Chapter Sixteen:

"What's he doing now?" Henley whispered, standing close an alert Moony. Willa stood by the door, peeking out every so often to keep an eye on Jackson.

"He's checking around your car," Willa whispered back, the panic clear in her voice. She shot a glance over her shoulder to the red head and didn't even try to hide her worry. "Is there anyway you can, I don't know, call Godric or something?"

"I don't even know how he showed up the other night to save my life. I have no idea how to 'call' him," Henley shook her head. She wasn't even sure if he would come if she did know how. He had hurried so quickly out of there earlier that Henley wasn't sure if he was even planning on returning.

Willa cursed under her breath. Pam really was going to kill her for this. "Maybe he'll just go away?"

As much as Henley wanted to believe that, she doubted Jackson would just suddenly give up. Eventually he would come looking for her in the room. Knowing he was a powerful witch made her wonder if even Willa would be able to protect her.

"What do we do?" Willa turned towards her, looking just as frightened as Henley felt.

Henley had no answer, though. She had no idea what to do.

"Shit, shit shit," Willa's orbs darted around the room. Henley already knew, however, that the only exit would be through the door. They were completely trapped. When that realization finally dawned on Willa, what little colour that was left in her pale cheeks, drained. "Shit!"

Henley tried to calmly think of a plan, but deep down inside she was freaking out just as Willa was. Where was Godric when she needed him? He had suddenly appeared when was dying the other night. But it had been so out of the blue, that it had to have just been a coincidence.

Unless…

She remembered thinking his name. She remembered the vampire ghost being the very last thought she had before falling unconscious. It should have been her short life that she thought about, or even her family. But instead, all she cared about in that moment had been Godric.

Was that how he knew he was in trouble?

Had he just known?

Had he somehow felt her need for him?

None of it was plausible, but Henley was in no position to care.

Godric, Henley thought to herself, her eyes squeezing shut as if it would help. She felt like an idiot, talking to herself, pleading within her own mind for the ghost to hear her. Please Godric, I need you.

Cracking an eye open, she almost believed that he would just be there, knowing exactly what to do. But only Willa was in the room with her, the frantic vampire pacing impossibly fast before her.

It hadn't worked.

If there's any possible way that you can hear this, Godric, I need you. Please.

"Shit," Willa suddenly stopped, swallowing back her own fear as she glanced between Henley and the door. Jackson was just outside. She could hear his heartbeat; she could feel how satisfied he was that he had finally caught Henley, that he would be able to finish what he had started. They would have to act fast, or else the witch would strike. "I'm going to have to distract him."

"What?" Henley frowned, not liking that idea one bit.

"When I tell you to run, run," Willa inhaled sharply as she turned towards the door, her hand shaking as she reached for the handle. "Get to Fangtasia; Pam will know what to do."

"But…" she really didn't like this at all. "What about you? Willa, you can't take him."

"I'm a vampire," Willa shrugged, glancing over her shoulder with fangs extended. "I'll be fine. Ready?"

"Not at all," Henley shook her head but prepared herself anyways. Godric still hadn't shown up; this was their best bet.

But then why did she feel like everything was going to go terribly wrong?

Henley knew better than anyone to believe her gut instinct; she should have known that this was never going to work. But she let Willa tear the door open anyways. She let the vampire brace herself as Jackson suddenly appeared in the doorway. She just stood there and waited for a miracle to happen that never would.

"Why hello there, sweetheart," Jackson gazed over Willa's shoulder, his lips twisting into a smirk. "You didn't think you could hide from me, did you?"

"I was hoping," Henley managed to squeak out.

God she had been hoping.

Jackson laughed as he flicked his wrist, Willa suddenly flying across the room. Henley's eyes widened, watching as the vampire's body was shot from one side of the room to the other and back again until her body slumped onto the ground. Vampire or not, the young girl was no match for this witch.

"Please," she wasn't above begging as Jackson slowly entered the room, striding towards her with a dark purpose. "Please don't."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Jackson flicked his fingers, sending Henley's form flying backwards into the wall. She cried out in pain as she slid down the wall, only for magical restraints to shove her back to her feet and held her to the wall. She tried to struggle, but it was as useless as it had been the other night.

She was trapped.

