Chapter Notes: Yes, direct continuation from last chapter.

Kit could feel their panic building as Gabe turned to look at them, something more than burning hatred in his eyes; it was lust.

Every footstep that Gabe took towards them was mirrored by Kit stepping back. Stepping like a game of cat and mouse until Kit was backed into a corner, no way to go. Overpowered and terrified, Kit gripped onto the bond with Eric with everything they had.

"Please…" Came out broken from Kit's lips.

The sudden pull that Kit gave through the bond made Eric falter. He tried to push himself faster than he already was as he focused on Kit.

He could feel them, holding on, gripping what they had as if it was their last lifeline, and for what Eric knew, it could very well have been.

He could feel their fear.

Their panic.

"Gudar i Asgard, håll min lilla räv säker. (Gods of Asgard, keep my little fox safe)."

Hands, burning and ice cold all at the same time assaulted them. On their shoulders, on their neck, knocking them down and holding their ankles down as they tried to kick them away. Kit's eyes closed tightly, tears being pushed out of the corners from the lack of space. They didn't want to look through the blurry lens of their eyes to face the hate and lust in his eyes. They still fought. Through eyes they didn't want to open, they kicked, scratched and punched.

A heel met an eye, forcing Gabe back. He gripped his face, blood flowing from the cracks in between his fingers.

"You bitch!"

All at once he came upon them again.

And all at once he was gone.

Kit curled in on themselves protectively, and looked up through bleary eyes at the figure who now held Gabe in his hand. Though Gabe begged for his life, it was ended with a single hand.

Godric looked exactly as Eric had described him, but there was just something more that could never hope to be described in words.

Godric came over to them, slowly, as if approaching a scared animal. He crouched down a little ways ahead of them, looking them over.

"Are you alright?" The accent of a dozen ancient languages filtered through the English words.

Kit let out a jagged sigh and looked down at the tremor of their hand. Their head shook one to indicate no.
Godric held out an open hand, not moving forward or back. Kit looked at the outstretched hand a moment before slotting their own into it, allowing themselves to be pulled upward onto their own feet. He kept their hand in his, his thumb rubbing circles into the back of it in what he hopped was a soothing manner.

"You know," Kit started, though Godric observed that their eyes were still focused on their interconnected hands. "I was supposed to be one of the ones to help find you, but it seems that you found me instead."

"Indeed so."

Screams from the above floors startled Kit out of their concentration on Godric's hand. Kit's eye's landed on Godric's face, watching as he closed his eyes with a small smile on his face.

"We are down here, min son (my son)."

In the next moment, Eric appeared in the basement before the two. After a moment of hesitance to assure himself that Kit was alright, he knelt down before Godric as a sign of reverence.

"You were a fool for sending humans after me."

Eric raised his head. "I had no other choice. These savages they... they seek to destroy you."

"I'm aware of what they've planned." Godric turned his head and gestured to Hugo. "This one betrayed you."

"How long has it been since you fed?" Eric stood from his place on the floor, towering over Godric.

"I require very little blood anymore."

Sirens sounded from above them, and near the door a light began to flash, causing all heads to turn momentarily.

"You should go. Take the blonde human with you, and I shall take care of yours."

Eric gave a curt nod, but before he went over to Sookie, he made his way to Kit. With gentle hands, he lifted their face towards him to place a kiss on the crest of their forehead. Not a moment later, he disappeared again, this time with Sookie in his hands.

Godric turned back to Kit, the human that had seemed to catch his childe's eye. "Speak your mind, little one."

"I'm not in an okay head space right now. Honestly, I don't know how I am being calm at the moment, probably shock and adrenaline. I have been forced in these clothes and into this role against my will." Kit kept their arms close to their chest, looking down at a shaking hand, and let out a frustrated sound from the back of their throat.

"If you will allow me, I think I have an idea to help until we are able to get back to the nest."

Godric placed Kit down in the entryway to the church, ignoring the sound of the scuffle inside the sanctuary for a moment.

"I need to deal with the situation, and I would like you to stay out here. But first, may I have your name?"

"You may not have my name, but you may know it." Kit was able to give a shaky smile to Godric. "My name is Kit, and my pronouns are they/them."

Godric smirked at the influence of his childe, then left, the light breeze that fluttered through their hair was the only evidence of his movement.

"Enough!" Godric's voice sounded from above the crowd, making their actions pause and attention turn to him, standing on the balcony as artificial light illuminated his back. "You came for me I assume."

"Underling." The warning tone from Godric's voice had Stan fighting the urge to roll his eyes as he moved away from the neck he had planned to bite.

"Yes Sheriff."

"These people have not harmed me. You see ? We can coexist. Mr. Newlin, I do not wish to create bloodshed when none is called for. Help me set an example. If we leave you in peace, will you do the same?"

