_Chapter 4_

_I hate you, my friend_

When Melite had discovered just what her beloved Godric had done to her, she had become unfathomably livid. However, since she couldn't get mad at Godric, who was dead and therefore not allowed to be hated, she got mad at Eric, who was only the living dead and still wholly acceptable to be hated.

At the current moment, Eric was sitting in his office. The glare he had directed at the petite brunette seated on the couch would have made Medusa cringe. To Melite's relief Pam entered the room, distracting Eric's glare.

"I just got off the phone with the guy, he says it'll cost about $12,000 to repair the damage Meli did to your car."

Eric groaned and rubbed his temples

"I should have just let that creep take her."

Pam scoffed and raised an eyebrow

"As though you would let someone take your property."

"I would if it broke my other more valuable property."

"Mm nnnmmn mmnn nn mm! (I am not your damn property!)" Melite's words were muffled by the duct tape secured over her lips.

"Shut up." he muttered angrily in her direction. Pam looked Melite up and down. Her feet were bound together and her arms tied behind her. It had taken Melite all of 5 seconds to choose her target and act and Eric roughly 16 seconds to realise just what she was doing and take steps to stop her and 3 seconds for him to curse her to the depths of hell for all the damage she had caused to his car. The poor Corvette was barely recognisable.

"Is all this really necessary?" Pam asked in a bored tone, hinted slightly with concern

"Yes."

"She's going to kill you when you untie her." Pam advised solemnly.

"Who says I'm untying her?" Eric glanced up with cold eyes. It was Melite's turn for glaring.

"Så vad gjorde Sookie säga? (So what did Sookie say)?"

"Inget svar. (No answer.)"

"Kan du inte ta henne? (Can't you take her?)"

"Detta är inte något för mig att hantera. Godric var din maker och hennes ... vad som helst. Du kan inte springa från ansvar. (This isn't something for me to handle. Godric was your maker and her... whatever. You can't run from responsibilities.)"

"Jag är inte sträcker sig från någonting. Godric sa åt mig att hålla henne från skada, men om hon håller upp sitt beteende, kommer jag troligen döda henne. (I'm not running from anything. Godric told me to keep her from harm but if she keeps up her behaviour, I'll most likely kill her.)"

"Så se till att du inte. You just cant handen bort henne när hon blir till besvär. Jag brukar tillåta det. (So make sure you don't. You cant just hand her off when she becomes a bother. I wont allow it.)" Eric raised an eyebrow "I wont." she finished and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Eric sighed in defeat. Why was it that every time Melite walked into his life, everyone started acting human and acting up?

"Get up." Eric ripped the duct tape from Melite's pouty mouth.

"Γαμώτο! ότι τσιμπήματα σαν ένα κερί ποδήλατο! (Oh, fuck! That stings like a bikini wax!)" He wrenched her to her feet "Where are we going?" she asked as he untied her legs.

"My house." he replied, spinning her to untie her arms.

"Why?"

"I'm tired. And we need to talk." He responded, walking out into the near empty club.

"Fine. You better have beds though. I'm not sleeping in a box." Melite complained, following after him. He lead her outside to the car park. Eric merely stood, waiting for her to catch up with his long strides. The siren glanced around.

"Question, how are we getting to your house? Your car..." she stopped, his smirk giving her a daunting feeling of foreboding "Eric..."

He picked her up and threw her roughly over his shoulder and began running. The wind whipped wildly as they travelled beyond human speeds. Within minutes they were inside Eric's grand house and in his ornate bedroom. He placed her back on her now unsteady feet. She glanced up at him with cold, grey eyes.

"I. Hate. You." she seethed.

"The feeling is mutual. Now go to sleep." Eric ordered her calmly as he removed his shoes and jacket. She crossed her arms and pouted

"I cant. It's almost dawn."

The Viking rolled his eyes and stepped closer to her. His arms wrapped around her, crushing her to his chest.

