2. Chapter 2 (1/1)

i apologise for this except oh no wait no i don't cos it's angsty but frankly it's probably accurate and hey can you tell i'm writing my ans at 2am again?

disclaimer: show = not mine. this = mine. unfortunately, there is no getting round those two facts.

vlad knew bertrand had been trying to help. he should have been more careful; hadn't he read, in history class under none other than bertrand's watchful eye, the tale of thomas becket and how a single miscommunication could end a life? king henry's mistake had cost the archbishop's life, and now it seemed vlad's had cost erin's.

he stood, turned her face towards him, studying her intently. there was pain in her eyes, and sorrow, and he knew she didn't want this any more than she ever had."erin, i'm so sorry." she shook her head."but this means i can marry you, not adze, right? that's… that's worth it." she didn't seem sure; he steeled himself to

eak her heart again."it means you can stay with me, if you want. but i'll still have to make the political marriage with adze." her face fell."i'm not being your mistress, vlad. jonno was right." she met his eyes, afraid, but he already knew what she was going to say. "better dead than undead."

vlad ran a hand over her pale cheek, trailed fingers down her neck to inspect the neat wound where bertrand had bitten her."do you really mean that?" she nodded."i can… i'm going to go. my… my kit's still in my room." he shook his head."no, it's not. it's in mine." she frowned. "security measure. besides, i'm not letting you do that.""vlad, i can't be a vampire, i don't want this-""not alone." he held out her slaying kit, watched her hands shake as she rifled through it for her stake.

he couldn't believe it had come to this, tears sliding down both their cheeks as she aimed the wooden point straight at her heart. vlad's hand came to cover hers on the handle as he pulled her into one last em

ace."are you sure?" she nodded, pressing a clumsy kiss to his lips."i love you." he nodded in return, and then her hand moved, pulling him forward as the stake pierced her chest.

vlad stood with the dust for a moment, staring in stunned silence at the remains of his beautiful

eather girlfriend. then he left. when bertrand asked what had happened, he told him she'd forgotten about her new sunlight problem. better that he think it was an accident.

otherwise, he knew bertrand would never forgive himself for his mistake.