Another chapter less than a month after the previous one?! I might actually be getting my shit together people. This is also a much longer chapter than usual as a certain scene got away from me. I hope you don't mind but after I wrote it, I just couldn't shorten it. Anyway, let me know what you all think! Also kudos to the guest who brought up the question about Godric killing Nathaniels mate. There are some sharp readers out there!

"Alyssa, I need a word with you" Godric had stepped into the spare room where Evan and I were.
We had been stretched out on her bed for most of the night, talking and spending some much needed quality time together. Godric seemed upset to have interrupted us and from the way he stood awkwardly in the doorway, he wasn't sure about how the intrusion would go over.

I sat up in bed, crossing my legs underneath me. Evan sighed beside me and pulled herself up as well.

"Whats up Godric?" I questioned.

"Eric, Pam, and I have been summoned by the Magister. We are to go to trial at midnight tomorrow" Godric sighed.

"Trial?" Evan demanded "what for? Who is the Magister?"

Godric stepped further into the room and perched on the edge of the bed as he explained "the Magister is the judge, jury, and executioner in the vampire world. He is given power by the authority to maintain our laws. He travels North America, holding tribunals to try any vampires found breaking the laws. We are to be brought before him for the eradication of a nest of vampires as well as the killing of bonded vampires; Nathaniel and his mate."

"That's bullshit!" I huffed angrily "Nathaniel came after us. You were just defending yourself!"

Godric nodded "we were, but vampires must seek the authorities permission before dealing with a nest of vampires as we did. Regardless, bonded mates are held to a very high esteem, they are not to be harmed but for the direst of circumstances. And I have killed them."

Outwardly, Godric seemed unconcerned with the whole ordeal and if I hadn't known better I would have thought that this trial was no big deal to him. But I could feel his emotions, anxiety was building in him, Godric was sure it wasn't going to end well.

I knew that vampires had a strict code as far as how they dealt with other vampires but I couldn't see how this was Godric's fault. If he hadn't have acted, Nathaniel's nest would have come for them and we might not have survived. Surely they would be able to explain it all to this Magister and make him see the logic behind what they had done.

"What's the punishment for something like that?" Evan mumbled. She seemed as anxious as I was, twisting her hands nervously in her lap, eyebrows drawn together and lips pressed tightly closed.

Godric hesitated to tell us "I do not want you to worry. Eric and I will handle this to the best of our ability."

I didn't like that Godric wasn't telling me what the outcome was likely to be. I could feel how uneasy he was and it made me even more anxious. "What is it Godric? What's going to happen?"

Godric stood from the bed and took several steps away, turning his back to me. "for removing a nest of vampires? Perhaps several years bound in silver in a coffin, the removal of fangs, or a large monetary restitution to the vampires makers depending on the whim of the Magister and the trouble the vampires involved caused him."

"And the bonded mates?" I pushed, trying to get a glimpse of his face.

Godric sighed "the true death."

I gaped at him. I couldn't begin to process the words. The mere thought of Godric being killed made me want to curl up in a ball and never come out. I felt sick. It was like I was in a terrible dream and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't wake up.

I must have made a strained noise because the next thing I knew, Godric was drawing me into his chest, his hands combing through my hair. "Please, Alyssa. I can't bear what you're doing to me."

I realized dimly that Godric was shaking. His whole body was wracked in shivers and his face pressed tightly against the side of my neck. He mumbled 'please' over and over, the shaking coming in waves. But I couldn't concentrate long enough to determine what he was asking of me. I could only clutch tightly at his shoulders, staring blankly at the wall behind him as I drifted further out to sea. All I could think of was Godric meeting his true death. I had nearly lost him once, what felt like forever ago, I couldn't bare the thought of it happening again.

"What are you doing to him, Alyssa?" Eric's roar snapped me out of my trance and I looked over to him stunned.

