Yawning Winn slid into the car seat. She had fallen asleep for a brief nap and was awoken by Godric who had made her a cup of coffee. She was so surprised by his gesture she had mumbled a tired thanks before taking a sip and had to hide her grimace as she swallowed the contents. He hadn't run the coffee grinds through the filter. As she blinked away the sleep she could see them floating at the top of the mug.
Well, she was awake now.
Godric shut the car door. His fingers began hovering across various dials in the car before settling on the gear. He tried moving it several times, feet pressing on the pedals on the floor to make the car work.
Winn crossed her arms. "I asked you if you could drive and you told me yes."
"I believe my answer was 'naturally'."
"Another way of saying yes."
"Or to mean having a natural affinity for learning how to drive."
She ran her hand through her hair. "That's a fairly big leap in interpretation."
"But an apt interpretation none-the-less."
Instead of a reply she sunk into her seat in aggravation.
After a jumpy start he got out of the drive way and onto the backwood roads. But he hadn't been exaggerating. Not only did he figure out how to drive in minutes, but his driving was much smoother than Jess's.
In a few minutes he had seemed to figure out the automatic vehicle. She'd like to see him try a manual.
She hid another yawn. The landscape became a blur and Winn let her mind drift as the music continued playing softly through the speakers.
Take a left turn in about three-hundred yards. The feminine GPS voice said. It was the second time she had issued a command to the driver, who had ignored it the first time. Poor GPS lady had to reroute already.
Winn waved goodbye to the exit as Godric drove by unflinchingly.
"Why didn't you turn?"
"I do not take orders." He said simply.
"Oh for heavens sake! GPS Lady isn't ordering you, she's telling you where to go so we can get to the library."
"I know the route."
Winn stopped herself from rolling her eyes. "You are like Eric. Well, partly. I don't know whether you'd be fine using me as an expendable resource yet." She said. It didn't mean she entrusted Godric with her life, or enough to trust him not to use if in one way or another if it became convienent.
"Expendable resource?" He questioned.
"Sure," she shrugged, "like in Dallas. The only reason I was there was to be a human shield to Sookie Stackhouse. Expendable."
Eric did not bring you to Dallas to be a 'human shield' to Sookie Stackhouse." His expression was a mix of deep offence and shock of her apparently very wrong interpretation. "He brought you and Ms. Stackhouse to Dallas for me to give my approval."
"Approval?" She blinked several times. She hadn't predicted that explanation at all.
He gave a nod in affirmation. "The bond between a progeny and maker is not one humans understand, but for Eric it is very important that the both of you were accepted. However I did not approve of the means of how he brought you to me, the situation was far too dangerous for the both of you."
"Alright, if I wasn't needed for any part of the mission, and Sookie - well her capture wasn't surprising . . . then why bring us into that at all, why not just wait until he had found you first?"
"Eric suspected there would be dangers, and he was testing the two of you as much as he was bringing you for me to pass my judgement."
"Of course he was playing multiple angles." She sighed.
Godric didn't respond. She hated when he did that, prompting her to speak when he said nothing.
She fiddled with the seatbelt for a while. Finally she looked at him. "It's strange seeing you driving."
"I know it's human regulation to get a drivers license first, but I felt it unnecessary."
"Not that. You're just sitting in a metal box that'll soon become a relic fo- did you say Eric values me?"
"Is it quite evident."
She couldn't help but snort in disbelief. She didn't know who she believed less at that moment, Godric, or Eric.
"So what did you think of Sookie?"
"Eric has an interest in her." Godric said. It was an explanation of sorts. He seemed indifferent to her, or perhaps there was thinly veiled disapproval - or maybe she was imagining it.
She bit her lip. Winn didn't know why she hesitated to ask her next question, but she did for a moment. "Godric? What was your judgement?"
He continued looking out the window, "I took you for more observant."
"Can you ever answer something directly?" She asked quietly.
He was silent for a moment, then he looked at her, expression carefully neutral. "You are much more complicated than you have a right to be."
"Are you sure I'm the complicated one?"
At two-thousand years old he was an unsolvable puzzle shrouded in layers of mystery and history. She didn't know how to begin deciphering him or anything he did. In contrast she was painfully aware that she was just human, just in her early twenties, and frustratingly weak in comparison to the vampire she wanted to kill. Hell, she was weak in comparison to the vampire she was locked in a car with right now.
He didn't answer.
Winn couldn't help letting out a heavy sigh as she stared at the blurring green landscape. She didn't know what the answer meant. She didn't know if his answer was a good or a bad thing. Or what it meant for the future. It was time to change the subject.
