Vlad woke up about 6PM that evening. He felt pretty good after last night. He had a lot more energy and his senses were more in tune. Before he didn't feel like this. Probably because all that energy went to bringing back a couple thousand year old vampire. He drank human blood in the past, but not that much.

Vlad kept waiting for the guilt to set in, but it never did. The only reason he didn't want to talk to his family about this was because Jonathan was just there asking about the missing slayer.

Vlad still considered Jonathan his friend, but he needed him to still trust him. If Jonathan found out then his whole family would be in trouble.

He was still worried about Talitha. He wanted to call her and warn her, but he was afraid that Talitha would still be upset and this wouldn't help.

Maybe he should tell Jonno that Ingrid was lying, but tell a different lie so that Talitha will be safe and Jonno still wouldn't know it was Vlad. He had to be careful though. He didn't want Jonno to become so suspicious.

Vlad was just about to leave his room, but his dad appeared next to him and started to sniff the room.

Vlad frowned, "What are you doing?"

The Count smirked, "I smell human blood on your breath."

"Huh?" Vlad raised his eyebrow.

"You and Ingrid did go hunting last night!" The Count celebrated.

"She told you," Vlad sighed.

"Was it supposed to be a secret?"

"I can't believe you told everyone about this," Vlad said. "Or maybe I can, but why?"

Ingrid was trying not to laugh, "Because, I didn't see why it needs to be kept from everyone."

"Vlad killed a breather! Vlad killed a breather!" The Count and Renfield chanted out of sync. Draco gave them an annoyed look.

"There's one reason why," Vlad said. "You just wanted to cause trouble."

"I wanted to be the one to break the news," Ingrid smiled.

Vlad shook his head and sat down at the table. Then he realized, "You didn't tell mom and George did you?"

"No. I figured I would leave that honor for you. You can tell them whenever you want."

Vlad was never going to tell them. They didn't need that.

"Why would you not want to tell them?" Ingrid asked. "Unless you did feel guilty."

"I don't feel guilty. There is no reason for them to know," Vlad said.

"They'll find out if they live here," Ingrid said. "Better it came from you right?"

"They wont find out if you shut up for once," Vlad's eyes glowed red.

"Vlad if you don't talk to them then I will," Ingrid said.

"NO!" Vlad yelled and thunder rumbled outside.

Without thinking Vlad used his powers to throw Ingrid against the wall. Piers pulled his stun gun and point it at Vlad. Draco snatched the gun and stomped on it to destroy it. The Count was at Vlad's side ready to hold him back.

Ingrid got up quickly.

"How dare you?" Her eyes were red and fangs were out.

Piers walked over to here to try and calm her down, "Ingrid?"

"Don't touch me!" She said.

Vlad pulled away from his dad's grip and was ready to attack again.

Ingrid began to lunge forward, but was stopped by Draco. He grabbed her shoulders and held her still.

The Could grabbed Vlad's arm again.

"Stop this now!" He said.

Vlad turned his head to him and relaxed a little. He still wanted to be ready in case Ingrid still tried something.

"Separate them," Draco told the Count.

The Count nodded in agreement.

"Let's go," he told Vlad. He took him to Vlad's room.

Draco sat Ingrid on the couch. He looked at Piers and Renfield, "Both of you leave."

Renfield didn't hesitate. He tried to leave but accidently hit his head on the closed door. He corrected himself and opened the door and sped out.

Piers looked at Ingrid, "You ok?"

Ingrid frowned, "I'm fine."

"I said leave breather!" Draco said.

Piers tried to stand his ground, "Not unless Ingrid wants me to."

Draco's eyes burned red, but that didn't scare Piers.

"It's ok Piers," Ingrid said. "I'll meet you in the lab in a minute."

Ingrid decided to use this opportunity to try and pick Draco's brain a little.

Draco sat next to her on the couch. His posture was perfect. He kept his back straight and hands folded. He never even crossed his legs.

"You calm now?" Draco asked.

Ingrid frowned, "I guess."

Draco handed her a glass of blood.

Ingrid took it cautiously. She really didn't want to talk to him, but she knew she had to if she was going to get answers.

"Why do you antagonize you brother?" Draco asked.

"So you're our parent now?" Ingrid said.

