THE MEMORYLESS GAUL
Disclaimer: I don't own true blood or its characters.
Sorry for any errors. Hope you enjoy! :-) Thank you for continuing to be patient with me!
My legs don't work as I tell them. Neither do my arm. Or my fingers. I know my brain is sending signals telling them what to do. Whether or not my body is listening is a different story. I try to tell my legs to run straight and steady. Get away as fast as possible. Instead they stumble and give out. I collapse against trees, trip over every damn thing, and my head spins.
I was as steady as a baby taking their first steps. Despite that, the way my heart pounds has nothing to do with exertion. Shit, shit, shit. My father's possessing my friend and trying to kill me. I feel like I entered the twilight zone. How is this my life?
As I continued frantically making my way, it didn't take long for me to make another misstep. My foot hits a rut and twists sharply. I flail and try to catch myself. I'm sure you can imagine how well it ended. With each footfall afterward a jarring pain shoots ankle to knee.
Sookie ran in the opposite direction than I did. Which didn't make a lick of sense to me. We should've stayed together, easier to overpower him that way. We're not exactly in tiptop shape here. If she was thinking instead of running on pure adrenaline, she would've known that. Not that I had any room to talk in that front.
Unfortunately, Dad wasn't going to stay down long. The shot I took was the weakest one I've ever done, so I couldn't go back to follow her without getting drowned in a lake.
Twilight zone, I tell you. The same man who tucked me into bed, cut the crusts off my sandwiches, and taught me to dip strawberries into sugar, is the one I'm terrified will murder me. He played dodgeball with us kids in the yard. Sure he was paranoid about my talent, and forced me to wear elbow-length gloves in the blistering heat of summer, but he loved me.
Didn't he? I remember him loving me.
Was I wrong? My heart clenched. Maybe I saw what I wanted to see and overlooked signs that pointed to the contrary. Did Sookie ever hear them not loving us? Did what we do scare them THAT badly? Enough to hate us? Want us dead?
"Zelly!" I heard him call. His voice was so far back it was nearly a whisper, though he had to be shouting. Shit. "You're drugged. How far do you expect to get? I already caught Sookie and gave her another dosage. It has to be this way! If you stop and let me explain you'll understand."
Explain my ass. Is he joking? Sure! I'll just sit down and we can have a nice chat about KILLING ME. Sounds like a solid plan. On a serious note I did keep a large stick in one hand, just in case I need to whack him with it. A pitiful weapon is better than no weapon at all.
He's getting closer. I tried being quiet, really I did, but I already mentioned my body isn't cooperating with my brain. When I stumble, and my legs give out, I aim for trees so I can push off and propel myself forward. I ignored the pain shooting from my ankle. The stick jabs me more than it'll ever be of any use against my dad. I kept a tight grip on it anyway.
The longer I run the more sense filters in. I don't know where I'm at or how to get home. What exactly is my plan? Run in a random direction and hope for the best? It's going to be dark soon.
Come on, I told myself, think.
Sookie made a dumb decision separating but I wasn't exactly Mrs. Einstein. Why did I run into the woods instead of down the dirt road? Or even call Sookie specifically to the car and put that thing in drive. I was like a dumb blond in a horror movie. Lord, I even tripped! I need a plan instead of blind panic. I have to get back to the car and leave.
On second thought, I can't barely run, how can I operate a vehicle?
Lala always keeps a Taser in the glovebox. Each cartridge only fires once, so he always keeps extra. That'd be useful. I can look for a phone and call somebody. Not the police, obviously, I don't want my best friend in jail. If there is no phone, Godric knows I'm in trouble by now. He can find me when the sun sets completely.
It's been ages since I've had so much as a drop, but luckily the bond that forms after drinking over 2,000 year old vamp blood lasts a long time. He can sense my emotions and track me, even though all the other effects have already worn off.
My eyes glance at all the colors mixed in with the darkening sky. It was a good sign. As much as I hate being a damsel in distress, and waiting around for a rescue, it's better than getting Lafayette's car wrapped around a tree.
Okay, Flora. Get back to the car. You can do this.
I stop and lean heavily against a tree. Green eyes shoot in every direction as my brain looks for potential ways to get to the car without being caught. Should I make a wide circle back? Wait for him to get a good distance past me?