"Godric, will you please make a U-Turn." Winn asked, and then cocked her brow. Was he going to turn down her very request that was clearly not an order?
"I already know the way."
"How when you don't even know where it - did you look at my phone when I got the text?"
"Only when you opened it."
"Reading other people's things is rude without permission."
"You did not give me the location."
"You didn't ask."
"Godric you missed the turn again." She jabbed at the road that they were quickly passing by.
"As I told you, I already know how to get there."
"So does the GPS Lady - and she know's how to get there faster."
"I highly doubt that."
"We're going to get lost now." She sighed.
"Do have more faith in me than that, Winn."
She shook her head.
The music station, which had turned on automatically with the car start, was tuned to some classical music. As she looked out the window she saw in the corner of her eye Godric begin to fumble with some dials.
"What are you trying to do?" She asked.
"You're cold." He motioned to her arm. Her arm had rippled with goosebumps at the climax of the song.
"I have goosebumps because the music is really good, it's just a human reaction." She answered, and then stared at him. "You really haven't been around humans before have you? When was the last time?"
He seemed to consider the answer for a moment. It was all the answer she needed. Millions growing into billions of humans, and he never spent time with any of them, not really. "How can you not have interacted with us - any of us?"
"Do not forget about my son."
"A vampire." She noted. Even if him and Eric spent time together when he was human, that was a very long time ago. "But when we came to you, Eric didn't even live in Dallas."
"Yes, we have been separated for the past few centuries, though coming into contact with each other when the times called for it."
"That . . . must have been a secluded life."
"I had my underlings in my nest."
She furrowed her brow. "Vampire that report to you because you're their boss."
"Are you trying to imply something, Winn?"
"It just seems lonely is all." She looked out the window.
"You are alone too. By choice I assume."
She looked at him then. "I don't have a choice."
"Do you not?"
"I know what monsters can do. I'm not letting anyone else get hurt."
"Except for yourself."
She held in a sigh. "And why don't you have family or friends you spend your time with?"
"Immortality stretches out for a long time."
"That's not answering the question."
"I have no care for anyone else."
She tugged at the seatbelt. "Right."
They music filled the void of conversation for the duration of the trip.
The car came to a slow halt across the gravel. In front of them was a large garden walled off by large bushes. It was coming to the point in the year where they were slowly beginning to shed their summer leaves as the next season crept forwards.
It wasn't like the Woodrich Institute. The place was hidden in the forest, and the stone house was discrete. She could walk from one end to the other in just about a thirty seconds. It was only one story high. Surely the supernatural library had to be small then - cosy, even.
Shutting the car doors behind them they started towards the garden in silence. It seemed to be the only way to get to the house. Passing the large bushes that concealed the property they were lead into a sprawling garden, filled with flowers and rose bushes. The collision of summer and autumn gave way to splendid hues the colour of sunset.
Nothing about this place looked like the classic American she had grown used too. It wasn't overly large, it wasn't newly built. It reminded her of old European real-estate.
Across the courtyard was an elderly woman who looked to be in her nineties, so frail Winn was afraid a gust of wind would blow her over. She was deep in sleep in her wheel chair, a thick pleated blanket draped across her lap. The lines of time were etched deeply in her face. Whispered winds moved stray wisps of her thin white hair.
Just then as a strong gust of wind blew across the courtyard a pack of cards fell out of the woman's lap. Her brown eyes snapped open. But she wasn't looking at the cards. She was staring directly and unblinkingly at Winn.
The young woman didn't notice. Hurriedly Winn strode across the opening, closing the distance between them and picking up all of the cards: playing cards, a full deck. But they were larger than the usual sets she had dealt with.
As she handed them back to the old lady who gathered them between her bone-thin hands, she saw a final hard that was fluttering across the cobble stones. Quickly she scrambled to keep it from flying off. The card was worn around the edges, as if it had lived a long life.
As Winn tried to give the last card back to the old woman, the corners of her lips curved into the ghost of a smile and she shook her head once. With a trembling hand she pushed the card towards Winn. Taking it she flipped it over to the it was a tarot card - the card of death, turned upright. The space between her brows creased. An odd choice to give someone. But the woman looked like she was senile, probably didn't even know what she was doing.
Not wanting to overextend the old woman she placed the card into her inner pocket. "Uh, thanks." Winn looked around, but saw no one. She looked a the wheelchair bound woman again. "The library, can you let me know where it is?"
The woman didn't answer, only continued to look at Winn intently. Expectantly. Winn shifted on her feet uncomfortably.
