A/N: Hello. Im back...again. Sorry college has been kicking my butt. For those of you who are still reading here is an update!
Sookie released me and I found myself staring at Godric in awe. I couldn't help it. I had not imagined the strong and powerful vampire that everyone had been talking about looking like a young man barely out of his teen years with such pale skin. I could sense that he was powerful though, that wasn't hard to tell. It practically radiated off of his skin. His brown eyes fell on me and my heart skipped a beat. He looked at me curiously for a moment, before he was speaking, but not to me, to Eric.
"You were foolish to send humans after me," he said calmly, finally looking away from me finally and back to Eric.
I turned to Sookie, taking her in as Eric and Godric continued to speak behind me. "Sookie, what the hell happened?" I asked looking her up and down. She looked like crap to be honest. But she had been trapped in this cage for two days, who could blame her.
"You don't want to know," she said shaking her head. "I just want to get the hell out of here. They were going to kill Godric."
I turned my head to look over my shoulder at Godric and Eric who were still conversing between themselves. I still couldn't wrap my head around how they had managed to capture Godric when he was obviously very powerful. Sookie and I jumped as an alarm sounded and alarm lights began flashing. Sookie grabbed my hand and held it tightly and I felt the energy begin to swarm in my stomach as I began to panic. I looked to Eric and Godric waiting for them to get us the hell out of the church and somewhere safe.
"Get the humans out safely," Godric ordered looking at Eric. "Spill no blood on your way out."
"I will not leave you here alone," Eric started.
"I can take care of myself," Godric answered through clenched teeth. "Go. Now."
Eric hesitated for just a moment, probably considering taking Godric out by force, but turned to me and Sookie extending a hand. "Come on," he said motioning for us to move.
Sookie went first, pulling me along by the hand as she rushed through the door that I assumed Eric and I arrived in. Eric followed closely behind us, until we reached a landing. Sookie pulled me alongside her, pressing her and myself up against the wall as Eric pressed a finger to his lips and peeked around the corner. I could hear voices from people I assumed were members of the church. I could feel Sookie's pulse pounding from how tightly she was holding my hand, and my pulse was pounding just the same. I wasn't even sure we were going to get out of this church alive.
"Why didn't you guys bring Bill with you?" Sookie asked looking at me.
I opened my mouth to tell her that Bill was missing, when Eric cut me off. "His attachment to you is irrational. It clouds his judgment. He would kill every man woman and child in this church to get to you," he answered looking at us over his shoulder. I frowned at his response knowing that it was not the truth. Bill was M.I.A and I was hoping that the reason that Eric wasn't telling her was to spare her feelings and not for some sick agenda he had with Sookie.
"Why aren't you?" I asked him. "Isn't that your 'nature'?"
Eric looked at me, irritation bright in his eyes. For once I just wished this vampire and I could get along. It seemed like it would never be possible. "I am following Godric's orders and getting you out, that's all," he answered through clenched teeth.
"He's your maker isn't he?" Sookie questioned.
Eric visibly tensed and glanced back at Sookie over his shoulder. "Don't use words you don't understand," he said softly before turning his eyes back on whatever lay on the other side of that corner that I could not see.
"I just mean that you have a lot of love for him," Sookie finished hopefully.
Eric hesitated, turning to look at us once again, only this time his oceanic eyes gazed right at me. I felt myself burning under his gaze as I waited for him to give some sort of response. "Don't use words that I don't understand," he replied softly.
I stood there staring at him as I tried to comprehend what he had meant by that. I knew he was a vampire and most of the time void of emotion, but even he could understand love. Sookie and Bill were madly in love and Bill was a vampire. Why couldn't he and I share the same thing? I knew how I felt about him. I knew that I loved him and that I wanted to be with him if we could just find some common ground of understanding and trust, but that would never happen if he could not understand love….and trust.
Eric turned his eyes back to corner where men's voices were beginning to shout. He moved to take a step and before I could say anything to stop him, Sookie was reaching forward to grab his arm. "Eric, no," was all she said softly, shaking her head.
