Disclaimer: I do not own True Blood!
On with chapter eighteen!~
I had expected Bon Temps to be absolutely chaotic – but when me and Godric arrived there, the town was practically deserted. I scrunched my nose up in disgust as the state of the town. Things were shattered and broken, lying about the pavements and roads. Walls and houses had been vandalised, mostly with graffiti. I'd noticed earlier, that the Bon Temps welcome sign had been drawn over, and I'd been deeply offended by that. Shop windows had been mercilessly smashed, doors were broken, lying on their hinges, and…was that a bra lying on the ground over there?!
"This is not what your town usually looks like, is it?" Godric asked beside me, chuckling. He was holding my hand tightly; as if he was afraid I'd run off and get into trouble. Honestly, I wasn't that stupid.
I rolled my eyes. "No, of course not. That crazy Maryann lady's done this," I sighed. "Come on. We've got to find Sookie." I attempted to run forward, but Godric pulled me back, slinging a muscled arm over my chest.
"I will smell her out," Godric assured me. I raised an eyebrow, and he inhaled deeply, closing his bluish-grey eyes. After a while, he nodded in confirmation. "Found her. She is this way." He tugged on my arm, and started to pull me along, fast. I couldn't see where we were going, because the world around me blurred crazily. All I saw were smudged images of trees and street lights, as we sped along somewhere.
We stopped in front of a familiar house. I shot Godric a bewildered look. "In here? Sook's here?" I asked him, surprised. Godric nodded slowly, watching me.
"You know who lives here?" He sniffed again, and his face darkened. "Whoever lives here is selling vampire blood. I can smell it rather strongly." Godric strided forward towards the house, an angry expression on his handsome face.
"Wait, Godric!" I called, grabbing his arm. "What do you mean? Lafayette would never –"
"Is that this foolish human's name? Lafayette?" He asked darkly. "I think a certain…chat is in order…" I stared helplessly, as Godric ripped his arm out my grasp, and waltzed up to Lafayette's small house. I gulped, and ran after him.
He went up to the front porch, and banged heavily on the door. I managed to get there, just as the door opened, and a familiar face came into view. Lafayette noticed me instantly. He let out a sigh of relief, and opened the door more.
"Thank god, Rose," Lafayette breathed. "Sook's been worryin' like a bitch. And Tara's gone motherfucking crazy –" He cut himself off, when he saw Godric standing on the porch, looking rather angry. He looked at me, then to Godric, and back to me again. "Darlin', who is this delicious looking piece of abs standing on my front porch?"
I sighed heavily, and Godric sent me a stunned look. "Don't mind him, Godric," I groaned. "He's uh…slightly gay."
"Slightly, bitch?" Lafayette laughed. "I'm gayer than yo pretty little mind could wrap around, and I's still gotta hot ass on me. Now, is yous comin' in, or do I gotta drag that magnificent lookin' beast in myself?"
I sighed again, and gratefully stepped into Lafayette's warm house. He waited for Godric to step in. I turned around, to face Lafayette awkwardly. "Uhmm…you've got to invite him in…" I told him. Lafayette turned to look at me, his eyebrow raised.
"Girl, are yous sayin' that he is a vampire?" He asked incredulously, jabbing a thumb in Godric's direction. "He's a mighty fine lookin' one, darlin'."
I rolled my eyes. "He's Eric's maker," I said, and Lafayette's eyes widened, and his cocky demeanour instantly fled.
"Let me in," Godric demanded. "I have things to discuss with you. You are selling vampire blood. Do not lie to me, human, I can smell it all over your house." Lafayette turned to face a stormy Godric, and he held up his hands.
"Listen, man," He pleaded. "I quit selling that shit. Hell, your maker locked me up for days, 'cos I sold the stuff! Eric made me start selling V again." Godric crossed him muscled arms, a dangerous glint in his bluish-grey eyes. He looked rather scary in his all-black attire, and standing in the darkness didn't make it any better.