"Winn." Godric said softly, getting her attention. Turning around she saw a lumbering man in jeans and a white shirt come towards them.
"You must be Ms. Vik!" He said with a smile on thin lips. As he neared he wiped the sweat from his sun reddened brow.
"You would be correct."
The man's smile dropped when he saw Godric, and then he refocused on the girl he had invited. "I thought I invited just you."
Godric cut in before Winn could say anything. "Apologies, I have decided to accompany my friend here. You see I was curious too, and would be greatly honoured to venture into this unique library you have taken the time to cultivate."
The man looked confused, then suspicious, and then his expression morphed into disdain. "Vampire." It was a statement.
She thought something flashed in Godric's eyes, but it was too fast for her to understand. "Indeed I am. I hope you can look past it. As I said I am simply here with my human companion."
The mans eyes flickered to Winns then. "Human companion, huh?" He sucked in a breath before exhaling slowly, placing his hands on his hips. Finally he seemed to come to a decision. "I haven't introduced myself." He extended his hand to Winn, "Name's Gary. It ain't short or long for anything. Just Gary. Guess you and the vampire can take a look, you and the vampire already knows where it is now anyway. Too late to kick you out."
His handshake was strong. Winn gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry for not letting you know beforehand. I promise you he will show great respect for everyone here and the library."
"Oh, it's not him I'm worried about." Gary said. Before Winn had time to ponder he jerked his head towards the building, "Come on then."
They left the old woman in the courtyard.
Gary didn't bring her up and Winn didn't ask.
The entire house was as inconspicuous as the garden. In the stone hallways was nothing personal. There was no paintings, no furniture, nothing to indicate anything warm or cosy. Finally at the end of the hallway was a metal door. One he opened the door Gary gestured for them to go inside. "We gotta go down to get to the library." He explained.
The three of them stood on the platform and Gary closed the doors, caging them in. Pulling the lever the platform jerkily made its descent. The wall made way to a wide open space, lit up with dozens of candles and torches. There was no hint of electricity. Winn's mouth opened in awe as the moved further underground. They finally hit the ground with a unceremonious thud.
They stepped out of the elevator onto grey stoned ground. The temperature was cool down here. The burley man with them looked around at the books. "Normally I would offer some assistance to our guests, but . . . " Gary's eyes flickered to Godric. It was clear he wanted to chastise her bringing a vampire here. She understood it. The entire reason she had been allowed into the library in the first place was over mutual bonding with one of Gary's colleagues over the dangers of vampires. And then she brings one here. Winn tried telling Godric coming along was a bad idea.
Winn forced a smile. "It's fine, I understand."
Gary nodded and retreated back into the elevator. "If you need something, come find me." And then he pulled the leaver and left them alone.
For the first time she could focus on where she was.
Her eyes widened as she took in the library. It was as if a giant tower had been placed underground. A wooden ramp twisted along the wall in a spiral to the top. There were books at every level of the tower, and more that ran along the walls on the ground floor; books of all sizes and shapes, books that appeared to be centuries old. The ceiling was a glass dome. All she could see was the darkness on such a cloudy night. It was amazing she hadn't seen it before. The top of the tower must be barely peaking through the ground, and was probably hidden by more rosebushes.
Candles lining the stone walls sent shadows dancing across other walls crammed with books. Two giant oak tables were placed next to each other on the ground level, taking up most of the spacing. The entire building was a time capsule underground. "This is amazing." She breathed as she turned around in a circle. Godric stood quietly to the side, drinking in her awe.
"I don't know where to start." She confessed. Winn had hoped to get her hands on some older books detailing supernatural experiences throughout the millennia, but she hadn't expected such a vast collection to be stored.
"I would not have expected humans to possess such a vast alcove of old knowledge." Godric said.
"Well we had Alexandria, didn't we." She replied.
"Those were modern books meant for humans in their time, not such a storage." He said. She wandered over to a section of scarlet bound books when he spoke again.
His tone was curious. "What is it you are looking for?"
Winn shook her head, "I'm not quite sure. Anything, really." Her fingers trailed their maroon bindings. She looked over her shoulder at him; he hadn't moved. "How do I even begin?"
"What do you find most important?"
"I can't begin to tell you. How do I know what's most important in this library?"
Godric looked at the books spiralling upwards. "This library appears to be based on the system that was used in Alexandria. The bookkeepers organised the books on importance."
Winn raised a brow. "That seems inefficient."
"Not at all. They used it as a way to preserve or hide truths found in certain texts. If someone were to raid the library, perhaps in search of something important, they wouldn't know where to look. And those sworn to guard the library would give their lives to protect the information."