Eric loomed in the doorway, a murderous expression on his face. I slowly became aware of Godric's arms would around my waist, the way he shook like a leaf in the wind, his face firmly buried in the crook of my neck. Lastly, I realized the state of the bond. His emotions were in turmoil, shooting painfully in every direction. There was a strong urge in him to do something. But he couldn't figure out what it was. The sheer force of his need for action was crippling him.

As I calmed, I stroked his hair and rubbed his back. "It's alright, we're OK" I crooned, mentally doing my best to calm his emotions.

The shaking slowly subsided and his iron hold on me loosened. He still nuzzled into my neck but his emotions were back on a proper level.

"What the fuck was that Godric? It felt like you were going mad!" Eric growled, advancing on his maker.

Godric turned to look at Eric over his shoulder. His pupils were blown and his fangs were down. He looked purely animalistic. Evan gasped behind me and scooted as far from him as the bed would allow.

"I think it best if you stay where you are, child" Godric spoke, his voice rough and dark.

Eric stopped immediately, face registering his shock for no more than a split second before he covered it in a mask of irritation. He waited, arms crossed over his chest, a barely hidden scowl on his face.

Godric turned and gathered me into his arms, situating us so he was seated on the bed and I was on his lap. His arms wound around my middle keeping my back pressed tightly against his chest. I felt his chin rest on my shoulder and tilted my head slightly to the side so that his face wasn't buried in my hair.

"Are you alright, Godric?" I mumbled when I had gotten situated comfortably.

He nodded against me. "It seems your blood has more of an effect on me than I would have expected. I suspect your reaction to the consequences of my killing Nathaniel caused a reaction in our bond. Your father had mentioned that i would be devoted to and loyal to you. I believe he failed to explain the fierce protectiveness it would inspire as a result. Though perhaps that is an effect of the bond mixed with a vampires instincts.

"You were in pain so I felt compelled to protect you, to end the cause of your pain. But it was not a physical hurt thus there was nothing I could do."

"So you had a break down instead?" Eric snapped.

Godric regarded him calmly for a moment "I was stuck between an inability to fix something and an intense urge to do anything to cease the way Alyssa was feeling. It was much like when a maker calls their progeny and the progeny is unable to get to them."

Eric cursed "this is ridiculous. This bond is making you weak Godric."

Godric's hands tightened momentarily around me "relationships make us weak, Eric. Your connection with Sookie makes you vulnerable. Yet you do not sever that connection in favour of being invulnerable. You are out of line child, you would do well to remember your place" Godric reminded him, his voice cold and hard.

Eric looked as if he was going to argue with him further but decided against it. His eyes dropped and he nodded, giving in to his maker. "of course, I apologize Godric. I will prepare our things for the tribunal tomorrow."

Godric shook his head "we will have time tomorrow to get everything in order. Spend the rest of this night with Sookie."

Eric seemed relieved and nodded before turning on his heel to leave the room. Godric released his hold on me. "I apologized Alyssa. I should not have reacted like that."

I shook my head and pressed a kiss under his eye "it was my fault. I don't know how my blood will effect you. We'll figure it out after this whole thing with the Magister." I refused to acknowledge that Godric might not come back from the tribunal. He would figure something out, there was no way he would be killed over such a small thing. He had survived two thousand years, he couldn't die on me now.

"Look you guys obviously have a lot to talk about and it's about time I go to sleep. so..." Evan trailed off, hinting towards the door.

I briefly regretted my time with Evan being cut short but I couldn't bring myself to tell Godric to let us have some more time before she went to bed. If there was even a chance that I wouldn't see Godric after the tribunal tomorrow night, I wanted to take as much time with him as I could. I was grateful that Evan seemed to understand that. Godric stood from the bed, setting me gently on my feet in front of him. I grabbed his hand and dragged him behind me towards his room.

With an unspoken urgency, Godric shed our clothes, his lips fusing against mine in a long line of searing kisses. His hands softly caressed up and down my body, grinding against me. I sighed his name into the side of his neck, my hands running up and down the smooth planes of his chest.

