Chapter Thirty One: Warm Safe Place

I furiously tried wiping all of the blood from my face. Chow's blood. I shuddered, tears threatening to spill down my blood stained cheeks as I splashed water on my face, just about rubbing my skin raw. My heart was racing, and I couldn't breathe properly. I just kept seeing Chow's body explode into nothing but vampire goo and it was horrifying. It was a sight I would never forget. It was a sight I had hoped to never see. I had seen vampires die of course, but this was just hitting too close to home. That could have been anyone. That could have been Pam or Eric or Godric. And that scared me. Victor was crazy, he was insane. He didn't care who he killed to get his way. That was more obvious now than ever.

"Oh god." the words escaped my lips, a whimper following suit as I stared at myself in the mirror. My dress and leather jacket were ruined, blood staining me all over. No matter how hard I tried to rid myself of Chow's blood, it was just impossible. And that only caused the tears to fall. I just wanted to rip my clothes off and take one long shower, to wash away the memories that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

"My god, what the hell happened to you?" A familiar voice sounded from the doorway.

I swallowed hard as I slowly turned towards Pam. Her eyes were wide as she stared at me in shock, her gaze roaming all over my blood ridden body.

"Whose blood is that?" She questioned, her gaze finally resting on mine.

I opened my mouth to speak, but just nothing came out. I turned back away from her, doing what I could to get the blood from my hair. But it was drying faster than I could wash it out and I was getting frustrated. My hands were shaking, and soon my arms, and then the rest of my body. Another whimper escaped my lips as I stopped rubbing at my skin to grasp onto the edge of the skin tightly, trying to calm myself down. But I couldn't be calm. How the hell could I be calm after what I had witnessed?

"Whose blood is all over you?" She demanded to know, flashing beside me and grabbing me by the shoulders to turn me towards her. Her eyes were narrowed as she leaned forward and sniffed my hair. Her eyes grew wide once more as she took a surprised step back. "Chow?"

All I could do was nod as I began rubbing away the blood again. Pam stopped me however, grabbing onto my wrists and holding me in place.

"What the hell happened?" her orbs searched mine.

"He...he..." I was stumbling over my words.

"Use your damn words." She hissed. "What the hell happened?"

"Victor...he..." the tears were growing harder.

Pam didn't need to hear any more, putting two and two together as she turned off the water in the sink and began tugging me out of the bathroom and into the back hallway.

"Leave through the back, you'll scare off what little customers we have left." She ordered. "I'll get Eric; he'll meet you out there."

"Pam, I..."

"Just go." She nudged me in the direction of the back door before disappearing altogether.

I was hyperventilating as I stumbled down the hallway. I wasn't even aware of what was going on, everything feeling like a blur as I pushed open the heavy door, the cool night air hitting me straight in the face. I didn't go far, and just leaned against the back of the building, my eyes closing tightly. I felt like I couldn't breathe, and I only started to panic some more. It was only when a pair of cool hands met my face that I found some sort of comfort. I didn't even need to open my eyes to know that Eric was before me. I didn't need a bond with the man to feel his presence. I surprised myself, and I think him as well, as I drew my arms around him tightly suddenly, refusing to let him go.

"Shh." He curled his large arms around my small frame, resting his chin on the top of my head as his hand began rubbing up and down my back. "You're okay. You're safe. Everything is going to be okay."

A sigh emitted from my lips as my body slowly began to cease its shaking. I melted into Eric's embrace, finding that I never wanted to leave his arms. I had wanted to feel his arms around me since he had shown up last night, missing his body against mine. But I hadn't expected it to happen like this. This was just too much. I couldn't handle all of this. This was all just too much.

"Victor, he..."

"Pam informed me." he shushed me. "You don't need to say anything."

I clutched onto him like my life depended on it, and Eric must have known this as he lifted me up into his arms before suddenly just taking off into the night sky. I felt the light wind whip my hair around and I was only reminded of the blood. So much blood. There was just so much of it. You never realized just how much blood was in a vampire, someone who was supposed to technically be dead, until you saw them erupt right in front of you. It was horrifying, truly horrifying.

