A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Thank you for all your support.

I'm going to try my best and carry on with this. Unfortunately I don't know how long it's going to be at the moment as I've abandoned the traditional thirty chapters thing…

I'm just hoping that person lets me at least post to the end of the fic…

Chapter 42: Power Structure

The door was thrown open widely suddenly casting light into the small dark room. Bertrand, unable to deny habits of hundred of years snapped to attention immediately, he darted towards the door in an effort to surprise whoever it was before they could attack him.

A blur sped towards him, nearly knocking him backwards. He prepared to fight them but managed to restrain his instinct when it became clear that whoever it was wasn't trying to hurt him instead they were clinging to him.

He felt their body shake as they let out sorrowful sobs.

He gently leaned down and brushed a soft kiss to their hair. They gave out a small sigh. He saw his chance and tried to guide them across the floor towards his coffin. They wouldn't move so he settled for the next best thing. He lowered them to the ground and held them close to him.

Ingrid slowly settled in his arms, she needed someone to hold onto. She never thought she'd react like this to her brother being disowned but she was closer to him than she'd ever been before.

"I heard Erin shouting." Bertrand told her softly. Ingrid nodded; she doubted there was anyone in the country that hadn't heard her shouting. "You would have enjoyed this years ago." Bertrand whispered, brushing Ingrid's hair from her eyes.

"Not anymore." She whispered back to him, her eyes were black and swollen. "I plotted for years to get Vlad disowned but now," Ingrid shook her head, "It wasn't his fault, I've got a niece or nephew on the way and Vlad's disgrace will follow them. It isn't just about getting the Dracula throne anymore, it's about keeping our family together."

Ingrid had never thought about keeping their family together before, it was something that Vlad had been doing all his unlife and she hadn't realised how difficult it was.

"You'll manage." Bertrand told her kissing her softly.

"How do you know?"

"You've never let a challenge stop you before. You're as close as you can be to being a 'vampire goddess'." Ingrid ducked her head down, she hadn't realised that Bertrand knew that about her. "I did research before I came looking for your brother."

The next words Ingrid spoke were ones that she never thought she'd say in her unlife. "I want my brother back to how he was before."

"He will be, if you all work together."

"We still have to undo what Olga did to you." The procedure the Nobles had developed had a limited effect but it couldn't be used on him again without killing him. The only thing keeping Bertrand sane was Ingrid's close proximity to him.

"I know." He whispered, he wanted to be himself again. "I don't think there's anything you can do…"

"I'm not giving up on Vlad and I'm not giving up on you."

They'd think of something to fix it all, they had to.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Vlad slowly pulled on clean jeans and a shirt, he had been quiet ever since she'd returned to their room and the others had left. Erin knew that he was upset but he couldn't let it control him now, they had to focus on fixing it.

Erin reached into her pocket and felt her hand come into contact with the shard of mirror in her pocket. She'd forgotten it was there. Carefully she withdrew it, she grimaced as she saw the dried blood of her husband coating half of it.

She looked to her neck, seeing the signet ring resting there. She grasped it in the palm of her hand, the moment she did so she felt electricity racing through her body. In shock she dropped the mirror, watching as it shattered on the floor. She let out a groan and bent down to pick it up. She felt the shards digging into her hand but she didn't care, she only cared about cleaning it up before Vlad trod on it.

She stuffed the glass into the nearby bin, reaching up to grab the ring, static shocking her this time before fading away in a few moments. She knew she shouldn't wear this but she didn't want to take it off. If anything it symbolised the hope of Vlad becoming a true vampire once again.

Anyway to her Vlad was a Dracula and that wouldn't change.

"Vlad…"

"I don't want to talk about it Erin."

Erin moved over to Vlad peeling her shirt over her head, his eyes were drawn to her stomach instinctively. He looked away before forcing his legs to walk towards the door as fast as he could. Erin sped across the room to stand in front of him.

Vlad let out a groan, spinning around angrily, his arms flailing out. Now he knew how Erin felt when he used to do the exact same thing to her all those years ago.

"You're not going anywhere until we talk this through."

"Look the best thing you can do is just to leave me. You and the baby will be better without a disgrace for a…"

Erin's hand shot out, her left index finger poking him in the chest as she spoke. "You listen to me Vladimir Dr…" She trailed off seeing his pained expression at the attempt to use his 'former' clan name, technically being disowned meant he didn't have one. Erin shook her head frantically, "I am *not* leaving you Vlad."

"I can't give you anything Erin not now." The only think he could give her was more rejection.

Erin didn't care about that, all she cared about was being with him. "You give us love, I never cared about your status and I never will."

Vlad let out a growl, Erin needed to listen for once and do what was best for her and the baby. "Dad needed to reject me to save Ingrid and Wolfie. You need to do the same to save yourself and the baby."

Erin grabbed his hand and brought it up to her neck, holding it against the bite scars. "You told me that when vampires mate we can't separate. I don't want to leave you and nothing you can say will change that."

"Erin…"

"You won't be a gene fang Vlad, we'll find your reflection and you'll be a full vampire again. You'll be Grand High Vampire once more."

Vlad nodded and she pulled him close to her, neither cried they just held each other taking what comfort they could in these darkest hours.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

The silence at dinner was overwhelming. Not one person dared to speak.