Godric's hand stroked over my breasts, teasing my nipples. The cold feeling of his skin against mine set me on fire. I was squirming against him in a matter of minutes. We fell back onto the bed and Godric's lips left mine to travel down my neck. He planted kisses along my collar bones and down my sternum. His breath ghosted across my chest, goose bumps breaking out over my body. His tongue flicked out quickly against my nipples before he took them into his mouth. My back arched up into him and I moaned his name. His mouth lavished attention on one breast as his fingers mimed his tongues actions on the other.

My hips moved against him, seeking any friction I could manage. He hovered over me just out of reach, his free hand snaking down to grasp my hip and hold me to the bed.

"Godric, please" I gasped, my hands digging into his shoulder.

I tried to press my thighs together, desperately needing any sort of pressure between my legs. Godric growled against my skin and pressed his legs against mine, forcing them to remain open. He kissed and nipped at my skin, working his way up and down my body. I was begging him at that point for more, lost in how worked up he had made me.

"You're so turned on, Alyssa. All for me" Godric growled possessively into my ear. His teeth grazed down my ear lobe.

Frustrated beyond belief, I let go of his shoulder and moved my hand between my legs. Before I could give myself the relief I was in desperate need of, Godric grabbed my wrist and pinned it above my head. He pulled my other hand from his shoulder to join the other above my head.

"Dammit Godric, please fuck me already" I pleaded with him.

Godric grinned down at me, a devilish smile on his face. His head dipped down to mouth at the side of my neck and he groaned. "You smell so good, worked up like this. I want to keep you here forever" Godric purred into my neck.

I moaned in frustration tossing my head to the side "I swear to god, Godric. If you don't do something soon, I'm going to kill you."

Godric laughed and brought his mouth up to kiss me. His tongue coaxed my lips open and swirled around mine. I could feel his fangs brush against my lips and remembered what he had said to me several nights ago about the sensitivity of his fangs. I wound my tongue around one of his fangs and closed my lips around it, sucking gently on it. Godric shuddered above me and a deep growl erupted in his chest. The hand that had been holding my hips down finally dipped between my legs, fingers plunging into my centre.

I gasped and arched against him, hips moving against him urgently. His thumb found my clit and stroked it forcefully.

"Is that what you wanted?" Godric demanded as his fingers rapidly coaxed me towards an orgasm.

"Yes" I gasped "Godric, please, I'm so close. Please don't stop." I begged, my hips bucking on their own accord.

His fingers curled inside me, hitting an extra sensitive spot just as his thumb pressed down on my clit, working small circles into it. My orgasm hit me hard. I screamed his name and moved wildly underneath him. Godric didn't let up as I rode out my climax and continued to move as I came down, keeping wave after wave of pleasure coursing through me with the aftershocks my orgasm.

I was gasping for breath and covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Godric pulled his fingers out to my dismay. I watched as he brought his hand up to his mouth and licked his fingers clean, groaning at the taste. His mouth was on me a moment later, hardly giving me time to catch my breath before his tongue was moving against my clit.

His hands gripped my thighs, keeping me firmly pressed against him as I squirmed. One hand gripped the soft sheets of the bed as the other tangled in Godric's short hair, holding him to me. His tongue alternated between circling my clit and dipping into me, lapping up my juices.

He read my body easily, another orgasm quickly building. Tension coiled in the pit of my stomach like a tightly wound spring. I writhed and shook in the bed, his name falling from my lips in between a constant stream of gasps and moans. Sensing how close my orgasm once again was, his tongue up to my clit as his fingers entered me once again. He sucked the sensitive bundle of nerves into his mouth, teeth grazing against the sensitive skin at the same time as his fingers found that certain spot inside me, sending me toppling over into my second orgasm. His tongue continued to stroke from my entrance to my clit as I came down, shuddering from the powerful aftershocks once again.

