Trading Places
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the True Blood characters (*sigh* unfortunately) but I'm having fun playing with them! I only own my original story plots and characters.
well...erm...what can I say...life go in the way and I haven't posted for ages. Sorry guys; but thanks for reading.
Chapter 10
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Godric's POV
Something was wrong; very wrong. The door flung open to reveal a very terrified Roanne. I could hear her heart beating so fast; thrumming like a buterfly. Eric was almost instantly at my back…but I knew despite his cool demeanour that he was nervous. He was desperately trying to hide something from the bond.
Roanne flinched at the sight of Eric and took a few shaky steps back. I stretched out to steady her but she flinched from me too. Oh Eric what in the Gods names did you do now?
"Eric. My office. Now" Eric followed my order without hesitation.
I turned back towards Roanne. Her heart was still beating fast. "Please Roanne, please come inside…I know you're mad at me…but please…you need to sit down".
Roanne looked at me then. Really looked at me…I could see the hurt and fear in her eyes. She turned around and began to walk down the front steps. My mind was buzzing. She couldn't leave. I couldn't lose her. My desperation quickly turned to relief when she took a seat at the bottom step.
I stood there frozen to the spot…not sure I should leave her alone or go to her.
"Stop fucking staring Godric and come sit down" she sighed. There's that question answered.
"Godric…I can't keep doing this…I can't be scared in my own home"
I remained quiet…hoping she would continue.
"Eric scared the hell out of me tonight…he said he was hungry…I think he was going to bite me…only for the fairy light…which by the way was a first…I…I think he would have".
To say I was furious was an understatement. I balled my fists up and clenched my jaw shut. It took every ounce of self control not to vamp into my office and rip Eric to shreds.
"I know you have this…you are mine…we are destined…blah blah…but we agreed that you would let me chose and do things in my own time. I'm still just a teenager…I want to have a normal as possible life. You trying to control me just makes me so hurt and angry. How am I supposed to trust you".
I hated how sad her voice was. I hated how her hurt and pain made me feel.
"and Eric…he scares the living hell out of me. I really thought he would kill me tonight. Godric…if you really feel so protective towards me…why can't you control your own child?"
That will be sorted tonight I thought; anger vibrating through me.
"I don't know what his problem is Godric…but you need to sort this out"
She stood up then and turned around.
"Goodnight" she whispered…gently squeezing my shoulder but refusing to look me in the eyes.
I remained sitting…desperately trying to calm myself before dealing with Eric.
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Eric POV
I knew that he knew I was hiding something. Then that stupid bloodbag tells him everything and he believes her blindly; sending me straight to his office.
I listened to her speak to him; all the while shivers of Godric's rage ran through the bond making my body shudder.
After the little teacup bitch went upstairs he didn't move. I could feel Godric just sitting on the steps…no movement. But inside he was a hurricane of rage. SHIT.
I looked desperately around the room I'd been pacing; my eyes darting to the window, then the door. Don't be stupid Eric; like you could outrun him!
I looked nervously at the little clock on his desk…10 minutes, 20 minutes…an hour. He didn't move and his rage was not subsiding.
My fear was growing by the second…my thoughts of how to repent growing desperate. I wracked my brain to remember the last time Godric was so angry and even more so to remember when this much anger was aimed at me. He wouldn't end me would he? Although I had almost fed from his fated partner... only almost…
I resigned myself to take whatever punishment was coming my way and prepared myself like I would have done in my infant days as I learned the lessons of what Godric deemed appropriate behavior.
I took off my boots and socks; leaving them neatly out of the way and stripped off my t-shirt to add to the pile.
I moved to the center of the room and knelt down with my head lowered. All I could do was wait…
It was 5 hours later when Godric finally come back into the house. I heard his almost feather-like steps as he entered his office and sat in his chair behind the desk I was facing.
Silence. Utter silence. I hoped he wasn't expecting me to talk first. I didn't have a death wish and there was no way I was going to lift my head to look at him. My attempts at remaining stoic fell apart as my body failed me and I began to shake with nerves. Had my heart been beating it would be in overdrive.
"Have I mistreated you Eric?"
"master?"
"Did I not take you as a brother, a son…teach you everything I knew?"
I panicked. Was he actually looking for an answer? Or just thinking aloud?
"Well?"
Shit.
"I thought I had earned your loyalty, your respect?"
"You have my loyalty and respect master" I whispered, focusing intently on the knot of wood on the floorboard.
"Liar" he hissed and I flinched at the venom in his voice. "You have gone against everything I've asked of you in regard to Roanne…despite what I've told you of my feelings for her. You almost ATE her tonight"
"master please…" the panic making my voice shake.
