- Author's Note - Hey, guys! Before we continue, a special shoutout and thanks to NicoleR85, MedievalWarriorPrincess, lostfeather1, and angelvoice15 for reviewing!
Here's the next Chapter, in which an important new character is introduced, so be sure to review, and let me know not only what you think of him, but everything else too. :)
A short time later, Elena sat on the sofa located in Eric's office. She'd been pleasantly surprised to learn the books that lined the deep mahogany shelves behind his desk were mostly old, though very few were in English, the text instead Swedish, as is the man's native tongue, and she was currently looking through one of the rare English ones, though she did speak a fair few other languages herself, some Human, some otherwise.
"Do you have any in Valarian?" Elena asked, looking up at her now Vampire Mate, as he scanned through the volumes looking for another for her. "I remember a grand library, greater than any in this World, during the rare times I was in the Fae Realm as a child."
"Have you not been back since?" inquired Eric in return, while he shifted his attention from English texts to those of Fairies.
"No," sighed Elena. "When the first World War began, what few Elders we had left sealed off the borders to it. A message was sent out to all remaining Fae in the Human World, to return in time, if we could, but Cullen, my Mother, and I were among those too late."
"So, you're trapped here," said Eric, straightening up, and gazing sadly over at her. "I never knew that."
Elena shrugged her slender shoulders slightly. "I don't see it that way. I was born in the Human World, after all. My Father is, or, at least, was, a Human. I've spent the majorty of my over 165 years here. For better of worse, the Human World is my home." Sighing softly, she flicked a glance down at the book open in her lap once more, and absently turned the page. "I suppose that's why I try so hard to see the good in it, and to get rid of what evil I can."
"Such as the three Vampires who killed Cullen," Eric spoke, pulling a volume off of the shelf, then making his way around his desk, toward where she sat, with it. "And Drew Marshall."
"Yes," Elena replied softly, before her happiness return, when he came to a halt in front of her, and offered her the book. "You have one? In High Valarian?"
"It's one of the oldest texts I have," answered Eric, smiling as he saw the joy that lit up her beautiful face. "And now it's yours."
Smiling brightly, Elena lifted a slender hand, and reached out to take the book from him, while he bent over slightly to offer it to her, and both paused at the closeness that ensued from him doing so, before Eric leaned the rest of the way down, capturing her lush pink lips with his own in a kiss, which she immediately returned.
When he pulled back, his blue eyes met her own rich brown, and a fresh smile tugged at the corners of Elena's mouth, at the look of uncertainty on Eric's handsome visage. He was so unused to have free range to touch her, to kiss her, whenever he wanted, and now he did.
Taking the book from his hand, Elena placed it on top of the one in her lap, which she closed first, before setting the two items on the small table beside the couch, then shifting her attention back up onto Eric, whom she lifted her slender arms to.
"Come here, ice man," she jokingly said, resting her hands on his broad shoulders, while a smirk lit up his face, before he met her lips in a kiss, as she urged him down on top of her on the couch, shifting in her position to more lay down, propped up slightly by the arm of the sofa.
Despite Elena's urging, Eric kept most of his weight off of her. His nearly 6'5" form was naturally quite a lot for her barely 5'9" one, so he placed a knee on either side of her on the couch, then grasped the back of the piece of furniture with a single large hand, while the other lovingly cradled her beautiful face, as he easily held his body a few inches above hers, but maintained their kiss, which he soon deepened, while her hands moved up from his shoulders, to his pale lightly scruffy cheeks.
Neither knew how long it went on for, what was most likely only a moment easily felt like years, before the two pulled back just enough to look into one another's eyes.
"I'm yours now, you know," Elena said, turning one of her hands over on his handsome face, so that she brushed the area with the backs of her slender fingers, while she smiled softly. "You can touch me whenever you wish."
Eric smiled gently in return, moving his hand down from her cheek to trace the feminine line of her delicate jaw with his thick fingertips. "That is so, min kärlek. But I don't want to make you do anything you aren't ready for."
Elena knew he wasn't so much speaking of making love, though it was fair enough to let her prepare for that, as she's never been with a Vampire before, but more of him feeding on her.
She laughed softly, and nodded her long silky honey blond head against the leather of the couch, while taking her bottom lip in between her teeth. "Yes, we'll have to work our way up to that."
Using her body, Elena urged Eric up into a sitting position, which he took by way of continuing to rest one leg, bent at the knee, on the sofa, while placing the other foot on the floor, and straightening his tall body from the waist up.
"But, until then," Elena said, effortlessly sitting up herself, then reaching to pull off her black leather jacket, which she let fall back behind her on the couch, before she opened up her arms to Eric, who'd been watching her every movement like with fascination.
Eric had no plans to make love to her, let alone for the first time, on the couch in his office, but there were plenty of other things they could do in the meantime, especially since he knew he could happily go on simply kissing and ravaging her mouth forever.
Smirking once more, he leaned back over Elena, cupping one side of her beautiful face, while resuming his previous position above her, as she laid down once more, this time atop her black leather jacket, and their lips met in a renewed kiss.
The longer they went on, the more of his body and his weight Eric was comfortable laying atop hers, and it was when only his leg still planted on the floor was keeping him above her that a voice broke through the contented haze of passion.
