Chapter Twenty Three: Some Mistakes
"Quinn, get the fuck up." I scrambled to get my clothes on as I heard Godric shout my name one last time from the floor below us. "You have to get up and get dressed like right now."
"What's the hurry babe, come back to bed." He mumbled, reaching out and grabbing my wrist, tugging me back down onto the bed as I was tugging on my pants.
"So not the time right now Quinn." I nudged him. "Godric is...oh god, Godric is..." I lowered my voice, hoping the vampire couldn't hear me. "He's coming up the stairs, you need to get dressed."
As if mentioning Godric's name was the key, Quinn was up and out of my bed in no time. He cursed under his breath, but dressed quicker than I thought humanly possible. it just wasn't quick enough however, as while Quinn was pulling on his jeans, covering that very gorgeous boxer covered ass of his, a knock sounded at my door. I silently begged for Quinn to be silent as I walked over to the door and slowly opened it, sticking my head out into the hallway.
"Are you alright?" Godric frowned as he took in my appearance, at least, what he could see of it.
"I'm fine, I just fell asleep." I assured him, lying through my teeth and hoping Godric wouldn't realize it. Though we did have a blood bond, and he had always been able to tell when I had been lying in the past. I mentally cursed myself for allowing my drunken self to get me into this mess. "I'm just getting dressed."
"Where's Quinn?" Godric tilted his head to the side as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"He's in the bathroom." I quickly lied. "He came up to tell me he was leaving and I ordered him in there so I could get changed. I'll just be a minute, unless you wanted to come in, but that might be, well you know, awkward and all."
"Of course, take all the time you need." Godric nodded, taking a step back, but remained in the hallway right outside my door.
I flashed him a fake smile before closing the door and leaning against it. I sent Quinn a distressed look and he offered a warm one in return. He handed me my brush as he pressed out the winkles in his shirt, both of us trying to look as presentable as possible.
I couldn't believe what we had done. I couldn't remember all that had happened tonight. It all came in little snippets. All I knew was that I had been at Merlotte's, drunk of course, and Quinn had brought me back here. Everything after that was a bit hazy, and I kicked myself for getting so drunk I pretty much had just blacked out. But as they always said, you generally blacked out whatever you don't want to remember. And I knew it was true in this case. Because waking up naked beside the man who was acting like my bodyguard, who was also naked, yeah, definitely not something I wanted to remember anytime soon. I mean, my legs shook as I walked, and while I had one hell of a hangover, I had a feeling it wasn't entirely from how much alcohol I had consumed. And I was pretty certain having sex with Quinn was a fantastic thing to do, but hello, there was a war on our hands and I was still friggin in love with Eric.
This had been a bad night.
A very very bad night.
"Are you almost through?" Godric's voice came wafting through the door.
"One minute." I called back before pushing Quinn into my adjoined bathroom and closed the door behind us. I turned the taps on at the sink, hoping the sound of water would drown out my whispers.
"What happened tonight?" I demanded to know.
"I have no idea." He shrugged.
"Quinn!"
"Honestly babe, all I remember is you convincing me to drink with you. That's all." He replied honestly, looking just as stumped as I was.
"Well then maybe we didn't..."
"Sorry to say, but I think all the evidence points to that we did." He looked just as embarrassed as I felt. "Which is my fault, I shouldn't have let things go as far as they did."
"I can be very persuasive." I shrugged with a sigh. "I just wish I remembered, you know?"
"You and me both." He pulled me into an embrace, and I hated myself for melting against his warm body. "We'll chalk it up to us being intoxicated...hm, I'm pretty sure you said that."
"Sounds like something I'd say." I snorted before pulling away from the shifter. "This doesn't change anything, does it?"
"I'm still your bodyguard, don't worry." He ruffled my hair. "You're in love with Northman, I'm not about to start fighting for your heart when we both know I don't have a chance in hell of winning."
"Sadly you're right about that." I pouted. "I wish it wasn't true. I'm pretty sure you were amazing tonight."
"Oh I'm sure I was." He winked before nudging me out of the room, turning off the water as we left. "Come on, I need to get going."