"What are you-?" she didnt have time to finish as he closed his eyes and fell back onto the bed dragging Melite with him. She struggled against his vice-like grip

"Eric. Don't you dare go to sleep! You let me go right this instance!" she hissed.

"Shh, I'm sleeping." he mumbled quietly.

"Eric, let me go!" she commanded dulcetly. But there was no response. He had already lulled into a deep sleep. Melite gave one last vain struggle before sighing and resigning herself. She leant her forehead on Eric's chest "Oh Godric, what were you thinking?" she mumbled as sleep slowly took her.

Hours later, Eric felt the sun setting and opened his eyes.

Eric held Melite's unconscious body close. He cradled her in his strong arms and felt her heart beating, Eric was always fascinated by how fast her heart would beat.. He listened to the sound of it, always reminding him of a bee buzzing or a hummingbirds flight. He glanced down at her sleeping frame and was struck by the difference between them. He was strong, a proud and powerful warrior, and she was fragile, delicate like a baby bird. And that what she was to him. A beautiful bird, to be caged. He let go of her, she couldn't run now he was conscious. He got up and went to shower and change.

Melite awoke to darkness. She took a second to register just where she was, Eric's house, Eric's bedroom, Eric's bed. She grimaced at the thought. Then her ears picked up the gentle noise of talking she rose from the bed and made her way through the dark room. She ambled down the stairs, following the sounds of the voices, until she found it's source. The television was on, regional news. Some story which didn't really hold any interest but had made its way to television from lack of anything truly interesting happening. Melite's stomach rumbled loudly, calling out for food. She rubbed her stomach and turned around to search for the kitchen, bumping right into Eric's tall figure. He pushed her back to arm's length

"Looks like someone fell out of the ugly tree this morning." he smirked at her. It was true, she wasn't looking her best, her clothes were dirty and dishevelled and her hair was wildly sticking up, but as she was, she could still never be ugly. Melite walked past him, headed for the kitchen, with Eric following close behind.

"Yeah and by the looks of it, you hit every branch on the way down too." she retorted, turning the insult around on him. Eric merely brushed it off and changed the subject.

"We need to talk."

Eric watched her make her way straight to his fridge.

"Alright, one- its not morning, you backwards leech." She muttered opening the fridge, which to her dismay was stocked with nothing. With clear disdain she closed the fridge and began searching the cupboards.

"I meant about you belonging to me now." he interrupted what, had he not stopped her, would have been a very long listing of everything she found to be at fault with him and some varied insults just to add charm.

"Alright," she held up her fingers respectively to her new list "one- I'm not yours and two- I'm leaving tomorrow morning. The real morning." she turned back to searching, what she was fast realising were completely stark cupboards.

"No."

Melite turned back to the vampire.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not leaving. You owe me expenses and I need to keep an eye on you."

"I don't owe you a god-damn thing. And I can look after myself, I'm a big girl."

"I told Godric I would look after you and I keep my word." he seemed final.

Melite could run, sure, but could she gain by staying? Melite thought over her situation and options. The damage she had done to the car was costly, and perhaps she had gone a little too far. Eric did love that car. But he deserved it. She had been provoked. But why would Godric do this? There had to be a reason. And Melite did want to know just what that reason may be. She hadn't seen Pam in nearly 40 years either. It would be nice to spend time with her old friend. It's not like she had anywhere in particular to be at the moment either.

Melite sighed.

"Fine. I'll stay and work off my debt for your car. But this," she gestured around randomly "is not morning! And you, need to buy me food. And clothes. And I'm not paying for anything other than the car."

Eric nodded in agreement.

Melite smiled. Perhaps she could have fun in this situation. They say to keep enemies closer than friends, but no-one said there was only one reason to do so.

And so we come to the end of another chapter. So Meli will work for Eric, and she will treat him like a nanny/butler. Course he doesn't know that. Tune in Friday for the next instalment.

Also- ...wow. I have nothing to add. o.O

xx KissMeQuack