AN: It's a bit shorter than normal, but I thought their blood bonding deserved a chapter to itself. Enjoy and thank you again to all my reader's and reviewers!

As always, I'm only playing in these worlds. They're not mine, which is such a pity, lol.

Chapter 10

Nothing in Godric's 2000 years had prepared him for the panic he felt as his Resonated Bond seemed to grow weaker, and he quickly settled with his witch on their bed. He whispered into her ear, "I would have made this first bonding between us truly special, and with your willing consent. Yet I find that I am not able to let you go, witchling." He tenderly stroked her hair, and prayed to gods he was sure had forgotten him long ago that this would work. Quickly, he bit deeply into his wrist and firmly pressed it to her lips. He deeply mourned that such a sacred bond was started when she was unable to give her consent.

As the first drops slid into her mouth, he shuddered and his fangs snicked out. The last one to receive his blood had been his child, and he had forgotten the intensity of a new bond. He sent Home, Trust, Tenderness across their bond and nuzzled her soft neck.

"Forgive me, little one." he murmured and gently licked her neck. With the expertise of millennia, he easily pierced her skin and growled as liquid nirvana flooded his mouth and raced through his body. He was almost overwhelmed by the feel of her heartbeat against his lips along with the feel of her fragile body cradled in his arms. It demolished his vaunted control and he struggled to take only measured sips of her blood.

Godric reluctantly moved when he felt Bryony stir and push at his shoulders. "Witchling-," he hurried to explain but stopped, surprised, when she moved from laying across his lap to straddling him. His hands rested on her hips, and he curiously waited for her reaction. The bond between them was quiet, yet he found himself oddly nervous and excited.

She licked her lips, getting every last drop of his delicious blood. She smiled, dazed, and stared into her bonded's patient eyes. "You are delicious, Godric. Sweet and thick. I can feel you inside of me…hope, strength and something else…some emotion that I don't understand. Something that makes me feel warm and happy and safe."

When he went to speak, she raised her hand and gently rested her fingers against his bloody mouth. Distracted by the tips of his fangs, she ran her fingers over them, ignorant of the flare of heat in their bond and Godric's tense body. A voice, Magic perhaps, distractedly whispered to her…telling her that there was something she needed to do to complete what Godric started. The world seemed sharper, brighter, and more detailed than before and it almost overwhelmed her human eyes. She trailed her fingers down his lips, across his strong jaw, and came to rest on his neck.

"Please Godric." she huskily whispered, and leaned in to nip right below his jaw. "I want, I need, to drink from you here." The need doubled, then tripled as Bryony whimpered, and her body shivered as her instincts screamed. "I need…I want…." she blearily thought, only to be distracted by a low rumble.

Godric growled, low and deep as instinct took over and he pulled Bryony firmly against his body and rolled so that she was underneath him. Rising over her, he dominantly stared down into her eyes, his lips curling away from his still bloody fangs. Instead of fear at his feral appearance, she completely relaxed and offered her neck to him. Their Resonance Bond throbbed within them, but the blood bond felt oddly incomplete and the need tore through them both to continue.

Godric gritted his teeth and snarled as he thought, "I will not force her into this. It will be her choice, always." Using all the patience and control he had gained over 2000 years he froze his muscles and asked, "Do you willingly blood bond with me, little one?"

She wrapped her arms around her vampire and dug her nails into his back, loving his strength and how safe she felt. "Yes." she turned her head and brushed her lips over his wrist. "Do you willingly blood bond to me, Godric?"

"Yes," he growled, his body tight with anticipation. Raising a hand to his neck, Godric viciously ripped a deep gouge into his flesh before he guided her mouth to the wound. "Drink of me, my witch, and let us become one."

The smell of his powerful blood was heady, and she eagerly drank as her lips and toungue moved to keep the wound open. Reverently, she threaded her fingers through Godric's short hair, pulled him to her own bleeding neck, and arched as his teeth slid deeply into her. Both moaned as, willingly and together, they began to feed from each other. It felt like their very souls were rising and twining around each other tighter and tighter with each sip of blood.

She whimpered and shifted restlessly, helpless against the soul deep trembling within her. Beyond words, beyond instinct she was only aware of his sturdy form above and around her, keeping her safe from harm. Something was building between them, something that went beyond the physical and into the realm of the soul. Overwhelmed, she clung to Godric as the only safe harbor in the rising storm, even as her instincts drove her to drink more. With each gulp of blood that feeling grew larger and larger until suddenly their souls merged with a bright explosion of silver light and magic.

