Wow, I haven't updated in forever! I want to thank everyone who reviewed and added this to their favorites/alerts. It means so much to me that you guys are still reading this even when I take months to update!

Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!

"Godric!" Gabe said as Godric gripped his face in his hands. "It's me!"

Gabe's voice was strained and his face was red and shiny with a layer of perspiration. Godric simply glared at him, his lips curled in a snarl, and with a flick of his powerful wrists, he snapped his neck. Gabe's lifeless body toppled to the floor. The sound of his dead weight hit the concrete floor and echoed throughout the cellar. Sookie scrambled to button up her dress and I slowly rose to my feet, my legs shaky with a combination of hunger (I hadn't eaten in God knows how long) and fear.

Godric turned his attention to Sookie and I. "You should not have come," he said.

"What the hell do you mean we should not have come?" I asked as if were the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. "Don't you have any idea of what they're planning to do to you?"

The sounds of muffled voices and footsteps in the distance could be heard. Sookie immediately rose to her feet.

"Bill!" she exclaimed.

Godric's eyes closed. "No," he said. "I'm here, my child. Down here."

As if on cue, Eric appeared in the room using his vampire speed. He stared at him and dropped to his knees in front of Godric.

"Godric," he said.

"You are a fool for sending humans after me," Godric said, looking down at him.

"I had no other choice. These savages, they seek to destroy you."

"I'm aware of what they have planned. This one," he motioned to Hugo's unconscious form. "Betrayed you."

"He was with the Fellowship. They set a trap for us," said Sookie.

"How long has it been since you fed?" Eric asked Godric.

"I require very little blood anymore," he stated matter-of-factly.

All of a sudden, an alarm sounded, followed by flashing lights.

"Save them" Godric ordered, referring to Sookie and me.

"I am not leaving your side," he replied.

"Neither am I," I said. Eric glanced at me with an intense look on his pale face.

"I can take care of myself!" Godric snapped back, his voice quiet but commanding. I flinched at the sound of it.

"Come on, we have to go!" Sookie said.

"Spill no blood on your way out," Godric said to Eric. "Go."

"Godric!" I protested. "No!"

He grabbed my arms and planted a light kiss on my forehead. The sensation of his lips on my skin sent shivers down my spine.

"You must leave," he said. "I will be out soon enough."

I was hesitant to leave his side. Eric had to grab my arm and pull me out.

We ran out of the cellar and into the main part of the church. It was the night of the lock-in but due to the wayward vampires descending on the church, the place was evacuated, leaving pillows and blankets and whatnot strewn across the pews.

"Where's the exit?" Eric asked us.

"Back that way," Sookie pointed out.

"There are several exits, actually," said the voice of Steve Newlin. He then appeared at the altar. "For you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell."

Then, an army of Fellowship members entered through just about every single door, each one armed with wooden stakes and silver chains.

"Let us leave!" Sookie exclaimed. "Save yourselves! No one has to die!"

"The war has begun, you evil whore of Satan," said Steve. "You vampires cast the first stone by killing my family. The lines have been drawn. We are prepared for Armageddon."

"The vampire you're holding hostage got away. He's a sheriff. He's bound to send for help."

"I'm not concerned with Godric. Any vampire will do for our grand celebration, and we've got one right here!"

Sookie and I looked at Eric. "I'll be fine."

He walked to the altar.

"Brothers and sisters," said Steve. "There will be a holy bonfire at dawn."

Eric was strapped to the altar, without putting up a fight, ad was held down by silver chains that slowly burned into his skin. He bore his fangs and small, pained whimpers escaped from his lips; a strange thing for a powerful old vampire like him. Sookie and I were held by our arms by Fellowship members.

Steve spoke to his followers who all gathered in front of Eric. "You see, just as our Lord, our savior was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, a few ounces of silver can betray a child of Satan to the world!"

"That doesn't make any sense!" Sookie argues as she struggled at the men who held her back. "Listen to him!"

"I offer myself in exchange for Godric's freedom," said the strained voice of Eric. "And the women."

"That's noble," said Steve. "But they are traitors to their race." He looked over at Sookie and I. "The human race! They hardly deserve mercy."

He bent down and lowered his face right in front of Eric's. "Maybe we should tie them to you so you can suffer together!" A diabolical grin stretched across his creepy face. "These marshmallows would roast up nicely."