"NO…your apology is useless Eric. I thought I'd raised you better…I was clearly mistaken. Perhaps you need re-schooling…if I'm ever going to trust you again. As your maker I command you not to drink from Roanne or touch her in any inappropriate way. You WILL treat her with respect."
The command washed over me with finality.
I have to what … how could he do this. A human…above me?
"I can feel your anger Eric" Godric sighed. "No remorse…pity…
Let me guess…you're annoyed I've commanded you respect Roanne's wishes…you show not one morsel of regret…no shame for what you nearly did tonight. You are no thousand year old vampire…you act like a child" he snarled.
Godric stood then, and circled me…"But as I said…perhaps you need re-schooling…" he said with a low and serious voice as he dragged his nail along my back. But I couldn't enjoy his touch…the drag of his nail was not meant to be enjoyed. My body shuddered as Godric grabbed my jaw; the bones feeling the pressure of his tight grasp.
"I see you've started to prepare for your punishment" he snarled roughly shoving my jaw away, going to lean against the edge of the desk "you may continue" he hissed.
'started'…I wasn't sure what he meant and I tentatively raised my head to look at Godric. His eyes were dark and menacing. He stared through me and I panicked…I didn't know what he meant.
He stood then, walking around to the back of his desk. Opening the little wooden drawer, he pulled out a pair of pale brown cotton gloves. Not good. He walked to a cupboard and opened it; retrieving what seemed to be a mental rod. Oh Gods…not mental…silver.
"I think I told you to continue to prepare for your punishment Eric" he snapped "how do you expect me to give you a proper beating if half of you is covered up?"
….
When he was finished, he had picked me up roughly, brought me down stairs and flung me at the end of the hall.
"Sleep" was all he snarled at me before he set the security alarms and went to his room.
I was left disorientated at the quickness of his movement…fearful and full of dread.
I didn't dare move to my room that I normally would have stayed. I shuffled to the corner at the back of the hall and leaned my back to the wall. My undead life was ruined and it was all HER fault.
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Roanne's POV
The sound of Godric hitting Eric made me cringe. It was nothing like that tingly feeling I got when I saw Alcide. I knew Godric was a big bad vampire but I just never thought of him as being violent like that…although in some ways I couldn't blame him either…come on…Eric was so utterly annoyed…who wouldn't want to pummel him?
[I felt relaxed and dazed, the scene before me playing out like an old side reel show. The heat of the sun felt perfect against my skin. The smell of the sweet grass and newly cut logs. Firewood. Split wood. "Should I bend over the wood Miss…or should I bring out a stool?" "The wood will do" I heard myself respond, as Alcide placed a belt in my hands. I saw a glimmer of fear but he looked so handsome, so beautiful. I walked behind him, as he went to the wood and bent himself over. beautiful. "What about me mistress…where do you want me for my beating?" said Eric…Eric with his dropped fangs and mouth dripping with blood.]
GAgggh
Damn it Eric you even manage to ruin my dreams.
…
The next morning I woke up grumpy – bad mood, wrong side of the bed grumpy. Although I truly felt justified in being pissed off, Godric was having me followed, Eric tried to eat me…not to mention ruining my dream, Sookie blew off our cinema plans and Alcide didn't text back.
I slunk down to the kitchen for coffee. Everyone sucks.
…
It took over an hour for my bad mood to lift a little. And dressed in my Sunday best I headed off for church to sing in the choir. I wasn't really religious but I loved to sing and Sookie's Gran had smiled so hard and been so happy when I said I'd sing in the choir that I couldn't let her down. I pedaled into the church, grumbling at the fact I had to go on my bike in a dress.
Hmmm, maybe a car wouldn't be so bad…
"Hey Roanne, wait up" Sookie called.
"Hey Sook"
"Are you ok Roanne?"
"Lots happened last night. But not here" I said, looking around at the people making their way into church. Sookie nodded and we headed inside.
…
"You girls behave" Adele called after us and took off together after service. I wheeled my bike as we both walked along the path near the river.
…
"On my gosh….do ya think he'd really eat you?" Sookie asked when I told her what Eric did.
"I'm not sure" I replied honestly "but it sure seemed that way. Godric and pissed and he…I think he gave Eric a beating"
"Really? Makers give their progeny spankings?" Sookie asked and I burst out laughing. I had a mental image of Godric sitting on a chair and Eric's huge body lain across his lap. "Oh god gouge my eyes out now" I giggled. "Roanne" Sookie chastised, hitting my arm "that's not funny".
We sat down near the river in silence for a while.
"Do you think Alcide gets tanned a lot?"
"hmmm?"
"Alcide, do you think…it's just he was so afraid of his pops and he was thinking about other times in his head….." Sookie trailed off sadly.
"I sure hope not…but it kinda seemed that way. He didn't text back you know"
"What'd gonna do…he said maybe Monday you guys would meet"
"I only got one text Sook…and we didn't even make any proper plans"
"So what you gonna do?" she asked again.
