AUTHOR'S NOTE: Contains adult content; graphic fight scenes and language- Be aware of what you read!!
The Princess and the Sheriff
I'm glad you're my Maker
My Loyalty lies in your hands, you're my breath taker
Your body, your kiss is in unknown demand
So take command, go
The way you came at me, boo
Dont care, not afraid I'm like Wild
My moon belongs to your sun
Maybe we can start over yet
Maybe we can run this town
Maybe I'll be your vampire
We can figure it out
In the morning after
The dawn is here, be gone be on your way
In the morning after
-The Morning After by Timberland
Chapter 13: Lovisa
Shreveport La
Same night…
Alcide's office…
Lennie sighed in frustration. She had expected Alcide to be difficult; but this…She shook her head. Clearly the werewolf had forgotten who she was. He'd spent the last hour yelling at her about being arrogent.
"Did you hear a word I said?" Alcide snapped angrily. Glaring at her from behind his desk.
She looked to him; her arms crossed over her jacket. It was partially open; showing Jason's maroon work shirt..
"Unfortunately," She muttered coolly.
Lennie stood up from her seat. She leaned both hands on the desk. Alcide defiantly met her gaze. Lennie allowed her age to put weight into them. He flinched, looking away. He sat down, fussing with papers.
"I don't really give a fuck what your problems are, Alcide. The fact of the matter is your family owes me. You would not have made it to the New World without me. Your father would never have been made Pack Leader with out my help."
He glared at hee. Anger crackled around him in a hot cloud. His beast stirred beneath those green eyes. She met him head on.
"Do it," She whispered, "Wolf-out, I could use a new fur rug."
He grit his teeth; she could see the muscles tense in his jaw. The hands on the desk in front of her took on talons instead of fingernails. Lennie blurred around the desk; grabbing him in a choke-hold. She turned and threw him back. He slammed into the wall five feet from her. The wall cracked; a large dent showed his impact. He came to his feet; his eyes shifting to pale gold.
"Come on," Lennie snapped, "Show me why you deserve to live."
To his credit, Alcide didn't rush her. Instead he grabbed the couch near him. No human could do that. He hurled it across the room; Lennie blurred herself out of the path; coming to stand in front of him. The punch she landed across his jaw, shattered it. He went to his knees. She grabbed him; flinging him back across the room. He slammed into the great wooden desk. The furniture piece made a loud sound as it split in half; collapsing around him.
Alcide came up holding a shard of wood in one fist. His eyes burned gold now. Lennie grinned. Finally: A real challenge. Something she understood; she knew how to deal with this. He used his own super-speed and she narrowly dodged the wooden stake he held. It did catch the arm of her jacket; cutting through the thick material.
Alcide whirled around, striking again. Lennie snapped out with her right foot. His knee blew out; he went down. She slammed her right foot into his left hip. The bones shattered. He didn't scream; though his face did show pain. He still tried to lunge at her; still tried to stake her. She grabbed his right wrist; snapping the bones. The stake fell from his hand. Lennie picked him up by that injured limb and tossed him, not at all gently against the office door. The surface cracked but managed to hold.
There would be a lot of repairs in the morning.
Alcide lay still for a moment; his body mended it's self and he stood up.
"As far as I am concerned, Eric deserves to die." Alcide snarled; his voice not entirely human.
"Then so you do." Lennie blurred herself across the room; yanking him off the floor. "He didn't get this far by being nice." She forced the werewolf to look at her, "And neither did I, you worthless beast."
She hurled him, with all her strength across the room again. He smashed through the office wall; drywall dust, plaster, and bits of debris flew everywhere. She blurred to the hole in the wall and watched as he crashed to the street below. Lennie jumped out the hole; landing in a crouch; she grabbed his shirt again. She was angry; furious, and not all of it was at him. She threw a fist into his face; the bones broke. She kept her hold on his shirt with her other hand; hitting him again.
Lovisa! Godric's voice cut through her fury. That is enough!
His authority over her stopped her fist. Her hand let go against her will; Alcide crumbled to the street.
Return to me! Now!
Lennie felt her muscles tense; she wanted to walk away from him. Her Maker had issued an order; she had to follow it. But that didn't mean she couldn't get in one last blow. She reached for Alcide.
Lovisa!
Her body was rooted to the spot.
Come!