When I had caught my breath, he pulled away from between my legs, manoeuvring me so I was on my side. His arm snaked between my legs, catching my knee on the crook of his elbow. He drew my leg up to my side, opening me up to him. He positioned himself at my entrance. Teasingly running his cock up and down the length of my pussy. I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled his face to mine, planting a searing kiss on his lips.

"Please Godric, I need you inside me" I begged against his lips.

Godric groaned, pressing his forehead against mine. "yes" he hissed as he pushed his hips forward.

We both moaned as he filled me. Godric started moving immediately, pulling almost completely out of me before snapping his hips forward again. He set a steady pace and I moved my hips to meet every thrust. Godric peppered kisses along the side of my face and shoulders. I could feel his lust in the back of my mind, feeding my own. I pushed my own lust at him and Godric thrust wildly. His eyes snapped up to mine in surprise. I did it again and watched in fascination as his pupils blew wider, the colour in his eyes almost nonexistent.

He returned to covering my neck in kisses, thrusting into me with more urgency as he did. His fangs scraped against my skin and I quickly moved my hair out of the way.

His fangs biting into me was the final straw sending me over the edge again. I screamed my release and Godric came a second later, roaring my name into the side of my neck. He continued to take long pulls of my blood, thrusting lazily into me as we both rode out our climaxes.

Godric laid beside me, curling around my back, without pulling away from between my legs. He licked my neck clean and drew patterns into the skin of my stomach with cool fingers.

"Mine" he purred, pressing me more securely against him.

"Yes" I hummed "all yours."

I squirmed until I was turned to face him, legs tangling in his. I stroked down the side of his face, tracing his features with the tips of my fingers "you better come back to me Godric. I don't care what that Magister says. You are mine and I will not lose you" I told him forcefully. I kissed him roughly as if to make a point, biting his bottom lip as I pulled away.

Godric nodded sagely "I will do everything in my power, Alyssa. I hope you know that."

I had to hope that that would be good enough. Godric was a powerful vampire, anyone could see that. When he walked into a room every vampire took notice. They treated Godric with a kind of reverence beyond the respect they had for Eric. Surely he had enough sway in the vampire community to avoid any serious consequences at the hands of the Magister.

"I want to do the bond, Godric" I mumbled.

Godric looked at me with surprise, eyes roaming my face to see if I was serious "you're sure?"

I nodded quickly "I don't ever want to be apart from you."

Godric smiled at me and kissed me gently. I couldn't identify what he was feeling. It was beyond just happy, something more powerful. It made me feel warm inside and a bright smile bloomed across my face.

"When I return from the tribunal, if you still wish to, we can the minute I return."

"Why can't we now? I love how connected I feel to you when you've had my blood. I want to share that with you."

Godric shook his head "if the tribunal does not go favourably, I do not wish for you to experience that through our bond. If we were to have a fresh bond and I...was not able to return to you, the amount of pain it would cause you. I wont put you through that."

I huffed at him "I'll be in pain if you don't come back regardless. But you will come back." I insisted.

Godric smiled sadly at me, his hand brushed a stray curl out of my face "I will do everything I can to come back to you, dear one."

It wasn't good enough, there was still to much chance that he wasn't going to come back. But I didn't push, it was all Godric could promise and I believed him. We cuddled into each other, Godrics hand in my hair lulling me to sleep moments before the sun went down.

I woke shortly after noon and kissed Godric's cheek softly before climbing out of bed. I took a quick shower, tying my long hair up into a knot at the top of my head. I contemplated curling back up with Godric, a part of me unwilling to let him out of my sight just in case this was the last night I got to spend with him. But i reminded that part of myself that Godric was going to come back. Damn the Magister, he was Godric. If he had once been known as Death, surely he could summon that part of himself when he faced the Magister. No one could stand up to Death, right? No one could kill Death.

I continued to remind myself of that as I left Godric's room and made my way downstairs. Sookie was already up as well, nervously sipping a cup of coffee. I noticed fresh, unhealed bite marks on her neck. I had no doubt that Eric had bitten Sookie previously but she had always been insistent on him healing them. She worked at a small bar in Bon Temps and her coworkers weren't the biggest fans of people who consorted with vampires.