Eric's face softened visibly and he took one step closer to Sookie, his tall body leaning in to her. I saw Sookie stop breathing and her hand released mine as her brown eyes looked up into Eric and she made no motion to stop him. For a brief moment I thought he was going to kiss her as his lips were just an inch from hers, but he moved his face to the side by her ear. My blood was boiling with anger and my fists clenched.
"Trust me," I heard him whisper.
He pulled back and straightened, oceanic eyes looking to me to see if I caught the spectacle. I had and it had gotten me angrier than anything he had ever done. I tore my eyes away from him, trying to hide the hurt from my face as I looked at Sookie who seemed visibly shaken by Eric's close encounter. She looked at me as if she were unsure how to feel and apologetic all at once. She retook my hand and squeezed it and I allowed her too. It wasn't her fault that Eric was an asshole who was trying to obviously play the both of us. It was my fault for allowing him to get to me.
I watched him turn and head around the corner, both Sookie and I rushed forward to see what he would do. His massive frame hunched over as he took careful steps toward a group of me holding silver chains and stakes. Eric's deep voice even changed as he spoke, morphing into a light hearted tone and taking on a country accent. I saw his face spread into a smile.
"Uh hey ya'll. How's it goin'," he said with a soft chuckle and a wave. "Uh... Steve sent me over to uh man the exit here. I can take it from here."
The energy in my stomach pulsated as I watched the human men share uncertain looks and looked up at Eric. "By yourself?" One of them asked uncertainly.
Eric nodded. "Uh yeah..."
"I mean your big and all but there's a vampire on the loose," the same man replied.
My heart started to race as Eric hesitated. I knew he wouldn't convince them. It was damn near impossible. "Oh," was all he replied as if he didn't know.
"Where's your stake?" Another man asked this one younger than the other.
Eric hesitated, but sighed as if he were upset at his own personal stupidity. "Ugh dang...I forgot...maybe I can borrow yours if...if that's okay?" I was shocked at how innocent and inviting his voice could sound.
The young man recoiled. "No, I can't do that. Get your own!"
There was a pause in the room and suddenly the air shifted. When Eric spoke again his voice had returned to its deep sexy monotone. "I would very much like to borrow your stake," he said softly.
I could see the way the young man's eyes widened slightly and then his arm was rising up offering the stake to Eric. I knew he had glamoured him, and so did the other men. My body reacted before the word "stake" could even be called desperately from Sookie's lips. The energy rushed me and the man raising his stake to attack Eric went flying backward into the wall. There was a brief moment of surprise from the other men and Eric, where his oceanic eyes looked to me as if to say thank you, but it passed after a second and the human men lunged forward foolishly. Eric incapacitated them quickly tossing some and pushing others until he reached the last and pushed him up against the wall with his own stake to his neck. I went running forward with Sookie close behind me and touched Eric's arms halting his intended murder.
"Eric, you don't have to kill him," I said quickly. "He's not worth it. And remember what Godric said!"
Eric hesitated eyeing the young man and then me, before releasing him and tossing him to the ground. Eric moved toward the doors quickly, beckoning Sookie and I to follow. He paused at the door, opening it halfway to see what lay behind it. I peeked around his shoulder catching sight of the mob of people outside, each holding a various weapon, stakes, silver chains, even crossbows. Crap.
"Those arrows are wood," the young man still conscious on the floor said. "You will never make it through." There was hint of triumph to his voice that made me want to punch him.
"The sanctuary," Sookie offered pointing behind us. "We can get out that way."
Eric led the way and Sookie and I followed, holding hands again. We rushed through a pair of large doors, following close behind Eric as his eyes surveyed the room. "Where's the exit?" he asked as he lead us down the long aisle towards the altar.
"Back there," Sookie said pointing in front of us.
"There are several exits actually," came a voice that made my stomach curl. It echoed through the chapel making all three of us halt as we heard it. My eyes scanned the room until I saw Reverend Steve Newlin coming to stand in front of the altar. He smiled almost politely. "For you the easiest one takes you straight to hell."
The doors behind us opened and more members of the fellowship came milling through, still holding weapons. They surrounded us, making my heart race and my skin crackle with energy shocking Sookie who recoiled from me and looked at me in surprise. I looked at her apologetically and moved closer to Eric on instinct. He stood tall and brave in front of us waiting for one of the members to strike. I knew this was going to end bloody if we did it his way. These people didn't deserve to die though, they were just foolish idiots listening to an even bigger idiot tell them lies.
