A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.
The plot altered slightly (otherwise I'd be typing this until Christmas) but please trust me…
Please let me know what you think…
Chapter 60: ShockwaveThe modifications to the device had taken a couple of weeks. During those weeks they hadn't heard if Octa had woken up. The Guild had induced a coma for her body to heal.
Time was running out for all of them.
At the moment they were waiting for the device to be set up ready for a test run.
"We're ready to test it before its used on Bertrand." Steph told Erin gently. "You can stay here…"
"I want to see it being tested." Erin told them, she didn't trust them fully. "If it works then we can apply it to other cases." She shrugged.
Vlad ran a hand up and down her arm, he could sense her nervousness. A beeping of a phone startled them. Erin reached into her pocket and pulled out the phone.
"Who is it?" Vlad asked softly into her hair.
"A message from Jonno." Jonno was still confined to bed much to the chagrin of himself and the pain of the medics treating him. He couldn't wait to be up and about.
Erin turned to show him the message. Vlad's head dropped to her shoulder. "What's wrong?" Ingrid asked softly.
"The blood test results have come back." Her voice was soft.
Ingrid reached her hand beside her to grasp Bertrand's hand firmly in her hand. She squeezed it tightly and closed her eyes.
"Bertrand's blood type won't fight the transformation like Vlad's."
Ingrid let out a small cry and Bertrand's head dropped, "How long?"
"Almost instantly. An hour at most." Vlad told him, he understood this more than Erin.
"Then that's that, we can't use it." Erin began softly.
Bertrand's head snapped back up, "I don't care." Bertrand cut in before they could make their decision final. "If being a gene fang helps stop the loyalty then it's worth it."
"Bertrand your reflection will be destroyed the moment you become a gene fang." Erin reminded him softly, she looked towards Ingrid for support who looked like she'd sucked on a lemon. "Ingrid?" She invited her to have her say.
Bertrand shared a look with Ingrid and she briefly looked down, "Its Bertrand's choice. He wants to be free and if it's the only way then he's made his decision." Ingrid closed her eyes as they stung. Bertrand pressed a kiss to her hair thanking her for coming to terms with his point of view.
"Being a gene fang is a small price if I'm free of Olga. We just have to speed up the process, narrow down the time it takes for my reflection to be separated and for the device to work." He sounded so determined.
"It's a risk Bertrand…"
"I know but being free is worth it." His voice was sincere and they knew they couldn't persuade him otherwise.
Vlad nodded, agreeing to it. If Bertrand had accepted the risks then he wasn't going to stop him.
"We can speed it up but we need to see how much power we'll need to do it." Tom told them, "Running simulations is different to actually powering and using the device. We were going to test it anyway, this way we can work on finding a way to improve the efficiency. We need to check we can run the device smoothly so it doesn't injure him unlike last time."
It surprised Vlad that they actually looked at him for his permission to do this. He nodded his head, he didn't want a repeat of last time when it hurt Bertrand. "Do it."
YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL
Erin moved next to her parents watching how they operated the device from behind. If she was behind it then they couldn't use it on her.
They pressed various buttons as they charged it up. He watched the screen, the power wasn't rising to the levels they needed quick enough. He typed in a sequence on the keyboard and the power rose faster, a small smile crossed his lips.
Vlad watched them curiously, he didn't have a clue how to operate technology like this.
A cold feeling swept through Ingrid, she couldn't explain it. It intensified as she looked at Erin, she subconsciously rubbed her arms to dispel the feeling but had no luck. "Vlad get her away from the machine." Ingrid told him urgently.
"Why?" He asked, looking confused. He didn't think her parents were going to use it on her.
"Do it!" Ingrid snapped at him.
"Erin…" Vlad began before a loud squeal took over and her parents dived rapidly for the controls.
He knew the sound of something overcharging, he'd heard it before however instead of sunlight these generators contained argentalium.
Erin knew what Vlad was asking and she knew she would do it. She needed to get out of there before her or the twins were hurt.
Thomas ran towards the socket, yanking the plug out while Steph pulled the wires out of the backs of the generators and laptop.
Erin tried to move to the side but the laptop hooked up to the machine exploded casting her in a shower of sparks. Vlad shot forward but was stopped by another shower of sparks.
