Chapter Thirteen:

I stood in front of Fangtasia with a heavy heart. I didn't want to go in there and look like I was crawling back to them, especially after what Eric had done at Sookie's a few days ago. But it wasn't like I could just go back to Bon Temps. Alcide and Sookie dropped me off on their way to Jackson, so there really was no going back. I was here now, and I needed to face the music. I could do this. I was powerful; I wasn't the useless human Eric seemed to think I was. I just needed to start believing that. I needed to be confident in my powers and plainly just in myself. It was about time I started to believe everything Godric always told me.

"I can do this." I whispered to myself. "Come on Elizabeth Cole, you can do this. No more fear."

After the short pep talk, I inhaled deeply before slowly walking to the door of the bar. It was one of the few nights in the week that the bar was closed. I knew the door would be locked, and had to result in knocking on the door. I wondered at first, if anyone would even come to let me in, but not even a minute went by before the door opened to reveal Pam in a pink velour tracksuit. One thing I had to hand the woman, was the fact that she looked great in anything. She and I had never seen eye to eye before, though I knew I could trust my life in her hands. She was Eric's progeny, and for that, I respected her. And her humour was interesting...as long as it wasn't that weird lesbian humour. That was just a bit too out there for me.

"Look what the cat dragged in." She smirked, crossing her arms as she stared down at me. "Finally decided to come back, did we?"

"Oh shut it, Pam. Let me in."

She rolled her eyes but took a step to the side to let me pass. I heard an intake of breath as I passed, and I knew she could smell my intoxicating blood. I quickly hurried into the bar, not wanting to be in a small vicinity with her. While I knew she wouldn't harm me, a quick taste I was sure, was not out of the question. I was really getting tired of being vampire crack.

"Where are they?" I asked, looking around the empty bar. I had hoped, and figured, that Godric and Eric would be here. I hadn't thought of the possibility that they wouldn't be.

"Eric's office." Pam strode pass me.

I didn't even need to ask what the two were talking about, as the door leading to the back hallway burst open and an angry Eric came storming out. I couldn't understand a word of what was being said as Godric walked out after him, but I could tell it was a pretty heated argument. I don't even think the two realized I was even there until Eric bumped into me. He twisted around, his fangs popping out as he glared down at me. I gulped but kept my emotions masked.

"What are you doing here?"

"I..." I didn't get a chance to explain before Godric interrupted me, speaking in whatever language the two spoke in. When Pam joined in, I threw my hands up in annoyance and walked over to Eric's throne to take a seat.

It was rather interesting to see three vampires arguing in a foreign tongue while I just looked on from afar. I had no idea what they were arguing about, though a part of me really didn't want to know. That would just cause more trouble for me. I did catch a few names that sparked my interest, though I still didn't know in what context they were being used in. After awhile I began to grow restless and began tapping my foot impatiently on the floor, my fingers drumming on the arm of the throne.

"Unless you want to lose your limbs, cease that." Eric's angered voice was directed towards me, though his back was to me.

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe you all should be speaking in English so I wouldn't be bored."

"This doesn't concern you."

"Alright, well if we're just going to keep me out of the loop, again, then I'm just going to have to go to Bon Temps where I won't have Alcide as a bodyguard." I knew that would finally grab their attention. I lifted myself out of the throne, but wasn't even on my feet for a second before a set of hands were on my shoulders, pushing me back down.

"What happened to the Were?" Godric questioned, his eyes narrowed as he stared down at me.

"I told him to go with Sookie to Jackson." I shrugged.

"Oh of course." Eric rolled his eyes, turning around to face us. "She would be stupid enough to go there, wouldn't she?"

"Eric, enough." Godric snapped, shooting the blonde Viking a glare. When he turned back towards me however, his face softened. "You're returning?"

"I don't really have much choice." I answered simply. "Though things are going to change."

"You have no right to come in here with demands." Eric narrowed his eyes.

