"Mercy, we're here," Ethan called as he let himself into the house, noticing that the door wasn't hanging as it should. One of the hinges was practically hanging out of the frame.
"What the hell happened here?"
"Daddy, you have to put a dollar in the swear jar!"
Ethan set the giggling five year old down as he took a closer look at the door. The frame looked slightly bent. It looked like someone had tried to force their way in. And did he see cracks in the plaster outside?
"Mercy?!"
"I'm in the kitchen!"
He was relieved to hear her, and to hear he sound perfectly fine. He followed her call to see her standing in the kitchen, up to her elbows in cookie dough.
"Hey guys! How was Sea World?"
Ava started gushing excitedly about the weekend trip, eyeing the bowl of cookie dough. Mercy moved the bowl before little fingers found their way in.
"Not until after they're done baking, Ava."
"What happened to the door?"
Darn. She'd kind of hoped he would miss that. But no, Ethan wasn't stupid, even if he did sometimes act like a blockhead. Not wanting to add more lies, Mercy decided to be as truthful as she could, just as she had when she called Isabel's people to fix the door that night.
"A passing vampire came through a couple nights ago, looking for Godric. He got a little upset at learning this is no longer Godric's home."
It had been believable enough for Isabel, along with a description of a fictional vampire who only vaguely resembled Eric (minus the height and propensity for speaking Swedish). She calmly accepted the explanation with a promise to fix the door and conduct a search for the vampire. Ethan, however, was not so calm.
"A vampire! You let a vampire into this house?!"
"No, I kept a vampire out of this house, hence the door. Calm down, Ethan."
"Calm down? Calm down! How the—"
Mercy cut him off with a raise of her hand.
"Ava, could you take your stuff back to your room, please?"
The girl looked between the arguing adults and was quick to make her exit. Ethan waited until he heard her door close before he started again, a little more quietly.
"How the hell can you tell me to calm down!? A vampire tried to take down your door and you didn't even call me! What if Ava had been here?!"
"You were four hours away, Ethan! What exactly do you think you could have done? And if Ava had been here she would have been perfectly safe. He couldn't get in."
"Yeah, he couldn't get in until he glamoured you or whatever they call it and you invited him in and bared your neck!"
Mercy reminded herself to count to ten as she took a deep breath. Ethan was worried for his daughter, and she could appreciate that. But if he implied that she was gullible or stupid just once more he would find himself wearing the freakin' cookie dough. He seemed to forget that he was the junior sibling by a full decade when he was on one of his "vampires are evil incarnate" rants, and that she was under no obligation to follow his orders. She wasn't one of his army buddies.
"Ethan, I've been dealing with vampires for ten years now. If they could glamour me into doing what they wanted, I'd have been dead long before now. It'd be nice if you could give me just a little bit of credit."
"You're too trusting, Mercy. You let that one vampire sniff around you for years. It was disgusting."
Her grip on the bowl she was stirring tightened noticeably, until her knuckles were white and bloodless.
"Be very careful with your next words, Ethan. Don't forget how much Godric did for both of us when you came to live with me."
The younger man visibly bristled, but fortunately didn't say anything further. Instead he gave his attention to the smell of baking coming from the oven, and checked the cookies inside. They were golden brown, and the chocolate chips were melted—perfect. He grabbed the pot holders and pulled the trays out of the oven and placed the next cookie sheets inside. Mercy took them without comment and started removing the cookies from the sheets, laying them on the cooling racks.
"When do you have to be back on base?" She asked a few minutes later.
"I need to leave in just a few minutes. I have to be back tonight."
"Here, take some cookies back with you."
She quickly packed up a dozen and found a container to stick them in.
"Make sure you say goodbye to Ava before you leave."
It was probably for the best that he was leaving, before one of them said something they couldn't take back. Mercy didn't want a fight. She was surprised when he enveloped her in a hug.
"I just worry about you being all alone. Now that Godric's gone you're kind of up for grabs."
She shook her heard. Ethan had never wanted to learn about vampire politics, so he knew nothing. He had no idea how well regarded Godric had been. Or how loyal his lieutenants still were to his memory.
"Ethan, when it comes to vampires I'm the most protected person in Dallas."
"You're too sweet, and you have no idea what it's really like out there."
