Don't You Wanna Stay?

Disclaimer: True Blood and the Southern Vampire Mysteries belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball.

Five

Finding Sookie across the crowded living room packed with mingling vampires, donors, and the Stackhouse siblings, Seren moved at once to her side only to laugh once she saw what her protégé was wearing.

"What the hells is that? Are you pretending to be a nun tonight or something?" She asks running one hand down her own silk, leather, and silver clad side.

Sookie grimaces. "This is all Bill brought me from my luggage. I don't even remember packing this." She says with distaste holding out the sides of the voluminous black dress better suited to the funeral of an aged relative than mingling with the undead.

"You probably didn't pack it, if I know anything about controlling males then it's even money that he brought it just in case."

Moving over to where Godric is supposed to be holding court instead of staring at her from the moment Seren entered the room she switched to mindspeak.

Has he figured out that the bond is broken yet?

I'm not sure. Sookie replied. Perhaps. Either way he'll wait until he can get me alone to press the issue. He wouldn't want to give Eric an opening by questioning my status in front of him.

Seren nods absently, returning Godric's heated gaze as she moves to flank him with Sookie at her side. At a gesture from his Maker Eric joins them, standing behind Godric's right shoulder as the girls flank him on the left in a solid declaration of unity. Watching this take place the others in the room hush and eventually fall silent as Isabel walks into the room, one hand holding the errant Hugo in a firm grip around the back of his neck.

With a flick of her wrist Isabel casts him to his knees before the Sheriffs.

"Here is the traitor." She says heavily, holding back tears.

Godric merely flicked a glance at the trembling Hugo before returning his gaze to his second. "Do you love him?"

"I thought I did."

Godric shakes his head. When will they learn that such thinks don't come and go like the wind?

"I think you love him still."

Shamed, Isabel lowers her head.

"For his offences against the vampires of Area Nine…I banish him. He is free to go unhindered and unmolested from my territory." As gasps sound all around the room he holds up a silencing hand. "However, his offences were not only against us but against two women brought here to assist us. Ladies," Godric turns his head and waves Seren and Sookie forward. "What punishments will you levy against him for his offences against you? Anything you desire…it shall be done."

Exchanging a look they move forward as Bill pushes through the crowd only to be brought up short by Stan grabbing him around the neck and holding him in place.

"Remember where you are." Stan hisses against his ear. "This isn't Bon Temps, this is Dallas and you have no authority here."

"Sheriff," Seren nods politely. "As I was not wounded, merely inconvenienced by this…creatures…actions I will defer to your judgment in this matter."

Coached by her mentor over what to say if Godric were to offer her this opportunity Sookie dips a short curtsey and then speaks carefully.

"Sheriff," her voice was quiet but firm. "I will also defer to your authority in this matter of my grievance against your second's human in exchange for a different boon."

Eyebrows shot up all over the room as Eric and Godric exchange a glance. Godric is surprised by her request but not shocked as his child had filled him in on Ms. Stackhouse's vampire troubles…or trouble by the name of Bill Compton. That combined with the other female's claiming the vampire for her own punishment while in the church gave him a good idea about where this little drama is heading.

"Anything you request within reason, Ms. Stackhouse. You have proven yourself a brave woman and friend of this nest." He says solemnly as he nods for Isabel to remove her former lover and companion.

Taking a deep breath Sookie moves forward and turning faces Godric. As she does so Seren snaps her fingers and changes her charge's clothing. She just couldn't take seeing her in those rags Compton deemed appropriate for another second. Bowing her head, unfazed by the blatent display of magic, Sookie stands before the two thousand year old vampire and his thousand year old progeny clad in a blood-red silk dress that clung smoothly to every curve before screaming to a stop well above her knees. Instead of the sensible pumps she wore before, now she was shod in delicate designer strappy high heeled sandals in a matching red. And around her neck and wrists lay matching silver jewelery twins to Seren's own.

There. Seren thinks at Sookie, laughing at the gaping faces surrounding them. Much better.

Sookie could barely keep a straight face as she heard the tell-tale click of Eric's fangs descending at her transformation.

Ignoring the rumbles coming from the crowd of vampires, particularly Compton Sookie raises her head and stares resolutely at Godric then began to speak.

