Chapter Seven:

I felt my body shake, a groan escaping my lips as I tried to hide my head deeper into my pillow. I had come straight home the moment I dashed out of Jackson's apartment last night. I had forgotten about everything else in the world and driven a good two times the speed limit down the country roads to get as far from Eric Northman as possible. I didn't want to think about his pleads to help his maker. I didn't want to think about Godric at all. This was just all too much to take in. First Jackson pops into my life as some new stranger in town, only to turn out to be my paid bodyguard that Eric saw fit to send to me because the fellowship of the sun was keeping close tabs on me. And now this? Now Eric just shows up out of the blue and practically begs me to fix his maker? I just didn't know what to think. I just wanted to curl up in bed and hide from the world.

And that was exactly what I did.

My parents had been in the living room when I came bursting into the house, tears staining my cheeks. Before my mother could nag me for a single second, I had hurried up the stairs and slammed my bedroom door shut behind me. I could faintly hear my father encouraging my mother to leave me alone as I curled up in bed, hiding beneath my vast amount of blankets. And that's where I stayed the entire night, my tears soaking through the pillow, until I finally fell into a dreamless slumber.

And now I was being shaken awake, probably by my mother to drive me insane some more, and I wasn't happy one bit. I just wanted to be left alone. Was that too much to ask? Didn't I deserve a little peace and quiet?

"Taylor?"

So it wasn't my mother. But I think it made it just that much worse that it was my father. Because I would feel compelled to tell him exactly what happened last night. And that just ruined the whole concept of forgetting about it all.

"Sorry to wake you kiddo." I cracked my eyes open to find a smile on my father's worn face. "I know you were having a rough night last night, I didn't want to disturb you."

"What's up?" I groaned out, blinking the sleep from my eyes even though all I wanted to do was curl back up and sleep for the rest of eternity.

"Your mother and I are going to visit your grandparents for New Years." He informed. "Don't worry; I talked your mother into letting you stay home."

I was grateful. I could just imagine the hours on the road and what damage could be done between my mother and me right now.

"Try and have some fun, sweetheart." He leaned forward, kissing my forehead as he ran a hand through my tangled hair. "You deserve it."

"I don't feel like having fun right now." I admitted with a mumble.

"Then at least don't spend the next few days alone, alright? Go see that new friend of yours in town. Your mother wouldn't approve, but she doesn't have to know, now does she?" there was a twinkle in his eye. "We're leaving in another hour or so, I just didn't want you to worry. Get back to sleep."

"Thanks." I forced a small smile in gratitude.

"Don't mention it." he ruffled my hair before standing up. "We'll be back in a few days. Love you kiddo."

"Love you too." I pulled my warm sheets up to my chin, watching as my father waved and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him until only a crack of light was showing.

I sighed as I turned over onto my back, trying to fall back to sleep. At least I would ring in the New Year without my nagging mother breathing down my neck. That was something, right?


I felt the cool touch of a finger before I was even fully awake. It felt like a feather lightly gliding up my bare back, teasing the back of my neck. My hair was brushed to the side, the pad of the finger dipping down into the crook of my neck, a soft moan emitting from my lips as goose bumps rose on my arms. I squirmed as I felt a hot breath on my ear, the ghosting of teeth nipping at the lobe. The silk sheet lying across my lower half was slowly being pulled away, leaving me exposed to the cool room. I shivered, only to feel an even colder body cover me in place of the sheet. I tried to force my eyes open, but it was like my eyelids were glued shut. My subconscious didn't want to ruin this, whatever this was.

"Taylor..."

The voice was silky smooth and so familiar. But as hard as I tried to concentrate, as determined I was to learn of the owner to the kneading fingers pressing into the taught muscles in my back, my mind was a blank slate. And I found that I didn't mind. I didn't want to think. There were just too many complications in my life, all surrounding one man. I just wanted to forget about it all, just for one minute. And that's exactly what I was going to do.

"My love..."

