I've got four sets if first names now, just a little unsure about middle ones. I asked ages ago but the plots changed about six times so far…
So I'd be grateful for any suggestions: what genders should the twins be?
Chapter 56: Dad's BackThe rubber soles on the young vampire's shoes squeaked against the varnished floorboards as he paced backwards and forwards trying to figure something out. He rarely paced now, it was a habit he'd picked up from Erin and a habit he hated seeing in her.
Erin was sitting comfortably on the couch in their main family room. The pair were on their own at the moment, everyone else as busy doing whatever they had to do.
Vlad looked at her sitting calmly on the seat, it only worried him more. He made a decision. "I'm not letting you face him."
"What can he do Vlad?" Erin asked him, tired of this conversation already. She sipped at her soy blood and watched him wear a hole into the floor. She was enjoying the new combination she'd found – soy blood and custard. It gave it a milkshake like texture. Vlad had now begun to pretend not to notice her combinations; it made him feel sick otherwise.
"Accidentally hurt you and the twins."
"Vlad he's your father, he wouldn't do anything to hurt us."
"But…"
"I'm not letting you face him." She repeated, there was no way she'd let Vlad face him first. Vlad had been hurt by his father's decision and Erin knew he wouldn't forgive it easily. It was Vlad's deepest fear – rejection. Robin had ignited the fear when he'd taken Vlad's place in his family and Vlad had suffered for that.
"Are you sure you can handle him?" Vlad had never let her go up against his father alone – as in not with him around. He didn't doubt she could handle herself, Erin always seemed to be able to but it didn't stop him worrying. Especially now.
"I can handle you Vlad." Erin told him firmly. If she could handle the most evil vampire in existence she was sure she could handle his father.
Vlad nodded slowly, unsure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. He had a feeling it was supposed to be a compliment – of sorts.
He reached for the bottle of soy blood next to her, the conversation was over. Erin was more determined in her pregnancy so there was no point in arguing for much longer besides she now had the ability to scare people and get away with it citing her pregnancy as the reason.
He wrapped his hand around the bottle only for it to be slapped sharply. "I need that." She told him, not a hint of apology in her eyes. Vlad immediately let go of the bottle; she gave him a small cheeky smile. He rolled his eyes, she was becoming protective of her food. He kissed her forehead letting her know he didn't mind and mentally reminding himself to put more soy blood in their room. Erin closed her eyes at the contact with a small smile, his tenderness always contrasting what he was supposed to be.
Vlad grabbed a bottle of blood from the small fridge he kept in there, he didn't bother to pour it he just drank it straight from the bottle. He reached across to the table and grabbed an apple, he showed it to Erin who nodded. He threw it to her she caught it eagerly and took a large bite. He grabbed another shining, green apple and twirled it around in his fingers. He lifted it up to his mouth and bit into it, feeling the juice coat his lips.
"Why are twins so rare?" Erin asked him quietly as Vlad came to sit next to her. She felt the seat dip as he positioned himself down. He chewed on the apple noisily, earning a groan from Erin causing him to smirk.
Vlad shook his head, there was no answer to that. "I don't know." He admitted to her, there had only been four sets born in vampire history. They would be the fifth and for Vlad in the position he was in was the first powerful vampire to have twins. Both of the twins would have the power Vlad could wield but no other children of theirs would. "You know that they'll be treated differently being twins." Vlad warned her. It was one thing to be the child of the Chosen One but another to be twins of the Chosen One.
"How differently?"
"I don't know." He conceded, he didn't quite know how differently they'd be treated, it wasn't like he had any previous experience to draw on. "They'll be precious to our kind being so rare. They'll treat them with respect."
"Even though a half fang is their mother." A dull pang in her chest at the thought of them being tainted for her not being born a vampire.
Vlad tipped her chin upwards, "Even more so. Erin you've done the impossible twice, you're pregnant and carrying twins. They'll have no choice but to respect you."
Erin looked down at her stomach, it was why she'd shown earlier and why her appetite had been stranger much sooner than she'd expected. Also it was the reason the morning sickness had been unbearable.
"You know Augustus will enjoy selling of the other twin to the highest bidder." Erin spat angrily. Both twins would be forced into arranged marriages now.
"Maybe not." Vlad told her with a smirk. Erin's ears picked up his slightly humorous tone and she had a feeling that he might have a plan.
Erin nudged his shoulder with hers, she didn't like being kept in the dark she wanted answers. "What do you know?"
"VLADIMIR!" A call echoed through the building. Erin didn't respond, she was careful not to but she saw the emotions flicker across Vlad's face in a frenzy. Erin watched as his head lowered until he looked through the tops of his eyes and fangs snapped down, glistening in the light. The faint traces of grey began to creep across his face. Erin caught his jaw, pressing an open mouthed kiss to the flesh between his jaw and ear, just above his mating scar. She heard him give a light moan and pulled away seeing she'd distracted him completely. His fangs had retracted and his eyes were closed.
"Stay here." She told him firmly. Vlad nodded as she struggled to stand up. She moved away from the seat only for Vlad to grab her wrist and tug her back towards him. She came into contact with his chest, he stood as quick as a flash.