"I hate to interrupt," Pam said, causing Eric and Elena's kiss to break, and the former to lower his head, almost resting it on Elena's chest, while the latter looked over at the female Vampire, who was noticably caked in mud, and had leaves in her thick blond curls. "But there's something out here you've just got to see."
Sighing softly, Eric pushed himself up off of Elena, offering her his hands as he did so, then helping her sit up, before he got to his feet, and walked the few steps over to Pam, clearly his throat softly, before speaking. "Where's Chow? What did you find?"
Elena reached back behind herself, and grabbed her black leather jacket, rolling her rich brown eyes at the smirk on Pam's face, before she focused on shrugging back into the item of clothing.
"Like I said, you have to see it for yourself to believe it," Pam replied to Eric, who soon flicked a glance back at Elena, just as she was pulling her long silky honey blond head free from the collar of her coat.
"All right," Eric said, when Elena merely shrugged in response to the female Vampire's words.
While Pam turned to head out of the office, Eric extended one of his large hands to Elena, smiling when she took it, then stood up, before he entwined their fingers, as they followed the female Vampire out into the hallway, Elena not missing her fresh smirk, though this one was more soft, as if she was actually happy to see Eric the same way.
"Enough games, Pamela," Eric said, as he and Elena followed after her through the hallway, then stepped into the main area of the bar. "Did you find what killed the dog or not?"
"You tell me," replied Pam, coming to a halt once they were in the open room, and turning to face her Maker, while placing a hand on her hip, then using the other to gesture.
Any argument Eric was going to offer died before forming on his lips, when he and Elena followed her indication, and saw what she was talking about.
Curled up in the throne on the raised dais in the furthermost from where the three of them currently stood corner; with Chow standing nearby, as if on guard, his own clothing caked with dirt; wearing shoes, jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black jacket, all of which were dirty and a bit wet with either sweat or water, or both, was a little boy. Well, not little, he looked to be about 12, or even 13, and he was, quite simply put, beautiful.
He was probably around 5'4" in height, had smooth pale skin dotted with random freckles, shaggy dark brown hair that looked velvet soft even in its current mused, dirty state, and stunning brilliant dark sapphire blue eyes. He was an extremely handsome young man, but he was stunning at the same time.
"You found a child?" Eric asked, flicking his gaze from the boy back to Pam.
"Oh, my gosh," breathed Elena, pulling her hand free from Eric's, and instinctively starting across the bar to the young man, whom she could tell was not only terrified, but like her, a Fae.
She now also noticed Ginger up on the dias as well, wrapping a blanket around the child's shoulders, while the other few Human employees stood scattered around, as was the case with the Vampire ones, all of which had their fangs out, and looked like they were barely containing themselves.
"Yes," Pam answered, before nodding at the boy. "We came across him in the woods while scanning the area."
Eric followed after Elena at this, the protective Mate in him rising up, since over 1,000 years has taught him that one's size doesn't matter when it comes to what could be within it. "Elena, wait!" he said, as he easily caught up with her, and grasped her arm, bringing her to a halt about halfway across the bar. "We don't know how dangerous he could be."
"He's a Fae," Elena replied, lifting her deep brown eyes to Eric's blue, before nodding her long silky honey blond head at the bar's employees, mainly the Vampire ones who were looking at the boy like a meal. "Get them out of here."
Eric shifted his gaze onto his employees, releasing his hold on Elena's arm, in order to take a few steps away from her, where he spoke up to the room in his commanding, no room for argument, but still calm, as he knew none would dare defy him, voice. "Get out, all of you. Make yourselves useful somewhere else."
While everyone began to scatter, the Humans doing so mostly in fear of the man, Eric quickly lifted both of his arms to point at Chow and Pam, when they began to move themselves. "Not you."
"Ginger," Elena said, bringing the blond woman to a halt on the dais. "Would you please stay as well? I think it'd be best if there's more than one non Vampire in the room for him." She indicated the boy as she spoke.
"Oh," Ginger replied, smiling at the Fae's consideration of her, something she's not used to in the slightest, while she came to a halt beside Chow, and Elena then noticed the wet towel clutched in her thin hands, which she'd probably fetched, along with the blanket, to attempt to clean the child off a bit. "Of course, Elena."
Elena sent Ginger a smile of gratitude at this, but, before anything more could be done or said by anyone, the boy looked over suddenly, as if just noticing the changes in the room now that it was vacated of the majority of threats, and a bright smile quickly lit up his handsome young face, while he began to climb down off of Eric's throne.
Elena's dark brown eyes widened when, as the boy began to move, she saw a flash of red on his right pant leg, indicating he was injured, but his next actions wiped any thoughts of the wound from her mind.
"Please!" he exclaimed, as he rushed off of the dias, and toward Elena, running straight into her arms, any pain in his injury forgotten, while his own limbs locked into place around her, and he buried his face into her shoulder, his body beginning to tremble with sobs of relief and joy. "Please don't let them hurt me! Please! Please."
Elena's brow furrowed in confusion and concern at the boy's words, and she flicked a glance over her shoulder at Eric and Pam, then up at Chow and Ginger, before returning her attention to the child, whom she intuitively wrapped her arms around in return, her first instinct being to comfort the frightened, injured boy, who was a rare Fae like her, and must've recognized it in her as well.
"Shh," she spoke softly in a soothing tone, as she hugged him tightly, but gently, which was the exact opposite of how he was holding onto her, like his life depended on it. "Shh. It's all right, sweetheart. I've got you. You're safe now. You're safe."
