Chapter 6: Consequences
Godric's POV
I did my best to at least try to look interested in whatever Flanagan was saying. Nodding ever so often, a flick of the hand here, a nod there. She was truly gifted when it came to losing my interest.
She saw straight threw my muse, and I could tell that it infuriated her that she couldn't do anything to put me in my place. She knew she had no sway over me, and it brought me a twinge of joy, a joy I hadn't felt in quite some time.
The power of control was intoxicating. It surged through me as a smirk came to my face. It was odd, how quickly I could fall back into old habits. The appearance of Alea seemed to have had more of an effect on me than I had expected. I felt alive, like the spark that I had been missing was rekindled.
A chuckle came to my lips involuntarily as my thoughts went to Alea, and her innocent nature, the way her smile lit up her face. I felt Eric mirror me, his laugh was rich, and I realized how much I missed it. The lack of Eric's presence had been a strain, I hadn't expected to miss him as much as I did.
A disgruntled growl of sorts drew me out of my muse. Nan looked furious as she glared daggers at me, no doubt wishing me dead. Or worse.
"Is this funny to you Mr. Gaul?" Mr. Gaul, I snorted, letting my gaze focus solely on her. My thoughts strayed away from the little human that slept above our heads. If I listened closely, I could hear her even breathing and a soft snore every so often. I breathed in deeply as I pulled my attention away from her.
I straightened my back and pressed my hands together as I leaned forward towards Flanagan. She visibly recoiled, trying her best to keep her ground against my imposing aura and intimidating form. A harsh smirk came to my face, I shouldn't be happy that I scared her. I had made so much progress in the form of lessening my intimidation factor. But the scent of her fear in the air egged me on. The faster I could get her to leave, the faster I could return to Alea's side.
"Quite humorous, Ms. Flanagan. After all, all you have done is told me what transpired tonight, and that there will be consequences. I find it funny, that you speak as if trying to intimidate me." I growled at the end of the sentence. The sound echoed throughout the small room, bouncing off the hideous red walls, resounding in my ears. No doubt resounding in hers. She swallowed hard and seemed to be fighting with herself. Should she run, should she scream? The emotion flashed across her face as she tried to hide her fear.
"So, Ms. Flanagan, is that what you are doing?" She looked like she was going to say something before squeezing her mouth shut. Her fingers were clenched harshly into tight fists, and I smelt blood in the air. My smirk grew.
"Or should I just assume that's just my imagination? I am rather skeptical in my old age. So, if that's not what you are doing, could you get to the point of this conversation?" My word was law, and she knew as well as I did. That I could have her head on a platter in seconds. She just nodded, biting her tongue.
"My son and I have had quite the eventful evening, and would like to return to our room, so make it quick." Return to her. I didn't say the words out loud, but I felt them in my very soul. I wanted to be near her, to be near Alea. I could tell that Eric was having the same thought. He was fidgeting next to me, his finger tapping irritated at the armrest. Though his face didn't betray him, his signature smirk firm on his face.
How one girl had us so entangled was beyond me. She made me want to throw everything to the wind, I would do anything for her, and that was a scary thought.
"You can't keep getting away with this Godric, the Authority will catch up with you." She hissed at me, her voice betraying her shaking form.
"You allowed yourself to be captured by the fellowship, you damn near blew up your nest. And that's not even the end of it," she was seething. I felt the need to push her but decided against it as she finished her thought.
"Or should we discuss the human you have with you, or should I say Umbra, you knew what she was, and you still brought her here. When the Authority finds out they will have all of your heads." She was practically screaming, as though the words were sour on her tongue. I felt myself stiffen, my eyes narrowing as I took a harsh inhale in. My hand went to the arm of the chair that I sat on, the wood cracking under my fingers as I stood. Nan looked ready to bolt as I growled menacingly under my breath.
"I would phrase your next sentence, very carefully Ms. Flanagan." She seemed to hesitate; she stuttered some incoherent words before swallowing her resolve.
"The Authority won't be happy when they hear-," I cut her off abruptly as I reached my hand out, caressing her throat almost lovingly, but she knew better. We all did.
I could end her life in a second, and it took all I had in me not to do so. She hadn't said it out loud, but she had hinted at it. The threat was subtle, but she had threatened her. Alea's life. She had threatened us all. As though I would take the threat lightly.
"But they won't be hearing it, will they Ms. Flanagan?" I leaned in close to her, tightening my hold around her neck until she was grabbing at my exposed arm. She looked like a rat trying to escape a cat's mouth. She was shaking violently now, and a menacing growl came to my lips.
Death was here now, the softened vampire I had become had been forced back. She would realize why I wasn't messed with, why my family wasn't to be trifled with. My fingers tightened more around her neck. I heard a crack followed by a whimper.
