Chapter 4 - Danger
Addaleigh
Godric quickly shoved the slight form of the woman behind him in guarded protection as the fighting broke out. Luckily since this was a siege against the crown, he nor Adda were in dire straits, or even being seriously considered in the fray. A crease of worry etched Godric's normally monk like features as his Eric and Pamela fought alongside the queen watching for a moment before he turned and pulled with urgency the human woman up the foyer's stair case to relative safety, so they were able to look down on the commotion.
Adda hiked up her gown as they ran up the stairs, trying to keep pace with Godric's quick step. Her eyes searched below at the mass of fighting, searching for Eric in the battle. She recognized a familiar face of Bill Compton, whom had only just arrived with his wife Sookie a few minutes before the fighting began, his motions a blur as he pulled a gun from a different vampire dressed in a suite tossing it and getting into a fang and nail brawl before finally ripping his throat out with his own teeth. The sound of his wife yelling out a warning; "Eric look out!" brought Adda's attention back to finding Eric whom at the moment was without hesitancy breaking a man's arm before turning him in a flash to use him as a meat shield as a fire was shot in his direction, the silver bullet wounding the man he held who let out a scream before he was tossed at the person who shot knocking them both to the ground before Eric had his revenge on the shooter.
While Addaleigh wasn't the biggest fan of Mrs. Sookie Stackhouse Compton, she really did in that moment appreciate the woman and her fearlessness. She wanted to be down there helping, but Godric's grip on her wrist belied the fact that he took Eric's words to heart and she wouldn't be near the fighting in any way. "I should have seen this coming, I knew there would be revolt soon but I couldn't pin down when." She said more so to herself than to Godric.
He looked at her with an expression of endearment, "You cannot be responsible for every occurrence that happens. You may have the gift of sight, but you are not God, or whatever higher deity you believe in. This isn't your fault Addaleigh."
"I know, but it isn't supposed to happen like this…" she said looking back down at the fighting going on. Another sheriff had been responsible for the uprising against the queen, using the ball as the perfect opportunity to strike. She was beginning to wonder what the price of trying to force Eric to the throne, would he end up hurt, or worse in the process.
Her thoughts were pulled away as Godric pulled her away from the banister and flung her behind him in protection as three vampires approached rapidly up the stairs, injured and bleeding, in need of blood. "Leave her be, I am of peace and she is not who you need to finish your claim to the throne." He intoned, torn between the vow of non violence he took and protecting Addaleigh. She kept her mouth closed not wanting to draw more attention to herself or make the situation even worse, as fearful tears pooled in her eyes. She wasn't scared for herself but for Godric, her thoughts crying out again and again for them just to leave, for Godric to be able to leave unharmed on her behalf.
"Peace or not, we want the human girl."
Alcide
Alcide and Ari feasted on five star dinning, this hotel living up to its diamond standard rating every inch of the way. After they had been fed, washed, and thoroughly enjoyed one another again and again, they found the night was still relatively young and the sounds from the street of music on the breeze from their open balcony.
"Want to go explore some? I know you can't drink so I won't but my legs are feeling restless. Besides once our son or daughter comes, going out at any time late at night won't exist for some time." He offered wanting to make the most of the rare trip to the bigger city.
Ariadne
Ariadne smiled as she walked down the old streets, Alcide's hand in her own. There were more people out at night here than in Shreveport, but there were also more humans. They had only passed one other supernatural, and it had been a vampire. Needless to say, they stayed away. The air was so full of new smells, that Ariadne couldn't help but sniff every so often, feeling more wolf-like than ever. As much as she loved their home and pack, she was glad to have some down time. She knew that the pack stress wasn't good for the baby, but she knew their child would be strong. It was rare to have two parents that were alpha before they were mated. Usually one just moved up in rank afterwards. Yes, there baby would indeed be strong. He or she would be true White Backs, even if they were only half. Ari had just sniffed the air again when she caught wind of a familiar scent.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, her eyes darting to the scarce section of trees that contained a park.
"I'm here to find you." Darren's voice replied dryly as he emerged from the shadow, his hand buried in his pockets. "You're in danger."
"If you came all the way out here to threaten me-" Ari began with a growl, but was cut off by her brother's matching one.
