Ashlin pov

My friend's face filtered through emotions as she came into awareness of what she had done and where she was. The wail that she left pass her lips was broken and full of sorrow.

"Oh God! What did I do? I'm sorry." Seemed to repeat like a mantra from her lips before I stilled her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Tara, you didn't do anything wrong. Your free will was stripped from you, and the decisions you took were not your own. This was not your doing. Do you understand me?"

She quieted her wails, but tears still ran down her cheeks as she nodded in answer. I stood up from my seat, swaying momentarily, but quickly gaining my footing back. I looked to Lafayette, relief clear on his features.

"Laff, untie her please, she is okay now."

I made my way over to where my Vampires were standing, and rested my head against Eric's chest with a quiet groan. I could feel the light headache blooming behind my temples. Eric wrapped an arm around me and Godric took to rubbing my back as I calmed my thoughts.

"What happened, älskare (lover)?" Eric asked quietly, as not to disturb the cousins who were comforting each other.

I looked over to my friends, and Godric spoke, "Do you want to talk about it outside, min lilla sol (my little sun)?"

I nodded, giving a small wave to Laff, so that he would know what was going on, and followed my Vampires out onto the front porch. Eric took a seat in one of Laff's chairs, while I stood against a pillar with Godric near me.

I took a needed breath before starting to speak. "Her mind seemed blocked off from itself. I was able to push past it with enough force, but when her memories came through, it was blurry, and it was almost if her thoughts were not her own. I had my complete focus on her mind, and everything else seemed to face away, it was nothing like I've ever done before. And when I pulled away, her eyes weren't black anymore, they were glowing a pale yellow, and when I pulled away completely from her mind, her eyes were her own again."

Eric nodded, taking in the information, but Godric perked up as if he had an idea. "You said you saw your friend's memories?"

I nodded, and he continued. "Can you explain some of the details? What you saw might be able to help us. If we can find a constant factor, or even more details of the effects other than the behavior and the eyes, then we might be able to figure out the cause of this."

"Yeah." I thought for a moment, sorting through my own memories of what I saw. "There was always this woman encouraging Tara's rougher behavior. Maryanne Foster. It looks like she is at my house at the moment, making a mess."

I groaned at the thought. "Her kindness almost seems like an act, and she was always there during Tara's blackouts. There was also always a man with her, oddly devoted to her."

Godric looked down, hand fisted and his thumb tapping on his chin in thought. "From the information we have gathered so far, I would say we are dealing with a Maenad, and Maryanne Foster may be such a creature."

"The followers of Dionysus?" My eyebrow raised.

"Yes. I would like to stop by your home to confirm if my suspicions are correct. I will meet you and Eric at his house later on. Is this alright with both of you?"

Eric agreed, but I shook my head. "I'm coming with you. I'm sure Eric has already told you what I can do."

"Yes, but-"

"No buts. Eric, can you take my clothes home with you?" He nodded as I continued speaking. "I'm going to let Laff know we are leaving."

Godric had no choice but to reluctantly agree. I made my way back into the house, Tara was resting on the couch, and Laff was lounging in one of the nearby chairs. I let him know that I was leaving, and he pulled me into a tight hug. I knew he would be safe, he had enough distance between his home and what seemed to be the epicenter of the town.

I walked back outside where Godric and Eric were waiting, but I stopped after I had passed them into the front grass where I stripped myself of my clothes. I was at such an angle that it prevented my Vampire from seeing my nude form, but it didn't stop their fangs from coming down.

I quickly shifted into the only form I could shift into: a golden eagle. I perched myself on a nearby tree, waiting for Eric or Godric to make a move.

Godric pov:

I watched as our angel divested herself of her clothes, and my fangs dropped despite my best attempts to keep them hidden. My childe's fangs dropped as well at seeing our mate bare before us. Too quickly it seems, she shifted into a magnificent bird, perching herself on a tree nearby.

A screech broke my stupor, my childe laughing as he regained his composure faster than I. "She is telling you to hurry up."

I let out a small chuckle before regaining my focus on the task at hand. I retracted my fangs and took to the sky, my little bird following behind me at a swifter pace than I would have expected, but alas, she was no average bird.