I hadn't realized we had landed until I heard the unlocking of a door. I slowly peeked over Eric's shoulder and was surprised when I didn't see the expected surroundings of Sookie's house. Instead, I realized that Eric had brought me back to his home, where I had been staying since this war had begun. I tried to protest, knowing that Godric was somewhere in the house, but Eric just ignored me as he walked into the house, down the hallway, and began descending the stairs into the basement. I dug my face back into his shoulder, his shirt soaking wet from my tears.

Eric continued not to say anything as we entered his resting place, the room I hadn't stepped a foot into since we had last been happy. Unlike my bedroom on the second floor, this room had only experienced happier memories before I had died and everything had changed. I remembered lying in bed with Eric, his arms around me as he professed his love to me. I remembered the mind blowing sex, in both the bed and the bathroom, and every other inch of his resting place. There had been countless more horrible memories, but right now, I could only focus on the good. It was the only thing I could do right now.

I was surprised when Eric didn't set me on his bed, and instead, brought me into the bathroom where he slowly set me down on my feet beside the shower before reaching in and starting the water. I kept my head bowed as I heard the rushing water before his hand clasped under my chin, forcing my gaze to rise up to meet his.

"You know I hate it when you cry." His voice was soft as he stared down at me for a long moment before wiping away my tears. "And I hate it even more when you're covered in blood."

I was even more surprised that I didn't stop him as he began tugging off my leather jacket before his hand slid up my back and grasped onto the zipper of my dress. He slowly drew it down before gently pushing the thick straps off of my shoulder. I just stared straight ahead as Eric slid the dress down my body, lifting each one of my legs to pull it off completely before just tossing it aside. As he stood, he brushed his lips against my forehead before pulling away and pushing the shower door open and motioned me inside. My hands were shaking as I stepped into the shower, the tears still flowing freely down my cheeks. My eyes closed as the warm water hit my body before they opened and watched as the blood washed off of my body and was flushed into the drain. I heard Eric begin to close the door and leave and I suddenly threw my hand out, grasping onto his arm and refusing to let go. I stared at him through blurry eyes, not wanting to be alone right now. Eric looked down at where my hand was before gazing up into my orbs. After a moment he nodded and slipped into the shower without even taking his clothes off. His tall body slid in before me and the water splashed onto him, soaking him from head to toe. He didn't seem to care however as he reached around me to the shampoo that I had once used so long ago.

"Eric..."

Eric pressed his finger against my lips to stop me, shaking his head as he lowered down to kiss the curve of my neck.

"I will forever be here for you, through the good and the bad." He declared before straightening and began to massage the shampoo into my hair. My eyes closed again, the tears finally stopping as I enjoyed this rare peaceful moment with the man I loved, trying to forget what I had witnessed tonight.

"Thank you." I whispered, not sure if he heard me over the pulsing water.

He must have as he drew even closer, his lips this time brushing across mine.

"I love you." Was all he spoke before he continued to wash me of the blood, of the memories, and what I hoped to be the past.

"Godric wants to speak with you." Eric sat on the edge of the bed where I had been sitting for the last two hours, my legs pulled up against my chest as I just stared off into space. When I didn't respond, I felt a hand on my knee, gently jostling me out of my trance. "Ellie?"

"Why?" I asked in a whisper, turning my gaze onto the blonde vampire.

"How should I know?" he raised an eyebrow, though a small smile was tugging at his lips. "Your anger at my maker is amusing."

"He lied to me." I defended.

"And I damaged you, yet here you are." He motioned to his resting place.

"You brought me here." I frowned. "I didn't ask you to."

"You seemed perfectly content with it." He shrugged, drawing closer to me until our noses just about touched. "And you don't seem to be fighting me on it at all."

I shifted away from him. "What does Godric want?"

Eric sighed, running a hand through his now dry hair. "I don't know. To apologize perhaps? You should speak with him, my love."

"I don't want to." I shook my head stubbornly.

