Chapter Ten:

My heart was racing as Godric kissed me, as his lips pressed against mine in a way that caused a rush of warmth to spread throughout my body. A part of me had been waiting for this moment since the first night I met him. A part of me had desired this since that night we first spent together, the night he first took care of me. The kiss was different than the one with Eric. That had been filled with passion and urgency. But this kiss was sweet, as if there were a thousand more in our future. And I hoped for that. I hoped that this hadn't been a mistake, that Godric wouldn't pull away but figuratively and literally. Because the moment our lips touched, I felt a connection to him. I felt this blood bond between us bubble, the beast roaring from deep inside of me as it danced around, enjoying every single moment of the power taking control of me.

The kiss ended before I even had the chance to move, to take him by the face and hold him in that position and never let go. I knew that this was one kiss that I wouldn't run away from, that I wouldn't pack up everything and high tail it out of here. This was a kiss I desired more of. This was a kiss I wasn't afraid of. Maybe that meant something. Maybe that was a sign. I couldn't have cared less. I just wanted Godric in that moment. I wanted his lips back against mine, his hands running over every inch of my body as we explored one another. I wanted to see those beautiful sea coloured orbs every single night for the rest of my human life. I wanted to make him smile, to see that spark return to his eyes. I wanted to prove to him that he wasn't a monster. I just wanted it all.

I hadn't realized the effect the kiss had on me until Godric leaned his forehead against mine, a sigh emitting from the vampire, almost as if he already regretted his actions. I inhaled sharply, prepared to assure him that this was far from a mistake, but I came up short for air. I frowned as I breathed in once again, only I found that I couldn't. I couldn't breathe. The air was lost from my lungs, and no matter how many times I tried, I just couldn't breathe.

I began panicking. I stumbled away from Godric and I would have fallen if the vampire hadn't stood and wrapped his arms around my form to steady me. A frown was on his lips as he stared at me worriedly. I could see it in his eyes that he thought I was pulling away from him because of the kiss. He did already regret it; he already wished he hadn't taken that leap of faith and kissed me. I wanted to tell him the complete opposite, but I couldn't. I was gasping for air, searching for a way to breathe. I wasn't hyperventilating, I knew that for certain. Because no matter how many happy thoughts I tried to think of, I just couldn't breathe.

Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong.

That warmth that had spread through my entire being was being pushed away as a cold numb began entering my body. I shivered and Godric had to grab onto my arms tightly as my body started to shake uncontrollably. I was still trying to breathe, but with every attempt at an intake of breath, it felt like my lungs and insides had just been dunked into freezing cold water. I whimpered, tears forming in my eyes, trying to understand what was happening to me. I searched inside of myself for that power, for that beast, but I couldn't find it. It had been there one minute, and the next it had vanished. The beast just wasn't taking a nap; I could usually still feel it when it did. This was different. It was truly gone this time.

Hands tightened on my arms and my gaze snapped up to meet Godric's wide eyes. There was panic crossing his own face and I knew he could feel everything that was happening to me in that moment. He could feel the cool numb feeling, he could feel my panic. But as I stared closer at the vampire, I could see a slight change. His skin seemed more flushed, more alive. His cheeks had a slight pink tint to it, and his touch was warmer than it had ever been. His orbs grew wider as suddenly his hands fell from my side and to his chest. I stumbled backwards and to the wall before I slid down to the ground. Black dots were beginning to invade my vision as I fought to stay conscious. But my body was growing weaker and I could feel my own organs shutting down, one by one. A metallic taste found its way into my mouth and soon blood was dripping down from my lips. I squeezed my eyes shut, tears beginning to mix with the blood as I prayed to whatever god existed that this was all some nightmare.

I was dying.

And just from some kiss.

"Savannah..." the voice sounded far away instead of emitting from the vampire before me. It sounded like I was in a tunnel, a bright light lighting the way as my consciousness began slipping away from me. My body slumped against the wall as I tried to inhale one last time.

