Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the books or True Blood. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Smart Enough to get Depressed
Chapter 21
Godric pointed out others watching the house. "Those two are not here to participate in this celebration either."
"Who is it?" Jason asked.
From a distance, Godric could not tell, and explained, "I do not know anyone from around here but you and your sister. We can approach, and you might recognize them."
"Yeah."
They needed to get closer than Godric wanted, without Jason identifying them, but he did know them, and blurted out a call, "Andy? Sam?"
Suspecting upcoming introductions and possible explanations, Godric summoned Eric. One of them seemed hotter, yet if he were here due to concern regarding the maenad, he would not initially label him as an enemy.
The human one snarled, "What are you doing, Stackhouse?"
Sam could tell that the smaller male with Jason was a vampire, but it wasn't Bill. He was still in Dallas with Sookie. Sam had tried to contact the vampire boss of the area by going to Fangtasia in Shreveport, but when he finally got to speak to a vampire that seemed to be in charge, and he had seen her with Eric at Merlotte's, the snooty blond said Eric was too busy. That's why other supernaturals couldn't get along with vampires, because vampires thought they were better.
"I'm tryin' to find out why everyone's actin' so damned crazy," Jason explained.
Godric frowned at Jason's choice of words while Eric and a vocal Sookie arrived. Flight was not stealthy when noise was purposely made. The volume of the music may have been enough to cover Eric's progress around the house.
Sookie turned from whatever she was saying to Eric to address the human, "Andy, why are these people in my house? Can't you tell them to get out of here because they're trespassing?"
"When'd you get back, Sookie, and where's Bill?" Sam asked, preparing in his mind how to explain this.
"You haven't seen Bill? He came back a couple days ago."
"No, cher. What's in your house ain't gonna be easy to get out. Maryann is a maenad which is a supernatural being devoted to Dionysus."
"She's Greek?" Godric asked.
"I guess," Sam replied.
"Some maenads are devoted to Bacchus, the Roman counterpart of Dionysus."
"You know what she is?" Sam asked, daring to hope this vampire was not a greedy bastard, like the rest of them.
"I do not associate with maenads normally."
"Can you kill her?"
"Why?"
"Look at what she's doing. She also cut the hearts out of two people, and I think I may be her next sacrificial victim."
Godric frowned, then said, "The bacchanalia seems tolerable, however I agree that human sacrifices are not appropriate. She will be steadfast in her beliefs since that is the source of her power, but I can attempt to reason with her."
Sam looked to Eric, who seemed to be deferring to the smaller vampire with his silence.
"Get her out of my house," Sookie said unnecessarily.
Eric said lowly to her, "Sookie, do you not recall what I was discussing with you only moments ago?"
"What? Godric never does anything but talk."
Eric's eyes narrowed, but Jason shoved his sister to get between them. Man, she really was spoiling for a fight tonight, and Sookie couldn't even wait till they found who did this to Gran's house. He talked quickly, "That's not true, and sometimes talking is better. Give it a chance first." Jason did mean that because he couldn't imagine everyone coming out of that church alive if Godric had not stepped in and talked sense to them all. Gabe, on the other hand, was asking to get it. Steve, too, but all those people weren't going to stand back while vampires killed him. They didn't know Steve like Jason did.
Godric made a motion with his hand to Eric. Miss Stackhouse enjoyed seeing violence and talking about it. He should have realized that sooner when she first bragged about her vampire lover. It was about Compton hurting humans. Godric would not hurt those under the maenad's influence to entertain her. Was it due to Compton's blood, her natural desire, or the general prevalence to enjoying the sight of sex and violence in the media now?
"Eric," Godric said, "it may be hard to glamour humans that are participating in this. They should mostly ignore us, until directed by the entity. Try to instruct them to go home first. Do not spill their blood."
"Yes, Godric," Eric answered, not surprised by the instruction to ignore the mindless sheep, unless provoked.