Luna stared blankly at the shuttered windows, and ignored the phone that continued to shrilly ring next to her.

"Seer, how can you ignore that racket?" an irritated Eric finally snapped, emerging from the room he had forced the other witch into to cool off. She had been shocked at his speed and it had been amusing to see how helpless she was once he had gained ownership of her wand. There was a reason that wizards feared older vampires.

Luna ignored the Viking as he spoke into the phone to a shocked and frightened Isabel who demanded to speak with her Sheriff.

"He is busy," a bored Eric replied, his attention on the strangely elated feelings coming from his Maker. He smirked and stretched his tall frame out on the couch.

"Busy?!" Isabel shouted. "Stan and I arrive at the nest tonight to find that it looked like the scene from a horror movie! What happened?"

"There was an…issue…earlier with some wizards who were after the Snack. It was taken care of and Godric will be with you later this evening."

"But-," Isabel sputtered.

Eric rolled his eyes and smirked at the infuriated look Granger shot him as she awkwardly hopped into the living room, trailing the bed sheet he had tied her up in like a cocoon. "Do your job, Isabel, and get the nest cleaned up. I doubt you need Godric to hold your hand for that." Eric ended the call and picked up the hotel phone and ordered room service. He had a feeling, based on the emotions he was getting from his Maker, that the Snack would need food whenever they finally emerged from the bedroom.

Hermione sneered. "Do you mind untying me and telling me what the hell is going on between your Maker and Bry?"

Eric rolled his eyes, bored, and began to play with his phone. "Sit down, witch. What is happening is nor your concern, let them be. How the Snack dealt with wizards for so long without killing you all I have no clue."

Hermione awkwardly spun towards Luna and almost fell over, "Luna! Please untie me! Bryony needs a healer!"

Luna finally lost her temper, and snapped, "Hermione, you have a choice to make. Either do as the Viking says, or leave."

The gaping expression on Hermione's face made Eric's eyebrows rise in shocked amusement. "Blood bags, always so pathetically entertaining," he thought. "Thankfully, the little Snack seems much more intelligent."

"What?! Why would I leave, Luna? Bryony will need our help to fight the Necromancers!"

"No, she doesn't. Everything and everyone she needs will be there at the appointed time. Nothing you or I can do will change what is coming. You can either make things easy for her, 'Mione, or you can deal with the consequences of your actions. None of which you will enjoy, I can assure you."

Tears filled Hermione's eyes, "You know I care for her, Luna. I owe her my life."

Luna sighed and began to unbind her friend. "I know you care for her, 'Mione, but frankly you've been acting like you have wrackspurts nesting in your ears. Have you gotten them checked recently?"

Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes before she caught the strain Luna was trying to hide behind her typical nonsensical statements. "Luna, what's wrong? Seriously?"

Luna paused, but before she could answer a wave of light and energy knocked them all violently to the ground. Luna groaned in pain and managed to roll to her back.

"Is everyone alright? Luna?" she heard Hermione call out as the Viking got to his feet and ignored them, staring in shock at the closed door of his Maker's room.

Sprawled on her back, Luna looked up to the ceiling, and she found herself suddenly bombarded with more visions. The future had suddenly gained another, albeit extremely slim, possible outcome. Something had changed, and where before there was only darkness held back by a single, wavering light it was now joined by two others. That light now burned even brighter and held the darkness at bay. It was not a solution, not yet, but Luna laughed until she cried as she realized that the Ancient Pythoness must have seen this possible outcome. "She truly was the Oracle of Delphi for a reason," Luna thought in awe. A large hand reached down and pulled her easily to her feet, and she grinned blindingly up at the cold faced Viking.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Eric demanded. Her insane smile and cackling laugh made him, although he would never admit it, nervous. "Crazy seers!" he sneered to himself, even as he worried about the now muted bond from his Maker.

A small hand on his arm made him look down and glare at the strange witch. "Be calm, Viking. They will emerge soon, the blood bond took a lot out of them."

"Little one, it is time to wake." The uniquely accented voice pierced the peaceful daze Bryony was in and made her grumble and curl further into the warm covers.

"Five more minutes," she sleepily mumbled. "I'm comfy."

