A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

How far would people like me to go with Bertrand and Ingrid?

Chapter 14: Talk

The tense atmosphere seemed to bounce off the walls of the long corridors, stifling Ingrid. The pressure seemed to pile on her, crushing her downwards. Each step she took seemed to get heavier and heavier until she was dragging her feet along Vlad's polished floors.

There was nothing for Ingrid to focus on as she walked down the corridor. There were no portraits, no landscapes and no tapestries. Vlad had always hated those kinds of things.

Bertrand walked confidently in front of her; he took long purposeful strides creating more and more distance between them. Ingrid didn't want to catch him up; she really didn't want this conversation. Ingrid had been around enough breathers to know exactly what those words meant.

Bertrand opened a nearby door, the door to Vlad's library. He cautiously pushed the door open; Vlad had always made sure that the hinges were oiled so there would be no sound. He gestured with his hands for her to enter the room.

Ingrid deliberately made an effort not to brush past Bertrand, banging her shoulder on the door in her efforts. She refused to cry out of even show that it had affected her. He looked slightly confused at her deliberate attempt to not touch him.

Ingrid couldn't turn around to face him. She kept her eyes fixed on the windowpane, counting the dried droplets of rain on the small, diamond panes of green glass. She was going to be strong, she wasn't going to cry. She'd never felt this way before and now it was all at an end, probably because she was too slow.

"Ingrid…" Bertrand began quietly; he was confused as to why she wasn't facing him. Ingrid hadn't turned away from him in all the time they'd been together.

"You told me we needed to talk." Ingrid told him her voice breaking; she'd never had one of these conversations before. She'd known heartbreak but there had been nothing to tell her that their relationship was coming to an end. "I know what you're going to say… and you don't have to sugar coat it for me." Her voice grew quieter as she spoke.

Bertrand looked confused, "We do need to talk but…" A choked sound startled him; he saw her shoulders quiver and shake. Bertrand placed a hand on her shoulder but Ingrid sped across the room as fast as she could, pressing herself against the wall, if he touched her she'd fall apart as if she were made of glass. "You need to hear me out…"

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Erin handed Vlad the shirt he looked at it before she helped him slip it on, the right sleeve was proving to be difficult for him. She grasped his arm and guided it into the sleeve with a small smile. Her fingers brushing against his chest as she pulled it down.

"You okay?" She asked with concern seeing the way he'd closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. Vlad nodded, "You won't be able to fly for a few days."

"I know." That didn't bother him so much – as long as they managed to get all the detonators out of the walls as soon as possible.

Erin moved forwards until she was hugging him awkwardly. "I thought we were all going to be slain." She whispered, it was the closest they'd all come to being slain. Vlad wrapped his arms around Erin, ignoring the burning sensation that shot through his shoulder.

He rested his cheek against her hair, feeling its silkiness against his skin. "We're still here."

"For how long?" She asked, her voice cracking. Olga definitely wasn't letting family get in the way in her quest for power.

"Olga thinks we're worth keeping alive, that's something." He assured her, pulling back slightly. "We'll be ready for them next time, and her. Renfield won't be opening any more packages." He assured her with a smile. Renfield shouldn't' have even touched something that wasn't his to touch.

Vlad looked at his beautiful wife, he was thankful she was still in front of him. She really was going to stand by him throughout this situation. He loved her for it. He didn't think anyone else would stand by him, he knew Chloe wouldn't have if he'd gone through with that bargain.

"I love you."

Erin smiled widely at the words, after three years she still couldn't get enough of them. "Love you too."

Erin grinned as Vlad leaned in; he ran his fingers through her longer hair. Erin was glad she'd let it grow to shoulder length, he twirled it slightly enjoying the way the light made her hair seem different colours in the light.

Erin moved closer to her husband instinctively, gripping his firm shoulders to move herself those precious few inches. She placed her weight on him to lift herself up more comfortably into her lap. Vlad tore away from her with a cry from his lips.

Erin immediately felt terrible at hurting him, she'd forgotten in that moment that he was injured. "Sorry…" Vlad shook off her apology, there was no need for her to apologise to him. Erin moved forwards carefully pressing a gentle kiss to his t-shirt covered shoulder.

"It was an accident." He whispered, placing the gentlest of kisses to her jaw. He'd be back to normal in a few days, the internal and external injury would take that long to heal without complications.

Erin closed her eyes at the sensations he was causing. Her hands drifted back up to his hair, twisting her fingers in the thick locks.

The door to Vlad's study banged open making them both jump apart. Vlad let out a growl towards the person responsible but she didn't seem to care. She was too busy wrapped up in her own world.

"That stupid, idiotic…"

There were only two people who she insulted like that and one of them had been with Erin the whole time. "What has he done now?" Erin sighed.

"He said we needed to talk." Ingrid yelled angrily, anger was always her first defence.

"Ingrid," Vlad couldn't think of anything else to say, he gently pushed Erin off him and stood making his way towards his sister. Ingrid jumped back out of his way.

Erin shared a concerned look with Vlad, her heart went out to Ingrid, she was using anger to mask hurt again. "He broke up with you."

"That…" She couldn't think of a word to use, "Vampire." There was definitely more than a little acid as she spat the word out as if it were a curse. "Doesn't know the meaning of 'we need to talk', never even heard of it in breather terms."

Bertrand had no idea what he'd done to her, the pure panic and hurt she'd experienced was more than she could handle in that moment.

