A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Sorry for the cruelty in my last few chapters. It came to me half way through the story that I could continue onto eight months of Erin's pregnancy (and still be typing way past one hundred chapters) or add a bit more tension to the story.

As you can tell the signet ring has played a large part in this series as I hoped it would. I hope it wasn't too obvious any of the times I used it.

Chapter 65: Bodyguard

The gulp had him panicking; he sought out the complex with his mind. The only thing that would force Robin to gulp was if his life were in danger and the only dangers there could be were from other vampires.

He could sense the twins and Erin, they were the strongest. Pushing out further he could sense Ingrid in the complex and he could sense Bertrand. There were no other vampires anywhere nearby.

"Stay there."

"Where else am I going to go?" Robin cried down the phone line.

Vlad pressed the end call button on his phone.

"What was that about?"

"Robin says he doesn't think they can come in."

"Won't his access card work?" Erin questioned softly. Vlad shrugged, he couldn't understand it. "Be careful." Erin told him firmly, she wasn't going to let him get injured at all.

Vlad nodded, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before vanishing from the room.

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

When Vlad exited the HQ he was surprised by the sight he encountered. Robin and Catherine had the Nobles in their 'custody'. He approached them, completely confused as to why they'd stopped mere yards from the entrance to the building.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked, looking around and throwing his mind outwards again, just in case he'd missed someone but he couldn't sense the presence of any unwanted vampires.

Robin lifted a hand to point over Vlad's shoulder, he was still standing comically with the phone pressed to his ear.

Vlad groaned as he finally saw the reason for their hesitancy. There was something or rather someone inbetween them and the door.

Bertrand stood between them and the entrance in a half aggressive, half defensive position. His back was straight as he stood like the soldier Vlad knew he had been. He seemed to be watching their every move and gauging their heart rate. His head tipped slightly to the side fully prepared for any movements. He didn't look as if he was about to attack any of them but Vlad couldn't be entirely sure, Bertrand had always had a very good poker face.

Vlad looked between Robin and Bertrand. One looked as if he was about to faint the other looked… determined. Vlad had forgotten Robin had never seen Bertrand at his worst. Erin had been introduced to it within a few weeks of knowing them.

Vlad took on his best commanding tone. "Bertrand, let him in."

"They caused the twins to be born early." Vlad knew in that moment that Bertrand wasn't against letting Robin in, or Catherine for that matter, only the Nobles.

Vlad couldn't believe he was going to say this, "Bertrand they didn't plan it, it wasn't their fault."

Bertrand didn't take his eyes from them. "How do you know that?"

"I do." They wouldn't hurt Erin like that, they would have been injured just as much if they were standing there. They had hurt Erin in other ways but he doubted that they'd hurt her or their children intentionally – Steph would never allow it.

Bertrand scoffed as a form of answer to that comment.

Vlad rubbed his temples; he forgot that Bertrand didn't listen to him. "Do I have to get Ingrid for you to actually listen to me?"

Vlad watched as Bertrand pulled back slightly, it seemed an effective threat he'd have to keep filed away.

Vlad shook his head, unsure what to make of Bertrand's behaviour although he was glad he still felt the need to protect the children. At least Ingrid had been right on the theory that the bite hadn't affected his desire to protect children considering his own family history. Vlad hoped that still extended to the mother of his children. He didn't think about himself because he knew that he could protect them.

"We're keeping them away from Erin, Erika and Alex." He promised Bertrand, "They're all too weak to see them and you know I won't put them in danger."

"They'll break out, that's what slayers do!" He hissed viscously at Vlad, his fangs glistening in the light, "Then what happens?"

"Bertrand, we need them. I won't let them near Erin until Erin says they can see the children. If you like you can be there for that." Vlad promised him, he'd never actually thought about what Bertrand would be like after the children were born but he was glad that they had a protector. "Now let them inside." Vlad commanded firmly.

Bertrand looked into Vlad's eyes, he saw the raw truth exposed to him. while in his current state he couldn't force himself to take everything Vlad said as truth even though he knew Vlad wouldn't lie.