"Will you be okay to drive?" I asked in a whisper as we began towards my bedroom door.
"It's all flushed out of the system now. No hangover at all. The perks of being a shifter."
"Lucky you, I feel like crap." My nose scrunched up before I shook my arms out, a smile being plastered across my face. I pulled open the door and flashed Godric my smile. "Sorry."
"It's fine." Godric nodded, his gaze moving between Quinn and I. I could have sworn his eyes narrowed just the slightest, but other than that, he didn't look any different, he didn't look like he knew what had happened. "I can take it from here, Quinn. Thank you for looking after her today."
"Of course, it was fun." Quinn shot me a smile before passing between Godric and I. "Call me later babe."
I nodded and went to follow after him, only for Godric to step into my path. "I'm just going to walk him out, Godric."
"He knows where the door is." His voice sounded colder than it had only seconds ago.
I frowned and raised an eyebrow, but waved at Quinn over Godric's shoulder as he slipped from the house. I sighed and looked back up at Godric, my face paling as I realized the anger flashing in his blue green orbs.
"Godric?" I questioned in a soft voice. "Is everything okay?"
"What were you thinking?" Godric demanded, a slight growl to his voice.
"I don't know what you're..."
"Don't play dumb with me, Elizabeth." His eyes narrowed completely this time. "From the stench on your breath, I can tell that you've been drinking again."
"Okay, so I got a little drunk. I'm paying for it, believe me." I rubbed my temples as my head began pounding even louder. "So if you could hold off on the yelling..."
"Alcohol isn't the only thing I can smell all over you." He announced in disgust. I had never seen Godric this riled up before. I had seen him angry, I had seen him acting like an over protective father, but this side of him, I've never witnessed it before.
And I wasn't so sure I wanted to in the future.
"Godric?" I chewed on my bottom lip as I fidgeted with my hands.
"How could you?" his voice lowered. "Don't you realize that Eric can feel every single thing that you do?"
"I'm not sure I follow." My eyebrows furrowed together.
"Having sex with Quinn will not change the fact that you love him." Godric snapped, the muscles in his arms tensing.
My eyes grew wide. "h-how did you know?"
"You were getting dressed, were you? How exactly were you planning on changing when your bag still resides in my room?"
"Oh..." I mentally slapped myself for being such an idiot. I hadn't thought of that at all.
"Do you not think I can smell it all over you? You reek of that shifter. You reek of sex." Godric shook his head, disappointment replacing the anger in his orbs. "This is not the Elizabeth I know and cherish. She would not have hurt Eric in this way."
"Excuse me?" I gritted my teeth together. "But Eric left me, remember? He left me and I'm moving on."
"Except you were crying in my arms last night because you were still in love with him." he reminded me.
"Thank you for throwing that fact into my face." I grumbled, brushing past him and began down the hallway, stepping in front of his closed bedroom door. "I'd like to get my bag out."
"And I'd like to know why you thought it would be a good idea to get drunk, idiotically, and have sex with another man."
"First off, you don't get to be angry, Godric. This is my life, and Eric left me. He left me in pieces and I'm trying to put myself together." I rounded on him as he strolled towards me. "And secondly, I can sleep with whoever the hell I want, even if it does end up being one big ass mistake."
"Elizabeth..."
"I got drunk and I slept with someone I shouldn't have. I get it. I'm an idiot; I'm the worst person in the world." The anger was rippling through me at such a rate that I was beginning to feel the tingling warmth at the tips of my fingers. I tried to calm myself down, not wanting to use my powers on Godric and accidentally hurt him. I knew he was just trying to play the peace keeper. He was just trying to be the referee between Eric's and my failed relationship. But I've had just about enough of everything lately. I didn't need to be lectured. I knew just how stupid of an idea it was, I didn't need any reminders. "Eric left me, Godric. He left me, remember."
"He still loves you, Elizabeth. He loves you in his own little way." Godric sighed.
"But he still left." I shook my head. "And yes, I love him; no man will ever fill his shoes. And I like Quinn, probably more than I should, but I never meant to sleep with him. It was a mistake, Godric. So please, don't talk to me like I'm your daughter. I'm nearly twenty five. I can make some mistakes once in awhile."