Of course they knew Sookie also worked for Eric. But she had explained it was one thing for her to be working for Eric, and another for her to be sleeping with him in their eyes. Although anyone who saw them together assumed they were more than just business associates. There was no denying the chemistry between them. I didn't know why Sookie even bothered to try.

I settled down beside her with a cup of my own and we sipped at our drinks in silence for a long time.

"They're going to come back right?" Sookie questioned, her voice shaking slightly.

I bit my lip and took another drink of coffee to delay my answer "they have to."

Sookie nodded and smiled slightly at me, though I don't think I made her feel any better. We lapsed back into silence for several minutes, the afternoon slowing rolling by. I at once wanted the sun to set so that Godric would wake up, and wanted the sun to stay up forever. At least while the sun was up, Godric was safe from the tribunal and the Magister.

"Maybe the Magister will just make them pay a fine. That's what Eric said the least they could hope for was. If they don't antagonize him too much...if he's in a good mood" Sookie mumbled, placing an empty cup of coffee on the side table.

I nodded slowly "Godric said that the standard sentence for killing mates was the true death" at Sookie's shocked, terrified face I quickly added "but maybe Eric wont be included in that. Godric did it after all, not him." I didn't know if it would make a difference, since Eric was included in the attack. But I hoped it made Sookie feel better. It hadn't been something I was worried about before and it was hard to hope that if Godric died, they would spare his child. But it was the best of the worst case scenario. At least his family would be safe.

Thinking about it made me feel even worse. My stomach was twisting painfully and it felt like my heart might drop out of my chest at any moment.

Evan padded into the room with a sandwich and a bottle of pop. She took one look at Sookie and I on the couch and sighed. Moving quickly, she fiddled with the remote for the TV and popped a disk into the DVD player.

"I know there isn't anything I can do to help you guys. Nothing I can say is going to make this better. But if you two sit here worrying about them all day, you're going to go crazy. There will be plenty of time to worry when they've left. Until then, we're going to pretend none of it is happening" Evan ranted, hastily settling down between Sookie and I on the couch. "We're going to watch this funny movie and I know neither of you are in the mood but we're all going to pretend that we are and that this is just like any other afternoon."

I leaned over to rest my head on Evan's shoulder, my feet tucked under me on the couch. "thanks Ev." I mumbled, arms crossed over my chest in an attempt to hold it together.

Evan took a deep breath to steady herself and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. Sookie looked over at us hesitantly and Evan opened her other arm to the blond. Sookie scooted over and mirrored my position, laying her head on Evans shoulder.

I didn't know what movie Evan had put in and I couldn't say I found a minute of it funny. But it was something to watch and it did its job in distracting Sookie and I as the afternoon crawled by.

When the sun finally dipped below the horizon, all of the anxiety that I had been avoiding through the day came back full force. The three vampires came out of their rooms and down the stairs as one. They wore the same grim faces they had shown before going to attack Nathaniel's nest.

We stood to meet them, Evan hanging back slightly to give us our space. Pam took one look at Sookie and I and sighed.

"I will wait for you outside." Pam turned on her heel and marched through the front door.

I knew she was worried about the nights events but I hadn't expected to say goodbyes. No matter the circumstances I couldn't see Pam willingly being sentimental or showing feelings.

"You have to go right away?" I demanded, approaching Godric.

He nodded sadly, raising a hand to cup my face "the tribunal is gathering some distance away. It will take us a couple hours to get there."

Sookie was glaring at Eric, her arms folded across her chest. She cocked her hip to one side and raised an eyebrow in challenge to him "I don't see why Alyssa and I can't join you. We were part of the reason you attacked Nathaniel right? Maybe there's something we could do" she insisted.

Eric glared right back at her "I already told you, no. Humans cannot attend the tribunal. It will only put you in danger to be there."