Her body did turn then; as if commanded by another hand. It was, in effect, Godric's will that controlled her now. Lennie got on her bike and was riding away from the building. She felt his control leave her body and mind the further she drove. Eventually she was back in control of her self.
**
Shreveport...
Back at the Apartment...
Back at the apartment she slammed the door shut behind her. The re-enforced structure held up under the force. Godric stood calmly in the living room. His face was placid; his eyes were not. They were dark blue with emtion. His power slammed her back against the door; pinning her there.
"You should not have reacted that way." He told her, his voice calm.
"He is an animal!" She snapped, anger raged through her. "He would leave Eric to die in the sun!"
"And that is why you are going to prevent such a thing." Godric told her, "But you will not do so by breaking ever bone the werewolf's body."
"It made me feel better." She strained against the force that held her. It was futile but she felt better for trying. "You should have heard what he said. The words he used! He has no respect for Eric."
Godric's power lifted, drawn back within his being. Lennie sagged for a moment as the presure lifted. She stalked across the room; coming to stop inches from her Maker. She had to look down on him; the boots made her taller then him.
"I did hear those words," Godric told her softly, "I heard everything he said. And it hurts that he thinks of Eric in that manner. But violence is not always the best solution."
She waved him off, turning her back on him. "It is the best solution! It's the most effective!"
Godric smiled gently. That was the warrior he knew. This was the woman who would never apologize for cutting the world apart. It was good to see his Lovisa standing in the room.
"Nonetheless, there are other methods. Ones that do not draw death to our home." He said gently.
He was no longer angry with her. He had never really been; he had been worried. When Lennie got into warrior-mode she did not stop until the last heart did.
Lennie stalked away from him; arms crossed over her chest. She knew he was right; but at this moment her rage was too great. She was silently grateful he had stopped her. For all her age, all her centuries of experience; she was still bloodthirsty. And it wasn't all her vampire nature. Sometimes she just didn't know when to stop. But her Maker did; and as always, it was for the best.
"You will find what you need another way." Godric told her gently. "Think about it, Lovisa. You know the answers already." Godric said quietly.
She faced him then. He looked so young; so...small. Yet, he wasn't small. He wasn't young. He wasn't anything he appeared. She spoke from the frustration in her.
"Why not get involved?" She demanded. "You know what is going on! He's your son! You could level this town. Save him. Why do you not do anything?"
"I have my own reasons. There are some things that I will not and cannot do anymore. I have done enough. That is why you are so valuable to me." Godric told her simply.
She scoffed, "Yeah, sure. Both of you turn to me to wield the headman's axe." She shook her head, turning her back to him. She remembered Jason's word to her in the parking lot. She hugged herself tightly; shutting her eyes. "Jason was right. There is more to me. But I cannot be more until I am free."
Godric went still. He had never thought she would ask to be released. He watched her as she glared at the kitchen cabinets. He felt her confusion in her mind. She wanted so much to be at peace; but she wasn't. Ever since they left Dallas, he had known she was off-center. But it had never occurred to him she was hurting this much. He had never imagined he would speak the following words.
"If it is release you wish," He said gently, "Then I shall grant it."
Lennie spun around; her eyes wide. She blurred to his feet. Kneeling before him, he stood a couple of inches taller then her now.
"No! Don't!" She looked him; her eyes showed fear. "Please, Godric. I am sorry I said it. I just…" She stopped, shaking her head, "I feel so out of place here. There is nothing familiar for me to connect with."
His hands touched her cold skin; cupping her face. "I know."
"Then please, do not send me away!" Her voice shook with the force of her emotions.
He shook his head, "I would not do so; I merely want to make you happy."
Lennie closed her eyes; red streaks came from them. It hurt his still heart to see her cry. He never liked it when his children cried. He'd seen enough tears because of his existence.
"Give me something I understand. Let me do something, anything, that I can complete." Lennie begged, "I am not an investigator, I don't play politics. I don't interact with humans. I am not made for this!"
Godric had known she was going to say this to him. Frankly, he was impressed that it had taken her this long to do it. In her younger days, she would simply not have tried to investigate. She would not have faced the politics of their world. She would not have held back from killing Jason or Sookie. He had watched her grow over the centuries. Watched her natural temperment mature and cool; as he taught her, guided her.
The woman who knelt before him now had earned the name Lovisa. She had the heart of a queen; the soul of a warrior. She was his belov'ed and he was proud of her.