A chuckle answered her, and cold fingers moved soothingly over her face and neck. Godric. The touch blazed across her skin, and she was filled with an awareness that she had not had even with their Resonance Bond. "There is much to do, witchling, and the night is already upon us." Reluctance flooded the bond from both of them, but she knew he was right.

With a groan, she stretched like a cat, and whimpered at the cracks and pops that came from her stiff body. Twisting onto her side she opened her eyes and smiled into the gentle, grey gaze above her. Godric had propped himself up on one elbow next to her, and continued to run his fingers lightly across her cheeks. A strange ache was coming from her neck and she hesitantly raised a hand to the tender skin and her eyes opened wide in shock.

"What is that?" she blurted out. The skin under her fingers felt slightly raised and different.

Godric shook his head. "When I came back to myself they were there. I have never heard of a blood bonding creating such a thing before, little one."

"Wait, you have one too?" she asked and leaned forward when he tilted his head to the side. On his neck where she had drunk from him was a faintly glowing runic tattoo. "It's the rune Laguz. Does mine match?" she asked, somewhat in shock.

"Yes, and I do not know why we have been gifted with them." He hesitated, their bond was calm within them, but he still felt the need to ask. "Are you angry that I started the blood bond?"

She blinked in surprise before she trailed her fingers down to trace the tattoos on his left arm. "No, I know you would not have done so without asking me unless it was absolutely necessary." Trust, she sent through their bond.

His eyes grew tender and he twined his fingers with his witch's and pressed a chaste kiss against her wrist. "No, I would have made the first night of our bonding special, little one. I woke an hour before sunset, as is normal, but you were not in our bed."

"No," she murmured, distracted and pleased by the mention of 'our bed'. "Hermione needed to speak to Luna and myself. Afterwards I could not get back into the room so slept on the couch. I remember-," Bryony paused her memories vague and foggy. All she could remember was pain and an aching need for something.

"When I found you, you were very ill. I was still hesitant to go against your wishes but we received a call from The Grand Pythoness. She said that if we did not start the blood bond tonight, you would fade and die. That because of your cycle, the Resonance Bond could not properly give you the power you needed to support your failing magic. She said that your body needed to have an alternative way to borrow my strength that was not based on you having a accessible magical core." Godric's eyes were far away and his hand tightened on hers. "I…could not let you go, witchling. The feeling of our Resonance Bond unraveling as you began to fade was-."

Bryony reached up and cupped her free hand against Godric's cheek, quieting his words. "Thank you, Godric," she reverently said. "I normally distrust seers but in this case one actually came in handy!" The need to touch him grew, and she tugged at his hand playfully. "You seem to make a habit of saving me, Sir Godric."

He chuckled and admitted, "That may be the first time I've ever been thought of as such."

Bryony shook her head. "I doubt that, Godric. You really do think too little of yourself."

He looked away, a strange reluctance to taint her perception of him as some noble savior filling him. If she really knew what he head done in his past, he doubted even their two bonds would keep her by his side.

Melancholy filled the bond, and Bryony quietly watched the pensive expression flitting across her stubborn vampire's face. "It will take time to convince him of his worth, and that I will not abandon him. It's a good thing, then, I'm as stubborn as a Hippogriff !"

Godric shook off his dark feelings and reluctantly spoke, "We should get up, Bryony, we have much to do this evening."

"No. Five minutes. The world, and your Area, can survive without us for five minutes." she stubbornly answered. "I want my snuggle time," she cajoled, and laughed at the mock affronted look on her vampire's face.

"Vampires don't…snuggle." he said with amused distaste.

She poked him in the chest and grinned. "Oh really? Then what have we been doing the last few days, Sir Godric? Don't worry, I wont tell anyone and ruin your reputation as a kick-arse Ancient vampire." She laughed and tugged on Godric's hand. "Five minutes," she firmly repeated and Godric hummed in agreement as he relaxed down into the bed and pulled her closer to him. Intertwined together in the nest of blankets and pillows, they enjoyed the few minutes of calm they had carved out for themselves in what promised to be a hectic night.

Contentedly, she breathed in Godric's scent, and smiled as she felt him doing the same to her. It was surprising how peaceful it was to just lay there, wrapped in each other's arms. His purr rumbled out, and she grinned. "Yep, obviously no snuggling vampires here." she softly teased and laughed at the feeling of affronted amusement that he teasingly sent her.

