I apologise so much for a long delay again but I've been super busy and by the time I have spare time I am too tired. Thank you again for the lovely people, who have reviewed, followed or have put this story as a favourite. I write for the fun of it but it lovely to know people like my writing and inspiration to my actual writing. This chapter is longer to make up for my long break between updating. I think it is quite a good Chapter and some of the information in it is important to the rest of the story. We also have an almost Vlad/ Cate scene that I enjoyed writing. Next Chapter is the feast and, without giving spoilers, it is exciting and does contain some dark!Vlad. Or Bad Vlad.

Anyway thanks for the reviews and enjoy this chapter. Remember reviews are like hugs you can feel free to give as many as you want. Hugs all round.

Sweet xxx

Chapter 4

It was two in the morning and as usual Vlad was seated on his throne Cate, as his assistant stood on his exact right waiting for any command her leader might give her. Vlad had once again fallen asleep at his throne leaving Cate's thoughts to wonder while she looked over her sovereign. Cate took a chance to glance down at her ruler. Awake he seemed always rigged and stressed up the fangs but when he slept, and dreamt normal dreams, he looked younger, at ease.

Last night she had found him, after his slumber, in his coffin surrounded by thousands upon thousands of books piled up around him. The Grand High Vampire himself had been engaged in the works of Tailor's study of Vampire Bites and the Loyalty upon them. Cate had been quite surprised by the title yet did not ask as she felt no interest to the subject- unlike Vlad who had not even noticed her presence. She also thought it incredibly rude to inquire into subjects which are none of her business.

At his present sleeping state through Cate pondered upon the subject but also the peace of Vlad's face. She felt pity for the older vamp maybe because he looked like her younger half-brother. The dark hair, pale skin, his pale lips. In fact, the resemblance was strangely uncanny but then his father had come from Romania. Vlad stirred in his sleep before his eyes opened, he blinked several times.

Vlad rose from his throne without any words he sped across the hall and through the large oak door at the end of the throne room. Cate jumped back in surprise, "Damn, that Vlad" she whispered under her breath.

The guards that had been stationed on the doors were looking at her for an order, she had the authority as the GHV's assistant. "Go on, we better find him." She called out to them as she walked down the hall. One of the guards sped away spear in hand the other nodded in Cate's direction before speeding of the other way. He knows he has to have security, she thought, so today's dream must have been bad. She sped away hoping to find Vlad before his guards.

Vlad fell against the wall in his room. He had been hoping to make it to the coffin perhaps to the dreamland he would be able to control himself better there. Right now he was shivering. He could feel the evil seeping into him and the power of a thousand flowing through his veins. The thoughts of devastation and destruction filled his mind. He could hold on but for how long? He was unsure. Maybe an hour? Two? He needed to keep control the power was flooding in, an evil smirk tried to show itself on his face. Just as the thunder struck outside, strange it was meant to be a dry night, Vlad felt his mind slip away…

Looking in the library and then the decrepit chapel and then the rest of the manor had been no easy accomplishment. It was so large even with her vampire speed Cate had found it difficult to scour the place. Eventually, she had come to Vlad's own room and, after several attempts, had managed to twist her key into the lock and get into Vlad's room. It was a security measure of Vlad's room. The door and walls were coated in a very thin layer of garlic lined silver not enough to threaten the vampire powers in the room but just to stop vampires smoking, shape shifting or using their powers to get into the room. In a similar way the silver would prevent werewolves getting in and finally the lack of technological security meant to breather could hack into the room. There was one way to enter and that was with a key. Only three keys were in existence one for Vlad, one for Cate and one for the head of security. It had been designed rather ingeniously so that not one type of any race could get into the room. The perfect safe, if one could describe the room as a safe, and, in addition, a perfect place to hide.

Cate was extremely glad she alone had a key as she slipped it easily into the lock and twisted. Sure enough in the far corner of the chamber sat a curled up Vlad, his knees drawn into his stomach, shoulders hunched and his head resting on his knees. "Vlad?" Cate called softly, not wanting to startle him. She walked over and squatted down beside him. "What happened…?"

