We waited around for the commotion to die down before making any decisions. Once everything had settled down Eric went into the bathroom, changed and reappeared in the doorway of the room.
"You ready to go?" He questioned walking towards me.
I glanced at myself in the mirror. "I guess."
He was at my back. He leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Don't. You look spectacular."
A smile crossed my face. "Godric, are you coming too?"
The corners of his mouth turned up and he shook his head. "Not this time my child. Go have fun. After all you need it, after everything you've been through."
He wrapped his arms around me. I breathed deep taking in the familiar smell of him. I released my grip on him and pulled back and into Eric's arms. We headed towards the elevator. The ride down wasn't nearly as traumatic as the earlier ride up. I stood there my fingers laced together with Eric's. The doors opened and we walked through the buzzing hotel lobby where I was greeted with a massive wave of thoughts. It took everything I had in me to push those thoughts out of my head to focus on Eric and what he had planned for tonight. It was around 9:30 pm at this point. The double steel doors that lined the entrance to the hotel opened as we stepped to them.
Leaning down. "You sure you're ready?"
"As I'll ever be." I retorted as I gave a little pep step towards the street pulling him behind me.
The lights of London we're beautiful. The air was damp, yet so inviting. We headed off down the street, in stride with each other. My eyes lit up as I took in the sights. Since London has been dealing with vampires a lot longer than any where else in the world it was a different vibe than that in Bon Temps or Shreveport. The women we passed on the street all looked as though they either walked out of a magazine or off the runway of a hot new designer. We were walking for about ten or fifteen minutes when we stopped in front of a long narrow alley.
"I'm sure you've heard the tale of Jack the Ripper?"
"Yes, of course who hasn't?" I responded looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
He smiled and took my hand. "Well your about to meet him."
I gasped. "What?!"
"You see he's a vampire. Why else do you think that they couldn't catch him?" He replied as if I should have known all along.
I stared just puzzled at him. "You're telling me that the most prolific serial killer of the eighteen hundreds is still alive." I paused, he nodded. "Is a vampire?" Another pause, another nod. "And no one knows this?"
"No. You see Godric and I met 'Jack' when we moved to London. Of course during those times they knew nothing of vampires and we had to hide those that we killed as not to be discovered. So Jack thought it be a great game to play serial killer. It was fun for him at first then it started to bring some unwanted attention, that's why 'Jack the Ripper' only killed from August to November of eighteen eighty eight."
He started down the narrow alleyway. I tugged on his arm. "Are you sure this is okay?"
"Yes, as long as you are with me no harm shall come to you." He assured me cupping my face.
He pecked me on the lips and continued down the alley, with me following very closely behind. My heels clicked and clacked on the brick walkway beneath my feet. It was dark. To anyone who ventured here alone it was probably the last thing they saw before they died. This isn't a place to visit at night, must of the passerbys traveled through here during the day. The walls were lined with moss and dripping water. Wanted and missing posters and puddles of water littered the walkway. It had an dangerous lure about it yet I felt as safe as anyone could. We passed a couple of narrow old rusted doors. About thirty feet or so from the alley entrance was a door marked with the number six. Eric stopped a half a step to the side of it. He reached for my hand with his left and knocked lightly just above the six that was etched on the door.
"Stay close." He warned gripping my hand.
"Who's there?" A snarly voice echoed from behind the rusty door.
"A rather old viking." Eric simply responded.
The door creaked open and a medium built, muscular, and quite handsome man stepped into the lights glare. He smiled looking Eric up and down.
"Eric, my dear old friend. It's been centuries." He said reaching out and shaking his hand. His eyes finally rested on me. "You've brought a snack."
"No. She's with me." Eric paused. "She's mine." He paused again, he pulled me forward a bit. "This is Giselle. She's to be my wife."
'Jack' reached up, took my hand and raised it to his lips and kissed it. Memories of the five women he killed as Jack the Ripper flashed in my mind. I held back a gasp. "My pleasure madam. Come. Take a load off." He said standing aside to allow Eric and myself passage.
We walked into an luxurious foyer that was draped in antique fabrics, paintings and furniture. 'Jack' followed us, then led the way into the formal living room. From the looks of the building from outside you'd think that a rundown rat infested home stood behind those walls. Not this beautiful lavish home. Never judge a book by it's cover. Eric led me to the deep red velvet couch and allowed me to sit first, then sat beside me. 'Jack' sat on the sofa opposite us.
"What makes this one so special?" He asked sitting back against the sofa.
I chuckled a bit. "I'm not special."
"Oh but you are my dear. To take one such as Eric Northman off of the market you must possess something…" He trailed off. "Not of this world."
Eric clenched my hand and sat up a bit straighter. "You see James, you remember Josephine?" He paused and waited for the man now known as James to nod. "Well apparently I still had a soul when I met her and our souls were destined to be together. So her soul has been bound to this earth as long as I live. Until we were finally brought together."
James face turned to that of sorrow as if his heart had broken. "Eric." He looked up at the much older, stronger viking sitting across from him. "There's something I have to tell you."
I turned to look at Eric, whose face had turned to a concerned look.
"Josephine… didn't leave with her parents." James stood and walked to the fireplace across the room. He stared off into the fire. "She loved you. She was going to allow you to turn her."
Eric stood standing in front of me. I grabbed the cushion that I was sitting on.
God what did I do?
"I went back to her house that night after you left. I took her and bought her back here. Then I fed on her and killed her. I thought you were stupid for falling in love with a human. I couldn't bare to see you throw your potential away."
Get up and walk towards the door.
I complied. But I knew what was going to happen. I stood near the exit facing the door. I took a few deep breaths.
"I deserve any punishment you see fit." James said kneeling before Eric.
I heard a James' body being slung across the room hitting the wall behind me. I then heard the fire start crackling out of control.
I felt a hand on my back. "Come on we have to get out of here." Eric stated opening the door.
We walked quickly back down the narrow alley toward the street. My heels clacking the pavement the whole way. We reached the sidewalk and I turned to notice that the house that we had just been sitting in was engulfed in flames.
"He deserved more." Eric said keeping his eyes focused ahead of us. "He took you from me centuries ago."
"Eric I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere." I assured him touching the inside of his elbow.
His face was filled with more sadness than anything else. "I don't want anybody to hurt you ever again."
We passed store fronts that glittered with diamonds. Most of the stores in London stayed open late to accommodate the vampire community. Stopping in front of a jewelry store, my eyes lit up. We walked in to look around. I stood in front of one of the glass cases that housed some of the diamond engagement rings.
Standing behind me, Eric bent down and whispered in my ear. "Pick one, my love."
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Authors Note :
Hope this chapter is to your liking. :) Thanks for the lovely reviews.