"Only with you, witchling." he replied. It had been decades, perhaps centuries, since he had let himself live so fully in the moment and he rejoiced in her closeness.

"Don't worry, I wont tell." Bryony whispered into his neck, leaving a soft kiss against where she had fed from him. "Have you ever blood bonded before?" the question popped out of her mouth before she could stop it, and she blushed hotly. She tried to hide her insecurity and jealousy, but she was sure he could feel them.

He stirred and propped himself up on one elbow to look down at his embarrassed bonded. "No, little one. The blood is sacred and while I have had companions before I have never shared my blood except with my progeny. I have not even drunk from a human in years, preferring donor blood, and lately, True Blood."

She tugged at him until he settled over her again, and smiled up at him as she trailed her fingers over his strong back in invisible patterns. "You will feed from me now though, right? We also still have to exchange two more times for a full blood bond."

He stiffened and guilt shot through their bond. "Witchling-," he hesitantly said, before he trailed off.

Bryony froze and looked up at Godric, her heart in her eyes as she thought, "Let him explain before assuming the worst. How could he not want to feel that again?"

Godric stared down into the eerily green, and oddly resigned, eyes of his bonded and felt her small body stiffen underneath him. He could feel her nerves and also her hope through the bond, and he had no desire to hurt her. For his witchling, he would struggle to overcome his immense guilt, and he smiled at her before he leaned down and placed the softest of kisses upon her forehead. "Yes, witchling, I will feed from you and we will continue the blood bond." The blinding smile and pure joy that lit the room and flooded the bond made Godric grin back and he laughed when she threw herself at him, and tugged him down to rest against her.

Her joy was infectious and Godric purred and nuzzled her neck as she excitedly peppered his cheeks, neck, and shoulders, with kisses. It wasn't until a few stray fingers moved over his lower ribs that he jerked and his purr choked off as his entire body twitched.

Bryony froze and stared up at her motionless vampire, her eyes wide. The bond between them shifted oddly and she experimentally twitched her fingers again…and smirked as he tried to control the reflective twitch. She slowly smiled and mischievously flexed her fingers again, and watched as he tried to nonchalantly move away.

"Little one-," Godric warily said before he was suddenly attacked by rapidly moving fingers intent upon conquering him. For a moment he stiffened, before the waves of playful mischief reached him through the bond. It had been centuries since he had simply played with another like this, and in his distraction he was flipped and Bryony straddled his legs as she continued to mercilessly tickle his sides and stomach.

"C'mon, Godric! Or are you too old and creaky to win a tickle match?" she teasingly mocked.

His lips twitching, he gave into the happily beaming witch that stared challengingly down at him and neatly flipped her back over before searching for her own ticklish spots. Their laughter filled the room as they wrestled across the bed.

"Gotcha!" Bryony giggled, fingers moving like crazy. She knew Godric was seriously restraining himself but she had no idea he could be so much fun! "Whoops!" she laughed as Godric rolled them again until he had her at his mercy against the mess of pillows.

Moving with vampire speed he had managed to discover that her belly was particularly sensitive, and moved to exploit his new knowledge. "Little witch, if I were you I would give in now!" Godric laughed. He had not had so much simple, uninhibited fun in decades!

"Never!" Bryony gasped as her vampire used his superior speed against her poor, defenseless stomach. "No fair, Godric!" she giggled, "I can't use my magic so you should have a handicap too!"

Unfortunately for her, most of the sentence was overcome by her infectious giggles and he gleefully pretended to not understand. Blankets and pillows flew everywhere, and they finally flipped off the bed to the floor. He used his flying ability to move under her as they landed so that she was protected from the hard floor. Joyfully they continued to roll around the floor, as the tickling match turned into a wrestling one. Their bond was wide open and their mutual happiess began to touch the dark and broken spots within Godric's soul, and his laughter was just as loud as his witchling's as they played.

They were so involved in their game that even he was taken by surprise by a rough clearing of the throat, and a feeling of intense amusement directed at him by his watching Child.