"I would ask as a friend of your nest that you banish the vampire Bill Compton as well as all of his bloodline both Maker and Child from your territory. As he has committed a blood offense against myself in forcing me to take his blood on several occasions. Now that I have been freed from the influence of his blood I wish never to subjected to his presence again."

The vampires of Area Nine all chuckle under their breath at the turn events have taken. All who were old enough remember the bloody trial Compton and his Maker Lorena spread across the States in the first half of the twentieth century. With Area Nine and surely Five forbidden them the only place in the States that would still welcome them would be Las Vegas or Mississippi.

"That is a serious charge, Ms. Stackhouse." Godric said thinking quickly. "Would you request the same of the Sheriff of your home?" He motions Eric forward.

"I would not."

If they were shocked before now the vampires were astounded. Didn't the foolish girl know that she wouldn't have any protection from a furious Compton once she went home without the Northman's protection?

Choosing his words carefully Godric explained as such to her, concern written in his eyes as Compton and his Maker Lorena came to loom ominously behind her lean form.

Ignoring the looks burning into her back Sookie laughs shaking her head.

"I hope he's foolish enough to come after me, Sheriff. I hope they both are. If anyone is in need of protection it's not myself or Seren. It's Bill and his slut Maker from us."

Hissing at this final insult Lorena and Bill twitched forward as if to attack only to come up short as a pair of silver daggers dug into each of their necks from behind. Moving faster than the vampires could see Seren had taken advantage of their distraction and halted them in their tracks. Still facing Godric, Sookie sighs.

"Really, Bill?" She says shaking her head and eye-flirting with Eric. "Wasn't Seren clear enough last night? How have you existed this long without learning who not to fuck with?"

Grinning sadistically Seren ground the dull edge of the dagger blades into the peeling, burning flesh of the vampires before her. With a kick she buckles first Bill's legs then Lorena's, bringing them to their knees without letting up on the hilt of the daggers. Looking up into those deep brown eyes that hold so much fascination for her she cocks her head at Godric.

"I don't know, Sook. I think they need a lesson." Shifting her grip she slams the wide silver bracelets on her wrists into the edges of the vampires' jaws, ignoring the cries that sounded from them. "But…" she trails off never looking away from Godric. "This is your home and their punishment is your choice." Withdrawing her daggers she kicks the vampires onto their bellies at his feet. "I will once again defer to your judgment."

Concealing the daggers in their hidden sheaths at her hips she moves up and stands back-to-back with Sookie while they wait for Godric to make his decision.

"Bill Compton." Godric spoke with care. "As requested you and those of your bloodline are hereby banished from Area Nine of Texas forever. You and yours must leave my lands by dawn or meet the true death. And Lorena…" he waits for her to look up at him. "While your progeny may have the excuse of age on his side for his foolishness in his dealings with Ms. Stackhouse, you do not. You both would do well to heed my advice and keep well away from Ms. Stackhouse in the future."

Nodding at Stan he motions for him to take them away.

xXxXxXxXx

Awhile later the party had once again regained its festive atmosphere when Eric and Godric left the audience area and found their females standing before the flames of the fireplace speaking lowly in Gaelic. Although not too low for a pair of ancient vampires to eavesdrop.

"Ba chóir duit lig dom a mharú dó, Sookie." (You should have let me kill him, Sookie.) Seren complains absently as she leans one arm against the mantle, studying the flames. Her kind loves fire in all its forms. It's so…cleansing.

"Tá tú go leor stains ar do anam, mo chara." (You have enough stains on your soul, my friend.) Sookie brushes one hand down Seren's arm. "Ní bheidh mé in iúl duit a chur leo. Níl sé ar fáil dom." (I won't let you add to them. Not for me.)

Tired of the same old argument Seren shrugs off Sookie's hand. She'll never understand Sookie's desire to curb her. Or why she allows it to continue. Those two vamps she just spared are going to be a problem. Just how big of one is the question.

Godric and Eric share a look at the exchange as they reach the women. Respecting Seren's wish for secrecy Eric hasn't told his Maker of her origins and won't unless directly asked. He only hopes whatever connection was forged between his Maker and the seraph would lead her to be honest with his Maker before he is put in the position of breaking faith with one of them. Because in that situation Godric will always win.

