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Chapter 23: Fucked (And Not in the Good Way)

"BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE ARE ON LOCKDOWN!" A self-righteous voice blared from the crack that my sister had created in the door. Just outside, we could hear the stampede of feet as the Fellowship condensed all of it's people to just outside the chapel. Unfortunately, that left us in an awkward position since we were almost directly beside where most of them were being ushered out. "WOMEN WITH CHILDREN, PLEASE TAKE THEM TO OUR CLASSROOM BUILDING-"

I stopped listening, wincing as I braced myself against the cement walls of the staircase. This area specifically felt like a tomb and I was a little too battered to feel anything but morbid annoyance at the realization. Just through the crack in the door, I could see the well-guarded entryway to the chapel, people being herded out through a rope of men with… stakes. My blood ran cold, my eyes darting to Eric's tight expression.

"You can't possibly follow Godric's orders," I hissed, fighting against my mounting dread as Sookie peaked her head out a bit, grimacing at what she saw there.

"If I fly, I can only take one of you," he said, a delicate deflection to my original statement. His expression grew grimmer still as he met my sweaty form, the battered, blood-drenched tank top. I had done something to my ribs, I realized, my sides aching, the pain only broken by quick bursts of agony.

It wouldn't be wise of him to take me. I knew that and from the highly irritated look clouding his blue eyes, he knew that as well. If he could zip out of here with one of us, it would be Sookie. Hauling me along would only cause more damage to my already broken condition.

Sookie took a breath and slid from the staircase, darting into the darkness of the alcove just beyond. It was just far enough down the hall that no one would walk past.

Eric's arm slipped under my own, his larger body pressing into my side as he lifted most of my weight for me. I tried to quil the overwhelming jolt of pain that went through me at the action, all too aware of his penetrating gaze.

"You need blood," he murmured, his head dipping closer to me. I tried not to think too hard on what had happened the last time he had given me his blood. Mainly my totally lust-drunk reaction. I had been incoherent to anything but my own desire. The shifting of his expression made me think that he was thinking the same thing. "We don't have enough time-"

I cut him off, blushing furiously as I sensed the end to that sentence. "Where are Bill and that Area Nine vampire? They were just outside-"

"I told them to go back to the nest," he said, his voice dismissive as Sookie and I whirled around on him. His eyes traveled over us, non-plussed. "His attachment to Sookie would have made him irrational. It clouds his judgment. He would kill every child in this church to save her."

Bill would do that? I fought against the altogether harmless exterior that he had shown me. Just a few nights ago, Eric had told me how he had hunted, tortured and killed people for his old master. Shaken, I curled farther into Eric's side, his eyes flicking to me as he drew me in like a lost bird looking for shelter from the rain. I knew nothing of Bill's interior. And that somehow made me feel very, very small.

"Why aren't you?" Sookie hissed, her face nothing but contempt as she stared at the Viking vampire, watching as he repositioned me in his side so that he could look around the bend to the entrance.

"I'm following Godric's orders and getting you two out, that's all," he snapped dismissively.

Something in Sookie's face changed, a softening of her brown eyes, a sudden empathy that made my heart stop. "He's your maker isn't he?"

"You know how dangerous it is to go flinging that around," I hissed, losing myself for a moment as I thought of the power that people could reak over Eric if anyone knew. Godric was powerful, surely. But he was also too forgiving. Too willing to allow amnesty. My heart quivered at the thought of other vampires - worse - other humans, having that knowledge.

Eric's eyes went wintery, his mouth tightening as he drew me against him once more, his body moving to keep me cocooned against the wall. "Don't use words you don't understand."

Sookie's eyes met mine once more, her chin tipping up as if she were trying to tell me that she didn't like that answer. I shook my head, giving a growl. Siblings rarely listen to the warning of their blood. "You have a lot of love for him."

"Don't use words I don't understand," he snapped back immediately, a tick in his jaw going off as I felt every muscle in his body roll.

A sudden silence reached my ears as the alarm system fell silent. There was no longer the sound of plodding footsteps scurrying for the exit. No longer the whisper of frightened children. Instead, there was the sound of a heavy door being sealed.

I felt Eric move before I saw it, the slide of his hands pressing me back to the wall gently but firmly.