Lifting one hand off of his shaking form, Elena cradled the back of his dark silky head for a moment, before moving it back to holding him snugly against her warm, soft, soothing, comforting, loving body.
After a few moments, Elena was able to guide the boy back up into the dais, and onto Eric's throne once more, where she secured the blanket around him, before asking Ginger to stay with him, while she spoke with Eric and Pam.
"No!" the boy exclaimed, reaching out to grasp Elena's hand, when she turned to head off, while the blond woman moved forward with her wet towel once more. "Please don't leave me."
"I'll be right back, I promise," Elena reassured, lifting her free hand to place it overtop his on her own other, and soothing rub it with her slender thumb. "And I'll just be over there." She nodded at where Pam and Eric were by the bar, while Chow continued to stand nearby, as if the boy posed some threat, and needed to be guarded. "Okay?"
The boy nodded, then reluctantly released his hold on her hand, allowing Elena to head over to the two Vampires, Eric instantly offering her his large limb, which she gratefully took with both of her own, as she stepped in place beside him.
"How is he?" Eric asked.
"Uh, terrified," Elena replied. "And he's hurt." Moving her rich brown eyes over onto Pam, they noticably flashed scarlet for a split second, as she spoke to the female Vampire. "I don't suppose you and Chow decided to have a little snack before you brought him back here."
"Look, he may be the most delicious thing I've come across since you first walked in here months ago," answered Pam, as she continued to stand with her hand defiantly, before nodding her leaf littered dark blond head at Eric. "But when he gives me an order, I follow it. And our order was to search the woods."
"What about him?" Elena inquired, gesturing back at Chow, whom she did not like how he was continuing to look at the boy, as not only a possible threat, but a treat he couldn't have, though wanted more than anything.
"Chow may be new," spoke up Eric. "But he's loyal, Elena. I don't believe he was the cause of the child's injury."
Sighing softly, Elena nodded, giving her Mate's hand a squeeze. "All right. If you trust him, so do I."
"Hurray," Pam said sarcastically and flatly. "So, what do we do with him? We can't exactly keep him here. The bar opens in an hour."
"The boy's well being is our first priority, Pam," Eric replied, before looking down at Elena. "I'm guessing he wouldn't accept my blood, so what about a hospital?"
Elena shook her long silky dark blond head. "No. Human medical professionals are no use to Fae. Our bodies work differently, are more fragile in a lot of ways, and reject Human blood. Violently, if necessary."
"I know a Healer," Eric said. "Dr. Ludwig." Smirking, he went on. "She doesn't quite have your bedside manner, my love. But she knows what she's doing."
Elena flicked a glance over at the boy in Eric's throne, smiling softly when she saw Ginger affectionately cleaning his handsome face, before returning her gaze to her Mate, and nodding.
Eric returned the gesture, then leaned down, and pressed a kiss to the top of Elena's honey and rose petal scented head. "I'll make the call."
Releasing his hold on her hand, he turned, then headed into the back, toward his office, leaving Elena and Pam standing there, but the latter soon began to move away.
"Pam, wait," Elena spoke up, bringing the female Vampire to a halt. "I think we should talk."
"About what, sugar?" asked Pam, looking over at the beautiful young woman, who was, truthfully, actually older than her.
"Eric," replied Elena, before taking a step closer to the blond. "I know you probably don't believe me, but the last thing I had on my mind when I came here tonight was forgiving him for what he did. It's been a month, and I'm just tired of it all. Everything that comes with hating someone, holding a grudge. It's not who I am, it's not who I want to be. I don't expect you to understand, but I do love Eric, and I know a Fae and a Vampire being together will be. . . challenging, but I'm ready to face it all with him."
"Elena," Pam sighed in response, and she prepared herself for more sarcastic responses from the Vampire, not exactly the look of sincerity that crossed her beautiful face, when she met her brown eyes with her own deep blue. "I've been by Eric's side for over a hundred years. He's my Maker, and there isn't a thing I wouldn't do for him. He rescued me from a really shitty life, and has given me everything I could ever ask for. I've been happy, but I know he hasn't been. Not truly, not completely, at least. And not until you walked in here that night two months ago did I see the first glimmer of it in his eyes."
She paused for a moment, grateful Elena remained silent, and let her speak, before continuing, even as she noticed the lines of red around her eyes darken, in a sign she was holding back her Vampire blood tears.
"He loves you," Pam continued. "More than anything. More than life. He's always been a King, and you were always meant to be his Queen. I know you probably think I don't like you, but, the truth is, I do. Humans have always annoyed me, even when I was one myself." She shrugged her slender shoulders, her words causing Elena to smile softly in amusement. "But you're not Human. You're extraordinary. I'd protect you with my life. And not just because of Eric." Taking in a deep breath, she looked away, and Elena continued to remain silent, while trying to bite back the more brilliant smile that begged to be set free across her face. "So, I guess what all this means is, we're good. I'm not saying we'll go shopping together, get our hair and nails done. At least not yet."
Elena laughed softly at this, flicking a glance down at the floor, before returning her dark brown eyes to Pam's deep sapphire.
"And I'm also not much of a hugger, so. . . " Pam continued, trailing off.
