Erin fought the wind in her wings. Flying was amazing! She almost regretted her choice to give this up. But it was only for a second. The jewels continued to burn in her chest pulling her forward. The ground below looked so small and far away but Erin homed in like a beacon to the ring and Adze's presence in the night. The last time that the Count had faced Adze and her father had been in the dark alley ways far from humans and other prying eyes. It had been a show down of epic proportions according to Dracula. However, Erin had her doubts. Not of the Count's viciousness and success but more of the way he loved to embellish to make a good story. Erin turn and flapped into the upper levels of a new apartment complex that had sprung up on the edge of town. There were few human inhabitants but it was clear Adze was not going to spend her days in hiding like half fang orphans who lived in the sewers. Still a princess. Erin thought as she landed on the other side of the development. There was a structured courtyard surrounded by a lovely rock wall to contain the inhabitants from the outside world. It was actually quiet lovely. Private. Secluded. Perfect. Erin had hoped to avoid an audience and keep the body count down.
Drawing out her Slayer weapons, Erin had given Becky her best stake but after's Vlad's rescue Erin had been able to retrieve it along with a few other weapons. The kit itself, empty and bulky had remained with Erin's few possession back at the school. All Erin needed was on her and she doubted that any of her other things would matter come the dawn. There was a vial of garlic juice was hidden in the base of the glove on her left hand, which left her dominant hand to wield the stake. But even this had a backup. Erin caressed the long thin budge under her right sleeve. It was not more than a chop stick, but this Ryan had given to her on her 13th birthday. It was made from iron oak and heated to increase its strength and durability. Back then Erin had kept her hair long and it worked great as a hair stick and hidden weapon. Only as she had grown older had Erin learned that short hair was far better in a fight. Steeling her nerves Erin drew out her primary stake. It would be the one that Adze would be looking for and Erin had to move quickly to get the drop on her.
From the gloom Erin began to move. The courtyard reminded her of a grave yard at night. The stone benches and potted urns cast shadows that gave her cover. Erin made her way in to the building in silence. The vampire hadn't even bothered to lock the doors. In moments Erin was up the stairs and outside the door looking through the crack as Adze sat reading a book from a comfy chair. Unlike all the fancy dresses the vampire had worn when visiting the Dracula's Adze wore a simple pair of black jeans and a dark purple sweater. Her hair continued to hang loose on her back and see looked completely relaxed. Not at all like a vampire on the run from the Council.
"Why don't you come in?" Adze asked without looking up. Her hand reached for a tea cut full of blood as if a visitor was nothing unexpected.
Erin hid her stake in the small of her back and pressed open the door to step into the room.
"Oh, it's you." Adze said turning a page. Her nonchalance was steady and cold.
"You don't seem surprised to see me," Erin said.
"I felt you." Adze held up her hand. The ring still on her finger seemed to pulse. Erin cursed herself for not asking Ingrid more about the ring's magic. Adze shrugged. "Is the Chosen One with you?"
"You know he is not."
"So, do you have some sort of message or something?" Adze said putting down her book.
Erin frowned. "Your father has been de-fanged."
Adze gave a fake pout. "I know, poor thing. He is truly beside himself." She picked up her cup to take a sip. "Pity really. His plan was a complete failure."
Erin watched her preen. The blood smelled wonderful even from across the room, but Erin had feed before leaving. Hell, the four bags of blood was probably the reason she could function at all after her fight with Vlad.
"You're not concerned?" Erin asked.
Adze laughed. "Why? The Council thinks up poor fragile females are merely tools. Daddy will take the blame. Sure I will be banished from court for a bit, but really, the Council won't was any time on me more than what is needed to give face value to their threat. The Count did the work for them. The old fool."
Erin had moved more into the room as Adze talked. She let the vamp prattle on, since it was usually a vampire's over confidence that got the in trouble and allowed the slayers to slay. Still Adze had been around for centuries and Erin noted how she kept her own position turned to face Erin. Adze was no fool.
"He was good enough to get the drop on you-" But before Erin could finish her taunt Adze was on her pressing Erin's shoulder to the wall, pinning her good hand.
"Stupid half fang." Adze laughed. "What do you think you can do to me?"
"I might surprise you," Erin smirked. "You forget who I was before you killed me."