"Eric," I hissed, my hand wrapping around his wrist as I glared up at him.

His blonde hair curled around his ears, the blonde whispy there as he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Lita på mig."

I stared up at him helplessly for a moment. Even though I didn't want to admit it, my ribs were killing me. Every breath brought an uncomfortable cinching in my lunges, a sharp pain that made my head spin a bit. But then I remembered that I wasn't helpless and if anyone was going to get us out of this, it would be Eric. Because I was still indebted to him and he would never leave me here without paying out in full.

"Fine," I snapped, earning a small smirk from him as he loomed over me. "But if I hear anything, I'm coming out. They have stakes, in case you didn't notice."

An affectionate nip at my nose was all I got, his fangs snapping down for a moment before he was backing away. "Stay, mare."

I stuck my tongue out at his retreating back.

Sookie gave me a penetrating stare. "You two are awfully close," she commented, slipping to stare off after him. With every step closer to the group near the exit, he became a little less striking, a little less… Eric. His shoulders hunched up. His gait becoming a little awkward, standoffish. "I thought you didn't like him."

"He's not that bad," I whispered, absently, my mind focusing on the exchange before me. It would only take one of them to completely incapacitate him, one stake to graze his skin. "Plus he has a nice ass so that helps with his attitude issues."

Across the room, I saw his fingers twitch, his head tipping to the side for a moment. I had forgotten that vampires could hear very well. I smirked, biting my lip. Sookie gave a soft gag, rolling her eyes. Jealous bitch.

"Oh, hey, ya'll! How's it goin'?" Eric called, an octave or two too high to be the Viking that I knew, his tone one of docile contriteness. "Steve sent me over to man the exit here. Think I can take it from here."

I could only picture the cheesy grin that he had in place as he scrambled a bit closer. The three men eyed him with open disbelief.

One of the older ones raised his brow, his hands lose around the stake. "By yourself?"

Eric gave an awkward chuckle, ducking his head shyly. "Uh, yeah."

The apparent leader's face went grim, his eyes running over Eric's hulking form distastefully. All at once, that feeling of dread was tightening my stomach again. "You're big and all but there's a vampire on the loose."

"This isn't going to work," I realized, noting the strain and thin, almost undetectable note of impatients that filled Eric's next little chuckle. These humans were way too on edge to let any lone person guard a central entryway to the facility. I could smell it, my teeth giving a sweet ache as their tension spiked.

Sookie's face had tightened with anxiety. "It has to work."

"No, it doesn't," I said simply, shrugging off my jacket as I started to broaden my mental fields. I could already feel the three humans like little heat patches in my subconscious maps. I flashed Sookie a cocky smirk - one that I whole-heartedly didn't feel as my side gave a reminding pang. Taking a deep breath, I shut my eyes. "Fortunately, you have me."

Shed no blood on your way out. Godric did say that. Was it cheating a bit then - what I was doing? Would he be mad at me? I didn't know if I should care. In that moment, there were three guys with stakes, their anxiety growing as he gave another wrong answer. I sure as hell wasn't going to let them get anywhere near Eric.

After being around such a vacuum of mortal time, it was almost a breath of fresh air to meet another human. Their fears were so simple, just on the surface waiting to be plucked out. Kyle over here was deathly afraid of being trampled by horses which was weird since I would have thought it would be more along the vampire route like the other two.

Shed no blood… I pulled back after the first shock of fear made Kyle pass out. It was a good thing that I had taught myself restraint or else the three of them would have been withering around in their own grave. They were out so quickly that I barely had time to really make a fuss. Honestly, we should have just used my-

I stopped, something popping across the edge of my mind like a water balloon bursting underfoot. It was there, just at the edge of the treeline. My senses heightened, the hairs along my neck raising.

There was something there.

Something that knew who I was.

Something that knew I was watching.

Sookie's hand brushed over my arm. "Runa-"

The tinkling laughter of a woman's voice drifted through my mind and I my heart went cold, stuttering. I could see the frothing horses, the milky eyes. Well, who do we have here? Hello, sister.

