A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Here are the final two chapters…

Slightly longer than usual…

Chapter 29: Treaty

Vlad entered the dungeon slowly Erin followed him closely. He reached out towards her and grasped her hand in his.

He turned the corner standing tall as he approached the slayers.

"What do you want?" He asked, not expecting anything important from Jonno, the other slayers wanted Jonno to make a truce but Jonno was being stubborn.

Jonno glared at Vlad, "You haven't seen us in two weeks."

Vlad folded his arms over his chest. "I had other things to do." Planning his coronation and the mating ceremony was two of them.

Vlad hadn't wanted to keep them all captive in the dungeons but he couldn't trust any of the slayers. Also he couldn't make a fair decision until he and Erin had nearly completely returned to their original selves. Although Vlad wasn't as naive as he was concerning the slayers anymore.

The slayers hadn't made any effort to want to find a settlement – until now.

"So what do you want?" Vlad repeated, he didn't have time for this.

"To talk."

"You want to talk? Now?" Erin scoffed, looking at Vlad in disbelief. They hadn't wanted to talk over the last two weeks. "Why?"

Jonno looked at her as if it should have been obvious, "I want to get out of here."

Vlad laughed, was that all Jonno wanted? "You took Erin and killed my people."

"You're not people." It didn't escape anyone's attention that Jonno skimmed over taking Erin.

"No we're vampires," Vlad answered, wishing he had his fangs in that moment for a childish display of proving it. "But you're not people either." Vlad's comments had the slayers letting out grinding and gnashing sounds. "You hate anyone being different to you, you went after my future mate because she blurred the line between what you were and what you've become." Slayers behind Jonno relaxed slightly at his words, "You used to protect breathers from us, now you attack us for no reason."

"Ingrid attacked Stokely." Ingrid had left a trail of destruction in her wake.

Erin couldn't believe this, "Ingrid was one vampire, not every vampire is the same."

Jonno shook his head, "You took everything from me: my home, dad, Erin…"

"Erin was never yours." Vlad bit back angrily before Erin could comment. This was old ground, Erin hadn't been impressed with Jonno from the moment she'd met him, that opinion was hardly ever going to change with or without being in love with Vlad.

"She might have been if she hadn't met you." Jonno amended his statement, not wanting to discuss this. "We wouldn't be in this mess if Erin had staked you from the start like she promised to do when she took the oath and became a slayer."

"Is this what its about? She broke the Slayer's Oath?"

"Her duty was to rid the word of vampire evil. She let you live from the start. A true slayer…"

"Erin made her choice." Vlad told him firmly, "Unlike you she actually got to know our kind. She knows more about us that you will ever do."

"Clearly as she's marrying you."

"Mating with me." Vlad corrected although they were essentially the same, he could call her his wife either way. "At least Erin had a reason to attack us, you never did…"

"You killed my dad!"

Vlad was tired of saying this now, "I wasn't the one who bit him!"

Erin had enough at that point. "Is this why you called Vlad down here? To argue?"

Jonno gave her a disgusted look. "I want peace." Mary shoved him and Jonno ground out between his teeth, "I'm sorry I took Erin, I was wrong." Vlad let out a disbelieving scoff, he knew Jonno wasn't sorry.

Mary took over, "We want peace."

"What's the catch?" The young couple asked at the same time.

Mary looked between them, "There isn't one." She promised

"Yet." Erin muttered under her breath making Vlad chuckle beside her.

"If we wanted something I would have said." Jonno told them firmly, he wanted concessions but his fellow slayers had stopped him for saying them.

Erin shook her head, "I don't think you have any right to demand anything, do you?" Jonno had made one mistake after another, she was sure the Slayers wouldn't let him make the decisions. Besides they were Vlad's prisoners now.

Ingrid was right he couldn't take Jonno's actions out on all of the slayers, especially when he knew so many had been against them in the first place. Mary, Lee and Lucy were trying for peace, it showed they were taking over from Jonno, clearly they didn't share the same opinions as the young slayer.

Vlad ran a hand across his face, "I'll agree to no biting." Vlad told him.

"Your kind can't live blood free."

"I suggested blood banks. We need blood but not at the risk of transforming breathers into half fangs or killing them." He told them all, they could see the naked truth in his eyes. "We can resist the call of human blood if we're fed another way."

"I don't believe you." Jonno deliberately cut his finger, he squeezed it forcing the blood through the cut and into the open air.

Both vampires gasped as the scent of slayer blood reached their nostrils. They arched forwards their eyes changing colour rapidly.

"Erin." Vlad spoke quickly; Erin nodded and vanished from the room.

