Chapter Eighteen:

"You could wear something a little more..." Eric waved his hand at the jeans and t-shirt I had worn to Fangtasia the next night. Even my hair was messily cascading down my back.

"You kidnapped me; all my nice clothes are back in Connecticut." I shot at him with my arms crossed. "It's your own fault I'm forced to look like a slob. And anyways, it's not like I'm dressing up for anyone special."

"What about Godric." Eric sneered.

I rolled my eyes. Oh the little green monster was raging tonight! "Godric has seen me in much worse states than this. Where is he anyways?"

"He'll be along shortly." Eric sat back in his desk chair, his hands clasping together behind his head.

"Great." I mumbled, sitting down in one of the empty seats across from him. If I knew Godric wouldn't be here until later, I wouldn't have come when I did. But I wanted to get this whole conversation out of the way and hopefully steal Godric for the rest of the night. I couldn't persuade him to stay alive when Eric was hovering over our shoulders. We never agreed that he would have to chaperone, only that it needed to be done. And if I could persuade Godric, then Eric would leave me alone for good. Though I still wasn't sure why part of me didn't want that to happen.

I watched as Eric set his leather covered feet up onto the desk, lounging there with that smug look on his face. I really wanted to just slap that look right off of his face, and I would have found myself doing just that if the door hadn't opened and Godric hadn't of walked in. A smile immediately appeared on my lips as I jumped up to greet the older vampire.

"Savannah." Godric held out his arms for me and I wrapped myself against him. I sighed in content as I held the vampire, praying to whatever god that would listen that I would be able to persuade him. I wasn't sure how I would react to losing Godric. I had only just met him a few months ago, but he already knew more about me than most people I've known my entire life. He had been there at my side while I went through this mysterious adventure of searching for what I was and the bond that we shared, even without the blood bond, was deeper than I could even imagine.

"Touching." Eric rolled his eyes sarcastically as Godric and I slowly parted.

I shot him a glare as I settled back in the seat that I had previously been sitting in. My hand slid into Godric's however, as he sat in the chair beside me. I caught Eric's glare at our connected hands and I snickered quietly. He heard the snicker however, and his glare rose to meet my smirking face.

"Jealous?"

"You wish." Eric grumbled, his feet falling off of the desk as he leaned forward. "Can we get on with this? I do have a business to run."

"Don't be grumpy with us, Eric. You're the one who kidnapped me, remember." I pointed out.

"She does have a point, my child." Godric nodded.

"Well I'm glad you're taking her side on this." Eric clenched his teeth together.

"You did kidnap her, Eric." Godric sent him a pointed look.

"I did it for you." Eric tried to reason.

"Somehow I doubt you would do anything for anyone besides yourself."

"You don't know a thing about me." Eric hissed. "Just like you don't know a thing about him."

"I know enough about Godric to know that you're nothing like him." I shrugged.

"Enough, both of you." Godric sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he held up a hand to the both of us. "If we're going to bicker every single time we're together, then there is no point for Savannah to even stay. Or perhaps I'll just leave."

"No." Eric and I said in unison, causing more glares to be thrown at each other.

"No one wants you to leave Godric." I sent one last glare at the blonde vampire before turning towards Godric in my seat. I squeezed his hand and offered him a smile. "We want you to be here. I want to be here. Now if Eric could learn how not to be an asshole..."

"Maybe if you stopped denying that you want me..." Eric shot back.

"I'm not denying it, Eric! I do want you. I just have enough self control to not let your little games get to me."

"Why won't you just yield to me already!"

"Because I'm not some blonde bimbo that I'm sure you're used to having hang all over you. I have a brain, Eric. I'm pretty damn smart, if I say so myself. And I'm not going to fall for your lines like every other girl." I snapped, getting tired of his attitude already. Was I still able to back out of this deal?

"You want me damn it. I excite you. Why won't you just let me have you!" Eric was gripping the edge of the desk so tightly, the wood began splintering.

"Because I don't want to want you!"

"Will you two please calm down?" Godric was shaking his head. "This isn't what I wanted at all. I didn't come back here for this."

Eric and I seemed to be in our own little world however, as neither of us took any heed to Godric's words.

"I will have you. Mark my words; you will yield to me, Savannah. You will be mine." Eric growled possessively.

"I'm sorry, but I don't go for possessive assholes."

"I don't usually go for annoying little brats, but we all change." Eric gritted through his clenched teeth.