I waited patiently, my arms crossed over my chest, as Godric slowly pressed in the number code to open his bedroom door. Once he had, I pushed passed him and into the room, collecting my things and storming back out and down the hallway into my own room. Godric didn't follow at first, giving me a moment to calm down. I sighed as I sat down on my bed, holding my pounding head in my hands. The only relief I found was that I didn't want to puke my entire stomach out into the toilet.
"I'm certain that he felt it." Godric commented as he leaned against the doorway.
"How? Our bond is closed." I let my hands fall to my lap as I looked up at him.
"It's open just enough for him to know that you're safe." Godric informed, taking a step into the room.
"And how do you know this?" I frowned.
"Eric and I..." Godric hesitated for a moment before continuing. "We speak regularly."
"Well good for you." I mumbled, shaking my head and falling onto the bed. "Glad he has no problem talking with you."
"He's scared, Elizabeth. He's scared but he still loves you. He still wants to know that you're safe, that you're happy."
"So why should it matter if I'm with someone else?" I stared up at the ceiling. "It was a mistake but...but even if it wasn't, it shouldn't matter to him. He left me, he lost the right to care who I'm with."
"You and I both know that is not how Eric works." Godric chuckled softly as he joined me on the bed, lying beside me and offering his arm out to me. I sighed as I curled up beside him, resting my head on his chest. It was amazing the difference between a vampire and a shifter. Godric was as cold as ice, and Quinn was just so warm. But I wouldn't trade Godric for the world, even if we do bicker like mad sometimes.
"You really think he knows then?" I wondered, not sure how I felt about that. On one hand, it felt nice to stick it to him. Maybe now he could realize just how damaging his leaving was on me. I mean, I got drunk and slept with some other man, that was the furthest from how I usually acted. But on the other hand, I did feel guilty. Eric had left, and he had been cruel and a complete ass, but I still loved him, and I knew in his own way, he loved me. He was just a coward and too scared to just let himself love me in the way that I knew he could.
"I do." Godric nodded, wrapping his arm around my waist. "But you are right; he has no right to complain. He left you; he broke you as you tend to say. I've told him this a thousand times."
"Do you think he'll ever come back?" I asked curiously.
"Honestly, I'm not sure, my dear one." Godric sighed. "I wish he does, as I know you and him are meant for one another. But I cannot say for certain."
"I don't know if I want him to or not." I admitted. "Part of me knows that nothing will ever be the same. We can't just go back to how we were before, and I don't want to. He really hurt me and I'll never forget that. But another part of me, the part that loves him, I guess I kind of hope he comes back too."
"There's no shame in that." he assured before growing silent. Worried, I glanced up at Godric and nearly burst out laughing when I caught sight of the look on his face.
"What?" I stifled a fit of giggles. "What's wrong?"
"I've just realized that..." I was certain that if he was a vampire right now, he would be blushing. "You and Quinn slept together."
"Yeah, we've already gone over this, Godric." I rolled my eyes. "I'm sorry, I made a mistake."
"It's not that." he squirmed, something so unlike him to do until suddenly he was off of the bed, leaving me lying there in confusion. "You and Quinn slept together."
"And..."
"On that bed. The very same bed I was just on." He shuddered.
I couldn't help myself as I started laughing, tears being brought to my eyes. Godric didn't look amused though, and just stood there with pursed lips and his arms crossed over his chest.
"Are you finished?" he raised an eyebrow at me after I had calmed down, wiping away the tears as I climbed off the bed and grinned at him.
"Sometimes you act the age you look." I teased him.
"I would rather not be lying on a bed where you've just..." a look of disgust crossed his face.
"Where I've just had wild passionate sex?" I smirked at the vampire. "Well not that I remember any of it, but I'm pretty sure it was."
"I don't need to be hearing this." He groaned, raising his hands and covering his ears. "Can we take this into another room?"
I snorted but nodded, leading the way out of the room that I think had now just scarred Godric for life.
"There you are!" I jumped off of the bar stool as I dived myself at Sookie the moment she came waltzing through the back door of Merlotte's, Sam at her side.
