As soon as the trio reached the main floor of the house, Godric informed Isabelle and Stan to send their guests home and only the essential people were permitted to stay. He turned to his children.

"The dawn is approaching, my rooms have been prepared with all the sun-blocking technology, Myrina you will find our daytime slumber a bit more comfortable now-"

"Anything will be comfortable after being locked in a stone coma" She cut in as she looked over the house with a cool, appraising eye. Eric looked down at her, intrigued by the creature who could interrupt Godric with no fear. Godric himself let her comment slide, and then continued.

"Eric you are always welcome in my house, but I understand if you must return to your area."

"I'll call Pam, she can watch over it a while longer." He said quickly. Godric nodded solemly

"I am glad for it, between settling Myrina into life here and resolving this conflict with the Light of Day Institute I shall be happy to have your company and assistance."

They heard voices rising from the staircase they had just come from moments before. The southern drawl of Bill came through the door first.

"It's a powerful connection between Maker and Child. If the Maker is powerful enough to control his thoughts, he can actually transfer all his knowledge of languages, history, memories and such through the transfer of the blood. When Myrina drank Godric's blood to revive no doubt he also put all that she missed in the last 2300 years in as well, including the English language. Does this make sense?"

As Bill Sookie and Jason entered the hallway, Jason responded. "I guess, in a weird twilight zone kinda way. Fuckin' crazy shit." He stopped when he realized others were listening to him speak, especially the statue-come-to-life girl who was grinning at him.

"It's called a blood memory. But even with all of Godric's extensive knowledge of your language that I now possess, I still get to be surprised with creative uses of this 'fuckin' crazy shit" Her tone had a slight sense of mockery. Jason didn't catch on as he stared hypnotically at the pale beauty and did not realize she was talking to him. Sookie and Godric did though, and as Sookie glared at the brunette, Godric grabbed her upper arm in a warning. She became instantly docile and dropped her dominating gaze from Jason's eyes. Godric took over the conversation then.

"Sookie, there is no way to repay what you have done for us, I know my heartfelt thanks are an inadequate gift. I would be honored to have you and Bill, and your brother spend the rest of the week with us here. Your every need will be attended to. I wish to throw a party in a few days time, to introduce Myrina to my followers as well as you three, as our beloved friends and accomplices in this happy reunion."

At this, Sookie turned to Bill, her eyes searching his for consent. He spoke up for the both of them.

"We would be deighted to accept your offer. Perhaps we can finally have some time to enjoy ourselves in Dallas."

"Wonderful, I'll have my staff take you to one of the suites we have here on the property, every luxury is provided including the sun protected interiors, and of course, total privacy. Jason, you may have to room next to theirs, does that suit you?" Sookie and Bill nodded eagerly, excited to finally have time to themselves after the long night. Jason also nodded but had one final question.

"Do y'all have food here besides blood?"

No one could hide a grin at this, except for Eric who just closed his eyes and shook his head slightly.

"You are in luck Mr Stackhouse, several of my deputies have human companions so the kitchen is always well stocked. Just ask one of the staff for whatever you desire and it shall be brought to you." Godric informed him. He then pressed a button in the wall next to him and almost immediately two male vampires appeared. They pointed the way for Bill, Sookie and Jason to follow them to their rooms.

"One moment" came the purr of Myrina's voice. She left Godrics side for the first time since the basement and walked up to Sookie. She unclasped a golden cuff from her pale wrist. It was intricately designed and had flawless rubies and opals wound into the pattern.

'Take this please, it is my gift to you, the least I can do to thank you for what you have done"

"Oh my stars." Sookie said breathlessly looking down at the bracelet that the vampire had placed on her own tan wrist. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"It was crafted for me by the Egyptians, commissioned by my false love Alexander." There was no bitterness in her voice as she recalled the man.

"Thank you for this, I promise I'll take care of it." Sookie said, holding the wrist to her chest. Myrina nodded then turned to Jason.