She swatted him in the back of the head.
"I'm a full decade older than you, Ethan. I'm not some sixteen year old girl with her head in the clouds, so stop with that overprotective older brother vibe you've got going. Now say goodbye to your daughter and get out of here so you're not late getting back to base."
-And before either of them made comments about questionable judgment. She had no idea what made Ethan hate vampires so much, but he didn't have to like them. He just had to not insult them around her. But if he wanted an argument on responsible life choices he would get one. She wasn't the one who produced offspring at the age of sixteen.
He was gone a few minutes later, and Mercy turned her attention to the last of the cookies still in the oven. She heard the TV in Ava's room, and the sound of The Muppet Show if she wasn't mistaken. Ava must have popped a DVD in. Mercy sometimes wondered at the wisdom of a TV in a child's room, but it had come with the house, and so far she hadn't been able to bring herself to remove anything that had belonged to the previous owner.
With Ava engrossed in her DVD, Mercy was free to think. She was supposed to be using this three day weekend to catch up on grading assignments and confirming lesson plans, but that was shot. She hadn't been able to focus on anything yesterday, a result of the renewed dreams of Godric, now made more vivid from personal experience and another dose of his blood. How was the kid doing? Had Eric managed to get him to Shreveport?
"Focus Mercy," she ordered herself, "There's nothing you can do about Godric now, and you have a five year old and a career that need your attention. He's Eric's responsibility now."
The mental shake was needed, as she could smell the cookies threatening to burn. She would be darned if she let the vampire make her burn her cookies! Her cookies were not to be toyed with. She was taking them to school tomorrow. She might send a dozen to Ava's class.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"How are you feeling there, Mercy?"
"Much better, Kate. I'm sorry I missed Saturday, but I seriously never heard my phone ring. I was pretty dead to the world."
"You had me worried there. I mean, Paul said you were fine at the game Friday, but Saturday I heard nothing. I was about ready to come pounding on your door."
"And instead you called Ethan, and had the boy ready to drive four hours from San Antonio."
Classes just ended for the day, but Ava had gymnastics for another hour, and Mercy saw no point in going home only to come back to pick her up. It was a chance to catch up on the work she missed over the weekend. She'd been expecting Kate to show up.
"Hey, you weren't answering your phone! And you said he was in on leave. How was I supposed to know he'd taken the squirt to Sea World?"
"Um-by asking? Here, have a cookie."
She pulled out the tin she'd brought with her and offered one to Kate. The other woman stared at the offered baked goods, then at Mercy.
"You baked?"
"I was in a baking mood yesterday."
Kate took a cookie and leveled a stare at her friend.
"What's wrong?" she asked as she took a bite.
"Nothing's wrong," Mercy answered quickly. Her oldest friend was far too perceptive, and felt herself at liberty to meddle in her friends' affairs at will.
"I know you, Mercedes Abigail Wright. You don't bake unless something's bothering you, or its Christmas. Now what's wrong, because you have the same look on your face you had when you came back from England eight months ago."
"Miss Wright, you have to see this!"
Mercy gave a half-hearted glance to Sarah and her laptop. She was exhausted from running around the UK with a dozen students and only two other chaperones. Not to mention she still wasn't completely adjusted to the time change from Dallas to London. Next time the school wanted to do a summer study abroad trip, they could find another teacher. Once was enough; if she came back she was coming on a real vacation, with no children except for Ava, and that was only if Ethan came along. No way was she dealing with Ava's mother.
"I was checking the news on-line for back home, and look. Someone bombed a vampire nest last night."
"What?!"
"Shh! You want to wake up Amy and Nicole?"
The walls weren't terribly thick, and Mercy froze for a split-second until she decided she didn't care if her shriek had woken the girls who'd gone to bed as soon as they got back to the hotel. A vampire nest was bombed?
"Which nest? Did it say?"
Sarah gave her a curious look but slid the laptop over to her. Mercy immediately replayed the video clip. Please, dear God, don't let it be the Sheriff's nest. Why would anyone want to bomb—a suicide bomber? Why could people not realize what they were doing? How could anyone encourage some young man to go into a house and blow himself up? Rumor was that the Fellowship of the Sun was behind it. Damn that Steve Newlin. Why did they not show the house that was bombed?