He kissed her softly, slanting his mouth over hers to deepen the kiss. He smiled as she moaned when he brushed his tongue over hers. She gripped his shoulders, her finger curling and digging into the soft material of his shirt. He pulled back, looking at her slightly swollen lips, he'd missed being able to kiss her without worrying about air.
"Thank you." He whispered. Erin smiled and nodded, before reluctantly pulling away from him and speeding from the room.
YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL
The Count was growing impatient with being kept in the foyer. Vlad had made it clear when he and Erin had moved into the manor that the Count would not be allowed to walk around his home when he arrived. He knew that Vlad would be beyond angry at his reaction to his son losing his reflection but he was only obeying his culture. He glanced at the pictures Vlad had placed on the wall, Vlad wasn't into art but he'd been given some portraits to commemorate special occasions involving himself.
The main one was a portrait of a man and a woman, there was a hint of a smile in their expressions, they were leaning against something – a balcony perhaps. Affection was on their faces as they were dressed in renaissance period clothes. Their fingers were laced together tightly, no space in between them. There was something captivating about the oil painting.
They seemed to want to stay together but had to part. The male was climbing over the balcony, not seated on it as he'd originally thought. There was an air of fear at being caught that radiated from the painting, a hint at something secret and forbidden.
A whooshing behind him made him take his eyes from the painting. He looked along the corridor coming face to face with the emotionless face of his daughter in law.
"Where's Vlad?" The Count asked Erin as he glanced around her. Trying to see if Vlad was lurking in the background somewhere. His eyes flickered to her with undisguised surprise at Vlad allowing her to be alone with him.
Erin didn't move her eyes to give away Vlad's location to where he might be in the manor. "He doesn't want to speak to you let alone see you."
The Count stood tall, "Robin invited me back, Vladdy has his reflection…."
"Vlad *is* Grand High Vampire. That means he's the one in charge. Breathers don't have any say in our world." She was using terms he'd appreciate her using. Short sentences gave more impact to her words, although her teeth were almost clenched as she spoke. "Robin had no business calling you." Erin knew he'd done it while he was searching for their intruder, that would have been the only opportunity he'd had, either that or the small window when she and Vlad were… talking in their room.
"Your child…"
"Children." Erin corrected without thinking.
The Count blinked slowly, "What?"
"My children, Vlad's fathered twins." She told him bluntly. Her hand instinctively coming to her stomach, wearing Vlad's t-shirt it wasn't as obvious that she was pregnant unless she turned.
The Count shook his head, a patronising look on his face. "Twins are rare."
"Maybe but we're having them." Erin told him, she wasn't prepared to believe anything else. She knew in her heart that she was carrying twins and there was nothing that could be said to convince her otherwise. She steered the conversation back towards its original goal, "You should leave."
"My son…"
"You *rejected* him!" She shouted angrily, making the entire foyer shake. The Count looked around at her in surprise. The paintings on the wall vibrated wildly, the chairs and table shook. "It is up to Vlad when he wants to see you. He has his reflection back inside him and I wouldn't risk crossing either half of him, or are you forgetting the last time you crossed his reflection?" She knew the Count hadn't forgotten the sensation of his flesh burning because of the garlic.
"You have no right to speak to me like that." He told her, "Vampire women cannot speak against men, especially not half fangs." He scoffed at her, something he shouldn't have done.
Erin took a menacing step forward, her hand outstretched, she could feel the familiar tingle of a fireball preparing to form. "Vlad changed that law three years ago and you know that. I am his Queen, I was Grand High Vampire YOU WILL OBEY ME!" Her voice grew louder and louder with each passing moment.
The Count took an involuntary step backwards at her fierceness. Her fangs hadn't even dropped and she was terrifying. It amazed him how she could calm Vlad and make him listen without resorting to this.
"Vlad does not want to see you. I'm not sure when he will but the best thing you can do for him is leave him alone for now." She paused letting her words sink in, "Vlad has enough on his plate at the moment, he's just become a full vampire again. He's happy for the first time in weeks because he's found out about the twins." She smiled at remembering his silly grin, "Don't take it away from him, he's not ready to deal with you as well."
"Erin…" The Count began to plead, he'd never pleaded with a woman before.
"Vlad's not ready." She repeated, firmer and with determination this time, she showed her teeth but didn't extend them, giving a hint that she was prepared to if necessary.
"When will he be?"
"I don't know. You rejected your own son, you knew he wasn't a gene fang in the true sense of the world. Its not something that can be forgiven and forgotten over night."
The Count looked at her, his eyes full of apology. Erin didn't let it affect her, she wasn't going to. "I am sorry."
Erin's voice softened. "Sometimes sorry just isn't enough."
The Count nodded in agreement, she was right; with nothing further to do or say he vanished just as she'd asked.
YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL
Erin slumped her posture as soon as he'd vanished from her sight. She felt drained; she turned to lean against the wall. Her eyes closing as she slid down it. She felt nervous from the
Bertrand looked at Erin, "Erin?"
Erin looked up at Bertrand.
"To stop me being loyal… what do you need?"
Erin smiled at him, a grin across her face before serious set in. It was the only idea they had and she wasn't sure that it would work but she'd convinced Bertrand. A small chance was better than none at all.
However getting to the point of actually testing it out wasn't so easy.
"Two things and I'm not sure if we'll get them."
TBC
A/N: What do you think?
Thanks for reading.