"Isn't that right?" I whispered out, before releasing her violently, she fell back in her seat clutching the seat cushions tightly in her hands. My power play had her trembling.
"You, you can't get away with this Godric, if they don't hear from me, they will hear from someone else. They won't stop until she is dead. You know what she can do to us. Why are you protecting her?" Nan was in shambles, scrunched into the chair as though she was trying to hideaway. She clutched her neck gently, no doubt nursing the fracture I had just given her.
I felt Eric tense beside me, glancing at me. I lowered my head, knowing full well that would be a conversation I would have to have after Nan was taken care of.
"You have no right to question me, Nan, you would do best to remember that," I stood tall as I stood over her.
"Now, go tell the Authority that I am resigning from my position as sheriff, that will give you something to report back." I adjusted the cuffs of my shirt as Nan went back into a rage.
"What?! What do you mean you resign? You can't do that!" She seemingly forgot where she was, who she was speaking to once again, as she flung herself up flinching as her neck protested the movement.
"I can Miss Flanagan, and I will," another smirk came to my face. As I leaned in towards her once again, she flinched, her strong will leaving her. She knew she lost.
"It would do well of you to recall that I took this position of my own volition, I can give it up the same. The Authority can deal with that, very few of them rival me in age, and none of them rival me in allies." Eric stood next to me now, staring down Nan in a condescending manner. Nan could only stutter as we walked away, towards the stairs.
The last thing that we heard before she bolted from the building was her lackluster threat.
"You will regret this. You all will."
Eric and I walked up the stairs, stopping just outside the door to our room. I felt his hand on my shoulder and knew I would have some explaining to do.
"What did Nan mean, maker?" His voice was quiet, no doubt to not wake Alea, who was just through the door. Innocent Alea.
I ran a hand through my hair as I contemplated my response, before settling on turning towards Eric.
"Remember, when I said that I have only heard stories of Umbra child?" My voice was similarly soft, as I stared at Eric. At my creation, and one of the only things I truly cared for in this world.
A nod was what I received in response. It was an urgent motion, impatient as always.
"Roughly 1000 years before I was turned, there was a war. A massive war between the supernatural. The Umbra had stayed neutral, not wanting to add to the bloodshed." I shuddered as I remembered my maker's words. The crisp sound of his disgruntled voice. The rats hid in their caves.
"They are death, child, as I have already said. But it goes further than that." I looked him in the eyes now, I weighed my next words carefully.
"Umbra have the ability to remove the soul from the body, in a sense. They control death on a fundamental scale." I paused. Giving Eric a moment to register.
"They can kill anyone, anything, with the flick of a wrist."
"Even vampires," Eric's voice was soft, I could hear the twinge of fear in it. It is hard to come to terms with. As a vampire, you are practically untouchable.
I nodded to his response.
"The vampires came out on top in the war. Its why we have such a fundamental hold on the supernatural community now." Another pause. "But we didn't stop there. Our elders couldn't handle their new positions of power knowing that the Umbra could take down everything that they had build without so much as a glance."
I lowered my head. Remembering my makers smile as he described the slaughter.
"A massive coup was formed, and over the course of a decade, nearly all of the Umbra were slaughtered. Most while still in their beds before one could so much as wake up"
I swallowed my own fear, my own guilt.
"The Umbra were always peaceful, but they did their job. When needed they escorted the souls of the damned to their final resting place. Most detested violence." I shook my head.
"Charon, their leader, he took his death with a high head. He didn't fight it, and he only spoke once before they added him to the list of casualties."
"Umbra, like the night, are unending. I may end here but make no mistake. We will come for you." I glanced back up at Eric's face. It was stoic, but his eyes held his true emotion. The grim look brought a frown to my face. I reached my hand up to his face, and he leaned into the touch.
"My Maker landed the killing blow on Charon. He was very proud to have ended their race." I shook my head, trying my best to erase his cynical smile from my subconscious.
"They were thought to have been whipped out. But with the arrival of Alea, it seems as though some must have slipped through the cracks." I glanced at the door, hearing Alea's soft breathing helped to calm me.
"They will come for her," Eric said, his voice was shaky and very uncharacteristically mellow. I could only nod. He looked at me solemnly.
"The stories of Umbra still circulate today. The Authority will be in shambles when they realize what she is. They won't risk Charon's premonition becoming real. They will try and kill her, and all who stand with her."
"What's the plan then?" His matter of fact tone shocked me. The fact that he still wanted to protect her showed just how far we had both fallen. I wasn't sure yet what that meant. I only really knew one thing, Alea would not be harmed.
