Maybe I shouldn't have been so lax and updated faster. Oops.

This chapter = EW

I am extremely unhappy with the choppiness of these paragraphs but as I am lazy I will not bother to edit.

Advice and constructive criticism is especially welcome on this chapter. (Translation: please help me write better!)

Chapter Four – Why Worry

Vlad snatched the bag and turned sharply away from the two humans, raising the blood to his lips. The dungeon was totally silent for a moment. Then Jonno was making wincing faces at the horrible sucking noises Vlad was making.

A quick glance to the right told him that Robin was craning to get a good look at the feeding vampire electing a frown from the slayer. Vlad had obviously turned his back on the pair as he understood how disgusting those sucking and lapping noises must look.

Eventually the bag dropped to the floor, empty.

Vlad had downed the contents of the bag faster than humanly (and possibly vamprically) possible and as Jonno saw the vampire scrub at his chin and mouth with a red bloody hand he realised it hadn't been clean either.

Somehow Robin seemed to sense the tense atmosphere.

"So what did they do with the ritual thingy?" Robin asked, breaking the silence and Vlad turned around looking a fair bit saner than before. His eyebrows were set in a concerned frown and his lips a pink line. Jonno tried really hard to ignore the crimson blotches Vlad had missed on his chin.

"They healed me…or at least I think they did." Vlad murmured, his eyes fixed on a point on floor. "But everything is so…so…" He trailed off, unable to explain.

"Dank?" Robin suggested, somewhat sarcastically but Vlad was oblivious to the deadpan.

"No…" The vampire said slowly shaking his head. "So… clear."

Vlad could find no other way to describe It, this new sensation was clarity. Things weren't completely clear however; the very unsubtle signals Robin and Jonno were very obviously shooting at each other Vlad completely missed. "But I've never been that thirsty before." His eyes flicked to the empty bag as did everyone else's.

Jonno opened his mouth to speak, possibly to exclaim how thoroughly disgusted he was by the current line of conversation but Vlad silenced him with a look.

"Whatever they did, we're getting out of here before than can do anymore." He said confidently getting to his feet. The argentalium manacles followed his ascension and halted it but a quick tug from Vlad's wrists ripped the chains from their perch.

The two breathers watched in amazement as the vampire showed no signs of his previous dying state and was able to tear the door off his cell. The heavy metal door made a loud crash as Vlad carelessly tossed it aside.

Vlad glanced around quickly and came to the same conclusion as Jonno, realising that the mystic had left with the keys but Jonno had not anticipated Vlad simply shattering the locks in his fingers. The slayer frowned as he watched Vlad show no surprise at his boost of strength, or return of strength perhaps. He supposed Vlad may have possessed that level of power before his human genes stripped him of all might.

Jonno was pulled out of his musings when he found Vlad had released both him and Robin from their cells. They all gathered round the large iron door and Vlad braced himself.

The vampire gave a powerful kick.

CRASH!

The door went flying off its hinges and slammed into the wall on the other side. Robin gave the shattered frame a giddily excited look. "Imagine if someone was on the other side of that."

Jonno winced, and followed the pair out into a dimly lit corridor that was just as dank as the dungeon they'd just departed.

They didn't move very quietly. Robin was busy babbling ab out just about anything that had ever crossed his mine and Vlad destroyed every door they came across with cool, yet very loud, efficiency. As they walked the hairs on Jonno's neck prickled uncomfortably and he was constantly alert. The instincts his slayer heritage had granted him were on high alert due to such high proximity to so many vampires and the waves of newfound strength flowing off Vlad did nothing to calm the clench in his stomach. He was sure that Vlad had never emanated this before and he'd always felt that he could trust the Chosen One but his instincts screamed at him in complaint now.

They continued warily through the maze of corridors and Jonno focussed on Vlad's head bobbing in front of him. The vampire hadn't said a word since he'd released them from their cells and Jonno had to wonder if Vlad was experiencing more side effects than he'd mentioned. However the vampire's senses were obviously far more attuned to the environment than before and Vlad had given him a look that suggested he'd felt Jonno watching him.

Eventually, after trekking through numerous that Jonno could not descipher from one another they ascended a set of stairs and reached what looked like the exit.

Apprehension and anticipation mingled in the slayers stomach like a rope knotting his insides. They had seen no one. Absolute zilch. The lower dungeon had been utterly deserted and while Jonno had no doubt Vlad could handle himself against an enemy with newfound ease and grace he felt incredibly nervous about the fact no one had tried to prevent escape or even be there to not prevent it.

It felt like a trap.

As Vlad braced himself to demolish yet another door Jonno spoke his fears. "Vlad I—" he was about to warn the vampire it may be a trap but it was too late.

Maja-Keht smiled at them from what looked like yet another level of dungeon.

Good news: Next chapter should be up far faster than this one and will hopefully be written far better.

Bad news: My laptop is screwed and I've finished my boxset :( (the latter may be good for everyone else as I will stop procrastinating.)

I would be delighted if you guys would give me some writing tips to avoid choppiness as this chapter demonstrated just how choppy my writing is.