Chapter Thirteen: Tell Me Why
"Eric is here."
I let out a short groan as I detached myself from Godric. We had stood there, arms wrapped around one another, for what felt like hours. I hadn't even realized the time until Godric mentioned Eric was here. I strained to listen for the Viking, and I frowned when I heard a faint growl from above the stairs. He wasn't happy. He wasn't happy one bit. I hadn't been planning on staying down here longer than I had. But one thing led to another, and the moment Godric promised he wouldn't leave, I just couldn't leave his sight. It was as if I was afraid he would just disappear. So I clutched onto him as if my life depended on it.
"What the hell did I tell you?" the basement door slammed against the wall, causing me to jump in surprise.
I slowly glanced over my shoulder to the top of the stairs, and was almost frightened to find Eric standing there, his hands clutched at his sides as the light from the hallway glowed around him. His fangs had extended, making him look for menacing than usual.
"Eric..." I gulped as I wringed my hands.
"What did I say?" He growled. He was no longer on the stairs however, but instead, towering over me. My heart was racing as I stared up at him worriedly. I knew Eric's temper better than anyone. When he wasn't happy, he wasn't thinking clearly. And that never ended well for anyone.
"You never said I couldn't come down here." I pointed out, taking a step towards Godric, feeling safer closer to the older vampire. "You just told me not to free Godric."
"He could have killed you." Eric's eyes narrowed as he grabbed onto my arm suddenly, yanking me right away from Godric's side. "Are you seeking Death, Ellie? Is that what you want, to die?"
"No, Eric, but Godric wouldn't have..." I tried to reason with him while attempting to shake off his hand. But it was no use. His grip tightened and tightened until I found myself wincing in pain. "Eric let go of me."
"How many times do I have to swoop in and save the day?" He hissed. "You could have gotten yourself killed! Do you not understand that? What then, Ellie? What would you have done if he had gotten free?"
"He wouldn't have hurt me because Godric is..."
"I'm tired of your acts of stupidity. This is why I'm..."
"Release her Eric." Godric demanded, his eyes narrowed into slits. "Now. Release her right now."
Eric froze, though he was still grasping my arm tightly. I squirmed, though that only managed to cause his grip to tighten.
"Master?" he breathed out, his eyes roaming over Godric's form.
"Eric, release her now." Godric growled dangerously low. "As your maker, I command you."
Eric released me in mere seconds. I frowned as I rubbed my hand over the already forming bruise and inched closer to Godric. He sent me a look of concern, and I was certain that if he had use of his arms, he would have swept me up into a hug while his child stood there before us like an idiot.
"You're..."
"I'm perfectly fine, Eric." Godric sent him a look of disappointment. "I'm disappointed in you, my child. Must you resort to violence with the woman you love? Honestly, we were only speaking."
"I..."
"Apologize to her."
Eric's eyes grew wide. He had never been skilled in the art of apologizing. He hated to admit he was anything but right. But now here he was, his maker demanding that he apologized for laying hand on me. I couldn't help the smug look that crossed my face. It was amusing to see Eric in such a bind. He didn't want to apologize, he never did. But he didn't exactly have control of the situation.
"Eric..." Godric prompted him, sending him a dark look. "Apologize to Elizabeth."
A low grow emitted from the back of Eric's throat as his eyes narrowed. "No."
"Do not make me command you for a second time tonight." Godric warned.
"I'm not apologizing."
"Eric!" Godric's patience was wearing thin. "Apologize. Now."
"I'm fucking sorry." Eric grunted, glaring at his maker. "Are you happy now?"
"Very." Godric kept his stare level. "Now, if you wouldn't mind releasing me. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."
Eric didn't hesitate and flashed forward in a blink of an eye. I took a step back as I watched Eric slip a key from his leather jacket pocket and unlock the cuffs around Godric's wrist. Once he was free, Godric rubbed each of his wrists before turning towards me. A small smile crossed my lips as he immediately held open his arms. I didn't waste a single moment as I just about leapt into his arms, wrapping my arms around his torso tightly.