"I didn't kill you that was you precious Chosen One." Adze hissed, smiling. "He buried those self-righteous fangs right into your neck.
Erin could feel the scratch of Adze's nails on the scars that Vlad had left on her neck. "I would have died either way because of you."
"Really?" Adze smiled then. "I am glad to hear it."
"Vlad saved me the only way he knew how." Erin said. "I got his first bit instead of you."
The hand came quick. Erin found her face turned towards the ground, stinging with waves of pain. She hadn't even see it coming. Small burning lines stung as Erin licked her lips from where Adze's nails had cut her. Stupid. Using a slap when a fist could have done more damage.
"Now tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now?" Adze asked.
Erin responded with a smile. Her elbow came up and shot forward connecting with a satisfying thud dead center mass. Adze stumbled back and Erin drew her stake.
The table came flying, the blood tea cup crashing to the floor, its contents splattering Erin in the face. When she could see again Adze was across the room with fang barred.
"It must be exhausting," Erin taunted.
"What?"
"Losing at your own game."
Adze eyes narrowed. "I don't lose."
Erin laughed. "Your father's plan failed, but you can't expect me to believe you didn't make your own plans for the puppet king?"
"Maybe I did." Adze moved. "And now you are part of it."
Something bit Erin's leg as she spun around as Adze seemed to materialize behind. There was a wicked looking blade in each hand. The tear in her leg was actually the lesser wound but it had thrown Erin off balance enough to realize that the other cut on her shoulder had been so quick and sharp that she hadn't felt it until she moved. Adze ran her tongue over her fangs.
Erin's mind raced. She had thought Adze would attack with fang and fists, not a sword. When Erin came into the room, she had made note of her surroundings, now what the hell could she use to block that blade?
The strike came again. Erin didn't so much as see Adze move as felt it. Erin dropped to the floor ignoring her pain as she rolled away.
"You're quick, I will give you that." Adze said as she watched Erin pop to her feet closer to the closet. Her blades flashed forward but this time Erin blocked using the metal pole of the floor lamp. Still Adze drew blood, so red it was almost black. This is fun!
"You're just toying with me," Erin said. She kicked off the base and what was left of the lamp shade. The blub had already shattered and the cord came away easily. Granted it was merely aluminum, not steel. Erin doubted it would last long against the hard forge blades that Adze wielded.
"Of course, this is the most fun I have had in quite some time." Adze changed her stance and beaconed with her finger from the hilt of the sword. "Come get me girl."
Erin moved, her knuckles screamed as she griped the pole and struck. The reverberation of the wall crumbling and metal bending was the only distraction for the swish and pain that followed.
Each step was rush. Each cut a sting. Metal continued to bite and burn. Still Erin kept swinging. Not matter how much Adze lashed out, she could not get to Erin's center mass. But then Erin was nowhere near staking back. The next blow finally knocked Erin off balance. Limbs flailing she stumbled into a dresser and felt the wet crunch of ribs.
The room suddenly became such a small space. Erin continued to retreat using whatever was at arm's reach to toss in Adze's direction. Each blow was struck getting closer to her. Yet somehow Erin continue to thwart each blow, never meeting the intended target of her heart. The blood and pain showed just how much Erin was sacrificing with each slice. Each jab took another toil. Adze's laugh continued to echo off the walls. Adze, for all exertions, looked none the worse for wear. Sure black blood speckled her skin, but whatever bruises Erin had inflicted they were invisible.
"This is really pathetic" Adze said as she allowed Erin to spit out blood and try to get to her feet. "I mean why you are even bothering to help them?"
"You wouldn't understand," Erin growled.
"Oh don't tell me it is some pathetic loyalty to the vamp who bit you. Most half fangs get over that rather quickly. I mean, hell, you were the one who wanted to stay human. Didn't Vlad turn you against your will?"
"And your point?" Erin shot back. "It wouldn't change my feeling towards you."
"Petty revenge then?" Adze laughed. This half fang was too funny. "My father may have his faults, but trust me the moment I have your precious Vlad where I want him I will take vengeance on him and his clan."
"I highly doubt that," Erin smirked. "I mean the Dracula's for all their dramatics, and sentiment, really do have the power to follow through."
The movement was fast, faster than Erin would like, but she had left an opening and Adze took it. The first blade came down like a hammer. The scape on bone as it was embedded to the hilt in Erin's left should force both vampires to their knees. Pain blossomed down Erin's back as she bit her lip with her new fangs.
