A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Do you think I should leave the Count, Robin and Wolfie out until the next instalment or bring them back in?

Chapter 22: The Easy Way Or The Hard Way

Bertrand looked at Olga, disbelief written across his face. He was a weapon in the terms that he was deadly in combat but he'd never considered himself a weapon in the terms of being used against Vlad.

Olga kept eye contact with Vlad dishevelled former mentor. He knew all of Vlad's tactics and strategies. The best part about these strategies was the fact that Bertrand had created them himself. He hadn't been trained like the Hunters had, he'd learned to fight to survive and protect his family when his parents had been slain. Bertrand was unique and she needed that.

A bonus would be that she had taken something of Ingrid's; she had beaten her older cousin at something. That in itself made taking Vlad's 'weapon' worth it.

"He doesn't even know what you are." Olga told him seriously although in a way it was as if she pitied him for Vlad not noticing how valuable he was.

"I'm not a weapon." Bertrand didn't consider himself a weapon for anyone else to use, he was his own person. His loyalties were chosen based upon his options and trust. Vlad showed him he was willing to trust and forgive him he wasn't going to betray that. "I'm not going to train you." He told her seriously. "It'll never make you as powerful as Vlad."

"No but it'll make me as powerful as his Queen, even more so. A match for him." If it came down to hand to hand combat she would win, Vlad wouldn't be used to someone who knew his tactics. Erin wasn't a match but Bertrand was. Bertrand knew things that Vlad couldn't anticipate these were the things she wanted to be taught.

"You can't get powers any other way so you want to hone the ones you have." Bertrand knew what she wanted, he'd never do it. He wouldn't betray Vlad like that.

"You trained his wife, so you can train anyone. I'm ordering you to train me to become the most powerful female alive." Olga sounded so sure of herself. "I can give you power that you've always craved, from the days when you wanted to take it for yourself."

Bertrand's eyes widened, only a handful of people knew about that and most of them were dead or Draculas. "I'm not going to train you." Bertrand spat at her. He wasn't going to train her to become skilled at fighting against her own kind, she didn't need that advantage.

Olga's jaw clenched, perhaps an incentive would make him train her. "Let me put it this way, you train me and you get to keep your little vampire girlfriend alive. That's if you weren't with her just for the power she held."

Bertrand let out an angry growl at the insult to his honour; he would never use a woman to get power. He'd framed Ingrid before and she'd countered his every move, seeing right through him but that had never been to get power it had been for Vlad to realise the power that he held as Grand High Vampire.

In a flash Bertrand had leapt out at her from his position on the floor, he slammed his fist into her chest knocking the wind out of her before grabbing her slender throat in his large, calloused hands.

Olga hadn't been expecting that action when she confronted him.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Olga was slammed back against the wall, fear in her eyes as she looked at him. Bertrand's grip tightened around her throat, it wouldn't do anything but it would show her he was serious about his actions.

Bertrand wasn't afraid of showing Olga exactly what he meant. His eyes were black as he looked at her; he usually had complete control over his powers. He'd only slipped like this a few times before.

Olga struggled against him as her panic set in, this is what made him a dangerous weapon, he could turn on anyone at any time. Bertrand clearly had loyalties; true vampires didn't have loyalties to anyone but themselves.

She tried to cry out but nothing happened; only a choked and gurgled sound came from her windpipe. She tried to kick him but his legs were spread do she couldn't land any form of blow to him. He knew exactly what he was doing. Olga could only do one thing. She balled her fists and banged them hard against the wall.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

The door flew open, nearly falling off its metal hinges with the force. Bertrand wasn't intimidated; he wasn't going to move from her. The Hunter tried to yank him backwards but Bertrand was too strong. The Hunter couldn't force his hands from Olga's neck. From the position of Bertrand's hands he knew if he did Olga's neck would probably be snapped, even if it didn't kill her it would take a while to heal. Time she didn't have.

The Hunter sent out a telepathic message asking for assistance. In a flash two more Hunters were beside him in the room. Shock in their eyes at what Bertrand was doing. Two tried to restrain him whole the other pried his fingers away from Olga's throat. Bertrand's short finger nails scratched at her throat as his grip was gradually loosened and dragged away. One arm at a time pinned behind his back.

As soon as her throat was free Olga rubbed it, his little display had just proved how much of a weapon he was. He knew how to attack in ways others couldn't understand.

"So Ingrid's the one thing that can hurt you," She muttered a smirk crossing her face. "The same could be said for my cousin and his wife but its suicide to separate them." Everyone knew that separating the mated Draculas would mean no mercy for anyone in the breather, slayer or vampire world. That's what made them so strong and that's why they could never be attacked in that way. She didn't move closer to him but she continued to glare at him, "I promise you I will hurt her if you don't cooperate. Very slowly and very painfully." She drawled out slowly, her American tones making it sound even more severe.

Bertrand shot forwards, the Hunters coming with him. They barely managed to restrain him from hitting her; they flailed wildly for his arm as it broke free from their strong grip.

"Ingrid will never forgive me if I save her to turn against her brother and I don't trust you not to harm her anyway." Ingrid was on Vlad's side now and she took her loyalty very seriously.

Olga let out a snarl, why did Ingrid always have family that was loyal to her? Even now she had a lover that was loyal to her, he thought about her above anything else. It wasn't fair, she wanted something like that. If she couldn't have it, then Ingrid couldn't have it either.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"I told you I won't train you." He couldn't be around Ingrid knowing he'd betrayed her brother and sister in law. His honour wouldn't allow it. He swore never to betray Vlad again, Vlad sparing his unlife had ensured his loyalty and he wasn't going to reject that precious gift.

Olga smirked, her face setting on amused. She honestly hadn't expected anything from him. The only thing she'd expected was a fight.

She gestured to the two Hunters who slammed Bertrand down onto his knees. The force caused the entire floor to jolt and vibrate.

Olga gestured for them to grip his head; Bertrand fought them, the strain taking its toll on his muscles. His neck was gripped strongly, any tighter and they could easily snap it. His eyes were lifted up to meet Olga's so he closed them as tightly as he could to prevent what he was sure to happen.

Olga laughed at his actions, she enjoyed a challenge. This would be even more fitting with him being Ingrid's boyfriend.

"I prefer the hard way it's much more fun." She said it in such a tone that she was thanking him for choosing this option, he fought to keep his stomach from churning. He realised now how Erin had felt when he'd kidnapped her for her blood.

His eyes remained tightly screwed, Olga chuckled to herself. He really was stubborn. She could see why Ingrid had fallen for him; he was different to other vampires that she'd met. Bertrand De Fortunessa was a mystery to everyone except those who knew him well. There was a mysterious about him that made him attractive.

Perhaps she shouldn't hypnotise him.

Perhaps she should do something far more terrible for both him and her dear cousins.

There were many things she could do to cause them pain and grief.

She weighed the options in her head before coming to a decision.

She really was going to enjoy this…

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

Do you think I should leave the Count, Robin and Wolfie out until the next instalment or bring them back in?

Thanks for reading.