Choices


Right, here we are, the moment that was supposed to never happen; let's see who wins... will the GHV find out about the plot... haha I feel really bad for being so mysterious, but the betrayals and stuff mostly lead to this... there is a bit more to go after this.

I don't own Young Dracula.


Chapter 28: I Do. Do You?


This was it, Valencia said seeing Vlad and Terra stood side by side. She wanted to yell at them, she wanted to help them... she couldn't, it wasn't part of the plan.

Stood here invisible she felt helpless, not long now before she would be helpful.

Terra was a white-blue dress – likely at Terra's insistence, Valencia guessed – her dark hair pinned up, but not in a way that looked uncomfortable. Valencia smiled at that, she was the one who taught Terra to make her hair look nice while not hurting her head.

Vlad looked good too, his almost black hair was short still and neatly combed, and he was dressed in black, which Valencia was surprised to see but didn't question it.

Darius, Yassik and Korith were stood to the side holding hands to they could know where each other was; they all knew exactly where Valencia was, she was stood by the Grand High Vampire's throne ready to sit on it to distract Salem and then they would strike.

Not long now...

Mori felt anxious at the moment, he felt as if something was going to happen, but his double agenting hadn't brought anything up to make him suspicious. It really seemed that Terra was going to marry Vlad...

He found that rather hard to believe given how reluctant they both had been to go through this marriage thing.


Daralum was sat next to Ingrid, who had Will next to her. Ingrid was tightly holding Will's hand; she was nervous about this, would it work, wouldn't it work; what would happen if it did work, what would happen if it didn't. Ingrid fiddled with her red dress and Daralum put a hand on her spare hand telling her to be calm.

"It'll be fine," he told her reassuringly. "This will work." He told her, though he wasn't sure if he believed it himself, sounding as though he was trying to convince himself.

"We are here to celebrate the..." Salem started, who was standing, interrupted by a group gasp as Valencia made herself visible and was sat on the Grand High Vampire's throne casually.

"Return of the Galore's," Valencia finished hiding her nervousness with a wide smile. "I am Valencia Arianna Galore, a descendant of Sophia Salem-Galore. I am related to the Grand High Vampire, Serlai Arnex Salem and his daughter Terra Nike Barack-Salem. I have a right to the throne, to take Terra's place."

Terra gasped, she didn't realise that Valencia was in fact related to her, next to her Vlad smiled unsurprised and took her hand, comforting her.

"Impossible," Salem hissed facing Valencia, baring his fangs at her. "The Galore's were killed in the Blood Slaying War."

Valencia laughed darkly, trying to hide her fear and flicked her red hair aside. "Their blood mirror was smashed," she said knowingly. "Killing Sophia and her husband Count Galore, but their children hadn't transformed, they turned into breathers... one of them is my ancestor."

"Then how are you a vampire?" Salem asked stepping forward.

"Destiny," she said smirking.

"That's our cue," Korith muttered, trying not to speak so loud he would be heard and the three boys snuck behind Salem each with stake.

Salem sensed something and turned around and pushed a field of telekinesis making the boys visible.

"Bats," Yassik cursed as Salem coursed their stakes to turn to ashes in their hands.

"Korith Barack, I should have known it would be you that would attempt a coup,"

"No," he heard from behind him. "It was me,"

Salem turned slightly seeing Vladimir Dracula with a stake - he had been hiding up his sleeve - in his hand poised to strike. Salem grabbed the wrist of the hand that was holding the stake.

Vlad hissed going nearer to his eyes bright red, Salem's went red too, he managed to destroy the stake in Vlad's hand, and then fell to the floor on his side to see Vlad towering over him his eyes returning to their normal colour.

Terra stepped forward to tower over her father too. "Sorry Father."

"You," he gasped, shocked by her betrayal.

"I betrayed you father," she admitted telling him his worst fear. "It was all a rouse, betraying Vlad, wanting to marry him, it was all a trick."

"You can't have, I won!"

"You didn't win Salem," Vlad told him taking Terra's hand again and squeezed it reassuringly, showing there comradeship. "We merely made you think you had won. Terra handed me over so we could have this wedding so we could slay you. Every argument, the fighting between us, it was all false. We faked it all, we went so far that I think we convinced ourselves."

Vlad laughed and Terra joined in. "I think we went a little too far with the crying and trashing of rooms."

Vlad shrugged and Terra continued. "You see father, I told you all but one thing that Daralum," she gestured to her old tutor with a smile, "taught us... and that was how to be good actors."

Salem blinked cursing Lord Barack in his head; he would come up with a plan like this.