Jonno laughed, the other slayers gave him a harsh glare, "She's too weak to stand a little blood?" Jonno shook hiss head, "That's why…"

Erin sped back into the room, tossing something towards the slayers. She grinned as they caught it.

A small green box – plasters.

Mary and Lee struggled not to laugh at the look on Jonno's face as he realised what Erin had brought. He grudgingly took a plaster from the box, ripping away the wrapping and fastening it around his bleeding finger.

"If you want peace it'll be on my terms." Vlad informed the slayers, he was the one who held all the cards now. "First, I want no slaying unless it's in self defence and if I ever find out it wasn't self defence I'll gladly wipe you all out."

"You won't be able to…"

"DON'T TEST ME JONNO!" Vlad shouted his voice deepening, the slayers jumped back and Erin gently rubbed his arm. "I can wipe you out, your kind won't be able to survive a war. Bertrand's friends wiped most of your Guild out in one attack. You've seen my power don't think I won't do it for a second."

The vampires needed to be rebuilt, they couldn't be plunged into a war yet either, but Vlad wasn't going to let Jonno know that. It was better to let him think every clan as powerful enough to resist them.

"If any vampire is attacked or even threatened I will personally drain the slayer responsible." They all gulped at that, "This treaty will be permanent, there won't be any trial period at all considering what happened last time." He glared at Jonno, "You will see me about any problems you have with my kind *before* taking any action. I'll also prefer to work with Mary and Lee in future."

Mary and Lee were surprised by his condition. They felt flattered that he wanted to deal with them rather than Jonno. That showed how much he didn't trust Jonno.

Mary nodded, he wasn't demanding annual sacrifices in his honour he was trying to protect his kind.

"I'll warn you now…" He told them slowly, "If any of you ever touch Erin again neither of us will even attempt to control ourselves. I will hunt you down." His eyes turned the purest black as his lip curled into a sneer, "Erin is the reason I *don't* attack you, taking her was the biggest mistake you made. Do you understand?"

"Yes." They all nodded.

Lee looked at Vlad, trembling slightly, "Anything else?"

"I want the treaty signed in public." Vlad told Jonno firmly a slight smile on his lips. Jonno gave him a look of horror, "I want witnesses to show what you've agreed to and this way my kind knows the terms of the treaty"

Vlad didn't want anything signed behind closed doors; he'd rather have witnesses to ensure the slayers didn't lie and change the terms of the treaty.

"Once its drawn up you can always disagree to it, but it'll have to be done at the signing and in front of a room full of vampires."

Jonno stared at him, he didn't like what Vlad was suggesting.

Mary and the others looked at Vlad as if her were insane, he shouldn't be letting them go that easily. According to Jonno he would attack and drain them without mercy instead of trying for peace. Jonno had been wrong about a lot of things concerning the Draculas.

They all could see the change in Vlad now he had Erin with him; he was more in control of himself and his nature. The same went for her. They complimented each other, Ingrid was right the pair were soul mates.

"I'll sign it." Mary told Vlad firmly, she believed Vlad, they were sensible demands. He hadn't tried to hurt them while they'd been his 'prisoners', he'd made sure they were fed, washed and clothed every day. Deep down she knew he didn't want to face them until he as in control for their sakes as much as his.

"Me too." Lee and Lucy spoke at the same time.

"It's about time something was agreed to." Mina injected surprising them all.

Vlad and Erin shared a look, "Good. It'll be after my coronation." Vlad clicked his fingers, he was going to show good faith to some of the slayers. The cage holding Lucy, Mary and Lee opened. "You can roam freely around the school," He told them, "You can leave after my coronation."

Mary looked at him, startled by his actions, "Can I contact the Guild tell them what happened?"

Vlad knew he could listen in on any conversation and he doubted she would try anything. "Yeah."

This way the Guild would know what was about to happen.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

In the week leading up to the coronation, there hadn't been any problem with the slayers. They were currently waiting in the main hall for Vlad's coronation to begin.

Erin knocked on Vlad's door just as he slipped his jacket on.

"Will I do?" She asked him quietly. He turned to see her dressed in a plain, spaghetti strap, black dress, nothing ornate. The dress clung to her body like a glove and fell straight from her waist. He could tell she wore heels. Around her shoulders her cloak had been draped but not fastened.

He nodded mutely, he opened his mouth a few times before managing to speak. "Yeah. You look great."

Erin stepped forward zipping his jacket up. He'd escaped any form of gold or silver on his outfit but had to concede to a high collar and a decorative jacket. The jacket had various embossed bats and representations of his crown.

It wasn't Vlad's usual style, which she couldn't deny. He wouldn't wear it again of that she was positive.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Vlad glanced towards Erin who smiled at him encouraging him.