I lowered myself to the treeline as we approached, finding my own perch on the branch of a tree on the edge of the property. She perched next to me as I surveyed the area. The property looked as if a hurricane had passed over it, possibly worse. The smell that seemed to radiate from the wreckage was reminiscent of dirty animals, and was wholly unpleasant. The massive meat statue in the yard was a disturbing sight as well. All of these things only confirmed my suspicions, I had little doubt that the creature causing havoc was a Maenad. It irked me that such a problematic creature would choose my mate's home as it's place of residence.

The branch shifted slightly beneath me. I looked over to my angel, sitting comfortably on the branch in her nude form, no gesture was made to hide it as others might have. My fangs dropped once again on their own volition, and I wondered why I even bothered to keep them retracted in her presence.

"I know that smell, granted it is a bit more masked." She whispered, bringing me out of my musings. "That is the same thing that attacked me."

I let out a growl, but quickly calmed myself. "We should take our leave to Eric's house and make plans. It would be safer, and more comfortable. I would also like to hear about this attack. If that is alright with you?"

She nodded, feathers once again coating her body. We flew side by side, and I had finally realized what her comment about feathers was the first time we flew together. I found I enjoyed the experience immensely enjoyable. It was easy for her to keep up with me, sometimes using natural currents of air to keep her speed. We were able to arrive at the same time Eric did.

In one smooth motion, Ashlin landed in her human form, catching the clothes that Eric tossed her, and easily putting them on, a simple action that was obviously well practiced between the two of them. She kept her feet bare aw we walked inside, convening in the sitting room. We easily settled down, Eric and my angel on the couch, and I took to sitting on the coffee table, wanting to be nearer and facing them.

Ashlin and I told Eric of what we saw, and from there it moved on to the attack that took place on my angel before she came to Dallas. Despite the minor injury she received, I was still angered at all the trouble that seemed to be coming down on my mate due to the maenad. My beast was bubbling under the surface, ready to come forward and hunt down the maenad at any cost.

A low growl grew in my chest and before I could realize what I was doing, Ashlin moved, straddling my lap and tucking her head underneath my chin as she embraced me.

Eric pov

Godric visibly relaxed with Ashlin in his arms, his growl subsiding, and peace flooding the bond. His arms wrapped around her, as if he feared ever letting her go again, and he buried his nose into her hair, breathing in her scent.

So quickly she was able to calm him down, bring him back to himself. Why was I unable to do the same for him when he was on the brink of breaking, when he so desperately needed it. Was I even needed between the two of them when they already reacted so strongly to each other?

"Eric?" Ashlin's soft voice, laced with worry, brought me out of my musings.

I looked to her and my maker, both wearing concerned expressions on their countenances. I realized that I had projected some of my turmoil through the bond I shared with my maker. Godric and Ashlin each held out an arm to me, and I gladly sunk to my knees before them, embracing them both and resting my head on Ashlin's back, listening to the steady beat of her heart.

I realized my worries were for naught as he flooded the bond with reassurance and she wrapped her hand around my own. Such a simple action ebbed away at my doubts, the completeness that I felt with both of them was a testament to how much we all needed each other.

The ring of my phone brought us apart far sooner than I would have liked.

"What?" I answered, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

"The Shifter from Bon Temps came into the bar with a couple of children." Pam deadpanned into my ear. "It is going to take forever to get the smell out."

"Pam, get to the point." If it had been a different situation, I would have laughed at my childe's minor inconvenience.

"Fine. I put him and the little brats in your office. He was asking to speak to you, won't tell me why."

I shook my head at the stubbornness of the Shifter. "I will be there soon, Pam."

I ended the conversation, and the three of us stood to go, Ashlin slipping on her shoes at the door.

"Let's go." I knew better than to argue with Ashlin with such an expression on her face and tone of her voice. There was hell to pay, and I was glad that I was not on the receiving end.

A/N: Hi! As some already know, I do x chubby readers. I have them posted here, but also on my tumblr, angel-of-darkness-3000. It might be easier to request x chubby readers there.