Godric spoke with love. "You were forged in battle; christened by the blood of enemies." He said gently, "It is to the battlefield you will return."
She opened her eyes, watching his face. "Ask, anything, and I shall do it."
"The queen's palace has the information you need." He said gently, "You will need to gain access to her computers. You will find everything there."
Lennie pulled in a breath, a very human action. "What are your orders?"
"I have only one: find the information to save your brother."
She stared at her Maker for a long second. Finally, she bowed her head. "As my Maker commands, so shall it be done."
Godric gently kissed her on the head. "It is late in the night, but there is still enough time for you to plan."
Lennie stood up; his hands slid from her face. She bowed from the neck before turning around. Opening the door she took the keys from her coat pocket. Fingering the fob on the end of the metal loop; she felt that black dragon of rage uncurl in her. The calm darkness before battle settled across her shoulders; filling her dead heart. This…this she knew how to do.
**
Palace of Sophie-Ann
The grounds on which stood the palace of Queen Sophie-Anne, was near the ocean. One could see the glittering dark watersfrom the hillside. Lennie stood atop the hill, watching. Hands in her pockets; her bike to her right, the wind caught her hair; whipping it around her shoulders. She watched the palace.
Even from this far distance she could hear the sounds of were dotted through the land. Guards moved through the dark; all of them vampires. The palace was a fortress and it made her smile. She had conquered many a fortress as a young queen. Now, as an old vampire, she would conquere this place.
Lennie looked across the area; to the roof of the great palace. She could see the skylights glint against the moonlight above her. The only way to gain access to the roof was to enter the grounds and scale the wall. The outter-walls of the palace were marble. Not an easy or quiet material to break. She would have to go in through the door. Did she use the front door or the back? There were guards everywhere here. Either door was heavily guarded.
The only reason the guards hadn't bothered her yet; was she was too far away. The guards saw her; for she saw them. She was not on the palace grounds; they had no authority to hurt her. If they crossed out of the boundaries of the land; she could kill them. There would be no backlash for it.
Lennie realized she would need diversions. Not just smoke canisters; something more powerful. She would need weapons. Had she had more people to use, it would have helped. But she didn't. Alcide had made his stance clear. And for that, she would make him pay, very dearly.
For the moment, she formulated a plan.
Come tomorrow night, she would be a one woman army in a siege on the palace of Sophie-Anne, Queen of Louisiana.
Lennie settled atop her bike and left the grounds. She needed to get hold of her sources.
**
Back in Shreveport...
Lennie sat at the table in the kitchen; Godric was in the living room. The sounds of a movie filled the apartment. Lennie had the house phone in one hand, pen and paper in the other. Her laptop was on, humming as it waited for her to finish.
She'd encrypted the phone line before dialing the number. The other end rang. It was finally answered.
"Yes?" Grumped a deep, rumbling voice. The word was heavily accented with a Spanish accent.
"Code in," Lennie ordered.
"Color of the week?" The male voice asked coldly.
"Go for green, answer?"
"Ireland." Came the gruff voice. "Confirmation of identity?"
"Lennox Worth."
The man laughed softly, "Beunes noches, Lennie, a pleasure."
"I need your best stuff, Arturo."
"Of course, always. Anything specific?"
"I need high-content silver explosive, ready to use. I need enough to disable about 100 strong. And I need it by tomorrow." Lennie tapped her pen on the pad in front of her.
"Tomorrow?" He paused, she heard keyboard tapping. "That's…" He stopped, "Okay, I can do that. Anything else?"
"Still have any Sun Spot grenades?"
"Yes, I always keep those on order for you. Anything else?"
"I need the body suit, with modifications, make dure it has the goggles."
She heard keys tap again; "I'll send it to you."
Lennie paused, she checked her list, "I need C-4, the small ones. Any and all the pressure bombs you can spare."
More key taps, "I don't have many, but I'll send what I have." He chuckled softly, "Who are we killing tomorrow night?"
"Hopefully, the Queen of Louisiana." Lennie replied.
He whistled, muttering in Spanish. "This reminds me yet again, why I am so glad to you be your weapons supplier. Shall I send your sword as well?"
"Yes."
Lennie ended the call; removing the encryption device. She checked off her list and turned the page over. Now she had to plan it. Godric never once interrupted her. The sounds of Hollywood movies kept her company as she worked.
**