"Actually, I do." I crossed my arms, trying my best to avoid looking at him as I stared up at Godric. I motioned to the chair beside the throne and waited until he was sitting to continue. "I'm tired of not being told things. You need to tell me what I need to know in order for me to protect myself. I might not be as strong as a werewolf, or as quick as a vampire, but I do have power. I'm not going to just sit back and let these vampires and werewolves try and kill me. I can't. I need to fight back, I need to do something. So you need to start filling me in, on everything."

Godric opened his mouth, and I knew by the look on his face that he was going to argue against my request.

"You want to protect me, Godric, and I appreciate you caring so much to want to do so. But I need to be able to protect myself too. And I can't do that if I'm left in the dark. I'm not a child; I'm not some fragile little girl. You need to tell me things so I can prepare myself. If you can't do that, then there's no point of me being here, ever."

I could he objected the idea in his eyes, but when he sighed and nodded, I couldn't help but smile slightly.

"This is ridiculous." Eric interjected. "We don't need to tell you a damn thing."

"She has a point, my child." Godric held up a hand.

Eric growled, muttering in the foreign tongue. The look on Godric's face told me that what Eric had just said was not something he approved of, though he didn't say anything in return.

"If that is all, then we will oblige." Godric took my hand. "I've missed you, Elizabeth. It has killed me not to see you."

"I've missed you too Godric." I actually was being honest about that. While he and Eric had driven me insane, it did feel odd not to have Godric's encouraging words around all the time. "But I have one other request."

"What is it?"

I let my stare linger on Eric's angry form for a moment before turning my attention back to Godric. "No sex."

Godric blinked, surprised by the two words that had just left my mouth. Eric wasn't pleased at all, as he growled audibly louder.

"Half of the reason I left was because I was confused. I'm still confused but I refuse to let that get in the way right now." I tried to ignore Eric's eyes boring into me. "I don't understand what I feel towards either of you, but right now, there are bigger things at stake. Like my life. So no sex. No sexual thoughts. No sexual actions. We're just all...friends or whatever, nothing sexual between any of us."

It took a moment for Godric to fully understand this, but he did eventually nod. "We've both been selfish and we hurt you. I apologize. Your friendship means more to me than many things."

"I feel the same way Godric." I leaned over and kissed his cheek softly. "Maybe when all of this is over and done with, I can try and figure this all out, but until then..."

I never had the chance to finish before the door to the club was blasted open. And when I say blasted, I mean the door is literally on the ground, off its hinges. My eyes were wide as Godric and I stood from our chairs, Godric placing himself in between me and the intruders. Pam and Eric looked ready to attack, but the moment a short, bald headed man walked through the doorway, they straightened. I did take notice of their tense bodies however, noting that there was a mixture of anger and fear in their eyes. Oh this could not be good. I thought I wasn't supposed to get into trouble if I came back to Shreveport?

"Magister." Eric inclined his head in acknowledgement.

So this was the Magister guy I've heard about. I had no idea of the power or authority that he held, but I did know that he was someone that wasn't to be crossed. I got that much from the few conversations I heard between Godric and Eric.

"Mr. Northman." The Magister's eyes were like the eyes of cats, narrowed into slits and looking every which way. When his eyes fell on me, I shuddered at the coldness expressed in those intimidating eyes. There was a smirk on his face as his eyes roamed over me before returning his gaze onto Eric. "I believe we have a matter to speak of."

Eric looked unsure as a group of vampires entered the bar and stood behind the Magister. Each of the vampires looked sinister, far scarier than any of the vampires I had known back in the Dallas nest or even the ones that showed up here at Fangtasia. I suppose I never knew a true vampire, as these looked exactly like you would imagine them. I gulped and knew this wasn't going to be good. No one came with an escort unless there was going to be a big fight, movies had taught me that. And by the way the vampires were staring at me hungrily, I would say that the movies seemed about right. It didn't help of course that I was vampire crack and they probably could have smelt my unusual blood a mile away. This was NOT good, with a capital N-O-T.