When I heard a faint snap and rustling, I knew soon I'd be in his line of sight. Realizing I didn't have a lot of options, I drop and scramble behind the nearest bush that seemed thick enough. My breath catches in my throat.
You can believe I felt like an utter moron.
I hear him get further away, but I think he pauses when he doesn't hear me clambering about. I try creeping, but all that does is make me crunch leaves and snap twigs without getting very far. I sounded like a bull in a china shop. It was hard to be graceful and quiet drugged up on who knows what. The more I tried moving quietly, the louder I was.
If I'm going to be noisy either way, I might as well run. So that's exactly what I did. I closed more distance than I thought I would before I heard him moving in my direction. Luckily he was still a good distance back, let's keep it that way until I get to the glovebox.
With legs that felt like they were made of lead and a clouded brain, I bolt through the woods. Gaining more scrapes and bruises in the process. It was a miracle I made it to the car. Heaving, I flung the passenger door open and scramble for the Taser. Only when I had a grip on it did I throw my stick to the side.
I turn around to see my father was only a few feet away. I felt proud seeing the state of his clothes along with scratches littering face and neck. Sookie might've been caught, but she didn't go down without a fight.
He lifted his hands in a show of surrender. "This is for your own safety, Zelly. You and Sookie don't understand..."
I aim and press the trigger. There was a rumbling cracking sound and twin probes shot out. Only one hit him, the other missed. Lafayette's body still seized up and his face contorted. Kudos to my best friend for saving up for the best Taser he could get. It took a long time, most of his money goes to his mothers' hospital bills. They weren't cheap. It was why he did questionable and illegal things to earn money on the side. Fry cooks didn't exactly reel in the big money.
No time was wasted before reloading.
First I ensured the safety switch is in the down position. Then, while I kept my trembling hands away from the blast doors, I depressed the tabs on the side of the cartridge and remove the old one. It fell carelessly to the ground. The click the new cartridge made was music to my ears.
While sitting in the passenger seat, I kept a close eye on my father. It was a good solid minute before he spoke.
"I need a drink." The man on the ground moaned. A syringe lay forgotten beside him.
Hope unfurled in my chest. "Lala?"
"Fuck this shit." He croaked pitifully. Electrocution must have made it difficult for my father to keep his grip on my friends' consciousness. That was my guess. Will he return? "Dead bitches need to find another body to steal. I ain't with the medium life. I wanna mother-fuckin' refund."
I rush over to him, keeping the Taser out of his reach when I set it down. My body ached and was sore all over. A throbbing pain still flared in my ankle. I ignored all of that in favor of fussing over Lafayette. Starting with carefully removing the barbed dart from his shoulder. He swore through his teeth.
"Sorry." A grimace twists my features. "I didn't really have a lot of options."
Blood pooled around the wound. The probes weren't designed to come out easily. He would've been better at a hospital. Still would, honestly.
"Do you still have a first aid kit in the trunk?" I ask.
"Hell if I know." Lala grunted. "But ain't nothin' worked in my favor before. Don't know why it'd start now."
"Don't be so pessimistic." I chastise, although I couldn't deny he had many good reasons to be. "Hold on a sec."
Grabbing the Taser, I rush over to the car. My legs wobbled unsteadily. Tan fingers press the button on the truck to make it swing upward. Good news, there is a first-aid kit still here. Bad news, all that's left is one large band aid and distilled water with only a third of a bottle left.
It's gonna have to do.
I make my way back to Lala, pour distilled water over the wound, and place a band aid on it. Then I go check on Sookie. She was collapsed near the lake where Dad left her. Bruises were starting to form. There were cuts that I poured the rest of the distilled water over. One in particular on her forearm was concerning. It might need stitches. Maybe there is a cloth of some sort I can wrap it with in the car? If all else fails I can use my shirt.
Or Lala's.
My eyelids droop and I had to force them to stay open. I don't know if Lala is going to turn back into Dad. Sleeping isn't an option. Not until Godric get here, or I feel good enough drive. Stay. Awake.
"Flora!" A panicked voice caused me to start upright.
"I'm awake!" I blurt, my surroundings swam into focus. If Godric landed any closer to me when he shot down from the sky, he would've crushed my leg. When I saw what he moved to do, I quickly shake my head. "No."
He paused, fangs nearly penetrating the ivory flesh of his wrist. Wounded confusion fell across his face. "Why?"
