfie as he raced back out of the room and down the corridor.

Each slayer automatically grabbed a cup as Mina began to pour out cups of coffee for them all, convinced they were seeing things from sleep deprivation.

Jonno and Mina sat themselves down at the table, not particularly looking forward to the 'culinary delights' of Renfield after the previous night. The slayers nodded to Vlad, before noticing him in his leathers.

"We went out for a walk." He explained.

Jonno pulled a disgusted look, "You don't have to explain to me. You're married."

Vlad moved forward towards the table before Erin caught his wrist pulling him back to her. She stepped forward into his arms, feeling the cool leather between her fingers.

"Love you." Vlad whispered softly.

"Love you too." She tilted her head up and met his waiting lips with a soft kiss.

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Jonno saw it before he did, "VLAD!"

At Jonno's cry Vlad tore his lips from Erin's.

Vlad spun in time to see Dianne with her stake raised preparing to stab him through the heart. All he cared about was protecting Erin at that moment, he wouldn't allow her to be slain by anyone – mother or not.

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

Thanks for reading.