"How's that for follow through?" Adze hissed.
"Vampires are all so arrogant." Erin said through clenched teeth. "It makes you weak."
"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Adze said.
"Perhaps, but I know how to use my weakness to my advantage, just like any other slayer."
"Slayer?"
Erin's stake came out of nowhere but Adze caught her arm, yet it took both hands to stop Erin's stab. She had been so close to Adze's chest the wood scraped across her breast bone. Close enough to kiss. Adze head butted Erin, sending both sprawling.
Erin scrambled to get her stake while Adze moved for the other blade. The pain of the metal buried in her flesh delayed but did not stop Erin. Pain was something she was quickly ignoring in the rush of adrenaline. Erin needed more space but Adze was closing in on her fast. The room around them was filled with destruction of the chaos of battle. Erin felt herself losing her footing.
Instead of looking for what had tripped her, Erin used the momentum to know Adze off balance and allow her to fall to the floor as Erin pushed off towards the window. The shattering of glass was deafening as Erin protected her face. Two windows in the same night. Erin landed on the cobble stone walk way next to the stone bench just in time to get to her knees as Adze followed her out the window.
Erin pulled herself to her feet hearing the slight rasp of material ripping. The sword had lodged into the cement pining her left arm by the sleeve stealing seconds and giving Adze the time she need. The vampire was so close now. Erin could smell the blood on her lips and the fire in her red eyes almost burned.
Erin's clothes were wet with blood, but as she fought on the stickiness slowed her down. Perhaps it was the fall or Erin's confession of being a Slayer, but Adze was losing her cool. Reaching over Erin jerked the sword from her shoulder. The pain caused her to drop. Had she been human it would have killed her, or at least forced her to spew out her guts. But Erin wasn't human anymore.
"I will kill you," Adze snarled.
"Bring it."
The sound of metal clashing in the dark echoed and deafened Erin. Adze was quickly becoming less controlled with each strike. The new wounds blossomed from Erin's' side but she was striking back. Adze's face was no longer a perfection. Red slashes covered her cheeks and arms. They were almost evenly matched. Neither could get close to a kill shot. Erin held the stake in her left hand, barely able to grasp it, while deflecting with the sword in her other hand. Each step brought them closer to the dawn. Closer to the wall.
Erin saw an opening and lunged. The trap worked perfectly. Adze dodged and brought her full weight down on Erin's out stretched left leg. The sickening crunch and pop as her bone broke the skin and sent Erin to her knees. Erin's hands were suddenly empty as Adze based her head into the stone wall.
"Any last words Slayer?" Adze held Erin like a limp doll pressing her face close to savor the reek of death on the half fang. Blood poured down the left side of her face, blocking her vision as Erin's fangs sliced her lips.
Erin spat black blood. "Sure, why not." Erin raised her chin to use her good eye to stare up at Adze. "You know what they teach us on the first day of slayer school?"
"Amuse me." Adze purred. "What?"
Erin's hand snaked out as the small chopstick that she had concealed in her sleeve shot out at Adze's side. "The easiest way to a vamp's heart is between the third and fourth ribs."
Erin smiled, fangs flashing white beneath the black blood as Adze's eyes went wide. Erin thrust the stick in followed by her fingers until she hit the heart. In that next instant she became ash showering down on Erin with the small 'tink' of the ring on the cement.
Erin felt her hand fall dropping the stick. It had done its work. There had wisdom of cutting her hair short to prevent some lucky vamp from grabbing a fist full but Erin was glad she never parted with that accessory. Even now, her blond hair was stained almost brown with dried blood. Adze had sure done a number on her. It took all Erin's remaining strength to pull herself up into a better sitting position to look down at the ruins of her body.
Each small moment hurt. Erin could not believe that she hadn't passed out from the pain, but it there like cold fire screaming in her veins. Still it meant that she was alive, whatever that meant. Looking up at the sky, the darkness was already growing grey as night gave way to dark. Sunrise was an hour away; maybe more, maybe less. Still here, exposed there was no hope to escape the powerful rays; not that Erin wanted to move. The dawn would at least mean an end to her pain. Dropping her gaze the bone poking out through her blue jeans that had been stained black by blood looked like some shell lost in a dark sheen. Erin realized she wasn't bleeding anymore, but neither was she healing. This last fight had tapped out even her new vampire abilities to heal. With her left arm useless at her side, Erin reached out for the stick. Dropping it had been easy, picking it back up, not so much. Her fingers were clumsy and numb. Finally she grasped it and sat back her finger clenched around the wood. Even as she was, sitting her waiting for death, Erin still wanted to be able to defend herself.
