A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

My next fic might have a darker edge (nothing graphic of course) but there is a chance the rating might go up to 'T'.

Is there anyone who would object? If so I can reduce it back down but I'd like your opinions on it.

Chapter 46: Offer

Even though he was mortal Erin had problems keeping up with Vlad's long strides, he always managed to outpace her. Their footfalls echoed along the never-ending, winding corridors as they walked down it, desperate to reach the throne room as quickly as possible.

She grabbed his elbow gently before he

"Vlad what is this about?"

"Augustus has done something…"

"What has he done?" Erin asked in concern.

Vlad shook his head unable to speak; he didn't know how to tell her. Erin had taken this hard from the start so he really didn't think she'd take this well at all. He tried to force the words from his throat but still nothing came out more than a half choked, gurgling noise.

It was best if he told her when Augustus was in the room, he would give her something to focus her anger on.

Erin watched the expressions flitter across Vlad's face at a rate that even she had difficulty keeping track of. She wanted to comfort him but she didn't know how if he didn't tell her. She was close to confronting him, as it was the sure way to get information from him when her mate suddenly turned and continued walking. Erin gave a sigh, she wasn't impressed with her mate but if he couldn't tell her then she really began to worry.

All she could do was wait and hope someone actually let slip what Vlad was so angry about.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Their guest stood tall as Vlad let out the lowest of growls; unfortunately without his fangs he wasn't as intimidating. He looked across the room seeing Ingrid standing there, she'd clearly anticipated his need for her to be there.

Augustus pointedly looked away from Vlad, denying his very existence in the room. For the first time in three years Vlad felt as if he was insignificant, that no one wanted to talk the freak in the corner in case he did or said something wrong.

Vlad's jaw locked in anger and defiance, he had a right to be recognised. He wasn't going to be tossed aside then bootlicked when he came back into power, as he had been all his life.

Memories overpowering him, Vlad moved his arm instinctively in preparation to launch a fireball before remembering he didn't have the power to do that.

Immediately Augustus spoke, defending himself, he knew why he'd been summoned he'd expected it. Vlad had agreed to it – in a way – in the first place. "I did what was right for our kind."

Erin decided now was the time to go for the confrontation, folding her arms and watching the way Vlad shot daggers at Augustus. "What did he do Vlad?"

The temporarily incapacitated vampire grabbed the papers off the desk and threw the paperwork at him; Augustus caught it in mid air and glanced at it. The glance was of the dismissive kind, he didn't regret it. "Augustus offered our first child to Jorgen's clan in compensation for my killing him!"

Erin's eyes blackened as her fury couldn't be contained, "You did what?" They had no right to decide the future of their children. They wouldn't stand for it. Erin shot out her hand and a fireball careened past Augustus' head causing him to duck in fear at what she was capable of.

Augustus looked at her blankly. "I offered what was available to our kind. It saves your gene fang if Olga takes the throne!"

"AUGUSTUS!" He snarled angrily, his voice deepening causing Erin to worry. Thunder echoed in the background, his 'change' wasn't far off. "That wasn't yours to promise or to even offer."

"I don't see how it concerns you gene fang…"

"It's my child!" He roared, "Why did you offer it?"

Augustus ignored his question, "I don't answer to gene fangs."

Vlad turned and kicked the nearest thing to him as hard as he could. The bin shot across the room, complete with a dent from Vlad's foot, it hit the wall and compressed making the other two vampires in the room wince at the metallic clang that reverberated around the room.

Ingrid wasn't going to scold him though; he had a right to be answered. "You will answer my brother." She might have wanted Vlad gone years ago but she had never thought of something so cold as this.

"I don't address gene fangs!" Augustus yelled at Vlad, coming forward to strike him as their culture currently entitled them before seeing the glint of the signet ring around Vlad's neck. He looked to Erin and noticed hers was missing, he knew there and then that she'd given it him. Vlad was under her protection as acting Grand High Vampire.

"He is still your ruler, I *suggest* you give him the respect he deserves." Ingrid snarled at the older vampire, she still had pull as number two even if Erin was more recognised than her through mating. Erin didn't want the power and that's what made her so defensive of the power Vlad had lost.

August couldn't resist protesting, "Gene fangs are…"

"Vlad didn't become one intentionally and he is my mate. You will treat him with the same respect that you were to treat me with." Her tone didn't waver, she was being firm and showing Augustus who exactly was in charge.