A hiss escaped Vlad's lips as his head lifted and eyes opened a deep crimson colour- a truly frightening sight. Cate nearly toppled over in surprise! As Vlad's features returned to their normal appearance he relaxed a little but still looked a little petrified.

"He's coming back, Cate. I've been feeling him inside me and slowly he's creeping over I know he is going to appear but I don't know how to stop him. I don't know how he broke my walls all I feel is his thoughts of destruction, I hear cries and I enjoy them. The power, I crave it. He's pushing me into the abyss I'm getting weaker. He's so hard to control." Vlad let out in a rush, hardly pausing for breath.

"Wait," Cate questioned, she was slightly confused. "When you say he you don't mean… your reflection."

Vlad uncurled his body slightly. "Bad Vlad seems to want to come back." Vlad joked as he tried to stand but fell back down. Cate put her arms under his and helped onto the armchair next to large bay windows, thick curtains flowed down the sides of it, mingling with Cate's skirts as she seated herself on the window sill.

"It seems you face quite a problem," Cate said to break the silence which had formed between them. "I still don't understand one thing"

Vlad looked up at her piercing eyes.

"Why did you leave the throne room? I understand you wanted privacy but I thought you told me if you use your powers he seems to become a larger threat."

"I needed to leave." Vlad replied

"Dream?"

"Something like that," Vlad stated. "I had a dream about…. my past."

"It was about that Erin girl again wasn't it." Cate stated knowingly.

"Yep." Vlad answered slowly.

Cate paused to think before responding. "You've told me Erin was your girlfriend did she cheat on you with another vampire?" Cate could understand if that was the case. She had known someone she thought was truly for her alone that they were in true love. Yet, he had moved away to Hawaii (This was, of course, before Cate had been bitten by Ingrid.) with another girl. A fake blonde make-up specialist who would do anything to get into bed and the money for the breast implants she wanted. "I know how it feels for someone to run away and it's probably the same that all feel whether human or vampire."

Vlad smiled.

"She didn't run away, well she did but not until a lot later. She died. I guess in a way twice." Vlad looked up to see the confuzzled look on Cate's face. "I bit her. My fiancée, Adze the evil one I told you about, got control of sweet innocent Erin and made her jump of a roof. It was either let Erin die or bite her. I spoke to her one time and she told me to let her die but I just couldn't stand by while the love of my life. My first true love perished before my very eyes so I was selfish. I bit into her flesh and gave her the curse of vampirism. Just because I couldn't bear to live with the pain.

"My poor Erin paid the price for my mistakes. When she was a breather, when she was human we loved each other. I had plans for the future. We wanted to finish school and then I would have to become the GHV but Erin accepted me. I haven't told you this but Erin was a slayer. A very capable, yet unwilling, slayer who had been forced, by her parents, to take up the profession. Her brother, Ryan, was also a slayer but was bitten by Ingrid and that is why Erin came. She originally came to slay me and my family but instead we fell in love. We had plans she knew everything about me and I knew everything about her. We swore on our lives no secrets. We also swore to never give up on one another. She was willing to give up a normal life to live with me and to have a family, maybe, even marry. She just didn't want to become a vampire. I didn't want her to have, what I thought was a curse, either." Vlad paused to breath.

"So she woke up to find two large punctured holes in her neck. She ended but turning evil, like her brother. It was exactly what she didn't want to be yet she became- she became a monster. She ran away with my sister's half- brother Malik and then was dusted. My true love killed and I hear it in such a cold way as if it was unimportant. I let her go but with much regret. My biting didn't help anyway. She was destined to die and a few months later she did. I left her a few months of misery and depressing times. If I could go back in time that is the one thing I would change. I would let her die and as much as it would pain me at least she would have died human and happily. Peacefully in her sleep as she wished to." Vlad let out a sigh and expanded himself on the armchair. He felt more in control after letting his anger out but the small evil still sat there. He knew it was just waiting.

