A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

I'd like your opinions, I'm really, really struggling:

What should I name the baby (I usually have a first name and two middle names)?

Chapter 14: Test

The Nobles had taken the initiative and set up the device under the watchful gaze of the Count.

The device they used consisted of an armed, high backed, metal chair, it wasn't argentalium it was aluminium or some other metal that didn't conduct electricity. Around the arms of the chair were fang cuffs connected to tubes and wires. The top of the chair had a neck brace form which more tubes were attached.

Three feet from it stood something that looked like a green, oxygen canister, the tubes led to the canister clearly there was something in them that would be released through the tubes. From being a canister it was clearly a gas. The wires led from the devices to a laptop, clearly the laptop would be used to start the device.

Vlad shuddered as it reminded him of the super weapon they'd destroyed years ago.

They switched the laptop on before turning to face Vlad, Steph looked disturbingly like her daughter as she folded her arms over her chest.

Tom tipped his head, showing another common Noble mannerism, "It's ready, so what's your answer?"

Vlad's jaw clenched his answer wasn't going to change. He opened his mouth to speak but he was yanked back roughly by the crook of his elbow, making him stumble and nearly crash into the person who'd yanked him backwards.

Ingrid whispered harshly, "Let them test it on Erin."

Vlad looked at his sister his eyes turning black at her comment, "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." Vlad spat at his sister in disgust.

"Look they'll see it won't work on Erin and know that she made her own choice…" She saw the nervousness on Vlad's face. "Or are you afraid that she feels the way she does because of the bite."

"No." Vlad hissed at his sister frantically, he knew the truth behind Erin's feelings for him. "Look it won't work on Erin, do you really think that they'll think about using it on Bertrand afterwards?"

Ingrid leaned closer to her brother to whisper harshly, "This is the chance to cure Bertrand and have the Nobles off your back."

Vlad knew it wasn't worth it, they couldn't chance the device being used on Erin. "I said no Ingrid. I'm not having Erin go through that. I know you want Bertrand back…"

"You didn't stop at anything to get Erin back, you nearly killed yourself to save her more than once, you took her from the Slayer's Guild, you didn't care about the risks when you slept with her in her parents house…" Vlad heard a hiss from his wife as something so personal was aired. The Nobles looked as if they were about to be sick, "I want the chance to be with Bertrand Vlad. I've never had what you and Erin have until I met Bertrand. He's my one," Ingrid paused as a sob caught in her throat, "I will do anything for him. You should know about that."

"Ingrid I never put any of you in danger, there's more to this than I can tell you."

Ingrid became defensive. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can't tell you at the moment, but I'm not going to let Erin get hurt."

"Erin won't be hurt Vlad. Stop being so overprotective!"

Ingrid ignored Vlad and grabbed Erin by the arm, she really was desperate. She pushed Erin into the chair. Erin's parents saw that as the chance they needed, Tom typed something into the computer. Immediately a pair of fang cuffs locked themselves around Erin's wrists holding her to the chair. The neck brace looped around her neck and locked in place, Erin couldn't move – her eyes widening in fear.

The machine started to power up, a humming began as small lights on the tubes began to flicker and Tom typed faster.

Vlad realised in that moment no one had explained how this 'cure' worked – he could only guess.

"Keep the dose low at first." Steph whispered to her husband who nodded softly.

Ingrid gave her an encouraging smile while Vlad's anger spiked and the room began to shake.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Vlad listened to the humming increase; he knew that whatever it was they were going to do wouldn't stop if he stood in front of the machine. He had a feeling that it would go around him or pass through him.

Vlad saw that he had no other option he clicked his fingers and the machine exploded in a shower of sparks. The humming slowly decreased coughing and spluttering as he sped in front of Erin and ripped the argentalium cuffs from her wrists. He winced as he should have realised that they contained garlic inside just like her engagement ring had, it splashed along his hands as he covered her wrists to stop her being hurt. Erin grasped his hands rubbing them softly as tears sparkled in his eyes from the contact. Erin ripped the collar from her neck, no garlic went on her.

He knelt down, cupping her neck pulling it towards him until their foreheads kissed. Erin closed her eyes and Vlad could tell she as panicking.

"Vlad! That was Bertrand's only chance…" Ingrid felt her eyes beginning to sting, she couldn't believe Vlad had just destroyed the device or at least damaged it. He could have stopped it without damaging it, it wouldn't have hurt Erin.

Tom looked outraged at Vlad, strangely Steph didn't look that angry. "What do you think you're doing…"

Vlad ignored them completely; he placed a hand on her stomach. "You okay?" Erin knew what he meant, she gulped nodding slowly. "Are you sure?" He needed to know for certain.

"Yeah."

Vlad's head snapped to the left to face his sister. "What for the love of garlic did you think you were doing?"

Ingrid shrugged. "Proving that you and Erin are supposed to be together and getting Bertrand cured in the process. It was designed for her."

Vlad wasn't going to let it slide. "Do you have any idea what you could have done?" Ingrid shrugged brushing it aside.

"It wouldn't have harmed her." She was confident in that.