She stared at him, taking in the information. It hadn't just been random romance novels there, it had been information important enough that guards were needed. "Do you know how much historians would give just to know that information?"
"That is up for them to discover a way."
"Were you there when it burned?"
"I was further south with the Coptics for about a decade. What happened was unfortunate."
Winn pursed her lips. "So this library is organised in a way that only makes sense to those who work here. And Gary made it pretty clear he's not here to help."
"I understand my presence has triggered his disdain, though if you are unsure what you are looking for then its presumably a fine system regardless."
Winn hummed in response. She pulled out a book and flipped through the pages in a language she had never seen before. "So why are you here, anyway?"
"Aside from the fact you are not well enough to drive and seem to thoroughly enjoy throwing yourself into situations where you do not have an advantage, then I'm here because I would like to know more about these secretive people who appear to have a library that is indeed filled with ancient books - I'm sure the part of the supernatural is no lie either."
"For your own curiosity?"
"Knowledge is power, Winn."
She waved the book at him. "Why do you think I'm here."
They settled into silence after that, each finding their own books to look through. Winn sat down on the wooden chair with the velvet green seating, pulling it closer to the oak table.
The silence was peaceful. It took her eyes a while to adjust to the dim lighting of the room, but soon she settled for tracing her finger along each line. It went slowly. Her Italian wasn't the best, and she was mainly basing it off of her Latin. But this book seemed to be about wolves, and she had no care for them.
Godric was busy with own book, in a strange language of sharp lines and circles. The edges of the book glittered with gold. Every few pages were what looked like beautiful artwork of small intricate swirling lines that blossomed from the centre of the page all the way to the corners.
After growing used to the temperature she stood up and put the book back where she had found it, grabbing another from a lower shelf. Her hand gripped a black pocket-sized leather book. She shrugged off her grey zip up hoodie, placing it on the back of the seat.
Before she could sit down she was startled when she heard the sharp scrape of Godric's chair. He looked at the blossoming bruises on her arm. Shit. She should've just kept the sweater on.
Something flashed in his eyes that made her tense. "This is Eric's doing." He said immediately, not suspecting anyone else.
She glanced down at her own arm. The bruises had morphed together, creating one fantastic yellow and dark blue blob. "I know he eats well, but his hands really aren't that fat."
His jaw tightened as he looked up at her. "I assure you, I find nothing humorous in this situation."
Winn sighed. There was no way she was getting out of the situation, Godric knew who gave her the bruises. "It was an accident."
"I hope I had trained him better than to lash out in the manner of a newborn. What brought this on?"
She shrugged. "He's just protective of you, is all."
Obscenely hyper-protective to the point of absurdity.
He frowned, thumb skirting the edges of the bruise. "He should be protective of you too."
"I think in the hierarchy you're somewhere in the cosmos, and I'm somewhere on the bottom of his shoe." She replied.
He looked at her through his lashes. "If he has lead you to believe this, it is a grave fault on his part. What was this argument about?"
Her tongue skimmed her inner teeth. Finally she said, "He owes me money. For finding you."
Godric released her wrist. "Everything Eric owns and is, is because of me. You will have the money tomorrow."
"No! I don't want you to do this. It's between me and Eric."
"And Eric is a part of me."
She crossed her arms. "You weren't there when we made the deal."
"He hurt you." His words came out so sharply she looked up at him in surprise.
"I can handle it, Godric."
"You are human, Winn."
"Let me do this." She didn't need Eric thinking she was weaker than he already perceived her to be. If Godric defended her like this it would make the relationship between them even worse.
He seemed to struggle with an answer for a great deal of time. He was exasperated with her again. "Why such insistence? I told you he is a part of me. You will get your money."
"Because I will go to my last dying breath before Eric Northman thinks I need anyone to wage my battles for me. I don't care if he's a part of you. Apparently he's a part of me too."
This tugged a smile from him. "A fighter to the near point of absurdity. The two of you are more alike than you think. Alright, I will allow the both of you to attempt to continue your nonsensical and mismanaged relationship. But - and I would like to be very clear on this - if anything else happens I will step in." He said with finality.
She crossed her arms. "Fine."
Both of them looked towards the elevator as it hit the ground with a clang, disrupting the tension between the two of them. Gary stepped out with a small, awkward wave.
"I thought you might like some tea." Gary said, carrying a small porcelain teacup. Winn met him the rest of the way, and took it carefully from his hands.
"Thank-you." She smiled at him, though it didn't meet her eyes.
Gary's eyes shifted from her to Godric and back again. Winn looked at him curiously, finding his newfound response odd. He was looking at her expectantly.