Pain washed over her again, and Erin closed her eyes. Maybe Ingrid would come looking for her or, more likely, come looking for the ring, perhaps. Erin bit back a bitter grin. If Ingrid continued with her normal petty games Vlad wouldn't come, ring or no ring. Vlad didn't care for such instruments of power. I hope he doesn't care for me anymore. But even as the though fluttered past her mind, it brought a new pain, stronger than that which thrummed through her body. Bitter tears began to spill down Erin's cheek.
Shaking her head, Erin refocused. The gems continue to burn in her chest. If she was going to do something to stop that pain at least, she would have to act. There in the pile of ash that Adze left behind, a small silver fleck caught the light. Erin bent down and reached out using the stick to uncover the ring and pulling the metal to her reach. Slowly Erin began fiddling in the dust. From the ash she extracted the ring that Adze had used to control her. The green stone caught in the moonlight and sparkled in the silver band. Just touching the ring made the stones embedded in her chest warm as Erin felt her useless lungs fill with air as she caught her breath. Erin could not bear to leave the ring behind and slipped it into her bra. Suddenly the warmth began to fade. Cool, soothing power flowed through Erin and she felt herself relax a bit. Damn that stupid thing was good for something at least. Erin rubbed her chest. The cuts to her arms, hands, and leg seemed to have stopped bleeding at least. Leaning back, she rested. The stone cut into her but it was not like she could do much about it. Erin's gaze drifted to the sky as the moon peaked out from behind the clouds. It was no more than a sliver, but pretty none the less. One last sunrise. One last dawn. Erin thought it was a peaceful way to go, despite the burning. Pretty is as pretty does. Becky used to say. The tears came again but this time she didn't fight them as she waited for the clock to run out and bring the dawn.
Vlad ran through the night. Ingrid had given him what he needed but he could not shake the urgency he felt at the delay. All for he petty games and still his own horror at his action and shame he felt at his poor behavior. For once Vlad had to begrudgingly admit his father had a point. Dealing with the chaotic nature of a vampire in your care could be a major pain in the ass. Erin was his responsibility and all Vlad had done was fail her. Over and over the memories reminded Vlad of all the times he had promised to keep Erin safe. To protect her at all costs. And yet, she was the one who had saved his life more times than he could count. A human she had risked all for him, for his ideals. Even now she was putting herself between him and danger.
Damnit. Vlad wished he could move faster. Short of flying which he hated. Vlad was making excellent time but drawing closer to the humans meant he had to choose his route with care and stick to the shadows. Still he was getting closer he could feel it. The path took a quick turn towards the outskirts and Vlad thanked his lucky stars that they were drawing away from prying eyes.
The scream that cut through the air, stopped Vlad cold. He paused only to listen. It wasn't a sound any human would make. Vlad redoubled his efforts. Suddenly the power that had been tugging him along, stopped. Once more Vlad paused to listen. Frowning down at the ring. Vlad sent his dark power into it. He was close. He had to be. Still nothing. Something had changed. Was Erin dust? Vlad shook his head. He couldn't think like that. Maybe something else had happened. Maybe Adze did something to the rings once she realized they were being used to track her. Vlad started moving forward in the direction where he last felt the plus of power from the ring. He ended up outside a newly built human town house community. Listening Vlad knew there were no other humans about. Had Adze killed them? Or merely driven them away? Vampires had the ability to send out a sort of sense of dread to clear an area for them to him. Either that or the building just weren't open to the public yet. Vlad moved with quick caution as he entered the courtyard. Iron gates and human locks were nothing to him. His eyes scanned the area. The smell of blood was everywhere. Looking up he saw the remnants of the shattered window and broken glass littered the cobblestones. It took merely seconds for him to spy Erin sitting, back to the wall, eyes closed as if asleep. If it were not for the fact she was covered in black blood and torn clothes betraying the extent of her injuries Vlad could have thought she was resting.