Sam was now more suspicious of who this other vampire was. Knowledge of what a maenad was, coupled with apparent obedience from Eric Northman? He knew there was some sort of vampire hierarchy, and they had a queen in New Orleans, but how did Sookie and Jason get him to come to Bon Temps?
Andy interrupted, "Hold on a moment. I'm Detective Bellefleur with the Renard Parish Sheriff's office, and you can't just go in there and do whatever you want." He knew they needed help, but he certainly was not going to let a couple of vampires run the show.
"I am sorry, Detective. I had not realized you were a law professional since Mr. Stackhouse addressed you so familiarly," Godric explained. "I would be pleased to cooperate with your instructions."
"Okay," Sam said. Keeping things legal was good, yet this was a supernatural mess totally beyond Andy. He barely handled Sam showing up naked at his motel room, and that was due to all the alcohol making unreal situations seem acceptable.
Puffing up with importance, now that someone finally recognized who was in charge, Andy stated, "These folk don't normally act like this so I don't want you roughing them up."
"We understand," Godric agreed.
"Good," Andy replied.
Godric looked to Eric, and Eric said, "She may be inside. I saw no one other than humans outside."
"We'll need one human to invite us into the house," Godric stated. "I'd prefer the rest of you stay at a safe distance. You would be in danger from both the maenad, and the humans she commands."
Sam, Sookie, Andy and Jason all stepped forward to volunteer, then began voicing their reasons why, trying to talk over each other.
"It's my house."
"That house has been in my family ..."
"I'm the only one trained ..."
Sam said, "I'm the one she has chosen for her next sacrifice."
Godric's eyes met Sam's as he speculated, to throw off the other mortals, "Maenads sometimes target those that show some resistance to their powers, but not vampires … due to our disease. I think you should be the one to come with us. We'll have less to worry about if we don't have to chase you down."
Sam nodded, and Sookie argued, "How do we know I'm not immune?"
Eric replied, "Merlotte seems less aggressive. Why don't you take the others for a walk over to Compton's? It's quiet in that direction."
"If ..." Sookie started, annoyed that Eric ordered her around, and told her she couldn't go into her own house, but if she went over to Bill's, Sookie could see if he was home. She didn't want or need an audience for that. Jason knew Bill got in trouble with Godric. And Godric, Sookie didn't know what to think about him. Was he trying to be her boyfriend? She and he had … and if Godric wasn't her boyfriend … no, he had to be. She should break it off with Bill. And once again, Sookie thought, that was something she couldn't do with an audience.
Feeling another wave of anger from Sookie, Godric calmly suggested, "Is there somewhere else at a safe distance to which you can walk? I don't believe we'll need another vampire to assist us."
Eric stared at Godric. He had not even remotely suggested Compton because he required aid. His thoughts raced, then he said, "Actually, don't head that way. We are still not sure if Lorena is visiting Bill or not. Wait for us."
Sookie's fists clenched. Even her name was stupid. Lorena. She better not be over there.
Godric's hand touched her arm, and he repeated, "Wait for us. You cannot get into another altercation with her."
When Sam, Eric and Godric were far enough away from the others, Sam asked, "How did you know I was immune to Maryann's powers?"
"If she could get you that easily, you'd already be dead," Godric replied. "Are you the only two-natured in this town?"
"Yeah."
"She targeted others at random, or is there some reasoning behind selecting them?"
"I don't know," Sam replied. He wasn't in the mood to reveal his past to a nosy vampire.
Godric's head turned back, and he zeroed in on a voice. Sookie was complaining about her house, and she should be the one going into it, to the others. He could not understand her. True, he did not take the time to explain what a maenad was or that she was immortal, but if Sookie was already injured grievously by it before, why would she desire another confrontation with it? If it was to see the maenad injured, Godric had no intention of a physical confrontation. That would be pointless, and counterproductive since the maenad would undoubtedly become unreasonable. Sookie verbally taunting her would also lead to the same result. Godric met few maenad, and they were all prideful.