"Look why don't you just let us leave?" I said loudly looking around at them. The looks on their faces remained the same, filled with hate. "All of you will die if you do this." It was almost a promise. Eric would kill some of them before they managed to take him down. I knew it.
"The war has begun you evil whore of Satan," Steve said looking right at me, making my face fall. "The vampires started this when they decided to come out of hiding."
"You're an idiot," I said with a shake of my head. "The vampire you kidnapped got away. He is a sheriff."
"And he's going to send help," Sookie added with a nod.
"We don't need Godric," Steve answered shaking his head and chuckling lightly. "Any vampire will do. And look we have one right here." He motioned to Eric, whose face fell slightly.
I frowned immediately and moved to stand in front of him. "No!" I shouted angrily making all eyes fall on me in surprise, including Eric's. I wasn't going to let them hurt him. Even if it meant me getting in the way. I still cared about him even though he was a pompous prick that drove me crazy half the time that I was with him. He had done things that I was pissed about but that didn't change a thing about how I truly felt. I couldn't see myself living in a world that didn't have him in it, even if we weren't speaking or seeing each other. Knowing he existed was comfort enough. "He hasn't done anything to any of you!"
Two men stepped forward cautiously to grab him, making Eric tense behind me and the energy begin to swirl like an angry cyclone within me. It filled me quickly as they continued to come towards us and my power burst out of me without warning, sending the two men flying backward to crash into a few pews. They hit the ground with hard thuds and I heard shocked gasps from a few of the other members before some of them moved forward to help them. Silence fell heavy in the room and the energy drained from me as quickly as it came, leaving me breathless and exhausted. I managed to stay on my feet though as I stared angrily up at Steve Newlin who was looking at me in both awe and utter fear.
"What in god's name are you?" he questioned softly.
"None of your business," I answered through clenched teeth. "And none of you are going to lay a finger on him."
No one spoke for a moment as all eyes were on me and Steve Newlin waiting to hear his response, for a moment I thought he was going to allow us to leave when I felt two large hands on my shoulders. I turned my head to look up at Eric and saw him looking down at me. I couldn't read the emotion on his face and my t-shirt was blocking me from reading his thoughts, but I already knew what he was thinking. His eyes were glossy as he gazed at his hands pushed me forward carefully and he moved around me, making me lunge forward. I grabbed his hand and tried to yank him back towards me, it was impossible.
"Eric, no," I said looking up at him desperately. I felt something warm sliding down my face and my vision was growing blurry around the edges. Was I crying? "Please. Don't do this."
"I will be fine, Chase," Eric said softly.
I attempted to yank him back towards me again and found resistance. I moved closer Instead gripping his hand and forearm tightly. "No, you won't. They want to kill you, Eric!" I said as if he didn't know. "I can't let you do this. You're an asshole and I am still mad at you but I am not going to let you sacrifice yourself to these…these idiots!"
The corner of his lips quirked as if he wanted to smile, making my face fall slightly. One large cold hand reached up to wipe a trail of my tears from my face before he pulled his arm and hand from my tight grasp and turned to Steve Newlin, offering himself. I didn't understand why he was doing this, why he was sacrificing himself. Was it for Godric? I knew he could get us out of here if he wanted too, and right about then I didn't care if it meant spilling a little blood on the way out. I didn't want him to die.
"Eric!" I called as he took careful steps up the altar.
I moved to rush forward and Steve made a hand motion toward me, calling one of the members forward. One tall brave man stepped forward cautiously before grabbing me and holding me tightly. The energy in me began to swirl weakly and I tried to call it up to throw him off, but I was still tired from before. Sookie tried to rush forward to my aid, but another man grabbed her, keeping her from me.
"Brothers and Sisters," Steve Newlin said triumphantly. "There will be a holy bonfire at dawn."