Eric's voice was a low growl, his words heavy with irritation. "Little mare, I told you-"

I screamed, lancing pain bursting through my skull. Desperately, I clutched at my hair, tears blurring my vision as my knees gave out. Images, horrible, bleeding images slashed across my mind until I was all but blind to the world around me. I could see the tree, the Mare's tree. I could see the roots withering in the fertile soil, liquid like blood coursing down from the leaves like rain. I let out another shuttering scream, trying to yank myself away from whatever claws had dug themselves into my mind.

"And here I thought I could whip these humans into a frenzy all by myself."

Distantly, I felt strong hands -Erics - lift me, a low grunt as I shook, dislodging myself from his hold. There was a bitter cold along my face as I felt myself being dragged, the wet track of my tears making the air biting against my flushed skin.

It felt like someone was sawing into my brain, the jagged edges slicing messily through, dragging tendons and muscles as it went back and forth, back and- I gagged, sobbing. There had to be a way- If I could just find a way to fight -

That silky voice was back, whispering through me like a lover or a mother, gentle and crooning. "Come on then, sister. Are you a mare or aren't you? Fight. Back."

Could I? I had to. I could feel Eric cursing above me, my sister trying to haul as much as my weight as she could as I withered between then.

"-get her out, dammit." Eric snarled.

Sookie's soft pleading. "- listen to me, Runa -"

I shivered, mentally trying to push away the next saw of that knife. Desperately, I tried to change my thoughts around, grasping onto that pain, and use it. I nearly threw up, my whole body going weak as I felt rather than heard that laughter. Why was a Mare here? How unlucky could I possibly fucking be? How unlucky could we be?

"Oh dear, it looks like you have company. Why don't you rest for a bit, sister? I'll take care of this."

For a brief, blinding moment I saw the church around me, Eric hunching over me as he stared around. They had dragged me deeper into the chapel and all around were humans, satcheled with silver chains and wooden stakes. Creeping dread swept through my aching, shivering body. I could feel her, the other mare. I could feel her energy leaking all around me, fueling their fear, swirling along-

If she wasn't stopped they might actually kill Eric, I realized. The second thing that I realized was that she probably wasn't a very good multi-tasker if she was letting me off the hook for the moment. Groaning, I bit down on the top layer of my tongue, digging into the fresh wound there as I tried to clear my mind.

Eric was distracted, his eyes forlorn as they stayed firmly on the short, brown-haired man at the pulpit. Steve Newlin, I presumed. Gritting my teeth, I scooted back into the safety of the pews. It would have been a real downer if someone found out that I was a mare when we were already in this shit-hole. My brain spluttered in protest, my muscles giving a snap of discomfort as I forced my powers once more.

"Runa-" Eric snarled, lurching for me for the second time that day as I fizzled away, dragging myself up and to the side and up. For a brief moment, I thought about how that might look. Me taking off in the middle of a deadly situation. Grimacing, I wobbled forward at an unsteady jog. Maybe next time I should take the time to actually explain things to him.

But right now I really needed to find this other mare before she whipped those humans into a fear-induced massacre.

Slipping through the chapel walls, I landed soundlessly in the trees and brush before, taking a moment to open up my aching mental walls again. God, I just wanted to gulp down some vodka and go to sleep. There was that popping feeling again, just ahead at the line of trees.

Grunting, I forced my legs to move a bit faster, jogging up the hill and into the underbrush. I had no clue if I could sneak up on another mare. But as I neared her, I thought I might as well try.

A low hum rent the air, a melodic lullaby drifting along the muggy Texas air. Just at the base of an oak tree, a silvery blonde stream of hair caught the moonlight. She was pretty, I had to admit, her lips full and round, her nose and cheekbones sharp. Slim and tall even seated, she would have made a fearsome warrior back in the concurring days. Now, she was dressed stylishly in a black dress, her heels kicked to the side as she watched the lit chapel with a secretive smile.

I would have liked her, I thought sadly. Too bad she had really tried to fuck me over just a minute ago. I leapt, tackling her into the grass with enough force to make her gasp out a pained breath.

"What the fuck-" I didn't wait for her to do more than try to push me over, reeling back and punching her in the face once, twice - "You bitch."

Yelping, I rolled the spot where she had landed a fist bursting with pain. She had been able to punch me right in the ribs. I sneered, crouching in the low grass as she did the same, lions in the middle of a dispute over the last carcass.