None of them admired Maryann's art installation on their way past the towering statue of meat to the porch. The humans were engaged in their own activities, yet did wave hands trying to beckon Eric to join them. Eric was so hot looking, it was impossible to notice Sam Merlotte in his shadow.
Sam was saddened to see what had been done to Sookie's house. It wasn't just the mess, but there was broken glass from all the photo frames that had been knocked off the wall, and whatever bottles had been thrown about.
"Merlotte," Eric hinted.
Seeing the two vampires were outside the open door, Sam remembered why they brought him along. "Yeah, come in." The new vampire didn't look right in regular light. His skin was not vampire pale like Eric's, but a dull gray.
Godric only took one step inside the house, and stood still, only moving his head to look around. He could imagine what the house looked like prior to all the traffic and damage. It wasn't to his personal liking, yet he understood how humans enshrined their families with photographs, mementos and treasuring gifts.
"I don't see her," Sam said.
Neither Eric or Godric saw any non-humans so they moved together to the right, since there was an overwhelming smell of food from the left.
People were writhing, rather than dancing. Some had enough of their clothing removed that they were actually engaged in penetrative sex.
"Laissez les bons temps rouler," Eric muttered.
Godric glanced at Eric.
Eric grinned at Godric's disapproval. He didn't name this town Good Times.
"Sam," Maryann purred.
None of them heard this woman come into the room.
"Please stay back," Godric warned lightly, stepping forward to intercept her if she attempted to touch Sam.
"You brought bodyguards?" Maryann laughed.
"I would like to negotiate with you to leave this town and its people alone," Godric stated.
"I don't negotiate. I am on a divine mission. Besides, you're dead."
"You are an enlightened being. Why not listen?"
"You're boring me."
Godric prevented his frustration from showing. How could someone live thousands of years and yet not improve? Vampires were not the only near-immortal creatures that terrorized humans.
"This behavior is unacceptable," Godric warned her in a mild tone. He wished a true discussion, not an argument.
"You are uninvited," Maryann snarled, as her claws grew. She feinted towards Sam beyond Godric, but turned her attack on him. He appeared to be the weaker of the two vampires.
Although she moved fast, Godric knew both Eric and he were faster so stood his ground to see if she was serious about harming Sam or even attempting to hurt him. Eric interceded bodily, and when he allowed Maryann to scratch him, was surprised at the painful burning. He had momentarily forgotten that Sookie had been poisoned, and now the source of that was confirmed.
Godric grabbed Maryann's wrist, connected to the hand that was trying to dig its way into Eric's abdomen, and thrust her across the room with enough force that she bowled through the oblivious humans and into the wall, cracking the plaster. The humans laughed in response.
Eric looked at Godric's face rather than his injury. His maker's nose scrunched and his upper lip lifted as he sighed and poked around at the greenish substance. It did sting his fingertips. Eric was not healing properly.
He lifted his eyes to Eric's, feeling his child's pain, and his fangs extended involuntarily.
"You may need blood," he advised. "Try human. Mine is not best now. You may need Pam."
Trying to grin while hiding the continued pain, Eric kidded, "Yes, Pam's always coming to my rescue."
"You are the one that got in the way."
"You are the one that is already poisoned."
"You mean to tell me you desired painful injury with green sludge leaking from your vitals?"
Eric laughed mirthlessly, his own fangs had dropped when he was injured. Godric knew he had miscalculated this.
To Maryann, Godric addressed his question, "Why are you so belligerent?"
"A vampire asking such a question?" Maryann responded in a mocking tone. She was uninjured, and if vampires wanted to fight her, they'd find out she was more immortal than them.
"Yes. I want to know why you are prone to such violence. You are almost as old as I, yet you are behaving in an unsophisticated fashion."
Maryann let out of brief huff of derision. This child, obviously poisoned with silver, tried to trick her into thinking he was an ancient vampire? A vampire of that age could have thrown her through the wall, ceiling, or even through the thick, wooden floor boards of this house.