But the attempt was ruined by a pair of lips pressing against mine for a second time. I tried to fight against Godric, to push him away. I was dying and he was kissing me? Why wasn't he...

And then I felt it. It felt like I was just kicked in the stomach. But instead of it being a foot, it had been that power, that roaring beast. I tried to break away from the vampire, but his hands cupped both of my cheeks, holding me in place as his tongue rang across my bottom lip, seek access. I had no strength, no control of my own body as he pressed forward, his tongue darting in to meet mine. My body began shaking again as that coldness began seeping from my body, the warmth battling back against the cold touch of death. And it was winning. I felt my organs jumping back to life, I could feel my lungs thawing out and working as normal. My heart was racing inside of my chest so quickly that I thought it was going to leap right out. I still had that taste of blood inside my mouth, on my tongue, but it was quickly gone as Godric licked away the remnants.

The kiss only lasted another moment before Godric slowly began pulling away.

My eyes were still closed as I inhaled over and over again, feeling as if I just couldn't breathe in enough oxygen to satisfy my need. My hands shook, but the rest of my body had fallen still as the chill had left and been replaced with such warmth that I almost found myself too hot. That power had returned. Whatever had happened, it had left me without my beast, and I hated myself for feeling empty and alone without it. It had grown to be a part of me and without it, it just didn't feel right. It was a pain in the ass, and some supernatural mystery, but it was me.

"Savannah?" Godric was the first to speak, to break the silence.

My eyes slowly began opening as I took in the vampire before me. He was sitting on the ground, leaning his back against the side of my bed as blood pooled around those stunning eyes of his. There was blood on his lips, and I knew without even inspecting that it was my blood he was licking away. I didn't know what to think, what to even say. What the hell had just happened? What the hell was that?

And here I thought I wouldn't be running away from that kiss.

But no. I wasn't going to run away. Because Godric wasn't Eric. He was different. I didn't want to run away from him.

That didn't mean I wasn't petrified though. That didn't mean I wasn't scared beyond my wits. I had nearly died, for the second time today, and all because of a kiss? It didn't make sense. It just couldn't be possible.

But this vampire before me shouldn't have even been possible. He didn't have a heartbeat, he didn't have to breathe. And yet he was functioning just fine. There were supernatural forces in the world, that was a fact. It may not have been possible, it may not even be able to be proven, but there were mysteries everywhere, and I just happened to be a new one.

"Savannah?" Godric leaned forward, laying his hand on the knees that I had pulled up to my chest. "Are you..."

"What the hell was that?" I asked in a raspy voice. My eyes were wide, though blurry with tears. I wasn't strong enough for this. Maybe for one near death experience, but not two in the same night. At least I could explain why I had almost died the second time. And it could also be explained how I had survived. But this time? There were only two kisses between Godric and I, and somehow, in some way, that had solved everything.

"I...I'm not exactly sure." He flashed beside me, his arm sliding around me and pulling me against his form. I clung to the vampire as I dove my face in his chest, the tears spilling down my cheeks and wetting his shirt. "I felt more alive than I've ever felt before. I could...I could feel my heartbeat for the quickest second. It was amazing."

"But...but..." I tried to calm myself down but it was just no use. The tears kept flowing and my body began shaking again. Godric stared to rub small circles up and down my back soothingly, but not even that helped.

"Please don't be afraid, my little mystery." He lifted me up and moved me between his legs. He held onto me, one arm around my waist as his other began stroking my tangled hair. "All will be well, I promise you that."

I wasn't sure how long we stayed there in that position. It could have been hours, or it could have been minutes and I never would have known the difference. After awhile, my tears began to dry on my cheeks, my breathing returning to normal finally. I sighed heavily as I shifted in Godric's arms, jostling the vampire from his deep thoughts. As I pulled away just far enough to stare up at him, his own gaze fell to meet mine. He raised a hand up, caressing my warm cheek with the backs of his cool fingers. My eyes closed as I leaned into his touch, feeling comforted and safe by the vampire's actions.

"You're safe now, Savannah." He assured me, his lips brushing across my forehead. "I promise."