"Magister," Eric's eyes were moving quickly, his eyes falling on me, then to Godric, quickly gazing at Pam beside him, and then finally resting on the Magister. "Perhaps we should speak in my office, alone."

"There's no need Mr. Northman. You're all suspects."

Suspects? Suspects for what? I wanted to ask that out loud, but I knew it wasn't exactly the right time to be playing innocent, even though I truly was. I swear though, if Eric was going to get me killed for some stupid idea of his, I was going to be extremely unhappy in my afterlife!

"Magister," Godric spoke, taking a step forward though he still kept himself in front of me as best as he could. "It's been many centuries."

"Ah yes, Godric. It has." He eyed Godric carefully. "I heard about Dallas, I do hope your well."

"I am." Godric nodded. "On what grounds are you here?"

"Perhaps Mr. Northman would like to explain to us all why I'm here." The Magister absently twirled the sleek black cane that he held.

Eric looked like he was just thrown into a pool of silver. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Magister."

"Don't play coy with me." the magister stepped forward. "Do you deny that V was being sold in your area?"

I gasped. Yes, I gasped, and rather audibly too. All eyes shot to me for a brief moment before turning onto Eric. He now looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I guess what the magister was saying was true, and I just couldn't believe it. How could Eric, a vampire himself, be selling V. V, black market vampire blood, was the worst possible drug on the market, and the most expensive. It was unpredictable what it could do to the person who takes just a drop of the blood. Some it was a sexual experience, others, it drove them mad. Half of the time the blood, or so I've heard, isn't even completely real. But to sell it was a grave offence, as even if it was true vampire blood, it had to of been drained from a vampire. For a vampire to sell the blood of their own kind, that was just unforgivable. And sickening. It was like if I went and sold another human's blood to a vampire. It just wasn't right.

"Not on my orders. I've been framed." Eric spoke, his voice strained as if he was thinking on the spot. I wasn't sure if it was just obvious, or if it was the bond that we shared that I could tell that. I was hoping for the latter. As much of a pain in the ass that he was, I wouldn't want to see him get hurt, or worse, killed, by these vampires.

"Then on whose? Your Queen's?"

When Eric didn't answer, the vampires jumped into action. They went after Pam first, before anyone could move to stop them. I had to muffle a shriek with my hand, my heart racing as three vampires threw silver around Pam's limbs, bringing her down to her knees as the skin burned where the silver was being pressed in. Eric's demeanour completely changed when he saw Pam, who was trying desperately not to scream out in agony. If I hadn't thought Eric could feel emotions before, I was a believer now. There was pain in his eyes, the pain that he was feeling for his child, his progeny. He loved her; she was his, in every sense of the word. Knowing that, seeing that devotion first hand, it just made me fall just a little bit harder for the man of steel.

"So, what's it going to be Mr. Northman? Should you be charged for the distribution of blood in your area, or treason?" The magister tugged at the bottom of his cane to reveal a long, sharp piece of silver.

I felt sick when he walked over to Pam, and used the sharp silver tool to slice right down her midsection. Godric had to place his hand over my mouth this time to muffle my screams that would have been mixed with Pam's. Eric looked like his entire world was falling apart, and I'm sure from his perspective, it was.

Pam's screams of agony were enough to make me want to just ball. She may not have been someone who I was close to, but I would never wish to see her harmed. She was nice enough to me, and did do her best to protect me when it counted. But now she was absolutely defenceless, something I wasn't used to seeing. She was always so strong, much like her maker was. I didn't like seeing her in such a way.

"It was Bill Compton!" Pam screamed, bloody tears cascading down her face. Her eyes found Eric's for the briefest moment, and I caught the tiniest head nod from the Viking. I could tell Pam was covering for Eric, and even thought I didn't have any real contempt towards Bill, I was personally all for it at the moment

"It's true." Eric hurriedly agreed, not wanting to see his child in more pain. "He's gone missing."

