Meanwhile...
"Oh! Oh! Nonononono! Wait for it, wait for it OH!" Stan shouted with delight as he and the other vampires watched with enthusiasm the footage of Amie's rescue. "Let's see that again!"
Stan rewinded the video again to the point in which Amie shrieks Godric's name and he slowed down the motion to reveal frame by frame Godric destroying the door Stan thought no one, not even he, could get through. The crowd watched again with rising enthusiasm, some shouted for him to go slower and some shouted to go fast fast fast as Godric yanked James from the ground by his neck and with one sweep of his claw removed his head. It's this that Stan ached to watch again and again and so he went nanosecond to nanosecond in anticipation, watching as the neck is removed from the shoulders and the body instantly explodes.
"OH-HOHOHO! That ladies and gentlemen is why NO ONE fucks with Godric!" Stan chuckled, rewinding it yet again to the face of James as he realized he is going to die and then slowly going forward to see how the expression shifted to full on terror as soon as Godric ripped and pulled. "Ain't that a beauty? Who here seen a vampire face the True Death before? Don't raise your hand, if you ain't laughing you've never seen it before and you sure as hell ain't laughing, don't lie! Thirty bucks at the door for your own private copy! Who wants to watch it again?!"
Everyone cheered for another go around and Stan was just about to oblidge until Jeremiah stepped before the screen, "I win."
"Win what?" Stan asked, rising to his feet as if to prepare for a physical altercation.
"The bet," Jeremiah spat out with a smirk that declared there was no dispute to be made.
The bet.
Stan suddenly recalled the bet and how he did put up the car collection on Amie beating James but he thought that bet was null-and-void once James picked up that cheap little sword of his. To declare a winner at this point was unrealistic. As far as Stan was concerned, it was a draw, "Now you know damn well there was no winner here."
"You know damn well Godric broke the rules by interferin-"
"JAMES BROKE THE RULES WITH HIS FUCKING SWORD!" Stan shouted, instantly shushing everyone in the crowd that gathered in hopes of watching another fight.
"If you're both gonna play that game then I suggest we review the tape and count who got how many hits and what happened before anything interupted the fight," It was Keefer's voice that broke the tension with his big brown beard, always the one to cool things down when they got too hot.
The crowd silently growns, it had been their hope to see two of the largest vampires have their own battle but Stan looked to Jeremiah, his ice eyes gazing deep into Jerry's mud, "Sounds good."
"I still know she ain't win. There's no way in hell she can beat him. She's two weeks old, that ain't never gonna happen," Jeremiah grumbled under his angry breath.
It was settled.
Stan rewound the tape all the way to the beginning, right when James grabbed her by her face. The crowd counted that as one hit, the first action, but that was quickly old news as frame by frame they watched Amie-little, tiny Amie-chop his arm. It was a simple action and counted as one point but the physical pain etched into James' features implied that there was so much more force behind that one move than really possible. Next was the flip and how she could get such a big man over her shoulder was beyond them. For a second the crowd disputed whether that was a defensive move or an action move and it was determined that it was a continuing action since his face showed the signs of pain upon hitting his back against the wall-point two. Next was the grab of her hair that many of the real fighters determined to be a "pussy move" since she was just a little girl and upon expanding on that thought the validaty of the fight was questioned because he attacked her and that was just unfair because how could a little girl defend herself? But Stan smirked with pride and told them to just watch.
The hair pull was a half point that was added to the full point given for throwing her against the wall and another half point was added for the aim he took to throw her against boxes that would topple over her and keep her in place. His pulling on her legs and rape attempt was thought to be negative points but after much dispute it was decided to be no points at all, however her defense was a half point. Her aim was commended greatly because of how she was able to lightly toss the small tv with the right force that caused the slightest rotation so that it would land against his head and face in a way that would crack the screen and cut him as well as cause blunt force trauma. Him grabbing her hair again awarded him another half point while pushing her against the wall gave him a full point since it created the intended affect of weakening her to the point that she was unable to get to the red button. So far, Amie: 2 and a half points James: 3.
But she comes back quickly.
Pushing her full weight onto James upon his pull was thought to be such a genius move she was awarded a full point and striking him in the face another. This was disputed as well but upon further looking into it was determined that her overall form was perfect and it was the punching of her fist that caused his face to cave inward, the tv was just an added touch. The addition of the tv only awarded her a half point, bringing her up to four points in total. His speed and recovery gave James another half point but the game was over at the point since shortly after the sword was drawn.
The vampires wait around, aching for another chance to view the explosion but suddenly the screen shuts off, causing a giant groan through out the crowd.
"Pathetic."
It's Isabel's voice and upon hearing it Stan stood from his hunched position and mumbled under his breath, "You have to be shitting me."
"You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Not one of you is younger than three hundred years old and still you devote yourselves to analyzing a poor young vampire fending off her attacker. Are you all that bored?" Isabel asked in a disgusted tone but it was more than disgusted..it was frightened, something only Stan could pick up upon. "Leave. The evenning is over. Dawn will approach in less than three hours. There will be no one staying tonight."
There was something odd in the way the vampires responded to her words as if they were ashamed to feel ashamed for enjoying themselves in bloody entertainment. They turned around and walked to the door and while some hesitated, others gladly picked up the dvd that was waiting at the door and pushed the thirty dollars into the jar. Isabel waited with arms folded over her chest, unaware of the copies being distributed, and watched as Stan smirked to Jeremiah, "I won."
"That shit ain't far. That shit ain't far at all. Ain't natural, ain't natural," he mumbled as he walked out the door, snatching his own copy of the dvd without leaving any money behind.