While the larger one frowned at a handful of poisoned secretion that he had wiped onto his hand, she charged to take out the smaller, annoying one.
He was no longer standing still, and Maryann felt him behind her, knees driving into her back while he grabbed both her arms by the elbows and pulled backwards. Her bones and joints cracked in response, yet she expected to heal at least as quickly as they did. Dionysus could not be outdone by these dead things.
Godric drove Maryann face first into the floor, bent her arms further to bring each elbow to rest unnaturally on the wrong side of her torso, then shifted one knee to force her arms into her spine, while asking, "You are not open to negotiation?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I have a divine calling."
"This is not about a god. It is your own twisted desires. Gods exist to help and guide mankind."
"You know nothing."
Godric paused to think. If this was a vampire, refusing to stop harming humans, he tried to give them a chance to change and improve. However, if they were not even willing to pretend to listen to him, there was no hope for them. Godric needed to be merciless. It saddened him.
Rethinking her initial assessment, Maryann was now aware this vampire was much stronger than she anticipated. Nothing was going to stand between her god and her. Although powerful and fast, he was still light.
Since he was momentarily lost in thoughts of how he could justify letting Maryann live, Godric had not expected her to suddenly move, turning completely around under him, and sinking her teeth into his thigh. He barely registered that her bite was poisonous too, because he reacted as any vampire reacts when violently bitten by another. It went back to the simple law of survival or death, and Godric was honed to survive, even though he no longer believed what he taught Eric.
The laughter and writhing bodies stopped as suddenly as Maryann's head was cracked open like a raw egg, as Godric slammed his hand into her head. Even Sam swayed at the sight of pulverized brain with bits of skull.
Eric told them, "Get out," then grabbed Lafayette's arm. "You can stay. I like your outfit."
"I didn't choose to wear a motherfuckin' dress," he argued, after he looked down. Be a cold day in hell that he wore the same ensemble as Arlene willingly.
"I didn't like it on the women, but on you, c'est magnifique."
Godric shook his soiled hand, flicking bits of maenad brain off. This had degenerated into a disaster. She was not willing to negotiate, attacked first, poisoned Eric, poisoned him, would not die, and was already regenerating.
Eric's body was in front of him, as Eric stepped in, having given his maker so much of his blood recently, he could clearly feel the pain of the poison in Godric's leg, racing up into his torso and shoulder. Using his foot, Eric stomped and kicked enough head to slow down Maryann's regeneration, while pulling Godric up.
"No, I can stop it … I think," Godric said, resisting Eric's tug. He shoved his hand into Maryann's chest, pulling out a black lump. He looked at it, then fished around more with his other hand, since even vampire hearts did not turn into such a corrupt, hardened lump of flesh. It seemed too small. A heart was usually fist-sized.
After pulling out the flattened lungs, and some other organs that were not the maenad's heart, Godric guessed he got the right bit on the first try.
"These need to be put in separate containers," he continued. "Then we can distance the head from the heart. That should keep her from becoming whole again."
Eric hauled Godric upright, without his resistance this time, and asked, "Like what? Plastic bags?"
"Initially that might work, but the containers with airtight lids would be better. Is it still called Tupperware? I have not overheard the word in use lately."
Looking to Sam, Eric said, "Can you get those?"
"Uh … yeah, let me look in the kitchen."
Eric let go of Godric to get some blood from Lafayette to heal himself, when he was distracted by Godric falling over.
"What are you doing?"
"This poison is not interacting well with the silver remaining in my body," Godric complained from the floor. His wound was not healing, and even more green mixed with his blood was leaking out than from Eric's gaping abdominal wound. That leg was weak, and he felt somewhat ill. It was vaguely similar to drinking dead or animal blood. A true sense of something was wrong with him.
Pushing Lafayette towards Godric, Eric said, "Here, take his blood."