"I'm not even here for you Eric. If you keep pushing me I will go home." I warned him.

"We have a deal." His eyes narrowed.

"Yeah and I can break that deal at any time."

"What about you're precious Godric?" Eric snarled. "What about him, huh?"

"You should be a little more respectful to your own maker, Eric. You might not have him for very much longer. Hell, you don't even deserve him."

I knew I had gone just a little too far when the room fell deathly silent. No one breathed. Then again, I was the only one who even had to breathe, but even then, I had held in my breath as I realized what I had said. That had been lower than low. I didn't mean it. If anyone deserved someone as kind and caring, it was Eric so Godric could whip him into shape. I knew just how much Eric loved Godric, how much he cared about his maker and whether he lived or die. It was written all over his face, especially at this exact moment. I had thrown a grenade without even thinking, and now I desperately wished I hadn't.

"Eric, I didn't..."

"Get out." Eric growled so lowly, my heart leapt in fear. "Get out right now."

He didn't have to tell me twice. I jumped up out of the chair and darted towards the door. Eric had every right to be angry with me. I just hoped Godric wouldn't fault me for my mistake, for hurting his progeny the way that I had.

Godric watched Eric's reaction closely. He knew the moment the words left Savannah's mouth that his progeny was going to snap. He didn't agree with her harsh words, but he also knew it was blurted out in the heat of the moment and couldn't blame her for what she had said. Eric had just kept pushing and pushing at her until she had no other choice but to snap. He wished the two could get along, Eric had claimed her after all. But Savannah seemed determined to keep denying herself the attraction she felt for Eric. He could see it in her eyes; he could feel it in their bond. She cared for him. She desired him. A part of him wished that she didn't, that Eric hadn't been the one to claim her. But there was nothing he could do about that now. And he didn't want to. Because when he was gone, she would be all Eric had left, not including Eric's own progeny.

"Did you just let that sweet piece of ass leave, Eric?" Pam came waltzing into the room, clad in a black pencil skirt and a dark blouse. Her perfectly plucked eyebrow rose as she rested a hand on her hips. She shook her head as she licked her lips, thinking about the things she could do to Savannah.

"Pam..." Godric shook his head at the tall blonde.

"Out. Everyone out." Eric snapped, his eyes blazing as he glared down at his desk, his hands curling into fists. "Get out!"

"You brought this on yourself, Eric." Godric sighed, rubbing his temple. "If you had only stopped pushing her..."

"I don't want to hear your lecture right now, Godric. Get out. Both of you." Eric raised his gaze to meet Godric's. "Just get out."

"What's stuck up your ass?" Pam rolled her eyes but obliged, turning on her purple pumps and strutting out of the office. Godric sighed but stood and began to follow. He knew Eric's tempers well. He knew that he wouldn't be able to talk any sense into him until he calmed down. Only then would he reprimand him for pushing Savannah like he had. If this was going to continue, then there was no point of Savannah, or him, staying. He had come here to spend the last few months with his child, to not waste the time that they had together. He hadn't expected to see Savannah again, and while that saddened him, he had come to terms with the fact that she was never truly going to be his. Eric needed her kind and gentle ways more than he did. She could change him when he couldn't, and Godric hoped that could be true. Because once he was gone, once he had met the true death, he knew Eric was going to need all the help he could get.

I hated myself for what I had said to Eric. I hadn't meant it. It just came bursting out in the heat of the moment. But I had seen just how hurt, just how angered my words made him. I hadn't realized how much I cared until I saw those pained blue orbs staring back at me. It was horrible. I felt terrible and all I wanted to do was run back into Fangtasia and apologize. But I knew it wouldn't be the right moment. I knew that would only anger Eric even more. He needed his space, that much I could tell.

I tried to deny that I had any sort of feelings for him. I tried to control my urges, my desires. I would rather want to jump Godric and rip off all of his clothes than to feel that way about Eric. Because at least Godric was a good guy. He was kind, caring, warm and gentle. He wasn't the monster he thought he was. If he had been human, and if I had been looking for Mr. Right, he would be the exact type I would look for. I had never fallen for the cocky, arrogant, drop dead gorgeous types. But then again, I had never fallen for a vampire before, and now I was falling for two. Why couldn't I just move on and pretend neither of them existed? I just wanted to forget about both of them; my life would be so much easier if I could just do that. Then I wouldn't have to deal with these confusing feelings, I wouldn't have to deal with Eric's attitude, the sex that oozed out of him, or the fact that Godric might meet the true death. I didn't want to deal with any of this.

