I own Anya. Nothing else. Thanks, guys, for all the reviews! And if you wanna say something, speak up!
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I awoke from my unseemly unconscious state by a loud, obnoxious voice that sounded like a speakerphone had become imbedded in its trachea.
I didn't even have to crack an eye to know who it was. Reverend Newlin. Reverend STEVE Newlin, to be precise.
Figures.
A bit surprised that it WAS the infamous Newlin that woke me up, I opened my eyes to see the whole situation.
And what a situation it was.
Let's list.
Firstly, I found myself in Eric's arms bridal style, his arms wrapping me close to him, resulting in me being cuddled up to his chest. Hello, Eskimo's chest! It was comfy to say the least.
Secondly, I looked around to figure out we'd made it out of the dungeon and into the sanctuary where the exit was supposed to be. I should know; I'd gone over the freaking blueprints to this church about a thousand times before we invaded. Apparently, the exit part of our strategy wasn't being enacted fast enough, though.
Thirdly, I discovered that Sook, Eric and I were surrounded by Fellowshippers of thy Sun, each yielding guns, stakes, silver, or all of the above. Newlin was too cool for all that, he just had his idiotic voice.
Fourthly, Steve Newlin was still shouting at us, yelling obscenities. I kind of zoned him out. Sorry, Steve, you're not worth my time.
Fifthly, Godric was still missing, not a trace to be seen. HELLO? We rescued you and this is the thanks we GET? Eric's your kid, come back! Wherever you are...
And that was it. The situation. Or should I say, The Situation.
And I'm NOT making an obscure reference to Jersey Shore by the way. Just to point out...
Wriggling a bit in Eric's arms, I rubbed my eyes blearily at him, "What's going on?"
He glanced down, checking to see my consciousness, his eyes skimming over my face intently, "Good; you're awake. The blood worked."
He lifted me down, setting me on my feet, steadying me when I swayed a bit at first.
"I'm good, I'm good," I murmured, finding my balance quickly enough, "What happened?"
Sookie turned to me and gave me a faint twitch of her mouth, "We're screwed, that's all."
"Oh."
Also turning towards me was a certain Newlin who noticed my awakened state as well, "So I see our littlest vampire whore is awake, then? Good, now we can start the ceremony!" He clapped his hands in glee like a little girl ready to go to a tea party. "Chain him," he said, pointing to Eric, while gesturing to his commandos at the same time.
This is such a jacked up church.
And I'm not a whore!
As the minions got closer to us, closing in on all sides, I jumped in front of Eric, surprising myself even, "Hey, idiots, find someone your own size to pick on!"
Smirking, I confirmed the validity of my statement: Eskimo was a head taller than any one of the guys here. Ha! What a bunch of garden gnomes!
Score one for the freakishly tall vamp!
I felt a hand lay on my shoulder. I looked up to meet Eskimo's amused eyes and twitching lips, "Sparrow, it's okay. I'll go."
"What?" I furrowed my brows not understanding the whole concept of Eric giving up, "What are you talking about? You get the twenty on the right and I'll get the ten on the left!"
His glacier eyes grew serious for a second; his hand squeezed tighter, letting go abruptly when he stepped forward. "I offer myself in place of Godric and the girls," he stated, standing at the ready for the silver chains, "This is my sacrifice."
Newlin rolled his eyes, "You don't really have a choice, undead cretin of the night, the sacrifice goes on regardless." He flipped his spiked hair, not moving a piece, watching as his buddies chained up Eskimo, "Oh, and the whores can burn with you. They're already traitors to the human race, and deserve the same as you."
Eric growled, his eyes flashing as he was taken to the altar. He looked truly the part of the Viking that could kill someone right now.
"NO!" I screamed, fully realizing the situation; Eric was going to DIE because of our screwed up plan, "DON'T TOUCH HIM!"
Steve laughed outrageously as I lunged forward but was utterly detained, "Oh, look, the tiny blood whore wants its supplier! How...disgusting."
"Don't talk about her like that!" Sookie yelled up, glaring at the reverend, "She is NOT a whore, and neither am I!"
"Au contraire," he sneered down at us, arranging his guards to blockade us in, "It seems like both of you are corrupt children of Satan!" He turned to his crowd of armed followers charismatically, "So what should we do with children of Satan, parish?"
"Let them burn in hell!"