Vlad was instantly at her side. Unsure what to do. He reached out and took her right hand in his. The smell of garlic was on her body but she wasn't burning at least not anymore. Still Vlad was careful when touching her.
"Erin?" Vlad said.
Erin's eyes fluttered a moment. Then her jaw clenched. Pain filled her eyes as she forced them open. Vlad was there hovering over her.
"Don't touch me," Erin spat.
"I know about the garlic. I will be careful." Vlad said searching her face. "Where are you hurt?"
Erin chuckled. It hurt. "Everywhere."
Vlad leaned over trying to get a better look at her. The blood was obscuring everything in the low light even with his vampire senses, the torn clothes and dirt was just getting in the way. Closing his eyes Vlad focused. Three small balls of vampiric fire light burst into being. The courtyard lit up and as Vlad open his eyes the hiss of fear escaped his lips. Erin was a far worse than he had guessed. There were literally hundreds of slash marks all over her body. The white of her femur was poking out of her left leg where it had been snapped in two. Blood has covered half Erin's face in a dried brownish black mask which her piercing green eyes stared up at him. But even the whites were blood shot and dark. Her left hand was the worst. The smell of garlic was the strongest there and had melted the skin like acid. Still this should all have been something she could have regenerated and healed from. Why is she not healing?
"What did she do to you?"
"What does it look like?" Erin said. "We had a tea party."
"Not funny. You should never have gone after her like that."
"Hey, I won." Erin said and closed her eyes. "That's all that matters."
Vlad didn't want to comment. Had she really killed Adze? There was dust and the pull of the ring had stopped. Vlad almost didn't want to believe it. That meant Erin had done it again. She had saved him. Met the monsters on her own. Had making her a vampire just made her a better slayer? Would see spend the rest of her days constantly assisting any vampire willing to defy Vlad? I'm over thinking.
"Can you stand?" Vlad asked.
"No." Erin said still not opening her eyes. "I'm surprised I can talk."
"We need to move you." Vlad said. "Dawn is coming. We need to get you home."
"I thought you told me to leave and never come back?"
Vlad winced at her words. But her eyes were still shut and she couldn't see.
"That doesn't matter right now."
"Why not? You meant it, didn't you?"
Vlad frowned. "Erin look at me."
Erin sat there. Not wanting to open her eyes. Not wanting to see the pain of his face. Not wanting to hurt him more. Why did he have to find me? I was just getting used to the agony her body kept telegraphing her. But try as she might, Erin could not drift back into the emptiness that had allowed her to escape her pain. Eyes still closed, she found her words. "Why Vlad?"
"I want to see that you understand."
Erin forced her eyes open. God it hurts. After a moment to focus she looked at Vlad. "Understand what?"
"I'm sorry."
"Don't-"
"Erin let me finish, I was angry. I didn't think clearly about what I was saying."
"It doesn't matter-"
"But it does. I need to get you safe and we can talk about this more, but first we have to move."
"No."
"I am not joking. This is no time to be stubborn."
"I said. DON'T TOUCH ME!" Erin growled.
Vlad pulled back as if she had hit him. His eyes narrowed. "You should be healing. I saw the bags of blood you drank. Did Adze do something to you?"
Erin blinked and bit her lip. She wanted to tell him. Wanted to lash out at him. But something was holding her back. She opened her mouth to speak with all that came out was a scream as the agony of all the pain she had ignored or held back washed through her, a torrent of pain up and down her arms and legs. She was seizing up. Vlad grabbed and held her down. But even with his strength her body continued to fight.
Vlad watched as Erin shook from pain. There was no other option. He brought his wrist to his mouth and bit down tearing his flesh until his blood welled up and he forced the blood down Erin's throat. The seizure lasted only for a few seconds more before her fangs found the wound and clamped down. Erin's one good had come up to grasp his arms, followed by the other, which, still covered in garlic juice, Vlad pinned at the elbow to keep the contaminate away from both of them. He was going to have to wash that hand quickly before it did too much damage. Erin fed on him. The pain she caused was unlike anything he had ever felt. Vampires rarely shared blood with one another, it often led to problems like addiction or making a weaker vamp no more than a thrall. But in the most dire situations it could help heal.
"Enough." Vlad hissed. Then with more power. "ENOUGH."