Her cold, blue eyes ran over me, her lips tipping down in distaste. "I thought you would be prettier."

I sneered. "I thought you would look less like one of Tim Burton's fuck-dolls."

Yowling, she lurched forward, her nails out as she went low, trying to get me to the ground. I sneered. Growing up in a town full of scumbags and weirdos may have paid off. Dodging, I brought a knee up angling it so that it rammed into her nose with a satisfactory crunch. Blood splattered along my jeans, a choked scream gurgling through the night.

"You fucking bitch," she snarled, her words a muffled nasally pitch as she clutched at her face. Her eyes flashed across the space at me, her watery eyes all but diminishing the hatred there.

I raised my fists defensively. "I thought you would be a little more useful than this, sister."

"Do you even know what you're doing?" she sneered, taking two wobbly steps back and then cursing beneath her breath. I tried not to laugh. I rarely knew what I was doing. "We live off of fear, you dipshit. Where the fuck am I going to find a meal this big? A fucking wedding party?"

I blinked, my fists drooping for a moment. "Live off of fear?"

Her eyes ran over me for a moment, disbelieving. "Are you kidding me? You didn't already know that?"

I tried not to make my shock too apparent. No. I hadn't actually. But I wasn't about to compare my dairy entries with hers.

"No weird deaths in your town?" she sneered. "Ever get carnal when you go too long without extracting some nightmares?"

I stilled. I had always thought that that came from diving too deep into my powers. I never… Suddenly, the memory of all those heart attacks rushed through my mind. I had been so young… They couldn't have all been from me. But now there was another mare in front of me and -

"Have you ever met another mare?" I blurted out. The adrenaline was starting to wear off, I realized grimly, feeling the leaden weight of my muscles. Pain spiked through my side like the slow insertion of a knife along my ribs.

Those icy blue eyes rolled, her head tipping back as she tried to stop the flow of blood. "Oh jeez. Are you one of those lost souls types? Still looking for mommy and daddy?"

I bared my teeth, irritated. I hated all these non-answers. "All of you are the same." My hands flared to life, crackling with purple electricity. "Fucking useless. Full of riddles that mean nothing-"

"Woah, woah-" she bit out, taking two steps back as I advanced. "Calm your tits, okay? I haven't met any of the others except through our mental links. Mares are more solo-hunters. Each for their own. The last time we were together - well, that was when the Greeks were in charge."

I stopped. "You were alive back then?"

She snorted. "No, definitely not. But I was alive when the elders used to pass memories down from one generation to the next." She eyed me. "You must be pretty young to not even have that. Lately, the older of our kind haven't had the power to do that for the younger generation. And the elders…"

Her beautiful features clouded, sadness turning her eyes milky. Her whole body seemed to curve away from me then, her shoulders hunching against whatever memories were lurking in that head of hers.

I pressed, hungry for knowledge. This was the most information that I had gotten in… Well, in my entire life. "What? The elders what?"

"They died," she whispered bitterly, her mouth twisting. "Hunted down. Killed before they could grace the next generation with the knowledge to lead. Now we're motorless, drifting across the world stirring up fear and trauma to stay alive."

My insides went a shade colder, my hands lowering completely. In the pale moonlight, she looked like a fairy, her hair a shimmering curtain. "Hunted by who?"

"Maenads." She spat the word, her teeth-baring, the pointy, shark-like tips flashing. "Nature hippies - they started by taking our youngest, keeping them so that they would have a conduit to rile the humans. They feed off of debauchery. But then that wasn't good enough so they hunted the elders, tearing out their hearts when they learned that it would heighten their powers."

"I-" I didn't know what to say. What the hell were maenads? Why did the mares just allow themselves to be slaughtered? "Why-"

"Someone's coming," the mare hissed, her head whipping to the side. All at once, her hands were alight with purple sparks, her fingers vanishing. She was about to completely disappear on me-

"WAIT-" But I was yelling into the night air, a ghostly laugh tinkling through the wind. See you never, sister.

Disappointment, heavy and wet pressed down on me as the hulking figure of one enraged Eric Northman zipped into sight, his fists clenched, his eyes an arctic wind.

"Have a fun vacation, mare?"


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