A/N: Wow, I just reread the last chapter and I have to say that I don't really remember like any of that… So there's that… Well let's see how this chapter goes, oh and just as fair warning, this story is starting to approach its end, there's only going to be a handful of chapters left.

Disclaimer: For the last (not really) time, I don't own any part of this.

Confrontation

Vlad barely started forward in enough time to catch Mina's sister, laying her down on the couch as her eyes fluttered.

"Rebecca?" Mina said, fanning her sister with her hands and trying to get the brunette's attention.

"I… I don't know if I can do this Mina…" she said slowly, trying to get a grip on the reality of this situation, she had always been a very logical person, if a bit whimsical, this, magic and monsters, it was too much for her to handle at the drop of a hat.

"Yes you can, you're the toughest person I know, a lot tougher than me, if I can wrap my head around it, so can you." Vlad stood back a bit, trying to give the duo some space. The older of the two was having a hard time with all of this and though it was hard for the former prince to sympathize he could feel for her. She'd just had her entire world flipped on its head. At least when he'd gone to confront the Master, he knew that monsters and magic were a very, very real part of this world. People were more accepting of what was in front of them back then. Nowadays you had to have irrefutable proof of what you were trying to pitch. Instead his thoughts trailed back to the Master, the man had seemed like an honest person in those couple of moments when he had been trying to tell Vlad what needed to happen, that this monstrous devil needed to be summoned, and defeated. Easy concept, sure, maybe hard to put into practice but the idea was simple enough.

The vampire sighed and looked down at his hands. He hadn't thought that the Master was going to trip up and destroy everything that Vlad was trying to build for himself, that this monster was going to sacrifice not connections that he had made but ones that Vlad had made for himself. Vlad was his pawn because he was the one with human connections, emotional attachments that could be thrown away for little more than payment. He clenched his fists as he thought about the whole thing, how dare that monster…? He froze then when the call in his blood flared up like never before. He swore every fiber of his being locked up in that moment. He looked up at Mina and her sister, who were still conversing softly, though Rebecca looked a bit more stable now.

"Come now my pawn… you didn't think it would be that easy did you?" the voice rang in his head, bouncing between his ears loudly. Vlad growled loudly, both women on the couch turning to look at him. "It wouldn't mean nearly as much if I did it, the sacrifice is your job." Vlad's eyes widened in horror as the voice of the ancient monster echoed in his mind again.

"Mina…" he choked out, feeling the hunger in his belly spike and snarl to life with a vengeance that he was sure that he hadn't felt in centuries. The blonde was watching him closely, though when he said her name she leapt to her feet, putting a hand to his face

"Vlad what's wrong?" she asked and the former prince snarled again, baring long fangs as his chest rumbled.

"Mina… get your sister and get out…" he ground out, trying to resist the savage instincts that were being pushed to the front of his psyche.

"Vlad?" her voice was questioning and at the same time so very far away, so small against the throbbing beat of her heart.

"I can't…" he ground out, a small whine working its way from the back of his throat as he continued to try to resist the monster inside of himself.

-Forever and a Day-

Mina didn't know what was going on. Vlad looked like he was about to break down or lose his mind, she wasn't quite sure which… the man looked more like the monster he said he was instead of the man she had come to know underneath. His eyes were dark and his fangs were bared directly at her.

"Get. Out." He growled, barely intelligible at this point. Mina didn't know why this was happening but she did know that she had to get her sister to safety. She backed up slowly, keeping her eyes on the man in front of her. Vlad shivered, his whole body rippling and seconds later his wolfish form stood growling, hackles raised and muzzle wrinkled into a snarl.

"Rebecca." Mina said softly, her eyes never leaving the animal in front of her, if she looked away he would pounce. Adrenaline pumped so thickly in her veins that she was sure that she heard her sister's breathing pick up. "Get up. Slowly. Get Jessica." She could hear Rebecca moving off the couch and Vlad snarled again, his ears flattening against his skull.

"Vlad… it's okay…" Mina whispered, trying to take the wolf's attention off of her sister and maybe to calm him a little, she didn't know what was going on but it wasn't good. She felt a hand touch hers and she started to back away from the massive animal and it matched her step for step.

"On the count of three, we go through the door and into my place, okay?" there was a light squeeze in her fingertips in confirmation.

"One… Two…"

A/N: :) I am so much of an evil person and I love it. Either way, this was a blast to write

Till next time,

-Winged Element