"Who are you to…"

Erin stood taller; "I am the mate of the Chosen One, his Queen, making me Grand High Vampire until he's returned to his immortal state. You used to follow him without question until this happened, I was the one who didn't have respect. Now it is reversed, when my mate is back in power believe me we won't forget this Augustus. There will be a punishment." She wasn't going to decide on it now, they needed to set an example and they might need Augustus' expertise as Bertrand wasn't exactly a flowing fountain of knowledge with the aftermath of his bite.

Thinking of the bite, there was something she had to discuss with the others a way that might undo its effects…

She shook her head this wasn't the time to think of that.

Ingrid looked at her sister-in-law seeing the raw threat on her face; she knew that family was important to the slayer who had found a surrogate one. Erin had never directly threatened anyone to Augustus' knowledge, she was the one who was always Vlad's conscience.

Augustus tried to defend himself again. "We need something to create alliances, showing you'll sacrifice a child through marriage proves that you'll keep your promises and that you're willing to forgive our kind for their mistakes…"

Ingrid shook her head, speaking quickly seeing Erin was unsure how to respond. "It wasn't a mistake it was a deliberate choice to go against Vlad, Olga would never have been given the chance if it was for Jorgen, Mikhail and Baylor." The latter were still sitting in the cells waiting for their fate to be decided. "By promising power to a clan through our firstborn it causes more problems than it solves." Vampires would demand why they favoured this clan over all the others.

Vlad shook his head, folding his arms and rolling his tongue angrily, he tried to contain it but failed miserably. "We make the match not you!" Vlad shouted, granted they never intended to make the match the former Council didn't know that.

Augustus shook his head; he was trying to stop their answer from reaching his ears. "We've signed the contract binding your first born to their family…"

Erin smirked, they'd been through this years before, "You can't, not without the signature of the Grand High Vampire and the former Council doesn't exist."

"You have allies, you've chosen not to use them. The strength of the Grand High Vampire alone wasn't enough to defeat Olga." He argued back, "Our kind supports the match and the announcement…" Augustus looked at Erin properly for the first time, "It looks like the match will be formalised sooner than expected…"

It was too much for Erin, the news of her pregnancy would spread like wildfire, there would be more demands for matches. There was no way she could sit back and commit their child to that, not when it had been done to her. She couldn't deal with that at the moment, not with everything else that was happening in their unlives. She couldn't be strong for this as well.

"Vlad…" Erin whispered asking Vlad to take over, she needed to get out. The whole room spun around her faster and faster, becoming nothing more than a blur as she tried to make her way out.

Erin stumbled blindly grabbing for something to hold onto to stop herself from falling as she felt her balance beginning to give. She tipped over, she couldn't grip anything she was going to land on her stomach.

Vlad caught her easily, pulling her backwards so her back was pressed against his chest he gently lowered them both to the floor. Erin twisted slightly once he was seated on the floor, gripping his shirt firmly.

"GET OUT!" Ingrid yelled at Augustus before dashing to Vlad's side, she crouched in front of them looking at her sister in law who seemed to be turning a revolting shade of black.

Augustus looked at them in fear, the Queen was having some kind of dizzy turn or something and he'd caused it. If she got too worked up and lost the child then their kind would slaughter him. With no further hesitation he slipped off into the night.

Vlad rocked Erin back and forth, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words. She clutched at her stomach as she felt it cramping but nothing serious enough to alert her that she was miscarrying. "You okay?" He asked seeing her clutching her stomach, fear gripping him as his heart skipped a beat or two.

She nodded.

She fought to calm herself, blocking everything out except the beating of Vlad's heart. The baby had sensed her anger and that had overpowered their link blocking everything but that emotion, which had caused the baby to react how it had. Vlad kissed her neck lightly and she felt herself calming further.

She'd need to find ways to calm herself to stop this happening again. It didn't help that she was terrified at what had just happened, silent tears making her shoulders heave. She looked up at Vlad who had a look of compassion on his face; he pressed his forehead against hers. The warmth made her jump at first before she relaxed her muscles, enjoying the feeling of him so close.

Ingrid grabbed Vlad by the arm drawing his attention from his wife, this would happen again, she was sure of it once news of her condition was released to their kind. "This has to stop before it happens again." Vlad nodded slowly, Erin had gotten so worked up that it had made her ill and in turn made the baby unwell, they couldn't chance this happening again and their losing the baby.

"I know."

Ingrid made an executive decision there and then. Her brother would have no choice as at the moment she had more authority than him. "We're going back to Transylvania. Your reflection has to be there somewhere. We're getting it back once and for all."

TBC

A/N: What do you think?

If anyone would like to give me their opinion on upping the rating of my next fic to 'T' I'd be extremely grateful.

Thanks for reading.