A/N: Disclaimer in Chapter 1.
Longer final chapters (as is my tradition) the pair total nearly twelve thousand words.
Sorry for last night, as I was posting I accidentally deleted the final chapter. I didn't want to post one without the other in case I had to tweak this one to make the other make sense. I'm not sure which draft I prefer though, I hope you enjoy it anyway…
I'm going to start posting 'Dark Truths' Saturday. I'm really looking forward to that fic it'll be a little more grown up but hopefully less complicated.
Chapter 69: Know Me
Of course there could only ever be one winner. One person that remained alive at the end of it. Vlad had known that all along just as much as she did. He was offering her a way to beat him without having to worry about his enhanced strength.
If Erin had taken the chance when she'd had it and killed her this would all have been resolved months ago.
Olga held back the grin that was threatening to cross her face. He was offering her everything and everything was being offered fairly. She wanted to know his motives behind it but then again her dear cousin had always been someone who played fairly.
"I guess you didn't tell your wife this part of the plan." She noted, gesturing towards the dark look that Erin was shooting Vlad.
Vlad didn't look backwards but he could feel her eyes burning into him. He knew that if he'd told her she'd try to talk him out of it. He didn't want her to talk him out of it. He knew exactly what he was doing.
"Do you accept the challenge?" Vlad spoke formally, the whole room was watching him and if they were mortal they would be doing it with bated breath.
Olga didn't see what else she could do, it was the only opportunity that Vlad would ever give her to get the upper hand. "Yes." She replied, trying not to sound too gleeful about accepting his offer.
"Tomorrow night?" Vlad offered. Olga looked at him, at least she could get in a few basic practice techniques besides she was tired from the journey.
"Perfect." She smiled at him, white teeth glinting. The action grated on Vlad and his eyes narrowed in response. Olga noticed, her dear cousin did have a few tells although she only noticed because she was scrutinising him, the only other person that would probably notice was Erin. "About weapons," She began slowly, trying to get another facial twitch out of him but she didn't succeed that time. "I want a sword." She smiled at him.
"Argentalium then." Vlad cut in, "Just to make sure you don't use your powers." He shrugged as he watched Olga's eyes widen at his deduction, he really did think things through. She'd have to find a way to meet his move with one of her own.
"Coated in garlic." She smirked at him. To her surprise Vlad didn't twitch a muscle, nothing gave him away.
"Okay." He answered monotonously. He knew as well as her they could get stabbed by a sword and not die, their healing would see to any injury being rapidly repaired. A stab to the heart or a major artery was fatal for a breather but not for them. Garlic would kill them though, the wound would heal but the garlic would be inside them, eating away at them from the inside out. Painful but fatal.
Olga sauntered closer to her older cousin, standing on her toes to meet his ear. His first instinct was to pull back but he wouldn't give her that satisfaction although his stomach churned at her being so near to him.
"Tomorrow night then, gives you time to put you final wishes in place." She whispered into Vlad's ear.
"I'm not the one who'll be doing that." He whispered back at her. He enjoyed the way she froze at his words.
Doubt had begun to creep in and she couldn't go back on her words. Not now.
There were too many witnesses.
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Vlad knew Erin was about to make a scene, she didn't care that they were in front of witnesses. Her face was black with fury as she looked at him. He could sense in her mind the ice that was directed at him, he didn't need a verbal scolding as well but he knew she would give him one anyway.
With a sigh he grabbed her arm and marched with her from the room. Erin went with him; she didn't need any witnesses when she killed him herself.
They marched in silence; the only sounds were those of their shoes coming into contact with the wooden floors of their home. A slight squeak was heard every now and then as they found a part of the floor that had a fraction too much polish on it.
Vlad pushed her into their room, locked the door quickly – clicking his fingers to do so - and leaned against it. He knew what would come and he wasn't disappointed as she began pacing back and forth. Every time she moved towards him she gave him a glare that could freeze hell. Her cape flapped and shimmered as she paced.
