After the crowd had dwindled down to the point of being null, Sookie and Arlene scrubbed down the tables while I opted to refill ketchup bottles, salt and pepper shakers, and then put down the trademark green placemats on the tables when they were done. Between the three of us, it only took us an hour to get the place set up for the day shift the next morning. Sam had taken care of the bar, I discovered. That meant that we were free to leave. I was the last to drop my apron off in Sam's office.

"Goodnight, Sam, I'll see you tomorrow," I smiled at him. He looked up at me thoughtfully. He looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it.

"Goodnight, Aline," he relented. I lingered for a moment before giving him a nod. Without being able to help myself, I reached out with my mind. He was wondering what it was about me that made vampires want me so badly. And there was enough curiosity to prompt him to find out someday, especially (he decided) if I was going to continue working for him. And he thought I was a damn good waitress, so he didn't see why there was a reason to fire me. Sookie got into trouble all the time and he kept her on. But he was in love with her, he chastised himself. He wasn't in love with me. Certainly, though, he was intrigued—

I stopped listening then, coming to terms with the fact that I knew I wouldn't want whatever information Sam had. It would probably just make my life harder, not better. I climbed into the car without really bothering to acknowledge Godric or Michael. Neither said anything, apparently reading the look on my face that clearly said I needed some time to figure things out. What exactly I was figuring out was one of the things I needed to figure out. I wanted to help Sookie. But I didn't want to be abducted by her asshole boyfriend and given to Edgington and then apparently the Queen of Louisiana. So, naturally, part of me wanted to stake Bill with something lined in silver. After, of course, torturing his sorry excuse for a Southern gentleman's ass.

My lips twitched upward at the thought. I noticed Godric watching me curiously. He was quite clearly confused by the sudden change in my mood. This made me start to giggle to myself. Then I remembered Sookie's perplexed look. I giggled a little harder. Godric was looking to Michael for an explanation.

"Hey, man, don't look at me," he shrugged. "I'm not a wolf. Or a faery."

Immediately, I pictured Michael in a fairy costume. The ridiculous looking ones that don't really have anything to do with the fae—those costumes. The giggle became full fledged hysterics as I began crying from the sheer exertion of laughing.

"Is she sick?"

"I think she's hysterical." Michael gave me a suspicious look before pushing a little button near his rearview mirror, effectively putting up a window between his little driver's box and Godric and I.

Finally, I calmed down. The ancient vampire was still staring at me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm exhausted," I admitted, a smile gracing my lips. "A psychotic vampire is trying to make me his personal Barbie doll. He's enlisted the help of my friend's boyfriend—who, by the way, is trying to abduct me so that he can give me to this psycho. And then apparently this psycho is going to get bored of me and give me to the Queen of Louisiana. I'm fucking brilliant, man."

Godric smiled sadly at me, gently pulling my shoulder until I was lying down with my head in his lap. It was only seconds before I was asleep. I vaguely felt the car come to a stop, Godric lifting me quite easily out of the car and up the stairs, into the house, up the stairs again, and through the double doors of my room. After that, I lost consciousness entirely again, staying asleep until the next afternoon.

When I awoke, I remembered the swords that were hidden in my closet. With a smile, I decided to retrieve them so I could clean them and present them to the vampires. Something of a thank you for watching me. Not that they really needed to be thanked, I don't think (Eric is being paid and, well, Godric apparently has something of an interest in me). But they're going to be forced to accept them whether they like it or not. I think they will.

As I cleaned them, thinking about how the vampires would react, I relished briefly in the fact that I wasn't worried about winding up in a cage at the end of the afternoon. I had just finished cleaning and polishing the swords when dusk fell. Eric was trudging out of his room just as I descended the stairs. When he saw me, he stared.

"What," he began slowly, "are those?"

"Presents," I grinned simply. I handed him the Viking sword. "This one's for you."

"Viking? Where on earth did you find this?"

"An antique shop," I waved it off carelessly. "They didn't think it was anything of value."

"It was my brother's," he said quietly, examining it. He turned his blue eyes to meet mine. They were hard to read. "You continue to impress me. That is a rare quality in a breather."

"So heartfelt," I rolled my eyes with a smile. When he simply remained silent, I left him alone. I didn't have to look very hard for Godric. He was standing outside looking at the stars. Before disturbing him, I took a moment to take in the sight. He seems to have given up on wearing nothing but white. Eric's insistence that it wasn't practical must have worn him down. Not that I could say I really minded. These new clothes suited him well, I thought. I had been so busy studying him that I hadn't realized he had turned around to face me. "Hey," I smiled lightly.

"Good evening," he returned my smile. "Did you sleep well?"

I nodded. "Sorry for falling asleep on you. That's, what, twice now?"

He shook his head, the smile not leaving his face. "It is alright. You were tired."

"Thank you." I bit my lip. "I thought you might like this." I held out the sword gingerly. He stepped forward, taking it from my hands.

"How did you find this?"

"I made Michael go shopping with me. On the way back, I saw a little antique shop on the way back, so I made him stop there so I could look around. The owners weren't very knowledgeable in anything, really. They didn't really know what they had."

He was silent as he studied the hilt of the sword. When he finally looked up at me, his eyes were lined with crimson. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "It is very beautiful."

"I was just in the right place at the right time, I guess." He gently laid the sword down on one of the chairs, stepping closer to me. There was a slight pause, a hesitation, before he pulled me closer and firmly pressed his lips against mine. Any reservations I had instantly melted away.