I watched with warm tears sliding down my cheeks as two of the members of the fellowship stripped Eric of his leather jacket and laid him back on the altar. He didn't fight, he didn't make a sound; he just relented and let them do it. Even as they laid the chain of silver over his wrists and neck, he still didn't move to resist. I cringed as I heard his skin crackle and sizzle as the chains burned his flesh, and Eric's fangs unsheathed on impulse. I tried to move forward again, but the man held me firmly making me struggle.
"Just as the Lord was betrayed by thirty pieces of silver, so can just a few ounces of silver betray a child of Satan!" Steve preached looking at his congregation who nodded eagerly in response. They had all seemed to have forgotten about my previous display of power and were now happly listening to Steve's idiotic preachings.
"That doesn't even make any sense!" Sookie reasoned out loud looking around at all the members as if they were idiots. "How can you people listen to him?"
"Please, don't be stupid. This is going to end very badly!" I tried to reason calmly even though emotions and anger were flooding through me. "He hasn't done anything to you, please just let him go!"
On the altar, Eric made a noise catching Steve's attention. He spoke slowly and weakly as Steve turned to him and leaned down to listen. "I…offer myself…in exchange for Godric's freedom…and the girls as well."
"Eric! No!" I shouted struggling harder.
"That's very noble of you, but these women are just as culpable as you are. They are traitors to their own race. They deserve to burn in hell just as much as you do. Especially this one who is obviously your whore and a freak of nature," Steve said turning his hateful brown eyes on me.
I frowned at him, the energy in me beginning to burn. "I'm no one's whore," I said through clenched teeth. "And I am no freak of nature," Okay even I had trouble believing that. "I am just a person that's a little different from the rest of you!"
"Actually sweetheart you are, having relations with a subhuman, a child of Satan, makes you unworthy of God's grace and mercy," Steve said shaking his head, he almost looked apologetic and sad. "And obviously you are some sort of witch which further casts you into damnation. This is why you are going to burn as well. We will have a double bonfire."
My stomach sunk and my eyes widened as I looked to Sookie in fear. She shook her head feverishly looking at Steve Newlin. "No!" Sookie shouted. "She hasn't done anything wrong!"
"She did wrong when she chose this demon over her own kind and decided to practice black magic," Steve answered absently.
"She does not practice black magic!" Sookie shouted angrily. "She isnt a witch you idiot!"
I was growing more furious by the second and I felt as if I was going to burst. I opened my mouth to tell Steve Newlin just what I thought about him and his opinions when the doors of the altar burst open and a blur came rushing in. It stopped halfway down the aisle and I realized that it was Bill Compton. I let out a sigh of relief.
"Sookie!" he cried past extended fangs.
"Bill!"
Steve was quick, pulling a gun from his belt and aiming it right at Sookie's head. Bill hesitated and glared at the reverend. "If you shoot her everyone here will die," Bill said making it sound as if it were a promise. I believed him. "Let her go."
Steve groaned irritably and rolled his eyes. "Honestly, what do they see in you?" he asked looking at Sookie with disgust. "Brothers, some silver chains for our friends please."
"Don't!" Sookie shouted angrily. "He's done nothing to you!"
"Hey!"
Everyone turned as the shout resonated through the chapel and my eyes searched frantically to find the owner of the voice that sounded so familiar. It was Jason, sitting high about the room in what looked like a window. He had what looked like a sniper rifle in his hand and was aiming it right at Steve. My heart pounded as I thought for a moment Jason was going to kill the reverend. A loud bang echoed through the room and Steve let out a painfilled cry, dropping the gun out of his hand and too the floor.
"Let them go!" Jason shouted angrily.
Steve looked at his hand which was green from where the paintball had hit him, before looking up to where Jason sat angrily. "You son of a-."
There was a second shot, which hit Steve right in the forehead, making him give out another pain filled cry. A few people screamed and ran backwards for cover. The man holding me released me, and I immediately rushed forward to Eric's side. I grabbed the chains, lifting them carefully from his skin as he gazed up at him me with pain filled eyes. The moment the chains were removed he blurred past me, grabbing Steve by the neck and slamming him down on the steps of the altar. As much as I wanted him to kill the reverend I knew that it would only make things worse.
"Eric, wait. You don't have to kill him!" I said quickly before he could do anything else.
Jason disagreed with me from above. "Kill the son of a bitch!" he shouted, making me look up at him with a frown.