Finally the report and her cameraman did manage to show footage of the devastation, and Mercy came the closest she'd ever come to fainting in her life. That was Godric's house. She'd only been there a handful of times, but she recognized the neighborhood.
She grabbed her cell phone and pulled up Godric's name. The phone rang and rang, until it finally went to voice mail. No. He just couldn't be dead. He couldn't. Rather than leave a message she hung up and redialed. Still no answer. Maybe his phone wasn't working? It might have been damaged in the blast. Beyond worried, Mercy scrolled back through the contact list and pulled up Isabel's number. Again, no answer.
Not liking the sinking feeling taking tight hold in her chest, Mercy shoved the laptop back to Sarah and grabbed the first pair of jeans and t-shirt she could find.
"Sarah, I need you to do me a favor. I need you to wake up Ms. Morgan and tell her I need to see her now."
The girl's eyes widened, but she slid out of bed and grabbed her robe before stepping out the door. Mercy picked up the room phone and dialed the front desk as she slipped on her bra and shirt.
"Yes, I need you to connect me with Heathrow airport. Anubis Airlines."
By the time Sarah returned with the other chaperone, Mercy had all of her things packed into her suitcase.
"Mercy, what's going on?"
"Family emergency, Paige. I have to get home immediately. My flight leaves in two hours."
The flight was interminable, especially as she could get neither Godric nor Isabel to answer the phone. Why was he shutting her out? She couldn't feel anything form him. Something was so very wrong. The moment she landed she ordered the car to take her to the Hotel Carmilla. Godric would have sent his people there with the nest destroyed.
"Can I help you, Miss?"
The vampire concierge looked at her disinterestedly as he offered his assistance.
"Yes. You can tell me what room Godric is staying in."
He looked less than impressed by the human woman making demands, and his fangs dropped threateningly. Mercy blankly took note of the number of security guards in the lobby, and the fact that one was eyeing her warily.
"I'm afraid I can't divulge any guest information, Miss. I'd advise you to be on your way."
Normally Mercy wouldn't be so rude to someone who was only doing their job, but she was in no mood to be polite. She'd just spent countless hours travelling; all without speaking to anyone she was trying to reach. If this man didn't tell her what she needed to know, she would reach across the desk and strangle him with his own necktie.
"And I advise you to tell me what room belongs to the Sheriff before he finds out that you're trying to turn his wife out of the hotel."
The concierge paled even further, a feat Mercy hadn't believed him capable of. She might not have been happy with how often Godric took her blood and gave her his over the years, but right now it was to her advantage. By vampire standards, she was most definitely his human wife, a fact she was willing to exploit...
"Impossible!"
"His lieutenant, Isabel, will be happy to verify my identity if you wish."
She stared at the concierge, unflinching, until he picked up the phone and punched in an extension.
"Yes, so sorry to disturb you, madam. But I have a human down here claiming to be Godric's wife."
He glared at Mercy as he said it. Mercy simply pulled out her passport and handed it to him.
"The name is Mercedes Wright, madam."
His face fell, and he immediately became more deferential as he passed the document back to her.
"I will bring her up myself, madam."
He placed the phone back in the receiver and ordered the human staff to watch the front before stepping out from behind the desk and gesturing to Mercy.
"If you will come with me, Madame."
She remained silent the entire elevator ride and walk to the room. After a brisk knock the door was opened.
"Please inform the Sheriff that Madame Gaulman is here."
Mercy was let into the suite and she immediately looked for Godric. Where was the kid?
"This way, Madam Gaulman."
She followed the vampire who'd addressed her into the bedroom, and found Isabel standing with two other vampires, in some soft discussion.
"Sheriff, she's here."
Her escort was calling Isabel "Sheriff". The woman in question spun around.
"Mercy."
"I saw the news. I came as soon as I could. Where is he?"
"Leave us," Isabel ordered the others, and they immediately filed out of the room, until Mercy was alone with the vampiress.
"Isabel?"
She knew. As soon as she saw the open grief on Isabel's face, she knew. But she hoped to heaven she was wrong. There had to be some mistake.
"I'm so sorry, Mercy."
"No!" she wailed as she was pulled into the other woman's arms.
"I'm fine, Kate. Really. I just felt like doing something after spending all day Saturday in bed."