"What's going on here?" A familiar, honey-sweet voice asked. I turned to see Sookie, who was trying to see over Lafayette's broad shoulder. "…Oh! Godric, you're here. Where's Rosalie? I've been worried sick, she didn't come home –" She cut herself off, when she saw me standing next to her, an amused expression on my face.
"You must be going blind, Sook," I said, grinning. Sookie wrapped me in a hug, and I hugged her back. "You okay? I heard of all the crazy stuff that's been happening here."
"That doesn't matter at the moment. What matters, is that I have had no clue where you've been for the last couple of hours," She said sternly, looking straight at me. I gulped nervously, looking over at Godric for help, but he was too busy drilling holes into Lafayette's head.
"I, er, decided to live with Godric…" I stated quietly, and Sookie's eyes widened. Her blue eyes flickered over to Godric, and she stared at him incredulously.
"Did she decide on that, or did you?" Sookie asked pointedly, raising an eyebrow. Godric sent her an uninterested glance.
"She is mine, Miss Stackhouse, and I will do as I please with her," He said boredly, and I sighed deeply. He really wasn't getting in the good books with my family. Sookie narrowed her eyes, and tapped her foot in annoyance. "Now, let me in. I am losing my patience."
Sookie pointed a finger through the window, at a seat on the front porch. "You can sit over there, young man, and think over your actions. Come and apologize when you're ready," Sookie said sternly, and I almost fell to the floor in laughter. Ha! Way to tell 'em Sook!
Godric looked pissed, to say the least. He looked at me, and held out his hand. "Come. We are returning home, Rosalie," Godric ordered. "We have checked out Bon Temps, and seen to that your sister is safe. Time to go." Sookie's mouth dropped open in shock.
"Excuse me, young man –"
"I am two-thousand years old, Miss Stackhouse," Godric butted in. "You are merely a drop of my age. What I say goes, especially for my mate. Understand?"
Sookie looked outraged. Her fists balled up, and she glowered at Godric. "How dare you! Y'all can't just make decisions for my little sister –"
"Sook," I sighed wearily, clamping a hand on her tensed-up shoulder. "It's alright," I then turned to Godric. "Godric, I told you, I'm going to stay here, until Bon Temps is safe again. I'm going to help my sister and everyone get rid of this crazy lady, okay? I need you to also understand, that this is my town – my family. Family is important to me."
Godric's bluish-grey eyes softened, and his posture relaxed. He placed his outstretched arm back at his side, and bowed his head in apology at Sookie. "Miss Stackhouse, my apologies," He said sincerely, "Sometimes I forget how much you and this town mean to my Rose. However," He said, turning to a nervous Lafayette. "I am not pleased with the idea that you are illegally selling vampire blood. But to your credit, my child is very…persuasive when it comes to things like this. I will not get involved, human, but you must watch your back around other vampires."
Lafayette's tensed-up position relaxed, and the tight grip he'd been holding on the doorknob released. Sookie was nodding her head, smiling. "See? Sayin' sorry wasn't hard at all," Sook said, "I accept your apology, Godric. I suppose, if Lafayette doesn't mind, you can come in."
"Yous get your sexy butt in here, you sexy-ass motherfucker," Lafayette ordered, grinning. I cringed, and Godric looked a little disturbed.
"I should probably point out, that Godric is my boyfriend," I stated, and Godric smiled smugly at me, raising an eyebrow, as if to say, are you jealous? And Lafayette just pouted. "Therefore, he is off limits. Even to you Lafayette Reynolds."
Lafayette slung an arm round my shoulders, and batted his eyelashes at me. "Come on, Rose. Yous my little bitch. We can share."
"I strongly decline," Godric spoke up, and I giggled. "I think I will stick to my Rosalie…" As he said this, he stepped into the house – which he had now been invited into – and swiftly took me out of Lafayette's grasp.
"So, guys, what have you been doing?" I asked. "Bill came to Godric's home to tell us about Maryann, and that he was going to see the vampire queen, but what have you guys been doing so far?"