"Yes go ahead," Steve taunted. "Make a martyr out of me. Show what you really are so that the war will continue!"
"Shut up!" I shouted angrily. "Eric, please, let him go."
Eric didn't get the chance to react as an odd sound surrounded the chapel and everyone paused to listen. The double doors burst open once again and more vampires came spilling into the room, surrounding the perimeter of the room. Stan stood it the center, wearing his black outfit and cowboy hat, fangs extended as he looked around the room. I sighed in frustration realizing just how bad things were about to get. Stans next words didn't do anything good for the situation and as he spoke Eric released Steve and stepped back to stand beside me, and Sookie went running into Bill's arms. I waited for the vampires to strike and they did on Stan's command.
"Kill them all!"
I jumped as the vampires went blurring around the room, grabbing whatever human was the closest. Eric's arm came around me protectively, pulling me against his side as if to say 'shes mine don't touch her'. I pressed myself into him, putting my face into his ribs and shutting my eyes, not wanting to watch the carnage that was about to happen. I was glad that Eric was okay and for now Sookie and I were both still alive, but a lot of innocent people were about to die and that was something I did not want to watch.
"ENOUGH!" I recognized Godric's voice as it rang out around the room and pulled back from Eric to look up and see him standing on the edge of the choir loft. I looked around the room to see that all the vampires had frozen with their panicked and terrified looking victims in theirs arms, some with their fangs centimeters from sinking into their throats. Stan looked irritated as he withdrew from his victims neck and looked up at Godric.
"You came for me I assume?" Godric asked, tilting his head.
"Yes, sheriff," Stan grumbled in response.
"These people have not harmed me," Godric replied. "See we can coexist. Mr. Newlin I do not wish to create bloodshed where none is called for. Help me set an example. If we leave in peace will you do the same?"
Steve huffed. "I will not negotiate with subhumans and witches!" he spat kneeling before Eric offering his neck. "Kill me! Do it! Jesus will protect me."
Eric didn't look tempted. He looked more irritated.
"I am actually older than your Jesus. I wish I could have known him, but I missed it," Godric continued with a small smile, making Steve look up at him with a frown. He jumped down from the choir loft and pulled Steve back to his feet. He turned to the rest of the fellowship members. "Good people. Who of you are willing to die for this man's madness?"
I looked around waiting for people to call out foolishly. No one did. No one even moved.
"That's what I thought," Godric said with a sigh. "Stand down everyone."
A bunch of reluctant vampires released their victims.
"People go home," Godric ordered. "Its over now."
I sighed and leaned into Eric. "Thank god." I was ready to go back to the hotel and get out of the stupid church with its crazed leader.
"I dare say my faith in humankind is stronger than yours," Godric said releasing Steve who fell to the ground. Godric moved to walk down the aisle past Stan and the others. "Come."
Stan hesitated. "But sir, after what these humans have done to you-."
"I said 'come'," Godric said with a bite to his tone. Stan sighed and allowed him to pass by, moving to follow.
Jason came down from his perch rushing forward to talk to Sookie and Bill who were still holding eachother. His eyes caught mine for a moment but I looked away as I realized I was still pressed into Eric's side. I withdrew from him quickly, blushing as I realized he was looking down at me. I smoothed my hair out of my face and tried to move forward to follow Sookie and Bill out of the chapel, not wanting to talk about what had happened or face what feelings I had showed him with my display of anger and pain at him wanting to sacrifice himself. His arm came out and gripped my forearm gripping it gently, but firmly to keep me close to him. My eyes caught his and I forced myself to hold his gaze.
"That was quite a display," he said softly. "I didn't know that you cared so much whether or not I lived or died."
My blush deepened and I looked down, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. I didn't really know how to respond. I did care. I cared a lot. I loved him. I couldn't help myself, I loved him despite all his vampire flaws and cruelty. I just wasn't sure whether I could stand by and be with him despite all of that. But it didn't mean that I wanted him dead. I sighed. I had a lot to think about.
"I do care," I said softly pulling my arm away from his grasp. "I care a lot."
He didn't say anything as I turned and headed down the aisle wanting to get out of the church as soon as possible. I was beyond ready to leave Dallas.