"I truly don't deserve such a forgiving friend." He held onto me tightly, and I was perfectly alright with that. I didn't want to let go of him anytime soon.
"Yes you do, Godric." I looked up into those calm orbs. "It's me who doesn't deserve you."
"Not at all." He smiled warmly down at me.
"Are we through?" Eric asked in a bored tone. "Or is this love fest going to continue?"
"Eric." Godric sent his child a pointed look.
"We have more important matters to concentrate on." Eric's expression hardened. "As in how you happened to make it out of the palace alive."
Godric sighed but nodded. "That is a conversation we must have."
"Five more minutes." I mumbled, happy to just be in his arms.
Godric chuckled as he slowly drew me away, his hands resting on my shoulders as he laid a soft kiss on my forehead. "He's right, my dear one."
I pouted but knew that both Eric and Godric were right. We needed to talk about this, to understand how in the world Godric had survived and how he came to be the vampire we discovered in New Orleans. Not to mention, who in the world had caused the bombing to begin with?
"Let us proceed upstairs where we'll be more comfortable." Godric suggested.
Eric nodded and looked as if he wanted to speak when suddenly a pair of heels sounded from the top of the stairs.
"Sorry to break this up, but would someone like to explain to me why there is a supposedly dead vampire in our basement and vampire feds in the bar?" Pam drawled out, her hands planted firmly on her hips.
Eric's head snapped around to stare at his progeny in confusion. "Vampire feds?"
"Nan Flanagan is here." Pam nodded, her eyes falling on Godric. She shook her head in complete disbelief. "Unbelievable."
"I told you so." I muttered, a smirk sliding across my lips.
Pam's narrowed eyes fell on me and I just smiled up at her sweetly. I knew we weren't going to exactly be friends anytime soon; there was no reason to pretend otherwise.
"Shit." Eric ran a hand through his slicked back hair. "What the hell does she want?"
"I'm supposing she wants the same thing you do." Godric mused. "Answers."
"But everyone thinks you're dead. Why else would she be here?" I frowned.
"Nan Flanagan knows just about everything that occurs, even the most impossible of things." Godric offered an explanation. "We shouldn't keep her waiting."
"Why not?" Eric crossed his arms stubbornly. "She just barged into my closed bar. We'll keep her waiting for as long as we damn well like."
"Eric." Godric chided his progeny. "Don't act like a century old newborn."
I snorted, though it quickly turned into a fake cough as Eric shot me a dark look.
"What do you propose we tell her?"
"The truth, obviously. We cannot lie to her." Godric shrugged calmly.
"Well I certainly want to know how the hell you managed to live through two bombings. How is it that I miss all the fun?" Pam shook her head, looking genuinely upset that she hadn't been involved somehow.
"Pam." Eric shot her a warning look. "Go entertain our guest."
"Do I have to?" she whined with a wrinkled forehead. "She sucks the life out of the room."
I snorted again, though this time Pam smirked in my direction.
"Just go." Eric ordered, not pleased with her defiance.
"Oh fine. But you owe me for this." Pam muttered before leaving the office in a flash.
"Come, we shouldn't keep them waiting." Godric motioned to the stairs.
"Should we honestly tell her anything?" Eric frowned, hesitant to explain everything to Nan Flanagan. I couldn't exactly blame his hesitance at all. The last time she had shown up in this very bar, she had the power to sentence Eric to death for what occurred with the Magister and Russell. I didn't like her any more than he did. But Godric was right. We couldn't exactly hide the fact that Godric was alive and that he survived the bombing that had stumped everyone. The vampires had thought it had been humans that had caused the bombing, while the humans didn't have a care in the world as long as they weren't the targets. This could solve everything.