"It just has to be this way," he crossed the room, catching her by the chin and lifting her gaze to meet his. "I can't have you ruining what I've been planning for years. Now, say goodnight."

"Please," she begged before excruciating pain swept through her from her toes to her fingertips. It felt as if her body was being ripped apart, limb-by-limb. Henley screamed, pleading for it to stop. The pain only increased as Jackson's smirk widened.

He was going to enjoy this.

It was the same every night. The morsels stood around his throne, pathetically trying to seduce him. He never sends them a second glance, however. His focus was solely on his phone, just as it was every other night. He didn't care about them. He didn't care about being there. He just wanted the night over, to escape the stares, to forget the pity his own progenies would throw at him. He just wanted it to end.

Sighing, Eric passed another level of candy crush, the frustrating game Pam had insisted on installing on his phone. He detested it, but it was a distraction. He would accept any distraction with welcome arms, as long as he didn't have to think about her.

As his quick fingers passed through another level, fear suddenly swept through his bond with his child. Frowning, Eric glanced up from his game and glanced around the bar. The fear quickly disappeared, but was replaced with a pang of pain. That too, quickly dissolved. The bonds fell silent.

"Pam," he called to his eldest, Pam appearing at his side immediately. He noticed the apprehension immediately and his frown deepened. "What is it?"

"What?" Pam raised an eyebrow, her mask falling into place. "Is there something you need, Eric?"

Eric's eyes narrowed. "Where's Willa?"

"She should be out front," Pam shrugged, rolling her eyes in boredom. "What do you need?"

"Where is she, Pam?" Eric demanded. It hadn't been Pam's fear and pain he had felt. He had released Pam months ago. The bond he shared with Willa was the only one now. And something was wrong. "Where is she?"

Pam knew something was wrong. Willa had texted her cryptically, but she wouldn't respond to her calls. She had seen the shiver pass through Eric the moment he felt the change in his bond with Willa, and it only caused Pam to worry. Willa was supposed to be with Henley. What the hell was happening?

"Where. Is. She?" Eric growled in a low voice, rising to his feet and towering over her. "Tell me now, Pamela."

"I don't know," she lied. Eric couldn't command her, not any longer. That didn't, however, mean that he couldn't use force to make her confess where her sister was.

Eric was furious and regretting his decision to ever release Pam. There was something wrong with Willa, something that had caused her pain. He had barely sent her a second glance since turning her; it had been a turning out of necessity. He hadn't wanted her. But she was his now. She was his daughter, even if he hated the thought.

He would not lose another member of his family.

"Tell me where she is, Pam. Now," he ordered angrily. "Tell me where the fuck my progeny is."

Pam was taken back by the venom in her maker's voice. She had never seen Eric passionate about his new bond with Willa. He hadn't raised her, hadn't taught her like he had with his first. But the worry was evident in the Viking's orbs, and it caused Pam to reconsider lying to him.

But she couldn't tell him the truth. It would destroy him. She wouldn't damn well lose her maker like Eric had lost his.

Could she just let something happen to Willa, thought? Could she allow Eric to feel the pain of losing a child?

Cursing under her breath, Pam made a quick decision. "Office."

Eric grabbed her by the arm and sped them to the office without a second thought, slamming the door shut behind them.

"Where is…"

"I'm taking a wild guess and saying it's the witch," Pam explained, her arms crossing over her chest as she tried to think of how exactly Jackson had found Henley. Pam had had werewolves tracking Jackson; they were supposed to be following him. How did he slip between their grasps? How the hell did he find her?

And what had he done to Willa?

Eric froze. "Witch?"

Pam sighed as she slowly nodded. Eric wasn't going to be happy at all with what she had to tell him.

"Stop! Please god, stop!" Henley pleaded, tears slipping down her cheeks as the agony continued. It felt like hours had passed, but she knew it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. The torture was unbearable, however, and she knew she wouldn't be able to take anymore. "Please!"

"You're asking so nicely, too," Jackson snickered, easing her pain. He was supposed to just kill her, to make it quick. But he was enjoying her screams. It sounded like music to his ears. It reminded him of why he was doing this.

"P-please," her body fell to the ground, whimpering sounding from her exhausted form. "Please no more."

