Predetermined

Chapter 5 - Talk

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

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Erin tried to yank her arm back but her Thomas Noble's grip was too strong.

Erin's eyes snapped to Vlad's in shock, she hadn't expected this. Vlad's eyes searched carefully for a moment trying to decide what to do.

Vlad lifted his hand but Erin shook her head, she knew what Vlad was planning to do. He could use his powers in front of them. They would know who he was immediately if he did. Vlad saw her plea in her eyes and nodded slowly dropping his arm.

"Erin's not packed." Vlad spoke the first thing that came into his mind.

Thomas looked at him sceptically, "That doesn't matter." He began to pull his daughter out of the school, Erin dug her feet into the ground trying to stop him from pulling her along but she wasn't strong enough. The placement of his grip had her at a disadvantage.

"She doesn't want to go with you." Ingrid pointed out, seeing the fearful look on Erin's face. Usually she would have relished Erin being in this situation but it reminded her too much of the Count's oppression of women although he'd never physically restrained her before.

"She doesn't want to do a lot of things." His voice had an edge that Vlad didn't like. Vlad's lip curled upwards slightly. Erin had a mind of her own and Vlad wouldn't change that but it seemed that her father hated it.

Erin saw his control slip, "Vlad..." She warned but her father misinterpreted her warning as a plea.

"This doesn't concern him Erin, you're coming home so we can sort this thing out."

"You can discuss it here." Vlad told him firmly.

"Its private."

Vlad threw his trump card, it was the only thing he could do. "I know you're slayers."

The Nobles froze and turned slowly to face him. "He knows what we are?" He spat at Erin, anger written across his face. "How much does he know?"

Erin answered before Vlad could, she understood why he'd said it. "Everything."

She felt Thomas' grip slacken. She pulled her arm away entirely from her father's grip and ran as fast as she could to Vlad's side.

Vlad pushed her behind him slightly, shielding her.

Thomas glared at him trying to intimidate the young vampire but Vlad didn't move. He wouldn't be moved that easily. His Gran was more intimidating that Erin's father and he's had nearly eighteen years of her. He didn't care if Thomas was her father, he was upsetting Erin and he wasn't going to allow it.

"I know what the charges were." Vlad told him firmly, his gaze never leaving the Noble patriarch in front of him.

"He knows?" Thomas looked over Vlad's shoulder, giving Erin a pointed look.

"Vlad was with me when they gave me my punishment."

"They let you take an outsider into the tribunal?" The true meaning of the question was you didn't ask us to be there?'. Vlad wasn't really an outsider as such granted he was a vampire, the tribunal had been familiar with him so they had let him stay.

Erin nodded, she wasn't ashamed of it. She was glad Vlad had been there, he'd given her strength throughout it.

Steph pushed past her husband, ignoring his indignant look. She addressed them all directly for the first time. "I think we need to talk about this, instead of arguing about it."