Chapter Two:
"This is where a Goddess of Love and War lives?" Eric raised an eyebrow as he stood before the remote cabin in the depths of Bulgaria's thickest forest. The wood was rotting, with the roof beginning to cave in. It was nowhere Eric would ever choose to call home; not even in his human years would he ever live in such a shit hole.
He wondered if he had located the wrong girl, if his sources had been wrong. There was no sign of life surrounding the cabin, and as he listened for a heartbeat inside, he found none.
"This is a waste of time," Eric sighed, shaking his head as he turned to leave. He would consult his associates once more, demanding results this time.
Before he could take to the night sky, however, the tiniest of movements caught the corner of his eye. Frowning, Eric turned towards the front window. The curtains were sheer, barely disturbing his view into the dark and abandoned cabin. He stared long enough to believe he had only been seeing things. That is, until something – or someone – dashed passed the window.
"Found you," the Viking smirked as he began towards the front door. He was unsure if an invitation would be needed into the home; he wasn't certain if a Goddess could be classified as a human in any capacity. "I can always blow it down," he snickered to himself. A quick flick of his wrist and the cabin would crumble to the ground.
Reaching for the door handle, Eric was caught off guard as the door was suddenly thrown open, a hand appearing from the darkness and yanking him through the threshold. He was on the ground in seconds before he could get his bearings, the sharp edge of a blade placed at the curve of his neck.
"What the hell are you doing here?" a woman's voice hissed.
"Well that's no way to greet your guests," Eric snorted, a smirk crossing his lips as he gazed up at the woman he had been eager to find. He was not surprised that Godric had been correct; she was indeed the most beautiful creature he had ever laid his eyes upon. He didn't expect anything less, however, from the daughter of Aphrodite.
"Guests should not sneak around one's property uninvited."
He chuckled as he reached for the blade of the sword she wielded, only to hiss in pain as his skin burned. Silver.
"Smart girl," he mused, cocking his head to the side. A cascade of brown locks fell across her shoulders and down her back, framing her round face. Her eyes entranced him, almost hypnotizing. They were the brightest shade of blue he had ever witnessed. He hadn't thought such a colour was even possible. They were as clear as the ocean, and yet darker than the night sky.
"I will only ask one last time, Viking; what are you doing here?" she demanded to know.
Eric's smirk faltered. "Viking?"
"Don't play me as a fool," she pressed the blade against his neck, watching as the vampire grit his teeth from the burning pain. "Tell me why you are here."
"How did you know I was a Viking?" his eyebrows furrowed. How could she know such a thing? Had Godric told her?
Her thin lips pursed. "I won't hesitate to kill you, Northman. Answer my question."
This intrigued Eric. "You know who I am."
"Of course I do," she seemed agitated, her grip tightening on her sworn. "Now tell me why you are…"
"How do you know who I am?" he questioned before grasping onto the blade of the sword, ignored the sudden blinding pain, and yanked the weapon right from the girl's grip. She was startled by his actions, allowing Eric to take advantage and reverse their positions, slamming the Goddess onto the ground by her neck. He kept his grip tight as his fangs extended. "How?"
She grasped onto his wrist, attempting to tug at his grip. It was no use however; she was a Goddess, but he was a thousand year old Viking Vampire. Her strength alone was not enough to match his. It had always infuriated her that she was a true immortal being, but older vampires could over power her with a flick of their wrists.
"Not as all and mighty as I expected," the smirk returned to his lips. He honestly had been expecting more. She was the daughter of the God of War, and yet he had been able to best her. He was almost disappointed.
"Get off of me, Viking, and you shall see a true fight," she warned him with narrowed orbs. She dug her nails into his wrists, but it did nothing to move the fingers that were wrapped around the base of her neck. "Release me."
"Ah, there is some spunk in you after all," his smirk widened. "Why did Godric ever let you go? You would have been an amusing pet to have around."
She was furious for so many reasons, the least for being called a pet. Closing her eyes, Eric was surprised to find her form grow limp. Had he been able to subdue her that quickly? Now he truly was disappointed. He was hoping for much more of a battle, one that Ares himself would be proud of. He supposed Godric's great stories were nothing more than overpraised fantasies. He had come all this way for nothing interesting at all.
It was as he begun to rise off of her, tired of these games, that he began to feel the sudden loss of energy. It was the familiar feeling when the sun rose, tugging him unconscious. He could feel the blood pooling in his ears, as his eyes grew weary. But it was the dead of the night, sunrise hours away. The silver hadn't affected him, and he had thrown the blade away. Had he not realized another weapon?
But she was the weapon.