The humming grew in intensity, louder and louder.
Erin searched for a way out, she knew what was going to happen. There was only one way out for her. She closed her eyes and flew upwards.
Just as she reached above the machine, it exploded. Everyone in the room ducked to shield their eyes as parts of metal flew everywhere. With his senses Vlad threw his hand out mentally yanking the humans back and out of the way until they were pressed against the wall.
As soon as he could he looked up, searching the room for Erin.
Shockwaves threw Erin against the opposite wall. Her side slammed into it making her gasp in pain. She slid down it, her vision doubling as her head impacted against the panelling leaving a caved in mark. Her body tried to breath in air to focus her away from the pain even though she didn't need it.
Her eyes closed as her teeth chattered from the shock of the impact. Her whole body shaking as it tried to recover from the impact. Her right shoulder had pain flaring through it from where it had been cleaved into the wood.
It had felt like someone running into her at full force as it hit her, a wave of heat that would have burned her skin if she were mortal lingering in her memory.
She heard Vlad before she saw him running to her side.
YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL
"What happened?" Ingrid asked, watching her brother attend to Erin. She reluctantly took her eyes from him to focus on the former slayers in front of her.
"The power spiked, the equipment isn't designed to accept the power it needs to reverse the bite on a full vampire."
"But it can be done."
"Theoretically." Tom conceded. "If we had the technology."
"The Guild has the technology." Mina told them stiffly, she hoped it wouldn't come to this; she didn't want the Nobles anywhere near their HQ but now it looked like it couldn't be avoided. She really hated the idea of them anywhere near their technology and secrets. Thomas smirked at the realisation that he'd be allowed in the Guild once again. "If they go near the Guild I'm doubling our security." She told them firmly, it would take a few days but she wasn't willing to take any risks.
"That isn't necessary…" Steph began.
Mina fixed her with a harsh glare, "I think it is." Nothing was 'not necessary' concerning Erin's parents.
"What about the vampires?" Tom asked indignant at being considered as a security risk.
"I trust Vlad," Mina answered sharply. "He values our allegiance and friendship too much to do anything rash. You I don't trust."
Tom's nostril's flared at the insult but he said no more. Mina turned towards Catherine, out of the sight of Tom and flashed her a small grin. Catherine covered her mouth in an attempt to stop a chortle breaking through.
YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL
Vlad didn't care for the scene that was going on around him he only had one thought at the forefront of his mind – check that Erin was all right.
Vlad darted to her side, lifting her up. Erin leaned on him, bracing her hands on his forearms as she stood.
As soon as he could he pulled one of his hands away from hers and brushed her hair from her forehead, smoothing it back into its usual place. His eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinised her carefully looking for traces or signs that she was hurt more than she outwardly appeared.
"You okay?" He asked her softly, Erin nodded frantically. He wasn't convinced from the way she was holding herself. Almost hunched over. "They okay?" He asked his eyes lowering to her stomach. Erin didn't answer, "Are you all okay?" He placed his hand on her stomach, rubbing it lightly.
She smiled at him but it didn't reach her eyes, "We're fine." She tried to convince him, Vlad wasn't accepting it. Erin lifted her hand to his neck. "Just a little stunned that's all."
Suddenly her grip tightened on his neck, pinching and digging into the skin underneath her fingernails. Vlad let out a small cry at her actions, it felt like his neck was on fire from her actions, it caused him to stoop forward slightly.
She doubled over, her eyes widening in pure shock as she felt something.
Vlad immediately ducked down, lifting her chin so he could meet her eyes. Her eyes were full of disbelief.
"No." She whispered. "Not now." She continued under her breath, her head shaking as she said the words.
"What's wrong?" His eyes widened in fear, terror gripping his heart. They'd made it to five months she couldn't be miscarrying now, five months out of eight they were over half way. "Erin?" He snapped, his fear making him impatient.
Erin couldn't answer, sorrow gripping her. This couldn't be happening now, it was too dangerous for them all. They still had three months left, the chances of them surviving…
Her eyes lifted to his, terror clear for all to see. "My water just broke."
TBC
A/N: Please let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading.