*****************************************************************************************************************
Hello, this is my first fanfiction ever!
The True Blood Characters in this belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Please critique and review. I am here to learn :)
Thanks to those who have reviewed the first chapter. I really appreciate the nice encouragement :)
*****************************************************************************************************************
"THREE HOURS EARLIER"
Chapter Two
Godric closed the book and placed it on the bed beside him. Having been certain he had already read the writings it contained, a quick perusal of it had confirmed the notion. He gave a small smile; a rare thing for him these days. Half amused, and yet half saddened by the excitement the Reverend had shown in his interest in the book. A guard of the 'The fellowship of the Sun' had delivered the item to him a few hours earlier. And, when Godric had picked up the book from the floor, (as it had been tossed awkwardly to him) the guard had looked awed, as though he thought the vampire would burst into flames at its touch.
He glanced around the small concrete cell he was in. Reinforced with steel, the walls were 3 foot thick. It was bare apart from the trundle bed, the sink and the now recently acquired book, which was a New Translation copy of the Bible. Someone had come up with the idea of coating the steel bars of the doorway with silver. Godric suppressed another sad smile. Although he applauded the effort, he could easily get out of this room, but he hadn't the heart to show that it could be done yet. Godric was hoping that by being here, and showing the humans that not all vampires were dangerous and that some were willing to try and live harmoniously with the human race, that he could help prevent a war. Besides he still hadn't had a chance to speak with Reverend Newlin, who had only returned earlier that evening from a business trip. He was doubtful that he would see anyone else now until morning, so he closed his eyes and focused. He sharpened his mind and allowed it to mentally travel the immediate area.
It was an unusual skill. Not an exact science, as it relied upon the residual thoughts of humans to get an insight into an area. He had seen something similar done by human monks in India and had developed his own 'vampire' technique of the ability, which didn't require going into a complete trance. Still, it took a considerable amount of concentration and in his own modest way, he considered it a talent he had yet to perfect.
He was somewhere beneath the Light Of Day Institute. A large compound operated and owned by the Fellowship of the Sun. The place was built to train recruits to defend humanity against Vampires. He wasn't sure how long he had been here now. Time had become somewhat inconsequential to him. He had guessed it was a little over a week. There were fifteen cells on the second lower level of the compound, along with some sort of storage area. This was the level where he was being held, and from what he could sense, it was the lowest floor of the main complex. On the next level up there were kitchens, offices and security rooms. The floor above that, was the ground level and contained a large chapel. There was also a group of dining and lecture halls, music and activities rooms. Godric could detect two humans in the security rooms on the floor directly above. One was asleep, his heart-rate resting at a perfect 68 beats per minute. The other was occupied with a ball game on TV. Outside the church area were various types of accommodation in dormitory style cabins, or small units. Most people were asleep, but the rebel few, still awake, were listening to music or reading.
The faintest of scratching noises came from his level and he brought his senses rushing back to the area. It was the girl again!
His interest was really piqued this time. She had been in this area twice before since he was here. And on the second time, just a few hours earlier, had been 'caught', "..looking for a mop," as she had told the guard in her musical voice. This level, he learnt, was off-limits to everyone, but security and the Newlins. He knew it was her too, as she had a slightly lower heart rate, than most people, which would beat at a healthy thud.
He admired her incredible stealth as she moved almost soundlessly down the stairs. Not many humans could remain that quiet. 'Had she picked the lock to the upstairs door?' he wondered. Maybe that was the scratching sound. He tracked her heart-beat as she moved efficiently down what might be a hall. She stopped. Was she before a door? He heard the scratching noise again, so faint it would have been inaudible to human ears; it continued for about 30 seconds before he heard a click and a slight creak of what was likely a door opening. There was a moment of silence before he heard her snicker softly through her exhaling breath, and then she sighed gently. The door clicked shut again and he sensed she travelled another four meters when she stopped again. Suddenly her heart rate had picked up. She was anxious.
Humans often underestimated their senses or instincts. He shifted quickly back to the security room, to the rapid heartbeat of the guard. He was dialing a phone number. Monitoring both the guard and the girl, Godric heard the girl scratching at another lock, the noise more urgent this time. Meanwhile, the guard reached the number he had dialled.
"Hello."
"Hello, Reverend Newlin?" the guard asked the sleepy voice.
"Yes," the voice answered. It echoed slightly through the phone.
"Sir, that woman is snooping around again. She is back down in the cellar area and I really don't think she is looking for a mop this time." The guard waited momentarily for a response.
"Well, that is a real shame." There was a pause. "I thought she had some promise," said the voice on the phone.
"What do you want me to do?" asked the guard.
"Take care of it for me, will you?" responded the reverend in his southern drawl. "I don't want to deal with snoops and traitors right now, I have a meeting early morning and I want it to go smoothly."
The guard seemed to hesitate before answering. "Ah ok, I will take care of it," the guard's tone was anxious. Godric noticed his heart rate increase further.
"God Bless you, Michael," said the Reverend Newlin. "And remember, just how much God loves you and wants you to be happy and safe."
The guard hung up the phone, and stood. He remained still for a moment it seemed, his breath deep and deliberate. The keys, kept by his side rattled and Godric heard a slight scraping of metal as he moved out of the room
The girl was still looking around. She had opened the door of the next room and he could hear her rustling through things rapidly. Was she trying to find a place to hide? The sound of soft clicking-snaps was also heard.
The guard was at the top of the stairwell now, his heart rapidly beating.
The girl had relaxed a little. Had she found what she was looking for? Making his way down the stairs, was the guard. His breath was labored and Godric sensed that he was anxious about seeing the girl, his heart-rate indicated his rising panic. The guard ran down the 'hall' and Godric could imagine how the girl would of turned to the doorway as she heard the guards approach. He sensed from her a strange calm before a sudden panic. Her outcry was cut short as a sickening thud of metal colliding with hard flesh was heard. A huge clang and clatter could be heard right through out the area to his cell, as something fell to the ground.
Godric opened his eyes and rapidly rose to his feet. The guard was running from the room back towards the stairs. No real concentration was required to hear anything now. The girl was maybe 100 yards away. Her heart rate slowed rapidly. Oh, no. She was going to die! He heard her utter something.
Godric had observed death enough to know that she didn't have long. That foolish guard! Godric was sure the Reverend Newlin hadn't meant that she was to be killed. She had only 30 seconds, he guessed. He reached for the Bible on the bed and opened it to the middle. Using it like an oven mitt he wrapped it around the silver bars of doorway and hauled the door open having to use a bit of brute force to break the lock. 26 seconds. Godric moved quickly down the prison cell hallway to the door that separated the cellblock from the rest of the level. Hoping it wouldn't take to long he slammed his shoulder against the steel reinforced door. It took 6 turns of ramming before the double locks finally splintered. 21 seconds. He entered a darkened room with a few computers on office tables. A monitoring area for the cells. There was another door nearby and he easily smashed through that one. 19 seconds. Godric moved into a large hall, his eyes rapidly adjusted to the limited light. There was six doors, three on each side and the stairwell at the end. One of the doors was ajar. 18.5 seconds left and Godric had reached the girl. Her crumpled form on the floor was lying at a sickening angle. Her head half crushed over her left forehead with blood oozing slowing from the crack in her skull. He knelt. On the ground nearby was a large fire extinguisher, with a slight dint in its side.
Godric opened the vein at his wrist, neatly so that the blood would shoot out. He held it over her mouth, thankful that it was slightly ajar. Her lips were parted as a faintest of remaining breath was expelled. Her heart had almost stopped. Slowly fading as the signal from the brain had ceased to command it's beat. Her silvery-grey eyes were wide open, staring blankly. Godric felt that he could see the light of her life slowing leaving her incredible eyes.
"Please," he whispered. "Please live and I swear ... I shall too..."
It sounded like a prayer, even to his own ears, but Godric didn't believe in any mortal God. He did have a strange kind of faith though - in destiny or kismet. Some things were destined, and if he hadn't seen evidence of such in his incredible lifetime, he would be ignorant to moments of amazing coincidence.
He reached under the young woman's head, lifting her neck and tilting it back so that the blood would run down her throat. He waited, knowing that although it wasn't much, there was enough of his blood now to initiate healing - if it wasn't too late.
