"How do I know I can trust you?"
Her vision flashed red and she turned her back sharply so he didn't see the crimson of her eyes. Trust was non-existent, even those who loved each other most dearly lied and cheated. They were vampires. Trust was non-existent. His voice was suddenly soft and compassionate beside her ear. "I want to trust you – I really do but I can't let you hurt me again."
HURT HIM? The scream was so loud in her mind that even Vlad stepped back. A quick glance at his face told her that he hadn't understood it despite the fact he'd felt it. She ignored the rampant fury thrumming in her veins and adapted an apologetic face. "Trust is earned and I know I haven't earned it but I'm going to ask to trust me and hopefully we'll be able to earn each other's trust back in the process."
A smile graced Vlad's lips. "Where do you want to go?"
"Are you an idiot or do you just want everyone to think you are?" Ingrid snatched him the second he headed to his room to get ready. The vampiress pinned him against the wall with a cynical smirk.
Vlad scowled. "Neither but I doubt that'll change your mind." The vampire sighed, a brief hint of weariness flickering under a stony mask. "What do you want Ingrid?"
"Well I want to rule the world and bite breathers but that won't happen until you're dead so I'll settle for calling you an idiot." She winked and Vlad gave another irritated sigh.
"Then enlighten me, why am I such an idiot then?"
"I heard you and Erin talking," She began to circle around him, crimson lips glittering with mirth. "About how you're going on your date – how you're going to fall in love again and everything will be perfect!" She added an exaggerated childish giggle on the end before her expression curled nastily. "She's planning something and you're walking to fetch whatever cheese she's put in the fancy mouse trap."
Vlad raised his eyebrows in an equally sardonic expression of mock surprise. "Really? And you would be telling me this because…?"
Ingrid's lips puckered in an expression of 'hmph'. "Because only I should be allowed to trick you." She paused. "And I cannot get what I want if you're dead."
"Or you want Erin out the way so you are free to manipulate me."
Ingrid blinked and her features transformed into something of amused shock. "Wow brother – how the hell did you pull that from what I said?" Vlad glared at her and the hilarity faded. "Are you a total bat brain?" She huffed. "Really? The one time I'm actually telling the truth and you won't believe me."
Vlad didn't say anything and Ingrid grumbled something about Vlad being fine to get himself killed before storming off.
The Chosen One then proceeded to go to his room to spend an embarrassing amount of time picking out a jacket.
As he headed to meet Erin at the gates he was snatched again – by Miss McCauley.
"Adele has informed me that you're no longer seeing her." The teacher didn't look angry, yet Vlad could practically smell the short temper on her.
"Uh yeah." He shrugged leaning to glimpse Erin waiting at the gates. "But I kind of have somewhere I need to be; can we talk about this la-"
She scowled, stepping in his way. "We are talking about this now." Vlad's eyes were drawn to Erin, the vampiress checking her watch. Miss McCauley turned and glanced at where he was looking. "No no no." She said turning him away. "Adele said you skipped out just as she breached the problem and I think I know what this problem is." Her head titled in Erin's direction.
"What?" He followed her gaze. "No!" Why did everyone assume that Erin was the problem? "There is no problem!" The teacher's eyebrows rose sceptically. "You know what? I think I'd be a lot better if everyone left me alone to deal with my own problems!" And like Erin had days previously, he pushed past the teacher, the force used sending the teacher stumbling back a few paces.
Then he joined Erin.
The vampiress wasn't unduly bothered by his lateness and seemed to be in a better mood than he'd seen her since arriving at Garside Grange. It filled him with so much hope for their relationship being revived.
She led him into town with a devilish smile haunting her features prompting him to ask questions. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"What are we going to do?"
"We're going to have fun and sort through our issues." As they wandered the town and the moon rose, Erin's hand laced itself around his and she a seemed more alive than she'd ever been. Vlad found himself relaxing, feeling the relief because the tension in his stomach had been lying about Erin.
She cared about him just as he cared for her.
To be honest, they talked very little but Vlad believed this was more about forgiving each other through companion ship rather than talking, or at least to Erin. Eventually she pulled him into a cosy coffee shop and sat them around the corner. "I'll go get us something sweet." She winked, planted a kiss on his cheek and pranced away to buy something – Vlad watched her go with a small smile as she vanished in the direction of the counter.
Then Jonno sat in front of him.
Vlad's hands clenched into fists and he started to rise from the table. "Don't." Jonno ordered motioning at his fingers where a miniature stake launcher was comfortably slotted. He knew Jonno wouldn't miss, despite the difficulty of the weapon.
Vlad narrowed his eyes, red glittering in their depths. "Where's Erin?"
The corner of Jonno's lips quirked slightly. "Dust if you don't come with me."
Slowly, and angrily Vlad got to his feet. Jonno positioned himself behind the vampire where the stake had no obstruction from Vlad's heart. As they exited the coffee shop Vlad noticed that Erin was nowhere to be found. Unfortunately he couldn't move now unless he could be sure Jonno would miss.
He was lead onto the high street, probably because they thought he wouldn't try anything but this was when he proceeded to vanish into thin air. He sped into an alley that he'd been in before. It was odd as he'd never been there in the flesh but in a dream. In the dream he'd murdered a blonde girl slightly resembling Erin and been without his soul. The night horrors troubled him but he'd had nightmares for so long that they caused little impact by now.
This alley conveniently was also where he found Erin.
The vampiress was chatting to someone on the phone but instantly when she saw him she hung up. Vlad wondered who she could possibly be talking however those thoughts flew out of his mind when Erin grabbed a stray brick that had fallen from the alley walls and backhanded him across the head with it.
Stars exploded into his vision and he was suddenly lying on the floor. Erin was talking on the phone. "Yeah, I've got him-" Vlad reached out an arm to her. –oh! You're still awake," she shrugged. "I guess Chosen One powers mean a thick skull."
The last thing he saw was her foot.
This chapter took a while didn't it? I confess – I was watching Supernatural. I am a tv junkie.