But I was dealing with it and I had to. Because I knew I couldn't just turn back now. That wasn't even an option. Because I had grown attached to both of these vampires and there was no changing that, no matter how much I wished that to be true. I had only known Eric for a week and a half during Christmas break, but that one kiss had sealed the deal. It wasn't just because of the power that flowed between us, it was the passion, it was the fiery desire that I felt in the pit of my stomach, it was the way that my heart flip flopped as Eric laid his forehead against mine, his hands pressing against my body. That kiss had ruined everything, but had also given me everything in return. I had never felt anything like it before. Even when I kissed Godric, it wasn't entirely the same. It was still amazing and great, but that first kiss with Eric, and every other one since then, it was just magical, and it couldn't be duplicated.

With Godric however, it felt like warmth was spreading through my entire body at a simple look. His arms felt like the most comforting arms in the world, and I felt safe and soothed whenever he held me. Every time I was around him, I never wanted him to leave my sights. He caused me to smile, he put that sparkle in my eyes, and I found that I could cause the same reaction in him. And I loved that. Every time I was able to see that small half smile on his lips, I couldn't help but grin. He made me feel like a princess, like the most special girl in the world. And I wouldn't want to trade that for the world because no one had ever made me feel that way before.

So what did this all mean?

One was full of passion and gave me everything I ever desired, and the other one made me feel happy and loved. Did I have to choose? Did I want to? Was there even any point? I knew Godric at least held some sort of feelings in return, but did Eric even care, or was I just some game to him? What would happen after he discovered the mystery? Would he be bored, would he want to use me to his advantage, or would I simply be thrown away? I didn't want to put myself in that position to be heartbroken, but hadn't I already done that? I wasn't so sure I could turn back now. I wasn't so sure I could just split my losses and call it a day. I was stuck now, and I needed to figure out what in the world I was going to do.

And fast.

"I should have stayed at school for Christmas and studied like I wanted to." I grumbled to myself as I wrapped my arms around myself, the air chilly for a sprint night in Louisiana. I was only wearing a t-shirt and had left my jacket at home thinking I wouldn't need it for the beginning of May. But it was a rare cold front and I was cursing myself for leaving my phone and money back at Fangtasia. I was already blocks away from the bar and I didn't want to waltz back in there because of the whole embarrassment factor. So I was forced to walk back home without a coat, and through the bad part of town. It wasn't ideal, and I found myself looking over my shoulder, my eyes darting in every direction like some paranoid person, but I was stuck and I wasn't about to go running back asking for forgiveness.

"What a great night." I rolled my eyes, shaking my hair out over my shoulders as I kept my eyes peeled on my surroundings. There were a few stragglers out, but thankfully no one even looked my way. Maybe my attempt at being invisible was working. Now if only that had worked in high school.

It wasn't thugs or muggers that I had to worry about however. Because neither could cause the chill to run up my spine, the hairs on the back of my neck to stick up. No, only the dead could cause that reaction, and I wasn't pleased at all to find that I was so lost in thought that I had allowed myself to come across a cemetery. I had lived in Shreveport my entire life; I should have known where all the cemeteries were. But this one looked new. It was one of those new cemeteries with the stones in the ground instead of the large tombstones. If it hadn't of been for the trickle of power that was now cursing through my veins, my blood running ice cold, I never would have even thought it was a cemetery at first. But as I peered closely, I could see some of the raised stones, though the cemetery was so new that only a few littered the ground. I thought about ignoring the feeling, the beast within me that was whipping around like it was trying to claw its way out, and just hurry on by. But I knew I wouldn't be able to. Because my legs already seemed to have a mind of their own and carried me right on into the cemetery.

I cursed at the damn dead that were beginning to whisper to me. There were only a dozen, if that, and I was able to pick out the voices easier than the last few times. There were a few women, only one adult male, and a handful of children. The latter saddened me and I prayed that I wouldn't have to witness another murder of an innocent child. It had been horrifying enough to watch that scene with the boy in the woods, running from the maniac with a gun. I still had nightmares to this day, and I wasn't so sure I could handle a second round.