"And you deserve a special gift as well for sacrificing some of your blood to save my maker, but what could someone as you, desire from someone like me?" Her voice had a teasing edge to it but this time without being demeaning. It made Jason's heart pump hard and loud in his ears. She had slithered up so she stood an inch from his face, she almost perfectly matched him in height and their eyes were locked onto each other. She placed her cool white hands on his chest where she could feel his rapid heartbeat. Her voice came again, barely a whisper now.

"Perhaps this can express my gratitude." She closed her eyes and kissed him, long and deep. Jason's eyes went wide for a moment and then slid shut as well, he seemed to melt under the power of that kiss. Several lingering moments later Myrina pulled away gently, her eyes fluttering open, she smiled sweetly at the boy, whose lips were frozen in the frame of her kiss.

"Sweet dreams" She said and gracefully settled herself back at Godric's side. A dazed Jason had to be led out of the room by Bill and Sookie.

"You are quite the coquette aren't you" Eric asked watching the helpless boy stumble away.

"I have no idea what you mean" Myrina said loftily "That term wasn't anywhere in Godric's blood memories" She moved towards Godric's bedroom, her long delicate gown swaying in rhythm with her hips that was hypnotizing to watch. And Eric was watching.

"Her powers of seduction.." Godric stated watching his second chid watch his first "are as powerful as ever it seems."

Across the compound Bill and Sookie sat on the edge of a king size bed. Both sunk into the mattress with sighs of relief. Bill turned to Sookie who was looking over the bracelet Myrina had given to her.

"That is a priceless piece she handed to you. She has taken to you as all of my kind seem to." Bill looked at his human with his eyes smoldering; partly with pride, partly with jealousy. He did not want to share his love as much as he had been made to in the past weeks. But after Myrina's debut party he and Sookie and Jason could return to life in Bon Temps and hopefully enjoy some peace for a spell. Thinking towards these quieter times, Bill distracted Sookie from her new prize with a light kiss on her neck. Sookie all but forgot the gift and turned to her man, they fell back onto the bed entwined in each others arms, consumed by each other.

Back in Godric's area Myrina had climbed into Godric's bed without question or invitation, Eric had watched with his own pangs of jealousy as Godric bid him good day and climbed into bed with the girl. She nestled her head contentedly against his chest as he laid an arm protectively around her shoulders. As he stalked into the room he'd been given across the hallway he could not figure out what upset him more, how tender Godric was with this other child or that he wanted to be the one curled up with her in that bed.

There was no doubt that he was fascinated with her, she was a conflicting mixture of spoiled child and steely warrior wrapped in the seductive package of flashing eyes and wicked lips. She was forever locked in the body of a nubile 18 year old, but she also had the strong lean muscles of the experienced fighter she was at her mortal end. His favorite thing to watch was her shoulders, how the muscles rippled silkily under her skin there was grace and power in each movement, reminding him of how a cat moves; regally and always with purpose. The term dark princess had not left his thoughts since he had first seen her in the basement.

His dreams all day were filled with beautiful and frightening images of her, as the vampiric queen of Egypt, the wild Amazon woman, and most terrifying of all, locked back in that stone prison. When he awoke a bit after sunset he rose and dashed into the main area of the house, to reassure himself that she was more than just a dream. Godric was sitting in his simple white chair, Myrina stood beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder as if she never wanted to completely lose physical contact. The staff that lived at the house was in attendance listening to Godric as he introduced the newest member of the family and instructed them about preparations for the party the following Saturday night. Eric kept himself at the back, close to two young male vampires who were whispering a commentary to one another.

"Did he really say her name is Marina? Like a ship dock?" One of them snickered. The other nodded and suppressed a giggle.

"You'd think some old royal hag's name would have more of a ring to it, just say you're Cleopatra for fuck's sake." The second vamp could not hold the laughter in any longer. His giggle burst out which he tried to cover up as a cough.

The only thing he successfully covered was the sound of air quickly moving as Myrina flew to their sides. She took the hand of the one who had spoke. He was frozen in shock and did not resist as she brought his hand up to the lips. Without a word she kissed his trembling fingertips. He smiled at her tremulously, and when she returned the smile her fangs were out. The next instant Myrina had tilted he head and latched her teeth into the tender flesh and muscle, between the fingers and the thumb. The young vampire howled in pain and tried to pull away but to no avail. Myrina merely opened her eyes and watched him and she continued to suck the blood from his body.

