Alice had taken Vlad all the way up to Galloway Forests. There Vlad dealt with his evil self and powers, as Alice ensured nothing went horrible. Vlad was right, Evil Vlad couldn't strike against Alice even if he wanted to. 

Vlad caught Alice up on the situation with Predictum Impaver, and how to use it to lead vampires back to glory, to do more than just survive.

They were now in a cave nearby, Vlad had just taken control from Evil Vlad, he was on the ground panting. "A beacon of light in the darkness, a beacon of darkness in the light?"

"What?" Alice asked as she looked at him, tending to the fire. 

"Nothing," Vlad answered as he crawled over to the fire. "Have you given any thought to the book?"

"Sort of," Alice answered as she pulled a notebook toward her. "In order for you to try and even grasp of leading...maybe you should get to know the different clans."

"I'm not going to sit down and drink blood with them," Vlad denied as he scooted over to her.

"You still so dumb," Alice groaned as she sat back. "It's called doing research."

"I knew that," Vlad nodded.

"Sure you did," Alice grumbled as she opened her notebook. "You mentioned that Bertrand is a bit over 400 years old...the Count might tell you anything, but as your mentor, Bertrand could."

"Brilliant as ever," Vlad smiled as he took the notebook. He looked to see she was playing with a necklace, it was a wooden circle, with a rose carved in the middle. "Who gave you that?"

"My ex," Alice answered. "Bit of a woodsman, made it himself."

"He must've really liked you," Vlad said in jealousy, he looked away.

"Breaking up with him wasn't easy," Alice admitted. "Only did it because I wasn't sure if I'd see him again, and his number didn't transfer."

"Pity," Vlad commented as he looked back at her. "Did you love him?"

"Yeah," Alice smiled in a more genuine way, this made Vlad irritated. "He gave this to me for our one year..dated for a bit over two years."

"What did he do for you two years?" Vlad asked jealously again. "Get you Paris?"

"We had a holiday at a cottage," Alice answered. "Just the two of us, just for the weekend." Vlad's heart dropped a bit at the word cottage. "You can't tell Ingrid...she doesn't know about the boyfriend...well, ex-boyfriend." Vlad suddenly licked her neck. "VLAD!" She began smacking him in the shoulder pushing him away. "You are such a freak!" She got up wiping the saliva off. "So gross!"

"Evil Vlad really can't get a win with you," Vlad groaned as Alice wiped her hands on his head. 

"Just bite me next time," Alice said as the fire went out.

"Bite you?" Vlad asked in surprise. "But--"

"So gross," Alice groaned. "And now the fire's out."

"Let me," Vlad insisted, and a circle of fire formed around them.

"You could win first prize with that trick," Alice said as she clapped.

"Thanks," Vlad rolled his eyes as Alice sat back down. "So why did you break up with him, tell me it's not just distance?"

"He's been lying to me," Alice answered as her smile dropped. "He had every opportunity to come clean and over the two years...he never did." Vlad scooted closer to her. "Lick me again, and I'll put one of those stakes down your throat." Vlad couldn't help but laugh. "He lied to me about being a slayer."

Vlad looked at her. "A slayer? You dated a slayer?"

"Good kisser," Alice confessed.

"Alice!" Vlad exclaimed as he nudged her. "So, why do you keep the necklace?"

"A reminder, I guess," Alice shrugged. 

****

The next day, Alice was sitting in her car, as Vlad battled with himself in the cave. She was trying to come up with more ideas to help Vlad. She then heard the car doors unlock, Vlad appeared inside, he was steaming.

"You got a death wish?" Alice asked as the door shut. Vlad tapped the window in confusion. "UV filter."

"Have you really slayed a vampire?" Vlad asked.

"Not on purpose, nor my fault," Alice answered. "There's the two sixteen-year-olds that decided to fool around with the stakes in the back. Then there's the 300-year-old that forgot how sunlight reflections worked. Truly, didn't know he was behind me when I opened my hand mirror. Then there was the garlic incident."

"Garlic incident," Vlad repeated. "What is the garlic incident?" 

"So, I've managed to stay in touch with my family," Alice began. "Became best friends with Robin, went over to the house a lot before they moved."

"Ian and Paul?" Vlad asked.

"Ian military and Paul traveling," Alice answered. "Chloe is on the debate team, and Robin has a more academic approach."