"Godric's right." I voiced softly, earning a glare from the blonde. "We can't just hide anything from her. What if Godric knows something that could help stop whoever is behind these attacks? There's been two bombings within a month, with many lives being taken. It's something we should be worried about, isn't it?"
"It is." Godric confirmed solemnly. "We must tell her. Whether she will do anything or not, it's an important matter."
Eric didn't look happy one bit, but he didn't have much say in the matter. Godric held out a hand for me to take, before leading the way up the stairs of the basement. He squeezed my hand comfortingly as we reached the top, slipping out of the dimly lit basement and into the bright hallway. I could hear faint talking inside the bar, and my stomach churned nervously. I remembered the last time we had been stuck in this bar, unable to leave because of Nan and her vampire feds. That hadn't been a fun night at all. I could just imagine how tonight would go.
"We shouldn't be doing this. We should just demand that she leaves." Eric muttered behind us.
"We will do no such thing, Eric." Godric stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the tall Viking. "She's an important figure in our world. Do you honestly want to piss her off?"
"I don't care what she thinks." Eric hissed.
"Perhaps you should." Godric sent him a look of warning before motioning for me to enter the bar. "After you, my dear one."
I inhaled sharply and pulled open the door leading out to the bar. The moment the door opened, all talking ceased. I spotted the multiple guards around the room the second I stepped into the closed bar. I couldn't see their faces, but I felt all of their eyes fall on me. Godric must have felt how uncomfortable I was and laid a comforting hand on my shoulder before stepping passed me and into Nan Flanagan's line of sight.
"Why is it every time something happens, it involves all of you." Nan stepped forward, her icy blue eyes falling on each one of us. "Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?"
"I believe I can shed some light on the situation." Godric offered.
"Yes, please do. Before I silver all of your asses for pulling me away from more important matters."
"No one asked you here." Eric muttered darkly.
"Isn't this an important matter though?" I immediately kicked myself for speaking. I should have just remained silent, let all the vampires do the talking. But I just couldn't help myself. Did she not believe that two bombing attacks involving vampires was important? Especially when it involved the Queen of the state? Because in my opinion, there wasn't anything much more serious than that.
"And who exactly are you?" Nan's eyes narrowed as her eyes roamed over me. "Someone get this thing out of here. This doesn't concern her."
Two guards stepped forward and I immediately found myself at Eric's side, a low growl emitting from his lips as his arm wrapped around my waist protectively.
"Do not touch her."
"Elizabeth is very much a part of this." Godric defended, his voice calm as he spoke. Though I detected a hint of annoyance in those blue green orbs. "I would appreciate it if you did not insult her. She is the Phoenix after all, and does deserve an ounce of respect, do you not think so Ms. Flanagan?"
Nan didn't respond, and instead, just waved her guards away. "What the hell happened in New Orleans, Godric? You're the only known survivor."
"And how exactly do you know that?" Eric questioned, his arm still around me tightly. I didn't object however. I'd rather be in Eric's possessive grasps than anywhere near the guards that would just love to have a taste of my blood.
"I know everything." Nan shot at him with a glare. "Well?"
"Perhaps we should all sit." Godric suggested. "This may take awhile."
"I'd prefer to stand. Just tell me what you know, Godric. I have other things to do." Nan didn't look pleased at all to be here. She would much rather be on TV, fighting for vampire rights. But she seemed to be the messenger for the Authority, and was sent on their behalf for whatever situation they deem important enough.
"I'm sure you're aware of the threats Louisiana has received in the last few months." When Nan didn't acknowledge his comment, Godric frowned but continued. "I was summoned to New Orleans by Sophie-Anne herself. She was worried about a new threat, and as I am the oldest vampire in the New World, she sought out my advice."
"And where the hell were you during all of this?" Nan rested her icy stare on Eric.
Eric was growing angrier by the second. His arm tightened around me, and his fangs had extended for a second time that night. Godric knew this without even glancing at his progeny, and answered for him.