"Let go of me," Lafayette growled before tripping and falling on Godric.
Godric used his free hand, the one not holding the hardened lump that was Maryann's heart, to help get the man sitting upright.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Yeah, now that motherfucker got his hands off me."
Frowning, Godric mentioned, "You've had Eric's blood, yet call him such a thing?"
"What? Fuck, yeah."
Slowly, Godric said, "You do not sound as if you like vampires, or willingly let us have your blood."
"No fuckin' way."
"Ah, you should get off me then, and leave with the others. I need blood, and this poison may make me dangerous."
"You Eric's sick friend?"
"I'm poisoned."
"You all's gray, and Eric ain't. You both leakin' green though."
"I was poisoned before Miss Stackhouse asked me to come to her home. You should really leave now."
"You ain't just gonna take my blood?"
"Not if I can help it. That is why you should go."
As Lafayette stood, Eric glowered, "If you go, I will not forget this, Lafayette."
Lafayette paused to consider that. He'd be allowed to go, if Eric wanted him to stay? Or was this some more of his sadistic playing? He'd make it to the door, and Eric would snatch him back inside.
Outside the house, Sookie, Jason and Andy saw people come running out, some screaming, most in various states of undress or outright nudity.
"Are they normal again?" Andy asked, confused because they were still running around, but now with purpose and their eyes looked normal.
Jason said, "We should find out."
"They could be runnin' from Eric," Sookie suggested.
Unsure, Andy contradicted her, "Only if Maryann would let them. I caught them all trying to gut Sam. They was all standing around like they was at a party or something."
Sookie's curiosity faded as she got closer to the house. She became angry at all the damage, dirt and to put it frankly, everyone's bad manners at having a house party at her home for days while she was out of town. They weren't in high school for Christ's sake. These were grown people, neighbors, and if they weren't her friends, some of them were certainly friends with Jason and Gran. What if Gran could see the house like this?
Jason was already loping up the front stairs like he still lived here. He was also worked up, and wanted to kick some ass.
He turned right and went into the living room, because that's where he saw Eric looking large and menacing. One couch was up against the wall, with the coffee table and a chair on top of it, and the other one was missing. Gran kept the two sofas facing each other so company could get a good conversation going.
Looking around, Jason had to ask Lafayette, "Why you wearing a dress?"
He didn't know what to ask Godric. The vampire was on the floor, and looking about as bad as he did right after that bomb.
Next to him was a mess of something, maybe wearing what used to be the same kind of dress Lafayette was wearing, but covered in black muck. A mannequin? It had no head.
"What do you motherfuckin' think? It's laundry day?" Lafayette demanded.
"Oh my God! Godric!" Sookie called, pushing past her brother and throwing herself down onto her knees next to him, and putting a hand on his grayer face that had lost its young-looking roundness as Maryann's poison tried to kill him.
When she tried to get her mouth on his, he turned his head, warning her, "I am poisoned and hurt. Please give me space until we are done with the maenad."
"Okay," Sam said, carrying a box of Hefty bags and a collection of nested plastic ware containers with a stack of lids into the room. "I should have what you're lookin' for amongst this." He then asked, "Sookie, what are you doing in here? You were supposed to be headin' away from the house."
"I had to find out what was goin' on when everyone came runnin' out." Sookie turned her attention back to Godric. She had backed off him, yet continued kneeling on the floor. She saw where the gook was leaking out of his torn leg and wanted to help him.
"They're free from Maryann's spell, or whatever she did. We gotta make sure she stays incapacitated or else," Sam informed her, feeling that she wasn't paying attention to him, but to the smaller vampire on the floor. He was trying to warn her that he was hurt, yet Sookie acted like vampires were not the least bit dangerous.
Lafayette's face dropped as Eric crooked his finger in his direction. Eric already calculated with Sookie hanging on Godric, and her brother standing there like the big dope he was, there was blood enough for both of them, besides Pam being on her way here, and the shifter as dessert.
