A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Sorry it's taken me a while to update I haven't abandoned this fic. I know exactly where its heading but I've had to tweak it a little as something wasn't quite right with it. I don't have a Beta reader so I rely on my friends to check it over; they noticed the huge flaw in my planning.

This chapter is dedicated to Jim who was the one who noticed the problem and wouldn't let me rest until he approved of the way I fixed it.

Is there anything people would like to see in this fic?

Please let me know what you think.

Chapter 5: Rules

Erin wasn't amused that her training was beginning. She really didn't want to sit through 'how to kill a vampire' lectures again. She believed only in killing vampires when there were no other means of defence, if they could be tackled and dealt with she was content with that.

She'd never really been much of a slayer and Vlad knew what killing a vampire did to her and it was a subject they rarely talked about. He hated killing his own kind and they had that in common. The phrase 'when it is necessary' came to her mind but sometimes 'necessary' became clouded and became a way to control those who opposed them. That's what had happened to the Guild.

As soon as she stepped outside the sniggers began, the whispering behind hands. She knew it was coming and she'd braced herself for it.

She didn't regret her choices even if she had to continue this charade of pretending that she did. It sickened her to deny how she felt.

She shook herself drawing herself out of her musings. She looked down at her watch; she was used to being up. Her official training began in the morning but she was being ordered to meet her new team members in the gym.

She wasn't looking forward to it one bit.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Vlad landed quietly outside the Guild headquarters. He'd need to be quick to get in and out. Hopefully he'd leave with Erin.

He searched through the corridors, she was wearing her spray. He was lucky when he'd caught glimpses of what she truly smelled like, her true scent. It felt like a gift that only he received when she either forgot to wear it or it slowly wore off.

Now he just needed to find Erin and find out the truth before any of his family or Jonno tracked him down.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Erin chuckled as she watched her new team leader dispatch one of her new teammates. Jordan looked at her with a peeved look on his face; he didn't like being laughed at. He was of tallish build, muscular, about as muscular as Bertrand. He had a mop of curly, dirty blond hair, she'd seen him before she was sure of it on skirmishes she, Jonno, Vlad and Bertrand had been sent to deal with. She couldn't trust him, she knew that the moment she laid eyes on him.

His eyes were cold blue as he searched for the source of the laughter, when he looked at her she tried not to flinch at the loathing in them. She could feel her defences rising and her insides turning to steel to protect herself. It was a trick Vlad had been forced to learn when he used to respond emotionally or physically to every negative thing that was said about him.

He surveyed her, looking her up and down. She knew she was smaller than him but it didn't daunt her. If she could stand up to Bertrand who towered over her and Vlad she could stand up to someone like Jordan in front of her.

Jordan moved closer to her, the teammate (whom she hadn't actually learned the name of yet) scrambled off the mats. He sneered at her and she rolled her tongue in her mouth before looking back up at him with just as much distain on her face. "Let's see what your…" He couldn't think of anything that he could call the Chosen One so he settled for his species. Although to most slayers that was an insult but not to her, as he said it they giggled behind her like school girls. "Vampire taught you." The lead slayer grinned.

Erin shook her head, "I don't think it's a good idea."

He cooed at her. "Afraid are we?"

"No."

He backed up and beckoned her towards him in a 'come and get me' gesture with his hands. She let out a sigh; she'd enjoy teaching him a lesson. With a growl she pulled off her jumper leaving her in her t-shirt. She dropped it to the side of her, followed quickly by her slayer's gear.

She took on a stance in the middle of the mat; she wasn't going to attack him first. She stood there sizing him up. Within seconds he was tired of waiting and made the first move that she had been waiting for.

He tackled her but she responded in kind, she rolled over and dodged him in almost a lazy fashion. She'd fought feral vampires who were harder to dodge than him.

She wondered if he was going easy on her she wasn't going to let that happen.

She charged at him and he faltered not expecting her to do that.

He swung his arm out preparing to hit her but she ducked and hit him in the ribs. Not enough to break a rib but enough to wind him.

He gasped and punched lower but she stepped out of the way completely.

There were two rules that applied to slayers and vampires.

The first was: don't gloat – don't be too smug in capture or battle.

The other was: never underestimate your opponent. Vlad was a key example of that, she'd seen him when he was furious, he was formidable then other vampires had tackled him thinking he was easy pickings but he was a lot stronger than he looked in more ways than one.

Jordan had broken those rules the moment he'd challenged her and he was already regretting it.

Erin ducked down hitting his stomach before he could blink. He clutched at it with a wheeze as the wind was knocked out of him once more.

She darted behind him while she could and kicked him hard in the back. He flew forwards his arms flailing but she cursed herself as he didn't land on his stomach – her angle had been wrong but she was smaller than him.

He spun still wobbling on his feet, he tried to hit her in the gut before he was fully straight but she deflected it with her forearms, they mat in a cross. He used his other hand trying to hit her above her stomach but she deflected each and every strike.

She took her chance seeing he was beginning to tire. He had more sweat on his brow. She lowered herself down and pushed his legs out from under him, making sure he fell forwards towards her. She quickly dove out of the way with a slight smirk at the 'oomph' as he landed. She grabbed his arms, pinning them tightly behind his back. She twisted them painfully in a vice like grip. She looked up at their stunned faces.