Before the pained cry of the vampire faded completely Godric was beside Myrina, he clamped his hand on her neck and pulled her back.

"Retract your fangs." He stated simply but with power. She complied and the young vampire dropped to his knees clutching his bloody hand to his chest.

Godric bent over the wounded vampire. He took the boy's hand and roughly ran his toungue from palm to knuckles, closing the wound as he had with Jason's gash. He then clamped down hard on the hand forcing the vampire to look him in the eye.

"I apologize for her over-reaction but dissrespect her or I again and I shall not stop her from draining you. Understand?" The vampire nodded quickly and desperately.

Godric released him with such force he sprawled on the ground. He then turned and headed back to his rooms, dragging his child by the wrist after him. Eric followed silently a few steps behind the duo and placed himself as guard at the door and glared at the crowd until they got the hint and drifted away. Through the solid door he heard the muffled voices of the verbal battle going on. When he was the only one in the main room, he pressed his ear against the door to listen.

"You are their elder, can't you even attempt to act like it, show some ability to restrain those animal instincts!?"

"He was being dissrespectful, as you said!" Myrina said defensively "I only wanted to see what this 'marina' was he spoke of" She tried, in vain, to justify her actions.

"Don't give me that Myrina, you know as well as I that blood memories can only transfer from sire to child. You were just being a tormentor. A role you got shamefully good at in Egypt."

"I was not! She lashed back, clearly hurt by his words. "I was a goddess-queen the people worshipped me! Do the history books remember me as such a tyrant?"

"The history books only tell us of a world long dead. We do not live in such times anymore and the sooner you accept that the easier this will be." Godric said in a wearied tone. There was a long pause after this.

"I do not wish to share my name with a ship dock. Call me Mia from now on please." She said quietly, her change of subject was a surrender, one that did not offer an apology.

"Very well" Godric said stiffly "I'm going to feed, you stay here. Perhaps in the next few days you can accomplish something that 2000 years of slumber never allowed you to do. Grow up Mia." With these last stern words he moved toward the door, Eric quickly moved away just as it was pushed open. Godric came out, the circles under his eyes a deep purple; he turned to his younger child.

"Is that AB negative human still here?" He asked wearily. Eric nodded and Godric headed to the part of the house in which the human companions were kept. Eric slipped into the room after Godric had left. Myrina, or Mia as she was now to be called, was slumped on the floor her head hanging, her long dark curls covering her face.

"I thought this was supposed to be a happy reunion." Eric said looking down at the wilted girl. She lifted her head at his voice, two red trails of blood tears tracking down her cheeks.

"I do not mean to be so rebellious." she told him in a pleading tone, as if forgiveness from Eric would mean some from Godric as well.

"He was never a wild creature. A killer to be sure but he still has the soul of the shepard, the scholar. He would kill to feed or in defense, never a hot tempered moment. I was the one with the warrior blood long before I was made into this." She held her pale hand up in front of her eyes and looked upon it in disgust.

"I was trained to kill and to love it by the women of my tribe, I thrilled at the feeling of dominating the enemy, especially a man. Turning into this just amplified that feeling. After all these years its still has not been quenched." Eric sat beside her on the carpet.

"I lived my mortal life for the kill as well." He confessed to her.

"I was the essence of brutality, I lived for the exquisite, manic joy of going up against a worthy fighter and not knowing who will be at the gates of the underworld next, you or he." There was a yearning in his voice, a craving that had not cracked his cold facade for decades.

"What do you do to move past such desires? Or are we merely part of a long-dead breed that doesn't belong in this time?" She asked in earnest.

He looked at her with his cold blue eyes, she got her answer.

"Your eyes remind me of a lion in a cage. When it's become weary of its captivity and can no longer remember the thrill of the hunt. It's eyes go dull, as if a part of them has died." Eric looked away, not agreeing but clearly not arguig either.