"What...what happened, Godric?" I asked in a small, timid voice. "I-I nearly died. Again."

"I know." His lips curved into a frown. "It was almost as if you had breathed life into me when we kissed. It's impossible, it can't be true, but I fear it was."

"But how?" I frowned, not understanding what he was telling me. "How did that happen? I don't..."

"I know." He nodded, still stroking my hair in comfort. "It shouldn't be true. But I felt my heart beat. I felt the warmth of life spread through me while at the same time, you were cold to touch, your breath was taken from you and your organs were failing. You were dying as I was given life."

"How did it...how did it happen?" the blood began draining from my face. "It doesn't make any sense. How could that even happen? That shouldn't be able to happen. What's happening to me, Godric? What the hell is happening to me?"

Another wave of tears fell down my cheeks, but this time Godric brushed them all away. He pressed his lips against my forehead, though this time he held them there, as if they could soothe me, take it all away. But he couldn't erase the memories of those few quick short moments that my life had been ripped away from me.

"I've never seen or felt something so...extraordinary." he pulled away, his gaze boring into mine. "I haven't seen anything like it in thousands of years. I honestly can't tell you what you want to know, Savannah. There are suspicions, but as I've said, it's impossible, it couldn't be true."

"But..." my bottom lip began to tremble. "I just want to know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing is wrong with you." He grasped onto my chin. "You are magnificent, Savannah. You are a remarkably kind and caring girl who I wish nothing more than to get to know, to be around. You radiate life and warmth that I thought to be long gone. You see me for who I am in this very moment. You yell at me for my ridiculous self pitying statements and you don't take my...shit, as you humans would say. This power, this beast inside of you may be much more than either of us ever thought, but you are so much more than this, Savannah."

His words only caused the tears to fall, for the soft sob to escape my lips. I didn't want to appear weak in front of the vampire. I didn't want him to see me at my lowest point. But I craved his comfort. I needed his arms around me, his soft encouraging words whispered in my ear. And that's exactly what I got. His arms tightened around me as he held me against him. His lips brushed against my ear as he dipped his head down, his words barely above a whisper as he soothed me. Not even thirty minutes ago Godric had been ready to leave, and now here he was, comforting me, assuring me that he wouldn't be going anywhere.

I just wanted to click my heels three times and find myself back in bed, with this night never existing

"I have to leave soon." Godric returned to my room with a glass of water and set it on my nightstand before he sat on the edge of my bed.

I glanced at the time and frowned, not having realized how late, or really how early, it had become. The sun would be rising shortly, and Godric would burst into flames if he didn't get somewhere safe. I didn't want him to leave, I didn't want him to ever leave, but I knew that I couldn't keep him here. It just wasn't safe and I didn't want to risk losing Godric, not anytime soon anyways.

"Stupid sun." I mumbled with a pout.

Godric chuckled softly as he reached a hand over to tuck a strand of hair back behind my ear. "I'll return the moment the sun sets, I promise."

"You don't have to if you don't want to." I shrugged, not wanting to guilt Godric into returning. I wanted him to be here because he wanted to be, not because I had suddenly turned emotionally and mentally unstable.

"I want to." he assured me. He leaned forward, cupping one cheek in his cold hand as he brushed his lips across the other. I sighed in content at the feel of his lips against my skin. I wished I could have kissed him again. I wished I could have taken him by the face and laid one long and passionate kiss on his lips. But right now, I knew it was impossible. Because whatever had happened between us not long ago, I was too scared that it would happen again. Was it just because he was a Vampire? But then why hadn't this happened with Eric? Then again, something did happen with Eric. Maybe that had been the start of it all. Maybe kissing Eric had been what first unlocked the door to this mysterious power. And now, with kissing Godric, it was completely unleashed.

And that scared me even more.

What would happen next?

"I'm scared." I voiced to Godric softly.