"Eric had matters to tend to elsewhere. I was appointed temporary Sheriff by the Queen herself. The paperwork is in the office should you not believe me." Godric challenged her. I was surprised by how steady his voice was. He was being questioned, and yet he made it sound like he was having an ordinary conversation with an old friend.
"More important than the destruction of your state?" Nan looked doubtful.
"Does it really matter where Eric was? This would have happened if he was here or not." I put my two cents worth in. "Let's just get back to the matter at hand, yeah?"
I eyed Eric out the corner of my eyes and had to stifle back a laugh at the smirk that had crossed his lips. It was amusing to him to watch me talk back to Nan, not caring at all the power she thought she held. She had no authority over me; I could say anything I liked and didn't have to worry at all about the consequences. Anyways, we shouldn't be arguing about who was or wasn't sheriff. We should be concerned with what happened in New Orleans and Jackson.
"This doesn't concern you, little girl." Nan hissed at me, taking a step forward. Eric hissed in response, putting himself completely in front of me, acting like a shield. "Watch yourself Viking, or else you'll lose your area permanently."
"I'd like to see you try."
"I'm tired of cleaning up your messes. Do you see the pattern here? Shit happens and it's your door I have to knock down." Her lips pursed together. "I have more important things to deal with than dealing with this crap. Just tell me what the hell happened in New Orleans so I can get back to what matters."
"And this doesn't matter?" I shook my head. "Vampires are dead, the Queen of Louisiana is missing, and you're worried about whatever other crap you think is more important than this?"
"Elizabeth." Godric shook his head at me. "Enough."
"Do you honestly not care that there have been two bombings in the past month? Godric is the only survivor; maybe you should stop acting like a complete bitch and figure out what the hell is going on." My hands curled into fists at my sides. I couldn't help the swell of anger inside of me. I didn't like Nan one bit. She didn't care at all about her own kind, not like she preached about on television. She cared about herself, and her precious Authority, but that was it.
"If this hadn't of happened in the first place..."
"What, do you think Godric went to New Orleans thinking 'oh hey, I hope someone sets off a bomb to kill everyone'?" I rolled my eyes at how ridiculous that sounded.
"Yes." Nan didn't even blink as she said this.
"Are you shitting me?" my mouth dropped open. "You think Godric did all of this?"
"He's the only survivor from a bomb that killed everyone." Nan's gaze fell on the ancient vampire. "For all we know, he could have been behind it."
"Oh that is just..."
"Elizabeth." Godric shot me a warning look. "That's enough."
"But Godric, she thinks that you..." I tried to reason with him.
"Enough." He pleaded softly, his expression softening. "She has a right to accuse me of such."
"But it's not true." I shook my head.
"You're right, it's not. But it's also highly impossible that I am the only survivor. She has to take into consideration every possible angle." He explained.
"This is complete bullshit." I scowled. "You wouldn't do anything like that. Instead of pointing fingers at you, they should be doing something about this!"
"They cannot until I tell them what occurred."
I huffed, crossing my arms in annoyance. Nan shouldn't even be here. She didn't want to be. She didn't care at all except to point fingers at the wrong person.
"Come." Eric whispered to me, tugging me away from Nan and Godric and over to where his throne sat on the stage. "You need to calm down, Ellie."
"She's a friggin bitch." I muttered to him, knowing she could hear every word I spoke.
"You're telling me." he chuckled softly, rubbing my back soothingly.
I snuck a glance back over to where Nan and Godric stood, and she looked like she could have ripped my head off. Godric sent Eric and me a nod as Eric brought me down onto his lap as he sat on his throne. I should have fought my way off of him, but I didn't have the strength to do so. So I just sat there, my arms still crossed, and listened closely as Godric told the story of his escape.
"The threats Sophie-Anne had received in the past were minimal and barely even believable. But she has been in a weakened state since her child had met the true death, and she wasn't in the right frame of mind. I believe that was the reason for the threats to grow in strength, for the Queen to grow worried and eventually summon me." Godric explained, his hands clasped behind his back. "I was just as worried as she was when I looked over the threats she had received. Some were discarded, but there was enough concern that we thought it would be best to move Sophie-Anne to a safer location, one where no one else knew of for her own safety."
