Melanie:
“Okay, here’s what’s going to happen: I will infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun.” Sookie stated, standing in front of the Texas vampires and us.
“Absolutely not.” Bill interrupted her.
Eric growled. “Let her speak.”
“Bill glamoured the kidnapper, nobody knows who I am. I’ll pretend to join the church, and check out all of their thoughts. “
“You’re not going anywhere, Sookie.” I stood up, walking in front of her. “It’s too dangerous. If something goes wrong, none of them are going to be able to help you in the daytime.”
“It’ll only take a little while.” She offered. “Really, it’s simple.”
“Absolutely not. What if they recognize you?” Bill argued. “Melanie’s right. It’s too dangerous.”
“Humans.” One of the other vampires scoffed.
“We’ll both go in. Sookie can be a bride. I’ll be her maid of honor and we’re checking out churches for the wedding. With both of us there, we’ll get more out of them.” I finally spoke up again.
Sookie shook her head. “No, no way Mel. I’m not letting you -”
“LET’S get one thing straight.” I raised my voice quieting all of them. “Mom and dad died a long time ago. I don’t need you to ‘Let” me do anything. This is what we’re doing.” I said firmly.
I looked at Eric who had his eyes locked on mine. I could see the wheels turning in his head over the idea until he finally spoke. “The decision is made.”
“A few words.” Bill seethed at Eric and the two of them walked off.
Isabelle, one of the vampires came up to Sookie, asking about her human – vampire relationship. They discussed about her interest in it as well with the human she was seeing. I looked over at Bill and Eric having some sort of heated debate before the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and the sound of someone sniffing me.
Quickly turning around, I was met face to face with Stan who was just sniffing my hair and neck.
“These ones smell like…like candy. Pure sugar.” He stepped closer to me, sniffing my neck and I took a step back from him. His size easily capable of overpowering mine.
Eric growled coming from behind me and slamming the man against the wall by the neck. “Melanie, is mine. Understood?” He hissed after they all dropped their fangs.
“Understood.” Stan said, getting out of Eric’s grip and brushing himself off.
Bill and Sookie shared a look before returning their gazes to me. I wanted to say something. Let him know I was nobody’s property but this wasn’t the time or the place. Besides, if it kept that creep off our backs then so be it.
OOO
“Something told me you’d be down here.”
Eric’s coarse voice sounded from behind me as I sat on one of the bar stools. It wasn’t a secret that my nerves about the following day were getting to me. I knew I hung around dangerous beings but nothing was more dangerous than a fanatic believer. If they even suspected anything was fishy, who knows what they would do to us.
“Nervous?”
He asked, taking a seat next to me. The bartender behind the bar giving him her best seductive smile before walking up to him.
“Can I get you anything to drink, handsome?
“No thanks, I already ate.” He waved her off before turning her attention towards me again.
“What is it with men and blondes? All the fucking hot ones are always chasing after them. Even fangers. The shit I would do to him. Mm mm mmm. Shame.”
“Can you blame me?” I asked him, ignoring her and her dirty looks.
“I wouldn’t get you involved if I knew any other way.” He sighed watching as I finished off my whiskey.
“Yeah. I know this is important to you.” You lifted your finger for a third refill.
He stared down at the counter, deep in thought for a few minutes. His eyes more bloodshot than usual, let me know just how much stress he had been under. “I don’t know how they captured him. He’s over twice my age and the strongest of our kind. No human should have been able to get near him.”
I took a long pull from my cup before shrugging my shoulders. “What if he went willing?”
Eric’s eyes grew dark as he turned his head towards me. “What for?”
“Common ground?” I replied. “I don’t know. If he’s as strong as you say, there is no way they would’ve just been able to take him. Not without a trail of bodies left behind.”
“You’ve clearly had too much to drink.” He stood, pulling out his wallet to drop a couple of bills on the counter. “I’ll walk you to your room. I need you ready for tomorrow.”
“I guess you’re right.” I grabbed onto his arm as I jumped off the stool.
“Oh, and I’m not your’s by the way.” I stated as we stepped out of the elevator, his firm muscles holding me by my waist as he walked me to the door. “You don’t have a right to claim me.”
“Get this straight.” He lowered his face to mine. “If I want to claim you, there’s nothing anyone here can do to stop me, but I only said that to get that peice of shit away from you.”