"I know." He nodded, moving closer on the bed until he could wrap his arms around me. He came to sit beside me, allowing me to curl up beside him. It felt so natural, so comfortable to be sitting like this in one another's arms, like it should always be like this. I felt safe and content, like nothing in the world could hurt me just as long as I was in Godric's arms, protected by the vampire. And at the moment, that was the greatest feeling in the world. "Whatever this is, Savannah, I promise you that I will help you discover exactly what it is. I won't abandon you; you won't have to go through this alone. We'll do this together."

"You don't have to. You could just leave." I was giving him an out, one that I prayed he wouldn't take. But I wouldn't back him into a corner. I wouldn't force him to help me. This wasn't his problem, this was mine.

"I don't want to leave, Savannah. I don't want to go anywhere." He ran his hand up and down my back soothingly. "But I'm afraid I truly must go for the day."

"I know." I sighed heavily, gazing up at him. "Thank you for everything, Godric. You seem to always be taking care of me."

"You are someone that deserves to be cherished." He offered a small smile. "Whatever we might discover, whatever might happen in the future, I am glad I've met you, my little mystery. I regret what I said earlier, and I won't make that mistake again."

I couldn't help but smile just a touch as I embraced the vampire, as I soaked my warmth into his cool body. We stayed that way for another few minutes before unfortunately, Godric had to untangle himself from my arms and leave the bed.

"The moment the sun sets, I'll return." He promised, kissing the top of my head before glancing at the time. "I must go."

And just like that, Godric was gone. I could hear the front door open and close, and I knew I was completely alone now. I sighed and settled down on the bed, curling up and hugging my pillow to me. I stared out the window for what felt like hours as I watched the darkened sky lighten. I watched until the sun had risen and I wondered where Godric was, if he had made it somewhere safe in time. I fell asleep not too long after, the wheels still turning in my head, wondering what in the world I was, as my eyes drifted close and I slipped into a peaceful slumber.

I woke up late in the day, the sun already high up into the sky. I groaned as my eyes fluttered open, the brightness of the room stinging my orbs. I quickly rolled over onto my other side, only to find myself rolling right off of the bed and to the hard ground. I cursed to myself as the sheets tangled around my legs until I kicked them off and tossed them back onto the bed. I sighed as I sat there on the floor for a moment, just remembering the events of last night, or really that morning.

I had nearly died. Not once, but twice. And Godric had swept in and saved the day both times. Only, I didn't understand what had happened when we kissed. Both of the times. Had I really breathed my life, the force that allowed me to live, into Godric? He said he had felt his heart beat, while my own organs began to fail slowly and painfully. How could that be possibly though? How had I been able to just breathe life into a vampire who had been the undead for two thousand years? None of it made any sense.

I rubbed my temples as my head began to ache. I tried to rid myself of the memories of what happened only hours ago, and instead focused on anything else. It was Friday, and I should have already met with my study group. As I checked my phone, I could see that I had countless of voice messages and texts from the three, asking where I was, that they were at the library waiting for me. I quickly replied that I was sick and wouldn't be able to make it. It was a lie, but there was no way I was going to be able to concentrate right now on schoolwork, on anything besides whatever the hell is happening to me.

For once in my life, I was going to actually take a weekend break from school and relax.

God knows I needed it.

I stood in the shower for almost an hour, letting the warm water wash over me, relaxing my tense muscles. When I got out and dried myself off, I felt a bit better, felt almost like my normal self. I knew I would never be that girl again, the one who studied hard and got exactly what she wanted. Because you couldn't just nearly die, you couldn't have some supernatural mystery attached to you and just be the same person. It was impossible.

I spent the day curled up on the couch flipping through the countless channels on TV only to find nothing to watch. I tried to read, but I had a liking for supernatural fantasy novels and I just couldn't deal with that right now. I even attempted to do some studying, even though I had decided against it earlier, but my mind just wasn't into it. There were still a few hours before Godric would be able to come over, so I sought for some form of entertainment. I was almost glad that my kitchen was nearly empty and had to go to the store. It gave me something to do, something to keep my mind occupied and from travelling.