I leaned into Godric, watching the exchange. His arm wrapped around my waist and he leaned his forehead against the side of my head. It hadn't occurred to me to go with them to the tribunal. If it was vampire court, so to speak, then we didn't have a place there. I knew most vampires didn't value human life the way the vampires of this particular nest did. I would have worried that they would have used Sookie or I as a way to punish Godric and Eric. As Eric had pointed out the previous night, we made them vulnerable and I would be damned if someone was going to use me as a tool to hurt Godric.

"We aren't human" Sookie countered.

"You know what I mean Sookie. You will stay here if I have to tie you up to accomplish it" Eric growled at her.

Sookie stared him down angrily but I could see her resolve breaking. Her lower lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. Eric's own hostile stance deflated and he gathered Sookie in his arms, crooning comforting words at her. I turned to Godric and wrapped my arms around him.

"You can't go" I mumbled into his shoulder. "I wont let you."

Godric sighed, his strong arms squeezing around me for a moment before he pulled back. "I wish it were so simple, lover." his hand cupped my face and he gently kissed me.

I savoured the kiss, our lips moving against each other languidly.

He pulled away too soon. "I will return to you as soon as I am able."

It would never be soon enough, every fibre of my being ached at the thought of him walking into this ordeal without me. I wanted there to be something I could do. I felt so helpless saying goodbye to him. Eric said his goodbyes to Sookie a moment later and with a final kiss, a stoic mask took over the vampires faces. They were through the door the next second. All that was left was for us to wait for them to get back.

Godric sped along with Eric and Pam in tow, barely a registered blur to any human eyes. They moved through the trees like shadows eager to finish the nights business before it even started. The Tribunal had been set to take place in a small backwoods town, in a clearing near a lake. It was a step up from the previous meeting places of tribunals. The Magister had been known to hold them everywhere from parking lots of strip malls to junk yards. Occasionally he would decide to host them in conference rooms but it was rare. There was a large circle of vampires already gathered around the truck that carried the Magister's 'throne'. Vampires often came from all around to watch the Magister dole out justice.

Godric regarded them with distaste. Never had he thought less of a group of vampires than the group that gathered round the Magister. They fed off of the pain of their fellow vampires as if it were a party. Many of them had brought cases of true blood to drink as they watched the proceedings.

Godric and his nest approached the outer rim of the circle just as the Magister had a vampire chained in silver and coffined. He would escape spending five years in the coffin, as was the customary time, but his one year would be an eternity for him. No vampire came out of the coffin the same. They usually did not survive a decade, either being put down by another vampire out of pity, or they would inevitably break a law and thus be returned to the Magister's court. They came out like wild, rabid animals and there was no telling what a vampire like that would do. Especially if they did not have a strong maker ready to control the vampire afterwards.

Godric wondered if this vampire was a glimpse of his near future. He ached at the thought of not being able to return to his Alyssa. Even if he was silvered, he could never return to her, he would be too much of a danger to her.

They watched apprehensively as the Magister ran through several more cases. He dished out justice with boredom, flicking through his phone as vampires had their fangs ripped out. It was a favourite punishment of his. Finally he looked through his list of trials and a spark of interest crossed his face.

"Sheriff Northman, along with his maker Godric and progeny Pamela" The Magister called "my most interesting case of the night."

Eric stepped through the crowd, Godric and Pam behind him. "We are here, Magister."

"Gaul, it has been a long time since i have seen you. I must say I never expected you to be standing before me" the Magister remarked smugly.

Godric dipped his head in acknowledgement but knew better than to speak when he was not asked a question. He found the man to be a sorry excuse for a vampire, everything that was wrong with them.

The Magister was bored and sought to entertain himself through the pain of others. For a vampire that only had power because others consented to give it to him, he was haughty and conceited. Despite vampires coming out of the coffin he still operated on the old beliefs that humans were nothing except a means to being fed.