"And why not?" he questioned, caressing my cheek with the backs of his fingers. "He cares for you, Ellie. He wouldn't have lied to you unless it was for your own good."

"Don't defend him." I muttered. "I'm allowed to be mad."

"True, you do have a reason to be."

"So I'm not talking to him then."

"You're still stubborn I see." He chuckled. "Come on now, lover, you and I both know now is not the time for fighting. We need to come together in order to take down Victor, so he cannot do what he did tonight again."

I shuddered as I remembered Chow exploding into vampire goo.

"Sorry." He realized what he had said and cupped my cheek. "I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine." I sighed, looking down at my knees. "Thank you for..."

"Don't even mention it." he kissed my forehead. "You scared me tonight. I thought that you...if only you hadn't broken our bond."

"I shouldn't have." I admitted, honestly regretting breaking the blood bonds. Now was not the time to go without a bond with a vampire. I wasn't sure it could have helped anything tonight, but I had always felt safer knowing that there was someone out there able to know when something was wrong. And now I didn't have that. Sure, I wanted to free myself of Eric, to move on, but I wasn't so sure I wanted that anymore, even though that had only happened last night. So much had changed within 24 hours.

"We'll have all the time in the world to create an even better one." He vowed, lifting my gaze up to meet his. "Speak with my maker; it will stop him from pacing a hole in my floor."

I sighed but nodded, knowing he was right. We couldn't be fighting right now. We couldn't be at odds ends with one another. We need to stand united in order to fight back against Victor.

"Come on lover." He slid his hand into mine as he tugged me off of the bed.

I allowed him to lead me out of his resting place and up the basemen stairs to the main floor. He kept his hand firmly wrapped around mine, as if they were made for one another, as we strode down the hallway and into the living room where Godric was indeed pacing back and forth across the living room floor. I let my long locks hide my face as we stepped into the room, Godric halting immediately before he flashed before me.

"Elizabeth." He clasped a finger under my chin, lifting my gaze up as he tucked the hair in my face behind an ear. "You will never know how truly sorry I am."

"You lied to me." I felt the emotions return, my eyes blurring with tears.

"Not again." Eric scolded from beside me. "No more tears."

I tried to blink them away, and found that I was successful enough to focus my vision on the ancient vampire before me.

"I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry. I...I have no plausible reason for lying to you, and If I could go back in time, I wouldn't have. I'm sorry, Elizabeth, I really am." There was sorrow in his blue green orbs, and I knew he truly was sorry for lying to me.

"Why?" I questioned. "Why did you?"

Godric sighed as he motioned us further into the room. Godric took the chair closest to the fireplace while Eric tugged me down onto the couch beside him. He kept his arm circled around my waist, holding me against him as I curled my legs underneath me and settled in, knowing this was going to be a long story.

"I didn't know the true reason Sophie-Anne had called me to New Orleans until I arrived. I thought the very same thing you did, that she sought out my guidance, my advice. And while she did, there was another reason she had summoned me." Godric began, clasping his hands together in his lap as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze turning to the dancing flames in the fireplace. "When I arrived, I found out the truth, and I was just as surprised as you were."

"How did she find out?"

"As Victor mentioned, she held a very valuable library in her estate. There were volumes on just about everything you can imagine, even what we all thought to be extinct." Godric explained.

"Essentially me."

"Yes." Godric nodded. "I didn't know there was very much of anything written about Phoenixes at all. Even when Kyra had been alive, they had been very mysterious, only a few knowing what they truly could do. I didn't realize that any books had been written at all until she showed me this library and informed me of her findings."

"Why did she just find this out now?" I wondered curiously.

"She was intrigued by Phoenixes after meeting you, and she wanted to know more. But you knew Sophie-Anne just as well as the rest of us; you know how her attention dwindled quite easily."

I nodded, remembering the look of boredom on her face as she talked about the dangers that lied ahead before she had died. She became distracted quite easily, and I wondered if she had been human, if any doctor would have diagnosed her with some form of A.D.D.