"Where is she now?" Nan tapped her foot impatiently.
Godric held up a hand however, halting her questions. "Please allow me to continue, Ms. Flanagan."
She rolled her ice cold eyes but didn't stop Godric from doing so.
"The night of the bombing, there were very few of her court left. Many had thought she had become weak over the last few months. She had always been well respected by those in her court. She may have been...eclectic, but she was a feared ruler when she desired to be. However, after Andre's passing, she immersed herself in silly matters and lost the faith of many. Only those closest to her had remained, including her two other progenies and her guards."
"Hurry this up, I don't have all night." Nan waved her hand for Godric to continue.
"We received a threat that night, one that I was concerned about. It was detailed. Whoever had been sending these threats, they knew exactly who was in the vicinity, including me. I knew we didn't have much time, and I sent Sophie-Anne with her children away..."
"Where?" Nan interrupted him.
"I do not know. It was safer for no one to know, in case there was a traitor in the palace. I'm sure you can understand the risk factor." Godric didn't look pleased at all that Nan continued to interrupt his recollection of events.
"Of course." She muttered. "Continue."
"I called Elizabeth then. I knew something would happen that night, and I needed to ensure her safety in case something should happen to me." Godric's gaze met mine for a moment, and I felt tears spring to my eyes as I remembered the conversation I had desperately hoped hadn't been our last. "Afterwards, I went immediately to the underground tunnel Elizabeth had informed me of, offering sanctuary to all those that I could. Unfortunately, I had been too late."
Eric's arm tightened around my waist as Godric paused for a moment, his head bowing.
"Many more died that night than I had hoped. I was able to save only a few, and I'm sorry to say, they did not make it out of the tunnel alive. Many met the true death, and I'm truly sorry for that."
"It wasn't your fault, Godric." I whispered to him.
Godric must have heard, because he raised his head up, sending me a sad smile. "I was in the tunnel at the time of the bombing. Part of the tunnel had caved in, and the few that had escaped, as well as myself, were trapped there."
"Were there any other survivors?" Nan demanded to know.
"No. They had either died instantly, meeting the true death, or they had bled out. I nearly had myself. I was trapped beneath the wreckage for what felt like weeks. I wasn't aware of time, so you can forgive me when I say I'm not sure how long I was indeed down there. I was injured greatly, and would have found death myself if I hadn't been able to find a way out."
I felt a tear slip down my cheek as he spoke about being trapped. It broke my heart to know that he had been in so much pain and I hadn't been there to help him.
"Once I had escaped, my first thought should have been to find a way home, to contact those that I cared about the most." Godric directed this at Eric and I. "I'm sorry I allowed for the two of you to worry for as long as you did. It was never my intent. I was just...I was in pain, I needed blood to heal."
"It's okay Godric." I offered him a smile. "You had to do whatever you needed to to survive. Don't apologize for that."
"I fear I hurt many in the process." He sighed.
"You killed the humans found in New Orleans." Nan accused, a look of disgust on her face. "True blood was invented for a reason, Godric. You of all people know the importance of..."
"He was injured beyond belief." I snapped at her angrily. "True Blood wouldn't have healed him properly. Not even Human blood did. It wasn't until he had my blood that he healed completely."
"That does not change what I've done, unfortunately." Godric gazed up guiltily. "I do feel remorse over the actions I took. I was not myself, but that is no excuse."
"I'll have to take this to the Authority." Nan looked down at her watch. "Is there anything else?"
"Do you know who did it, Godric?" I ignored Nan's question. "Do you know who was behind the bombing?"
"I do. Or at least, I have my beliefs." Godric nodded.
"Pam said it was another vampire that walked into the palace with a bomb. Was it?" I wondered with wide eyes.