A soft moan escaped my parted lips, the heat beginning to rise between my legs and warming my entire being. His feather light touches travelled further and further down my back until his clipped fingernails were raking ever so slightly down my inner thighs. My legs parted on their own accord, allowing access to my most intimate region. My heart was racing in my chest in anticipation, the beads of sweat dancing on my forehead as I waited. I could feel the hot breath on my damp core and I bucked my hips, hoping to move this along. Hands gripped onto my legs though, holding them tightly and immobile to the bed as a tongue suddenly flicked out.

"Oh god!" I gasped out, my eyes snapping open in such a rush that the bright light surrounding me blinded me. I hissed as my eyes squeezed back shut, only for my breath to be taken away completely at the second lick. "Oh...oh god..."

"You need to wake up, my love..." the voice prompted before another lick occurred.

My hands gripped onto the silk sheets beneath me, my teeth digging into my bottom lip. Another lick. And another. I could already feel myself on the brink.

"Time to wake up..."

I just mumbled incoherently, my head being thrown back as my eyes flew back open. I waited for it to happen. I waited for the orgasm to come crashing down around me. There was another lick. And another. And then suddenly, the hands holding my legs disappeared, the tongue causing me the desirable pleasure was gone. I groaned in frustration as I peeked over my shoulder, looking for the one who had nearly driven me right over the edge. Except, there was no one there. I frowned as I looked around, searching for another being of some kind. But I could only find a soft glowing white light that swam around me almost like a fog.

"Hello?" I called out breathlessly.

I tried to turn and sit up, but found it to be difficult as my legs felt like jelly. Once I managed to lean back against the many pillows on the silken bed, I tried to squint into the white light.

"Is anyone there?"

"You need to wake up, Taylor."

It was like common sense was slapping me in the face. I was able to piece together what was happening. I was able to place a name to the voice. My face paled, my eyes widening as my head snapped from side to side in search of him.

"Godric?" My voice was barely above a whisper. "Godric, please, are you there?"

I waited for him to show himself. Minutes passed and nothing. I was close to losing hope, knowing that I would fall back into slumber and never see him again. Because this was a dream, wasn't it?

"Please, I just want to see you. Please." I begged, a lump rising in my throat. My arousal was long forgotten as I pulled the silk sheet back over my naked form. I hugged the material to my chest, praying to god that Godric would show himself, just this one last time.

And he did.

I inhaled sharply as the fog seemed to materialize around him as he walked towards the bed. He looked the same as he always had. It was impossible for him to change. But for some reason, he almost seemed different. There was something missing in his soft blue eyes, something that I just couldn't put my finger on.

"You need to wake up." his accent almost seemed thicker as he spoke, his gaze piercing right through my heart.

"No." I shook my head. "Not yet."

"It's time for you to wake." He stopped at the end of the bed, his hand reaching out, his fingers trailing along the ankle that was peeking out from under the sheet. "It's time for me to go, my beautiful seer."

"Just a few more minutes. Please." I held my hand out to him pleadingly. "This is my dream. I want this to last a little bit longer. I need it to."

"You need to go." He shook his head but took my hand nonetheless. It was then that I realized he too was naked, my eyes dropping to the sight of his erect arousal. It took all my willpower not to drool. "You must wake, Taylor."

"Please." I felt a stray tear threaten to fall. This was my dream. I didn't want it to end. My dreams were the only connection I had left. It was the only way I could be with him. It wasn't enough; it couldn't be, not forever anyways. But for right now, it was the best I could get. "Please just stay."

He crawled up the bed until he was resting beside me, his hand reaching out to caress my cheek. My eyes closed as I moved into his touch, never wanting it to end. It just felt so real.

"You need to wake up. You have to."

"Why?" I felt annoyed by his persistence. "Tell me why."

He leaned forward, his lips very nearly pressing against mine before speaking softly. "There's someone in the house."

"No there's not." I shook my head, willing his lips closer. "Now stay. Please. You owe me at least this."

"There's someone in the house, my love. You need to wake." He urged, moving backwards and out of reach.

"Godric..." I gritted in frustration.

"Go." He left the bed, the fog beginning to materialize around him once again. "Wake up, Taylor. You must wake up."