After another few lengths she finally spoke, "I just want to know one thing Vlad – WHY?" Tears glistened in her eyes.
He gave a sigh, she wouldn't understand fully. "Because this is the only way to protect you and the children." Speaking of the children they were still with Bertrand and Ingrid as far as they knew. It was better they stay with their aunt and uncle until after this conversation.
Erin laughed at that. "She'll kill us if she kills you." It was obvious.
"She can't." He promised her, he took her hands in his caressing her knuckles with his thumbs.
Erin felt like she was talking to a brick wall. "She'll go back on her word."
"Erin it's the reason I offered to do this. If I fight a duel with her she can't hurt any member of my family if she wins. She's bound to it." He cupped her neck, caressing her bites. She tried to resist but found herself leaning in anyway. "I won't let anything happen to you. I made a promise a long time ago and I'm never going to break it."
"We were seventeen back then Vlad, a lot has changed. Sometimes we can't keep the promises we made." She reminded him mimicking his actions. "We're nearly five years older." She was angry with him, angry for doing this without telling her. "We always do everything together. I look after you as much as you look after me."
Vlad was silent he looked down. "Erin, listen…"
Erin wasn't finished interrogating him. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you would have tried to talk me out of it." His tone was a matter of fact.
Erin's answer was immediate; she didn't need a minute to think it over. "You're flapping right I would have!"
"I have to do this Erin."
"Why? You'll get yourself killed…"
"If it's not now there's a chance it'll happen later on. My Council turned against me to find her, a third of our kind support her, she turned the loyalty of Bertrand and she took my reflection. How long before she tries something else and wins?" He asked Erin, trying to get her to think it through. "You know as well as me she'll increase her efforts now we have the twins. I asked you to trust me, just trust me for a little longer." Erin looked at him and nodded. "You've always known me better than anyone." He mumbled kissing her neck lightly. "Know me."
Her brow furrowed, she didn't understand what he was asking for. If he was asking for anything at all. She hoped it would become clear, she nodded.
Vlad pulled back, he didn't realise how glassy his eyes had become. He coughed. "I need to see the others."
Erin stepped back silently and nodded, he gave her a nod as he tried to reset his emotions. He took a breath before speeding from the room.
Her only answer then was to slump down to the ground as her legs buckled underneath her. She drew them up under her chin and let out all of her frustration, fears and sadness. Rocking back and forth as she cried.
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Olga went to touch Bertrand's neck. He grabbed her wrist and twisted it painfully away from her. He silently handed the twin he was holding to Jonno who looked at Alex in complete terror. He didn't know what to do with the child.
"Don't touch me." He told her increasing his grip, squeezing the bones in her wrist until she hunched slightly.
"Oh so he did undo the bite or is it loyalty to Ingrid?" She snapped, enjoying the moment too much. She knew Bertrand had a temper but he didn't get physical so he must be very angry to do so. "You could've been my Prince, you can still be." She looked at him appreciatively. He was perfect, handsome and fearless. Well-built and knowledgeable. Of course there wouldn't be love involved, but heirs could be guaranteed as the bite wouldn't have created him. She would have bound him to her legally when she had the chance.
"Never." Bertrand hissed at Olga. She bared her fangs at him, biting the air to taunt him. "You can't bite me again." He gritted out through his teeth.
"No, but I stopped any hopes of mating to Ingrid didn't I. Anything to ruin her happiness."
Bertrand let go of her wrist, choosing instead to go for her throat. "You witch…" His fangs dropped and he aimed for her throat instead. Olga let out a scream she hadn't believed that he would be able to do that. His teeth brushed the skin of her neck, she knew he was going to pierce her skin at any moment.
Before he could do anything a hand reached out and gripped his arm. From the position of the hand the person who owned it was smaller than him. He looked down seeing the familiar sight of black hair. "If you interfere Vlad will be called a cheater. Vlad has to beat her himself."
Although it wasn't the right moment, Ingrid felt as if her heart was about to burst from her chest. Bertrand had nearly bitten Olga, he wasn't loyal to her. The thought filled her with pride. The device had worked.