"The heart and the head need to be kept separate," Godric said. "Perhaps before her head collects together and reforms, separate that into multiple containers."
"What about the body?" Sam asked. That is why he brought the bags.
"Doesn't matter," Eric commented. "She can undoubtedly regrow anything lost." He failed to mention that there was enough head separated from the neck to prove she was more resilient than a vampire. Decapitation, besides a stake to the chest, killed a vampire. They could also regrow limbs, but it was a slow and painful process. It was best to keep them attached.
"You can't leave it lying in Sookie's living room," Jason complained.
Godric looked up and towards Andy as he reminded them, "Hiding a body is usually a crime."
Andy was reasonably sure Maryann was involved with the two murders, based on what he witnessed her and Eggs almost doing to Sam. There was also the mass hysteria, and he could see her flesh crawling back together which meant she wasn't even human, on top of being able to hurt vampires, not that he minded that last bit because vampires were a cocky bunch of bastards. They should'a stayed in the closet.
"What? I … I meant it can't stay here. I don't care where it ends up. Is she even dead? And Andy's suspended right now," Jason stated.
"She isn't dead," Eric said. "She attacked the two of us first. Me, then Godric." He made eye contact with the sweating, balding man to make sure he understood that is the way it happened. "Are you sure about that suspension? It seems to me that this detective was staking out this house, knowing his suspect was here. Where are the rest of this parish's detectives, or even sheriff?"
Jason blurted out, "I think I saw him runnin' round without any pants on."
"Despite the suspension, he should be in charge," Godric agreed. "We could give advice, if it's wanted."
"I agree," Eric said, seeing the pleased look on the man's face. "If she's murdered people, those are serious crimes. However, when the people that left, don't seem to remember anything, they would make terrible witnesses. Do you know what was going on here, Lafayette? You appeared to be a member of a group that was dressed differently."
"I don't know shit, 'cept she took my cousin, and the hooker came runnin' back here after trickin' her mama into pointin' a shotgun at me. When I got here, comin' after her ass, I saw Maryann, and that was it." Lafayette didn't feel there was any need to mention he shot that man, especially since his aim was true, but the bullet bounced off Maryann's hand. "If I can put in a complaint about domestic abuse on that Eggs, take a look at Tara. He's been beatin' her, and she doesn't wanna quit him, so I'd like to see his ass in jail."
Andy turned to give Lafayette a disbelieving look. Who wanted to hear about his drama or Tara's drama when there was more important things going on? That Eggs, he had seen, he helped Maryann with things, like when she wanted to stab Sam. If he could find a murder weapon, get prints, Eggs would have a lot more to worry about than slapping Tara around to keep her big mouth shut.
"Are there any more bodies here, where their hearts are cut out?" Andy asked.
"I sure the fuck hope not," Sookie complained.
Eric tilted his head and turned slightly, then said, "No, that smell is something else, or … maybe … it's hard to tell. There is a lot around here that has an unpleasant odor."
Sam leaned down to Godric, holding a Ziploc open for the lump in his hand. If he was human, Sam was sure he looked like he was bad off. Since Eric was not fawning over him like Sookie, Sam guessed he wasn't in any immediate distress.
Godric put the heart in the bag, watched Sam seal it, then put it in a bowl-shaped contained and snap the lid on. He speculated, "Perhaps it should be packed in salt."
"You think so?" Sam asked. Anything to keep Maryann from coming after him again. Salt was not hard to get.
"I'm not sure," Godric muttered. Maenads were much rarer than vampires, in his experience. He was feeling hunger, along with the pain from the silver renewing itself, and the poison in his leg which had traveled through much of his body, concentrating on his right side. The pain was trying to drown out his desire for blood. It was not winning, yet the urge to feed was not strong enough for him to do something regrettable yet. Maybe. Sookie did smell good.