She almost wanted to grin in satisfaction as a groan emitted from the vampire, his large form sagging to the side as the energy was drained from him. She left what was only necessary before she quickly returned to her feet, grasping onto the fallen sword. With it in hand, her eyes closed once more as the energy returned to the Viking as if nothing had every happened.
"What the hell was that?" Eric growled, on his feet in only seconds as he bared his fangs at her. He did not take kindly to being defeated, especially in the form of magic he had never encountered before.
"I don't take kindly to unwanted guests attacking me in my own home," she held her trusted sword loosely at her side. She didn't want to have to fight him, the Viking warrior who she had seen with her own eyes use his own beloved royal sword on a handful of times. But she was prepared if necessary.
"You attacked me."
"And you were stalking my home," she countered, eying him closely. He was the same as she had last seem him, and yet different at the same time. His hair was shorter, styled more modernly than his Viking persona. She had to admit that it suited him, as did the leather jacket and black clothing that clung to his body. She found that she much rather modern clothing to that of cheap cloth she had encountered for too many centuries. "Why?"
"What did you do to me?" It had to have been her, Eric realized. There was no other explanation. Perhaps he had underestimated the Goddess after all. He found himself excited at the prospect. It had been far too long since he had a truly exhilarating battle with another.
She was not willing to spill her secrets just yet, however. "Why are you here, Northman?"
"How exactly do you know me? Godric's tale ended far before he turned me," Eric couldn't help his intrigue. Godric's story had only given him so much information, most that was hard to believe as it was.
Her laugh held no amusement. "He would say that, wouldn't he?"
"Are you saying my maker lied to me?"
"I'm merely saying that you don't know the whole story – whatever story it was that your maker told you," she couldn't say his name. Not after so long. It had taken centuries to get the ancient being out of her head.
"Ah, former lover's spat, perhaps?" her mask was good, but Eric was a master of hiding his emotions. He could see straight through her act. There was an interesting past between his maker and this Goddess, one that Godric hadn't thought to share. Why exactly did Godric want her found after all this time? By his calculation, it would have been over a thousand years since they last met. Why now?
He of course, had his suspicions. He refused to believe them, however. He couldn't. The thought of losing his maker was not one he could digest. Not now, not ever.
"Why are you here? I will not ask you again," her grasp tightened around the sheath of her sword.
Fangs retracting back into place, Eric leisurely strolled around the tiny room. While it was dark, only the moon lighting the room, he could see how despicable of a dump the cabin truly was.
"I was hoping for something a bit more glamorous," Eric waved at the room, his frown twisted in disgust. "I expected more from a Goddess."
"And I expected a far better battle from a Viking."
Eric paused as he considered her words. He merely shrugged it off, and continued his inspection. His gaze moved to her every so often, appreciating the sight. She was tall and lean, as if she had battled a thousand wars. Of course, he figured, she likely had. He almost found himself impressed. Almost. He could definitely see why Godric would take an interest in her. She may have been thousands of years old, but she barely looked older than a young adult. She was young and sweet looking, and Eric wondered how many she had fooled – or seduced – over the years.
"One last chance, Northman. Or I'll consider staking you," she warned.
"Oh but you won't," he smirked in her direction. "Or else you already would have."
"Don't tempt me," she knew he was right however. She wouldn't intentionally bring any harm to the Viking. He was Godric's progeny, after all. "For a Sheriff of Louisiana, you are quite a long way from home."
His smirk faltered. She knew more about him than he initially thought. "Aren't you just full of knowledge? How exactly does someone living in a shit hole in the middle of nowhere know that?"
"I know many things, Northman. What I don't know, however, is why you're here."
They were both growing tired of this game. Turning towards her, Eric considered her for a moment before answering. "Godric sent me."
"Why?" she didn't allow herself a moment to let it sink in. There was always a reason behind everything the ancient vampire did. He hadn't survived this long for there not to be. After so long, why was he suddenly calling on her now? Especially after they had last parted.
"He didn't say," Eric shrugged, telling the truth. His maker had only requested she be found. He never answered Eric's questions as to why.
But Eric knew. He knew it was to say goodbye.
"I don't believe you."
"That's not my problem," his patience was growing thin. He may not know the relationship between the two, but his maker had made a request and he was going to follow through with it. If she wanted to come or not. "But I will complete my task."
Her grasp tightened on her sword. She had a feeling he was going to say that. "I'm afraid that's not going to happen."
"Is that so?" he stepped towards her, using his impressive height to try and intimidate her.
She merely raised an eyebrow at his attempt. She had fought creatures beyond his wildest imagination. One mere little Viking wasn't going to scare her. Before she could raise her sword in warning, however, the snapping of a twig caused her entire body to stiffen.