So that's exactly what I did. I got dressed, I grabbed my bag, and I left my apartment. The sun stung my eyes at first, but I quickly got used to it as I traipsed through the melting snow. It was March now, and I hoped that with the prospect of Spring in only a few weeks, that the weather would get warmer. I knew it already would have been in Shreveport. I groaned as that thought immediately put Eric Northman in the forefront of my thoughts. I had to shake my head to stop thinking about that blonde vampire. I had enough on my plate right now; I didn't need to think about that vampire and his message.

But I did have to think about that message, because what would happen if he did just suddenly show up? What would I do? What would he do? What would Godric do? He said he would protect me, but apparently Eric had claimed me. So what exactly could Godric do? He could kill Eric; he seemed to have no problem killing that vampire last night who had attacked me. But I didn't want to make Godric do that. He already thought of himself as a monster, I didn't want to make him think that even more by killing people, even just vampires, left and right. No, I would have to deal with this Eric problem on my own. Maybe I could persuade him to leave me alone. But then again, I was a mystery to him. He had felt something in that kiss, just as I had. He was curious, and once he found out that that power had grown stronger, the beast barely sleeping, then he was going to want to know more than even I could tell him.

"I just couldn't have a normal start to the year, could I?" I mumbled to myself as I stuffed my hands into my pocket.

I turned a corner, only a few blocks from the grocery store, when I felt a sudden tug at my body. I twisted around, searching for whoever had grabbed at me. But I found no one. Besides the few people across the street, the sidewalk around me was empty. My eyebrows furrowed but I decided I was just being paranoid and continued to walk. I was just passing the entrance to a small, old cemetery when I felt the tug again.

"What the fuck." I frowned as I looked around again, only to find myself alone. "Seriously? Am I just going crazy now?"

That's when I felt it. That's when I felt something inside of me shift. I had to close my eyes, my legs shaking as I grabbed onto the iron fence around the cemetery to keep myself upright. My arm went around my middle as that beast roared to life and came charging right out of me. I whimpered as the pain cursed through my body. I felt the tug again. And again. And again. An invisible force kept coming at me, grabbing at my limbs, at my mind and soul, at my entire consciousness. I almost fell to the ground, but was able to keep myself on my feet as I stumbled into the cemetery. It felt like I wasn't even in control of my body as I dragged my feet, being pulled further and further into the cemetery against my will. I could hear soft whispers around me, and I searched for the owners of the voices. But I found no one. Because there was no one around. There was only me and the many covered graves of the dead.

The whispers began growing louder and louder the deeper I went into the cemetery until suddenly, my feet came to a stop in the dead center. I was surrounded by tombstones, by those that had died and were put to rest.

"Stop it." I pleaded softly, my hands gripping the sides of my head, willing the voices to stop. "Please stop."

But the voices didn't stop. They only grew louder, almost shouting now. I didn't know who the voices belonged to, where they were coming from, but it was all becoming too much. I fell to my knees in the snowy cemetery, a whimper escaping my lips as my eyes squeezed shut.

What was happening to me?

"Who are you?" I called out. "Please just stop."

And just like that, just as quickly as it had all swept over me, it stopped. I let out the breath I never knew I had been holding and slowly opened my eyes. I looked around the cemetery, expecting a crowd of people who had been talking. But I found myself instead alone, the tombstones surrounding me. I could feel the tears beginning to slip down m cheeks and I didn't bother to wipe them away as I tried to understand what had just happened, what in the world was going on with me. First last night, and now this?

It was as I was using the top of a tombstone to help me up that I began to realize where the voices had come from. A single voice entered my head this time, the voice of a young girl who was begging for help. My hand snapped right off of the tombstone and I stumbled backwards and into the snow. My eyes were as wide as saucers as I crawled backwards, only for my back to hit into another tombstone. A man's voice this time swept over me, begging for the same help the girl had. I cried out as I hurried to my feet, being careful not to touch any other headstone as I began to back out of the cemetery.

The voices, the whispers, they hadn't just been in my head, some figment of my imagination.

No, they belonged to people.

But not to the living.

They were the voices of the dead.