"I'm going to move on and make my own plans tomorrow"
"Really?"
"Nope…I'm gonna head to Shreveport, hope he turns up then take it from there"
…
And that's exactly what I did the next day. I left the house after breakfast and headed to catch the bus to Shreveport.
Once I actually got there; I started to think about heading home. I mean…he never text back. So after stopping in a little café for an orange juice, I started to walk towards the bus stop. Who was I kidding?
"Roanne?"
I spun around on my heels. It was really him.
"God I'm so glad you came. I had no way to let you know…"
"Alcide! Let me know what?"
"I…after last time you were at my place and my dad…well, he was still pissed with me when he got home that night and he took my phone and motorbike keys off me. I'd no way of getting in touch. I just hoped you'd turn up" he finished off, glancing nervously around.
"Oh…I didn't know" Thank you lord, he wasn't ignoring me. "Em…you ok?" I asked as he looked around again.
"No…yeah…it's just I'm not supposed to be out and I don't want anyone to see me and then say it to my dad"
"Well, can we go somewhere?"
"My bike's down near the creek we went last time. We could get a picnic or something?"
A picnic. A picnic's like a date…right?
"Sure" I said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
…..
"So are you grounded for the whole Summer?"
"Yeah…it truly sucks. I usually work the summer months and earn some cash. I'd hope to trade in my motorbike for an upgrade this summer. But that's not gonna happen now. Might never happen. I'm only working weekends and I keep getting in trouble so I don't get paid"
"I'm sorry I got you in trouble" I said in a low voice. I felt really bad about involving Alcide.
"Hey" he said, lifting my chin "It wasn't you…it was me being dumb. Someone would've saw me eventually and my dad woulda been pissed even If I hadn't gotten into a fight."
"Is you dad always like that?"
"He wasn't always. My mom always had dreams about me going to college and always talked about me bein' a good boy. Since she's passed its like dad is making sure all her dreams come true. Says I'm going to college, like it or not and he's gotten a lot stricter too. So when a bad report came through the post…I was in for it."
Poor Alcide.
"Maybe I could help you to study? It's not like I've got much on at the minute"
"Really. Wow, that'd be great…we could have study dates"
Oh yay. Study. Friendsville. Kill me now.
"But…well…I…I…I'd like to do a real date…it's just dad n everything and….we…we could go fishing? I mean we could meet n study n stuff then go fishing and make a fire to roast the fish….or….or….not" Alcide cheek's flushed and he looked away.
Wait… "Did you just ask me out?" Did he just ask me out?
"Umm…kinda…but if you don't want to just say so" he said with a hurt voice.
"No….I mean yes…sure...we can go fishing"
Alcide's face lit up. "Great".
…..
I had a date. A fishing date but a date nonetheless. I shared squeals of excitement when I talked with Sookie on the phone on the way home from Shreveport.
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Godric POV
Eric was still sitting naked on the floor in the hallway outside my bedroom. Although silent, his eyes pleaded for permission to get up and go home.
I didn't give it.
"Inform Pamela that you will be staying with me a few days longer" I ordered, as I thrust my phone into his lap.
"Yes Master"
Master…it was hard to think this was the same Eric. My Eric. I always knew he had a wilful streak but last night was the last straw. He needed to be reminded of his place.
…
Knock knock
"You don't need to knock Roanne. Please come in".
She looked beautiful. She smelled of sunshine.
"Hey" she said shyly as she walked in and sat down.
I was expecting her to still be annoyed with me. Upset perhaps but she seemed almost happy.
"Listen, I'm sorry about being so upset with you yesterday but I hope you understand how scared I was of Eric. I just want to feel safe and try be a normal teenager and I'm glad you can understand that and give me my space".
"Eric will not harm you. You have my word. So…did you have a pleasant day?"
"Actually, yeah…I met Alcide again and we had a picnic. He's taking me fishing later in the week. I…well…I think I like him…he makes me happy" she beamed. KILL ME NOW.
"Oh…well…isn't that nice".
"Yeah. Well, listen, thanks for being so good about this. I'm heading to Sookie's for the evening. I'll be back at ten ok. Jason's picking me up and he said he'd drop me home too".
Beep Beep.
"He's here. I've gotta go…see you later Godric".
I sat still. So still. I could hear every sound of the night outside. I could hear Roanne getting into the boy's truck and greeting him and Sookie. I listened as the truck pulled down the driveway. I calmly reached for the little drawer in my desk and pulled on a delicate pair of cotton gloves.
"ERIC"
A/N So….erm. What do you think? I wanted to explore a little of the darker side of Godric rather than have him as a love stricken puppy and Eric seems like the perfect punching bag...too dark?