A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

I'd like your opinion:

If I do write a future fic with Adria, what would you like to see in it?

Chapter 36: Disgusting

The door clicked open quietly, scraping across the worn carpet of Vlad's old room. Vlad twisted his head on the pillow to look at the now unobstructed doorway. He lifted a hand and rubbed it across his eyes, trying to remove the sleepiness that was there.

His gums were hurting and he knew that it was due to his fangs wanting to come through. He'd always told her that getting fangs were the worst part of transforming partly because of the pain but party because it felt so good when they finally lowered into place.

Erin came into view, silhouetted in the frame from the light behind her. She clicked her fingers and the candles lit immediately casting the room into a soft glow.

Erin began to peel off her grimy clothes reaching for one of Vlad's old t-shirts and slipping it on over her head.

Vlad shifted across slightly in the bed. "What time is it?" He whispered, his voice sounding dazed. He must have slipped off to sleep not long after they'd entered the castle. He hadn't bothered with a watch – for the first time ever – so now he was left curious.

"Midday." Erin answered leaning on the edge of the bed, leaning down and kissing him softly. Vlad's hands gripped her waist lightly, rubbing through the material of her 'nightdress'.

Vlad nodded slowly, as she brought her legs up underneath her. He lifted his arm for her to sidle underneath. "I think I sent them the message." Erin told Vlad quietly as she curled into him. She wasn't entirely sure she'd gotten through to them, she'd never contacted anyone over that distance before. It wasn't a power she really had bothered to develop but now she wished she had.

Vlad kissed her hair lightly, he knew she'd tried her best and that's what mattered. "Has the morning sickness stopped?" He asked her quietly, Erin nodded into his chest. He looked at her sceptically, she'd answered too eagerly for him.

"It's nearly stopped, I just feel sick but not as if I'm going to lose my dinner." Vlad accepted that answer – for now. Erin had to admit the poultice that Octa had given her was working. She gently stroked his neck, tracing over where she'd nearly bitten him. "I'm sorry."

"You were thirsty." Vlad had easily brushed it aside, it was from growing up with blood thirsty maniacs that had made him so unfazed. "It wasn't your fault Erin, you were acting on what was best for the baby, there wasn't anything wrong with that."

Erin nodded before wincing as her face came into contact with something rough. She jolted upwards looking down at him. She shook her head, she should have insisted that he get ready for sleep properly. "You can't sleep in those." She muttered. He hadn't had a change of clothes since he'd received his injury. They were coated in dirt, making them stiff. His jeans were probably rubbing uncomfortably against his injury. His shirt was all creased and rucked up in different places.

Erin pulled him into a sitting position, he protested as he was comfortable where he was.

Erin deftly undid the buttons on his shirt, peeling it off him and tossing it to the ground. There was no way that could ever be worn again, it was filled with tiny tears and the dirt had stained the shirt. There were streaks of his blood on the material, obviously from where he'd wiped his hands after he'd pulled the glass out.

His t-shirt wasn't much better, she grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head as well. Vlad gasped as the cold air hit him, making his skin goose bump. Erin saw his reaction; she'd forgotten that he would feel the cold air. Glancing towards the fire she clicked her fingers again and it roared into life. Vlad couldn't feel the cold like normal humans but he still needed warmth.

"Thanks." He whispered, his teeth chattering slightly. He hated this feeling, he felt vulnerable. The irony wasn't lost on him that for the first time in his unlife he was actually fighting to become a vampire.

Erin could see the mud had seeped through his shirt, caking his chest and turning it brown. Erin let out a sigh and stood from the bed vanishing before returning with a bowl of water.

Erin looked at him holding the bowl out for him to test. Vlad looked at it with barely restrained disgust. Erin looked between him and the bowl, she tilted her head to one side she was sure the baby would be easier to bathe than Vlad.

"It's only until I can get you under a shower."

Vlad couldn't help it, her words came out completely wrong and he started to snicker. He hunched over as his shoulders shook. Erin looked at him for a moment going over what she'd said in her mind. Then her eyes widened and she shook her head vehemently.

"You know I didn't mean it like that!" Her head was ducked lower as she tried to cover her embarrassment. She hit him lightly in an effort to get him to shut up but it only made him laugh harder. Erin decided that the best tactic was to then to ignore him and carry on.

She felt him hiss when she started to wash him, rubbing his skin in small circles with the flannel she'd found. The water was warm she'd made sure of it. She swilled the cloth out in the bowl before beginning again, slowly each layer of dirt was removed.

His shoulder scars were revealed to her and she kissed the puckered skin softly, smirking as she felt his breath hitch. This was a side of Vlad she'd never seen before, he'd seen her as a breather but she'd never seen him as a mortal – even though it would only be short lived. She intended to fully get to know this side of her husband before he became a vampire once again.

Erin reached for the belt of his jeans but Vlad caught her hands holding her back. She looked at him in confusion, she could easily break his grip but she didn't want to hurt him.

"Vlad I need to wash you." If she didn't there was a change – and knowing their luck it would happen – that he'd get an infection.