"Well, I won't say I'm disappointed," Elena finally spoke, before gesturing at the female Vampire with one of her slender hands. "You are covered in mud and leaves, after all."
"Yes," said Pam, flicking a look at herself. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go remedy that."
Elena nodded, and watched Pam head off, before she called out to her once more. "Pam! One more thing. I'm sorry about your shoes." She indicated the female Vampire's ruined pink pumps, which she'd said were her favorite earlier. "They were great. And, if you ever find another pair, send me the bill."
A smirk tugged at the corners of Pam's perfectly done lips, which had remained so over the searching in the dirty woods, and she merely sent Elena a nod in response, then continued on her way.
While Dr. Ludwig, whom Elena had been surprised to find was a shriveled old woman barely even her height, looked at the boy's leg, Elena gathered with Eric, Pam, and Chow in the former's office, having convinced the child she'd be close, and to just call if he needed her, while Ginger would stay by him, though she admitted she wasn't completely comfortable leaving him with the Healer.
Eric closed the office door, until just a crack was left, so Elena could hear if the boy called for her, then walked over to where she, Pam, now clean, her hair straight, and wearing a dark purple velour suit, and Chow were by his desk.
"All right. You two," he said, lifting a hand to indicate Pam and Chow. "Explain."
"We caught the scent of something filthy in the woods of the town called Derry," Chow began. "We were tracking it, when we caught the scent of the boy."
"You were mere miles from the town's inhabitants," Eric interrupted, quirking a brow at the man. "Am I to believe you sought them out as well?"
"No, we knew the child's was different," answered Chow, before gesturing at Elena. "Like hers. It was sweet, intoxicating. And it was mixed with the filthy smell of the thing we were tracking."
"Did you see it?" asked Eric.
"No," Pam answered. "But we found footprints. They were large, Human-like, but defiantly not Human."
"The scent ended at the town's sewers, where there were too many smells to separate," said Chow. "So, that's when we went back for the boy."
"He was hiding in a hollowed out tree trunk," Pam spoke up. "He was passed out when we came back for him, so we carried him back here."
"Did he say anything?" Elena inquired, from where she was leaning against the nearby wall, arms crossed over her chest. "When you first found him? When he woke up on the way back?"
"He asked us not to hurt him," replied Pam, causing Elena to sigh softly.
"So, what do we do with him when Ludwig's done?" Chow inquired, looking over at Eric from Elena. "We can't exactly keep a Fae child in a Vampire bar."
"Nor would I let you," Elena replied, and she caught sight of both Eric and Pam smirking at her response to Chow. "I'll take him home with me. Until we find out who he is, and what attacked him and killed Winston, my house is the safest place for him."
Eric nodded in response, before walking the couple of steps over to her, lifting a large hand to rub her back, while she raised a slender limb of her own to tiredly touch her beautiful face. "Do you have anyone you can contact? Other Fae who could possibly know where he came from?"
"Um, I have friends in Los Angeles," said Elena, lifting her rich brown gaze to him. "I haven't spoken to them since Cullen died, but. . . " She shrugged her slender shoulders. "I guess they're my only option.
Eric nodded once more, offering her a soft smile, which she returned, especially when he moved his hand off of her back in favor of touching her cheek lightly with the backs of his thick strong fingers.
The expression of joy soon died from Elena's beautiful face however, when, from the main room, her and the three Vampires' ears were suddenly pierced with a scream of agony coming from the boy, followed by Ginger screaming her name, and Elena was out of the office in a split second, with Eric following directly after her, while Pam, then Chow, brought up the rear.
Swiftly entering the bar area, Elena's rich brown eyes fell upon the scene before her. The boy was laying on one of the plush black leather ottoman that doubled as a sitting place for more than one person and a table, his pant leg cut off from just below the knee, exposing his wound, which Dr. Ludwig currently had one of her bony gloved fingers digging into, while Ginger hovered helplessly nearby.
"What the Hell are you doing to him?" Elena exclaimed, even as she summoned a brilliant scarlet hex to her hand, then swiftly curled it into a ball, and expelled it at the tiny old woman, which blasted her back away from the boy, sending her flying through the air, before hitting the wall, then falling to the floor.
Eric, Pam, and Chow didn't do anything in response, merely stood back out of Elena's way, while Eric was unable to help smirking slightly in pride of his Mate's incredible power.
"Elena!" the boy exclaimed, his handsome, young, still slightly dirty, face stained with tears, as he tried to weakly push himself up, and reach for Elena, as the pain in his leg contained to throb, but dull slightly now that the woman's finger was no longer in it.
"It's all right, sweetheart," Elena spoke up to him, holding a hand out to him, as she moved closer to the ottoman. "I won't let her touch you again."
"Crazy Fairy!" Ludwig exclaimed, as she gathered herself up from the pile she crumpled into on the floor, and get to her feet, where she glared angrily at Elena. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Throwing a fragile old woman across the room?"
"Fragile old woman, my ass," Elena scoffed, while flicking a glance up and down the Doctor's small form. "You're a Dwarf, aren't you? No wonder I could smell the judgement and hate coming off of you as soon as you walked in the door." Looking over at Eric, Pam, and Chow, she went on. "Dwarfs and Fairies do not get along. " Returning her gaze to Ludwig, she continued. "We even went to war once."
"Is that so?" Pam inquired, sharing an amused look and a smirk with Eric. "What was the problem, Doctor?"
