Don't You Wanna Stay?
A/N: Sorry for the wait but I've been figuring out where I want this story to go from here i.e. how closely I want to follow the True Blood storyline or whether I want to just branch out and go completely AU. What I've decided is to go with a mix: cherry-picking the storylines I liked (like Eric getting his revenge) and eighty-sixing the ones I didn't (Maenad…why?, Billith…wtf?). So here we go hopefully back on track where I can get you guys an update every couple days again instead of having to wait a week or more.
Chapter Twelve
Let's take it slow, I don't wanna move too fast…
I don't just wanna make love, I wanna make love last.
It was with a universal sigh of relief that the two pairs stepped down from the private jet at the regional Shreveport Airport.
Relief over being back in familiar territory for Eric, relief over being almost home for Sookie, and just relief that the others were relieved for Godric and Seren. With their Mating being completed the Seraph and her vampire had little to worry over as the number of beings that could take on their combined power was so small as to be insignificant.
In fact the only thing keeping Seren from utter happiness was the knowledge that with her little PR announcement she's drawn the attention of one of the only beings capable of going head-to-head with her: her Uncle Luke, the Prince of Angels. With the backing of every other angelic monarch and the bulk of Luke's own forces who were tired of hiding there isn't much he could do about her flagrant bucking of the system overtly…but for all his good-guy reputation and moral code he's not afraid to do a little cloak-and-dagger work when necessary.
Besides him the only real blight on her happiness is the sure-to-come confrontation with Compton, his bitch Maker, and possibly the Queen Sophie-Anne although the last remains to be seen. Perhaps the eternal-teenager Queen could do the impossible and actually surprise Seren by playing nice and above-board. Seren wouldn't bet on it…but stranger things have happened.
Seeing that her protégé and her Mate's progeny still had their heads together, likely still hashing out what Seren jokingly referred to as "The Terms of Sookie's Surrender" which made the vampires laugh and her charge give her a dirty look before refusing to speak to her for the rest of the flight, Seren steered Godric over to the side and out of Sookie's hearing.
"Do you know where we're heading?" She asked, her voice low. Reaching up she stroked one hand down Godric's smooth cheek.
"I do." He said simply, watching his tricky mate out of patient eyes. He's well aware that second to their own happiness, all Seren will be focusing on is Sookie until she's very firmly bound and mated to Eric. Something he's perfectly willing to help facilitate since it will mean one less demand on her time and will bring joy to his progeny.
"In that case," she raises her voice, tugging him over to the others with a smile. "I think I need to see if my Mate can keep up." Grinning wickedly she unfurled her wings giving them a good stretch and using them to shoot up into the air and hover above the others.
"A race?" Godric arched a brow at Eric, receiving a wave and a chuckle. Nodding in acceptance he rose with a minor flex of will, bringing himself into a hover beside his mate and tugging her close for a quick but deep kiss before leaving the others to their own devices as they shot off, each trading places chasing the other through the night sky.
Back at the airfield Sookie just watched them go, rather bemused by the display. Turning to an equally-entertained Eric, she cocked her head to one side.
"I don't think I've ever seen Seren act like that in my life." She commented.
Eric nodded in agreement. "It's been ages since Godric's had this much…zest for life. He's just existed for nearly half my undead life."
"We were right, before." Sookie said, looking up, up, up into his happy face. "They've somehow managed to save each other."
Motioning to his driver once the baggage was all safely stowed, Eric helped his bonded up into the luxury SUV he used for such things. At a look from the formidable vampire the chauffer took off and Eric closed the privacy window between the seats with a press of a button. Turning to Sookie he gave her a serious look at odds with his normal flirtatiousness.
"That's what mates do for each other, lover." He said, taking her hand in his. "True mates are very rare in the vampire world. But when a vampire finds one…they're everything. You'll never see a mated pair far from each other. And if one were to face the true death, the other would follow. They literally become one soul and can't survive without each other."
"What's a bonded then?" Sookie asked tentatively. "What does that mean as far as your world outside of protection and property?"
Eric studied her a minute, likely testing her mood through the bond before continuing.
"A bonded is a vampire's human companion. Like a permanent, contracted girlfriend. For each vampire the expectations are different but the expectations for the human are universal, if that makes any sense." He watched her face to see how she took that before continuing. "As a bonded human you're expected to obey your vampire without question – at least in public" he added before she could stage a revolt. "No one may feed on you or even lay so much as a finger on you without my express permission. Ahh…" He rubs one hand against the back of his neck for a moment.
"What?" She asked suspiciously.
"That goes for humans too." He said, avoiding her eyes. "I'm afraid if a vampire or a vampire's human servant or bonded saw you hugging or touching a human male…it would look very very bad."
"You're just now telling me this?" She asked incredulously. "You know I'm an affectionate person, you've commented on it enough times when I was around Bill. This could've cause a major problem and all without me knowing any better!"
"Certain courtesies are fine," he was quick to add. "Things like handshakes among humans and the like. You'll just need to watch how you behave with non-blood relations. Jason is fine, as would be Godric, Pam, and now Seren. It's just your friends you need to be careful around."
"Mother effer!" Sookie sighed, rubbing her forehead. Now she has something all-new to worry about when she's around people. "What else do I need to know before I screw myself, and you, over without knowing it?"
"You'll have to be presented to the vampires of my area formally so they know you're under my protection." He said thinking rapidly. Better to get all the potentially-tantrum worthy information out now. "And we're likely to be ordered to come before the Queen at some point."
"Anything else?"
"Just that I'm ecstatic you chose me." He said quietly, studying her intensely. "I may never know why, but I'm ecstatically, intensely, happy that you're mine even in the one small way you've allowed me. One day…"
Sookie opened her mouth to speak only to be shushed by his hand tracing her lips.
"One day I hope you feel for me as more than just your protector. I know that you're still raw over Bill." He smiled his beautiful half-smile pinning her firmly with his ice-blue eyes. "I can wait. I have forever for you to feel for me the same as I do you."