"Oh, sweetheart," he knelt beside her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She flinched, only to groan as her body ached. He chuckled, his smirk widening as he felt joy at the sound. "We're just getting started."

"Just do it. Just kill me," she begged him. She just wanted it to end. She wanted the pain to stop. She'd rather death than this torment.

He leaned forward, his lips brushing against her ear. "Oh I will, Henley. But in time. I'm having too much fun."

A sob slipped from her lips as she tried to pull herself away from him. It was no use, however, as he flicked his fingers again, the pain coursing through her stronger than before. Her screams caused a chill to run up his spine. It was intoxicating, knowing that she was suffering at his hands. Just as his beloved had at Godric's.

"He's going to pay," Jackson vowed to himself.

Eric was fuming.

He was seeing red.

As he landed in front of the motel Pam had led him to, he had never felt so angry before in his lie. He was reminded to well of the day he had returned to the vampire camp and ripped apart the guards that had happily taken vampires hostage, that had killed his sister.

"Eric," Pam landed beside him, gazing worriedly up at him. She may no longer feel her maker's rage, but she could see it plain as day.

"Don't," he hissed, sending her a dark glare. "Don't even speak."

"What we did was to…"

"I don't want to hear it," he growled, his fangs extending with a sharp click. "I don't want to hear your idiotic excuses. I want you to shut the fuck up so I can go kill and fucking witch."

Pam sighed but was interrupted as a series of screams sounded from Henley's room. Eric was gone in mere seconds, leaving her utterly alone in the parking lot. She was cursing herself for leaving Willa there. She should have not given a care about the human. She may have a gift Pam had never witnessed before in her life, but not even a ghost Godric could fix Eric if he were to lose another member of his family.

"He's going to pay," Jackson vowed as Henley's cried littered the room.

"No. You're going to pay," Eric snarled as he appeared in the doorway, his eyes darting to where Willa lay unconscious on the ground. He was going to enjoy killing this witch, more than he had the last.

Jackson suddenly whipped around at the appearance of the Viking, surprise flickering in his orbs before the smirk returned to his lips.

"Well then, we're all together. Fantastic."

"You dare to harm my progeny," Eric stepped forward, licking his lips with desire. His fingers were just itching to wrap around this witch, to rip his head from his body. It was such a glorious thought.

"Ah, that one," Jackson glanced at the fallen vampire before shrugged. "She was collateral. You understand. It's you, however, that I've wanted all along."

This confused Eric, but he refused to let his surprise show. "Who are you?"

"Oh you'll find out soon enough," Jackson gazed over his shoulder to where Henley was still screaming and withering on the ground. "Unfortunate I didn't just kill you when I had a chance. Just so much fun hearing you scream. Until next time, sweetheart."

Muttering under his breath, Jackson was swept away in a sea of smoke. Eric roared as he leapt for the witch before he could vanish. But he was only met with air.

Jackson was gone.

The moment the witch disappeared, Henley's cries ceased. The pain vanished just as quickly as Jackson had, leaving her breathing heavily on the ground. Eric stared at her for a long moment before moving to Willa's side. She was groggily waking by the time he reached her, her eyelids fluttering open as he knelt.

"Willa," he murmured, his fangs retracting as he caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Don't ever do something so stupid again. As your maker, I command you."

Willa shuddered at the command, hating whenever he forced her to do anything. The thought was quickly forgotten, however, as she remembered where she was and how. Her eyes grew wide as she shot to her feet, her orbs immediately falling on Henley's shaking body. She was relieved to know she was still alive, but the shape she was in scared Willa.

"Oh god," Willa whispered, her hands shaking as she covered her gaping mouth.

Eric followed her gaze and narrowed his eyes at the human. Pam had told him nothing about the girl, just that she needed protection, that she was important. He already disliked her, wanted to kill her, for putting his progeny in danger. Whoever she was, he didn't care.

She would pay for what she had done.

Storming over to the girl, he grabbed her by the back of her neck and yanked her to her feet. She sobbed out in pain as he slammed her against the wall, baring his once again extended fangs in her face. Her eyes grew wide when she realized who had attacked her, her lips drawing open into a silent scream.

Eric couldn't believe the name that was eventually uttered.

"Godric!"