"Greedy fuckers Fairies are," Ludwig growled out, pointing a bony finger at Elena. "Always taking, never giving. And their Royalty is the worst. Am I right, girl? I'll bet your Royalty. Spoiled little Fairy Princess."
"You have no idea what you're talking about," Elena replied, gently shaking her head.
"All right, Dr. Ludwig, it looks like we'll no longer be requiring your services," spoke up Eric, as he moved closer to where Elena stood protectively over the boy. "I'll make sure you receive your usual payment, plus a little extra to cover any. . . damages you may have received."
The little woman merely mumbled to herself, under her breath, as she gathered up her things, then scurried out of the bar, adding in comments about "fucking Fangers" as she did so.
"You went to war?" Eric asked in amusement, while he came to a halt beside Elena. "I thought Fae were a peaceful race."
"Oh, shut up," Elena breathed, flicking her gaze up onto his smirking handsome face, even as a smile of her own tugged at the corners of her lush pink lips.
"Well, seeing as Dr. Ludwig is no longer an option, the boy will have to accept my blood," Eric said, lifting a hand to touch her back. "I'll go put some in a glass for him."
"Thank you," Elena said, turning her attention onto the Fae child, while Eric moved away. "Hey, sweetie. It's all right now." Falling into a crouch beside the ottoman, she reached out, and brushed her fingers along the line of his shaggy brown hair that fell over his forehead. "I'm so sorry I first let that woman touch you, and then scared her away."
"It's all right," he replied, smiling in response, and Elena noticed for the first time that the boy had what sounded like an Australian accent. "I didn't like her anyway."
Elena laughed softly. "Well, trust me, she didn't like us either. But. . . " Licking her lips, she flicked a glance at the wound on his leg, truly seeing it for the first time, and it defiantly looked like something powerful had sank their teeth into him. "Your wound needs to be tended to, so Eric's going to give you some of his blood to drink, and it'll heal you." She quirked a dark brow at him. "Have you ever had Vampire blood before?"
"No," the boy replied, next sighing gently. "Some of my friends tried it though."
"Okay," Elena said, moving her hand to grasp his nearest forearm. "Well, they tried it for all the wrong reasons, but you really need it. And it's just going to be a little. Only enough to heal you. All right?"
"Okay," the boy answered, nodding.
"Good," responded Elena, giving his arm a rub, just as Eric returned to them with a scotch glass containing about an inch of his blood.
"Here you go, young man," the Vampire said, offering the boy the glass. "Sip it slowly."
"Thank you," the boy replied, taking the item from him, then lifting it to his lips, and doing as he said, taking the thick crimson liquid gently, before handing the glass back to Eric, as all eyes turned onto his leg wound, which quickly healed, though Elena noticed something small fall out of the injury, before it sealed up, and disappeared, leaving not a trace on his skin, and the Fae child smiled. "Cool."
While Eric smirked in response to the boy's reaction to seeing his blood heal his wound instantaneously, Elena reached out to pick up the item that had fallen from it, her dark brow furrowing, even once she realized it was a tooth.
"Eric," Elena said, rising to her feet, and showing him the item. "It's a tooth."
"Must be what Ludwig was trying to dig out with her finger," replied Eric, as he took the fang from her, and inspected it himself.
"It doesn't look like any tooth I know of," went on Elena. "Not Human, not canine, not Vampire."
"Nor I," said Eric, while he looked at the item from all angles. "I'll see what I can find out." Reaching out with his free hand, he placed it on Elena's back, then dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "You stay here and talk with him. I'll try and find him some new clothes too."
"Okay," replied Elena, smiling softly, then watching him head off, followed closely by Pam and Chow.
"Is he your boyfriend?" the boy asked, as Elena fetched a nearby table chair, and pulled it over to the ottoman.
"Uh, yes, he is," Elena answered, settling down in the seat. "Though we Fae don't call it that."
"Oh, right, 'Mate'," the boy replied.
"That's right," Elena nodded, before her brow furrowed a bit. "You know, you seem to know a lot more than I did when I was your age, and I grew up surrounded by our kind. How do you know so much about Faes?"
"Mr. Gold taught me," the boy said, shrugging slightly with one hand, as he continued to lay sideways on the ottoman, propped up by one arm.
Elena nodded once more, then looked up at Ginger, as she came over to them. "Could you get him a glass of water? Thank you."
Ginger nodded and smiled in response, then moved off to fetch the requested item, while Elena returned her attention to the boy.
"Who's Mr. Gold?" Elena asked him.
"I don't know," he replied in his Australian accented voice. "He kind of comes and goes. He's Fae though, like us."
"Well, when's the last time you saw him?" inquired Elena.
"A few weeks ago, I guess," the boy said, his brow furrowing a bit. "He never stays long."
"So, you don't live with him?" asked Elena next.
"No, I live with David and Ruby in Derry," the boy replied.
"So, David and Ruby aren't your parents?" Elena continued, quirking a questioning brow at him.
"No," the boy said, sighing sadly. "I never knew my real parents."
"Mr. Gold and the couple you live with never told you about them?" Elena inquired, looking up when Ginger returned with the requested drink, and handed it to her, so she gave the woman a soft smile of gratitude, before returning her attention to the Fae child, while the blond woman headed off to give them privacy.
