I stepped into the house by the door at the side of the garage. It was quiet as it should have been. Something was….off…

I stood in the darkness of the garage, listening. It was at least an hour before dawn.

"Your emotions have been rather strong."

I scoff. Yup. That's what felt strange. I moved further in, passing Eric and moving to my steps up to my room.

"Yeah, well. Fuck it. Happens."

"You were with somebody," he growls as he stalks up at my heels. I could feel his breath on my neck as I moved into my room. Godric was pulling his shirt on, glancing back with a faint smile.

"Welcome home, Faelyn."

"Wadup, Godric," I greet back, grinning cheekily at him. The white dress was ripped over my head, no care to the males in the room.

"Who were you with?" Eric wasn't letting up. But he was allowing room to move about. I could feel his eyes searching me over for something. "You never answered the messages."

I wave a hand, gathering some under clothing and my lazy day jersey sundress to put on over it all. The dress seconded as a night dress from time to time. Eric wasn't pleased with the boxers on my hips. They were rolled up a bit and hardly staying on. But I wasn't wearing dirty underwear after a shower. Plus..they were ruined. Had to toss them.

"Well, long night. Give you that. Mixed a good deal of alcohol well over the usual limit. Add in psychedelic drugs that were unwittingly taken. A friend finding me while just enjoying the trip. Woke up with a different friend. Went to Sook's. Run of the day."

"Who is this friend? The one you've been slipping off to see? A boyfriend?"

I pause, head lifting as I hold the wireless bra to the small bundle of clothing. "Honestly? I wouldn't really call it that. Nothing official."

The shoulder shrugs as I pass close to Godric to get to the little bathroom in my room. Godric's eyes snap to my face as I pass, head lifting as if picking up a scent. A cool hand reaches out, catching my arm. I stop, looking back curiously. The hand lifts to my face, frowning with his eyes as he searched something.

"This friend. He is different?"
I smile with a hint of a dreamy look, head tilting a little. I was a star struck girl, eyes to his own. "Not like me. But he's different."

The wary look in his eyes softens, lips lifting to a faint smile as the hand lifts to brush along my cheek. My eyes close, tilting into the hand to bask in the cool flesh and the calm that seemed to ooze from him. The comfort that was just him that eased that new raging side I'd just some what started to learn about.

A breath ghosted out over his wrist before I pull away with a playful look. "I'm getting changed. We can talk or what ever after."

The men were seated in the living room when I finished getting changed, cleaning teeth, and getting a proper brush through my hair. I flounced down the stairs with a happy bounce, feeling rather like Sookie with the chipper mood. Eric sat in the large chair, legs spread to stretch. Godric was more prim in his perching on the couch near to Eric. I swung to flop on the couch, landing on my front shy of Godric to put my chin in my hands and look up at him with my legs hanging over the arm of the couch.

"Somebody's been laid," Eric snips.

I beam at him, shoving it back in his face. "Yes. Yes, I have. So glad you noticed. Was great. Thanks for asking."

"Glad to hear you're so unworried over the trouble you've brought."

My head tilts to the side, smiling prettily at him. "Well, you know. Smile while you spit in their eye. Seems to work for Sook. Thought I'd try a hand at it."

"You are not your cousin."
My arms flop down, across Godric's lap. This let my chin fall to his leg. My eyes were looking to the wall.

"Mentioning Sook," I sigh. "I may be needed a lot back with her. I'll get all my work done, but I may be out of here a lot. Like recent."
"You've your own trouble to worry over."

"Yeah. Noted. Severely noted."

"Thomas should be little issue now," Godric swings in, steering the conversation. Eric was in a pissy mood, and I was just toying around. "With the involvement of the Authority and the new King uninterested in union with Missouri, Thomas has been barred from the state."

I let my form utterly sag, face pressing down against his cotton pants between my arms.

"Oh thank shit. I think one less issue would be great." I pull in a breath, steeling as I look back up at the two. "So. Authority is the big one."

"They will want more of you than you will give," Godric says in a low, sad whisper.

A look is aimed up at him, shifting over to lay against his chest in a half hug. "Don't worry, Godric. God some good news that may help. Probably not."

"News from you is never good," Eric grumbles, shifting to angle more our way. Those long arms crossed at his chest, glowering at me.

"Shut up Ice Giant," I huff at him. "It just might. Or may be another issue. Either way, while utterly out of sound mind the other night, I think I met my sperm donor."

"Your birth father?" Godric was tense and far too still. He wasn't pretending to breath anymore. Didn't bother me. I was used to that with my dad, step-dad… "Explain."

I shrug, shifting back. "Well, got a random call the other day on my way to the police station about the murders."

"Murders? You said a single body was found," Eric cuts quickly.

"Yeah, well. Another showed up. This one was dumped and I'm technically banned from Jason's place now. Not a suspect, woohoo. Moving on. He didn't say much. Seemed to be just checking me out and left. When he called, he mentioned setting something up to meet. He might be able to clear some things up."

"There are…" Godric slowly started, gaze to the floor and that morose mood back to him. "Some things that may need addressed further before more is reached with either the Authority or your birth father."
Eric snapped attention to Godric.

It sounded like an orchestra started up from my tits, vibrating. My head tilted down, staring for a long moment as the theme for Lord of the Rings played. My form bent up enough to pull the phone out, button sliding and phone to ear in moments.