Erin ripped her fangs from his flesh falling back against the wall. Vlad moved quickly ignoring his hand and grabbed her left leg. With a jerk he pulled down extracting a yelp from Erin as he set the bone. Tearing at his cloak Vlad made several strips of fabric. One he wrapped quickly around his wrist the other he used to secure Erin's leg. The bone was healing, but could not support her weight. Not yet. Erin continued to whimper through clenched teeth as he worked. Once Vlad had secured her wound as best he could he stood up to get in better position to lift her up. Erin's hand shot up.
"Stop."
"We need to move. I bound your wounds as best I can but my blood should have healed you and it hasn't. Not really."
"Vlad, stop." Erin got wiser and held up her garlic covered hand. Vlad sat back on his heels.
"We don't have time." Vlad frowned and pleaded with his eyes. They had to leave.
"Make time." Erin dropped her hand on the bandage of her leg. The garlic had eaten away her nerve ending in her hand but not the muscles that allowed her to move it. She really needed to get rid of the glove and wipe it but Vlad was watching her hand as if she might strike at him with the garlic. At least it was getting him to listen to her.
"Then sun will be up in less than an hour and I need to carry you back to the school."
"I don't want to go back there."
"Fine then inside Adze's town house."
"Vlad I want you to leave." Erin said folding her hands in her lap. "I want you to leave me here."
"Not going to happen."
Erin wanted to scream and yell and fight. But she just didn't have the strength. Instead she sat there, thinking.
"Erin-"
"No, Vlad it is my turn. Look everything you said earlier. It was right. It needed to be said. It needed to be done. So just go."
"What about you?"
"I am not your responsibility Vlad."
"Of course you are! I made you."
Erin snorted. "Have you ever met a pure blood vampire who took responsibility for a half fang? Don't start a trend Vlad."
"Why are you saying this?"
"Because I want you to leave."
"Really?" Vlad said, eyes flashing red in anger. "You really mean that? Then why leave me this?"
Vlad tossed down the letter at Erin. She flinched, silently cursing Ingrid. That was supposed to have been given to him tomorrow. Bitch. And yet, Erin was not really surprised. Actually she was surprised Ingrid had given it to Vlad at all. Maybe Erin had miss judged Ingrid's sentimentality. Damn it.
"She wasn't supposed to give you that."
"So tell me Erin, what does all this mean? Is it some sort of sick pay back?"
"Yes, Vlad, payback for what you took from me."
"Look I'm sorry! I'm sorry I made you a vampire. A monster. But we need to move forward."
"No, Vlad. I don't care that I became a vampire. It was never about that."
"Then what is this about?"
"You took my choice Vlad! I told you to let me die. I told you what I wanted and you ignored my wishes. You did what you wanted. What you thought was right!"
"I told you I couldn't live without you!"
"That doesn't excuse your actions Vlad."
"You'd be dead without me. Don't you understand that?"
"I do. I've always understood that." Erin dug her hands into the ground and began to push herself to her feet. "What, you think slayers don't consider their own mortality every time they go out into the field." One foot holding all her weight she drew herself up, shaking. "Every time we go up against an enemy." She straightened her spine. "Enemies that is so over powered, so much stronger." Erin clenched her jaw against the pain forcing her fangs out. "All we have it our choice. Out simple choice to fight. It is what makes us human. Hope. Love. Sanity. It's all we know." Her eyes shot up and found his. "You of all people should understand that."
"I do," Vlad whispered.
Erin shook her head. "You haven't lost enough to understand. I will be your first."
"No, we have time." Vlad said coming up to hold her. She let him, but did not grasp him back. He was so desperate in his need. In a moment he could whisk her of her feet and rush them home. Time was ticking by. He needed the truth.
"There is no time." Erin said. The last time she lay dying in his arms Erin had asked Vlad to let her go. She was no longer asking. "Look." Erin held up her one good hand.
"No," Vlad whispered watching and black veins spread growing with each second as the night gave way to the dawn.
"You don't have a choice." Erin said concealing a snarl. "Even your blood can't stop this from killing me."
"What have you done?" Vlad demanded grabbing her wrist.
"The same thing any slayer worth their salt would have done in my place." Erin spat.
"What have you done?" Vlad roared.
"It is a failsafe, something we slayers ingest if bitten. If we can't stop the change."
"But your brother..."