Bertrand looked at Ingrid and nodded, letting go of Olga who stumbled backwards clutching her throat. Her hand trying to erase the feeling of his fangs against her throat.
"You nearly bit me." Her voice was hushed as she spoke.
"I'm not loyal to you anymore." He gloated to her, Ingrid hit him lightly. She hated it when he gloated, it was never a good thing. "And I never will be again." He stooped forward to look her in the eyes. "I will be mated to Ingrid, your bite won't stop that."
Ingrid's eyes flickered to Bertrand at the words he spoke.
Olga stepped back and vanished from the room, her father following her within a matter of moments. He knew he couldn't relax not with everyone's eyes on him, unsure what to make of everything that had happened.
"Did you mean that?" Ingrid asked him softly.
He straightened at his slip being caught before relaxing she might as well know. Bertrand looked at her as if it were obvious, "You always get what you want." Ingrid chuckled at that, he was right she did always get what she wanted. "But we're still getting married first."
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Vlad had a feeling he'd find them huddled in his training room. He smiled as he pressed his ear to the door, not bothering to use his powers. They were all trying to come up with a plan to stop him from being a complete idiot. Their voices were getting angrier and more heated; he even heard a few words in Transylvanian, which he knew could only come from Ingrid and Bertrand.
"Just because he's being an idiot doesn't mean we can't look out for him…" Ingrid began quietly her voice rising in volume as she spoke though.
He decided to interrupt then, he didn't want them interrupting. He didn't want anything going wrong. He deliberately threw the door open, the handle bashed against the panelling, causing a large groove to be carved into the wood, a lighter colour of course. The occupants of the room turned to face him, the mortals with a hand to their chest trying to calm their racing hearts at being startled. The vampires simply squinted and folded their arms over their chest. They were trying to take of Erin's look of irritation but no one could mimic her. They all had a matching expression however – guilt, pure guilt.
He moved closer, he could see that they wanted to talk to him but they weren't sure what to say. "I want you all to look after Erin and the twins." Vlad told those assembled around him. Mina, Jonno, Robin and Bertrand looked at him in disbelief. One thought racing through their minds – did Vlad really believe he was going to fail?
"Vlad you are going to defeat Olga."
"If I don't, I want you to take care of them." Vlad's voice lowered as he swept his gaze across them all. "I want their mum to be helped by their uncles and aunts. I know we've never said it out loud but we always considered you as their family. She'll need all the help she can if they turn out like me." He joked sadly. Erin would have her hands full if they followed in his footsteps and tried to get out of becoming a vampire at every opportunity. No one laughed at his joke they all fixed him with pitying gazes. Vlad hated pity.
"Vlad nothing will happen." Robin assured him. This was the most powerful vampire on the planet standing in front of him, he wouldn't let himself be beaten by Olga for anything.
"*IF* it does I want you to look after them." He wanted them to understand, he couldn't leave Erin on her own, she needed the support of his family.
Mina placed her hand on his bicep, giving it a squeeze. "You know we will." She felt Vlad relax under his grip.
"Tell us what we can do to help." Robin told his friend, he couldn't bear to lose his best friend – the only friend who didn't treat him like a freak.
"Don't interfere in the fight." He looked around at them, his piercing gaze meeting their eyes and they all looked downwards in guilt. "It's important that you don't."
Jonno shook his head; this seemed like a stupid code of conduct. "Why?"
"Bertrand knows the rules as well as I do." He let out a sigh, "Just look after Erin and watch her." Ingrid's head pulled back, she didn't understand what he meant. He was saying practically the same thing but his eyes held an intensity that wouldn't be defeated.
They all nodded slowly, if they couldn't help him any other way then there was only one thing that Bertrand could do. Bertrand forced Vlad into the centre of the room. "You need to practice if you're going to win…"
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Vlad hit the punch bag in his training room with extra force. It swung from side to side on the bracket. His thoughts rested firmly on Erin and his new family. He needed to beat Olga, he needed to keep them safe.