Right. She lifted the cup up to her lips, attempting to ignore the cloy smell wafting upwards, and took a small sip of the hot liquid. It had an interesting taste; it was a tea she was unfamiliar with. Admittedly it wasn't a flavour she particularly enjoyed. Though it had been offered too her and after allowing a vampire within the library walls, the least she could do would be polite enough to drink the tea. He nodded in response, as if pleased she was drinking it.
"What's in this?" She asked.
Gary shifted on his feet. "Herbs from our convent garden. It's all natural."
Winn nodded.
"You just tell me if you need anything else." He said quietly, seemingly to get the information only to Winns ears. Undoubtedly Godric had overheard.
"I'll let you know." Winn promised. The answer seemed just satisfactory enough for Gary, who left them alone again.
Winn placed the tea on the table and Godric cocked his head slightly to the side. "An interesting combination." He remarked.
"Why's that?"
"Moon flower is not often used in drink." He explained. "Certainly not with the other herbs used too. I suppose humans are always experimenting."
She raised a brow, "You can smell every single herb and flower in this drink, even when I was across the room?"
"It is natural for us to have infallible memory. That includes scents: scents of people, of objects, of animals."
"So what did William Henry Harrison smell like?" She asked.
"I do not know, I was in Europe at the time."
"Really? Well what did Caligula smell like?" She asked, skepticism tempering her voice. Was he going to be in another continent with every human she inquired about? At least one of them he would have to know, right? But she doubted he could remember so many people over his long life span.
"Disappointment." He answered.
She burst out laughing despite herself at his unexpected answer and saw his own lip quirk in response.
Quickly she grew somber. This wasn't what she was supposed to be doing, enjoying herself and being pleasantly surprised the vampire did have a sense of humour.
With a sigh she reached for the tea and took a gulp. A pleasant warmth spread through her veins.
"You've lived a long life." She pointed out.
"That I have."
"And yet you know more about me in my short human time span than I know anything about you."
Godric sighed. "I have lived a -"
"Long life. Yes, I know."
"There is no need to be forthcoming with information."
"It'd be nice to even the scales. I don't even know where you come from."
"What would you like to inquire about?"
She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. He hadn't even acknowledged her statement about his origins. "I don't know! Is Godric even your real name?"
"As opposed to what, a moniker?"
"Sure!"
"It is my real name." He confirmed.
"Do you have a last name?"
He thought for a moment. "If I may come with a proposal: as you seem unsure of what to ask, how about, when you figure out what it is and if you come to the correct conclusions, I will let you know?"
Winn considered it. Finally she gave a grudging nod. "Alright, fine."
It was the best she was going to get. And she did want to know more about him. He was private, that much was obvious. She was going to take what she could get, even if that was working out all of it. But it was a challenge she was going to win.
Feeling the need to move her legs she decided to look at some of the books that were up at the ramp. Her trip took her all the way to the very top. Peaking out over the edge she saw how far that fall was, enough to kill someone. They should really put a guardrail up.
One of the books pressed tightly against several others grabbed her attention. Unlike the rest filled with dust, this one was clean, like someone had taken it out recently. Tugging it out she opened the book to a random page in curiosity.
The breath left her as she stared at the book. The pages were drenched in blood.
A/N: Finally had time to put another chapter up! I know it's been a long time. Also this was a largely conversational chapter, but I couldn't get the two of them to stop talking, so I just went with the flow.
*I try to keep the story as historically accurate as possible when it comes to history, but with Alexandria's library I took some liberty.
There's a whole lot of anonymous reviews - thank you all! The replies will be from the oldest to newest:
Anon 1: Yeah I'm having a lot of fun exploring their miscommunications. I do hope to keep you guessing! There's about 2-3 paths happening subtly at the moment which will all come together in the later chapters. Who's the killer and what the connection between the FoTS/Woodrich Institute/Supernatural Library and more? And who's actually in more danger? Also thank you, I've been doing my utmost best to keep both Godric AND eric in character!
Anon 2: Thank you, I'm glad youre enjoying the story so far!
Anon 3: I have written more, yay! Eric can be a real bastard when he wants to be, but there's a heart of gold somewhere inside his icy Viking heart.
Anon 4: Thank-you friend!
Anon 5: Yeah I don't want this story to have the protagonist have her entire view change due to a love interest only, so I thought Jess was an interest addition to add. It doesn't mean that Godric isn't working a little behind the scenes ;)
Anon 6: Thank you reviewer! I do promise more cute (and hot) scenes will be coming up