"Please." I was begging again. "I love you. Please stay."

"There's someone in the house." he warned in only a whisper before he was enveloped by the white glowing fog.

"No!" I slammed my fist down onto the mattress. "No! Come back, damn it! Come back! Please!"

But he didn't come back, despite my pleas, my desperate begging.

"Please, Godric. I love you. Come back!"

"Please..."

"Come back...come back..."

I was jolted awake without a single warning, my heart thudding away in my chest as I was snapped up into a sitting position. My eyes flew open and for a moment, I thought I was still dream. But as I took in my bedroom, the moon shining through the window behind my bed, I realized that I was very much awake. I let out a heavy sigh before feeling an ache in my hand. I glanced down to my side, only to find my hand curled into a tight fist, my fingernails digging into my palm.

"It was only a dream." I whispered to myself, sadness sweeping through me. That was the only way I would ever be with him, with Godric. But even in those fantasies, he still left me.

"There's someone in the house."

Those words haunted me as I lay back against my pillow. That was preposterous. There wasn't anyone in the house. I remembered the conversation clearly with my father that morning. My parents were off at my grandparents, not home. I was completely alone. So then what was Dream-Godric talking about?

"Stupid dreams." I muttered, my head turning to look at the alarm clock sitting on my nightstand. It was just passed dinner time. I had been moping away in bed all day, falling in and out of sleep. I wasn't sure yet if it had been a good thing, dreaming of Godric and all. It was the only way I could see him, and yet, it hurt at the same time. Seeing him, feeling his touch, and knowing it was nothing but my imagination, that killed me. But wasn't something better than nothing? I wasn't so sure.

"I need to stop doing this to myself." I ran a hand down my face, trying to snap myself out of this funk. "God, I need a drink."

I wasn't one to drink. Hell, while all the freshmen in college were off partying, I was analyzing dreams starring a certain vampire. But right about now, I could use one hell of a cocktail. Or two. Or maybe three.

Knowing exactly where my father hid the whisky, far out of my mother's sight, I pushed myself out of bed and placed my feet onto the cold wooden floor. I hissed at first before getting used to the colder temperature. Patting down my hair, I pushed myself up onto my feet and padded across the room to where my bedroom door was ajar. I was rubbing my tired eyes as I pulled the door open, the dim light in the hallway nearly blinding me.

"Mother fu..." I trailed off with a grunt, shielding my eyes as I moved along the hallway and to the stop of the stairs.

I yawned, about to take the first step down to the first floor when I heard it. It wasn't an it though. It was the furthest thing from an it. I was rendered frozen, my eyes widening into saucers as my face paled completely.

"What if she's not here? Steve will get pissed if we put this off another day."

"Didn't you see her car? She's here."

"But her folks, they left earlier. What if she was with them?"

"Did it look like she was with them? Now shut the hell up, she's going to hear you."

I didn't know what to do. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I couldn't even breathe. I was frozen to the spot, my foot dangling in mid air as I stared down into the dark abyss. The voices were coming from deeper within the house, closer to the kitchen, but they were most definitely there. Someone was inside my house. And by the sound of it, it was more than just one. So what the hell did that dream mean then? Was it my subconscious trying to alert me to the intruders, or was it more than that?

I couldn't let myself think too much about that, however. I needed to focus on the fact that there were at least two intruders in my house. My house. My safe haven. The one place I knew I could always turn to. And now there were people ruining that. But not just anyone. I wasn't stupid. It was obvious who these intruders were. I was stupid to believe that they weren't watching the house, that they wouldn't be aware the moment my parents had left, leaving me all alone, out on a farm, in the middle of nowhere where no one would hear me scream.

I was so beyond screwed.

I wanted to freak out. I wanted to scream, to run away, to do something. But I couldn't. Because the logical part of my brain was already jumping into action while my irrational side was still trying to process everything. I really had only two options. I could go back to my room, call Jackson, and hope and pray that by some miracle, he shows up and saves the day; or I could run down those stairs as fast as I could, dash through the front door, and run like the friggin wind until my lungs were on fire. Both were stupid ideas; both would probably end up backfiring and leaving me either kidnapped, or worse, dead. So which was the lesser of two evils? Which would leave me a bigger chance of getting away?