"We need to keep her hidden, her father searches for her. There is no doubt word of her will get to the Authority. We must prepare for war, my child." He glanced at the door one more time before his gaze landed on mine once again. The proud Viking that I had turned stared at me now. His warrior gaze unrelenting, and it brought a haphazard grin to my face.
I had missed that side of Eric, the one that truly screamed glory. It seemed to have been slipping lately, the stress of the vampire's exposal must have been hitting him harder than I thought. He hid it very well, behind his ever-steady mask. I opened our bond to him, sending a wave of calm over him, he accepted graciously. His eyes closed contently, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight.
I turned back towards the door, my hand resting on the handle when I felt it. A subtle pulse, that sent a pleasurable shock down my spine. My lips tingled, and a groan came to my lips. I felt Eric tense behind me, our bond still open, he felt it too. I turned back to him. His eyes were hooded as he shuttered, his hand was pressed against the wall as he strained against the feeling.
Alea was having a dream.
I gripped the door handle harshly, the metal groaning under my fingers as I fought my own instinct to go into the room. Eric and I stood there in stasis, pleasure running through us, neither of us moving for fear of doing something we would regret.
Alea. Innocent, fragile Alea.
Another wave shot over me, taking my breath away as I leaned forward. I could feel her hands running over me, the heat of her breath against my skin.
The sound of my name on her lips.
That wasn't a dream. I heard her through the door, her soft voice calling to me. Shortly after, another name was heard. Much to my surprise.
Eric.
I felt Eric tense behind me, and I couldn't decide if it was shock or pride that came through our bond. A spark of jealousy came over me, a feeling I hadn't felt in so long I forgot what it felt like.
Just as soon as it had started, it was over. The pleasure faded from my body, and I had to suck in a hard breath to pull my fangs up into my gums. Alea's startled gasp could be heard through the door. I could hear her erratic heartbeat, her strained breathing. It was delectable. I turned back towards Eric, who was staring at the door, unflinching. As though he was fighting himself.
The shuffle of Alea through the room was barely registered, as I released the door handle. Turning fully towards Eric. His gaze was perfectly clear, he looked surer than I had ever seen him.
He wasn't giving this up. I fought a sigh. I couldn't blame him, because I wasn't willing to let it go either. We had shared before, but this was different. Alea was different.
"We will find a way to make it work Maker," Eric said as if worried I would tell him no. Knowing full well, he wouldn't be able to disobey me.
"I don't think she is ready for this kind of adjustment child," I whispered slowly. He just nodded.
"No, but she will be, one day." His face was unflinching. He stared at the door. "We can wait, work her into it slowly."
"Very slowly." I hissed. Eric's eyes were steady as he nodded. I had never seen him so intent on something that wasn't gold. But I knew it, he knew it.
Alea was ours.
Just as I went to speak, I heard the subtle creak of a door, a shocking chill went through my body as I realized that Alea was at the door. Had we missed her in our musings?
I backed away from the door as she pushed it open. I heard the subtle grunt under her breath as she struggled with the heavy oak door. Before being met with her stunning purple orbs. Her eyes caught mine, her mouth slightly agape as she stared at me. Her face flushed crimson as she glanced sharply between Eric and I. Her white hair whipped harshly around her head, and I felt the need to reach my hand out and tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.
Eric beat me to it, as he reached to her face, clutching her chin in his hand gently. Another trait not normal for my Viking.
"Are you okay min lille?" His voice soft, as though he was trying to convince her he hadn't heard what had just transpired. She took a sharp breath, as she stared at him. Glancing him up and down quickly.
"Do, do you always wear button-up shirts?" Her voice was shaky, as she asked. Her face still a brilliant hue of red. I couldn't help to chuckle at her thought, one she no doubt didn't intend to say.
Eric laughed heartily, obviously trying his best to keep his normally dirty humor out of it.
"I tend to, do you like them? Or should I wear something else?" Eric's voice was ever so slightly sultry, and I felt the need to roll my eyes.
Her face seemed to get even redder as she glanced at him, she couldn't seem to find the words as she stumbled through a sentence.
By the time she spoke it was so quiet I almost couldn't hear her.
"I like them, you both should wear them more." Heat spread through my body as I thought to her dream. Yes. I think I will.
"We will try little one." I ran my hand through her hair, letting my hand settle on her face.
"But first, what do you say to getting out of here? There are still a few hours of night left, and I think it best for us to get on the road." I managed out, my voice staying level enough to convince her that everything was normal.
"Where are we going", her innocence took over her face, her eyes staring into my very soul. I couldn't help but smile.
"Home, little one," Her face lit up, and her smile took my breath away.
min lille = my little one (Nordic)
Authors Note: Well everyone here is the latest chapter! I have really been excited about writing in Godric's POV, so I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I will try to update again soon, until then! Je t'aime my lovelies.