The congregation's reply rocked the church. I believe this is the forty-seventh sign of insanity I've seen in this place. These people are...wow. Really messed up in the head.
Sometimes I worry about humanity.
"You're not even making sense!" I yelled out, still trying to push foward out of my restraining guards, "What the hell do you think you're accomplishing here?"
Stretching my neck around the Fellowshipper that blocked my view, I spied Eric laying spread-eagle on the altar, grimacing in pain, smoking rising from his silver burns. I suddenly got a whole lot angrier.
Reverend Newlin and his army ignored me, conferring with each other in their own plans for the sacrificial ceremony, huddling in a cluster. Cluster, cluster, little cockroaches, cluster!
"HEY!" I shrieked, struggling constantly, "LISTEN TO ME!"
No one turned their heads. Wait, one guy gave me a weird, disgusted side-glance. Great. Just greeat.
"Listen to her!" Sook chimed in, raising her voice, "LISTEN TO US! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"
Newlin lazily gave us a peturbed glance, "Can someone please gag those two sluts? Our holy intellect is being ruined by their nuances."
A sandy-haired Sun Fellow walked toward me threateningly with a cloth in his hand. Oh no, he doesn't!
I tried to squirm away as far as possible, "Get away from me, Sun Freak!" I jerked and wiggled, but my guard's grip wouldn't budge. Sandy came close and stuffed the rag into my mouth, almost choking me in the process.
"MMmmgh!" I gurgled, attempting to curse him, "MMMMGH!"
In the corner of my eye, I saw another do the same to Sookie.
"That's more like it," Steve smirked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "Now we can begin."
My eyes immediately darted towards Eric, wondering how the heck we would get out of this. We had to. It couldn't end...like this.
That'd just be embarassing.
He locked eyes with me, accepting the fact that I was going to go down fighting as was he. His intense icy stare made me shiver a bit.
This thousand-year vamp wasn't going down without a bang. You could count on that.
Breaking the stare-off, I flipped my head toward Steve, who was currently holding a Bible, reading Scripture. He flourished his lone hand that wasn't carrying the book, "Now as the Lord said, with thirty pieces of silv-"
And then he was cut off. By a speeding bullet Bill.
"Bwwwaah!" I muffedly rejoiced, "WWhhuuu Cwwmm!" [translation: Bill! You came!]
Bill apparently didn't understand this from the look on his face, so he turned to Sookie for advice, ripping out her gag gently.
"Mmm, thanks, honey," she murmured, wiping her mouth of any drool.
"Hey!" Newlin cried, his face irritated that he'd been interrupted, no less by a vampire, "Who do you think you are, demon?/!"
Bill smirked darkly (didn't know he could do that) and replied loudly, "Reinforcements."
Instantly, the church was flooded with vampires, each surrounding the Fellowship siege around us. Our threateners were now being threatened.
I spotted Stan at the lead position. Ugh. He's still an ugly jerk.
"Steve Newlin, I presume," Stan brandished his trademark cowboy hat, "It'll be a pleasure killing you just like we did your father."
Screaming, Steve lost it completely as he started to storm over toward the vamp, only to be stopped by a shot to the forehead.
"What?" he muttered, as he clutching his brightly red noggin, collapsing onto the floor, "How...?"
"Take that douchebag!" a familiar voice screamed down from the high window. Was that...Jason?
Why is Jason HERE?
And then chaos reigned. Vampires attacked, humans attacked, and people from both species fled.
I used all this as a distraction, breaking away from my guard while pulling out my gag simeltaneously. I ran to the altar, examining the still burning Eric.
Hurriedly, I carefully removed the chains, wincing when it stuck to his skin. Ew. Four chains later, he was free, and said vamp gave me a We'll-Talk-About-This-Later glance and whooshed away to confront a certain reverend.
A half-second later, Newlin was being strangled by Eskimo. Can I make that the screensaver of my computer? I just want to freeze that moment.
And freeze it did.
"Stop!" an echoing tone cried out. I recognized this one too. It was...
Godric. He was back. In the flesh.
Oh yeah.
He stood in front of the crucifix with a pained expression, "Stand down, people. We wish you no harm."
"No harm?" Steve spat, still choked by a vengeful Viking, "No harm my a**! You vampires killed my father!'
"It is truly a pity you do not believe more fully in your own religion, Mr. Newlin," Godric intoned, looking slightly disappointed, "I've heard stories of your God being forgiving, but apparently you choose not to imitate that aspect."
