Predetermined

Chapter 3 - Contents

This story belongs to: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/615457/yeknodelttil   

*****

"Nothing." She told him, her voice quavering as she spoke.

"Erin..." He drew out slowly looking at her. He could see the letter had scared her; Erin didn't usually get scare easily. Vlad was sure Erin looked as if she was about to be sick; she'd changed to a slightly green colour.

Erin seemed to suddenly snap to attention, she turned abruptly to face Vlad. "Nothing's wrong Vlad." She tried again. Vlad tried to look at the letter, he wouldn't normally but he wanted to see what had shaken her. Erin saw what he was doing and screwed the letter up, stuffing it into her pocket.

"Erin I know when something's bothering you, don't lie to me." His words were slightly begging, he couldn't be lied to again.

"I'm not!" She snapped at him, seeing the hurt in his eyes instantly appear. She'd told him too many lies in the past. "I just...have to deal with this on my own." She whispered.

With that she pushed past him and down the corridors.

*****

Erin's hands trembled as she reread the letter to make sure she hadn't misinterpreted it. She hoped she had but there was no such luck.

It took all of her strength not to slam the door shut. As soon as it snapped shut Erin hit the wall hard with her fist, she couldn't believe what the letter said.

She was supposed to have escaped. This was her first chance at doing what she wanted to do and she wasn't going to let them take it away from her.

She clutched her stomach as she fought the urge to retch. This was what happened when she got herself worked up, she always felt sick. Erin closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down.

She slid down the wall and rested her head against the damp wall. A few tears made their way down her cheeks, she didn't want this. She was happy where she was, why did they always have to ruin it for her?

Erin didn't want to think about what would happen to Vlad when they arrived.

There was only one thing she could do to protect him.

*****

Ingrid flipped over the page of fang magazine; she could hear the thumping of shoes down the corridor without using her sensitive hearing. No one else in the room seemed to be notice.

Erin looked up at Vlad, a forced smile across her face, trying to desperately pretend that everything was all right.

"Aww has poor Vladdy lost his breather pet?" Ingrid snarked as soon as she saw her brother – completely alone.

Vlad's answer was instant. "Don't push me Ingrid!" Ingrid immediately quietened seeing the harshness in his eyes, they darkened but didn't go completely black.

Ingrid nodded and gulped slightly, Vlad had only been that harsh once and she wasn't keen to relive it again. She still had nightmares about burning in the sunlight.

"What was in the letter Renfield?" Vlad asked his father's manservant. He felt guilty about prying into Erin's personal business but he wanted to help her and the only way that he could is if he knew what was in that letter.

The Count and Renfield looked too innocent for their own good, they seemed to look everywhere else and the Count's eyes were glowing a faint yellow. Renfield continued his cobweb angling at a more frantic pace wanting to get out of the room as quickly as possible.

"I don't know what you mean Master Vlad."

"Renfield you've never resisted steaming open a letter. What was the letter about?"