Erin was definitely confused now, Vlad was the one who spoke though venturing what he thought she was saying. "So you haven't broken up?"

Ingrid sharply turned towards Vlad, her hands on her hips, she looked more than a little terrifying. Erin jumped backwards and "Depends on if he survives me staking him."

"So if he didn't break up with you, what did he do?"

Ingrid rolled her tongue in her mouth; this was what had angered her. "He asked me to marry him!" She shouted at them, angrily. "*He* decided that I'm ready to be asked."

Vlad blinked he was trying to understand why Ingrid was so upset. "Ingrid…"

"If anyone should bring it up its me, its only because we were nearly slain, I want what you and Erin have…" Ingrid wanted what Vlad and Erin had, the chance to decide on things together. Bertrand had decided she was ready, so much for taking things slowly. Vlad was younger than her and already mated, he hadn't seen the torments that had been hurled her way. Most vampire women were already betrothed by her age of twenty-four, the fact her younger brother had found a wife was humiliating in its own way. Don't get her wrong, she knew why they'd been mated so young, but it didn't stop the sting she felt when someone insulted her.

"Ingrid…" Erin tried again, Bertrand wasn't good with emotions and he'd probably asked her without considering what they'd been through.

"INGRID!" Vlad shouted wanting his sister to shut up. Ingrid's mouth snapped shut comically, her eyes widening as she looked at he brother. "You should be glad you can have a normal engagement!" Ingrid looked at them watching as Erin looked down. "We were engaged because we had to be, I don't regret being engaged to Erin but I regret how it happened. We didn't have a choice with the timing, you do."

"Bertrand has been waiting three years." Erin began quietly, her and Vlad's engagement had been quick but she doubted they'd been able to wait three years.

Ingrid shook her head, Erin hadn't listened to what she was saying. "He decided for me, like a man always does. I should be the one who decided not him."

Vlad knew what was at the bottom of this – Ingrid didn't want to give up her independence. She was terrified of losing herself to anyone and especially a man. In a marriage she would be considered second, Erin was considered second to him even though she was his equal as far as he was concerned. Archaic views didn't change overnight.

"Ingrid if Bertrand's asked and you're not sure what your answer is you need to talk to him about it. Vlad didn't want an engagement if I didn't want it. We talked it through before we made any decisions. He deserves a right to know how you feel."

Ingrid mumbled, "Bertrand's not good with talking about emotions…"

Erin cut Ingrid off quickly, "Neither are you but both of you deserve to know how the other feels before you do anything more. Vlad and I always talk about everything and it makes us stronger, it shows we made the right choice."

"I'm not speaking to him." If she did she'd probably hit him. Erin and Vlad knew they'd have Ingrid hiding with them all morning and 'hiding' was the right word even though she'd deny it with every fibre of her being.

Ingrid sat down in between them, looking at them curiously. Vlad and Erin seemed to share a silent conversation; they weren't going to have Ingrid all day. They wanted some time alone together after what had just nearly happened.

"We're about to help Jonno get the devices out of the walls." Erin told Ingrid, "You can help…"

"It better than waiting for Bertrand to apologise." Besides if one exploded then she'd have a perfectly good excuse not to face him.

Somehow Vlad doubted that Bertrand would be the first to apologise. Bertrand rarely apologised to anyone. His last apology had been three years ago, besides it was Ingrid being stubborn.

Vlad pushed himself to his feet, Erin grabbed his arm.

Erin told Vlad seriously, "You're not helping get those things out of the walls with that shoulder."

"I can use my powers…"

"Like last time? It sped up the detonation sequence. It won't work."

"What am I supposed to do then?"

Erin put on a big smile, her most charming. Vlad groaned internally he hated it when she did that. "Watch and try to figure out why they ran away and what Olga's up to."

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The Hunters appeared directly in front of Olga, she had a smile on her face as she looked at them. The all bowed down on one knee in respect for her, she felt her ego swell further, doubling and tripling in size. She swept a dismissive gaze over them all. She couldn't get enough of this power.

"They're still alive?"

The Hunter glared at her, "Regretfully, we got your message just in time." They'd never left anyone alive before, it went against their code of ethics. "We always finish a job." It had been a waste of time on their part. They weren't going to be stopped from performing their ordained task every again or they'd go after her personally.

Olga didn't flinch under their gazes although she felt nervous she wasn't going to let it show at all.

"I changed my mind, I have a much better idea to get his power and they're all going to watch me get it before I slay them. You're going to help me achieve it." She knew they had no intention of bringing him back; the respect they would gain from his death overruled her orders.

The Council looked directly at Ivan. "You never said what would give her highness the power she needs." Jorgen pouted slightly as he waited for an answer. He wanted to know whether is was a real plan or just talk.

Ivan smirked; he couldn't wait to spill his idea. "Vlad has one weapon he doesn't need anymore that we can use to bring him down and anyone who dares challenge my daughter."

"You think he'll give it up?" Baylor scoffed, the young vampire would be more prepared for an attack this time.

Ivan let out a booming laugh, this part was the hilarious part. Vlad would never see it coming; he couldn't wait until this plan was put into action. "That's the best part."

"How?"

Ivan gave a shrug, he imagined the face of his nephew the thought made him smile widely. Olga sniggering delicately next to her father. "He doesn't even know what it is."

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

How far would people like me to go with Bertrand and Ingrid?

Thanks for reading.