The magister turned his head in Eric's direction, a look of intrigue on his face.

"You've seen yourself how he betrays our kind for personal gain. I believe he is behind this, and I am gathering evidence to bring to you." Eric's eyes glanced at Pam before back down at the magister, who was a good foot shorter. "Now let me finish my work."

The magister contemplated what Eric said before turning back towards Pam. I was sure every single vampire in this bar could hear my quickening pulse, the fear that emitted off of me.

"They say the loss of a child is the deepest of despairs." The magister moved the silver at the end of his cane towards Pam, causing her to flinch. "Two days Mr. Northman or she dies a true death. As will your little pet."

My heart just about stopped when the attention of the vampires turned back onto me. Godric tensed beside me, one hand tightly gripping my arm.

"She has no part of this." Eric shook his head. "Neither does Pam."

"I think keeping both of them would give you enough incentive." The magister waved a hand and every vampire besides the ones holding Pam, began towards me. "Step aside Godric, unless you would like to lose your child."

Godric didn't move an inch, but once the magister threatened to do the same thing to Eric that he had done to Pam, Godric had no choice. I didn't blame him. Eric was his child, his own blood. They had roamed this earth for 1000 years. They had a deeper bond than I would probably ever have with a single person. If I was in his position, I would have done the exact thing. I could see the remorse and pain in his blue green eyes as he turned towards me as he stepped away. I could feel tears in my eyes, but I nodded in assurance that I was going to be okay.

As the vampires grew closer, slowing closing me in, I tried to think of a plan. Like Eric had taunted, these vampires could move faster than it would take for me to think about using my powers. I had to not think. I had to just act on instinct. I wasn't sure if anything would even happen, but once one vampire was within a foot of me, I knew I needed to do something. I couldn't just stand there and expect to live to tell the tale of what could possibly occur in the next two days. Pam was a vampire, she could endure much more than I, a simple human, could. I would have no chance. If they took me, I was as good as dead.

So I couldn't let them take me.

I acted without a single thought, raising both of my hands to either side of my body in a halt position like I had done to Eric only days ago. The vampires sneered at me when nothing happened. My eyes grew wide in fear as I realized that my powers weren't working like they should. When the first vampire had their hands on me, that was when I freaked. I tried physically fighting back, but that was just stupid. It was useless to try and fight against a vampire that had more strength in their pinkie than I did in my entire body. I was completely defenceless as the vampires grabbed whatever part of me that they could.

"Let her go!" Eric growled.

"Do I have to remind you who you are talking to, Mr. Northman?" The magister waved another hand, and without further ado, the fangs sunk into the skin from every direction.

I screamed out in pain as the fans pierced whatever body part that the vampires could find; my neck, my shoulders, my wrists, and everything in between. It was worst than any time Eric, or even Godric, had ever bitten me. This was just torturous. I was blinded by the pain as my body betrayed me and began crumpling to the ground. I could feel myself starting to lose conscious as the vampires sucked at the blood, growing hungrier and more vicious at every drop of blood they tasted. Black dots started to invade my vision, and I knew that this may very well be the last time I was conscious. I was starting to sway forwards, but before I could even hit the ground, a flash of fiery red light suddenly enveloped me. Everything was hazy, and it could have been a hallucination for all I knew. But I watched as this light began growing larger and larger, and the minute the light touched the vampires draining me, they would let out screams of pain and scramble away, burns on their bodies. I didn't have a chance to see what happened next however, as my eyes clamped shut, the world turning black.

A/N: I clearly have a lot of inspiration lol. i've done so much writing lately that I've lost track lol. Ellie is finally starting to stand up for herself, not letting Eric bully her around. especially with that no sex rule, that will really get Eric pissed off. but of course, the stupid Magister has to come in right when she was getting into telling them off. some more look at her mysterious powers, the secret about the phoenixes being revealed in the next chapter or so.