An update in good time! Whooo rahhh!

Cceld16 you are a beautiful person 3

For a moment, as he concentrated, he felt heat ignite in his palms. It was relieving, nursing the ball of flames as up until the death of the slayer, his powers had been dead to the world. He hurled it, candle-sized amber racing towards a stack of assorted equipment, an antique blade topping the pile. On impact, the obsidian sword wobbled… but failed to fall.

Damn it! "Gggrr!" The growl erupted from his throat as his second attempt fizzled out in his hand. His powers were erratic, the energy in his body constantly flying between exhaustion and extreme high, the latter only being brief.

Edging towards his target he gave the fireball another try.

Highly charged blue light exploded from his fists leaving furious red burns in its wake. The weapon he'd been aiming at melted into a pile of viscous silver fluid welding the stack together.

Vlad stumbled back and snarled; his frustration flaring up further when his powers completely failed on his next attempt.

He rested a hand on the panelled walls- "Agh! Flap!" –and promptly yanked it away as he aggravated the scorches decorating his palms red.

Ingrid appeared beside him and snatched him by the collar, pulling him close.

"Hello brother." She hissed.

Vlad was a squirmy one. This time she had vice grip on his hair so when he tried to bite she could drag his head back but he was still difficult to travel with.

Hand tight around her brother's unused oesophagus the eldest Dracula flitted to the throne room.

"Got the convict," She smirked, ignoring Vlad's struggling and deep frown.

"Convict?" He forced out. "I'm the Chosen One!"

Ingrid restricted Vlad's movement further and snapped into his ear. "Not anymore breather-boy."

Valtov moved to stand on the raised area of the room. "You were the Chosen One, but you chose to abandon your own kind."

The vampires in the room sneered nastily at her brother excluding Count Dracula who stood in the corner; unsure of what to do.

"Under the 70th Vampire Law, should a leader be unfit then the council may elect a temporary representative until the situation is resolved."

"You're replacing me?" Vlad choked. "With who?!"

Ingrid smiled, waiting for Valtov to utter her name.

"That is to be decided. First you will be put on trial."

Oh. He hadn't said her name. But… Vlad was going to be put on trial and executed.

The vampire in question twisted in her hold and caught her steel gaze. "Are you stupid enough to follow this through? Whatever they said they'd give you – they won't."

They'd put him in the blood cellar, knowing that he'd never touch the vintages in there with him.

It was going to be ritual, his death. They were setting it up in the training room as he was the first Chosen One to die, and probably the first vampire to be stake-proof.

Actually he was the second Chosen One to die and presently, he was feeling just as crazy as Sethius.

Their blood would pour down his throat and he'd stake each and every one of them if it would mean that he would be left ALONE. He just wanted them to go.

Of their own violation his fangs pressed against his lips. Pearl-white canines shone in the dark confines of the blood cellar and Vlad allowed a feral roar to escape him.

That decided it.

He was not staying in this damn prison, losing his mind until they came to kill him. However he could get out – he was. Even if that meant sacrificing some of his values for the time being.

His eyes scanned the rows of bottles.

Ingrid was sure she'd heard glass breaking in there. For some stupid reason, she'd still stood guard outside Vlad's prison, also known as the blood cellar, instead of being named the council's representative leader.

Not that watching her brother die wouldn't be enjoyable but his prediction of her being ignored seemed to be becoming more likely and Ingrid hated losing. Even more she hated when Vlad was right.

Her fellow guard looked as bored as she felt, who'd taken to sharpening his fangs with the tip of his dagger. At her raised eyebrows he glared. "We'll get him in a moment, just let me finish!"

She let him finish sharpening his fangs.

The vampire was technically high due to his clan, he was Valtov's son, but had lost favour due to his love for human woman and his talent for getting them pregnant. Probably the only reason he was still affiliated with the council was his father.

The junior Valtov finally put down the blade and nodded towards the door.

"You open it up, I'll get the traitor – watch my back."

It was probably an unnecessary precaution as Vlad had been in no condition to move when they'd slung him in there but Ingrid gave a gesture in agreement. Sliding the bolt across Ingrid pulled the door opening revealing…

Nothing. Vlad was gone.

She heard Valtov-junior start to say "wha…"

Then he exploded into ash.

Her brother dropped from the doorframe and snatched up her fallen comrade's weapon. Their eyes met. Blue into blue and Ingrid swallowed on seeing the fleeting madness infecting Vlad's snarling face.

His expression drooped into stony hurt. "Ingrid."

"You don't have time to kill me and escape." She rushed.

Vlad's lips tightened and his eyes widened. "You're my sister; I could never kill you."

The Chosen One vanished with a whoosh.

Taking large gulps and pretending it didn't taste as good as Vlad knew it did, hadn't helped –leaving him thirsty. Ingrid had even looked slightly afraid of him when he escaped.

However, the buffs of his drink had now worn off; leaving him thirsty again and as weak as he'd been when they'd hurled him in the cellar.

But he'd made it to the road. Stumbling down the school drive was far better than being pushed into a pit of fire. Where he'd go from here was anyone's guess. He certainly couldn't go back.

Maybe he'd try going to London – if people were looking for him they'd have trouble finding him there. As he was thinking this through and trying to work out a way of getting money through honest means a silhouetted figure moved into his path.

"Her name was Grace."

I wasn't exactly happy with the writing of this chapter, so if you have any advice: don't hesitate to give it!

See you guys next chapter, in the final chapter.