"Jello Pudding."

A male chuckle was given in response to the cheery but light tone. And I lit up, shifting up a bit to rest on my elbows and bend my front up.

"Somebody's in a rather cheery mood."

"Ate nearly a whole fried chicken, credit to my splendid cousin Sook. What's up?"

"Well," he drawls with a warm tone. "I've happened across something you might like."
I perked, "Really now? Like enough to shove somebody off a cliff or like enough to just show up suddenly?"

"Possibly both. Definitely leaning toward the second."

The masculine chuckle got that warm smile and hint of blush to my cheeks. My eyes shifted down, looking to the material of Godric's pants.

"Sadly, I'm required at the time. Not sure I can show up for a bit."

"Work? Boss there?"

"Yeah. Call me back in a while?"

"As the lady wishes. I'd say to be careful, but I doubt it's in your dictionary."

"Nah. Lost that a while back. Later."

"Later, Fae."

I couldn't help the smile as I hung up, putting the phone back in my top. No time was wasted, back to task.

"You were saying, Godric?"

He smiled down at me. Eric had a new sort of frown, jaw in a bit of a clench. His eyes were sharp and something in them.

"You like him a good deal," Godric states.

I flush a bit, laughing more out of embarrassment as I ducked my head a moment. "Too early to say for sure. Definitely have a crush on him."

"This is the friend you've been seeing?"
"Yeah. He happened into Sook's yard while we were painting. Lost while checking out the cemetery." I look up, meeting Godric's eyes with a heartfelt smile unable to slip from my face. "Don't know. Something's different about him and I like it. Just nice being around him. May help he's got a nice ass. Contagious smile. Nice with a teasing streak."

"Sounds too good for you."

My attention snaps to Eric, eyes narrowing sharply as the smile fell quickly. "Fuck off, Eric. Think I don't know that?"

I sat up quickly, moving to my feet and the good mood lost. My eyes refused to look to Eric. Godric sent a look at Eric, disapproving. My phone was trilling with another tone, this one shorter. My attention shifted to this new message, fingers quickly replying.

"Apparently there are people showing up at Bill's," I speak up. "Sounds like it may be the Authority."

"Your cousin shouldn't be near the place," Eric cuts.

"Jason was stuck behind the convoy on his way to Sook's," I respond, eyes to the screen still. "They're staying away from him either way. She revoked his access and all access to the place. Including you. Jason's staying with her too. Not the point. What were you going to say, Godric?"
He seems to pause, glancing over my face. "It is hardly my place to say."
"But you're the only person who will," I counter, phone dropped to my lap to look to him.

"Use great caution, Faelyn. Females of your kind are rare. Your birth father may seek to use you similar to the Authority."
"Why?"

"Females are different in a number of ways from the male of your species. You will be territorial, as all your kind, but not of location. More of the people you claim. More vicious and violent than the males, females were known to attack first. This is why you must seek control as best you can. Your urges could be something that will harm those you care for."

I swallow, hardly blinking as I looked to him. His hand lifts, curving to brush hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek. Eyes locked, I unconsciously nuzzled into the palm.

"Your inclinations now may not last."

"Inclinations?"

"This male you favor. As the change furthers, your hormones will change as well. You will seek out the strongest unconsciously. A reason you favor me, I should think."

I blink, pulling from him with a confused frown. "What?"

"It is a genetic set of your species, Faelyn. A defensive mechanism like other species. You will seek out the stronger to help defend yourself."

"No. That I can sort of understand. Don't like it. But, what do you mean 'why I favor you'?" I shift closer, serious as I grasp his hand near my chest. "I don't think that's it at all. Just accept I like you and want to keep you around."
"Do not worry yourself. Though, I regret that it is partially my fault your change has hit so hard."

Eric frowned at Godric, listening to this new information just as I did. Godric let me hug his hand at my chest, eyes on him.

"Eric is old for our kind. And it was a few things that brought it out, but mostly his sharing of the blood."

"I did this?"
He sounded ready to argue that. "You are old and strong, Eric. Things her kind lean toward. It brought forward the change that was slowly set in motion upon her return to her father's territory. My presence has not helped. But it is too late, once started, it does not stop."

"I don't mind it, now that I sort of understand I'm not just medically screwed up," I speak up. "Sure, a bit scared, but it's new. I'll adjust. Always do."

Godric gives a faint smile, searching my eyes. "Yes. You will adjust."

"So. Off this downer of a subject. There should be a donor at the bar waiting for you, Eric."

"You can supply me."
I blink, brows lifting. "I'd have to say no on circumstance. Try again another night."

"You sounded near willing the night before."

"I was trying to explain that it isn't a lack of trust in you, Eric," I cut with a glower at him.

"How are you to know if you do not try?"

"Rather not. You make everything sexual."

He sneers. "Holding off for this male?"
A shoulder casually lifts and falls. "Best damned sex I've had in awhile. So yeah. Definitely."

"You doubt my skill?"

"Nah. I just like to tell you no."

He scoffs, gaze flicking away as he rises. "We have places to be."

"We?"

"It has been a while since you've been in. You are attending."
I glance down at the dress that was very low cut with a 'cup-spilleth-over' sort of look. They weren't falling out in the least, but I didn't usually wear the dress out. It was a thin black jersey that flattered.

I shrug, getting to my feet to get some shoes. "Be right back."