Erin grabbed a bowl and slammed it down on the table in front of her. The bowl cracked and split in half making Mina and Catherine jump out of their seats. Erin didn't bother to send them an apologetic glance she just grabbed another bowl. She only just managed to avoid cracking this one as well.

"Hormones." Vlad muttered seeing Bertrand's questioning glance. He still wasn't sure of the wisdom of Bertrand not being locked up in a cell but he'd trust Ingrid's judgement for now.

Erin ignored his comment, focusing instead on the monotonous way he said it. This was why she was so angry, they'd made Vlad feel like this.

Everyone seemed to be watching Erin but trying their hardest not to do so in fear of drawing her wrath.

Erin grabbed the soy blood from the centre of the table and poured a generous amount into her bowl. If anything this got everyone's attention, soy blood wasn't a type of soup if anything she was supposed to have poured it into her goblet.

Erin next reached for the toast and began eating it normally before setting it down on the edge of the bowl.

Wolfie watched her as she tried to reach the fruit bowl; he ended up pushing it towards her. This action earning him the only non-murderous look that anyone other than Vlad was going to get. Erin grabbed a banana and peeled it quickly before dropping it into the bowl of soy blood, mashing it so that it made a weird smoothie soup.

Everyone else in the room winced, Ingrid looked as if she was about to be sick while Bertrand looked completely disgusted. Surely she wasn't going to eat it.

Erin scooped up a generous amount onto her spoon before slowly bringing it to her lips. She opened her mouth, pushing the spoon inside before closing her lips and slowly withdrawing the spoon. She gave a look of sheer heaven while chewing on the food like it was a forbidden delicacy.

Cravings had started – early.

Vlad seemed to just stare at the combination. Erin handed him the spoon, offering some to him. Vlad forced the bile back down his throat that seemed to come easily at her gesture. Erin's face was innocent and hopeful so he took the spoon from her.

He hesitantly placed it to his lips, the smell was revolting enough.

He screwed up his eyes and forced himself to open his mouth to slide the spoon inside. He forced his jaw closed, it felt like he was trying to crush a diamond it was that difficult.

The instant he withdrew the spoon the taste overwhelmed his tongue. It was sweet, very sweet. He could taste the fruit but also the blandness of the soy blood. He rolled his tongue waiting for it to be brought back up as he swallowed.

He hated bananas but somehow the combination wasn't that bad.

It was actually… nice.

Erin gave him a triumphant smile before snatching the spoon back off him and digging into the 'smoothie' unable to spare any more for him, needing it for herself and the vamptot.

"You actually ate that?" Robin hissed at his best friend, his eyebrows raised unable to believe that Vlad had just tried a combination of Erin's.

Vlad gave a shrug, it wasn't that much of a big deal. There would be worse combinations of that he was sure.

"Vlad?" Ingrid cried outraged at her brother's actions. She wasn't concerned that it was disgusting she was concerned that his stomach couldn't handle the soy blood.

Vlad looked at her, he knew why she was so concerned and in truth he felt perfectly fine. Which was enough to worry anyone.

He was transforming faster into a gene fang if he could handle the soy blood.

They were running out of time.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Ingrid needed to discuss something with Erin before it was challenged head on.

"You know Vlad can't be Grand High Vampire until he has his reflection back?" Ingrid whispered to Erin, knowing there was no way Vlad could hear her. Vlad probably already knew that though. It was probably already out that Vlad had had his reflection stolen from him.

"Why?"

"Because I need to come from a clan to do so." Vlad told her. Ingrid glared at her brother for listening in. "Just because I can't hear you as well as before, it doesn't mean I can't lip read." He'd learned to when some vampires chose to discuss plans silently where he couldn't tap into their minds or listen in.

Erin shook her head, protesting emphatically. "You do come from a clan."

"Not in the eyes of the rest of our kind or the Law." His voice was resigned this time.

"I suppose the Council will be reinstated and rule the vampire world now." Erin muttered to herself, rubbing her temples. This was ridiculous, Vlad was still Vlad. He didn't use his powers in his ruling unless he had to but he needed them to be in power.

Ingrid tipped her head, a smile crossing her face things weren't that bad. "Vlad might not be Grand High Vampire at the moment but the power structure is the same."

"So you're the ruler?" Erin asked her softly. It made sense if the power structure was still in place then Ingrid was number two. It was a relief if it was Ingrid, it was someone she trusted.

Ingrid and Bertrand shared a look. Ingrid spoke softly, "It's not me."

Erin's head tipped as she was now confused, "Then who's… please tell me its not Olga…" Fear burned in her, if it was Olga then she'd waste no time in murdering Vlad to remove any challengers to her throne.

Ingrid cut her off knowing where her thoughts were headed, "Until Vlad gets his reflection back," She really wasn't sure how to tell her, Erin could be unpredictable and this would be one of those times.

"Ingrid! Please tell me…" Erin hissed growing impatient.

"It's the only other person the crown recognises." Ingrid closed her eyes no really wanting to see Erin's reaction, although she guessed that Erin had already worked it out. "Until Vlad's back to normal you're the Grand High Vampire."

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

Sorry couldn't resist, wanted to try something a little different, I've been planning it since chapter 1.

Thanks for reading.