Sookie sighed, rubbing a hand down her face. "Well, I managed to get Tara out of that weird mind-control thing – with the help of Bill's glamour – but, well, she kind of headed back to rescue her boyfriend from Maryann…"
My eyes bugged out their sockets. "You must be joking! Is Tara crazy?! This woman's nuts!"
Lafayette nodded seriously. "Crazy bitch's gone and asked to be caught, I tell ya." I threw my hands up in exasperation.
"Well, why haven't you guys gone to get her back?!" I asked incredulously "Have you just been sitting here all night?"
"Baby, we'd love to, but –" Lafayette was cut off, as the sound of a gun cocking was heard. I looked around to see Tara's mother – the woman who'd been horrible to Tara all her life – holding a gun, pointing it at us. Lettie Mae was looking unsure of herself, and her grip on the gun was hesitant. "…She won't let us…" Lafayette finished.
Lettie Mae pointed the gun at Lafayette, whose eyes widened. He closed his eyes, and started to shake uncontrollably. "You be quiet. I'm finally getting a chance to get my daughter back into my heart! I will do anything to get to that goal, and if letting her go back is the answer, then it's what I'll do."
"Lettie Mae!" I barked, and she swung the gun in my direction. Godric's grip around me tightened, and he snarled. I could feel the fury and protectiveness from his emotions slam into me, and I almost doubled over. "…Listen. You put that gun away right now. Have you forgotten how Lafayette was locked up? He's traumatized – and that rifle isn't helping."
"I'm doing this for my daughter, Rosalie. Now you are gonna stay here, or I'll shoot again," She threatened, and Godric's feral snarl ripped across the room. Lettie Mae's eyes flickered over to Godric in shock and fear.
"There shall be none of that while my mate is in the vicinity," He growled deeply. "Put your gun away, foolish human, or I shall do it for you."
"N-no! This is for my Tara –" Lettie Mae didn't get to finish, because Godric had flashed in front of her, and ripped the gun out of her shaky grip. With a super-strength throw, Godric threw the rifle out the window, where it went flying through the air.
I looked over, and saw Lafayette and Sookie nodding at each other. Sookie creeped up behind Lettie Mae, and clamped down on her shoulders, shouting, "Now, Lafayette!" And Lafayette threw a heavy object at her, knocking Lettie Mae out instantly. Sookie caught her falling body, and gently placed her on the couch.
I smiled at them. "Good teamwork, you guys," I praised Sookie and Lafayette, "Now, are we going to get back to the house, and find Tara or what?"
Sookie and Lafayette nodded, determination planted deep in their features. I felt Godric's cold hand take my warm one, and he smiled softly down at me. I nodded at all of them, and grinned. "'Kay. Let's kick some ass."
"Alright," I said, crouching down with all the others. "We've got to find a way into the house…"
We'd driven all the way here, and managed to get at a safe distance from our home. It seemed a little crazy to me – that we were hiding from our very own friends and neighbours, and we couldn't even step into our own home. So we had to watch, and wait.
Truth be told, Sook had been a little disgusted, seeing some naked guy dance around her front lawn. I know I was. And then, what was that…thing that he was dancing around? I could smell it from here, and it sure wasn't a nice smell. Think of what a rotting corpse smells like – only double it, and add in a few dead animal hearts and livers. It looked kind of like a totem, in a way. Maybe it was something for Dionysus?
My mind started to drift to Jason. Where was he in all this mess? Was he alright? I hadn't had the chance to ask Sook about him. But, then again, he was Jason Stackhouse. He may not have used his brain all the time – but when something he cared for was it danger, he'd put his all into it. That was why I trusted he was safe. Whatever he was doing, he could do it.
"We've got to find a way to distract those people down there," Sookie sighed, throwing another sickened glance at the naked guy. "…It's chaos. Even in my own home. In Gram's home…"
I put a comforting hand on her slim shoulder. "Don't worry Sook. We'll get everything back to normal again," I assured her, and she nodded and smiled at me. "We're not weak, right? We're gonna kick that evil bitch's ass outta our house, and then you're gonna shoot her, Lafayette." Lafayette nodded, the grip on his gun tightening.