"I'm just trying to help this family get along. If you took that anger you all have and directed towards the real enemy then you would be an unstoppable force."

"Why do you care so much? Or better yet, what's in it for you? What are you after?"

Draco smiled, "What any vampire wants."

Ingrid gave a fake smile, "Power."

Draco nodded, "Yes, but I'm not willing to make an enemy of everyone to get it. You have to have some allies."

Ingrid frowned. She didn't want to be manipulated again.

"Go on," she said.

"I watched my family break apart already, and it destroyed us. If you and your brother can't get along then you will just destroy each other. You will gain nothing."

"So what? You're going to help bring the family together. What us rise to power and then take if from us?"

She shouldn't have said that. She was still a bit angry over what just happened and it was affecting her thought process, but it was too late to take that back now.

"Is that what you all think I'm trying to do?" Draco asked.

"It's the only thing that makes sense," Ingrid said.

Draco was silent for a moment.

Crap, Ingrid thought. She was giving him information. She was supposed to be getting information from him. Why was she so careless? She was never like this.

"What are you hoping to gain by helping us?" Ingrid tried to regain control of the conversation.

"I told you," he said.

"Yes, but what sort of power exactly?"

"Whatever it looks like. When Vlad takes control that will be up to him."

"There is no way you would be ok with going from one of the most powerful Vampires to being Vlad's servant."

Draco chuckled, "Well you might not be able to believe it, but I'm being honest. I'm not looking to double-cross anyone."

Ingrid rolled her eyes, "I know you are up to something. I'm not ever going to trust you. We met your brother and he was a psycho."

"I'm different from my brother."

"Yeah, you're smarter than he was," Ingrid said. "But you probably have very similar goals."

"You can think that all you want, but I'm only here to help."

"We don't need your help. We never asked for it."

"But you do. It's amazing you all lasted this long."

Ingrid gave him an evil glare, "I don't believe anything you say."

"Why not? Have I done anything that made you think you can't trust me."

Ingrid suddenly had an idea, "If you're so honest, tell me why that necklace glows when you talk to it."

Draco didn't say anything for a moment.

"Thought so," Ingrid got up to leave.

"Hold on," Draco said.

He stood up and removed the necklace, "I'll tell you, but keep this between us. Don't tell everyone the minute you get the chance just like you did to Vlad."

Ingrid nodded in agreement.

"I use it to communicate," Draco said.

"With who?" Ingrid said.

"My sister."

"Why couldn't you have done this years ago?" the Count said as he paced back and forth across the room. "What finally changed your mind? Why Ingrid? Why did you never want to listen to me?"

The Count just went on and on while Vlad sat there with his head in his hands. He really didn't want to deal with him, but he didn't think his dad would leave him alone until he spoke.

"It has nothing to do with you," Vlad said.

"Then what then?" The Count said.

"That person was about to attack Ingrid while her back was turned.

"So? It's not like it would have killed her."

Vlad rolled his eyes, "No dad. I mean that is what got my attention. Everyone will always be out to get us no matter what I do. I'm tired of us always having to hide. Sure we could make a friend or two, but the slayers are never going to change and neither are the vampires."

"I told you this years ago," the Count laughed. "Why couldn't you listen then?"

"I didn't want to."

"Well thank you for finally getting on the same page as the rest of us," the count said.

"It's not that simple dad," Vlad said.

The Count groaned, "What now?"

"It's not about vampires verses slayers anymore. It's about who's with us or who wants to kill us. Yes that is primarily slayers, but there are many vampires out there that want your head," Vlad explained.

"So what you what to get rid of them both? That's extreme isn't it?"

"No," Vlad shook his head. "There are slayers like Jonno who are friends with us. There are Vampires like half the high council who hate us. If people or groups of people want to work with us then we work with them. If they don't then we fight them. The longer we sort this out the more clear it will be who the real enemy is."

The Count thought about it for a moment, "So you are sure about the way you want to go about this?"

"I am," Vlad said.

"So what about hunting for sport? How do you feel about that?" The Count always had his priorities straight.

"In certain circumstances."

"What does that mean?" The Count asked.

Vlad thought about it for a moment, "I'm not sure quite yet."

The Count dropped his head.

Vlad smiled, "But I'm willing to experiment on it for a while till have a clear answer."