He knew what he was doing and it would become clear in time to everyone else. He only hoped they would be paying attention when the time came.
A sound behind him made him pause before he continued hitting the bag. He knew the sound of that landing anywhere. "I wondered when you'd arrive." Vlad muttered under his breath.
"Vladdy."
"Don't speak to me like that!" He roared spinning around. "I'm not thirteen anymore!"
"Vladimir!" The tone was spoken with disappointment.
"There we are, the sound of being disappointed again." Vlad scoffed, he was used to it now all of his life. Only Erin had never been disappointed in him, even now she was only angry. He knew she'd see the logic behind his actions.
"Vladimir I am your father! I know what is best for you!" He snapped at him, using a command in his voice. Vlad's fury rose a notch as he looked at his father, he wasn't someone who could be pushed around anymore.
"You know what's best for me?" Vlad snapped, hitting the punch bag with more force as he threw his arm backwards. It was either hit the punch bag or throw a fireball. "You were the entire reason I hated being a vampire. Is that what you thought was best for me? Make me hate what I couldn't change about myself?"
"You don't mind being one now, now you have your reflection back." The Count pointed out.
"I know now that being a vampire isn't a bad thing. Erin helped me see that. It doesn't control me I control it. She came into our relationship knowing what I was, she wasn't scared of me. She accepted it and that let me accept myself."
The Count's tone was bitter as he looked away from his son and at the wall. "The half fang obviously." Lightning flashed around the building as Vlad picked up on the insulting comment towards his Queen.
"And don't use that tone with me either!"
"Erin uses it all the time." The Count couldn't understand how Erin could use it but he couldn't.
"Erin is my wife; she's the only person that can ever get away with that tone!" Vlad told him as if it were obvious. Erin could contradict him and rein him often because she knew the regret he'd feel afterwards.
The Count decided to try another tactic, "She bore you a son." It was a great feat for their kind for Erin to have given birth to a son in her first pregnancy.
Vlad immediately took it for an insult, and the Count realised his mistake as he saw his son's muscles ripple in his arms as he clenched his fists by his side. "And a daughter, someone I love just as much as her brother. I'm not bringing up another Ingrid, I'll never do that. They'll have a home with parents that love both of them and aren't afraid of saying it."
The Count looked at his son, seeing for the first time how much Vlad had grown. He wasn't the boy who ran away from blood any more he was the protector of their kind with a family of his own. His priorities were different once again. "I'm sorry Vladimir."
Vlad blinked, his head jerking back as he tried to process what he'd just heard – or at least what he thought he'd heard. "What was that?"
"I'm sorry Vladimir." The Count repeated, his tone becoming more sincere at the look of disbelief his son wore.
"You're sorry because I'm back to being Grand High Vampire." Vlad scoffed as he corrected his father. "You want my power, just like everyone else." He restrained himself from yelling at him.
"I'm sorry because I love my son."
Those words didn't have the effect that the Count wanted. "You love me?" Vlad began to laugh. "You loved me because I was the male heir and then the Chosen One. If you loved me you wouldn't have rejected me when I lost my reflection."
"I regretted that but I did it to protect Wolfie." Vlad wouldn't understand how the rules of their society influenced his decision. Then again Vlad never saw things from his point of view, he couldn't change the way he thought after six hundred years.
"Where is Wolfie?" Vlad asked out of curiosity.
"With the Queen." The Count looked at his son. "I am sorry Vladimir and I do love you." Vlad didn't respond and the Count knew that. "I love you and I love your sister and Wolfie." Vlad suddenly wished Ingrid was in the room to hear those words.
"Things won't go back to how they were." Vlad warned him, things could never go back to how they were.
"I know." The Count's voice was accepting, he knew he'd made a mistake and he knew it would be time before Vlad could fully forgive him.
"Erin's just as angry, Ingrid as well." This wasn't something that affected just Vlad, there were other people involved.
The Count was desperate now, he didn't want his son to shut him out of his life. "I will make this up to you Vlad, you and your new family. Let me try."