"You three are charged with the killing of a nest of vampires, included in which was were bonded mates. I had thought your line, if any, held our kind to a higher esteem. You have always been an advocate for the sanctity of vampire blood, Godric. So does one of you care to explain yourselves?" The Magister demanded.

They shared a look and Godric stepped forward. They were all aware of the power Godric's name still held among vampires. He may have changed in the past century but vampires had long memories and many could remember the Godric who had earned the moniker of Death.

"Nathaniel was part of a nest with an old feud with my progeny and I. It is one my child and I have long since given up among many other feuds in favour of upholding peace between vampires. Nathaniel would not so easily let go. He threatened my nest and swore he would not rest until he had had his revenge.
"We acted before Nathaniel could draw any unneeded attention. Nathaniel has always been a very dramatic vampire and he had taken several Weres into his service. When we confronted Nathaniel, hoping to resolve the conflict without violence, we discovered the weres had been fed vampire blood. My progeny and grand-progeny destroyed them while I sought Nathaniel out. His mate attacked me before I was able to manage the situation and I had no choice but to end her in order to protect myself. Nathaniel attacked in turn and I ended him as well. The rest of his nest was taken care of by Eric, Pamela, and I as we left." Godric knew it was a risk to rework the events to better suit their story, but they had hardly left any witnesses to dispute his telling of the events. Nor would he risk revealing that it had been sparked by Nathaniel's threat to Alyssa. Half demon or not, she was human in the eyes of the Magister and that was human enough to him. No one was higher than vampires, in the eyes of the Magister.

"It is an interesting story you weave, Godric. And with no one aside from your nest to confirm your claim. What am I left to do? Setting aside that you might have contacted the authority to deal with your problem, you have broken a fundamental law of ours in harming mates. Do you and your progeny keep humans?"
Godric did not like where this line of questioning was going. Anything that called Alyssa to the Magisters attention would not be good. He could hardly deny the fact though. Alyssa and Sookie had spent enough time at Fangtasia that it would be impossible to deny that they were involved with him and his child. "Yes, Magister, Eric and I both have a human."

"You would think vampires as old and influential as yourselves would keep several humans." The Magister observed.

Godric shrugged "one serves all the purposes I need of her, without the trouble of maintaining a harem." it made Godric sick to refer to his Alyssa in such crass terms but to say otherwise would only dig a further hole for his bloodline.

The Magister smirked at him "true, they are a great deal more trouble than they are worth. I am feeling creative in my verdict tonight. You and your progeny seem to need a reminder of the consequences of killing the bonded. Shall I have you turn your humans and bond with them? I would of course have them killed as soon as it was complete."

Godric grit his teeth at the Magisters idea. He would gladly meet his true death before he allowed that to happen to Alyssa.

"They aren't human" Pam blurted, a panicked expression on her face. She knew how her maker and grand-maker would react if they were sentenced as the Magister suggested. They would both meet the sun before they allowed it to happen and there was no way Pam was going to watch the only two people she cared about meet their true deaths when they still had cards to play.

The Magister regarded her shrewdly "you would do well to remind your progeny not to speak out of turn" he snapped at Eric. "what is this she speaks of?"

Eric took a deep breath, shooting a glare at his child. He didn't want to bring Sookie into the trial anymore that Godric wanted Alyssa involved. Her speaking out of turn would only irritate the Magister. "Sookie is part fae, of the Brigant line, and Alyssa is half demon, child of Bael, one of seven princes of Hell ruler of the east" Eric explained.

The Magister clenched his jaw at the names Eric dropped. A glimmer of hope alighted in Godric's chest. To harm a descendant of Nial Brigant was to risk starting another war with the Fae. Demons were not as well known to vampires but the Magister knew enough that they were powerful beings and rarely claimed their descendants. The fact that Bael had officially claimed Alyssa as his spoke volumes about how he felt about her.

"powerful pets for powerful vampires" the Magister snapped unhappily. He threw himself back into his chair in frustration.