"He refused to take it as long as I was alive." Erin said. "I don't have the same tie to my humanity to worry about it."
The venom in her words made Vlad flinch. "How can you say that?"
"Because it is true." Erin shook free of his grasp.
"What did you do?" Vlad whispered.
"And still you won't hear me." Erin said. "I poisoned myself. I took a drug designed to kill half fangs. I took the moment I left your sight after waking up a vampire. It has been killing me slowly since."
Erin's word finally hit home. Vlad hadn't been listen. He hadn't wanted to listen. He didn't want to know. She had chosen to die, chosen to hurt him before she came to his room, before she offered herself, her body, her love. In a way he had been right, she had been testing him. Testing his resolve to be more human than monster. And yet, his anger flashed, she was a coward. All this talk of fighting. Fighting for something you believe. Here she was dying. Killing herself over nothing. Over a stupid choice.
Something clicked into place. Vlad was no longer confused. No longer tormented or defeated by these stupid argument that got them only pain, torment and defeat. Erin had made her choice. Well, then he had made his.
"But what about us?"
"What us?" Erin asked. "You don't love me anymore." Erin looked at him. "I can see it in your eyes,"
"It's not true." Vlad said. He noticed she didn't say that she didn't love him. But did he still love her? There was guilt, shame, and desire all muddled up. But love?
"Now who is lying?"
"Erin..."
"No, Vlad, I knew the moment I woke up a vampire, that once you realized what I was, what I truly had become that you would no longer love me."
"How can you say that?"
"It's true." Erin reached out for him now. She put the palm of her right hand on his cheek. "You loved the human, the slayer, not this; not he vampire you created. How could you?"
"Erin," Vlad pulled her closer. Just being near her gave him hope.
"No, I get it. You hate what you are. I get it. I hate what I am as well but I am not stupid enough to think you could love a monster like me."
"You're not-" A finger on his lips stopped his words.
"Of course I am. It's what all half fangs are, more than even the vampires who made them. Everything you are in that act is transferred to us and that I all that we can be. Sure a pure blood can abstain, can change, can pretend to be a human but a half fang never can. Our memory of our human lives makes certain that is true. I know if I was starving it wouldn't matter who the person was, man woman child or infant I would devour them all to feed my thirst. I am a monster. I have no control of that, it was lost the moment I woke. I knew the only escape I could have was in death and I accept that, its why, with what little humanity I had left I made my choice."
Vlad looked at her, for the first time he could see the dark lines on her skin like those Ingrid had when she was sick and dying, but these came from the gems. His eyes were frozen, staring at the green stones a moment. Erin followed his gaze.
"Yeah, these things. Funny I swear they are keeping me alive. The pain had been unbearable at times. But then, it's like the pain is being absorbed. But I'm still dying."
"They hurt?"
"Yeah, it seems that is where the poison is attacking first. Maybe they're magic is fighting it but I know the poison is winning."
"How?"
"I am weaker. I want more blood but I am resisting. And the pain is worst."
"I can get you blood.'
Erin shook her head. "It won't help now."
"I need to do something, maybe I can suck out the poison..."
Erin shook her head. "It won't work that way. The slayers made certain. The poison is in my bones and was ever since sunset."
"How can you be sure?" Vlad asked.
Erin smiled up at him and caressed his face.
"It is was what it was meant to do. Any antidote had to be given before sunset."
"Then there is an antidote." Vlad hissed.
"Shh. Listen. There is not much time left. Now when the sun rises, my body will fall apart and I will be lucky if there is even dust left behind."
"I won't allow it."
"You have no other choice." Erin smiled but there was so much sadness in her words it almost drowned out the pain that began to surge through her body.
"There is always a choice, always." Vlad reached down and picked her up in his arms.
"No," Erin mumbled. What little strength she had forced her to pull her lips back, fangs barred and snarled at him. "Put. Me. Down."
"No." Vlad's eyes went dark. He was done arguing. He was done asking. He took Erin in his arms and did something he had never been able to fully perfect, he flew. Not as a bat, or as some falling vampire into the night. No he flew with a speed a kin to a racing train. All the words that Erin was screaming were swallowed and lost to the speed of sound as he fled back home. Hoping to bet the dawn and find a final answer. He had to save her. Save her humanity. Save her from herself. Even if that meant losing her forever. He had to find a way. No forgiveness, just farewell.