"Only us six knew about it," Korith said almost as if he had read Salem's mind. "Me, Darius, Vlad, Terra, Yassik and Valencia; we have been planning this for two years."

"We knew a direct assault would never work," Darius stated calmly crossing his arms. "I have studied you in detail and I learnt if you're tricked into thinking you have won you tend to let your guard down. We took advantage of that."

Salem scowled at the five teenagers and pointed a bony accusation finger at Valencia. "So she isn't a Galore."

"Actually, I am," Valencia said. "We didn't know, but we thought it would make an excellent distraction. That was why Terra was so shocked to hear that; neither she nor Vlad knew."

Vlad grinned at her. "I knew there was something special about you."

Valencia shrugged and Ingrid sped next to Valencia an irritated look on her face as she looked at her brother brushing down her dress and began to speak.

"So you're saying you four," she pointed at Valencia, Yassik, Korith and Darius in turn. "Were helping Vlad all along and used me!"

"And me," Daralum added from the other side of the room, looking half annoyed and half impressed.

"We had to," Korith protested. "We couldn't afford anyone, anyone finding out the truth! He," Korith pointed at Salem ho was still on the floor trying to get up in a dignified way. "Would have found out!"

Ingrid opened her mouth, but Terra shushed her.

"So you two never planned on getting married," Vlad heard from behind him and shuddered seeing his grandmother.

"Whether we do or don't isn't any of your concern anymore," Vlad told her. "You cannot turn against me now, I am the Chosen One."

Terra took the hand she was holding of Vlad's and held it between both her hands.

"You are going to still have the marriage!" Ingrid said and Vlad shrugged not admitting or denying it but flashing back to a conversation he and Terra had had not long ago...


They – Vlad and Terra - were alone, the Grand High Vampire was out on business and Mori had gone with him; this was their only chance to be alone.

Vlad was lounged on one of the sofas when Terra entered.

Vlad couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked, the last girl that had made him feel this way was Delilah, and that didn't go so well. Terra was prettier though, but obviously more dangerous, it seemed so obvious now... two years ago she seemed so sweet and innocent when they first met, but now when Vlad saw the dark eyeliner emphasising her dark eyes – they were supposed to be brown, sometimes they looked black, green, blue... and it definitely wasn't because of her vampire abilities – it seemed plain she was something more than human.

But then the rest of her - other than the pale skin - said otherwise, her dark hair which fell just below her shoulders was in a ponytail hanging over one shoulder, curling up like it was trying to get out of its position; she wore a blue top, black jeans, a red leather jacket – which Vlad was unsure whether he liked or not because it looked too much like something his mother would wear - and brown suede boots, not the normal fashion for breathers, but not the usual attire for vampires either. Vlad couldn't help but admire how she managed to pull off looking pretty without even making much of an effort.

Terra sat down opposite him on a table and gave him a guilty smile, she was about to apologise when Vlad held his hand up telling her to be quiet.

"You don't need to apologise," Vlad promised her, and Terra sighed looking over her friend, he was laid on his side looking at her carefully where she was seated, Terra felt like she should be blushing right now, the past few months Vlad had been looking at her like that, she had a feeling she knew why, but didn't want to say anything in case her father found out the truth.

Terra knew she felt weird about him, maybe it was because of becoming a vampire, but when she first met Vlad she felt like she could trust him – she guessed it was a breather influence thing – and thought he was quite cute in appearance and his ways; but now it seemed more than that, more like he wasn't a friend, something else... an enemy maybe, no, Terra thought, Vlad wasn't her enemy, that was the trickery talking.

"I feel like I do," Terra muttered looking to the floor kicking it. "You're going through worse than stakes and garlic here; I can see what it's doing to you."

Vlad sighed through his nose and sat up and leaned towards his best – girl – friend. "I'm faking it, you should know that," Terra glared at him through her lashes like she had two years earlier, the same fear in her eyes.

"I do know that," Terra admitted. "I am faking things too, but I can see past that in you, like surely you can in me. I am terrified..."

"There's no need to be," Vlad assured her. "Even if it doesn't work and we do end up married... it doesn't matter, we have a plan in case that happens."

Terra sighed knowingly, yes, they had a plan in case they did marry, and they would carry on the facade until Vlad had the full councils support and then swoop on Salem like vultures.

"I don't like the backup plan," Terra told him interlocking her fingers together. "In fact I don't like this plan either, pretending we hate each other when..."

"When?" Vlad asked probingly and Terra shook her head trying to get the fact he was really attractive out of her head.

"Nothing," she murmured. "Flapping bats, why does the life of a vampire have to be so difficult?" she murmured rhetorically.