Steve sat up more fully from his position on the ground, a sneer on his face. "I will not negotiate with subhumans! Kill me."

He moved to kneel in front of Eric, loosening his tie and collar. "Do it. Jesus will protect me."

"I am actually older than your Jesus. I wish I could have known him, but I missed it." With a small shrug, Godric reappeared behind Steve Newlin, grabbing him by the back of his suit and bringing him up to his feet. "Good people, who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?"

The room was silent in the wake of Gdoric's address. "That's what I thought. Stand down, everyone. People, go home. It's over now."

Sookie, having woken sometime before, was pulled into an embrace by Bill. The humans of the church, released by the vampires under command of Godric, now left from where they had entered.

"Please don't leave me." Steve withered in Godric's hold as he watched his congregation leave.

"I daresay my faith in humankind is stronger than yours." Godric threw the man to the ground before turning to his underlings. "Come."

Stan approached Godric as he walked away from the podium, his voice low. "Sir. After what these humans have done to you…"

"I said come." He spoke with finality, shutting down any argument or action that Stan might have made.

Eric walked beside his maker at a human pace. "Is Kit alright? Why are you wearing the skirt they were wearing?"

"They are safe. And," Godric pushed open entrance door to the view of Kit leaning against the opposite wall. "waiting for you."

Eric glanced at Godric for a moment before rushing to Kit, pulling them into his arms and assuring himself that they were safe. Kit returned the gesture wholeheartedly, pulling their own comfort from his embrace. Godric looked on with a sad smile.

"Hail the conquering hero." Eric cornered Jason after he had spoken to Godric.

"Oh no." Jason raised his hands with a wave of surrender. "I'm no hero."

"Well you are in this town. But in my area, we know you well as a buyer and user of vampire blood. And that's a very grave offense."

"Yeah, listen, I don't do that anymore. That's the whole reason I'm even here. Amy pushed me over the edge and I just had to get out."

Give me Amy's last name and we'll call it even. But you won't be doing it again."

"Burley. And yes I won't, no, yes?" Jason spoke quickly, panicked.

Eric interrupted the mumbles of the blonde. "Good boy. Run along."

Needing no more encouragement, Jason moved to put as much space between him and Eric as he could.

Hugo had been dismissed without too much trouble, and Godric hoped that Hugo had enough sense to listen to his warnings. Eric had also been dismissed, but not from the state, only from his presence to go wander about the room, to go be with his mate. To be with their mate.

Godric was sure that Eric would have scoffed at the idea of such a thing, a person that was fated to another. Godric might have scoffed at it himself if he were younger when Roman had imparted the information, but it was not so much of an impossibility as one might have thought. If there are pulls to create a childe, why wouldn't there be for a mate? There were magics in the world that few understood, but all were subject to.

Godric watched Eric and Kit. He was so much more human with them. All barriers seemed to crumble around the human, emotions freely shown, worry freely given, love freely given without any expectation of it back. Yet it was given back. Godric had no doubt that they each held the other's heart. He was unsure if Eric had realized that Kit was his mate. Godric had recognized them as his mate as soon as he had entered that room in the basement that they were held.

The more he watched Kit, the more he knew them, he knew that he might be able to fall in love with them as easily as Eric had. The spark of hope began to bloom in his chest at the prospect, but he extinguished it. He did not deserve a mate, that happiness, after all that he had done in his life as a vampire. He had been cruel, he did not deserve kindness.

Eric had Kit, and Kit had Eric, they had no need for him. They would be happier without him.

"Godric?"

He raised his head to look at Kit with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Hello Kit, you seem to be doing better."

Kit gave a nod and glanced down at their clothes, their own clothes. The tension and fear had seemed to completely dissipate from the last time that they had been face to face with Godric.

"Yes. I feel much better." They took a seat to the side, on the floor, leaning on an upright knee. "I don't know much about the relationship between you and Eric, but I understand enough to think that you might have some stories…"

Before either of them could continue with their conversation, someone had announced themselves in the greater area of the room, so both made their way to look around the parting wall.

The man opened his jacket.

Sookie shouted.

All went black.

Kit came to awareness a moment later as Godric stood up over them. He offered them his hand, and they let him pull them up to their feet. They shook off some of the debris and the dust from themselves, and in the next moment Eric was before them, looking over them for injury. When he found none, they were pulled into his arms. Godric looked on, glad that they were alright.

Godric moved to regroup with Isobel, his worry over Kit and Eric gone, and his attention shifting to the vampires and people of the party.

"Who's dead?"

"Stan, Paolo, Catherine, two human companions."

Godric sighed. "Call Hotel Carmilla, see if we can take refuge there. If so, tell them to have supernatural doctors on hand to deal with any injuries for human or supernatural."

Isobel gave a nod and left to find a working phone.