The Magister rarely got to exact his will on vampires with reputations like Godric, let alone their whole line. He was seething at his general inability to do as he wished. To have Godric meet the true death would be to anger every ancient in North America. That would cause him no end of trouble and questioning. Ancients were important parts of the vampire world. Even without title, the Gaul held great sway in the community. He would have vampires after his head for ages. Their humans seemed untouchable as well. Both from powerful histories, he would incite the rage of the authority if his actions. He could always remove their fangs and add them to his collection but it would only seriously affect the youngest of the three. Godric and Eric were old enough that they would return in a matter of a week. Pamela would take months.

He heaved a sigh and glared at the trio. "You will pay heavy restitution to the vampires makers. If one cannot be found you will split that balance between the ones who can. Each of you will pay separately. Someone will be in contact with the bill. You will also be pierced with silver. Let your precious companions heal you if they are so powerful."

Godric knew how easily they were getting off. A monetary fine and piercing by silver were small prices to pay. The knot of anxiety in his stomach eased. He would be returning to his Alyssa before the sun rose.

"You three would do well to avoid getting my attention again. I am feeling gracious tonight but my ire will be no inconsequential thing should you appear before me again. Now step forward."

The three approached slowly and allowed the Magisters attendants to shackle them with thick silver manacles. Their fangs dropped as the silver searing into their skin. Several of the attendants stepped forward with sharp shards of silver. They were slowly forced through various parts of their bodies. Pamela growled and snapped at the others as they went about their duty. Eric, more contained, snarled as each vampire approached, shooting daggers as they stabbed metal through his shoulders and arms. The younger ones recoiled from him as they did their job, afraid of the older vampire. Only Godric remained stoic throughout the process. His fangs and the quiet hiss he let out with each piece of metal were the only indications that he was in any pain.

The Gaul had had a long experience in pain at the hands of others and silver was not a novel vessel for torture. His maker had been sadistic and very creative. The actions of the Magister paled in comparison to what he had experienced in his early vampire life.

His lack of reaction angered the Magister. He was determined to garner a reaction from the ancient vampire. The Magister pulled a gun from his coat and quickly shot Godric three times, once just above his collarbone, once in his stomach and finally in his thigh. Godric gasped and fell to the ground, grinding his teeth at the pain. The force of such close quarters shots embedded the bullets deep inside him and as they were made of silver his body did not push them out as it would of otherwise.

Finally the Magister smirked. The silver shrapnel that the attendants had pierced them with were yanked out, a process that caused just as much pain as putting them there. Finally their manacles were ripped off, taking chunks of skin with them.

Godric grit his teeth as he forced himself to stand, refusing to lean on his child. He would not show so much weakness in front of such a large gathering of vampires thirsty for any sense of vulnerability.

"Now get out of my sight. If I even hear a breath of your names in conjunction with a crime, I will have all of you fangs for that offence alone"

The trio quickly sped off into the trees, slightly slower for their injuries.

"After you've found someone to feed on, come back to the nest. I don't want the Magisters men to find you alone if he decides he's not satisfied" Eric ordered as they flew through the trees.

"I'm already on it" Pam replied, changing her course to head into the town. No doubt she would find some unsuspecting human to glamour into letting her feed.

By the time Godric and Eric had reached the street their nest was on, Godric had slowed to a human paced walk. The bullets had slowly been pushing their way out of his body but the effort it took and the blood loss he had experienced made him very weak. Eric slowed to keep pace with him, watching his maker with concerned eyes. Godric waved him off, he knew how anxious Eric was to get back to his Sookie, to let the petite blond know he was safe and relatively unharmed. Alyssa would be worried as well and Godric did his best to speed up. They had been gone most of the night, with only a few hours left until sunrise he didn't want to keep her waiting any longer than he had to.

Eric hesitated, unwilling to leave his maker in such a vulnerable state. But they were within sight of the nest then. So with a final look to Godric, Eric sped off in the direction of the house.