"May I speak with you?" Godric asks Seren quietly, extending one hand.

As she was about to nod a fragment of a thought catches her attention. Whipping her head towards the glass doors leading outside she hisses at Sookie.

"Find him." She orders.

"I'm tryin'." Sookie replies looking franticly at the number of guests crowding the room.

Alarmed at the exchange between the females Godric and Eric tense, preparing for a fight.

"What is it?" Eric demands only to be interrupted by a wavering voice coming from close to the center of the room.

"Excuse me," the human male said, stinking of fear.

"EVERYBODY DOWN!" Sookie and Seren scream as one while the suicide bomber opens his coat. Obeying the command vampires and humans alike dove for cover.

Zipping to cover Sookie, Seren opens her wings tucking her fragile friend inside their safe embrace and lowers them into a crouch.

Then the world flashed white and then blackness consumed them.

xXxXxXxXx

Returning to awareness Seren lifts her throbbing head, unsure if the fuzziness was caused by an actual injury or the blast. As she became more alive to the disorder around her she felt two weights on her back, one heavier than the other, covering her and her charge from the blast. Lifting up with a grunt she tosses them off of her and consequently Sookie.

Sheltered entirely from the blast by her three human shields, Sookie was nonetheless knocked out from hitting her head on the floor at high speed. Shaking her head she looks up at Seren who was crouching over a white-clad form. Godric.

"Is he?" She asks.

Removing the silver on both of them with a thought Seren lays Godric out on his front, his back having taken the most damage.

"He'll be fine if I can get the silver out." Seren says motioning to Sookie. "Tend to Eric, he's hit as well."

Nodding Sookie set herself to her task.

Hands moving steadily over Godric's tattooed back Seren sought out the deepest wounds. Using her hands and occasionally sucking out the silver, ingesting miniscule amounts of his ancient blood as she worked, Seren removed all of the silver shrapnel from his back before turning him and working on his front.

Shit.

There was a particularly deep piece…right over his heart. Lowering her head she places her lips around the wound and firmly sucks out the small but deadly sliver of wood, taking nearly a mouthful of blood along with it.

A fleeting thought crosses her mind about blood bonds but she dismisses it. Once he's safe they'll deal with the fallout. Whatever it might be.

Quickly she taps his smooth cheek, telling him to open his eyes. When he fails to respond she curses under her breath, lifting him up with an arm under his shoulders and propping him on her bent knee. Reaching down she pulls her dagger only to be half-spun around to face a revived Northman's furious gaze.

Eric squeezes the wrist of the hand holding the deadly weapon until he heard bones begin to grind. He doesn't give a fuck who she is or how important to the woman currently slapping his back begging him to stop. She isn't getting anywhere near his dying Maker with a silver blade.

Tiring of yelling at him Sookie leans close to his ear and repeats his own words from the church in a heartbreaking whisper.

"Trust me."

Growling he gives a short nod to the disbelief of the gathered crowd of vampires ringing the foursome on the floor. Releasing the seraph's wrist he sits back, leaning his back against Sookie's front, taking comfort for an instant before rising to his feet and commanding the nest to clear out to the Hotel Carmilla, allowing the seraph a moment of privacy with his Maker.

They don't need any witnesses to whatever side-affects a seraph's blood might have on Godric.

Ignoring the chaos surrounding her Seren lifts the dagger to the juncture of her throat and her collarbone, slicing deep into the artery there before lowering her neck to Godric's mouth. Seraph's don't bleed as a rule, it takes a deep and painful thrust of a blade to allow their blood to flow. A built-in defense against blood-drinkers like vampires or Fae who would otherwise attempt to prey upon them.

A groan sounds from deep within Godric's chest as her powerful, intoxicating blood flows into every corner of his body. Awakening he threads one hand deep into her heavy mass of hair, holding her still as he uses his now distended fangs to tease more blood from the already-healing wound. In the wake of her blood he felt renewed and the taste…it held notes of things he hasn't laid eyes on in years if ever. Things like sunlight and the heavens above. Like life, and sun, and the darkest hours of the night. Things like damnation and salvation and redemption, all mixed together and separate all at the same time.

She tastes of the divine.

She tastes like his Mate.