"It was, I regretfully have to say."
Nan raised an eyebrow, but looked indifferent for the most part.
"Another vampire killing vampires. But why? What was the purpose? Who would do such a thing?" I was confused. Why would another vampire want to kill a palace full of their own kind, especially now when vampires needed to band together?
"Power." Godric explained. "Louisiana is a wealthy state, one of the wealthiest. Vampires and humans flock here, for obvious reasons. With Sophie-Anne in her weakened state, it was the perfect opportunity to attack."
"What do you mean?" Eric questioned with a frown. "Are you saying that..."
"Russell wanted to merge his alliances with Louisiana for power, but he was not the only one."
"That's why they attacked Jackson, isn't it?" I was beginning to understand now. "They weren't sure if they killed Sophie-Anne, so they tried the next best thing. They must have figured if they didn't take her out in New Orleans, then she would be in Jackson."
"Exactly." Godric nodded in agreement. "I believe it was their plan all along for me to be in New Orleans when I was."
"But why?" I tilted my head in confusion. "What would they have gained if they killed you?"
"He's the oldest vampire in the new world, who happened to be residing in Louisiana." Eric explained, his hold tightening around me as his anger grew. "I was no longer here; I was no longer a threat to anyone who wished to take over Louisiana and Mississippi."
My head was swimming. "So you think whoever is behind this, they're trying to invade Louisiana?"
"That's exactly what I think." Godric crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze resting on Nan.
I stared at her as well, and I was surprised to find that she looked more bored than anything. Didn't she care that there were plans of invasions and dead vampires on her hand?
"Aren't you going to do anything?" I hissed at her.
"What do you expect me to do?" Nan sighed heavily, as if she wished she was anywhere but here. "This is all just speculation. There's no proof."
"So? Vampires are killing vampires. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"As long as it doesn't involve humans." she shrugged. "And honestly, with how this shithole is being run, maybe you could use some better leadership."
"Unbelievable!" I pushed Eric's arm away and jumped off of his lap. "You're going to do nothing! Vampires have died because you don't give a crap!"
"Look, there's much more pressing matters at hand that doesn't include this." She glared darkly in my direction. "Sheriffs are going missing in both Louisiana and Mississippi, your own Queen is nowhere to be found. I don't want to touch this mess, and neither does the Authority. So you figure it out. You clean it up."
"What?" Eric stood up beside me, his hands clenched at his sides. "That's it? That's all you're going to do? Tell us to deal with it?"
"Yes. As long as there's no dead humans, I don't have a care in the world what you do. Keep it out of the public eye. Or else." She stared each and every one of us down for a long moment before shaking her head and waving at her guards. "I have other places to be."
"This is..." I began.
"Elizabeth." Godric shook his head as he stepped out of Nan's path as she briskly walked towards the door.
My shoulders slumped forward in defeat as I glared at the back of her head, wondering what would happen if I caused her to burst into flames. Eric must have known the thoughts that were going through my head and laid a hand on my shoulder. I let out a noise of frustration as I shoved his hand away, pissed off that nothing was being done. My home was being ruined, invaded and the only people that were supposed to care, didn't.
"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" I kicked at the leg of the chair beside Eric's throne. "Just sit here and let whoever it is take over Louisiana?"
"Yes." Godric surprised me by saying.
"What?" Eric and I gasped in unison.
"You cannot be serious, Godric." Eric growled.
"We have no proof, just as she said." Godric sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Until we know for sure who we're up against, there is nothing we can do."
"We're sitting ducks by not doing anything!" I threw my arms up into the air.
"It's all we can do for now."
"This is fucked up." I growled, stomping passed Eric and down off of the stage. Godric reached out to me, but I just brushed passed him and into the back hallway, storming my way into Eric's office and slamming the door shut. This was unbelievable. How could we just sit here and watch as this happened?
"Have you calmed down yet?" Eric asked with a smirk plastered across his face as he walked into his office nearly a half an hour later.