"Well hello to you too." She chuckled.
"Where have you been! I've been waiting ages for you." I grabbed her by the arm and began tugging her in the same direction that she had come.
"Ah, you do know I work right now, right?" she raised an eyebrow at me.
"More important matters here!" I glanced over my shoulder at Quinn who was smirking widely at me. "We'll be in Sam's trailer with the door locked, we'll shout if anyone tries to kill us."
"Sounds good, babe." He winked in my direction before starting a hushed conversation with Sam who looked just as confused as Sookie was.
I snorted as I continued to drag Sookie out of the bar that only had one or two early customers before the lunch rush came in. the moment I had woken up that morning, I knew I had to talk to Sookie. You don't just get drunk and sleep with someone who wasn't the man that you loved without needing to talk to your best friend. So I had called Quinn up right away, just about threatened him to come pick me up, and we were here not even an hour later. Of course, we had to wait for Merlotte's to open, and even then Terry and Arlene had opened the bar, Sam and Sookie taking far too long in the trailer for my liking.
"So what's this about?" we left the back of Merlotte's and crossed the employee parking lot until we reached Sam's cozy little trailer. Sookie unlocked the door and ushered me inside before double locking it behind us, peering out through the curtains before motioning me to sit down on the couch. I did so nervously, my knees bouncing up and down as I fidgeted with my hands. I'm not sure why I was acting like this. I just needed to talk to Sookie. I knew what had happened last night had been a mistake, but I think I just needed to hear Sookie agree with me.
"Well?" she stood before me, her hands planted firmly on her hips.
"I slept with Quinn." I blurted out without a second thought.
Sookie gasped, her eyes growing wide as she quickly sat down beside me, asking me a million questions all at once. I held up my hand to stop her as my heart pounded in my chest.
"We were drunk. Well I was really drunk, but he was a bit drunk too." I explained, chewing on my nails nervously.
"You and Quinn slept together while you were drunk?" Sookie repeated.
I nodded. "It was so stupid, and I'm pretty sure I don't even remember most of it, just little snippets."
"So you don't know for sure if you did?"
"Believe me Sookie, there was proof." I sighed, leaning back on the couch, covering my face with my hands. "I can't believe I slept with Quinn, Sookie, and while I was piss drunk!"
"Well...was he at least good in bed?"
I dropped my hands into my lap at looked at her incredulously. "Seriously, Sookie? I sleep with someone who isn't Eric, and that's what you say?"
"What?" she shrugged, a smirk crossing her face. "Just because he isn't a vampire, doesn't mean he can't be great in bed. You'd be surprised at the stamina a shifter can have. I mean Sam..."
"Stop!" I nearly shouted, a horrified look on my face. "Just stop right there, I don't need the images."
She snickered. "I'm just saying..."
"Stop saying. Start telling me that I'm an idiot, that's what I need to hear right now."
"But I mean, if he was great in bed, why complain?" she shrugged, her smirk growing.
"Seriously Sook, you really suck right now." I groaned.
"Alright, I'm sorry." She tried to control her laughter. "Let me try again. Ellie, you're an idiot. Getting drunk and having sex with a rather good looking man is just a horrible thing to do. You should be hung. Or shot. But definitely killed."
"Ouch, Sook, brutal much?" I raised an eyebrow, but couldn't help the laugh that emitted from my lips as I began to relax.
"Sorry." She chuckled. "But seriously Ellie, don't beat yourself up over it."
"How can me not! I slept with Quinn, Sookie, Quinn of all people! I don't even know him! I mean, he knows everything there is to know about me and I know nothing of him! Actually, when you think about it, it's kind of creepy. He could be an axe murderer." I pointed out as I rambled on and on. "I mean, obviously he's not because I trust him with my life, but the point is still made!"
"And what point would that be?" Sookie raised an eyebrow.
"Keep up, Sookie! I don't know him! And even if I did know him, I just shouldn't have slept with him. I mean, what about Eric..."
"You mean the vampire who left you for no reason?" she reminded me. "You shouldn't be worrying about him, even if you do love him."