"Sookie!" a deep Southern voice bellowed. My head shot in the direction of the door and I saw Bill running through.

Without thinking, Steve pulled out a gun and pointed it at Sookie's head. I screamed out. "One more from that vampire and the girl dies."

Bill's fangs popped out. "If you shoot her, everyone will die! Let her go now."

Steve turned to Sookie. "Honestly, what do they see in you?" He called out to a young man in the crowd. "Soldiers? Some silver chains for our friend, here."

"Don't!" Sookie begged. "He's done nothing to you."

"Sookie, I will be fine," Bill reassured her.

Then, a guttural yell came from a distance. Something hit Steve's hand and he dropped his pistol. A look of pain washed across his face as he grabbed his wounded hand. I looked over to the window where I saw none other than Jason Stackhouse holding a paintball gun.

"Let 'em go, fuckwad!" he yelled, before firing a green paintball at Steve's forehead.

"Son of a bitch!" Steve snapped.

Bill ran to Sookie and wrapped his arms around her as some Fellowship members tried to subdue Jason.

Eric grabbed Steve by his scrawny little neck and threw him down on the hard floor.

"Eric, do notkill him!" Sookie ordered.

"Kill him!" Jason retorted. "Kill the motherfucker!"

"Martyr us," Steve breathed out. "Martyr us before God. We are willing to die."

Just as Eric was preparing to sink his fangs into Steve Newlin's flesh, sounds could be heard coming from the entrance. Everyone turned their heads to that direction.

"Steve Newlin!" said Stan as he led a large group of vampires through the door. "You have pushed us too far. You expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come lynch us? We'll kill you all first." It seemed as if his face grew darker. "The same way we did your father."

"Murderer!" Steve seethed as he struggled against Eric's grip.

"Destroy, them," Stan continued. "All of them."

In a flash, his fangs appeared and every vampire he rounded up followed. In a split second, they each grabbed a human were about to drain them of their blood.

"Go now!" Bill instructed Sookie and I as he pushed us out of the line of fire.

"Enough!" said the commanding yet gentle voice I knew so well. I looked up to see Godric standing on top of the massive church organ. Immediately, the room became silent. "You came for me, I assume."

"Underling?" he asked Stan.

Stan rolled his eyes in annoyance as he held onto a young, college-age boy. "Yeah, sheriff?"

"These people have not harmed me. You see, we can coexist." He turned is attention to Steve. "Mr. Newlin? I do not wish to create bloodshed when none is called for. Help me set an example. If we leave you in peace, will you do the same?"

Eric loosened his grip on Steve, and he slowly rose to his knees. "I will not negotiate with sub-humans." Steve loosed his tie and knelt before Eric, baring his neck. "Kill me," he said to him. "Jesus will protect me."

"I am actually older than your Jesus," Godric said. Steve stared at him in disbelief. "I wish I could have known him, but I missed it."

With his inhuman speed, he moved from his spot on the organ and grabbed Steve by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up to his feet. "Good people," he addressed the crowd. "Which of you is willing to die for this man's madness?"

The Fellowship members stood in silence and awe as they looked at each other for reassurance.

"That's what I thought," Godric continued. "Stand down everyone."

The vampires did as they were told. They released their grips on the humans they held captive.

"People, go home," Godric said. "It's over now."

The Fellowship members began to walk silently out of the church.

"Please, don't leave me!" Steve begged.

Godric released him and pushed him to the floor. "I daresay my faith in humankind is stronger than yours," he spoke with disgust.

Godric walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my back. "Annabel, are you alright?" he asked as he stroked my hair.

"Yes, I'll be fine." I burrowed my head in his chest and breathed in his intoxicating scent. I never wanted to let go. I had been in a limbo, not knowing where he was or what happened to him.

"I should have arrived sooner," he said. "I'm so sorry."

I looked up into his marvelous green eyes. "Don't beat yourself up over it. It's not your fault. Now, are you alright? I was worried sick, not knowing where you were, or what happened to you."

He nodded a little bit and gave me a melancholy smirk as his fingertips grazed my cheek. "Yes, Annabel. I am fine."

I pulled him closer to me and glanced over to Eric, who stood watching us with a look on his face. A look of intrigue and curiosity, and dare I say, hunger.