Hello there! I want to thank you all so much for such a wonderful response to this story so far. It makes me very happy to see that so many people are enjoying this story and giving this unique type of relationship and take on these characters a chance. I am so so very grateful and pleased that so many of you have favorited and followed this story and me, and I would like to give a special thank you to everyone that took the time to review. I love reading your reviews and I try to respond to them all. It definitely encourages me and I love to hear what you all think! Thanks once again and I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!

It took several minutes for Sookie to really relax. The electric coursing through Sookie's body died down to a manageable buzz and as Godric continued to move his cool hand against her belly, she felt herself melt into his body, steadily losing tension until she felt completely boneless. Sookie's eyelids had long drifted closed and she let herself to float in the pleasant place between sleep and wakefulness allowing Godric's steady touch to ground her.

Sookie wasn't aware of the suite door opening until a very familiar voice brought her harshly back to the present...

"Good evening, Lover," Eric purred, the hotel door closing heavily behind him. "I've retrieved your things from that worthless excuse for a vampire Compton, so I come…bearing gifts…" Eric's voice trailed off as his eyes settled on the sight in front of him.

"Sookie?" Her body, pliant and relaxed against Godric's only moments before, stiffened with tension. Her eyes grew wide and she gasped for breath. She pushed against Godric, trying desperately to extricate herself from his grasp but his arms were like steel bands around her waist so she was forced to collapse back into his chest. Sookie began to panic then and opened her mouth to tell Godric to let her go, but before she could utter one sound Godric grasped her chin, forcing her to turn her head and look him in the eye.

"Sookie, calm yourself. Now," Godric said, quietly but firmly. "You do not have permission to speak and I will be very disappointed in you if you fail to obey. Do you understand?"

Tears began to collect in the corners of her eyes and Sookie fought to hold them in; she couldn't understand why she was reacting the way she was, all she knew was the mere thought of Godric's disappointment caused a sharp pain to shoot through her chest. She nodded furiously indicating that she understood him, then struggled to free her arms from his grasp only to fling them both around his neck and hide her face against his chest.

Eric sat Sookie's things down by the door and took a step toward the seating area. "Sookie…is yours, Master?" Eric asked. He tried to keep his tone flat but there was no mistaking the interest in his voice.

Godric was still holding a silently sobbing Sookie in his lap, but he inclined his head once in affirmation of Eric's question before speaking. "Yes, Eric. Sookie is mine."

Sookie reared back from Godric's chest at his words. She looked as if she was going to say something and Eric expected her to speak up and contradict his maker, but Godric caught her gaze, holding it steadily until Sookie lowered her eyes. A loud sigh escaped her then; she hadn't realized it but she had been holding her breath. Looking up through her lashes she saw that Godric was still watching her, concern apparent on his face though his expression was soft. Sookie let her head fall forward to rest her forehead against Godric's shoulder and she felt Godric's hand move up her back trying to relax her once again.

A minute or so passed and Sookie rolled her head to the side so her cheek was resting against Godric's shoulder. From this position she was able to see a very confused Eric from the corner of her eye.

Godric is the one who broke the silence. Pulling Sookie up so she was sitting properly, he adjusted the collar of the bathrobe Sookie was wearing, making sure everything was covered before bringing one of his hands up to rest against her cheek. "I know how difficult this is for you my sweet girl, and you are doing so well." Godric could feel Sookie's skin flush underneath his palm at the sound of his praise and the corner of his mouth turned upward in amusement.

Eric felt like he was frozen where he stood. "Master, I do not understand. You have never taken a human. Why?"

"I will not have this discussion, Eric," Godric said firmly. "I care for Sookie. She is important to me. She has agreed to be mine and I agreed to have her. There is little else I am obliged to tell you just now. However I do have a question for you, my child. How did Sookie come to have your blood? I smelled you on her and wasn't sure but when I tasted her there could be no doubt. Was this something that Sookie ingested knowingly? Knowing what I do of Sookie's general feelings toward you I do not believe she would willingly agree to this."

Eric was silent and tried to catch Sookie's eye, but she kept her gaze lowered making this impossible.

"Do not look to Sookie for answers, Eric. You are the one responsible for sharing your blood. Have I not taught you over the last millennia this significance of gifting your blood to another? Have I not impressed upon you enough that the blood is sacred, not something to be distributed without thought?"

"But Master you have allowed Sookie to have your blood as well! I can smell it! I can't even smell myself on her anymore," Eric added a little sullenly.

"You will not question my actions Eric," Godric said. "I gifted my blood to her because she is mine, Eric. And I did so with her consent, not in an underhanded attempt to gain control over her. Sookie granted me that privilege of her own free will."