I should have chosen the former, but I knew that sitting idly in prayer wasn't going to get me anywhere. So before my irrational side could catch up with me, I made up my mind and made a mad dash down the stairs and towards the front door.

"What the fuck is that?"

"She's getting away!"

There was no time to look back. There was no time to try and get a good look at the two men hurrying out of the kitchen and down the hall towards me. All I could do was hope I was a faster sprinter than two large goons. I ran like I've never run before. I threw open the front door, jumped down off of the porch, and ran like hell across the driveway and to the fence separating the house and the rest of the farm. I could hear the two following close behind, and I knew the only thing that would help me was my knowledge of every little dip in the land, every little crevice of the fields. I could manoeuvre through the farm with both hands tied behind my back and with my eyes blindfolded. The same couldn't be said about my intruders.

"You can run, witch, but you can't hide."

"You're going to burn in hell, you little bitch!"

I spared a brief look at the two as I lifted myself over the fence like I've down a thousand times in the past, my bare feet landing on the cold, rough ground with ease. I could barely even see the two in the dark, only the moon lighting the night around us. I didn't dare look for longer than a second, however, and hurried across the field and to my beloved barn. I knew there was no escaping the two. They were large, very very large, and the walls of a worn out barn wouldn't be able to keep them out. But unless I wanted to test my fate and run towards the woods on the other side of the farm, the barn was my best bet. It would at least give me a minute or two to come up with a plan. Because I was utterly alone right now. The closest phone was back inside the house, the only possible way to contact Jackson beyond my reach. All I could do now was pray.

"Faster you idiot!"

I could hear the grunts behind me and I was just thankful for the many years working on the farm; it was giving me a slight advantage over these two, giving me the chance to make it to the barn before they were even halfway across the field. I was huffing and puffing, but I didn't take a moment to relax as I pushed open the old barn door, sliding it back shut behind me. I slapped my hands against the door, searching for the sliding lock that hadn't been used in decades. It took a few moments, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest as I found and tried to force it into place, but finally, it was nudged across the door with only seconds to spare before two bodies nearly slammed right through the closed door. My entire body felt like it was on fire as I backed up. My lungs were burning, my side feeling like it was going to split open. It was all I could do from falling to my knees. I couldn't afford to rest though. I still needed some sort of escape. That old door wouldn't hold them for long. I needed some sort of way out, some sort of weapon even. I just needed something.

Or maybe someone.

A sudden breeze swept through the barn, and at first, I was horrified that the door had already been burst open. But as I blinked a couple dozen times, it wasn't the two fellowship intruders that I was faced with.

"Eric?" I breathed out, my throat aching.

Eric Northman stood before me, his fangs bared as he threw a look over his shoulder and to the shuddering door. His piercing blue eyes were narrowed into slits as his hands curled into fists at his sides.

"You just can't keep yourself out of trouble, can you?" he flashed me a look.

"I'm a...magnet for...trouble." I rasped out, my chest screaming at protest with every word.

Eric shook his head before settling his gaze on the door. "Stay here."

"What?" my eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"I said stay here." He shot me another look, this time one of warning.

"But Eric..."

"I didn't come here to save your ass only for you to get yourself killed." He growled. "Stay. Here."

"Why are you here? How did you..."

He only smirked before suddenly, as quick as he appeared, he was gone. I cursed to myself, my attention being drawn back to the still shuddering door. The wood was splintering; I could see the men now. It would only be seconds until...

Just like that, with a snap of a finger, the slamming against the door ceased. I jumped at the silence that was suddenly filling the night. It was too eerie, to frightening to be real. I gulped, thinking over Eric's warning. I was never one to listen, especially to him of all people. I moved slowly towards the door, my heart nearly leaping right out of my chest. I was scared, but not just for myself. What if they had some sort of weapon on them? Eric could take them by surprise; he could overpower them in strength. But they had gotten the better of him once before with the aid of stakes and silver.