They froze, Godric on top of her with her legs and arms wrapped around him and one hand holding a pillow that she had been using as a weapon. She peered up at Eric and furiously blushed at his smirk. Embarrassed at being caught acting like a child, she flung the pillow away and buried her face in her bonded's neck. "Mmm, how is it that he always smells, and feels, so amazing?" she thought, unintentionally sending her feelings down the bond to her amused vampire.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your…play…fader but Isabel is most insistent on speaking with you. Also, your king wishes a meeting tonight as well." Eric regretfully watched as the joyful look in his Maker's eyes turned again to the blank, emotionless mask he had grown familiar with over the past few centuries.

Bryony felt the shift in him, and mentally groaned. Giving a sharp nip to his neck, followed by a gentle kiss, she released him and rose to her feet. She looked around the ransacked room and gave a cheeky grin as she moved towards the bathroom. "The loser, and his progeny, gets to make the bed! I'll be ready in a few minutes, Godric."

She laughed at the expression on their faces as she showered, and didn't care that they could hear her over the pounding water. She marveled at how much better she felt. "Godric blood, it does a body good!" she amusedly thought, her good humor reaching her bonded outside as he spoke with his underlings.

Godric smiled as he felt his witch's joy through their bond even as he instructed Isabel and Stan to have the nest cleaned and to deal with Area business for the night. Just as his call ended another came in, and seeing the number he quickly answered.

"Your Majesty." he calmly answered.

"Ah, I am still your King then, Sheriff. I was wondering, considering you have ignored a required meeting for the last few nights. You will come to my nest tonight, is that clear?" the King's voice was extremely aggravated.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I need to speak to you as well. We will be there within the hour." Godric stoically answered.

"We?" the King asked coolly. "What we must speak of is not for your underling's ears. This is strictly a meeting for the Area Sheriffs."

"Much has recently changed, Your Majesty, and I will appraise you of the new situation tonight." an unruffled Godric replied evenly.

The king huffed before agreeing, and hung up. Godric turned towards the bathroom door as his witch emerged and his eyes widened. She wore some sort of leather pants tucked into knee high boots paired with a dark green t-shirt that had shimmering runes running down the sleeves and along the hem. What surprised him, however, was the large sword she was strapping to her back and the knives sticking out of her boots.

"So what's the plan?" she asked, as she finished braiding her hair.

"We must go to speak with the king so I can tender my resignation and suggest Isabel for the Sheriff's position." Godric replied, eyeing his witch curiously. He himself had already dressed in grey cargo pants and a darker grey shirt that showed hints of his tattoos. The new neck rune was still very faint and he doubted anyone would comment on it.

"Witchling?" he calmly asked and folded his hands behind his back. "Do you not think such a large sword may garner a bit of negative attention on the streets of Dallas?"

"Well this is Texas, and everything is bigger in Texas!" she shot back with a teasing smile. "Don't worry, once I activate the crystal on the hilt no one will be able to see it once its sheathed."

"Hmm," he noncommittally hummed. "Still, if it were discovered it would be considered a grave offense to take such a magical artifact in front of the King."

"Godric, if I have to draw this sword then we will have more to worry about then some temperamental vampire king. It's similar to the knife I had at your nest, the blade is pure silver on one side and cold iron on the other. The only difference is that the sheath is not coated in silver, so I can't accidentally hurt you. It's a blade meant to defend against other Supernaturals, and was forged as a set long ago for my family by the Goblins. It's a bit of a family legend, actually as they were not commissioned, but were a gift with a note that said, 'For the Future.' You will probably be able to feel the enchantments even after it is cloaked because of our bond."

He finally nodded, conceding a battle that he doubted he could win against his stubborn bonded. The situation amused him as he was gotten used to being instantly obeyed. "Perhaps it will come in handy, witchling. Yet be sure that if you pull that blade from it's sheath that it is only in your defense. Agreed?"

Bryony looked up and nodded. "Yes, bonded. I need see if Hermione and Luna can portkey ahead to Shreveport to look around. Unfortunately, I can't travel by portkey for the next few days. The magic of the portkey pulls on the magical core and uses it to power the spell. As for as any spells are concerned, I am a muggle." she explained, answering his questioning look.

He nodded and held his hand out as they finally left the bedroom. "Put your bag near the door and I will have it sent with our own luggage to my private jet. We will be at Shreveport by dawn."

"So, how pissed do you think your king will be when he finds out about Necromancers bent on world domination, several dozen very dead wizards, the first cross-species Resonation Bond in recorded history, and the fact that you're quitting?" she nonchalantly asked. "Do you think we can just forward him the Grand Pythoness's phone number instead?"