"No," the boy repeated, taking the glass of water from Elena, when she offered him the drink, and lifting it to his lips for a long gulp.
"Well, we'll get you cleaned up, and take you back to Derry," Elena said, offering the boy a soft smile.
"Why?" the boy asked, gazing questioningly at her.
"Don't you think David and Ruby are worried about you, honey?" replied Elena, laughing gently at his word, but the smile soon faded, when she saw the expression of pain that crossed his handsome young face. "Oh, sweetheart, what is it?"
"They're dead," answered the boy. "We were in town last night." He laughed softly, shaking his head. "Derry has this carnival at the start of every month, brings in people from other towns, makes a lot of money. They wanted to go home, but I wanted to hang out with my friends, so we split up. They told me to be careful."
Elena's heart ached at the shimmer of tears that were rising up in the boy's beautiful blue eyes, even as he tried to hide it with his bouts of gentle laughter.
"It was after Midnight when my friends and I walked home," he went on, using his free hand to rub at his nose. "I went in through the back, because I was scared they'd be mad at me for staying out so late. All the lights were off, and I felt relieved, because I thought it meant they were asleep, so I chanced turning on the kitchen light to get a drink before I went to bed, and there they were. David was closest, and Ruby was done the hall." He laughed softly again, even as he sniffled. "I know David probably told her to run, tried to save her, 'cause that's the kind of man he was, but it wasn't enough. Then this. . . thing jumped out at me, so I ran. I ran as fast as I could, right into the woods behind our house. I tried to hide, but it found me. It would've killed me had the dog not shown up."
Elena's expression fell with realization. The boy was talking about Winston. He had followed her and Bill to the town the night before, and he'd given his life to save the boy from whatever had killed his adoptive parents and was trying to kill him.
"While they wrestled, I ran. I wanted to stay, I wanted to help, I wanted to be brave, but I couldn't," the boy continued, tears now unashamedly streaming down his dirt caked cheeks. "And I heard the dog's pain filled cries, then nothing. It died saving me, and I ran, I hid." Sniffling once more, he lowered his gaze to the floor. "That's where the two Vampires found me."
"Oh, sweetheart," Elena sighed softly, moving off of the chair, and falling to her knees beside the ottoman, where she gently took the glass of water from him, setting it off to the side, before reaching out to gather him into her arms. "Come here."
The boy gratefully went into her embrace, wrapping her own limbs around her, while he sobbed into her shoulder.
"Listen to me," Elena said, as she held him. "You were brave. You went through something no one ever should, something adults can barely handle, and you survived." She moved one hand up to cradle the back of his head. "I promise you you're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you." Pausing, she spoke up after a few seconds. "Can you tell me your name?"
"Will," the boy responded in a mumble against her shoulder. "William."
Elena couldn't help but smile softly at his answer. William. Bill's name. The name of the Will in Virginia she'd loved. And now the Fae child in her arms. It seemed her destiny to always love a William.
Turning her long silky honey blond tressed head, Elena pressed a kiss into his own dark brown locks, then resumed simply holding him, allowing him all the time he needed to cry in her safe, loving arms.
Elena stood outside of Fangtasia, leaning against the wall by the front door, arms crossed over her chest, with one leg, bent at the knee, brought up behind her, so that her foot was propped on the structure.
She gazed up at the starry black night sky, smiling when she saw the massive familiar forms of her Dragons cast shadows on the twinkling lights, while she breathed in the fresh cool air.
Looking over, when the front door opened, her soft smile brightened at the sight of Eric emerging from inside.
"Hey," he said to her.
"Hey," she replied, while the entrance swung shut behind him, as he made his way over to her.
"You all right?" Eric asked, coming to a halt in front of her, where he placed his large hands on either side of her small waist.
"Yeah," answered Elena, moving her own slender limbs to rest on his powerful forearms. "I just needed some fresh air, you know."
Eric nodded his slicked back dark highlighted blond head, before speaking. "Will's getting cleaned up and changed. Then I'll take you both home."
"You don't have to do that, Eric," Elena said, gliding her hands up his muscled arms to bring them to a halt on his biceps. "I know you need to open Fangtasia."
"Which is something Pam and Chow are perfectly capable of doing without me," responded Eric.
"Well, what about important Vampire Sheriff business or something?" Elena offered, laughing softly. "I mean, I've had you occupied since you woke up."
"All of it can wait," said Eric, meeting her rich brown gaze with his own sapphire blue. "I told you, you are my priority, now and always."
Her soft smile brightening, Elena moved her foot down off of the wall, then leaned up onto her toes, in order to wrap her arms around his neck, and rest her chin on his broad shoulder.
"Good," she said, while Eric secured his own limbs about her slender form, closing his eyes, as he buried his nose in her silky honey blond tresses, soon moving one hand up to grasp the back of her delicate neck through said veil. "Because I wasn't ready to say, "Goodnight" to you yet anyway."
Pulling back, Elena lifted her gaze to his handsome face, smiling softly, as she watched him absently play with a few strands of her long locks.
"I'm here for you, Elena," Eric spoke, while their eyes met. "Anything you need."
Her soft smile brightened, while she moved one hand to touch a side of his handsome face, before both of their gazes turned, at the sound of the front door to the bar opening, and Will stepped out, cleaned up, and wearing his same shoes from before, but a new pair of jeans, and a black and red Fangtasia shirt.