"Eric?" I called out, hopeful that he would make himself known.

And he certainly did let himself be known. By a body suddenly being propelled right through the door, barely missing my body by inches. I let out an ear piercing scream, jumping to the side as I watched the lifeless body crumble to the ground. My eyes were wide as the man just laid there. I couldn't move. I tried to tell if he was still alive or not, but my vision was too hazy to tell a damn thing.

"I told you to stay put." Eric's voice stopped me before I could let out another scream.

My head snapped to the side to find Eric ducking through the hole the flying body had made. He approached the motionless body, kneeling down beside the form, his eyes searching for life. I could do nothing but just stand there and watch as he reached a hand out, laying it over where the man's heart sat. It hovered there for a moment, and for a split second, I was left wondering what he was about to do. And then I found out. My stomach churned, vomit rising up my throat as Eric suddenly sunk his hand right into the man's chest, his arm tensing before he yanked out what I could only presume to be a heart. I felt faint, my legs shaking as I fell to the cold, dirty ground. I couldn't stop myself from throwing up as Eric lifted the heart up to inspect the organ before carelessly tossing it over his shoulder as if it was nothing more than a fleck of dirt. I watched in horrifying disgust as he rose to his feet, licking each bloodied finger as his gaze fell on me. I knew Eric was a terrifying vampire when he wanted to be. He had made that known on more than one occasion. But I had never felt more afraid of him than I did in that moment. To watch him end a man's life in such a sadistic way, it brought a second wave of vomit to my mouth.

"Oh control yourself." Eric rolled his eyes as I wiped the vomit from my lips, my hand shaking as I did so.

"Y-you...you..." I spluttered.

"I what?" His smirk was wide as he strutted towards me. He reached his bloodied hand out, grabbing me by the scruff of my neck and yanking me to my feet. "Come along, teacup."

I wanted to push him away. I wanted to throw up a good dozen more times before running away screaming bloody murder. But instead, I let Eric lead me out of the barn, only to discover another body lying in the grassy field. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know if he had suffered a similar fate.

"He's still alive." Eric answered my unasked question. "For now."

Eric's hand left the back of my neck as he strode towards the motionless man. I swallowed back the desire to vomit yet again, and instead just wrapped my arms around myself and tried to forget that another person's blood was smeared across the back of my neck. I shuddered at the mere though and watched as Eric lifted the man easily over his shoulders and began towards the house.

"Unless you want to be eaten by the big bad wolf, move that sweet little ass of yours along, teacup." He called over his shoulder.

I could just imagine the howling of a wolf in the distance and I quickly followed the vampire. Though I wasn't so sure I was safer with him than without him.

"Invite me in." he stopped on the front porch, throwing a glance over his shoulder. "Now."

"Please come in." I voiced barely above a whisper, hoping the three words would be enough.

It seemed to be, as Eric was able to push open the front door and step into the house with ease.

"W-what are you going to do with him?" I questioned as I followed the vampire into my house, Eric flicking on a light as he dumped the body in the living room. I stood in the doorway, closest to the exit in case I needed a quick getaway. Not that I could outrun a vampire, but it was still relieving to know that the front door wasn't too far away. I knew in my heart that I had nothing to fear. Eric wouldn't have come all the way to Ohio to beg for me to fix his maker only for him to kill me the next night. That made no sense. But then again, this was Eric Northman. He wasn't exactly known for thinking straight when his anger got in the way.

"So, ah, how did you know I was in trouble?" I questioned, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.

Eric raised an eyebrow as he slipped his phone from his pocket. "I'm hurt. We have a bond, and it's like you don't even care."

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. It did make sense though. There would have been no indication that I was in trouble unless Eric had felt me through our bond. I had completely forgotten about it while I was racing towards the barn. All I had been thinking about was safety, and nothing else.

So did that mean that Godric had felt my fear too? Had he felt my panic? And if he had, did he even care?

