Guest: I really hope you at least looked up Vlad and Ingrid, and if you can find Young Dracula to watch online (Youtube has it in some countries) I highly recommend it. Camp and funny and Vlad/Ingrid chemistry is amazing!

-YD-

Vlad was fairly sure he was going mad. What were vampires doing in his dreams?

He struggled to his feet, bits of dirt and dead leaves falling from the leather he wore. The vampires surrounded him, trapped between the river and those who held stakes. His body knew he was in danger.

"What do you want?"

"Your ashes!"

"Sorry, kinda using them at the minute."

They advanced closer, though nobody seemed keen to be the first to strike. Vlad noticed stitching on the breast of every robe - V H C. So now he was having dreams that the Vampire High Council, the governing body of all vampires, wanted to slay him... because that was totally normal, right? Vlad continued to panic, unsure which way to move and running out of options. He couldn't cross running water. Barging the vampires seemed stupid, given they were armed and apparently out for his dust.

Wait.

If he had a vampires vulnerabilities in here... maybe he had powers too.

Hoping for the best, Vlad focused on moving as fast as he could and jumped, managing to leap over the encroaching attack mob, landing several feet away in the blink of an eye. Well, that had worked, but now the vampires were turning and they could probably flit too. So Vlad focused again and hurled himself as far away as he could, confused and exhilirated by the way his senses had adjusted, that he never hit trees or rocks as he moved so fast the rest of the world blurred.

"Find him!"

What were they so angry at him for? Vlad might not be the most vampiric of vampires, sure, but was he doing it badly enough the VHC had to get involved?

He ran, following some instinctual pull though he didn't know where he was being led. just knowing he was still being pursued. Robin was nowhere to be seen, which was probably good so Vlad didn't have to stop, but he really could have done with some kind of explanation as to why he was being stalked by murderous vampires. On and on his speed continued, never tiring, not even a need to stop and catch his breath! The pull that led him stopped all of a sudden, confusing Vlad.

"Almost there."

Robin reappeared, spoke two words and vanished again. Vlad frowned, then looked behind him before looking forward.

"I'm... home?"

Before Vlad could think more on it, there was a sharp impact to his already-sore face and he jerked awake, sunlight flooding his vision and near-silence in his ears. A scent that made his heart skitter in his chest filled his lungs when he drew in a breath, looking up to see Ingrid stood over him and the sports field empty. As was the chair next to him.

"Gee, thanks Robin."

"I sent him off."

"Uh. W-why?"

Ingrid shrugged, sweeping up the stairs to a row of seats that had shade over them to protect her ivory skin from the sun. Still coming to, Vlad tried to shake off the haze in his brain and turned around, kneeling on his seat rather than risk getting closer and spooking Ingrid.

She's your sister! Vlad tried to remind himself as he looked at her, captivated by the way her eyes reflected hints of sunlight amongst the shade.

"What's wrong with you? Everytime I see you, you're unconscious. It makes you less annoying, I suppose."

Vlad yawned, which prevented him from glaring all that much in response.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't, really. But if this is a vampire thing, I should know about it."

Oh. That was why she'd gotten rid of Robin. Biter questions.

"Don't think so."

He was so tired. Why was this exhaustion not lifting? Vlad wished he'd taken the invitation to go home early. He was fantasising about his bed.

"Well, you look dead enough that I needed to ask."

"Thanks Ingrid."

Despite having her answer, Ingrid had not moved yet. Vlad yawned again, already feeling the tiredness begin to creep over him anew and struggling to keep his eyes open, body heavy and eager to slump back into the seat for more sleep.

"Hey! Don't lose consciousness when I'm annoyed at you."

Before Vlad could respond, whether to ask why she was annoyed or how Ingrid thought he could control it, Vlad was asleep again.

He woke in the castle, not remembering climbing the hill. The ground was gritty with dust and dirt under his hands as Vlad pushed himself up, turning to look for the vampires who'd been following him. They were there, but none bore stakes any longer. Instead they all knelt in deference, heads bowed. Vlad frowned, turning to look at what had been an empty throne a moment ago.

In the throne sat a hooded figure, and while the face was hidden Vlad recognised the prominent staff and the Crown of Power, a thin steel band covered in millenia-old human bones and imbued with a powerful magic that few truly understood. It amplified, strengthened, recognised.

"The Grand High Vampire?"

At Vlad's voice, the hooded head lifted, falling back to reveal His Grandness himself, hair white with age and eyes sharp with time. Vlad bowed his head but dared not kneel in case he had to run again, heard the creak of bones aged eighteen hundred years as His Grandness rose from the throne.

"Vladimir Dracula."

Vlad looked up; how did he even know his name? Well, it was a dream.

"Yeah?"

"I am the Grand High Vampire."

"Yep. Got that."

If this was real, Vlad would have been slain already for his attitude. So it was definitely a dream.

"Soon, it will be your task."

Vlad did a double take.

"Uh, what?"

The Grand High Vampire took a few steps toward him, and Vlad debated skittering back or standing his ground. Before he decided, His Grandness spoke again.

"You are the Chosen One."

-YD-

Not that I didn't appreciate Keith Lee Castle in that hilarious grey wig, but I thought I'd go with the real GHV from S2.