There were no longer alone.
"What have you done," she hissed, twisting around and peering through the drapes. She could see no one in the immediate vicinity, but she could sense that they were there.
And there were many.
Frowning, Eric watched the Goddess with interest. When another twig was snapped, he too became alert.
"We're not alone."
"Are you just now coming to that conclusion?" she snapped at him, inching closer to the window.
"Well don't be snappy at me, Princess."
Princess? "Call me that again and I won't hesitate to castrate you."
He would have snickered if a shadow dashing across the opposite window hadn't of caught his attention. "Expecting company?"
She threw a glare over her shoulder. "I never am. I was perfectly happy here for the past 15 years without them catching onto me. And then you coming snooping around where you shouldn't be and suddenly we're surrounded."
Eric raised an eyebrow. "Ah, so this is my doing, is it?"
"Godric was an idiot to send you. Of course they would be watching him, just waiting for one of you to come looking for me," a string of curses were muttered under her breath in an ancient language that had Eric's head wheeling. "There's at least half a dozen. Likely more."
"That's all?" he snorted cockily.
"You've never met a Demigod before, have you?"
"Well if they fight anything like the Goddess I just met…"
He was playing with fire. But she didn't have time to try and outsmart his witty remarks. She didn't have time for this at all. Ignoring the Viking, she marched towards the front door. If they wanted a fight, she would give them one. She would strike down each and every one of the armies that Hephaestus sent for her head.
"And where do you think you're going?" Eric was beside her in only a blink of an eye, his monstrous hand pressed solidly against the door.
"If you haven't noticed, we're under attack," she attempted to shove his arm, but she barely even made him budge. "Move, Viking."
"I gave Godric my word that I would bring you to him. I'd rather do that with you alive."
She didn't bother to inform him that as a Goddess, there was only one true cause to end her immortality. "I don't have time for this."
"They can wait," Eric shook his head.
She eyed the window, two forms growing closer to the cabin. "I doubt that."
"You will be coming with me to Dallas," he leaned over her until their gazes were equal. "You seem to know quite a bit about me. You should know that I always get what I want."
She did know.
But he didn't realize that after 3,500 years, she was incredibly stubborn in her ways.
"Lets make a wager, shall we?" he returned to his towering height, the smirk back in place.
"This isn't a game, Northman."
"You're right…you know, I don't even know your name," he leaned against the door, his orbs raking over her tense form. "I didn't bother asking Godric. I didn't have a need for it. It was easy enough to find a Goddess amongst humans."
Her lips pursed together. "We are not doing this."
"Oh, we most certainly are. Well?" he raised an eyebrow.
Oh how she wanted to strike him with her sword. Perhaps not through the heart, but at least take a limb or two. They would grow back. Eventually.
"I can do this all night," he taunted. "Of course, I don't think your guests would say the same."
"Celena," she forced out through clenched teeth. "Now move."
"Celena," he tested her name, his smirk only growing. "By my count, there are three of your Demigods in the back, and three in the front. Shall we see who can defeat the most?"
"You're really that much of an idiot, aren't you?" she was flabbergasted that he was truly making a game out of this. "This isn't a game."
"Everything is a game," he shrugged. "Win and I shall leave."
"And your word to Godric?"
"I'll simply tell him I couldn't find you, that all of my leads were dead ends," he explained.
It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "He could command you to tell the truth."
"Well I would make sure it didn't come to that."
"And if you win?" she already knew the answer though.
Eric was already beginning towards the back of the cabin, to where a rickety door was still barely standing. "You'll come to Dallas with me."
She knew better to bet against a Viking Warrior. But he had no idea just how good of a warrior she was.
"Daughter of Ares, in case you didn't know," she warned.
"I'll still win."
He was out the door without another word.
Celena sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. It had been more than a decade since she was discovered and uprooted once again. She had been hoping for another dozen years or so before she would have to find another home. And that home was certainly not going to be Dallas, Texas.
She was going to beat the Viking at his own game.
"Father, give me strength," she muttered under her breath, her eyes flickering upwards. A shudder suddenly swept through her, and a smirk slid across her lips. A father's reply.
Ensuring her grip on her sword was strong, Celena ripped open the door.
A/N: You are all amazing. I wasn't expecting the outpouring of support for this fic already. You all are fantastic.
As for the question many of you have asked concerning the pairing...the main pairing will be Godric/OC, but there may be minor and occasional Eric/OC or Godric/OC/Eric. I honestly haven't planned too deeply concerning pairings, and as I'm having way too much fun with Celena and Eric bickering, it may happen. But it is mainly Godric/OC.