"Fuck off, Eric." I grumbled as I sat on the couch, my arms folded over my chest.
He snickered as he waltzed over and settled beside me on the couch. I let out a loud audible sigh as I glared down at the floor. This was frustrating. How could we all just sit around and wait for these people to invade our state? I felt like I was in the middle ages, waiting for an attack on our land. In a way, I suppose that was exactly it. Just with a few more skyscrapers and better technologies. I couldn't just let this happen though. They had almost killed Godric. I was thankful that Godric was still alive, but so many others hadn't found the same fate. Now there were missing sheriffs, and I knew we could attribute those disappearances to the same people behind the bombings. Who that was, I wasn't sure, but I knew we had to stop them before this went too far, before my home was destroyed and the people I loved so dearly were taken away from me.
"Relax." Eric reached a hand up and brushed the hair off of my shoulder. My eyes closed as the backs of his fingers caressed the curve of my neck in a soothing manner. I hated that I found myself enjoying his touch.
"What if..."
"Don't." He hushed me, growing closer as his breath fell on my neck. "Don't speak, Ellie."
My breath got caught in my throat as his lips brushed across my neck. They trailed up to my earlobe, nipping at it gently, before ascending towards my jaw and stopping just over my lips. Eric stared me dead in the eyes as his fangs extended, grazing lightly over my bottom lip. I jumped when one of his fangs sliced open my lip, the wound no bigger than a paper cut, and began sucking out what blood he could. I couldn't help the moan that passed through my lips at the erotic assault. His hands began roaming everywhere, and I didn't even think to stop him. One hand fell down to my lap, massaging my thighs, while the other slid under my shirt. I knew this was wrong. This was incredibly wrong. Eric was leaving soon, too soon. I couldn't let him enter my heart again, only for him to rip it back out when he left. I needed to close myself off to him before I got hurt again.
But it was just so damn hard.
Especially as his ice cold fingers gently tugged on one of my nipples. I moaned loudly as the pleasurable sensation rocked through my body, his other hand cupping my hot core. I squirmed beneath his touch, his lips now attacking my own greedily. We hadn't had sex since before he had left, and I couldn't deny that I wanted this. I wanted him in every possible way. But he had hurt me. He had ripped my heart out, and he was going to do so again. This had to stop.
"Eric..." I laid my hands on his chest. But instead of stopping him, it only seemed to encourage him as he fumbled with the top of my jeans. "Eric we can't do this."
"Shh." He coaxed, nipping at my earlobe again, knowing that it drove me absolutely wild. "You want this, I know you do."
"No..." I shook my head, though I didn't sound very convincing.
"You're saying one thing, but your body is saying another." His fangs glided over my neck and I shuddered.
It was so hard to push him away. And I couldn't at first. The way he touched me, the way he made me feel, I just didn't want it to stop. But it had to. I couldn't let myself go through this again. So using the strength that I knew resided inside of me, I used my telekinesis to throw Eric off of me and across the room. I was breathing heavily as I stayed on the couch, just watching the panting Eric as he flashed back onto his feet. He looked like he wanted to join be back on the couch, but after a moment, he snarled and stayed put. We just stared at one another for the longest time, both coming down from the highs we had suddenly been thrust into. I ran a hand trough my long hair, calming myself down before I stood.
"Can I ask you something, Eric?" I chewed on my bottom lip.
"What?" he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Why'd you glamour me?" I watched as he leaned against his office desk, a frown settled on his lips as I asked the question.
"I don't want to talk about this."
"Don't you think I deserve an answer? After everything you've done to me, I deserve at least that." I crossed my arms as I stood before him, determined to figure out this mystery. "Why did you do it that night? What didn't you want me to remember?"
Eric sighed as he ran a hand through his slicked back hair. "I really do not want to discuss this right now, Ellie."
"Well I do!" I stomped my foot in frustration. "Just answer me, Eric. Why'd you do it?"