"In the fuckin' head," Lafayette agreed, and Sookie nodded.
"Right!" She said, determined.
As we crouched there, we heard someone shout from above us. "Hey!" We looked up, to see Arlene Fowler, and Terry Bellfleur sitting on a tree branch. I could tell they were under Maryann's influence, judging by their black, pupil less eyes. "…Y'all are trespassin'! You're gonna have to pay a fine!"
"Yeah!" Terry agreed. They both jumped down from their branch, and we sprung up from our crouched positions, as they stepped up to the four of us. Godric growled, and stepped in front of me, eyeing Arlene and Terry warily. Of course, I knew that he easily could have snapped their necks – but he knew that these people were my friends. He was holding back, even though I could tell he wanted to get me as far away from this town as possible.
"The fine is, one-hundred million dollars!" Arlene declared crazily, and Lafayette swung his rifle to aim at her. "…And your pants," She ordered, pointing at Lafayette.
Terry stepped closer, and Lafayette aimed at him instead. "I'll take that," Terry said, reaching his arm out for the gun.
"Hey, hey!" Lafayette moved the gun out of Terry's reach. "How about drugs? Would you take some drugs?" He asked, and I sighed deeply. Couldn't Lafayette think of something better? He just had to resort to that…
"No!" Arlene cried. "I do not take drugs like you!" She said, but Terry seemed to want them.
"What've you got?" He asked, curious, his black eyes searching. Lafayette held up a bag of pills which I'd never seen before, and told them what they were. I rolled my eyes. Trust him to have drugs on him… Terry seemed to want them pretty bad, because he was advancing more on poor Lafayette.
Arlene held Terry back. "Drugs are for losers, baby!" She pleaded. Terry smiled smugly.
"It'll make sex real nice," He promised, and I gagged. I really didn't want that mental picture in my head…
Arlene smiled devilishly back. "Ahh…okay," She agreed, giggling a little. Seriously, I wanted to throw up right then and there. Yuck. Arlene held out her hands, reaching for the bag. "Gimmie!" She ordered.
"How much do you want?" Lafayette asked, backing away.
"All of 'em!" Terry yelled. Of course, I realised instantly what Lafayette was doing. He was leading Arlene and Terry away, as he threw pill after pill before him. They picked up the drugs one by one, still following his retreating form.
"I'm not gonna wait anymore," Sookie called. "I'm going to try and get into the house!" She said, and Lafayette nodded, still throwing the pills.
"I'll be right behind ya. As soon as I get rid of these…bug-eyed freaks…" He muttered, and Sookie turned to me.
"Honey, you stay right here with Godric, alright?" She told me sternly. I nodded, and she ran off to get into the house. I watched with Godric, as Lafayette led Arlene and Terry away.
"Here, chicky-chicky," He called to them tauntingly. Lafayette looked up at me. "You go make sure your sister gets in alright. I's will be fine," He assured me, and I nodded. I felt Godric take my hand, and we sped away towards the back door of the house.
Godric and I crouched underneath the windowsill, and watched as Sook creeped past the kitchen table. However, she stopped suddenly, when a hand reached out to grab her ankle. I couldn't hear what was being said, but I saw her lie down on the ground.
"What the hell is she doing?" I asked Godric in exasperation. Godric looked a little confused himself.
"I do not know, Rosalie, but Miss Stackhouse must have a good reason," He assured me, and I sighed deeply. I watched again, and Sook got on top of something. I raised an eyebrow, however, when she grabbed a frying pan, and smacked it down on something. Then she got up, and ran out of the kitchen.
"Well, she's gotten in fine," I said, nodding. "Come on, we should go and see if Lafayette managed to lead Arlene and Terry away." Both of us leapt away from the windowsill, and we crept back up to the trees around the house, our eyes peeled for our gay, gun-wielding friend.