I laughed, half-drunkenly, at his intimidating tone, leaning back against the door for balance. “You smell like the ocean.” I smiled. “None of the vampires I’ve met smell like anything. But you – you smell like the beach on a warm summer night.”
He looked down at me surprised at the observation before unlocking the door with the key card he had for some reason.
“In my human life, I was a viking. I loved the water. I still remember the feel of the sun on my skin after being in the salty ocean all day.” He reminisced as he walked me in.
“Do you have a lot of memories from back then?” I asked, walking over to the bed. “You’ve been around for so long.”
I slipped off my shoes and crawled up onto the mattress curling on my side against the cool sheets. Patting the bed next to me, I invited him to sit and he did, laying on his back.
“I have.” He answered. “But there are things you don’t forget. My parents were killed when I was about your age. Then I went to war and after a grueling battle I was as good as dead. That’s when Godric found me. There’s a special bond between a vampire and his maker. Stronger than any relationship humans can have. We have always been able to feel each other. Which is why this worries me.”
Eric:
I waited with Isabelle on the cliff overlooking the church. She had sent her human with them so she was anxious as well. He posed as the husband while the two got a better look at the church. I couldn’t say I trusted him but with the amount of time she said they’d been together, I took her word for it. Stan on the other hand insisted this was a mistake and they should all go in and rip all of them to shreds. I wasn’t entirely against the idea but so far we hadn’t heard anything from anyone of them.
I had called in a favor to keep Bill busy. If anything was to happen, Bill would sense Sookie and go in to destroy the whole thing. I couldn’t let anything jeopardize finding Godric.
“They’ve been in there a long time. Shouldn’t you be worried?”
“There’s no alarms yet.” She answered her sight not leaving the guards patrolling the area. “I felt something earlier, but it passed. “It’s okay now.”
“Tell me what it is you find so fulfilling about human companionship.” I asked.
I couldn’t explain the feelings I had been having for the younger Stackhouse. From the moment she had walked into my bar months ago her image haunted my mind. She hated the person I am but she still talked to me like a person. There was no fear, no ass kissing. I found myself enjoying my time with her more so than even the dirty dreams I’d look forward to.
“They feel a lot more strongly than we do.” She stated. “Everything is more urgent, exciting. Maybe because they’re lives are so temporary.”
“Yes. Though they certainly don’t keep well. Don’t you find the prospect of them becoming sickly, crippled somewhat uh – repulsive?”
“No.” She chuckled. “I find it curious. Like a science project. How do you explain your interest in Melanie when that’s how you picture human-vampire relationships?”
“I have no interest in Melanie.” I corrected. Unsure of how true my statement was. “My only interest is finding Godric.”
She gave a knowing look but it was interrupted by a shiver down her spine. “It’s Hugo. Something’s wrong.”
If something had happened, why couldn’t I feel Melanie?
It wasn’t hard to get inside, just a few dead bodies to clear the way but once we were in, i could feel Godric’s presence. I could feel him calling me. Following the gravitational pull to my maker, I ended down in the basement where a cage was holding all of them.
Godric was standing over a large man’s dead body. Sookie was fine, buttoning her dress but my eyes caught Melanie’s body lying unconscious on the ground.
“What happened?!” I demanded to know as I ran to her, checking for a pulse. Her head had started to bruise into something nasty.
“She heard them before I could.” Sookie explained. “When they tried to lead us down here they knocked her out. She hasn’t come too in hours.”
I could feel the anger boiling inside of me but then I remembered the point of this plan.
“Godric.” I kneeled before him, lowering my head.
“You were a fool to send humans looking for me.” He voiced.
“I had no other choice. These savages, they seek to destroy you.”
“I know what they have planned.” He motioned to Isabelle’s human laying beat on the ground. “This one betrayed you.”
“He’s with the Fellowship.” Sookie added. “They set a trap for us.”
Ignoring their comments, I looked back at Godric. “How long since you’ve fed?”
He shook his head. “I require very little blood anymore.”
The alarms began to sound and lights flashed before he looked at me again. “Save the humans. Go on.”
“I’m not leaving your side until you are -”
“I can take care of myself.” He reminded. “Spill no blood.”
“Eric, grab Mel. We have to go!” Sookie stood by her sister.