"I might hate you for what you did Ariadne, but I don't want you dead." He said through gritted teeth. "Someone is after both of us... Russel's back, and he's trying to wipe out the White Backs, once and for all."
Ari felt her blood run cold.
Godric/Eric
Godric knew he had to fight, just like he knew he couldn't win. He had been out of practice for too long, had not fought in centuries. Still, he knew that he couldn't just leave Adda there to fend for herself. If he tried to run there was a good chance that the other vampires would get them both. He turned his head to the side so that he could look at Addaleigh. There was a small section of wall that dipped in, it would provide her cover enough. "If I don't make it out of this fight, please take care of Eric." He said calmly, his path already decided. "And if I shall perish, please know that I do so willingly, and tell Eric... that I'm sorry." With that he knocked her back slightly so that she was guarded by the wall.
The three vampires seemed to come at him at once, surrounding him on all sides. His face remained calm as he fought off the vampires, his body remembering their old moves well. Still, he had not fed in quite some time and knew that his pace would dull after a while. He managed to take care of one of the vampires, throwing them over the balcony and wincing when he landed on a protruding piece of wood. He never wanted to be responsible for another death, vampire or human. He felt hands on him a moment before he was yanked back. One of the vampires - the bigger of the two managed to retain him as the other walked towards him at a slow pace, a sadistic smirk on his face and a sharp wooden stake in the other. With resolve he looked towards Adda. He gave her a small parting smile. Addaleigh's tear-streaked face was the last thing Godric ever saw.
Downstairs Eric had just staked a vampire when the most horrible pain he had ever felt ripped through his chest. "NO!" He screamed, blood tears already springing to the corner of his eyes. He had no doubt in that moment; Godric was gone. With a snarl that seemed to shake the room, Eric moved to where he had last sensed his maker. He found Adda, two vampires making there way towards her. At the sight of Godric's remains covering them, Eric lost it. He blacked out in a fit of rage, angrier and more saddened than he could ever remember. When he blinked back into reality, he was kneeling in the remains of the two vampires, crying shamelessly as he thought of his maker. "Godric." The name was whispered among several Nordic words.
Alcide
The moment she tensed beside him Alcide could tell something or someone was about, when out of the shadows the answer to what had put his wife on high alert made himself known. His brother in law, someone he still was always guarded around since he never knew just how the wind would blow on this one's mood. Alcide knew from the fact that he showed up in Ari's life and for her wedding that he loved his sister, but it seemed he still blamed her for the death of their family, a childish and petty anger Alcide thought but didn't voice.
His hand tensed around Ari's waste when the threat of danger made its self known as words on the humid nights air, his adrenaline spiking at the very name of Russell Edgington, a vampire who had manipulated multiple wolf packs with V and terrorized the states of Mississippi and Louisiana, and on tv his evil had scared every human with access to media. "He's supposed to be dead." Alcide growled out, wondering just how Compton and Northman had handled the vampire, having thought he had met the true death.
Despite how friendly he and Eric had become over the month, or at least tolerable of one another, if he had mis-stepped in any way that would put his wife, pups, or pack in danger then he would dearly pay. "Where did you get this information from?"
Addaleigh
Adda wasn't sure if she was in her body as the scene unfurled, she felt detached and lost, as if she was a spectral being watching from a distance as the body she once inhabited sat slumped against the corner of a wall while tears streamed down her face turning her eyes to hot liquid silver as Godric was made to meet the finale death. Her mind couldn't register that someone so pure, so kind hearted, so very much a piece of animated history, a survivor of decades was killed at something as tritely mundane as a Ball. Not just any ball but, Godric was killed at the Ball she threw, the sight seer who was helpless to stop any of the future and the death that the future brought.
Eric's pain, sorrow, despair was vocalized and still she did not stir. Even as the murderous vile creatures approached her to claim their prize, she did not stir. As Eric with all the fury born from the very pits of hell its self ripped Godric's kills piece to piece she did not stir. Her eyes couldn't leave the pile of clothing that was Godric's. Eric's pain literally dragged him to his knees, his heart break brought blood tears streaming down his face. Addaleigh's body ached to go to him, to comfort him, to hold him to her, but all she could think as guilt weighed down every fiber of her being was that this was her fault…
"It's my fault." Came her raspy voice hoarse from the screams she was suppressing, screams of anger and grief that begged to rip all the noise from her throat and empty her of this heavy grief.