Vlad frowned at her and went over to her crouching to they were at the same level and took her hands in his. "Terra Barack," Vlad used the surname he knew she preferred. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Terra looked at him. "Nothing," she breathed. "I just hate this facade; it's making me feel worse."

Vlad nodded knowingly. "I hate it too, but soon it'll be over with..."

"And we'll be back being friends again," Terra added and shook her head a tear at the corner of her eye, this shocked Vlad, Terra Nike Barack-Salem almost never cried, she was too strong to cry but here she was almost in tears from emotion.

"You make that sound like it's not enough," Vlad said noticing her tone of voice.

"Maybe," she murmured unsure herself. "But my problem is after all this will we ever be able to forgive each other for what we have been said to one another." This time Terra held her hand up to silence Vlad. "Let me finish. I know it's not real, but it doesn't mean I won't forget it, and you won't either. I can't help but feel that this will break us apart somewhat, and I know this, I don't want that."

Terra blinked taking a hand out of Vlad's and wiping a tear from her face, Vlad was speechless at her logic. She put that hand on his right hand which still held her right between it and his left; she moved her hand gently up his arm and let it lay on his shoulder.

"Say something?" She pleaded. "You look terrible when you are in shock."

Vlad then gave her a smile, and cleared his throat. "I didn't expect you to feel that way."

She shrugged. "Well, I do."

Vlad pulled himself up so his face was close to hers and pressed his lips very briefly on hers and pulled away looking around alert to make sure no one had spotted him kiss her.

Terra was gripping his shirt tightly on his right shoulder. "You just kissed me," she breathed stunned.

Vlad shrugged not thinking much of it. "Yeah," he didn't make a deal of it but Terra gave him one of her wicked smiles that made her eyes look light she was planning mischief and Vlad scowled, the last thing he needed was a fifteen year old pre vamp shapeshifting teenager causing trouble.

"Don't get any ideas," he warned her. "You know well that we cannot afford to..."

"Get into a relationship," Terra finished pulling her hands away so they were't in physical contact. "I know... but this whole marriage thing doesn't seem so bad if we were willing."

"But we aren't," Vlad pointed out and Terra grinned.

"In a way we are," she teased him.

"Terra," Vlad sighed. "I like you, you're beautiful, powerful and caring; but the responsibility of marriage... and we are really young."

"I wasn't saying that we should actually go through with it," Terra protested looking embarrassed now. "I meant we could use how we feel to maybe make the civil war that will break out... be less brutal maybe..."

"Translation please," Vlad said looking at her like she had said all that in French, Vlad didn't like French, it may be the language of love and Vlad liked love but he didn't understand the language, he'd rather stick to English or Romanian.

"There is going to be a war between the Grand High Vampire's followers and the chosen One's followers. Even if we kill my father, it will happen, there are bound to be some power hungry fools who will use my father's death as an excuse to try to kill you and get your power," Terra said. "If we make it plain that I am on your side, I can say that it was destiny or something and then." She snapped her fingers. "They cannot argue, or they will be taken down from the inside... after all I have more friends than I let on."

Terra gave him yet another wicked smile.

"What are you suggesting?"

"Engagement," she admitted. "A real one, but not the blood bound one, just engagement, we don't even have to stick to it, just keep it up till the war is over. If you want to stick at it, then that's fine by me, but if you want to hold off the whole getting together thing for another century... that's fine too."

Vlad raised his eyebrows. "Okay, we'll try it."


"Not marriage Ingrid," Vlad rolled his eyes at his sister. "Engagement, Terra's the heir to the Salem throne, even without the Grand High Vampire throne – sorry Valencia."

"I am not going to let anyone try and use me as a pawn," Terra added scowling at all the clan leaders in the room.

All the clan leaders flinched knowingly; none of them wanted this wedding, they wanted the heir to the Salem throne to be theirs and not the future Count Dracula's.

Salem in the meantime was watching his daughter and the Chosen One and was now sat up. He was trying to plot his way out, just as he was going to move he felt Mori grab him.

"We must leave," Salem murmured.

"Yes your majesty," Mori agreed as the others around them started arguing about the possible engagement. "Hold onto me."

Salem grabbed onto Mori and with a sound of wind passing, they were both gone.

Ingrid was the first to notice. "That two timing traitor, he has taken Salem!"

Vlad didn't complain, he didn't yell, he merely dismissed everyone in the room other than Terra whom he exchanged a grin with. They both knew Salem would get out... they knew Mori was a traitor.


This chapter took a long time to write, I encountered a severe case of writers block while I wrote it, and thankfully I overcame it.

From here on it it's going to be quite different to what it was before.

Thank you for reading and please review!

C

xx