I lifted her up, as gently as possible to not shake her head. It explained why I hadn’t felt her in all this time. If it weren’t for Godric’s commands, I’d kill every last one of them.
We made it to the top of the stairs to see the church being evacuated. Armed men were all over the place guarding the women and children.
“Why didn’t you bring Bill with you.” Sookie asked as she followed behind.
“His attachment to you is irrational. It clouds his judgement. He would’ve killed every child in this church just to save you.”
“Why haven’t you?” She questioned. “With your obvious attachment to my sister.”
“I’m following Godric’s orders to get you out. That’s it.”
She paused for a moment. “He’s your maker isn’t he.”
“Don’t use words you don’t understand.” I said as I carefully placed Melanie on the ground.
I got through the first few men guarding the front door but the there were more about to enter from outside.
“Through the sanctuary.” Sookie yelled as she kneeled down trying to wake Melanie again.
I scooped her up and followed Sookie’s lead through the church to the sanctuary. Clothes and blankets littered the pews from everyone being evacuated.
“There should be an exit back there.” She directed before we heard chuckling.
“There are several exists actually.” Steve Newlin came out from the front. “For you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell.”
The doors behind us and two on our sides all opened and his minions surrounded us, armed with silver and wooden stakes. I didn’t take kindly to threats but with Melanie in my arms, I had to think carefully about how to proceed.
“Let us leave!” Sookie begged. “Save yourselves. No one has to die!”
“The war has begun, you evil whore of Satan.” He threw his arms out. “You vampires cast the first stone by killing my family. The lines have been drawn. You’re either with us, or against us. We are prepared for armageddon.”
“The vampire you’re holding prisoner got away! He’s a sheriff. He’s bound to send for help.”
“I’m not concerned with Godric. Any vampire will do for our grand celebration and we got one right here.” He pointed at me.
Sookie stared up at me, unsure of what to say next. Looking at the woman in my arms, I set her down carefully and Sookie kneeled to rest her sister’s head on her lap.
“I’ll be fine.” I assured her before stepping forward.
“Brothers and sisters.” Newlin continued, a wide smile on his face. “There will be a holy bonfire at dawn.”
A man wrapped silver around my neck, taking me to the concrete slab table in the center before chaining me down by my wrists. Newlin looked down at me, a heinous smirk on his face as I groaned at the burning. Two men held Sookie back while he started another speech.
“You see? Just as our lord and savior was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, a few ounces of silver can betray a child of satan to the world!”
“That doesn’t make any sense!” Sookie yelled. “How can you people listen to him.”
“I – I offer myself in exchange for Godric’s freedom.” I managed to croak out. “And the girls’ as well.”
“That’s noble, but they’re just as culpable as you are. They are traitors to their race.” He turned his gaze to his people. “The human race! She hardly deserves mercy. Maybe we should tie one to you, so you can meet the sun together. Bet this marshmallow would roast up nicely.” He looked at Sookie.
I started to sense Melanie again, painfully turning my head to see her starting to stir. Her eyes opened and she took a look around the room before she looked at me. Panic crossed her face as she saw my chains.
“Eric!” Her yell echoed in the hollow church as she ran over to me. Her hands making quick work of the silver around my neck and wrists.
“You whore!” Newlin grabbed her waist but she quickly turned shoving him hard down the steps, landing in front of Sookie.
His humans stepped up to grab her but the back doors opened and Bill came in. “Sookie!” He yelled before Newlin held a gun to her head.
“One more step vampire, and the girl dies!”
“You shoot her, and everyone in here dies.” He promised.
Melanie helped me off the table, letting me rest behind it’s protection. Her soft fingers caressed my cheek as my wounds started to heal themselves.
“Are you okay?” She whispered.
“I should never have gotten you in here.” I admitted, brushing her hair back behind her ear.
We heard Jason’s voice and Newlin scream out before two guys flew past us. Melanie peaked from the side of the slab, and saw Bill had gotten to Sookie, as well as Jason holding a paintball gun by the side doors. Newlin held his hand before Jason fired again, shooting him in the forehead with green paint.
I stood, rushing over to Newlin and pinning him down on the steps by his throat. My fangs had dropped with my anger as I squeezed him.
“Eric!” Sookie screamed. “Do not kill him.”