"I can smell him," Godric said suddenly, "But there are two more scents with him. I can smell panic and fear on Lafayette." My eyes widened.
"What's happening? We've got to go find him!" I cried, and we ran up a small, grassy slope. Eventually, we found Lafayette. I saw him pointing a gun at something, but I couldn't tell what in the darkness.
"There appears to be a man and a woman," Godric informed me, his super eyesight zeroing in on the dark figures. "The woman has bad intentions…I can tell…"
I gulped. "…It's probably Maryann, then," I said nervously. We moved closer to Lafayette. Maryann was talking to him, but I couldn't really catch what she was saying. I could, however, see Lafayette shaking in fear. Maryann was advancing towards him slowly.
Suddenly, Lafayette shouted, "Stop!" But Maryann didn't listen, just kept on advancing. "Bitch, I said stop!" He spat, and the sound of the gun shooting echoed through the night.
However, the bullet didn't hit Maryann. I watched in morbid fascination, as she held up her hand, and deflected the bullet into the man beside her. The bullet ripped through the guy's head, and he fell to the ground, lifeless.
"Aww, poor Carl," Maryann sighed sadly, looking down at his dead body. "You didn't really advance much in this lifetime…" She looked slowly up at a shaking Lafayette. "You cook, don't you?" She asked Lafayette, and my eyes widened.
"Lafayette!" I screamed, catching the attention of Maryann, who grinned, and Lafayette, who looked terrified. "Run!" Unfortunately, Lafayette was rooted to the spot in fear. Poor thing was probably traumatized.
I had to help him – Maryann was walking ever closer to Lafayette, a creepy smile on her face. I couldn't let her touch him. It wasn't going to end well, intuition told me rather sternly. I tried to run forward, but Godric yanked me backwards, and placed a heavy arm over my chest.
"Godric, I've got to help him!" I pleaded, and he frowned deeply. I wriggled in his grasp, but his arm just tightened. My eyes flickered desperately up to his beautiful ones. His eyes were clouded with worry, and I can feel the panic rolling off of him. "Listen, I need to help Lafayette! He's traumatized – he can't move, see?"
Godric shook his head. "No. He has a gun, he can handle himself," He said sternly, pushing my back against his hard chest. "I will not let you run into danger like that." I looked away from Godric, and stared at Lafayette in desperation. I had to do something! Godric was being his usual, over-protective self, and I knew he wouldn't let go. Not in a million years.
I concentrated hard, letting my mind cut itself off from everything. I stopped feeling Godric's arm around my chest, I stopped feeling the cool, evening breeze, and I stopped my merciless panicking. I closed my eyes, and slowed my breathing, letting my heart beat calmly.
I was ready. I felt strong. I could feel the power running through my veins, and coursing down my arms, sparking at the tips of my fingers. I felt electric. My whole body felt electric. I didn't turn around when Godric's arm snaked away from my chest, nor did I wonder why Maryann was looking at me in fascinated delight. I let my legs move – and in the blink of an eye, I was in front of Lafayette, defending him against Maryann.
Said crazy woman clapped her hands in delight, and stared down at me in wonder. "What are you?" Maryann asked happily, and I looked down at my hands. Both of them were fully coated in the shimmering, purple stuff. But what I was shocked at was the…well, shocking, violet electricity that flickered off of them erratically. And it wasn't just my hands. My entire body was flickering with it – I was like a human generator! My whole body was flickering with electricity, and I wasn't on the floor, dead. Was this my "Adofaer" as Ellisar had put it?
"Amazing!" Maryann breathed, and she giggled when a spark of the violet, energized matter licked at her wrist. "Wonderful! Even better than the shiny light that the other girl made! Do it again – shock me!" She demanded, laughing in enjoyment.
What the fuck? Was this woman asking to be shocked?! She was even crazier than I previously thought! "Listen, you crazy bitch," I barked, and she just giggled. "You are gonna leave Lafayette the fuck alone, and this town and everyone else, and never, ever fucking come back. Get it?"