"Do not mock my religion, monster!"
The eternally frozen teenage Roman shrugged, "I'm actually older than your Christ, but I missed it." He flashed to Newlin's side, next to Eric, "Do you not want peace, Mr. Newlin?"
"Not from you," the Reverend snarled out, "Never from you!"
"Then let that be your decision," Godric sighed, then turned to the rest of the congregation, "Go home, people; it's over. Stand down. Everyone."
"But Sheriff..." Stan growled, holding a Fellowshipper dangerously close to his extended fangs, "I thought-"
"Stand down," Godric repeated, his dark eyes glowering, "Do you question my authority, underling?"
Stan stood down, ducking his head in deference, "No, Sheriff."
The humans awkwardly backed out of the church, while the vamps mainly filed out, slightly frustrated that no blood had been spilled. Oh darn. Maybe next time, guys.
Glancing to the side, I saw Eric push away a disgruntled and disgusted Newlin, and flit over to Godric, kneeling down in front of him. "Godric," he murmured reverently, "You're safe."
His maker gave him an amused quirk of the lips, "And you doubted this, my child? How fragile do you think I am?"
Eric smirked and stood up, "Fragile enough to take out everyone in this godforsaken church. How did they capture you?"
The dark-haired tattooed boy waved the question away, "Later. I believe I am delaying a conversation that needs to occur, as it is."
Blinking, Eskimo raised an eyebrow at him, only to recieve one in return from his maker. Feeling my gaze, though, he slowly turned and met my stare head-on.
"Oh," he muttered, and turned back to Godric, "Do you need me now?"
"No," Godric gave him a small smile, "Go speak with your human; she looks impatient."
Eric snorted at this, ruffling his hair, "Yes, she tends to act that way."
"Before you go, though..." Godric leaned up and whispered something into Eskimo's ear. Eric smirked in response, giving his maker a smug look in return.
"Now, go," the teen gestured him away, "Meet me at my residence later."
Nodding, the blond Viking turned around and strode towards his next target...me.
Soon enough, he was standing in front of me, giving an intense questioning stare my way. His hands were behind his back, in a soldier position, ready to take anything. I couldn't help but think he looked especially badass right now.
Wish I could give off that vibe.
"You're an idiot!" I started off, wanting to get that first point out there, "You gave yourself up to the freaking Fellowship of the SUN to be SACRIFICED when you could have murdered them all within an inch of their lives! Are you insane?"
His lips quirked, blue eyes glittering now, "Are you advocating the slaughter of fifty people?"
"No," I sputtered, "Yes..I mean NO! It's just that was so..." I searched for the perfect word, using my limitless vocabulary skills, "STUPID! That was just STUPID to put yourself out there when you DIDN'T know if reinforcements were coming in the first place!"
"Maybe I did know."
"No, you didn't! Don't EVEN try to lie!"
"Maybe I found out when you were unconscious."
"Errrric," I growled, getting extremely annoyed now. Why can't he just admit what he did was reckless and impulsive?
"Or maybe," he sauntered foward to me, leaning his face down to where it was on my level, "you're just confused because you find yourself caring about me."
Startled, I stumbled backwards into a wall. Oh, great. Wall. Awesome situation.
Eric creeped even closer, pinning to where I couldn't move, his arms on either side of my face. He craned his neck down to softly touch noses with me, "And maybe you like this."
I stopped breathing for a second, as he brushed his nose against mine. I could feel his prescence all around me, that's all there was: Eric.
I felt myself melting for a second.
And then I internally slapped myself out of it.
Bam.
"Or maybe," I whispered, building up to it, "it's just your blood talking."
He smirked for a second, pulling back, "But isn't it more entertaining to say the opposite?"
"To you, maybe," I mused, "To me, not so much."
Rolling his eyes, his smug expression grew, "Oh, you haven't begun to feel the rollercoaster yet, Sparrow. The blood bond has just begun."
"The blood bond?" I frowned, questioningly, "Doesn't that require both human and vampire blood to be exchanged?"
He clapped mockingly, "Good job, Sparrow, you did your homework." He patted me on the head condescindingly, "Don't worry, we'll soon get up to that point."
"What?" I exclaimed, raising my eyebrows, "Nu-uh!"
He gave me a wicked smile, "In time, Sparrow, in due time."