“Kill him! Kill that motherfucker!” Jason yelled.
I looked up to see Melanie, not saying a word, as she watched the look on Newlin’s face. She knew he deserved to die but this was about what I wanted.
“Go ahead!” Newlin voiced. “Go ahead and murder us before God. We are willing to die.”
A loud rumbling was heard from each of the exits before all the doors were pushed open and Stan came in with the rest of the Dallas vampires.
“Steve Newlin!” He said. “You’ve pushed us too far! You expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come lynch us? We’ll kill you first. Same way we did your father.”
“Murderer!” Steve screamed before I closed my hand tighter around his throat.
“Destroy them.” Stan commanded and his men closed in on Newlin’s army. “All of them!”
The vampires spread out, grabbing men at random and preparing to clench down. Bill grabbed Sookie to run and though she tried to get Melanie, Melanie pulled her arm back and walked to my side. “I’m not leaving without him!”
Letting go of Newlin, I grabbed Melanie by her waist, holding her against me so that the others would not confuse her as dinner.
“ENOUGH!” A loud voice filled the church. We all looked up to see Godric looking down at us over the balcony. “You came for me, I assume. These people have not harmed me. You see, we can coexist. Mr. Newlin. I do not wish to create bloodshed when it’s not called for. Help me set an example. If we leave you in peace, will you do the same?”
“I will not negotiate with subhumans!” He seethed. He kneeled before me again and I moved Melanie behind me. “Kill me. Do it! Jesus will protect me.”
“I’m actually older than your Jesus.” Godric retorted. “I wish I could’ve known him but I missed it.”
Godric flew down, moving past everyone to grab Newlin by his collar, holding him up. “Good people, who of you is willing to die for this man’s madness?”
The crowd looked amongst themselves but nobody spoke up.
“That’s what I thought. Stand down everyone.” He commanded his vampires. “People, go home. It’s over now.”
Everyone cleared out. There was no need to be told twice. Once they saw what we were capable of, no training could prepare them for the real deal. Newlin begged for them not to leave but the church soon emptied. Godric dropped him to the ground.
“I daresay my faith in humankind is stronger than yours. Come.”
He walked past Newlin to lead us all out. Stan stepped in front of him. “Sir, after all these humans have done -”
“I said come.” Godric repeated firmly.
OOO
We all met back at Godrics. He sat on his chair as everyone had lined up to greet him. I watched as Melanie’s brother spoke to him before coming around the corner where I cut him off.
“Hail the conquering hero.”
“Aw, no. I’m no hero.” The idiot replied, not catching my tone.
“No, you are in this town.’ I stepped closer. “But in my area, I know you well as a buyer and user of vampire blood. And that’s a very grave offense.”
“Yeah, listen.” He stuttered, his heartbeat racing. “I don’t do that anymore.”
“All things considered however, ” I ignored him. “We’ll call it even. But you won’t be doing it again.”
“No. no -”
“Good boy.” I let him by. “Run along.”
Jason ran past me, and I moved through the crowd to find Sookie talking to Bill. I don’t know how he’d managed to get to that church I figured Lorena would keep him busy for quite some time, but he ended up being a welcome distraction.
“I heard my name. Hope you were speaking well of me.”
“Why should I?” Sookie questioned. “You let us walk into a trap.”
“I regret that.” I answered calmly, looking between the two. “If I had known it was a possibility -”
“You did know, but because it was Godric, You’d risk anything.”
“The bond between a vampire and his maker is stronger than you can imagine. Maybe one day’ you’ll find out.” Bill shot me a deadly look but I ignored him. “Where’s Melanie?”
“Kitchen” She nodded, “Why?”
Leaving her and Bill, I walked to the kitchen to find her staring aimlessly out of the window.the corner of her forehead more purple than before. Despite everything I knew about her, she looked so small. So vulnerable.
“How’s your head?” I asked, coming up behind her.
“You should see the other guy” She half-smiled while running her fingers through her long hair, shrugging her shoulders. “It’s fine. I just feel like a total ass. I saw it coming.”
“It’s not your fault.” I reminded her. “It’s mine. I was so blinded by my need to get Godric out, I hadn’t even senses your fear and then I couldn’t sense you at all. I’m sorry.”
“I’m glad he’s okay.” She looked over at Godric whose eyes wandered to us.