"Why do I have trouble believing that?"
"Maybe because you're paranoid, Kate."
"It's not paranoia if I'm right. I don't want to see you end up that like that again."
Mercy put the tin away, and reached for another stack of tests. She knew better than to argue with the other woman; words wouldn't prove anything. She would simply have to make sure that her actions didn't give anything away.
"I promise, Kate. I'm fine. Just tired, and woefully behind on grading these papers. Now why don't you let me get caught up today, and we'll plan on you and Paul coming over to the house this weekend? We'll uncover the pool table and play a few rounds."
"I'll hold you to that."
TB-TB-TB-TB-TB
Eric paid no heed whatsoever to the humans trying to gain his attention. Godric was seated at a table, two books open before him. Eric didn't know where his maker had managed to acquire them, this Swedish history and its English translation, but he'd spent his nights since coming to Shreveport buried in them. He was determined to learn English, as quickly as possible.
Two nights had not returned Godric's memory, which concerned Eric. He had a call in to the crone who owed him a debt, but it might be weeks before he heard from her. He would do his best to aid his maker, but he must still see to the running of Fangtasia and the business of Area 5. He'd tried the first night to have Pam occupy Godric, but his maker showed little inclination for her…more exuberant…company. Afraid to leave him on his own, Eric finally brought him to the bar. Godric hadn't objected, but his books came with him. Eric wouldn't be surprised if his maker managed to master English within a week. He knew Godric wanted to contact his human himself. He worried that Godric would try to go back to Dallas. If he admitted it to himself, he was more than a little jealous. Godric was fixated on this human, a woman he didn't even remember.
At least this Godric didn't appear to be suicidal. He was much more the vampire, the Maker, that Eric remembered. Whatever had caused such a change in Godric was no longer present in his mind. One change at least that was for the better. Even as he watched, the donor he'd chosen walked up to Godric, and he eagerly fed from her. Good. He wouldn't have to worry about Godric starving himself.
When the girl took a seat at the table, Eric smirked to see the blissed out expression on her face. Godric had laid the glamour on thick, it seemed. He knew that expression well; it was always a draw as to whether lust or fear made the blood taste better, and over the centuries they'd had contests to see which of them could invoke the emotions the strongest. He was surprised, however, when the human spoke and Godric actually answered her in hesitant but correct English. He was learning even faster than Eric expected. He would have to get Godric a cell phone so he could speak with his human; hopefully delaying any attempt to return to Texas for awhile. Godric had shown a fascination with modern technology, a cell phone might keep him occupied for a time.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Godric looked up to see Eric watching him. The Viking watched him constantly. His child—and he was certain of that even without his memory—seemed to fear that he would disappear again. What had he done that would give his progeny cause to believe this?
He turned his attention back to the young woman he'd just fed from. He smirked to see that the girl still had a look of satisfied bliss. He couldn't help feeling that this was familiar territory for himself and Eric, especially when he saw Eric's expression and felt his amusement through their re-established bond.
"Are you staying in Shreveport for awhile?"
The girl was a good chance to practice the English he'd spent the last nights absorbing.
"I am now residing in Shreveport," he answered carefully; relatively certain he understood her correctly. While he was absorbing much, the phrasing he heard was confusing. It felt good to use the English words; to learn another tongue. And they felt familiar.
"Maybe I'll see you around then. Do you come here often?"
Perhaps he'd done too well in glamouring the girl. He had no interest in bedding the human.
"This is the first time I have visited this place," he answered politely, and saw the girl's eyes widen in surprise, "but no doubt I will be here frequently."
"That's great! I'm here all the time!" The girl enthused, and Godric began to wonder if he wouldn't have to glamour the human into forgetting him. Before he could act, Eric was standing at the table, chasing the human off. The vampire took the girl's place.
"Du arbetar på din engelska, ser jag. Är du roar dig?" (You're working on your English, I see. Are you enjoying yourself?)
"Din verksamhet verkar vara ganska lönsamt. Är det alltid så upptagen?" (Your business appears to be quite profitable. Is it always so busy?)
"Ja. Det finns alltid människor ivriga att komma nära en vampyr." (Yes. There are always humans eager to get close to a vampire.)
Godric smirked.