He glared at the wall over my shoulder, refusing to meet my glaring gaze. I tried stepping into the path of his stare, only for him to look back away. He was acting like a child, and I wasn't behaving much better. But I didn't care. I wanted some answers. It was the least he could do after all the pain he forced me to suffer through.
"Please, Eric. I just want to know." I pleaded. "Why did you glamour me? What didn't you want me to remember? What was it? Eric?"
"I didn't want you to know that I loved you." He snapped finally, his glare resting on me. "Are you happy now?"
I was speechless. I think I always knew that he loved me. He couldn't have just lost the love he had for me, not just like that. But another part of me, the part of me that I was beginning to realize could have been fake all along since that night, thought that he truly didn't love me, that he never would return the same feelings that I had for him. And that just wasn't true. He loved me. He was admitting that to my face. But then why did he glamour me? Why didn't he want me to know that he still cared?
"It would be easier for you to hate me." he looked back away, shaking his head as he straightened and walked behind his desk. A long sigh emitted from his lips as he sat in his chair, a look of exhaustion overcoming his features. "I thought it would be easier to know that you hated me, that you detested everything about me."
"No matter how many times you may try to glamour me, that would never be true." I whispered, looking down at my feet. And it was true. I may say that I hate him, but it wasn't really true. I loved Eric, and that would always be so. Nothing would ever change that. Not even if he glamoured me to believe he didn't love me. Not even if he left me a thousand times over. Because when you're meant for someone, when you're their other half, you love them no matter what they do. Even if they crush your heart over and over again. "I'll always love you."
"You shouldn't." His hands gripped the tops of his knees tightly as his glare nearly burned a hole right through his desk. "You should hate me."
"How can I possibly hate you, Eric?" I stepped closer to the desk. "I love you and I always will."
"I tried not to. I tried not to love you." He admitted, raising his gaze to meet mine. There was a pain in those blue orbs that broke my heart. "I so wanted to forget about you, to not feel the loss of leaving you behind."
"And did it work?" I asked hesitantly, not sure if I wanted to hear the answer.
"I wish it did." He sighed, hanging his head. "But it pained me every single day to be a part from you."
"Then why are you leaving again, Eric? Why are you so determined not to be with me?" I just didn't understand it. If he loved me, then why couldn't we be together?
"Because the pain of losing you so tragically, of watching you die in my arms, it's much greater than the pain of not having you at all."
Tears were stinging my eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, Eric."
"You said that the last time." His knuckles whitened as he clenched his teeth together. "You promised me you would live. It was supposed to be me. I was supposed to be the one to die, not you."
"But I didn't die, Eric. I'm here. I'm right here." I sighed, wishing I could just shake the vampire to make him understand I wasn't going anywhere.
"But you didn't want to be!" he suddenly leapt right out of his seat, his gaze intensifying. "You didn't want to be here with me."
"That's not true." I shook my head. "I always wanted to be with you. I was just confused. I was tired of all the pain and sacrifice. I was never tired of you Eric, you were never the issue. Hell, you were the whole reason I came back."
"No." He shook his head as he gripped the edge of the desk. "You came back because you had no other choice."
"How many times do we have to go over this, Eric!" I threw my arms up in the air. "I came back for you. I loved you too much to possibly leave you behind. I love you Eric. I love you I love you I love you!"
"Get out." He growled.
"Eric, will you just..."
"I said get out!" He roared, shooting me the darkest look that a surge of fear shot through me.
I took a step back as a tear slid down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly as I shook my head. "We could be together, Eric. We could be happy if you just let us be."
"I don't want you. I don't want this. I don't want to love you; I don't want any of this. Now get out!" He pointed at the door, his fangs extending. "Get the hell out and don't come back."
"What does it matter?" Another tear escaped, but I didn't bother to wipe it away. "You're leaving anyways."
"That's right, I am leaving. And this time, I'm not coming back."