"My 'vampire' taught me well." Erin snapped at them, "Don't forget that." She spat looking down at him.

Bertrand had taught her how to fight, Vlad had helped as well. They both wanted her to be able to protect herself; Vlad didn't want her being bitten. She'd spent many hours being trained in the training room, she'd been black and blue for weeks but it had all been worth it.

She brushed her hand through her sweat damped hair and turned away and walked with dignity, hopefully they wouldn't challenge her again.

If this was to break her then they had another thing coming.

She wasn't as weak as they thought she was.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Vlad felt something make his nose tingle. A scent but it wasn't a scent from a person it was residual, a residual scent from somewhere. He followed it recognising that it was Erin's.

He traced it through the sparse corridors to a grey heavy door, clearly this was her quarters. The scent wasn't strong but it was there, she'd been in here recently. A normal vampire wouldn't have sensed it and it would dissipate soon, she clearly hadn't used her spray until after she'd entered this room, or rather she hadn't topped it up.

He stared at the door, he knew she would have locked it so he clicked his fingers and the door immediately opened for him.

He didn't need to go far to see what she'd taken.

He saw it in the middle of her room; he darted towards it and held it tightly to his chest. His fingers ran through the 'fur' of the toy. If Erin didn't care she wouldn't have taken it, she wouldn't have cared about why he'd given it to her. It had comforted her when she was upset and it was the first time they properly talked about anything. It had a meaning to them both. They'd opened up – or at least he had –about their pasts.

The light snapped on and he spun towards the door to face an outraged Erin. "What are you doing here Vladimir?!" She hissed furiously at him. Then she realised what he was holding.

The toy he'd given her to comfort her. Mr Cuddles.

Erin treasured that toy, even when it had returned to Vlad's room. It was a symbol of them getting to know each other and the start of her falling for him past attraction. She needed the support that toy brought her now more than ever. That's why she'd taken it from him.

She didn't think that he'd notice that she'd taken it. It was always on his top shelf, clearly he looked at it more than she realised. She wondered if it held the same meaning for him that it did for her.

She wanted to march towards him but she didn't trust her body if she got too close. "Give it back." Erin told him slowly but sharply. She wasn't going to lunge for it – that would be childish.

Vlad shook his head, "It's mine." She'd come into his room and stole it.

"You gave it to me." She sounded childish at that moment but she didn't care. Vlad had given it to her to comfort her and she needed that comfort now more than ever.

"But it was back in my room." He challenged with a slight quirk of the lips. "If you didn't care about me then why did you take it? It shouldn't mean anything to you." He challenged trying to hide the hopeful smile that was threatening to break out on his face.

"Vlad give the monkey back to me." She pleaded with him. "Please." Vlad dropped it back down onto the table and she lunged for it, grabbing it and cradling it to her. He smiled at the sight that something of his brought her so much joy and relief.

"You didn't want to leave me did you?" He asked her quietly. She didn't answer, finding the tail of the monkey ever so interesting. "Why did you say those things?"

Her head snapped up to his, coldness in her eyes. "They were true." She looked at the door, "Now get out."

That wasn't an option. "Not without you."

Erin blinked, he'd come to take her home. The offer was so tempting but there was a reason she'd done this. "I'm not going anywhere with you!" She snarled at him trying to hate him. "This is where I belong."

He didn't believe that, she was lying far too much. "You belong with me! At the school! You hate it here, you told me that yourself." He shouted at her.

"Then I'll leave." She fiercely snarled at him. She managed to make it out of the door before he caught her.

Vlad shoved Erin back against the wall, her back slammed against it forcing her to let out a cry. "VLAD!" She shouted. He pressed closer to her, his chest against hers. His hands were placed on either side of her head, palms flat against the wall. She was thankful she was wearing the stasis spray as he couldn't feel her heart racing. If he came any closer, and she tilted her head up a fraction, their lips would meet. She tried to resist licking her lips in anticipation but she failed. She cursed herself for letting her feelings betray her.

He took her jaw in his hand, caressing it lightly, brushing the apple of her cheek with his thumb. "I love you Erin, and I don't believe that you don't feel anything for me." He told her firmly. Erin felt herself melt at his words. The conviction with which he said them took her breath away.

Erin looked away, his loose grip let her. "But I don't love you." She told him with a great deal of hesitation and a crack. Her eyes didn't meet his not even for a heartbeat. She knew if she looked at him he would see through her lie if he didn't already

He growled a low rumbling in his chest. "Look at me when you say that." He tenderly turned her face to his, his voice softening. "Please Erin look at me." She shook her head frantically, her eyes screwed shut. She couldn't look at him; if she did she'd fall apart.

Erin saw her chance she realised what was next to her. She withdrew her stake from the holster at her hip. Vlad felt her actions against his hip; he looked down seeing the small, smooth but perfectly sharp stake being turned in her hand.

That was before she slammed it into the wall with all her force.

Vlad immediately doubled over, stepping away from her.

He looked up at her clutching his head, the pain made his mind feel like it was on fire. His ears were burning violently. It would affect his flying capability.

He heard heavy footfalls running towards them… him.

What was she doing?

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

Is there anything people would like to see in this fic?

Thanks for reading.