Cate was just sitting, her back leaning on the window. "Vlad, I never knew. I never thought I am so sorry." She felt close to tears at hearing Vlad's story. It made her story sound rather lame.

"None of it is your fault. There is no need to feel sorry for something that can't be helped. However, it's nice to know I have friends. You kind of remind me of an old friend, you might have met her. Her name was Talitha I believe she works as an assistant to one of members of the council. Lord Renardo I believe."

Catherine blinked in shock. "Wait Talitha as in Tal who works for the Minister of Legal States and Environmental issues."

"Tal always loved nature and anything to do with travel." Vlad stated as he laughed to himself. "I was close to her as well. Not as close as Erin but we did have a connection. I even dated her for a year."

Cate smiled at this nevertheless, strangely, she felt quite jealous. "How did you guys break up?" She found herself asking.

"We basically had to. I was with the council discussing ridiculous matters she wanted to go and get her mark on the world. We are still close but just not that close. I met her travelling you see and then she came to my eighteenth. After that I gave up my chance to be human and we left for the Himalayas. Dad moved to Australia but came back after six weeks demanding I get a wife. The council put the heap of GHV work on me and my sister kept bugging me for favours. We broke up to do what we wanted. We both made the decision and now intended to live with it. Maybe one day I'll find someone kind and sweet with her humanity like Erin yet still powerful and strong minded and caring like Talitha. Oh well until then. I've got you." Vlad finished. A cheeky smile on his face aimed straight at Cate. She grinned back.

"That is again so sweet. I guess you are stuck with me as I am stuck with you."

"You wanted the job," Vlad protested.

"You gave me the job." Cate responded before they both burst into laughter. "You're feeling better now I guess. Take the night of and get a good sleep tomorrow is the finally day until the feast and we don't want your reflection there."

Cate rose from where she was seated and paraded towards the door. Yet, stopped halfway as she remembered something important. "That reminds me. The Lord Émilek Malfèvre came round and he said he wished to speak to you before the feast. Something about a Baroness Lorelai. He also said wear something dark." Then Cate left the room.

Vlad straightened in his chair before speeding to his coffin and collecting a book that lay in there. The page was still open on Lorelai from the night before. The fine, elegant writing would have been hard to read, nonetheless, after all writings he had read in a similar script from the ancient vampires he read it as easily as reading bold print written in capitals.

The antediluvian clan of Lorelai has appeared in record as far back as the Doomsday book if not further. Famous for their tyrannical reign over the far North the Lorelai's have a still firm grasp of society and with their long clan history they are a respected and hated clan. Fear, nightmares and destruction surrounded not only their history but also legacy with the hatred for breathers and half breeds or even bitten vampires known worldwide across the vampire history and breather legend. The name is hated and feared among all especially that of Xavier Lorelai who is the first vampire to come up with a supply of endless blood. The way all vampires should live. With blood slaves at their every command willing to be used and easy to dispose of if need be. Sadly, the blood slaves and breather pets ended in the late human century of 19. Due to the fact that humans were becoming too suspicious and the Guild of Slayers having a larger impact on society. Not long after it is believed Xavier Lorelai was slain leaving behind one daughter and several illegitimate sons. The true heir is not known but there are rumours of a Lorelai breather pet black market. Although there is no proof or information on them after Xavier we can only assume the once great clan has fallen, perhaps, to a girl.

Vlad lay back in his coffin. The Lorelai clan may have set up a breather pet service if so why did the head of the High Council wish to speak to him about the Lady Lorelai, presumably the daughter of the late Xavier Lorelai. If this was the case he needed to speak to the council member he had met on the first night of the Council arrival, nearly a week ago. It seemed something was wronged with the outside. As Vlad submerged himself into the darkness he thought how he could have let these troubles occur. Why was he so weak? How would Erin view him now?