"Ready to go?" Elena asked, quirking a dark brow at him, as Eric placed a large limb on her back, and the two moved the couple of steps over to where he he stood, while, in the doorway of the bar, stood Pam.
"Yes," Will replied, nodding, and Elena reached out to wrap an arm around his shoulders, while Eric shifted his attention onto Pam.
"Open the bar," he said to her. "I'll be back before dawn."
Pam nodded in understanding, then looked over at Elena and Will, sending the latter a smile. "See you later, kid."
"Bye," Will replied to her, lifting a hand to wave slightly. "And thanks again for saving my life."
"Sure thing, sugar," answered Pam, not quite sure what to do with a child thanking her, and therefor quickly disappearing back into Fangtasia, causing Eric and Elena to share a look, while they led Will over to the latter's car.
When the trio arrived back at the Stackhouse home, Elena asked Eric and Will to wait in the car for a moment, so she could give Mia, and Bill, if he were here, some warning.
Entering the house, Elena stepped into the foyer, flicking an absent glance around, before her eyes fell upon the living room, and a soft smile lit up her beautiful face at the sight that met her.
Bill was indeed here, and settled on the couch with Mia, who still had her blanket slung over herself, as she sat in a sitting position, kind of leaning back against Bill, while the item partially covered his legs. She knew it wasn't anything romantic, like Mia had joked with earlier. It was more a Father/daughter thing. Bill was a Father, after all, and Mia never really talked about her family, which was becoming customary in their circle, though Elena had a feeling she was like her, in that she'd never really had a Dad, or had lost him very young.
"Hey, you two," Elena said, setting her keys down on the small table by the door.
"Hi, sweetheart," Bill replied, looking over at her from the TV, which he indicated, while Mia vocally greeted her as well. "We're watching Casablanca. Would you like to join us?"
"No, thank you," Elena answered, as she flicked a glance at the open doorway she still stood beside, and motioned for Eric and Will to come out of the car now. "We actually have company."
"Oh, God," Mia exclaimed, pulling the blanket up to her shoulders. "Ellie, I'm in my PJs."
Elena laughed softly at her friend's actions. "Don't worry, Mia. These guests aren't going to care."
Stepping back, allowing Eric and Will to enter, she lifted her slender hands to place them on the latter's shoulders, when he stood in front of her, while the former closed the front door behind him.
"Good evening, Bill," Eric said to the fellow Vampire, who's face fell at the sight of the much older one.
"What the Hell are you doing here?" Bill growled out.
"Or," Mia spoke up, pushing the blanket off of herself, then getting to her feet. "Why don't we try something like, 'Welcome to our home.' or 'It's nice to see you again.'?"
"I'll stick with 'What the Hell are you doing here?'," replied Bill, not taking his eyes off of the tall blond Viking.
"Dad, relax, please," Elena said, holding up a slender limb in a gesture of pleading nature. "Eric's here because I want him to be."
"Well, I say," Mia continued, moving forward, and coming to a halt at the entrance to the living room, while Bill too got to his feet behind her. "It's nice to see you again, Eric."
"Thank you, Mia," responded Eric, nodding his blond head at her. "It's nice to see you again as well."
"And who's this handsome young man?" Mia asked, gesturing at Will, as Bill stepped up beside her, still tense, but doing his best to relax, especially at the sight of the unknown child, which naturally rose confusion in him.
"This is Will," Elena introduced, giving the boy's shoulders a gentle squeeze, as she tried to figure out a way to explain him. "He's, uh. . . He's going to be staying here for a while." Shifting her dark brown eyes onto Mia, she did her best to convey through her gaze how she'd go into more detail later, but, for now, please just trust her. "I hope that's all right."
Nodding in understanding to her friend, Mia shifted her blue eyes onto Will, and sent the boy a smile. "Of course."
"Will, this is Mia," Elena said, indicating the beautiful blond. "She's my best friend, and she lives here too."
"Hi, it's nice to meet you," spoke Will, extending one of his hands to her, while offering a charming smile.
"It's nice to meet you too, Will," replied Mia, accepting his hand. She didn't need Elena to explain to know this was a Fae child. He just had that quality about him that her friend did as well.
"And this is. . . this is Bill," Elena laughed softly, at the too having the same name, just going by different variations of it. "He's my Father."
Will's brow furrowed, as he lifted a curious gaze to Elena. He could tell the man was a Vampire, but he accepted she trusted him, so he returned her blue eyes to Bill, and offered him his hand.
"It's nice to meet you, Sir," the boy said respectfully.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, young man," smiled Bill, accepting the child's hand, and giving it a firm, but gentle shake. Despite his confusion, and his displeasure at Eric's presence, he was still a Southern Gentleman, and a Father, both even after all this time. He loved children, which were the one thing he could say with complete truth he's never hurt once as a Vampire.
Elena's brow furrowed, as she watched Bill and Will meet. It didn't click until just now, but there was something else, aside from them having the same first name. They looked alike.
"Are you from Australia?" Bill asked, as they finished shaking hands, speaking of his rather thick accented voice.
"Originally, yes," shrugged Will in response. "I don't know much about when I was little, but I do know I lived in Australia when I learned how to talk, and I've just never shook the accent."
"Oh, don't ever," Bill said, reaching out to touch the boy's shoulder. "Girls love accents." He flicked a glance over at the young woman next to him. "Isn't that so, Mia?"