He waited a moment, feeling his own anxiety rise as she laid deathly still. The faint light in her eyes still staring at something unseen.
"Breath," he whispered. She would have been dead now and seemed to be hanging on by a thread of existence.
Suddenly her eyes closed and she inhaled. Godric smiled. Possibly the first time he felt elated in over a century. This girl was suddenly so very important.
He laid her head back down and re-opened a vein to get her to take some more blood. She was in a coma. Her brain needed a lot of mending. It had to re-knit all the nerves that controlled the rest of her body, her speech, her ability to walk, move her arms, mouth etc. All these areas were critically damaged. He pressed his wrist to her lips, and although a bit of blood trickled into her mouth, it took a while before she swallowed it.
The sound of an alarm started, ringing throughout the compound. Godric decided they needed to go. He picked her up and swept his eyes over the room.
It was stocked full of weaponry! Assault rifles, gun and boxes of silver and wooden bullets were packed into shelves. A whole range of anti-vampire military gear was kept here. Godric sped out the room, up through the stairs and through the next floor to the main level. He could see some guards shutting the large entry doors of the chapel and he flew through them, so fast that only a wild wisp of wind was seen by the guards.
The night air was warm and clammy. Godric entered into the forested area of the compound, where the Reverend Newlin was starting to clear land to make way for more facilities. Finding a secluded location, he laid her down and sat beside her. The wound on her head had healed over so it no longer bled. He could still see a dint in her skull. She remained unconscious, slowing recovering her strength, her breathing now steady, and regular. Godric examined her beautiful face. She looked so young.
Godric closed his eyes for a moment and allowed his mind to wander back to the compound building. It was mayhem there. People were evacuating their sleeping quarters to enter through the side of the chapel.
He glanced back at the young woman beside him and noticed her gazing at him in the dim moonlight.
"Hello," he said to her quietly. He could see the skull was still damaged severely.
She didn't respond. She watched him intently for a moment before closing her eyes again to oblivion. A short while later she opened them. With his blood within her, he could now sense her emotions accurately. Godric felt her confusion; she was only vaguely coherent with her thoughts.
"What happened?" she croaked out.
"You have had an accident," he replied. "You will feel better soon, but you must rest for longer."
She nodded and was about to fade out again, when he spoke.
"What is your name?" he asked.
It took a while for her to respond. "I don't know," she replied and this time, she did slip back into unconsciousness. He knelt over her and examined her head, brushing the wet blood stained hair away with his fingertips, he saw that her skull was less dented; her left eye was bruising and swelling. Her recovery was increasing however, and he decided against feeding her more blood. Humans with ties to vampires were oft doomed to a life of peril.
It took him by surprise when she awoke the next time. She rolled off her back onto her knees and stood shakily. Godric was soon beside her and he steadied her, gently bracing her shoulders. She was only slightly shorter than him, he realized.
"Do you know your name?" he enquired of her again.
"I am Elli," she answered. "It's short for Elliane." She turned from him and started to stumble away.
"Hey, you need to rest," he said. He grabbed for her shoulders again and turned her to face him. He looked deep into her eyes.
"Elliane," he said, his voice a soft command. "Elliane, you need to lay down and sleep. Wait here for my return," he continued.
Godric felt the hair on his arm stand on end. She was very hard to glamour, he could feel her resistance growing and she was weak at the moment. Who was she?
She obeyed. She fell lightly to her knees first and then laid on her side in a pile of leaves. She was still confused, disorientated and she closed her eyes.
"I will be back," Godric said before slipping away into the darkness.
Elli was so confused. Her head throbbed and she had no idea where she was. She was slipping in and out of dreams. A strange vibration against her ankle interrupted her confused thoughts and she awakened.
"My phone," she thought. She reached down to her ankle and pulled out the flip-top from her sock. One message from George, it told her. She opened the message.
Phone when u can asap. Retreat asap., the message read. "Who was George?" she thought painfully. Her head hurt when she tried to think. Oh, her boss! Flashbacks of the last few days came flooding back to her. She did need to get out! Asap!