When I gained complete control of my body again, I found myself standing over an unmarked freshly covered grave. I couldn't even remember crossing through most of the cemetery and to the back corner, which meant that I was losing time and I knew that wasn't good at all. I tried to turn back away, to run from the cemetery, but an invisible force held me there, keeping me frozen to the ground. The wind suddenly began to pick up and it felt like something had just run at my back, knocking into me and sending me down onto my knees. I grunted as I used my hands to brace myself in the cold dirt and looked around, searching for the culprit. But I shouldn't have even tried. I knew that it wasn't by a physical being. The dead were persistent, that much I had learned since realizing I had this curse.

I waited for some sort of vision or flashback to overcome me, to take me to some period in time, to another place, and force me to watch yet another death. But I was surprised when it never happened. I hadn't realized my eyes had been squeezed shut until I slowly began opening them to look down at the grave in confusion. I set my palms flat against the dirt, almost as if willing something to be shown to me. This had happened every time, so why was nothing happening now? It wasn't that I wanted it to happen, but I had come to expect it and I found it odd that nothing came to me.

"Maybe it was just one big coincidence." I whispered to myself. "Maybe it was all in my head."

The whispers were still there however, they still spoke in my ear, caressing my body with the cold, invisible hands of death. I could feel their hands crawling under my skin. It was unnerving and I just wanted to scratch at my arms to stop it. But I knew that until my duty was over, or at least that's what they considered it, they wouldn't leave me alone. So then why could I feel anything from this grave? Why couldn't I hear the whisper of the dead body buried deep beneath this dirt? Why couldn't I see a damn thing? Everything was getting only more confusing and I wasn't so sure how much more of this I could take.

After a few more minutes of nothing occurring, I tried to force myself up onto my feet, and I even managed to accomplish just that. I looked around the empty cemetery in confusion, trying to understand what was going on. The whispers were growing louder, but their calls, their pleas had changed within the last few minutes. Instead of the help that they were begging for, they were calling out to me in a much different way, and it sent chills down my spine.

"Run!"

"Get out!"

"Evil lurks here!"

I felt panicked. If the dead were telling me to run, I knew something was desperately wrong. So I listened. Except, before I could even take a step towards the exit, the ground beneath me began to rumble. My eyes grow wide as I stared down at the grave in horror. I watched, as if I was in the middle of some horror movie, as the ground began to give away just enough for a hand to burst right through the dirt. I let out a scream, one that I wasn't proud of, but the hand of a god damn corpse had just broken through its own grave. I think I was allowed to scream like a scared little girl just this once.

I tried to dart away, jump off of the grave as the ground continued to rumble. But it was as if the corpse beneath my feet knew I was there and the hand lunged at me. I let out another ear piercing scream as the hand clutched onto my ankle, its fingernails digging so hard into me that they broke right through my jeans and were now clinging to the skin of my ankle. I tried to struggle, I tried desperately to get away. A corpse was grabbing onto me. This was stuff from horror movies, from badly made movies at that. This wasn't supposed to be real. Being able to hear the dead, being able to communicate with them, that was one thing. But for a corpse to just rise out of the god damn ground, that was a whole other story. I could learn to deal with cemeteries being off limits, but this, this was one thing I couldn't deal with.

"Get off me! Get off me! Get off me!" I just kept crying out over and over again. Tears were beginning to spill down my cheeks as my struggling attempts grew frantic. My life wasn't supposed to be a nightmare, but that's exactly how it was turning out. Maybe this was just a horrible dream that I would wake up from at any moment, but as the hand clutched onto my ankle even harder, I knew that this was very very real. And that only caused me to scream even louder.

When a hand fell onto my shoulder, my mouth opened to a silent scream, my eyes squeezing shut as I tried to escape from the second grasp. If I had been calm, if I had been thinking straight, I would have realized that it couldn't have been the corpse touching me on my shoulder as only the one hand had found its way out of the grave. But that didn't stop me from struggling, only managing to fall back down onto the rumbling grave as the hand tugged hard against my ankle. My entire body was shaking as I tried to claw at the hand, my fingernails digging into the dirty, but smooth hand attached to my ankle.

"Get off of me! Let me go!"

"Savannah!" the hand returned to my shoulder as a familiar voice sounded in my ear. I still wasn't thinking straight however and just continued to struggle against both hands. When I felt the second hand on my shoulder, shaking me roughly, that's when my eyes flew open and I found a pair of vibrant blue orbs staring back at me. Eric. It was only Eric.

But there was still an unknown corpse grabbing at me.