"Oh, but the madness and chaos has just begun, sweetie!" Maryann insisted. "I like you! You would be my perfect Maid of Honour, for the sacrificial ceremony!"
My face twisted up in disgust. "I won't let you lay a finger on Sam," I threatened. Maryann sighed, still smiling creepily.
"Now, you are a rather difficult one, hmm?" She flicked her eyes over to Lafayette. "Darling, could you please restrain our little ball of energy here?" She asked politely. My eyes widened, and I swivelled round.
"N-no!" I cried in desperation. Lafayette's eyes had become completely black. He was under Maryann's influence… I swung round again, and a sudden burst of purple electricity exploded off of me, causing the ground underneath me to crack, and the air to crackle with powerful energy. "You bitch! Bring my friends back, or else!"
"Oooooh, get angrier! I want to see the sky alight with your lightning, honey!" Maryann declared, laughing, and throwing her arms in the air. "Let Him feel your rage, your menace! Your madness!"
"NO!" I screamed, and the electricity starting exploding, from the sheer source of my power. I couldn't stop – I was so very angry. I wanted to hurt something, to damage something, to kill someone. My fists clenched, my nails digging into the soft flesh, leaving bloody cut marks. My eyes screwed shut, and I bent downwards, as the wind and power picked up, circling around me like a tornado. My midnight hair whipped around my face wildly, and my shirt billowed madly.
But something small – something miniscule – in the back of my head calmed me, but only slightly. It pulled at my head, begging me to stop. The pleading grew, until my head was echoing at me, demanding that I calm down. So I did. I let that tiny voice grow, until it yanked at my heart, yanked at the tight pull that held all my emotions on a thin, wavering line. And everything stopped. The madness, the chaos, my anger…it just disappeared.
A pair of arms weaved around my waist, and I heard a voice whisper in my ear. "Do not let her control you," Godric demanded, and I knew, right then – that he'd stopped me – he'd yanked on our pull, helping me escape my fury. "You must concentrate on saving Bon Temps. Do not fail your town and friends, now, my love. Do not fail me."
A loud clapping sounded through the quiet night. "How sweet," Maryann laughed. "But, really, darling. It's time we got this show on the road. Lafayette, honey? Go and fetch the girl with those light powers." Lafayette nodded, still entranced, and stalked off to the house.
"Lafayette…" I called weakly. Maryann giggled, but then sighed.
"You're all tired out now, sweetie," She pouted. "That's a shame. I need you to be all energized! Come on, show me some more madness."
"Silence, Maenad," Godric boomed angrily. "You have provoked my mate enough. I will not allow you to come near, so stay back." He growled menacingly, and I heard the click of his fangs pop down.
"Oh, but I need this girl for the ceremony," Maryann sighed. "What another shame! It seems my light-girl shall be my Maid of Honour. Perhaps I can use your assistance another time, my little ball of energy!"
Then Maryann waltzed off towards the house. Towards Sookie.
"Godric…" I coughed a little, before continuing. "I've got to stop her. Need…to…save…Sook…"
Godric growled. "No. I have let you do many things, but I will draw the line here," He argued. "You used to much of your elf powers. You almost killed yourself," He said quietly, and I heard his voice break a little.
"Godric…" I said sadly. "I –"
"No," He hissed, clamping heavy hands on my shoulders, and spinning me round to face him. "You will rest now. Go to sleep, my Rose," He commanded, staring me straight in the eye.
Of course, I knew Godric was glamouring me. I always knew when he was. But I couldn't fight off the heavy sleep, that nagged at my brain and my body asking me to just shut down and relax. My eyelids felt heavier than bricks, and my shoulders drooped wearily, as Godric stared into me. Then I fell, and the last thing I felt before falling into oblivion, was Godric's hand stroking my dark hair lovingly.
I should probably point out, that the scene with Lettie Mae was slightly different from the TV series. I changed it a little to fit in with the story :)