“Yes. Me too. And thank you, for saving my life in there as well.”
“I assume Lafayette’s debt has been paid off?” Her tone getting serious.
“It is.” I nodded.
Isabelle walked in with her human, kicking him to the ground before Godric. He asked her if she loved him and despite everything he had caused, he let them go. Stan of course opposed but Godric stood by his word. I followed his orders and made sure they left the compound unharmed before returning to him.
“Hugo’s been dispatched. I told him not to stop driving until he reaches the mexican border. I’ve also arranged for an AB negative human for you.” I kneeled beside him. “Extremely rare.”
“Thank you.” He offered a weak smile. “I’m not hungry.”
“You have to eat eventually. I doubt the fellowship had anything to offer.” When he remained silent, I continued. “Why didn’t you come when I first came for you?”
“They didn’t treat me badly.” He shook his head. “You’d be shocked at how ordinary most of them are.”
“They do nothing but fan the flames of hatred for us” I whispered through clenched teeth.
“Let’s be honest. We are frightening. After thousands of years, we haven’t evolved. We’ve only grown more brutal, more predatory. I don’t see the danger in treating humans as equals. The Fellowship of the Sun arose because we never did so.”
Fuck. Was Melanie right in her drunken slurs last night?
“Is that why you wouldn’t fight when they took you?”
“I could’ve killed every last one of them within minutes. And what would that have proven?”
We heard a commotion in the kitchen and I felt Melanie’s anger deep inside. Godric and I moved to see what was happening when we saw her hitting Lorena in the head with a fireplace poker, knocking her off of her sister.
“Touch her again and I will kill you.” She seethed as Sookie held her throat, catching her breath.
Lorena dropped her fangs and charged towards her when Godric grabbed her by her throat. “Retract your fangs. Now.”
Sookie curled into Bill’s arms as he held her while Melanie held her position, breathing heavily with adrenaline pumping her sweet smelling blood. Still ready for a fight. It was quite the sight. As little as she was fearlessly taking on a vampire of Lorena’s age. It stirred something in me. I moved next to her and Godric, lowering her hands as they clenched the poker.
“I neither know, nor care who you are but in this area, and certainly in this nest, I am the authority. Do you understand?”
Lorena nodded. “Yes, sheriff.”
He released her and turned to look at Melanie. “This woman has proven herself to be courageous and loyal friend to our kind. And yet you treat her sister like a child does a dragonfly, pulling off wings for sport, then get angry when she comes to her aid. No wonder they hate us.”
“She provoked me.” Lorena defended.
“And you provoked me.” He responded, close to losing his patience. “You disrupted the peace in my own home. I could snap you like a twig. Yet I haven’t.” He turned towards Bill. “You seem to know her?”
“Yes, sheriff.”
“Escort her from the nest.”
Bill nodded, grabbing Lorena’s arm to pull her away before Godric turned towards Melanie. I approached to stand behind her. “You. You’re a brave one. You risked your life for mine, my child’s, and your sisters. For that I am eternally grateful. I can see why my son is taken with you.”
Melanie smiled between the two of us. “I can see where he get’s his charm. It’s really a pleasure meeting you. I’m sorry it had to be under these circumstances.”
“I am too, my child. If you’ll excuse me.”
We both nodded and watched as he walked away. “You were right.” I admitted. “He was after peace all along.”
“When you live as long as you and Godric have. Seen as much death and bloodshed as you have. You must be pretty sick of it.” She nodded, looking over my shoulder at Jason. “I’ll be right back.”
Her words echoed in my head as she walked away from me. Godric truly wanted a peace. I had let my years make me jaded towards the countless deaths I had encountered. It had made me harder. Careless for any other being. He on the other hand had become empathetic towards it.
“Excuse me everyone. If I could have your attention.” We turned to see a human in the main room. I recognized his face from the church. “My name is Luke McDonald. I’m a member of the Fellowship of the Son and I have a message for you all from Reverend Steve Newlin.”
The man unzipped his jacket to show a bomb strapped to his chest wrapped all over in silver chains and wooden bullets. He quickly hit the button and I covered Sookie, who was nearest me, as fast as I could. The pain of silver going inside of me was unmeasurable but my panic for Melanie’s safety was greater.
“Melanie!”