"There were only a few volumes, and when she came across what she had, she immediately called me. It just happened to be around the same time that these threats became something to worry about and she covered her summoning with that excuse." Godric shook his head, his gaze meeting mine. "If I had known, Elizabeth, I would have told you. I never wish to lie to you. I've hurt you enough by doing so in the past and I don't wish to start again."

"Why didn't you tell me that it was possible to resurrect Kyra though?" I asked the question that had been on my mind since last night. "Don't you think I would have helped in any way that I could? All I've wanted for both of you is to have some sort of a second chance."

"I didn't tell you because there was nothing to tell. The books, they didn't hold much detail, only that it was possible, as long as the Phoenix who adopted that soul still remained alive."

"So it has to do with me in some way?" My eyebrows furrowed together.

"Only a Phoenix who had their soul unnaturally ripped from them can be resurrected again. It's different when a Phoenix has a child. The Phoenix gene, it's transferred through the blood, whereas when a Phoenix willing offers another their soul, it's ripped from their body in such an unnatural way that there are still remnants there."

"So you're saying because she offered her soul while trying to save you, there's still part of it inside of her, even now, and that there's a way to bring her back?" I summarized what he was telling me. "And you don't know how?"

"Unfortunately no." Godric shook his head, and I saw the pain and frustration in his eyes. He was so close to having the love of his life back, and yet so far away at the same time.

"Is there any way to find out?"

"Not that I know of." He gazed back into the fire. "So you see, I never told you because while Sophie-Anne may have discovered this, it's still impossible. I didn't want to give your hopes up, and I knew that if I told you, it would have felt possible, it would have felt real. And I...I couldn't have let myself go through that, hoping that she could come back to me only to be disappointed."

"But it's not impossible though." I pointed out. "It's completely possible. We just have to figure out how to do it."

"Elizabeth..."

"If we figure it out, then we can resurrect her. She can come back to life and you can have your soul mate back." It sounded so easy and simple to me, I didn't know why Godric didn't see it that way.

"It's not that simple though." Eric spoke for the first time since Godric began his explanation. "The odds of finding someone who would know, or resources..."

"Nothing in this world is impossible." I shook my head, looking between the two vampires. "If anyone should realize that, it should be us three."

"I can't let myself hope for this, Elizabeth. I just can't." Godric's eyes were rimmed with red tears, and my heart broke to see him this way.

"It's possible Godric." I uncurled myself from Eric and stood, crossing over to where Godric sat and settled on the arm of his chair. I wrapped my arms around the vampire I swore I was never going to forgive, now just wanting to comfort his defeated form. "And I will find a way to make this happen, I promise you that."

"I should go back to Sookie's; Quinn is probably worried about me." I brought up as Eric and I stood in the front hallway, Godric excusing himself to his resting place for the rest of the night, and I knew his thoughts were centered on the woman he may just be able to see again.

"You can stay." He stepped towards me. "You can stay right here with me. Your things are here."

"I know, but..." I chewed on my bottom lip. "I haven't figured anything out, Eric. I'm grateful for what you've done for me tonight but..."

"Tonight hasn't changed anything." Eric sighed, slipping his hands into his jean pockets. "I wish they had."

"Me too." I replied honestly. "Everything would be so much simpler if things worked that way."

"They could you know."

"No they can't." I shook my head. "Because you still hurt me. You still left. And I don't think I'll be able to forget that anytime soon."

"But you will, won't you? One day, you will forgive me?" he frowned, searching for an ounce of hope that we could be together again. It was almost humorous how the shoe was on the other foot now. It wasn't me begging for him to stay, for him to forgive me, for him to love me again. It was him doing that now, and I had to admit, I rather liked it. I had never seen Eric care so much about anything before, and it gave me hope that one day I really could forgive him. He was here, he was sticking by his word, so far anyways, and he seemed to have changed since he had left me.

But he had still left me.

He had still destroyed me.

And until that pain in my heart disappeared for good, I couldn't completely give myself to Eric.