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Eric's voice. I watched as he spoke into his phone while strutting around the lifeless body of the fellowship of the sun goon. I had to close my eyes as my thoughts quickly travelled to the heartless body still lying in the middle of my barn. I wrapped my arm tightly around my churning stomach as I fought the urge to vomit yet again.

"She's safe." Eric's voice was gruff. "Just get here as soon as you can."

For a split second, I had hoped he had been talking with Godric. It was a very slim possibility, but there was still a chance that Godric cared enough about me that he would be worried about my well being.

"Jackson." Eric seemed to have read my mind, his orbs boring right through me. He must have noticed the disappointment on my face and didn't say anything else on the subject. He just nudged the body with his foot, testingto make sure the man was still unconscious, before slipping his hands into his pants pockets. "Go get cleaned up, teacup, you look like shit"

I blinked a few times, realizing that I had begun to space. I shook my head as I lifted my gaze to meet his. There was a flash of concern in those electric blue eyes for the quickest second before it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Taylor." His shoulders tensed. "I don't do well with emotional humans. Do not even think about crying. That's an order."

"I'm fine." I mumbled, though I knew I was complete opposite of fine. How could you watch a man rip another man's heart out like it was nothing and be completely okay with it?

But the last thing either of us wanted was for me to have a mental breakdown in front of him. So I pulled myself together, willed my feet to move, and began out of the room and towards the stairs. Before I was even halfway up the staircase though, I stopped, my thoughts returning to the one question I just wasn't able to shake, even after everything that's happened in such a short period of time.

"Eric?" I slowly turned, the vampire appearing at the bottom of the stairs with a bored expression plastered across his face.

"What?" He sighed in annoyance. "I won't hold your hand through this, teacup. That's not my job."

"I know." I chewed on my bottom lip as I looked away. "It's just...I had a dream."

"A vision?" he assumed, intrigue lacing his words.

"No, it was a dream. I think. I mean, it had to be a dream..." I frowned as I thought it over. It had to have been a dream. It hadn't felt like a vision. And anyways, Godric hadn't really been there warning me. It had just been my subconscious playing games on me, right? But for some reason, I just wasn't satisfied with that answer. "Godric was in it."

"Ah, so it was one of those dreams." A smirk began to slide its way across his lips. "Care to share?"

"It wasn't...well it was, I guess, at first." I felt my cheeks begin to grow a dark shade of red at admitting the arousing nature of the dream to Eric Northman of all people. "But...it felt different. It was different."

"Get to the point." Eric leaned against the wall, losing his patience quickly.

"He warned me." I fidgeted nervously, knowing just how insane it sounded.

"He warned you?" Eric raised an eyebrow. "Warned you of what exactly?"

"He warned me that there was someone in the house." I closed my eyes, remembering vividly the way Godric had caressed my cheek, how close he had been to pressing his lips against mine. "He was trying to get me to wake up. He was...he was warning me, like he knew that they were..."

"That's impossible." Eric cut in with a shake of his head. "It was just a dream, teacup. Now go get cleaned up. And you might as well pack..."

"Pack?" I questioned before shaking my head. "It wasn't just a dream. I mean, it was, it obviously was. But...he warned me, Eric. He warned me that there was someone else in the house. How could that be possible?"

"It was just your subconscious, that's all." Eric pushed himself away from the wall, his expression hardening. Though as I peered closely, I could have sworn there was a tiny sliver of intrigue in his eyes. "Hurry it up. I don't want to linger for longer than we have to."

"What do you mean? Why do you want me to pack?" I momentarily got distracted. "I never made my decision, Eric."

"I don't care." He shrugged without a care.

"Eric..."

He was before me on the stairs, and even with standing a few steps below me, he was still towering over me. "I didn't come all this way to just let you die, Taylor. You will come with me."

"But I..."

"I will drag you out of this house with pleasure." He threatened, his eyes narrowing into slits. "I have no morals against binding you against your will and doing with you what I wish. Do as I say, and maybe you won't get hurt."

"You can't just come into my house and threaten me." my heart was racing as I tried to avoid his dangerous gaze. I knew he couldn't glamour me, it was impossible, but just one look into those eyes and I felt a chill run up my spine.