Vlad let a sigh escape him, his body deflating. Vlad slowly made his way towards the door, his shoes squeaking against the floorboards. He turned his head, throwing his answer over his shoulder, "You'd better."
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Erin bounced Alex and Erika up and down lightly as she tried to get them to drift off to sleep. They seemed to sense that something was wrong, they'd been crying ever since she'd entered the room. The telepathic link had probably allowed them to sense her distress at what Vlad was going to do. She still couldn't believe he was going to be that much of an idiot.
"Daddy loves you." She whispered to them, her throat clenching as she said the words. "More than you know. Don't ever forget that." She didn't know if she couldn't bring up the twins on her own but she was glad that Vlad would live on somehow if something happened to him. She'd make sure the twins survived.
"They're small." A small voice came from behind her making Erin jump, luckily she tightened her grip on the children in instinct. Erin smiled as she saw who it was. Wolfie. He'd grown taller in the few months he'd been away.
"They're your nieces." Erin told him, stopping down to his height to show him the twins. Wolfie looked at them in amazement, they were so small. "Alexandru and Erika."
"I thought you were having one baby not two?" He was confused.
"We never had it checked, but we've known we were having twins for the last couple of months."
"What's that glass thing for?"
"It helps to make them better, they were born very early and their lungs aren't working properly yet." She explained to the nearly nine year old.
A slight breeze behind her made her smile, before her heart grew heavy. "VLAD!" Wolfie cried before hugging his older brother. Vlad returned the hug as firmly as he could, he didn't want to tell Wolfie what was going to happen.
He lowered himself to Wolfie's height, "I need you to do something for me tonight." Wolfie nodded fiercely, "Look after the twins for me, don't let them out of your sight." He told his younger brother. "They need to stay in there, but if there's any problems get Erin or Renfield and they'll know what to do."
Wolfie looked at Vlad, noticing that his eyes were glassy. "Why are you trying to be strong?" He asked him firmly, he hadn't seen Vlad like this for years.
"Because sometimes we have to be." He answered. Wolfie narrowed his eyes and decided to drop the matter something that Vlad was thankful for. Vlad cleared his throat. "I'm sure Bertrand and Ingrid want to see you."
At the mention of them Wolfie bounded from the room. Vlad ignored the look of sadness that Erin was displaying, he hated the thought of putting her through this. He took the twins from Erin.
He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to their foreheads, they opened their eyes and looked up at him. He nearly crumbled there and then, he wished that they were asleep so he could tell them this. It would only make it harder for them all.
"I love you both so much." He began quietly. "I want you to look after your mum, if anything happens to me. Listen to her because she's usually right. We never thought we could have twins but here you are, a miracle so early on. I mated with your mum because there's no one else that I've ever loved so much and I know she'll be a fantastic mum, she'll have all of your aunts and uncles to help. Don't ever be scared of being a vampire, I spent sixteen years trying to get out of becoming one but now I can't imagine not being one because I would never have met your mum and we wouldn't have had you. I hope I can see you grow up, I want to. If I can't," He paused his throat choking, he opened his mouth silently a few times, "If I can't then know that I did this to protect you and it was the only way. I never wanted to leave any of you. I love you all, remember that."
As he finished speaking the twins closed their eyes, and slipped off into a gentle sleep. He looked at Erin who was doing her best to remain composed. He pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry," He whispered, 2I'm so, so sorry."
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Vlad shrugged into his jacket, yanking the zip upwards. If he survived this he'd make sure he got himself a new set of leathers, these really weren't practical. Erin reached towards a small wooden box, withdrawing something and slipping the contents into the back of her trousers.
"Remember you can't move your arms as far in leather." She whispered to him as he finished fastening his jacket. "Don't try to do something you know you can't. Just don't be stupid."
Vlad caught Erin's wrist as she moved away from him, drawing her back to him. She was pressed flush against his chest, she didn't struggle. Erin looked everywhere but into his eyes, when she did manage to look him in the eyes it was fleetingly.