He stood to one side to let them pass. Vlad gave him a grateful nod, he extended his arm out towards the Nobles. "Put them somewhere where they're nowhere near Erin or the twins."

"But…"

Vlad wasn't going to go back on his word. "I made a promise, one I'm going to keep."

YEKNODELTTILYEKNODELTTIL

Vlad pushed his shirt cuffs upwards, exposing his forearms as he entered Erin's medical room. He was met with a sight that would've stopped his heart if he were mortal.

Erin had twisted herself around in the bed, so her legs dangled over the edge. She gingerly placed one on the floor before grimacing and nearly sliding from the bed completely.

Vlad immediately rushed to Erin's side, "You shouldn't be standing yet."

"I'm fine." Erin answered,

"You gave birth to Erika and Alex just over twenty four hours ago. You're exhausted."

Erin didn't feel exhausted at the moment; she knew it would hit her later. "Vlad you know as well as I do that vampires heal quicker."

"I'd feel better if you were still on in bed." He told her firmly, his arms folding over his chest to look at her in a commanding way.

"Vlad…" She whined, she didn't whine often but this was one of those times when she knew Vlad wasn't going to budge.

"Erin…" He retaliated, matching her whine perfectly. "I can order you." He tried.

"We're equals Vlad, you can't order me to do anything." She reminded him gently.

He let out a sigh, "Worth a try."

"I just want to stand for a while." She told him softly, "I'm tired of lying down. I wasn't going anywhere just by the incubator." He knew she was telling the truth, Erin wasn't very good at lying to him anymore.

He looked deep into her eyes, seeing that she was going to get up even if he wasn't going to help her. He nodded before grasping her waist lightly and supporting her weight as she stood. Erin's knees buckled at first from her not being on them and the strain from the day before.

She dropped down and Vlad was careful not to tighten his grip around her waist just in case he hurt her. She twisted and glanced up at him with a grateful smile. Slowly he walked her the few yards across the room to the incubator. She relished being able to see both of their children in one go without having to crane her neck to see the other.

"What was wrong with Robin?"

"Our new bodyguard wouldn't let him in, or should that be the twins new bodyguard." He laughed into her ear.

Erin's brow furrowed in confusion. "New bodyguard? What…"

"Bertrand still wants to protect them." He told her quietly, his lips ghosting her ear as he rested his chin on her left shoulder.

She brought her left hand up behind her and cupped his cheek. "We created them." She whispered in complete awe. Both of us." She traced her hand down the glass of the incubator. "I just wish they'd been born in peace not war." She whispered quietly.

"Olga's playing a game with me." He muttered into Erin's neck. "Waiting in the shadows, I haven't moved my piece on the board yet so she can't move hers." Erin started to chuckle at his words, her whole body shaking. "What?" She only laughed harder although it was clear that she was trying not to. He pushed himself up a little, "What?"

"I've never heard of you talk about this as a chess match." She turned around to face him, "Especially as you never play chess properly." She rested a hand on his chest, softly stroking the material under his fingers.

"I can play chess it properly!" He protested. He could play it… as long as he had his own rules when he wanted to use them.

"Vlad you can't move the pieces wherever you want to on the board because you want to." She laughed.

"I only do that to stop Dad insisting that I play chess with him." Vlad nuzzled her neck, "When have I ever cheated playing you?" Erin froze as he pressed an open mouthed kiss to her neck. Her eyes rolled upwards and her head slumped backwards a fraction.

"You haven't." She conceded. "But we've never finished a game."

"Not my fault." He whispered, moving down to her collarbone. He knew he couldn't go further with her but it didn't mean he had to stop yet. "I know you can counter any move I make so there's never much point in wasting much time playing chess when we can do other things."

Erin was enjoying his display of affection too much; she knew it couldn't go anywhere so she decided that the best course of action was to distract him. "So what's your next move?"

"Finishing what we started – curing Bertrand."

TBC

A/N: Thanks for reading.