"I can do it myself." He told her softly. Erin shook her head she knew Vlad wouldn't even attempt to clean his legs in his current condition.

Erin narrowed her eyes, stopping short of placing her hands on her hips. "Vlad, I'm going to clean it you can either cooperate or do it the hard way." Vlad muttered something that she didn't quite catch. "What?"

"It's disgusting." He whispered louder. Erin scrunched up her face in confusion at first before she finally understood what he meant.

"The scar?" Vlad nodded, it was a disgusting sight. Just looking at it made him want to retch.

"Just let me do it." He pleased with her. His hands protectively covering his belt so she couldn't try to remove his jeans.

Erin hadn't seen this side of Vlad, he was scared she'd be repulsed by something that hadn't been his fault. "Vlad's you're stuck with me for eternity, I'm going to see it at some point." She went to pry his hands from his jeans.

"Please Erin." His voice was pleading, he really wanted her to listen to him.

Erin shook her head lightly, "Vlad you're not dust, that's what matters to me. I can handle the wound just like you handled mine – let me do this. I need to do this." Vlad nodded slowly, moving his hands hesitantly away from his belt. Erin had seen it once but she knew these kinds of wounds looked a lot worse than they were before they got better.

He lifted his hips so Erin could slide his jeans from him. She threw them across the room, leaving him in his underwear and the bandage around his thigh. Erin slowly cleaned his legs, avoiding the bandage completely. Vlad had his gaze fixed on the ceiling the entire time. Ignoring her gentle cleaning ministrations.

Erin dropped the flannel into the bowl, looking at her now clean husband. His hair needed washing but that wasn't on her list of priorities at the moment.

She gently reached for the edge of the bandage and began to unwrap it slowly. Vlad hissed as skin came off with the bandage and Erin leaned down and kissed his thigh lightly.

The bandage unwound and unwound until there was only one rotation left to undo. Slowly she pulled it away, exposing the vicious wound to the air.

The half burn half stab wound had been leaking blood and puss. Vlad hadn't been kidding when he said it was disgusting but Erin had seen worse – she'd been through worse.

Vlad screwed up his eyes as tears leaked out from the corners. He didn't want her to see this. He twisted his face into the pillow to muffle any sorrowful sobs that might escape.

He jumped as he felt a hand caressing his jaw, "It needs to get some air." She whispered.

He nodded, making an effort to move, " I'll sleep…"

"Right next to me like you've almost always done." Erin's voice was full of conviction as she spoke. "You stayed with me throughout mine, I'm staying with you. Besides mine was worse."

Erin moved the bowl from the bed and curled down next to him once more. She brought the covers up around them and made sure he would be warm.

"I love you." She whispered to him. "That won't change."

Vlad turned his head towards her, "Love you too."

Erin smiled softly to herself at his words before closing her eyes and letting sleep overcome her.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Books were scattered all around the floor, some were piled high on the table. They were in the library hoping that it would hold some clue to where his reflection was or at the very least how to get it back inside him.

Vlad trawled through the books, flipping the pages slowly – he didn't have the ability to read quickly although he would have given anything for it. Erin climbed the ladder slowly, doing her best to remain as silent as possible.

Vlad straightened his back, "Erin!" Vlad cried, startled at what she was doing.

Erin continued up the short ladder, ignoring him completely. She scanned the books with her eyes slowly, her finger trailing along the spines as she concentrated, being transformed into a vampire had done nothing for her dyslexia. With a triumphant cry she pulled the one she was after of the shelf. She blew across the cover, dust flying everywhere. Erin zipped back down the ladders, planting both of her feet on the floor with a thud.

She opened the book, more dust flying from inside and floating upwards. She lifted her head only to meet the furious gaze of Vlad.

"You could have fallen." He told her angrily.

Erin gave him a small shrug. "Vampires are more durable than humans." Erin wasn't angry with him she knew he was just looking out for her and the baby even if she did find it annoying. "Vlad it was either hover or climb the ladder and you can't do either."

Vlad closed his mouth with a click, she was right about that. Climbing the ladder, as much as he hated to admit it, had been the safest option for her in her condition. "I just worry."

"I know." She wrapped her arms around his neck. Vlad pressed his forehead against hers. She stood on her toes and gently brushed her lips against his.

SMASH!

The sound of something shattering made them freeze, they pulled apart.

Vlad glanced around the room looking for something that had fallen but there was nothing.

Erin sped over to the window, looking left and right frantically before she saw the answer. Panic covered her face and she shook her head in disbelief taking a few steps backwards. She clutched the book she'd taken from the shelf tightly to her. She sped over to the table and stuffed a few of the books into the rucksack, handing it to Vlad to sling over his shoulder.

"We've got to get out of here now." She told her husband, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door.

Vlad was confused. "Why?" Erin looked pointedly out towards the window.

He followed her gaze out of the window.

He didn't see anything at first.

That's when he saw it.

Something far more dangerous than Olga and her followers.

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

If I do write a future fic with Adria, what would you like to see in it?

Thanks for reading.