"But I...wait, how do you know that I still love him?" I frowned in confusion.
"I didn't know for sure, but thanks for confirming it." she patted my shoulder with a warm smile. "You might have told us all that you were fine these last few weeks, but we're not blind, Ellie. We all knew you still loved him. You were just so determined to forget him that we humoured you."
"Oh well thanks a whole lot for that." I rolled my eyes. "How can I still love him, Sookie? Look at all he's done!"
"You are a bit insane, to be honest. But sometimes, you have to be insane to fall in love." Sookie shrugged. "Love is an insane thing."
"You and Sam are perfectly normal."
"I'm part fae and he's a shifter." Sookie snorted. "We're the opposite of normal."
"You know what I mean." I shot her a look. "I just want what you have."
"And you will one day." She assured me, squeezing my hand gently. "And sadly, I have a feeling it will be with Eric."
"How can you say that? You were all hating on him before."
"And I will probably forever hate him. But you love him, it's so obvious. And it's pretty damn obvious that he loves you too. He's just too afraid to show it."
"And that's the problem." I sighed. "He doesn't show it. Instead, he runs off and declares I'll never see him again."
"You and I both know that won't be true." Sookie smiled knowingly. "He'll come back for you one day, I just know it."
"But how do you know?" I questioned, looking for the answers I was seeking.
"Because no matter how scared you might be, you can never stop loving your soul mate. You'll continuously be drawn to one another for the rest of your long lives. It might not happen tomorrow, or even a year from now. But one day, he will come back for you, and you will have your fairy tale ending. You can believe me, I'm a telepath."
"You can't see the future; you can only read people's thoughts." I snorted.
"Close enough."
"Leaving already?" Sookie questioned as she glanced at Quinn and I as we stood from the bar, thankfully neither of us intoxicated in any shape or form.
"Yeah, if I'm too late, Godric will assume Quinn and I are having more sex." I winked up at the shifter beside me, who was smirking widely. I was glad that we had both overcome what happened last night. Things hadn't seemed awkward at all between today, and I was overjoyed. Because I did foresee Quinn becoming a close friend of mine, he already pretty much was. I didn't want one little, okay, very big, mistake to come between us. But he was absolutely perfect, as usual, and didn't hold last night over me. We just shrugged it off and went on with our lives, cracking jokes about it here and there, making light of the whole situation.
"Remember what I told you earlier." Sookie winked before hurrying to clean off her last few tables before she was done for the night.
"I'll talk with you later Sook." I waved at her as I slipped on my jacket and followed Quinn out of the bar. "Bye Sam!"
The shifter waved as we left the bar, the night not as chilly as I had been expecting it to be. I was thankful that the weather was starting to get warmer as we moved closer and closer to spring. I would be happy when I could just throw on a pair of shorts and sunbathe outside.
Of course, just as soon as this whole war thing was over and done with.
"Elizabeth."
I was startled to find Godric waiting for us in the middle of the parking lot. I raised an eyebrow, glancing up at Quinn before we began over to the vampire.
"We were just on our way home, Godric. I promise we weren't having sex." I held my hands up in defence.
There was no hint of amusement on his face however, only worry. And that concerned me. what possible could have happened now?
"Godric?" I frowned. "What's wrong?"
"We need to go."
"We need to go where?" I questioned. "What's going on? Did something happen."
"I've received a phone call this evening when I rose." He sighed, running a hand down his already exhausted face.
"What kind of phone call?" my heart skipped a beat. I could just tell that something was going on. It was written all over Godric's face. This war had just begun; I knew everything wouldn't be all unicorns and rainbows. But I hadn't been expecting bad news so soon. "Godric, what is it?"
"We've been summoned."
"By who?" I was confused now.
"The Queen. Sophie-Anne has summoned us." Godric explained, taking a step forward. "We must leave immediately, Elizabeth."
"Okay, well then let's go." I nodded, beginning to walk over to Quinn's car. I stopped when I realized neither Quinn nor Godric were following me. I sighed as I turned, only to find Godric directly behind me, causing me to yelp in surprise. I was even more surprised however, when suddenly Godric lifted me right up into his arms before taking off into the night sky.