"You should be ashame-"
"I heard your speech the first time 'round, Isabel. I get it. Blah, blah, blah, Amie almost died, blah, blah, blah she didn't," Stan said, rolling his eyes impatiently as he folded his own arms over his chest.
"There's more to it than that! After all that Godric has done for us you exploit his trouble to all the vampires here, making them all witnesses! Do you not understand what has just happened! Our Sheriff just killed the king of New York!" Isabel yelled with panic flowing through her because as she tried to make Stan realize it she realized it herself. Godric had commited the cardinal sin.
"Shit..." was all Stan could say. In fact he had not thought the consequences through of Godric's actions. His continual watching of the tape was from pride, overwhelming pride, that his Sheriff had acted out and carried out the right kind of justice. Stan had warned James, that son of a bitch, that Amie was Godric's and no one was going to get between them and as far as Stan was concerned James got what he deserved. For the past few decades he believed Godric had been slacking completely in laying down the right kind of law and it was because of this he thought people were begining to take advantage. Not anymore. Stan saw this as a new era and at the very least a reminder. Don't fuck with the two thousand year old vampire.
"Shit is correct," Damien's voice came from behind them and for the briefest of seconds both Stan and Isabel anticipated an altercation but there was none. While Jolie had suspected Damien had a crush on James it was only a suspicion. Damien's interest in him was only in a friendly manner, again he was trying to save a lonely soul. "James had very old friends in very high places, not to mention seventy-two children that will be seeking revenge for the death of their maker. If that video gets out Amie will be the number one target."
"Don't worry, we will not let that happen," Isabel answered with such fierceness it filled Stan with an instant fear. He had seen Isabel fight and although she was often too chicken shit to do anything, when she did she held back nothing and didn't stop til death. He was in deep shit too.
"Actually...I sold the tape for thirty bucks a pop," Stan muttered the word under his breath, unable to explain what he had done fully to anyone just yet.
"YOU WHA- Godric!"
All eyes turn to the vampire covered in the blood of his latest victim and if the situation wasn't so grave they would have laughed. Godric appeared with his arms at his sides, not really touching, and his head slightly cast downward like a child that knew he had done wrong and was coming to be scolded. His face was calm and humble and waited patiently, as always, for everything to be said before he himself would speak.
Of course, Isabel spoke first, "What were you thinking Godric! Do you know what you have done?!"
"Of course he knows what he fucking did!" Stan yelled, instantly coming to Godric's defense.
"Oh don't you dare speak! You made this situation one thousand times more difficult to handle! Because of YOU Amie is in even more trouble than ever!" Isabel screamed, stepping toward him with her fist balled up tight.
"Because of me?!" Stan screams. He turns to Godric who is as still and impassive as ever and shouts," I apologize, Sheriff, for my brash behavior but I will not apologize for indulging in the fact that you did what you needed to do! I am proud of you and I am honored to serve you because you took that son of a bitch and you did something, you taught everyone a lesson and if you all think Amie is in real trouble you're dumber than he was. After everyone sees that tape Godric will become a god. No one will mess with the man that ripped James' head off with his bair hands, no one."
"While that is the truth and I do agree with you completely you neglect one tiny aspect. I have had the pleasure to meet some of James' children and while some are just as dumb as he, others are brilliant. We need to take action now and I believe our first step is explaining the situation to the magister before anyone else can do it before us," Damien said these words slowly as if he were trying to get Stan to calm and understand them. It wasn't that Damien believed Stan was slow, he just believed Stan's first resort-violence-needed to be counteracted with the only real solution. His next statement was said in a quicker pace, this time directed to Godric," And Amie must not come. The magister has no interest in sweet girls like Amie and he will view you to be too weak willed because of her Godric. As far as I am concerned Amie must stay very low on the radar while we figure this all out."
"That sounds like a good idea. Is there anywhere she can go? What about with Jolie?" Isabel asked instantly, knowing that Jolie was fond of Amie and would create a fun environment where there would be little stress or worry.
"Unfortunately I cannot promise that. Jolie will be bringing into the world a new child tomorrow evening and all of her efforts will be brought into that task. I would suggest anothre one of my children but there will be no way to stop them from attempting to seduce he-"
Before the thought was even completed Godric interupted, unable to continue to hear the rest of the possibility, "Eric will take care of her. I will speak to him at once and ensure that he will keep her under his very close supervision."
"Are you sure?" Isabel asked tentatively, unsure if Fangtasia was the right place for a sweet girl like Amie.
"There is no one I trust more," Godric 's answer was final and there was no way anyone could dispute it, even if they wanted to. "Stan, arrange for the first planes of the evening to meet us tomorrow with coffins awaiting our arrival. Isabel, gather appropriate clothing for Amie that will hide her identity. And Damien."
"I will speak to Luisa at once," Damien nodded his head, understanding already the actions that needed to be taken in order to get his good friend out of the clear but as Stan and Isabel instantly left he was unable to stop himself from looking to Godric and seeing the deep sadness within. He had just found his love, just admitted it as well...and now...now there was no telling what was left for him. The intentions of the magister were never predictable; the only thing that was ever certain was his cruelty. "What will you do, old friend?"
Godric's head slowly lifted to meet Damien's eye, "Comfort Amie as best as I can."
"Love her, Godric, love her as if this may be your only chance to," Damien urged.
Godric's head lowered as he sighed, "I already do."
At that James left the nest that had become silent and empty despite the sound of the shower head flowing in the bathroom. Godric attempted not to think but he could not get Damien's last words out of his mind. He would love her. He would love her with all of his heart.