"Robin," Vlad repeated in disbelief.

"Yeah," Alice answered. "Took a biology approach, wants to see study bats."

Vlad started laughing. "Even a mind wipe couldn't stray him from vampires." He then tapped her. "So the garlic incident."

"Ian and Paul were trying to make their own cocktail drinks," Alice answered. "They were at first going to open their own bar together."

"Oh no," Vlad smiled as he leaned back.

"They had Robin and I be test tasters," Alice answered. "They used garlic in some of their drinks, either strong or very weak. And so I had walked back up to the castle drunk with a cocktail in hand. According to Ingrid, a woman vampire had grabbed a hold of the drink and sucked it down...and well you know." She looked over to see Vlad laughing. "You shouldn't be laughing, Vampires were slayed!"

"Why do you keep the weapons in the car?" Vlad asked as he looked back.

"Makes slayers trust you," Alice answered. "Whatever I hear from them, I can repeat it to Ingrid."

"So a spy," Vlad gathered. 

"A Master spy," Alice confirmed. "Most slayers wouldn't expect another breather to be driving around vampires in the daylight. Speaking of which, have you been able to transform?"

"Yeah, into a disgusting flying rodent," Vlad gloomed; Alice hit him. "What did I say?"

"I find bats to be quite cute," Alice answered.

"So does that mean, you think I'm cute?" Vlad asked, Alice slowly looked at him. 

"You should get more sunlight," Alice advised, Vlad glared at her. 

*****

Another night came around; Alice was sitting around a fire as Vlad continued to battle with himself. 

"It's finally been settled," Vlad said as sat next to her. "Evil Vlad will always be a part of me, but I am the one in control."

Alice stood up stretching. "That means we can head back."

"One more day?" Vlad asked. "Just to make sure I'm completely in control, give more thought to figuring out the book?"

"Figure out on the way home," Alice advised. "We got four hours."

"One more day," Vlad requested as he got in front of her. "I need to know why your breather scent is so weak."

"You mean, you don't know?" Alice asked in surprise. "I thought Count would have told you."

"Told me what?" Vlad asked.

"Let's sit down for this," Alice advised. For the next five minutes, Alice explained to Vlad what happened the day he went into the dream world while in the library.

"No wonder Ingrid kept you around," Vlad said as he laid on his back. "The perfect spy." The flames around them grew larger, and the two tires on Alice's car popped. Alice looked at him angrily. "I'm sorry---" Alice pulled out a balloon, and it began to shape into a stake. "Let me guess your ex gave you that."

"Correct," Alice said as she bopped him on the head with it. "You've been slayed."

"I'm hurt," Vlad said as he put a hand over his hurt. "Truly hurt." Alice laughed, this got Vlad's attention, this was the first time he heard her laugh since reuniting. He kissed her cheek.

Alice looked at him strangely. "Erin."

"Erin," Vlad breathed, he raised his eyebrows. He looked back at Alice. "Wait, does that mean you are bound to me forever?"

"Sort of," Alice answered. "I did refuse to acknowledge you for the past four years, had every opportunity to--"

"Sort of slaying me for revenge you were going to ignore me for the rest of your life for revenge," Vlad gathered.

"Slaying would've been too kind," Alice answered as Vlad's face was inches away from hers. "We should really get going."

"One more day," Vlad stated. "Tires need replacing." Vlad went to go kiss her, and Alice pulled back. "Don't you dare say Erin again, when you still have an ex-boyfriend that's a slayer, you love."

"I am still very angry with you," Alice said. "I might just sprinkle garlic powder in your coffin."

"Fine by me," Vlad smiled, he kissed her; Alice pulled back. "I can make Erin my official girlfriend when we get back--"

"This stays between us," Alice ordered.

"Deal,"  Vlad agreed, he kissed her again, and this time Alice kissed back. "Let's make this practice for if we get married." Alice pushed him away in annoyance.

"I've gone four years without hearing that Vladimir," Alice said. "A nice long four years."

"It'd be a shame if Milos lost another wheel," Vlad laughed.

"You jerk, Dracloser," Alice glared at him, he pulled her for another kiss; Alice began to undo the buttons on Vlad's shirt as his hand went up her shirt, as the kissing continued, the night became more hot and heavy.