When someone cleared their throat behind us, we pulled away. Eric and Alcide were standing there. "Oh, by all means, don't stop on my account," Eric smirked. His eyes flickered from my face to Godric's, his smirk growing.

Alcide gave Godric a long, hard stare. "You hurt her, I'll stake you. Understood?"

"I have no intentions of harming your sister in any way," Godric replied patiently. He put his arm around my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. I smiled thankfully at him, squeezing his hand with my own to let him know that I appreciated it.

"You certainly don't have any intentions of letting her go, though."

"No, I do not."

"Hey, wait a minute," I interrupted. "I get that you manly men like to put chains on everything that you think is yours but—"

"You just allowed him to claim you," Eric informed me.

Instantly my face crinkled into confusion. "I what?"

"You don't know," Alcide raised his eyebrows at me. He then scowled at Godric, yanking me out of the vampire's grasp. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he allowed my brother to led me away from the two vampires. Not that it would really do any good, though. They'd be able to hear us anyway. "Do you know anything about claiming?"

"Nothing other than I apparently just allowed it to happen."

My brother shifted uncomfortably. "When a vampire claims you, it means that no other vampire can touch you. Actually, nothing else can touch you, either. You're marked, so to speak." A hesitant pause. "Forever, or until otherwise noted."

Slowly, the gears clicked into place. The reservations I had dropped earlier snapped back into place. My furious azure gaze turned to Godric. "You claimed me like a piece of meat?"

"Five seconds ago you were all over him," Eric frowned at me. "Now that you have his commitment, you no longer want him?"

"I never said that," I hissed. "And stay out of it, Viking, before I sink my teeth into you."

Eric looked as if he were going to retort as that smirk spread across his face. Alcide quickly intervened, grabbing me by the elbows and pulling me away from the vampires.

"I'm not going to cry if you rip out Northman's throat," he spoke softly into my ear. "But he's one of the only things standing between you and Edgington."

Godric was quietly watching me, his face deliberately void of any emotions. I struggled to calm my breathing down.

"Alcide," I said softly.

"Little Optimist?"

"Let go." He hesitated. "I want to talk to Godric. Alone," I added, shooting Eric a dark look. My brother nodded roughly, releasing me. He jerked his head toward the house, receiving a nod from Eric. Give men wheels and they're still cavemen. After a few tense moments, Godric and I were the only ones left outside.

"You're angry with me," he noted.

"No, I'm not angry. I left angry a few stops back. I'm livid," I snapped. "Why on Earth—"

"Because I do not want anyone else touching you." The way he said it so simply made me shake my head in disbelief.

"Look, I realize you're kind of old school but I'm very new school. We haven't even been on a date and you're already making sure I don't leave your side—ever?"

"It will help to deter any vampires that Russell sends after you." Logic. This man was trying logic with an angry werewolf? An angry female werewolf.

"How exactly do they even know that I'm claimed?"

"My scent will always be on you." I gave him a doubtful look.

"How?"

"It's hard to explain," he admitted. "But only older vampires are capable of it."

I furrowed my brows, speaking slowly: "so no one else can outdo this claim?"

"Only vampires older than myself. They are few and far between, however."

"Edgington is older than you."

"True, but his lackeys are not. Bill and Sophie-Ann will not be able to claim you."

"And this was entirely your predominant thought?" I asked, a small smile twitching at my lips.

"Not entirely," he admitted, a cocky smirk crossing his features.

"Well, the mystery of Eric's smirk is revealed."

"I taught him a great many things, I'm afraid. Not all of them good."

"Clearly." I studied him for a few moments. "Have you ever claimed anyone else before?"

"I have not."

"Why?"

"I never felt the need to. Companionship has never been a desire of mine. I had Eric and my nest mates. And my work."

"Why me?"

"I like you."

"Aren't werewolves and vampires supposed to be natural enemies or some shit like that?"

"It's really just an ego match."

"This doesn't mean I have to do or say anything extra, does it?"

"No," he shook his head with a grin. "Simply be yourself."

"I'm kind of a handful."

"I have time to kill."

"It's not because of my blood?" I asked. Not an orthodox way of going about it, but it was a question I really needed an answer to. It was one that I had to know if I was actually going to try to go along with this. Well, more like I would pretend it didn't exist until I was okay with the idea if it ever arose.

"I have never had your blood," he pointed out. "So no."

"Alright, then I won't kill you yet."

"Yet?"

"Give it time, I'm sure I'll want to kill you eventually. I wanted to about five minutes ago. But I guess it's not the worst thing in the world to have some imaginary string tied to your pinky all the time, huh?"

He looked honestly confused—which is a pretty impressive emotion to pull out of a vampire. Usually their emotions are so diluted that I simply assume that the emotion I would have is the one that they do. Most often there's nothing more than a flicker in their eyes and the briefest flit across their thoughts. Godric, however, looked completely and utterly perplexed. Score one for Aline. But that doesn't quite make us even. I think he got at least twenty-five for that whole claiming thing. But don't worry, I'll get him back. "I'm sorry?"

"It's something I heard once," I said dismissively. "Apparently there's a lore in Japan about soul mates being tied together by pinky strings. This whole claiming thing works out in a similar fashion in my mind. Even though I know that's not how it works."

"You will never cease to amaze me," he smiled lightly. "We should probably let them know that we've decided to not kill each other."

"Yet," I amended with a grin.