"Okay," Andy said, mustering his confidence. "That bit we're gonna keep separate," he pointed at the bowl with Maryann's heart, "and I think you're right about cleaning the rest of this up, and keeping it separated so we don't end up with her back on our hands again."
Eric gave his glamour a bit of a nudge with an agreeable nod thrown in. He wanted to move things along so Godric and him could eat and heal. He could feel Godric's misery, besides the pain of his own gut wound that was healing too slowly.
"And we're not gonna be able to keep this at the station, but let me look for evidence."
"There's that mask," Sookie said, pointing at the bull head on her mantel.
"What does that got to do with anything?"
"Maryann was wearing it when she attacked me."
"You were attacked? I don't recall seeing a report."
"I didn't report it, I was dying."
Andy's eyes clearly said Sookie didn't look like she was dying at the moment. He overheard she was in Dallas, not a hospital.
"Eric, could you help him?" Godric asked. If he did not feed soon, there was a possibility he'd hurt or kill someone.
Sookie had no idea why Eric glared at Godric. All he did was ask for him to help.
Actually, that look was Eric trying to decide what to do, gauging his maker's pain and need. He did not care about the murders since the maenad was responsible, and Lafayette's complaint would normally gain his interest, but it was irrelevant at the moment.
Eric decided to take care of himself first. There were other heartbeats in the house. His first stop in the kitchen was a naked, rotund, middle-aged man lying on his back. He was uninjured, and among the smells upon his person, Eric could easily determine he drank too much. Although this person was not Eric's type, he had a hard time resisting a human this drunk.
Meanwhile, Sam was unhappily cleaning up Maryann. He was glad she was taken care of, but he couldn't expect vampires to do work, and Sookie couldn't take her eyes off that boy vampire long enough to be of any use. The vampire was hurt, so he could try to believe that Sookie was concerned, but Sam had seen that look before, directed at Bill Compton.
Jason still wanted to kick someone's ass. Gran's house was trashed. This was his second home, and he didn't like seeing it like this. It wasn't Sookie's fault because she was in Dallas. Once Andy was done with the murder stuff, he wanted him working on writing down names. Jason could name at least twenty people he saw coming out of here. Better yet, Jason knew where they lived.
Andy didn't know where the big, blond vampire disappeared to. The one on the floor didn't look so good. Sam was keeping all the bits of Maryann from getting back together, so he started looking at things, like the bull mask. When he opened a hinged, wooden box next to it, Andy found a knife that looked like the knife he saw when he helped Sam. Could it be the knife used to cut out the hearts of the two women?
"There is human blood on that," Godric mentioned.
It looked clean to Andy, yet he was willing to believe a vampire on the presence of blood or not. He was careful not to touch the weapon to keep the prints intact.
Unable to keep still, Sookie leaned closer to Godric's leg, asking, "Why's there still stuff coming out of that?"
"Do not irritate me," Godric warned in his normally calm tone.
"I'm only trying to help."
"Poking at my leg will not heal it." Noticing the look on Sookie's face, Godric added, "I realize you know that. Apologies."
"Do you need blood? Mine? Eric's?"
"I should wait till this is done," Godric replied. He was already considering that hunger, combined with the smell and taste of Sookie would be a bad combination that would test his resolve. Feeding from Pam first was probably best. If his need got too great before she got here, Eric, even if he was also poisoned.
"It's not gonna get worse?" Sookie pressed. She had doubts about Godric's judgment. He wasn't on the floor because it was comfy. He was also in that church basement with some crazy ideas too.
Godric raised his hand as Sookie got in front of him, wafting her scent up his nose as she looked closely at him.
"What?" she asked.
"Could you please not be so close to me? I need to concentrate."
"On what? Are you that hungry?"
"Yes."
"Then eat."
"Later. I can wait till I'm in private."
"It's only Sam and Lafayette … and Andy. Besides we're in my house."
"Sook, use your head," Lafayette warned, taking a tentative step in her direction. Then becoming indecisive as she sat on the vampire's lap and stretched her bare throat towards his mouth.