Eric's fangs ran down involuntarily at this, but he retracted them just as quickly. "I feel like I just walked into the fucking Twilight Zone!" Eric said this to no one in particular, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what the hell is going on. This," he pointed at Sookie and now directing his words to her, "is not the Sookie Stackhouse I know. What the fuck? What is this? Answer me, Sookie."

A strangled cry escaped Sookie's lips before she could stop it; her confusion and fear was visible in her eyes. Sookie realized within moments what had happened and slapped a hand across her mouth both in shock and as an attempt to muffle the sobs that she could feel trying to push their way out. All this happened in the course of a second or two and Godric intervened once more before the situation digressed any further.

Sookie's eyes were wide as she watched Godric move from beside her on the couch to stand in front of Eric. Godric's fangs were run out and he had a firm grip on Eric's shoulder. He looked just as terrifying as he had in the basement when he had pulled that filthy man from her body and snapped his neck and Sookie gasped behind her hand, then pressed her palm more tightly against her face in an attempt to prevent more noise from escaping. Sookie could hear herself breathing heavily through her nose then, and had a passing thought that the sound was loud enough to be distracting, but then all her attention was focused on the scene in front of her.

"Down, Eric," Godric growled. Eric kneeled immediately and without hesitation.

"Master…"

"Eric, you have failed me this evening. This saddens me as you are my proudest achievement." Eric looked up at his maker, pain and remorse as clear as the blue of his eyes. Godric looked down into his child's face, bringing his hand up to stroke Eric's cheek before continuing. "I love you, Eric. There is nothing you could possibly do to change this. But I am embarrassed that you would see fit to treat vampire blood, your own, no less, with such blatant disrespect. Further, I am ashamed that you would coerce someone into taking your blood unknowingly. I have made it abundantly clear the importance of this action and yet I find you are attempting to use your blood as a means to tether yourself to an unwilling human. Do you have anything to say for yourself concerning this matter, Eric?"

Eric's tore his gaze away from his maker's, his eyes focusing somewhere in the middle of Godric's chest. "No, Master."

"Eric," Godric said quietly. "You are a thousand years old, and I have not been your Master for many centuries. As such, I would not mete out any punishment, just impress upon you how very upset I am at your behavior. Further," Godric said, waiting until Eric's eyes met his once again, "while I have not acted as your Master in ages I am still your maker, and I am disappointed that you would see fit to question me, question Sookie, after I explicitly told you the issue was not up for discussion. I know I taught you more respect than that, Eric, so I can only assume you have become so accustomed to getting what you want when you want it that you forgot yourself tonight."

Godric's gaze drifted over to Sookie, who still had her hand covering her mouth. When he caught her eye he smiled a little in an attempt to calm her, something he felt he had to do far too frequently in the past hour or so. "Thank you for being so patient, my Sookie," Godric said to her softly. "We will be just a moment longer. Are you alright?" It took a few seconds for Sookie to process Godric's words but eventually she nodded her head and with her response as reassurance Godric returned his attention to his child.

"In the future you will not speak to Sookie in the manner you did tonight." Godric watched Eric closely for any sign of argument but there was none so he continued. "I will have it known that I will protect Sookie as I would protect you, my child, with my life, or by ending the lives of others who would threaten her. She is mine and as you well know I take care of what is mine. Is this understood, Eric?"

"Yes, Master," Eric said without hesitation.

"Stand up, please," Godric said. Eric looked dejected and sad, so once he was back on his feet Godric said the words he knew would ease the burden on his child's mind. "You are forgiven, Eric."

Eric puffed out an unnecessary breath. "I will not shame you again, Master."

"Eric…as I said, I am not truly your Master…not anymore. You may call me Godric. I've told you this before."

Eric just shook his head a little and Godric allowed the issue to drop. He needed to see to Sookie.

"Eric, I would ask that you leave us for a bit. There is to be a meeting later this evening with a representative from the American Vampire League. They wish to have an explanation for why the events which took place occurred and I am the one who must provide the answers. I wish for you to attend the meeting as well."

Eric nodded once before turning toward the hotel door. "I will see you both later," Eric said, and the door closed with a 'snick' just as the last word left Eric's mouth.

Godric approached Sookie slowly. Although she had responded to his words before, she still looked to him like a cornered animal and he didn't want to frighten her any more than she already was. Carefully, Godric reached out and wrapped his hand around Sookie's wrist. When she didn't startle from this, Godric pulled her hand away from her mouth, moving her arm down until her hand was resting in her lap. Godric lowered himself down onto his knees in front of her then, and waited until her eyes came into focus, locking with his.

"Sookie…are you alright?" Godric asked again. Sookie began to nod her head in the affirmative almost immediately, but then stopped in the middle, shifting her head from side to side.