Vlad knelt down his head bowed ready to receive his title officially. He extended his fangs as he was told to do when he was being crowned.

He still partly expected someone to stake him in the back at this point.

Huunter approached Vlad looking at him. He was the only person Vlad trusted not to twist his coronation vow into something else.

The vows had to be changed from Vlad 'solemnly swearing to be evil, bloodthirsty and cruel' considering they had seen what Vlad could become when he let his control drop completely. Instead they had chosen words that would reflect Vlad guiding them into a new future.

"Today we crown the new Grand High Vampire. The most powerful one in our entire history – the Chosen One." He held the crown above Vlad's head. "Vladimir Slovodan Napoleon Dracula are you ready to lead your kind?"

Vlad nodded solemnly, "I am."

"Your duty is to protect and govern our kind. You will rule us justly and without prejudice. Our kind will be led out of the shadows by you." Huunter paused as he looked at the crowd, so far no one had protested about the change in vows. "You will endeavour to build our kind into the strong power it once was. Do you agree to uphold all of these duties?"

Vlad spoke clearly "I do."

"Do you recognise the current Council who will serve and advise you?"

"I will recognise them."

Huunter stooped down and placed the crown on Vlad's head. Vlad resisted the urge to throw it off as one of the repaired bones dug into his scalp.

"By wearing this crown you accept all the responsibilities it brings. You are bound to your duties and our laws no matter how unpleasant and evil they may be." Huunter stepped back and away from the young vampire. "You can never abdicate, you can only leave your position through being slain." He could probably already count which clans already had that on their minds.

"I will rule over our kind as long as I can. I will be the leader our kind needs."

"Vladimir Slovodan Napoleon Dracula, descendent of Draculesti, keeper of the Brother Mirror and Chosen One. Take your place to rule as Grand High Vampire for evermore."

Huunter bowed before him. Vlad stood slowly and turned to face the vampires in the hall, as one they fell to their knees before him.

He glanced towards his family and Erin, grateful they hadn't bowed to him.

Erin gave him a wide smile, she was so proud of him.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Renfield hit the gong forcing everyone to look up at Vlad. Vlad held a goblet of soy blood in his hand.

"Thank you for coming here today." He began, he hated making speeches. "I know we've been through difficult times with Ramanga causing us to fight amongst ourselves. Today we officially begin a new time in our existence, I *will* stand by my vows and I promise to lead you into a future free from fear and hatred. Today we mark a treaty with the slayers to protect our kind from their vengeance, the first step in our journey to becoming stronger and free." A few heads turned towards Jonno giving him hard stare, Vlad lifted his glass higher. "To the future…"

The entire hall mimicked his actions, "To the future!" They repeated as one.

Vlad pulled his sleeve up, he motioned for Erin to move her cloak away from her wrist. He took her hand in his, now was the time. His wristlet glittered in the light.

"My first duty as you leader however is to invoke the law that my future mate will take her place by my side as my Queen." The law wasn't up for discussion it was a fact, it had been expected ever since Erin had been introduced to the vampire community. "In one week Erin Elizabeth Noble will become my mate and then will be crowned Queen to rule by my side."

Huunter was the one who began the applause followed quickly by Augustus soon entire hall erupted in applause.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Jonno leaned over the table as he scrutinised the documents. Vlad had insisted three were drawn up. One for the slayers, one for the vampires and one to be kept in the archives. All were identical but by the looks of it Jonno was trying to find discrepancies in the text.

The vampire community understood why he was doing this; they all understood what Jonno had turned him into. Vlad's true nature was something of the darkest nightmares. Until recently they would never have agreed with this but they couldn't fight change forever. There was some disagreement about the treaty but too many of their kind had been slain for them to do anything about it…yet.

Their kind needed to rebuild – not be plunged into a war they couldn't deal with.

The slayers were terrified of Vlad's vengeance so they would agree and abide by the terms and conditions Vlad had set out for them.

"Happy?" Vlad finally asked as Jonno stood with a disgruntled look on his face.

"Yeah."

Vlad leaned over and in a gesture of good faith he signed the treaty first.

Mary took the pen from him and signed the treaty as did Lee. They handed him the black fountain pen back. Vlad wanted them all to sign it, he had a feeling that when Jonno returned he wouldn't be in charge of the Slayers Guild anymore, it was more likely Mary would be.

Jonno signed the treaty but he didn't seem pleased to do it. Mina didn't seem as disgruntled but she hesitated slightly.

Once each individual copy was signed it glowed with blue light, it couldn't be destroyed or damaged without both sides consent.

The treaty was official – both sides relaxed at that thought.

For both kinds it was the future.

All that was left now was their mating ceremony…

TBC

A/N: Thanks for reading.