Godric attempted to stand, or perhaps was only trying to get Sookie off himself without hurting her, got to one knee and softly said, "Eric."
The tall man was looming over the two of them within an instant. He asked, "What are you trying to do?"
"How far away is Pam?"
"It'll be minutes yet. I am healed."
With a stern tone, Godric said to Eric in Old Norse, "[That is not what I asked of you. I told you to assist the human so they'll leave.]"
"[I do not believe they are going anywhere for a while. Shall I assist you outside so you can have my blood?]"
Godric paused, and Eric sensed something but did not know what till Godric admitted, "[The woman keeps tempting me. That's the blood I want.]"
"[Is that why she was clinging to you when I came in here?]"
"[Yes. The only reason is because she had my blood. She does not know what she does.]"
"[I think she does,]" Eric contradicted.
"Hey, can't you help him, Eric?" Sookie asked. "I keep trying to get him to take some of my blood, but he won't do it."
To Godric, Eric asked, "[Why not take it?]"
"[I will not be ruled by the need for blood.]"
Eric looked puzzled, and barely argued, "[They eat. I eat. You eat. That is something that is not controllable.]"
"[It is. I don't want to have these cravings. I don't want to think of how it'll taste. How it'll smell. How satisfying it will be.]"
"[Is it her? Or every human?]"
"[I no longer want to be a monster.]"
"[Monster? What are you talking about? The maenad?]"
"[Me. You. All vampires.]"
"[Godric, you're poisoned and are not thinking straight. You need blood.]"
"[Stop, Eric.]"
"[No, you're poisoned and not thinking clearly.]"
Godric paused his argument. What was wrong with him? Was there something wrong with him other than the physical symptoms and pain of both poisonings? Was it having an effect on his mind? He was hungry yet saying he did not want blood, the only thing he could consume. Maybe Eric was right. Yes, Godric just ripped another being apart, that is not something he had done in a long time. Perhaps fifty or sixty years ago, yet those were werewolves on V. No chances could be taken with them. Why did he do this?
"You believe I should feed now?" Godric asked Eric, switching back to English.
"Of course. You are hurt, and suffering gains you nothing."
Suffering? He was suffering. Was this penance? How could some pain make up for taking the life of another? The maenad was a killer, yet what qualified Godric to be judge of what punishment she deserved, when he, himself, was such a terrible sinner?
Sookie took the opportunity to make her own suggestion, since Godric was not acting on Eric's common sense, yet staring blankly at Eric's chest. "You shouldn't wait. We can't do much cleanin' till Andy's looked everything over. That could take the rest of tonight and tomorrow even."
It was Eric's turn to adopt a blank look. Cleaning? Sookie could not be suggesting that the two of them clean her house. Absolutely not. He'd pay her, then she could hire the people to do whatever she wanted done.
There was a call, "Lafayette, come over here and invite me in."
Lafayette looked at the front door. Pam had arrived, and Eric was now looking expectantly at him.
"Come in, Pam," Sookie called.
Pam entered Sookie's home, her head noticeably following along as she eyed everything within sight. Normally, Sookie would be offended, but this mess was not her fault, and Pam already knew that.
Seeing Eric, who called her here, standing still, facing his maker, Pam continued her saunter while Godric's back was to her. She was about to circle them, when Godric turned his head and said, "Pam, it has been a long time."
Gray skin was not the only symptom. Godric looked terrible. Why would Eric allow him to come here? Why wasn't Eric keeping him warm, still, and throwing blood donors on him? Only a direct command, maker to vampire, would stop her from keeping Eric from doing anything, if he was ever poisoned like this.
Still, Pam did show Godric the proper respect by nodding her head slowly and calling him, "Master." Eric owed her a long explanation for this.
Godric saw that Pam looked concerned. When did Pam ever look concerned? Something had to be terribly wrong with him for Pam to look at him like this. Perhaps he should feed.