" Ja. Jag ser dem ser dig på din tron ." (Yes. I see them watching you on your throne.)
" Om du vill lämna, kan vi. Vi kan gå tillbaka till huset för natten." (If you wish to leave, we can. We can go back to the house for the night.)
" Jag vill inte gå tillbaka till huset." (I do not wish to return to the house.)
He wished to return to his own house, and his Mercedes. He wished to demand answers of her; to know why she had so little faith in him that she would send him away. She truly doubted that he could protect her, and himself?
He wondered again what he had been before his death. Eric had offered scant detail, afraid that too much information might hinder his own memory returning. He'd learned that Eric was a thousand years old, and the he'd never met Eric's progeny in person, as she was just over a century. He was missing a thousand years worth of memories; and apart from those that included his child the ones he wanted most were those that included Mercedes. How was he to recover them if he did not see her, and hold her in his arms?"
"It was too dangerous to remain in Dallas. Mercy was right about that."
"I must see her, Eric."
She was vulnerable without him to protect her, however much she might think otherwise. As soon as he could speak clearly with her, he would let her know in no uncertain terms how unacceptable this was. He would no allow her to endanger herself this way.
They were interrupted by Pam's approach.
"You've got a couple of new arrivals who want to present themselves," she informed Eric, nodding respectfully to Godric.
Eric looked over to the front door to see two of the most unlikely looking vampires standing nervously at the entrance. He waved them over, and shook his had as they almost stumbled over each other in their haste to reach him. Gods, they were only babies. Neither of them were more than two years dead, and it looked as thought neither of them reached twenty-five. They even looked to be related.
"Speak," he commanded in a bored tone.
"Sheriff?" The male spoke, looking nervously from Eric to Godric.
"I am. What is your purpose here?"
"We want to settle in the area, Sheriff," the girl answered timidly. Eric spared her a second glance. She was blonde, and looked vaguely like Sookie. If she kept her mouth shut, and wore the right clothes….
"Eric," Godric kicked him not-so-subtly under the table. Eric forced himself away from that train of thought. He didn't want a substitute for the fairy, he wanted the real thing.
"And why are you with your makers? You're far too young to have been released."
All he needed at the moment was a pair of baby vamps who'd run away from their makers. It wasn't the sort of thing that happened often, but when it did, it got messy.
"Our maker is dead, sir."
That got his attention. He could see that it had Godric's as well.
"How?"
The girl, who introduced herself as Heather, stammered out the events leading up to their arrival in Shreveport. Eric's fury grew as the two related their tale. Brother and sister they were as humans, their maker had known them since they were children, and when they were in a car wreck that would have proven fatal, he'd turned them. The vampire's older progeny, enraged to learn he was no longer his maker's only child, had attempted to kill them, and ended up killing their maker instead. An offense punishable by the true death.
"Where did this happen?"
If a vampire of his area killed their maker, he would rip out their fangs before handing them over to the Magister.
"New Orleans, Sheriff."
Outside his area then. Good. Still, he would have to let the Sheriff know so they could begin the hunt for this murderous progeny.
"What was your maker's name, boy?"
"Thomas Wincott, Sheriff."
Eric was beginning to despise the boy standing before him. He could barely speak for himself, leaving the explanations to his sister. He would be surprised if the boy survived a full century.
"You may settle here."
He saw potential in the girl. She rather reminded him of Pamela in her attitude. It could be quite interesting to watch her mature, and to have a hand in that. He couldn't turn such promise away, especially with a threat hanging over. He had the wicked thought of turning them loose in Bon Temps, and making Compton deal with them on a regular basis. And Compton's own progeny, Jessica—now that would be entertaining.
He glanced over at Godric. This case was quite possibly hitting close to home for his maker, who'd destroyed his own maker after years of abuse. Remembering how feral Godric had been after so long on his own, Eric decided he'd better keep these two close by. And perhaps these babies would give Godric something else to focus on, and to keep his attention on Shreveport for the time being.
"I happen to have a house you can use until you find a place of your own. I expect you to return tomorrow night. You will need to know what is expected of you."
Godric just shook his head as the two thanked his child profusely. He could tell what Eric was thinking, and it wouldn't work. He might help these orphans as he was able, but nothing would deter him from returning to his Mercedes.