The fighting below had since stopped, some innocent lay dead, all of those backing the wayward Sheriff of Area One had been dispatched as they tried to over throw the Queen. Sophie Anne was safe and her guards on high alert, she gave her condolences to Pam and left Eric upstairs on the foyer where he knelt in grief. Her tone was stern and authoritative as she told the red rimmed eyed Pam; "You may take time to grieve but I expect to see you, your maker, and his human a fortnight from today in court."
Pam weakly nodded her eyes distracted as they kept wanting to find Eric, his grief too big to be contained in his own body spilling into her own sorrow over Godric's loss. When the Queen left with her remaining guards back Pam slowly walked up the stairs to the foyer that over looked the ballroom. There was blood and remains everywhere, Eric was crying, something uncharacteristic of Eric but befitting such a tragic moment as this. Her own tears fell red and warm down her cheeks and she was sure she would forever hate the smell of cinnamon from the spiced blood she had drank in ample degree earlier that now scented her tears.
"What happened?" Pam asked quietly, lacking her usual snide tone as she addressed the woman who sat in a puddle of her own champagne lace gown.
"He….he said to take care of Eric…and…and that he—" a small sob escaped her throat as she continued, voice breaking over the word "perished—" tears fell new and hot down her pale cheeks dark from the mascara, "that he did so willingly. And to tell Eric-" she took a shuddering breath her eyes leaving the pile of clothing to finally lift her gaze to Eric's broken form. "I'm sorry." It was a ghost of a whisper but held both Godric's sentiment and her own heavy hearted feelings of remorse and guilt.
Ariadne
"After your wedding I took my girlfriend-" He spat the word. "-to Mississippi. She said she wanted to see where I was from. When we got there, I was attacked by Russel and his dogs." He growled as his fists clenched. They didn't deserve the title of wolf.
Ari's free hand went to her stomach. This news not only put her in danger, but her child as well. He or she was half White Back after all. Her grip tightened around Alcide's hand. Why the White Backs? What could he possibly have to gain from eliminating them? Perhaps they were going to be used as an example of his power. "What happened to your girlfriend?" Ari asked in a small voice. It didn't sound like Darren really cared for her.
"She was in on it. Turns out she joined the pack up there and just used me to get in Russel's good graces. I swear if I ever see Debbie Pelt again-"
His words became something akin to white noise after that. Debbie? Hadn't they killed her? No... Alcide never said he killed her, and none of the pack had either. Ariadne had just assumed she died as well. Her voice was lost in her throat as she looked fearfully towards her husband.
Eric
Eric shook his head as Adda blamed herself, but couldn't bring himself to voice it. He was calmer now, having taken his energy out on the men that killed Godric. He stood with a poised expression, even as the blood continued to drip down his cheeks. "Pam, you're hurt." He said eying a wound on her arm. "Go to ground." Pam eyed him for a moment before hesitantly complying. She knew that he was cationic right now. He would grieve more later, but in he privacy of his own home.
Wordlessly he lifted Adda into a bridal position, trying not to look at the pile of Godric's remains. He ran them home, in no mood to wait for human transportation. When they arrived, he set her on her feet in their bathroom. He reached over and turned on the water before he began to strip her. His moves were robotic, his face impassive behind the blood that wouldn't stop flowing. He didn't understand how that could have happened to Godric. He was the strongest vampire Eric had ever known, and the gentlest. Eric never wanted to see someone like Godric killed again. He didn't blame Godric or Adda. Hell, he didn't even blame Godric's killers. He blamed the queen. She made too many enemies and cared too little.
Stripping himself as well, Eric pulled Adda into the shower, resolve finally working its way into his features. Only when Sophie-Ann was dethroned would Godric be avenged. With a sigh, his tears finally stopped, the water only a dull pink instead of red now. He wouldn't cry over Godric's death, he would avenge it. "I will take the throne." Eric said softly as he kissed Adda's forehead. He pulled back to look at her, determination in his eyes. "But only if you'll rule along side me." Eric could no longer pretend like he didn't care for Addaleigh. So, in a very Eric-y way, he proposed.
Rose & Danni: It's totally cool if you hate us because we kind of hate ourselves.