Vlad noticed and released her wrist to wrap his arms around her waist so she couldn't escape. His voice was soft but commanding as he spoke, stroking her waist through the thick leather she was wearing. "Erin look at me."
Reluctantly she drew her eyes upwards. Vlad withdrew his hand and reached into his pocket, at his insistence his new leathers had pockets in them. Vlad lifted his right hand and let something fall from it. "I had the chain repaired." A sob escaped her lips. Vlad smiled and lifted his other hand and fastened it around her neck. She watched him afraid she'd fall apart. She could feel his fingers brushing her neck tenderly as he clasped the chain.
He kissed her tenderly; Erin didn't want to think of it as a goodbye kiss. She refused to. The kiss was slow and languid their tongues moved lazily against each other.
Vlad pulled back, still holding her against him. "Just remember…" He began.
"I know." She told him.
Vlad looked at her, "Make sure the twins know what I did…"
"You are not going to die." Her voice was a mixture off conviction and tears as she forced her words from her lips. A stray tear escaping, he brushed it away with his thumb.
"Just think your parents can make sure you marry that slayer after all." He forced the words through his lips, trying to smile and make a joke at the same time. Erin laughed at his poor joke before the reality of his words set in.
"You think I'll move on?" Erin shook her head, she wouldn't move on, she couldn't.
"I want you to be happy if anything happens to me."
She shook her head, she couldn't move on, vampires mated for unlife or had he forgotten that. "I'll be happy if you don't get killed." Her words came out as a snap. She was shaking now with fear; this could be the night when she lost him forever. She couldn't bear to think about it but she was being constantly reminded with every second that ticked by.
"I'll do my best." He promised her. Erin moved back from him.
"You're ready." She whispered, hating the words as she spoke them.
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Vlad removed his crown and handed it to Renfield who placed it on the black cushion. Erin removed her circlet following Vlad's actions, if Vlad couldn't wear his then she couldn't wear hers. The next thing he did was unclasp his cape and hand it to Renfield as well.
The crowd in front of them watched in amazement as Vlad and Erin stood before them as rulers but not rulers at the same time. The crowd was assembled around the edges of the hall.
He looked towards the end of the hall watching as Olga landed at the edge in the clearing that had been created.
"Ready?" He asked his voice booming across the hall.
"Always." Vlad turned to Bertrand who held the swords. He took a bottle from Ingrid containing the garlic and poured it over the blades of the swords. He should have done it before Olga arrived but he didn't want her accusing him of cheating.
Bertrand passed a sword to Renfield who nodded and began to walk towards Olga. The other sword he gave to Vlad. Vlad passed it between his hands, testing the weight until he was familiar with it. He made sure that both hands were used to the weight should he be forced to switch hands. He gripped it firmly in his right hand.
Erin pulled him back just as he was about to step down from the stage. Vlad turned in her grip, his face filling with confusion just before her lips pressed against his in a bruising kiss. Vlad clutched her to him, she arched up into him, standing on her toes. She ran her fingers through his hair, letting her nails scrap against his scalp making him moan. He slanted his mouth over hers as their tongues battled for dominance. He could feel her tears slipping down her cheeks as she kissed him so he tried to distract her and slipped his hand under her shirt, he felt something there and smiled against her lips. She was already planning ahead, she was already seeing through him.
He pulled back after dropping a few more kisses to her lips. "I love you, always."
"I love you too." She pulled back, stepping away from him but not before squeezing his fingers. "Win." Her voice was firm and Vlad smiled, he would do his best. Then he stepped down and moved to stand opposite Olga.
Olga watched in amusement as Vlad came to a halt in front of her.
She flickered her gaze back to Erin, who had her hands pressed against her mouth. "Enjoy saying goodbye? It seemed like you did."
"Shut up Olga." He snarled, "Let's just get it over with."
"I couldn't agree more." Then she made her first move.
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He blocked her initial blow with barely any effort. She seemed to be testing him though.