"Oh, absolutely!" Mia replied, smiling brightly. "Not that I think you'll need the accent. You're already a sure thing with these handsome looks of yours."
Will laughed, a soft blush touching his pale cheeks. "Thank you."
"You all right?" Eric asked, lifting a large hand to Elena's slender back, when he noticed the way she was looking at the boy and her Father, which seemingly snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Yes," replied Elena, offering he, and the others, a reassuring soft smile. "Yes, I'm fine. Um, would you mind taking Will upstairs, while I talk to Mia and my Dad?" When Eric nodded, she shifted her gaze to Will. "Hey, there's two spare bedrooms at the end of the hall. Pick whichever one you like best."
"Okay," Will smiled, and Elena gave his shoulders a last squeeze, before passing him off to Eric, who moved his hand from her back to his, then led the boy upstairs.
"So," Mia began, once Eric and Will disappeared on the second floor. "You've had quite the night."
Elena scoffed softly, as she lifted her slender hands to remove her black leather jacket. "You have no idea, sweetie."
"What happened?" Bill asked, watching his daughter toss her coat onto the nearest item of furniture, before he stepped aside, so she could enter the living room.
"Did you tell him about Winston?" Elena inquired to Mia, while the three made their way toward the sofa, sighing softly when she nodded sadly. "Well, I went to see Eric tonight, hoping he'd have some answers as to what could've killed him."
Sinking down onto the couch, Mia sat beside her, and Bill perched himself in front of them on the coffee table.
"He sent Pam and Chow out to search the woods between here and the town we went to last night, Dad," Elena went on. "He thought maybe Winston followed us, like the Dragons always do. And they came back with him." She gestured at the ceiling, indicating Will upstairs with Eric. "He was hurt, dirty, frightened. Said he lived in Derry, and something killed his adoptive parents the night we were there, then chased him in the woods."
"Oh, the poor thing," Mia breathed, resting a hand on Elena's back, which she began to gently rub. "That's horrible."
"He was in the woods, alone and injured, for 24 hours?" Bill asked, his brow furrowed in concern, before it smoothed out, and he sighed softly, when his daughter nodded in response.
"He told me the thing attacked him, but Winston came to his rescue, and Will ran," continued Elena, choking out a light sob on her next words. "He heard Winston die."
"Oh, sweetie," Mia breathed once more, reaching out to hug her best friend, while Bill leaned forward, and placed a large hand on her knee, which he squeezed, then rub softly with his thumb.
"You both could most likely tell, but he's Fae," Elena said, when she and Mia pulled back from their embrace, to which she and Bill nodded.
"Yeah," said Mia.
"It's quite obvious," Bill answered, smiling softly. "Do you know anyone who could help? Anyone who could know the boy? Or the thing that killed his guardians and Winston?"
Elena sighed softly. "I know some Fae in Los Angeles." Pausing, she licked her lips, as she gently shook her head. "I'll call them tomorrow."
"And Eric?" asked Mia, drawing her best friend's attention to her, as well as Bill's, the sound of the Vampire's name drawing a fresh sight from him. "Are you two. . . okay now?"
"Yes," Elena replied, smiling softly, grateful to now be talking about something more happy. "We're. . . better than okay."
"That's great!" exclaimed Mia, as she realized what she was saying, and reached over to hug her best friend. "I'm so happy for you, sweetie!"
"Thank you, Mia," said Elena, while she embraced the beautiful blond in return, but her smile soon faded, when her dark brown eyes shifted over onto Bill. "Dad?"
Bill sighed, shrugging his muscled shoulders. "What would you like me to say, Elena?"
It was Elena's turn to sigh, while Mia pulled back to allow them room.
"I guess I really don't care," Elena answered, suddenly rising from the couch, and taking a few steps away from the couch. "Especially after the night I've had. I'm exhausted, and I just want to go to bed. And God knows you have no right to be the kind of Father who tells his daughter whom she can or cannot be with. But. . . " She shrugged now, with both of her slender arms. "I love Eric, and he loves me. So, take that however you want. But if you're gonna take it any other way than well, then you can get out of my house." She gestured at the door as she spoke.
Bill met his daughter's rich brown eyes with his own deep blue. He hated seeing her like this, trying her best to be happy, but seemingly always having something else in the way, preventing it from truly happening, and he'd be damned if he was going to be that thing.
"Sweetheart," he breathed in his Southern accented voice, moving forward, where he lifted his large cool pale limbs to cup either side of her beautiful, beloved above all faces. "You are my whole World. You're everything to me. My only desire is for you to be safe, to be happy, to be loved, because that's what you deserve." He paused, using his thumbs to stroke her warm smooth cheeks. "And if Eric is the one who can give you those things, then you'll hear no objection from me."
Elena's entire body sagged with relief, while her eyes shimmered with tears of joy, and she happily let Bill pull her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple, before he simply held her, an embrace she returned gratefully.
- Author's Note - All right, guys! I'm going to cut it there. I was originally going to make it longer, but it's already quite lengthy as it is, so next Chapter will begin with the end of this night, and the fresh start of a new day!
Will has been added to my Profile. He's a young actor/model named William Franklyn-Miller, who lives in Australia. So be sure to go check him out! As I said, he's very important. ;)
I hope you all enjoyed, and don't forget to review!