Vlad waved his hand cutting her off, "Not to Erin!" He looked at Erin who nodded he'd already gone this far. His voice dropped to just above a whisper. "To the baby."

Everyone in the room froze.

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Everyone's eyes were drawn to Erin's stomach, noticing for the first time Vlad's hand resting protectively over it. He rubbed her stomach gently, trying to assure himself that the baby was still safe inside her.

They hadn't wanted to reveal it to anyone but it had become necessary if only to justify what Vlad had done and how he'd acted. They wanted to wait for the right time. Erin leaned forward suddenly and Vlad knew what was about to happen so he raised himself up and let her dive into his arms. Vlad pulled her closely and rubbed her back up and down. Erin didn't cry or make a sound but he felt her dry sobs shake her body. What had almost happened caught up with her.

Ingrid stumbled backwards, she'd just been so desperate to fix Bertrand. She thought this way she was helping Erin out in the end. They didn't know anything about the process that was involved so there was a high chance that it could have ended up in Erin losing their child.

"The baby's okay, you're okay." He whispered, Erin nodded gripping him even fiercer as he kissed her temple before she pulled back. Erin twisted in his arms, letting him protect her stomach as she stood in front of him.

"That's why she's been sick?" Ingrid gasped out, Vlad nodded slowly. "I'm sorry Vlad, I didn't…" Vlad waved his hand cutting her off, he didn't want to hear it.

The Count's eyes lit up in pride at his son, "I have a grandchild?" He moved towards Erin, Erin stiffened as the Count approached her. He saw her reaction and stopped, extending his hand with a pleading look. Erin knew what he wanted to do and nodded.

Vlad saw Erin's acceptance and slowly withdrew his hands. The Count tenderly placed a hand on Erin's stomach trying to sense the life inside her, smiling slightly at her nervousness. He was full of pride at his son and Erin's condition.

"Its something to celebrate!" The Count announced, "A bottle of blood for me and Ingrid, soy for the others." Ingrid's head snapped up at her name, her father had never considered sharing blood with her to celebrate before.

"We're keeping it from our kind at the moment." Vlad looked pointedly at Ingrid, she immediately understood the reason behind it – the Council's demand.

The Count looked at them questioningly and Vlad comically was halted from speaking under that look. Erin rolled her eyes and spoke. "We have our reasons."

"How far along is she?"

"About six weeks." Erin really prayed the Count didn't ask how she knew, it was hard enough to talk to Vlad about how she knew.

The Count looked up at her before looking at his son. "You're going to be a father Vladdy." There was unadulterated glee in those words.

"She's pregnant?" Tom gasped out quietly, "My daughter is breeding vampires?" They hadn't allowed for any possibility that Erin was pregnant when they'd created this device.

Erin took the comment for the insult it was, "I'm having a baby. A baby I want to have and I gladly helped create." That stung them, Vlad winced as he hadn't expected her to put it so bluntly. "We love this baby and I'm ready for this because I have Vlad to support me – not a slayer who won't love our children and only care about them becoming slayers." Erin was settled in her life now.

"Your children won't have a choice in what they become." Tom shouted at her, he couldn't believe his daughter could be so stupid. Erin was just making one mistake after another, he only wished his wife felt the same way. She'd opposed using the device until she'd realised that if it didn't work it meant Tom would finally leave their daughter alone to make her own choices.

"They'll be born vampires – yes. This child will become Grand High Vampire – yes, but we will make sure that they will make their own decisions." With one glaring exception that they were going to fix as soon as possible. "They will have the love of their family, we will support them in what ever choices they make. You can be a part of that, but not until you accept who I truly am." Erin told them quietly, this was who she was, who she was always supposed to be Vlad's equal and Queen. "I'm twenty one, I'm old enough to make my own decisions. Please respect them."

Vlad stroked her neck feeling her lean into his touch.

Steph smiled softly at her daughter, "Con…congratulations." She whispered to Erin, she'd thought there was something about their daughter when they'd arrived. She seemed to glow and was even happier, even Vlad had seemed different. Looking at her son in law there was a sparkle in his eyes, no matter how angry he was at the moment the sparkle had refused to leave his eyes.

Tom wasn't as convinced ad opened his mouth to speak only to be cut off.

The doorbell rang, echoing throughout the manor. Vlad and Erin looked completely confused at each other wondering who it could be.

Vlad glanced down at his watch, then his eyes met Erin's as realisation dawned on them.

He'd forgotten about his final task for the Council.

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Vlad closed his eyes and cleared his mind, he needed to focus. He went over his speech one final time in his head. Inside the hall were the coffins that had been sent with the vampires inside to protect them from the sunlight.

"Say what's in your heart." Erin whispered into his neck kissing his bite mark softly making him shiver. She smirked against his neck, "It's never failed you before."

"There's a first time for everything." He let out an infuriated groan as Erin pulled back sharply.

"Ready?" Vlad whispered adjusting Erin's circlet so it sat level on her head. This was the time their world found out about Erin's new (or rather delayed) status.

"Yeah."

The doors opened slowly, banging against the wall.

They were unprepared for what was inside…

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

What should I name the baby?

Thanks for reading.