Godric smiled gently up into Sookie's face, wanting to calm her as much as he could, "Thank you for being honest with me Sookie. I appreciate that. I am so sorry that just happened my sweet girl. I did not foresee either your or Eric's reactions and for that I apologize. Nevertheless, may I take the opportunity to tell you once again how proud I am. You are behaving just beautifully, little one."

While Sookie had been been slowly relaxing as she listened to Godric talk, when he said this her head shook from side to side in denial.

"What is it, little one? You believe you have done something wrong?"

Sookie nodded miserably then, reluctantly bringing her hand up and pointing to her throat.

"Ah, I see," Godric said. As was becoming habit with them, Godric leaned forward and cradled Sookie's face between both of his hands. "Are you listening to me, my Sookie?"

Godric waited until her eyes came up to meet his before he continued. "I do not fault you for crying out in distress when you did. On the contrary, I believe you showed a great amount of restraint. Considering the situation, had you broken the rule entirely it would have been understandable. I would have been disappointed, yes, but all things considered I would have understood. We have not even made it out of the hotel room on our first day together, and while under normal circumstances I might consider this a success on my part…" Godric let his sentence trail off and allowed his gaze to roam exaggeratedly up and down Sookie's body, hoping to lighten the mood.

Sookie rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the smile that crept onto her face. "There's my good girl," Godric said, returning her annoyed smile with a lopsided grin of his own. As I said, you once again have made me very proud. Now, as much as I am looking forward to giving you my undivided attention, like I was saying to Eric I must attend a meeting to account for recent events."

Sookie's brows furrowed slightly, but she made no attempt to speak. Godric stood from the couch, walking over to retrieve Sookie's abandoned belongings, still talking all the while. "I promised I would not leave you alone whilst you are completing this task, and so I shall not. However this does mean that you will have to suffer through the unpleasantness of the meeting as well. With any luck we will not be there for long."

Godric sat Sookie's suitcase on the bed; he already had it open and was sorting through her clothes by the time Sookie came up behind him, yanking his elbow back to see what he had in his hands. She gasped when she saw what it was – a pair of lacy white panties – and ripped them from his hand, tucking them hastily into the pocket of the bathrobe. Instinctively, Sookie reeled her arm backward and swung it sharply forward again, intending to slap Godric across the cheek, but before her hand could come close to making contact, Godric caught her wrist firmly in his grasp. Immediately she realized what she had almost done and her eyes grew wide. When she finally managed to bring her eyes up to meet Godric's, she didn't see the warm, caring gaze of just moments ago. Rather, his face was completely devoid of emotion and Sookie couldn't help the shiver that ran through her.

Godric said nothing. Keeping a firm grip on Sookie's wrist he dragged her across the room. He grasped her shoulders without sparing her a glance, turning Sookie until she faced the corner. With gentle pressure against the back of her neck Godric guided Sookie until her face was pressed between both sides of the wall. Sookie pushed back into his hand in an attempt to stand up straight again, but Godric held her against the wall firmly until she gave up and allowed her face to rest where he placed it. Sure that she was not going to move, Godric brought a hand to each of hers moving them so they were behind her back, one hand holding onto the other. He moved away from her then, standing a few steps behind her and watching to see if she would try to move. When she did, as Godric had guessed she would, he finally spoke.

"Do not move, girl."

Godric's voice was like his face, drained of the emotion and good humor Sookie could normally hear when he talked to her. The sound of Godric's voice like this brought tears to her eyes.

"You will remain as I have placed you until I am ready for you to dress. While you are waiting, consider the actions that led you here."

Godric could see Sookie shaking; he had no wish to frighten Sookie, but raising her hand in anger, to him especially, would not be tolerated. In a small attempt to soothe her fears, Godric approached her once again and reached up to gently run his fingers through her now dry curls.

"You have no need to be frightened, Sookie," Godric said, and the knot that had formed around Sookie's heart loosened just a little as she heard the slightest bit of compassion return to Godric's tone. She started to turn her head to look at him, but when she did Godric's fingers gripped tightly in her hair, making her gasp sharply in pain. "Do. Not. Move." Godric's voice was stern again and the tears that had been gathering finally broke free to track down the sides of her face.

Godric pulled his hand back from her hair, letting it slide down her back to rest on her hip. "Think about your actions, girl. I will return once I am ready for the meeting and I have chosen what I would like you to wear. Unfortunately," Godric said, sliding his hand into the pocket of Sookie's bathrobe to retrieve the panties she had previously stored there, "since this particular article of clothing was the cause of such turmoil, I am afraid that tonight you will have to go without."

It took a full minute or more for Godric's words and their meaning to really register to Sookie. By that time she was standing alone with her nose in the corner, trying desperately to get control of her sobs.