She aimed another blow across his torso but Vlad easily parried the movement. He'd only trained with an actual sword once or twice. He'd always used that samurai sword of Bertrand's while at the school, that was a completely different technique and feel compared to this.
Vlad thrust the blade forwards in a quick stabbing motion making Olga jump backwards and reconsider her proximity to him. It gave Vlad the opportunity he needed to observe and tells she would make and follow her eyes to anticipate her actions.
She tried to aim for his legs but he parried the blow, and the others that followed it in quick succession. It wasn't easy not using his powers, he could kill her easily if he could but he would be classed as cheating – and he refused to be the one caught cheating.
Olga was tiring quickly; she wasn't used to handling a sword. He ducked down to the right as she aimed for his throat, trying to decapitate him. She seemed to be going for offensive tactics rather than defensive ones.
She clipped his shoulder, cutting shallowly into it. He wouldn't have usually felt it if it hadn't been for the garlic it had been doused with. He pushed the pain to the back of his mind using the thought that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
He aimed for her throat but found that from the angle he was at he could manoeuvre his arm to do it. He let out a growl of frustration as Olga messily blocked it. He had the perfect chance to end it there and then.
He could only do one thing.
He sprinted away from Olga, making her watch him in confusion as he came to a stop in front of his family.
"Running away?" She taunted him, her voice echoing down the hall. Mutterings erupted from the vampires around the edges of the hall. Vlad knew this was a risk but it had to be done, he couldn't fight like this.
"No." He answered calmly before yanking his zipper down. It stuck slightly but he persevered until it came apart completely.
Vlad pulled off his jacket as quickly as he could, the sleeve bunching around his wrists but with a fierce tug they were removed. He couldn't fight wearing it. Erin was right the leather restricted his movements. Olga watched him in amusement as he threw his jacket towards Ingrid who caught it. Ingrid looked at him like he'd gone mad. He was exposing himself more to Olga's attacks.
"He can't move his arms." Bertrand muttered from behind her. She jumped backwards in surprise, her back was now touching Bertrand's chest. She didn't feel the need to move although usually in public they tried to retain a respectable distance between them. Vlad and Erin must be rubbing off on them.
Olga could resist the grin as Vlad was more exposed to her. He really was stupid. She could see the scars on his right shoulder underneath the black vest shirt he was wearing. She hadn't realised how muscular her cousin had become over the last few years, clearly his training with Bertrand had built him up. It was enough to make her worry, he had more raw strength than her without hiss powers, she'd never considered that when she'd accepted his challenge.
Olga charged at him, lifting her sword over her head. Vlad was quicker, he spun around and slashed his sword across her back. It slashed through the leather and Olga cried out as she felt the garlic burning through her flesh.
She brought her sword down blindly the pain overcoming her, catching his collar but not piercing the skin as Vlad arched his back way from her.
Olga turned as fast as she could, her eyes burning with tears that threatened to spill. Her face was twisted and he could tell she was fighting every urge in her to lower her fangs. Vlad decided to use her distraction and launched a repeating movement of blows that had Olga struggling to keep up with them. He forced her backwards.
Just as he thought she was used to the pattern he saw his chance and changed it. He brought his sword upwards as if performing an upper cut with it. The strength of the attack pulled the sword from Olga's grasp. The sword skidded along the floor coming to rest in front of the stage.
He gripped her throat and threw her to the ground, his face curled up into a sneer as her eyes widened in pure fear.
He raised the sword preparing to plunge it into her and claim his birth right once and for all.
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Erin felt herself being grabbed from behind. Someone's forearm pressed against her throat, trying to cut off her ability to speak. She let out a strangled gasp as she felt something sharp being pressed into her side.
She didn't need to see it to know what it was.
It didn't pierce her skin but it could with just a fraction more force and turn her to dust in seconds.
Suddenly the person loosened their grip just enough for her to speak.
She wasn't going to scream, she wouldn't dignify them with that reaction. She simply spoke quietly in order to get her husband's attention.
"Vlad."
TBC
A/N: Thanks for reading.