"How long has it been since you've been in a fight you weren't certain you'd win, viking?" She asked, her head tilted to the side, watching him gaze out the window at the moon.

"Too long to remember but not long enough to forget." He finally answered still not looking at her. His hand released and flexed, Mia recognized the movement.

"And how long since you held a sword? He grinned at this

"My sword used to be as familiar to me as my own arm. I even named it, I have long forgotten the name now. But not the feel of it, I can never forget the power I felt with it in my hand."

"Nor I." she whispered.

With a fluid movement she stood and went to the back of the room. Godric's walls were decorated with ancient artwork and artifacts he had collected from the various places he had been over time. Mia made her way to the closet, an umbrella stand was there holding all sorts of treasures, african rain sticks, divining rods and the like. She rummaged for a moment before pulling out a sword, turning she tossed the blade deftly across the room into Eric's awaiting hand. A smile crossed his face as he relaized Godric had kept his own sword from his mortal life all this time. He was surprised at how automatic it was for him to grab the hilt even after all these long years, his fingers pressed into riveted metal, finding their old holds as easily as if he had been holding the sword just yesterday. He swung it several times making a figure 8 with his wrist. Feeling the weight of the metal, the pull of his muscles to control the weapon, it was a thrill he had not had in ages. He turned to the girl and found her standing before him, the Amazon fully remembered, holding her own sword. Hers was older, the hilt had the hide of some animal wrapped around it, it was shorter than his but looked just as powerful as she swung it across her body twirling the blade expertly in her palm.

"Shall we?" She asked stepping back so all her weight was on her left leg, both hands wrapped around the hilt as she held the sword ready to strike, almost like a batter at the plate.

"Shall we what?" Eric scoffed dropping the sword down to his side. "Not likely girl, I have enough self control to know better than to upset the peace of Godric's house with such actions. Plus-" He said, a mocking tone entering his voice "you wouldn't last one minute against me."

She answered back seriously, unphased by his derision.

"These swords are iron, not wood or silver, we cannot by killed by them. Perhaps Godric will understand this is more than just a silly scuffle. I need this, and I know you do too. If I ask nicely and promise to behave afterwards I don't see why we couldn't revel in the thrill of combat for a moment." She paused for a brief moment to raise her sword in her right hand and point it challengingly at his weapon. "I would like to see you try to even touch me with that thing."

"Well..." came another voice in the room, Mia and Eric's heads snapped to look towards the door. In the excitement discovering the swords neither had noticed Godric's return. He stood before them, a trail of blood trickling down from the corner of his lip to his jaw.

Immediately Eric dropped his sword, ashamed to have been caught holding one of Godric's belongings. Mia held onto hers but relaxed her stance.

"This was not the way I had envisioned you two bonding." He said but his voice did not retain any of the wearied anger he had earlier.

"Godric I'm sorry-" Mia began

"I know child" He said and smiled at her.

"I forget sometimes that my temperament is in the minority among our kind. I helped draw out the fighter in you from childhood, and Eric's fearless attitude in the face of death that drew me to him. I cannot not now slap down the traits I coveted in both of you. So it is brutal combat you both crave, then let us have it." The two other vampires stared at him in shock.

"I shall judge the competition. No shapeshifting is permitted" He eyed Mia at this and she grinned knowingly. "You may use your sword, your hands or anything natural you find on the battleground. The first to cry for surrender or to be rendered unconscious will be deemed vanquished. I would also prefer if you did not stake or decapitate the other during this, but it anything else is fair play. We shall meet in the back field at midnight. I'll alert the nest, I'm sure this will be quite a spectacle for them. Now, go feed, both of you. I shall see you in a few hours."

Eric backed out of the room, still not fully believing what was going on. Mia first ran to Godric and hugged him, he patted her head and half smiled at her joyful expression as she followed Eric out of the room. After they had gone, he sunk into a chair with a sigh and closed his eyes.

"My two monsters." He muttered to himself. Then a smile crept over his face. Eric had no idea what he about to go up against.