"One day." I told him, surprising both of us by being the one to draw closer to him, standing on the tips of my toes to brush my lips against his cheek. I tried to pull back away, but he cupped both of my cheeks and captured my lips with his in a sweet, but passionate kiss. My face was flushed as the fireworks went off, as the heat rose in my entire body. There was an ache in between my legs that I hadn't felt in too long.

"I will be looking forward to that one day." He cradled my face gently, his eyes boring down into mine.

"Me too." I admitted, smiling up at the vampire. "But I really need to go."

"I'll take you."

"Your car is back at Fangtasia." I reminded him.

"You seem to forget who I am." He smirked down at me, causing my heart to skip a beat. "I have many things."

"That's true." I nodded, mentally slapping myself for forgetting the garage attached to the house that held more than one of his personal cars.

"I may have many things, Ellie." He kept his hands on either side of my face, his eye searching mine. "But I will only ever have one woman that I love, and that will always be you."

I wasn't sure what to say to that, but Eric didn't seem to need anything spoken in return as he simply kissed me one last time on the lips before taking my hand and leading me out of the house.

"I will try to refrain from yelling, but I hold no promises." Quinn glared at me as I walked down the stairs the next morning.

I smiled sheepishly at the shifter as I reached the front hallway where he was standing with his arms crossed, a pissed off look on his face.

"You don't call Sookie or I, and you go missing for half of the night, even after Fangtasia has closed. And then you sneak back into the house without even telling me you were back!"

"I know, and I'm..." I began before Quinn cut me off.

"Do you know how many people were worried about you last night? Even Pam called!"

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Something about blood and whatever. That just worried Sookie and me even more." He scolded me with a scowl on his face. "I was checking the door every five minutes until eventually I just fell asleep on the couch. And then I wake up this morning to find you sleeping peacefully in your bed. What the hell were you thinking!"

I couldn't help but burst out laughing. Quinn sounded like an overprotective brother. I was sure this was exactly how my brother would have sounded if I had ever stayed out late as a teenager and snuck back into the house. Between Quinn and Godric, I just about had a foster family!

"And now your laughing!" he stared at me in disbelief. "What is wrong with you!"

"I'm sorry, it's really not funny." I tried to muffle my laughs behind my hand as I strode over to Quinn. "I'm sorry; I was acting like an idiot. But I promise once I explain to you what happened, you'll understand."

"I really don't think so." He grumbled.

"Believe me, this is one story that lets me get away with anything." I shuddered as I remembered what had occurred last night. Quinn must have noticed, as a look of worry crossed his face. "I'll tell you after breakfast, okay?"

"Fine." He nodded. "But do you want to at least explain to me why Northman's car is in the driveway?"

"What?" my eyes grew wide as I shot passed him and tore open the door. And sure enough there was Eric's red corvette sitting in the driveway. I stepped out of the house, wondering why the hell Eric's car had suddenly appeared in Sookie's driveway, but I only managed to end up tripping. Quinn quickly caught me around my waist as I peered down to see what I had tripped over and was surprised to find a small wrapped box with a red bow on the top. I glanced up at Quinn, but he only shrugged his shoulders as I knelt down to pick it up. "Well this is a surprise."

"Open it." Quinn encouraged me as we walked back inside and into the kitchen where Quinn began making breakfast while I sat at the table, setting the gift wrapped box on the table.

I just stared at it for a long moment before shrugging and pulling the bright shiny red bow off and sticking it on the table. I tore through the wrapping paper and gently pulled the lid off of the box. I gasped when I found a set of car keys sitting in the box, a stark white note lying underneath them.

I have many things my love.

Until that one day comes...

E

"What is it?" Quinn glanced over at me from the stove.

"I think Eric just gave me his car." I slowly picked up the car keys to show the shifter.

"Seriously?" his eyes grew wide. "He just gave you his car?"

"Apparently." I gingerly held the note in my hands.

"You do know this is probably a bribe, right? He's trying to buy your love." Quinn pointed out.

"Oh I know." I nodded.

"So you're going to give him the car back then, right?"

"Oh hell no." I flashed the shifter a grin. "Why in the world would I do that?"