"Oh I can, and I just did." He raised a hand to grasp onto my chin, making me flinch away. "Look at me. I said look at me, Taylor."

I gulped but obliged, shrinking back at the dark glare he was sending me. "W-why do you even care? You can just let them have me. You would be better off with me dead. Isn't this what you want? For me to be out of your life, out of Godric's?"

His hold on my chin tightened and I stifled a wince. "It would have been so much easier if I had just let those two disgusting humans have their way with you."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because you're..." he paused, a look of hesitation crossing his face. "You're important to him."

"You don't like me."

"But you're important to him." he sighed with a shake of his hand, his hand falling to his side. "And if he cares about you, for god even knows what reason, then I...then I will see to it that you will not be harmed."

I was shocked by his answer. I knew he had done all of this for Godric. He had hired Jackson to protect me because he didn't want the fellowship to get their hands on me. He had admitted that. But there was just something so honest and sincere about his confession that it surprised me. He really did love his maker enough to care about the human he would likely rather wish was dead than alive. That was how deep his bond with Godric ran.

"He doesn't want me." I found myself whispering sadly.

"Of course he does. He wants you more than he'd like to admit." Eric ran his fingers through his hair. "Until the day comes that he no longer desires you, I will do everything in my power to ensure you're alive for when he realizes he's been a fool all this time."

"I..."

"Just go get cleaned up. And pack. I won't take no for an answer." Eric turned and began back down the stairs at a human pace. "They'll send others. It won't matter that these two didn't survive. They'll continue to send more until they have you. And I won't let that happen."

I knew there was no point in arguing. Especially since part of me knew he was right. If I stayed here, the fellowship would just send others to get the job done. Sure, Jackson could be glued to my side twenty four seven, but I would never be truly safe. As much as I didn't want to go with him, knowing that wherever he took me, Godric would likely be there, I knew that if I wanted to see another day, another week, hell, even another year, I had to go with him. Because it wasn't just even about my safety anymore. What if my parents hadn't of left earlier? What if they had been here tonight? I didn't even want to think about what could have happened. The only way to protect them was to leave, at least for a little while.

Even if that did mean facing the man who had ripped my heart to shreds.


She had had another dream.

Godric knew that the moment he had awoken that night. He could still feel the touch of her bare skin on the tips of his fingers. He could still hear her melodic voice ringing in his ears. It was torturous for him, for two dreams to occur so close to one another, teasing him, taunting him with what neither of them could ever have.

It had felt different this time, however. He had been sucked into that dream in a way that he never had before. He had spent two millenniums only sharing blood with one other. Their blood, vampire blood, was sacred. It wasn't to be given away on a whim. But with Taylor, he hadn't cared about the rules he had been taught, the rules he had lived by for so long. And he had created a bond that he swore he would never create. He had only made one vampire in his long existence. He had only bonded with one other, and he would never regret that choice to turn Eric over a thousand years ago. Nor would he ever regret his decision to form the bond he had with Taylor. Though he should have. If he never would have given her his blood, if he hadn't sought her out that night after she had selflessly saved him, he never would have dragged her into a life she never should have been a part of. It was because of him that she had almost died countless of times. It was because of him that she was now miserable and alone.

But those dreams. Those simple dreams were enough to forget about what he should or shouldn't have done. Because those dreams were a few minutes of blissfulness. He could touch her, he could kiss her, he could just be with her without a second thought, without a conscious. It may have been a fantasy created by the both of them, but it was their fantasy. It was a connection they would forever share, the only connection they could ever have now.

So why was this dream bothering him? Godric tried to ponder what had made this dream so different, why this time it had felt more real than the others. He remembered feeling as if he was there, in that room he had never seen before in his life. Physically, it was nothing more than a dream. But consciously, it felt like he had been there entirely. He could hear, sense, feel everything around him.

He knew there had been someone in that house, someone with dangerous intentions.

But how?

How did he know?

All explanations seemed impossible. Taylor was a seer, yes, but it was impossible for her dreams, their bond, to be anymore than what it was. It was impossible.

"Unless..."