Heartlines

"You will do anything he asks of you, do you understand me Lidiya? That includes letting him bite you and spreading your legs for him. He must trust you," Stan said, pinching her nipple harshly for emphasis. She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

"Yes, Master," she gasped. Her head was reeling from the blood he'd taken and his rough treatment of her body. He didn't take her often, but when he did he was relentless.

"Good girl. Now go get yourself cleaned up. You'll be leaving in a few hours," he said and dismissed her.

***

Lidiya touched her neck where the scars of Stan's bite still lay. That had been 3 years ago. That same request had Lidiya sititng in a blacked-out SUV outside of the Fellowship of the Sun's headquarters, using her telepathy to listen in on Godric and Steve Newlin's meeting.

They'd been in there for 2 hours now, arguing back and forth. Godric wanted peace, the Reverend didn't think their definitions of peace were the same.

Lidiya was starting to get bored when she felt it. Somewhere in there a decision had been made. Digging deeper, Lidiya saw a plan in Newlin's Second -Gabe- to silver Godric and take him captive. She let him know as much.

"Godric, they're going to attack you," she thought at him.

"Understood," he replied before interrupting the Reverend's rant about vampires and abominations and whatever else.

"I apologize Reverend, but it appears we are getting nowhere and I have pressing matters to attend to," Godric didn't give him a chance to reply before he used his vampire speed to disappear.

Once Godric was back in the SUV, Lidiya put up her mental shields and slumped into her seat.

"I'm sorry Godric," she said. She felt bad that this meeting hadn't turned out the way he wanted.

"I knew it was a long shot," he said, sounding defeated.

Nothing betrayed his calm appearance, but even with her shields firmly in place, Lidiya could feel the intensity of his anger and disappointment radiating off of him.

***

By the time they reached the nest, Lidiya couldn't hear or feel anything from Godric, which was a good sign. She followed him and his Second -Isobel- straight into his office and sat quietly until he spoke.

"It does not appear that the Fellowship will relent," he started, his gaze falling expectantly to Lidiya.

"No. I believe his intentions were always to capture you. However, they didn't seem to have a contingency plan," she supplied, her voice thick with the relief she truly felt.

"What will our plan be then, Sheriff?" Isobel asked, speaking for the first time since they'd left the nest earlier that night.

"All of the vampires in the area need to be on high alert. And make sure all of the human companions have addtitional protection during the day," he said firmly.

"Yes, Sheriff. I will see to it right away," Isobel bowed and rose, leaving Lidiya alone with Godric.

Lidiya exhaled deeply as the door closed behind Isobel. She let her shields down and relaxed. She could immediately feel Godric's hunger. She got up and walked towards him, kneeling when she reached him. His far off gaze fell to her when she touched his hand, just barely, with her fingertips.

"You are hungry, Master. Shall I bring you a donor or a Royal Blend?" She asked, though she knew he would refuse her. He had been feeding very little over the last few months. His hunger was always a dull ache at the back of her mind if she let her shields down.

"No, thank you Lidiya," he said, just as she'd predicted.

"I can tell you're hungry Godric. Here, drink," she said, tilting her neck toward him in offering. This was not the first time she'd offered herself to him, but he always refused her. She did however, feel something she hadn't ever felt from him, desire and apprehension. He wanted to bite her, but he was holding back. Curious.

She finally felt resolve from him and he pulled her up and into his lap. She braced herself against his chest. He leaned into her neck, breathing in her scent. When she heard his fangs click out, her heart started to race. She hadn't been bitten since she came to the Dallas nest and the King had never been gentle.

Godric's breath at her pulse point was her only warning before his fangs pierced her skin. The initial bite hurt, but his bite was nothing like Stan's. The pain quickly dissipated as a wave of calm flowed from him to her. Lidiya felt herself melting against him when he pulled away. She shivered as he licked at the wounds to heal them.

Godric's eyes searched hers for what felt like hours, but turned out to be only seconds. Lidiya finally broke his intense gaze, suddenly feeling exposed, as if he could see everything she was hiding from him.

"Thank you Lidiya," he said, his voice gentle and sincere.

"Of course, Sheriff," she said, blushing. Stan had certainly never thanked her for taking her blood. He was, of course, entitled to it after everything he'd done for her.

"You must be tired," he said, touching her cheek.

"I...yes," she said, jumping up from his lap.

"Please, do not let me keep you," he said and she could hear him smiling, though she refused to look at him.

"Goodnight Godric," she said, practically dashing for the door.

"Sleep well Lidiya," Lidiya heard him say as she slammed her shields up and hurried out of his office and up to her room.