"The blood is sacred." I told him. A bitter sort of amusement made a sad smile curl on my lips. Godric was the first person to tell me that particular phrase. I shouldn't have to be explaining this to him. The need for vengeance on those witches grew. If I thought it once, I thought it a million times. They will pay for this. "You can't whip it around and use it willy-nilly. A few scrapes and possibly a sprained ankle isn't cause for me to drink your blood."
Grey-blue eyes bore into me imploringly. "I want to help."
"The fact that you came helps me." I reassure, fighting back a yawn.
"Surely using a little bit cannot be a bad thing?" He insists, not willing to let the subject drop. "You're hurt. I do not like it."
"There are other ways to help with that. How about you doctor me up at the house?" I move to get up. Godric hurriedly wraps an arm around my waist and lifts me.
"A single drop and you will be aglow with vigor in seconds." He muttered petulantly in my ear. "Healing you is not a frivolous use of my blood. Quite the contrary."
"Not if my injuries were serious it wouldn't be." I went boneless in his protective embrace. All the hurt, physical and emotional, didn't seem nearly as sever while his arms were around me.
"Look at you." Godric whispered distressfully, tightening his hold. "How can you say your injuries are not significant?"
"It looks worse than it actually is." I promise sleepily, feeling myself drifting off again. "After a shower I'll look loads better. Sookie, she's the one who's hurt. Her arm needs stitches."
"You ain't gotta worry about a thing. Dr. Lala's gonna fix her right up." Lafayette told me somewhere to my left.
"Her arm." I repeat, fighting the urge to slumber. Green eyes blink heavily as I crane my neck to lock eyes with my, now shirtless, best friend.
"Needing stiches is a serious injury, yes?" Godric inquired with exaggerated innocence.
I couldn't help but chuckle. "You're like a dog with a bone."
Possessiveness curled down my spine at the thought of Sookie drinking his blood. I wasn't proud of it. Now wasn't the time for that when she was in bad shape.
"She does not need to drink." He continued, as if he was the telepath. "The blood is sacred. I understand that. We will not form a bond if I pour it over the injury instead of having her inject it."
There was a pause. He did have a good point and Sookie's arm WAS bad. I tried to think about what the old Godric would say.
"Please, Flora. I want to help." My love pleaded with me.
The deep, worrying, gash on my twins' arms flashed in my brain. Before I can think more on what Godric would've done in this situation before, I was already agreeing. "Okay."
He didn't have to have my consent. I'm not the boss of him, or how he uses his blood, but I appreciated him respecting my wishes. Old-Godric always did too.
In a flash I was sitting on the trunk of the car. Godric opened the backseat and crouched over my sister. A sea-serpent danced up his spine, white jeans hung low on his hips. He gently unwrapped the ruined shirt from her forearm before biting into his palm. I made a mental note to thank Lala for doing that.
As I watched, each time his powerful blood dropped into the cut the tiniest bit it stitched itself closed more and more.
"There." Godric nodded with a self-satisfied smile.
"Thank you, Ric." I gave him a soft look. "For Sookie and showing up so fast."
His smile widened. "You're welcome, my Flora. Let us go home now. I believe you promised I could 'doctor you up.'"
"Kinky." Lafayette wiggled his eyebrows, trying to keep the mood in a lighter direction. "Sounds like damn good plan to me."
I snorted. "I don't do three-ways. Godric's touch is for me only."
"You only say that 'cause you never had a three-way with me." He shimmied his hips suggestively.
"No thank you." Godric rejected politely, interrupting what I opened my mouth to say.
Lafayette and I burst out laughing. It wasn't that funny, but we clutched our sides and continued to laugh much longer than was necessary. The sound had more hysteria in it than real amusement. Godric looked on with mounting concern.
"What a crazy ass fuckin' night." Lala breathed out when we finally stopped.
"Understatement of the year." I sigh. "Were you awake at all when he was possessing you?"
"Off and on." He shrugged. "I'll tell ya all I know. Not sure how much good it's gonna do."
"Possessing?!" Godric's eyes went wide.
"Let's go home." I tell them both. "We have a lot to talk about."
I know Sookie's father possessing Lala didn't happen during the witch season. But I have a reason for switching it up. Sorry if that ending seemed more abrupt than I meant for it to.