Caressing the wound with his tongue he felt rather than heard her low moan as he sensed a bond form deep within them. Healing her with a final swipe of his tongue he removes his mouth from her unmarred skin, lifting his head to look deep into her eyes her sunglasses having fallen by the wayside when she moved to protect Sookie.

He gasps.

"Your eyes," he whispers, awed by the one he will make his Mate. "They're like the night."

Resting her forehead against his for a moment she closes her eyes in relief then laughs lightly.

"So I've been told."

Rising along with him Seren is loath to remove her arm from around his shoulders but does anyway. Now isn't the time nor this the place for them to discuss what they're becoming. They still have their charges to deal with before they can be alone and figure things out.

"I've sent the others ahead to the Hotel Carmilla." Eric said, looking away from Sookie. Her rich blood was still upon his tongue from when she saved him and he can feel his own settling deep within her. Godric and Seren weren't the only one to begin something this night.

Godric nods his head, appreciating his finest creation who as always is a leader of men. "Good, we should join them before it gets much earlier."

Turning back to Seren for the first time he takes a moment to notice her wings, resting gently against her back although ripped and shredded from the blast despite the sheltering forms of Eric and Godric.

Trading a knowing glance, Sookie and Eric take their leave telling the last car to wait on Godric and Seren. If there's anyone who can handle themselves without guards it's those two.

xXxXxXxXx

"You require healing." Godric says, motioning to her scratched face and shredded wings.

Shrugging her shoulders and wings she winces a moment. Now that the heat of saving him is over she feels every single injury she's accumulated in the last hours.

"It's of no matter." She says stoically. "I'll heal once I rest."

"Is that normal for…" he trails off not wanting to insult her with an incorrect guess as to her origins.

"Seraphs?" She arches a brow, knowing he would dig and dig until he got an answer. One doesn't live as long as they have without being tenacious. "Not all, it depends on how much Fallen we are. I'm almost completely Fallen…there's precious little humanity left in me."

A shadow ghosts across his face at that.

"That seems to be something we share." He says, looking off into the distance for a moment before shaking off his melancholy. It's of no matter now. Not that he's found her at last. "I owe you my life…such as it is." He laughs at his little jest.

"Hmm," she hums stepping closer and brushing up against him with her body. "My people take such things very seriously."

"As do mine."

Becoming serious she stares deep into his eyes, letting her concern shine through. "I felt you…in the church. I know what your intent was, I know why you went there. I hope all thoughts of continuing in a similar vein have been banished from your mind."

He starts, looking at her in shock ready to deny what he now sees as an act of self-loathing brought about by his loneliness and depression.

"No." She says sadly. "Don't deny it. I know what I felt. I know what you were trying to do, and I know what I felt from you a minute ago. You're tired of this world and your existence and are thinking of doing something…irrevocable. I would only ask that before you do such a thing that you think of me and what we might have…if you're willing to take a chance and find out."

Moving over to the blasted out doors she spreads her wings then takes a long look at him. Satisfied that she's at least given him something to think about she takes a few running steps before leaping into the air and taking flight.

xXxXxXxXx

Deep in thought Godric moves to the waiting SUV and remains silent all the way from his destroyed home, to the hotel, and up to the suite he keeps in readiness there.

What manner of creature is his Mate? How is she able to see into the depths of him so clearly? Even before they shared their blood with one another, albeit through necessity rather than desire, she was able to sense his emotions, his intentions.

What manner of creature is his Seraph, his Seren?

And perhaps most importantly, will she allow herself to be his?

"Master," Eric stands as Godric walks into his suite. "I have a donor for you."

Shaking his head Godric dismisses the little blond with a wave.

"How is Ms. Stackhouse?" He asks trying to distract himself from thoughts of his Mate.

"Not entirely happy." Eric laughs, running one hand through his hair. "I don't think she stopped to think about the repercussions of sharing blood with me. She just got Compton out of her system and now I'm pretty firmly entrenched inside of her. She's not happy about that in the least."

"No," Godric says absently, sitting down and resting his head on the back of the armchair. "I don't imagine she would be. How did she expunge her system of vampire blood?" He asks curiously. "I haven't heard of a witch powerful enough to perform that spell in some time."