My eyes grew wide as I tried to kick at the corpse, trying anything I could think of to get away from it. It tugged on me again, pulling me closer and closer. Eric had to grab onto my upper arms to keep me in front of him, and that only caused a whimper to escape my lips from the pain in my ankle. It felt like it was being ripped off, like the corpse wouldn't be satisfied until it had the limb it desired.

"Help me!" I pleaded with the vampire, the tears cascading down my cheeks.

Eric's expression hardened, his fangs extending with a click as he let go of my arms, only to reach around me to the hand. He tried to pry the fingers from around my ankle, but the grasp was just too tight for him to achieve anything. So he did the most sickening thing I had ever witnessed, and just pulled the hand right off of the corpse's arm. A terrified scream emitted from my lips as blood began spurting everywhere, splashing both Eric and I. I continued to squirm, struggling as if the hand was still on me. But it was. The fingers were slack now, but they were still clasped around me.

"Hold still." Eric ordered, but I just wouldn't listen. I was whimpering, I was squeezing my eyes shut and praying that this was all a dream. "Savannah I need you to hold still damn it!"

I felt his cold undead hand pulling away the corpse's clasped hand and within only seconds, my ankle was free and the hand fell to the ground beside us. The rumbling beneath us had stopped for the time being, the rest of the corpse's arm scurrying back into the grave. I was shaking from head to toe when I felt Eric's hand on my cheek, cupping it and brushing away what tears he could with his thumb. That's when I broke down. That's when the sobs escaped my lips, the tears really began to fall. I couldn't control myself as I latched onto Eric much like the corpse had latched onto me. Eric stiffened, his hand falling to his side. He wasn't used to this. He wasn't used to girls throwing themselves at him, only to have them sob. I should have moved way, but I just couldn't. I had clutched onto his t-shirt, digging my head into his chest as I tried to hide from everything around me. I was petrified; I was scared out of my wits. I couldn't understand what had just happened and I just didn't want to.

When I felt another hand fall on my shoulder from behind me, I couldn't help the scream that left my lips, only to be muffled by Eric's chest. Eric tensed as I pressed myself further against him, pulling away from the hand that had touched me. I wasn't thinking logically anymore. I was too scared for logic. How could this have happened? How could a corpse just rise out of its grave? This wasn't supposed to be real. How could this be reality?

"You need to deal with her, Godric." Eric's voice sounded gruff, but I wasn't paying attention at all to what he was saying. He was there, and even though he didn't want to comfort me, I didn't care. I just needed someone familiar, and he just happened to be here.

"She won't let me touch her, my child." Godric's voice met my ears and I slowly began to realize that the hand that had fallen on my shoulder had only been his. I could have turned and found him there, watching me in worry. He would have comforted me. He would have caused the touch of death to flee with only his arms wrapping around me. But I couldn't move. I was scared to death, and I couldn't move except to grow even closer to Eric. "You need to comfort her."

"No." I felt Eric tried to pull me away, but I only cried out and clutched onto him harder. "Godric, please, I can't do this."

"You can do this, Eric." Godric urged. "She's freezing cold, my son. She needs warmth."

"I'm a vampire, Godric. I'm cold hearted in every way. I don't comfort humans."

"But she's not just any human, Eric. You claimed her. I may have a bond with her, but you have one just as deep as I do. Comfort her, Eric. Give her the warmth that she so desperately seeks."

"But..."

"Don't fight it, Eric. I know you can feel the pull. I can feel it to. There's death inside of her, Eric. It's consuming her. We need to battle it out of her."

"Then you do it. I can't."

"She wants you, Eric, not me." Godric said sadly. "Just hold her until we get back to Fangtasia. Once we're away from here, once she's settled, I'll take her. But until then..."

"Fuck." Eric swore before I felt his stiff large arms begin to wrap around me. I had barely been listening to a word they had been saying. All I cared about was this vampire wrapping himself around me, lifting me up into his arms as he stood. "I don't know what to do, Godric."

"Just hold her."

And that's all I wanted. I clung to Eric as if my life depended on it. The beast inside of me coiled around the vampire, searching for the warmth that I desired. My power seemed to flow into Eric during its search until it touched that one little spec of warmth inside of the vampire. And just like that, it was spreading like wildfire through both of us. I shuddered, but not because I was cold, but because of the surging warmth.

"What...what is this?" Eric asked softly, his voice full of wonder as his arms relaxed, but tightened around me.

"I don't know, my son. It's just another mystery we have on our hands."