Eric started at that. He didn't even learn of the spell until Seren told him of it the previous evening. But of course…this is Godric. His knowledge is impressive even for a vampire of his great many years.

"Your Seraph did it." He says with a laugh at the look shot him by his Maker. "She had a potion of some power that she gave to Sookie. It was…painful to say the least."

"It would have to be." He wondered for a moment if Seren would take it for herself. Clearly she has the power to withstand its effects. But…no. His instincts tell him that this is one female who would never take the easy way out. Come what may, she'll see this through to wherever it leads, as she has asked him to do.

"And your seraph, Master?" Eric asked, joining Godric on the couch. "How does she fare?"

"Well enough to lecture me and then fly away." He laughs at the look on his son's face. "I rather deserved it, child."

Eric made a noncommittal sound somewhere between a snort and a laugh. At least now he doesn't have to risk his Maker's displeasure over his Maker's recent bout with depression. The bond between them is filled with resolve but also…joy and confusion and desire. Whatever she said to Godric, he's not likely to meet the sun any time soon.

"Tell me," Godric turns to face his child. "What do you know of her?"

His child shifts uncomfortable with the question. He knew it was coming, how could it not? But he still feels as if somehow he is breaking faith with Seren and Sookie by telling his Maker what he knows. He dismisses the feeling. Sookie might be…something…to him but Godric is his Maker and he will obey him.

"She's a Seraph and according to her, her people are all but extinct. She sees Sookie as her charge, a position not common from what I understand. She is powerful, Irish, and of an undisclosed age…I would venture she's ancient though that covers a great span of time. She is also deadly and decisive." Eric shrugs his shoulders. "There's not much else."

"And what did she say about her people?"

"That her kind are the product of a mating between Fallen angels and humans. Though she did say that she's much closer to being Fallen than human."

Yes, Godric thought. She'd said as much to him.

Curious himself about his Sookie's protector Eric lodged a question of his own.

"Have you ever known one before?"

"Personally…no." Godric sighs, regaining his feet as he moved towards his bathroom to shower off the night before dying for the day. "But I have heard of them…long ago. There was an angelic war, oh, about the time of Christ. I was otherwise engaged then but whispers did reach me. It seems angels were disgusted by their Fallen brethren and sought to wipe the Earth clean of them and their offspring the Seraphs. I never heard the outcome of the war but having met Seren…I would say either the angels lost or they reached an accord of some kind."

Nodding to his child, Godric took himself off to wash and sleep, leaving Eric alone with his thoughts.

xXxXxXxXx

Landing soundlessly upon the balcony of her true home, hidden deep within the woods of the Pacific Northwest, Seren shakes her head at the mental signatures residing within her home. Few beings of this plane or any other know where she makes her home. Most assume that her hotel rooms in Dallas or New Orleans or Dublin are her home.

But it's devilishly hard to hide from family.

Especially her family.

Entering her great room with its already-glowing hearth she moves over to envelop her dainty mother in a hug. The reason why Seren is a Seraph instead of a true Fallen, Áine, has kept every inch of the radiant Irish beauty that drew Seren's Fallen father to her thousands of years ago. The daughter of the Fallen Catriona and her Seraph husband Lachlan, her mother was a cherished and sheltered creature, too lovely and kind for most Fallen.

But then…Azrael isn't most Fallen. One of the First, he was born a true angel and chose to Fall out of love for her mother.

It isn't your average romantic fairy tale…but there isn't a single one Seren would trade for it.

"Daughter," Azrael moved from the shadows and took her face in his large warrior's hands. "We felt your distress."

Nodding with worried eyes her mother moved over to whisk her now-glowing hands down her daughter's injured wings.

"What happened? Is it your charge?" Motherly concern spilled like honey from her lips as she worked to heal her child.

Sighing Seren moved to stand before the fire, her parents following her.

"Yes and no." She shrugs, not sure how to broach the subject with her parents. "Sookie was in danger of being taken from her rightful path but that has been righted for the moment."

"Then…" her father prompts, encircling her mother in his brawny arms. Seren watches them a moment, blinking back sudden tears. Five thousand years, four children, and more in love today than the day they met. They are what all Fallen aspire to when they take a Mate.

"I've found him." She whispers staring at the hypnotic flames from whence she was born. "I've found my Mate."