Brooklynne was lying unconscious on the ground of the basement of the church, in the wired cage where Sookie, Hugo and herself had been locked in for a couple of hours. Her hands were tied painfully behind her back and a piece of tape was covering her mouth. Hugo and Sookie also had their hands tied but they were free to talk and shout for help like they had been doing for the last two hours. When they understood no one was coming to help them, not even Bill to Sookie's concern, Sookie started to call for Godric whom she knew was somewhere in the basement with them. She kept an eye on her little sister, making sure she was breathing every five minutes or so. Hugo's claustrophobia made Sookie stay away from his thoughts, not wanting to get anywhere near them.
When Brooklynne woke up, she was confused and in a lot of pain. Sookie tried to reassure her, apologizing for not being able to remove the tape, which made it hard for Brooke to breathe. Her fear caused her heart to beat faster, and she wished she were able to breathe through her mouth.
"Breathe in, breathe out, slowly," Sookie instructed her. "When Bill gets here, he'll give you his blood and heal your leg, everything's gonna be okay, I promise."
But Bill never came. They waited all night long, Brooklynne falling asleep and waking up over and over again because of her leg pain. Around 10 in the morning, Steve and Gabriel came down to talk to them. They looked pretty proud of themselves.
"She needs a hospital!" Sookie told them. "Her leg might be broken, and she might have a concussion!"
"I will admit, things got a little out of hand last night, and I apologize for that. I'm not the monster that the vampire-loving media makes me out to be."
"You're right. You're worse. She could die!"
"But that is your fault, not mine," he said. "After all, you dragged her into this. You're the one loving a vampire, aren't you? She's just an innocent girl following her big sister around."
"Screw you, you hateful..."
"Ah," Steve interrupted her, raising a finger. "Now, now, there's no need for that. All I want from you is a couple of answers. And then, I'll be more than happy to feed you breakfast and send you on your way."
"What do you wanna know?" Hugo asked.
"Shut up!" Sookie breathed out.
"Sookie, we need to get out of here. Tell them what they wanna know?"
"I want to get out of here, this wasn't supposed to happen, just tell them what they wanna know, I want out. Out!"
"Her name is Sookie Stackhouse, her sister is Brooklynne Stackhouse, and I'm Hugo Ayers."
"Hugo, no!"
"We were sent here by the vampires of Area 9 to find their sheriff."
"Sookie Stackhouse," Steve repeated in a whisper, looking pale like he had just seen a ghost. "From Bon Temps?"
"How do you know where I'm from?"
"You're Jason Stackhouse's..." he paused, then swallowed, anger filling his veins, "sister. Am I right?"
"How do you know Jason? He's got nothing to do with this!"
Steve took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, but failing. "The bastard, the traitor, the Judas!"
"Come on, Gabe," Steve said before they left.
"Nice work!" Sookie reprimanded Hugo.
"Hey, we sat here all night waiting for your boyfriend to show up. You can go on and play damsel in distress all you want, but I'm getting us out of here. Think of you sister. She needs a hospital, now!"
"Don't you think I know that?"
"Barry!" Sookie called, making her sister frown. "Barry, can you hear me? You've gotta help me. I need you to go to the hotel and find Bill Compton and tell him I'm at the Fellowship of the Sun church in the basement. The sheriff is here somewhere and I'm in big trouble. Please, don't ignore me, this is a life-or-death situation. Please!"
"Do you think he can hear you?"
"I think he's our only shot."
Hugo was getting worse. He kept pacing around, shouting for them to come back.
"Hey! Hey, I need to use the bathroom! Hey! Come on, let me out of here!"
"Hugo, this is not helping. Just, sit down. Try and rela-"
She stopped when his thoughts invaded hers. Images of him praying with Sarah and Steve, of him spying on Isabel at the summit, of him telling Sookie's plan to Steve over the phone. She gasped.
"You? You're the traitor!"
He didn't even try to deny it. He looked relieved he didn't have to hide it anymore.
"Yeah. It's me."
"But... why?" Sookie couldn't understand it. Isabel loved him, and from what she had previously heard, he seemed to love her too.
"I used to be just like you. Thought I was a real emancipated thinker. Especially when Isabel took me to bed. And the sex was... amazing," he chuckled. "The best I ever... well, you know. It's addictive, isn't it? To be desired by something that powerful..."
"I'm no addict."
"No," he shrugged, "I guess you wouldn't know how your life changes to suit them. You start missing work, can't get up in the morning, can't stand to leave them after dark... Before you know it, you're somebody you don't even recognize."
"So you went to the Fellowship because you can't control yourself?"
"I begged her to turn me. It was the only way we could be together as equals. But see, they don't want us to be equals. No, she's just been using me. The same way that Bill's been using you."
"You don't know Bill," Sookie snarled.
"I know he and his friends are having you do their dirty work. And you even let them drag your sister into it! A telepath's gotta be a real trophy for a vampire, but two? That Eric vampire really seemed interested in Brooklynne, I saw the way he looked at her, even Isabel said so."
Sookie gave a look to her sister, who, despite the pain and the fatigue, tried to stay awake.
"Eric's gonna end up making her his, and she's gonna end up like us. Thinking he cares, but he doesn't. He just wants to use her."
"Shut up!"
"All they care about is their own kind. Okay? That's why I joined the Fellowship."
"So if the Newlins care so much about you how come you're still in here?" she asked, and he had no answer for her. "Face it, Hugo. You're nothing but a fangbanging traitor to them."
"Gabe?" Hugo called. "Gabe, she knows everything. You can let me out know!" But no one came. "Hey, come on, let me out!"
"Yep, you're so all-fired important to them, aren't you?"
Hugo didn't reply, he stared at the door, waiting for someone to come in. But no one showed up.
They spent the rest of the day in there, with no food, no water, no one else coming to ask questions. The lights on the ceiling were shining hot, or maybe it was just the pain that made Brooklynne sweat, but right now she felt like she was frying under the sun.
Gabriel eventually came in, around 8, according to Hugo's watch. He looked furious, and he was alone, still wearing that stupid blue sweatshirt with a sun on it. His lip was cut like someone had just punched him in the face.
"Gabe," Hugo said, relieved, thinking he'd come to free him. "What happened to your face?"
Gabriel didn't reply and approached the cage with a set of keys in his hand.
"Listen, she knows everything. Which never would've happened if you hadn't kept me here with two mind readers."
Gabriel opened the door in silence.
"Yeah, I hope the reverend knows that I'm gonna need protection now."
Gabriel stepped inside, seized Hugo by the shirt and punched him in the face, making him fall over, Sookie gasp and Brooklynne wince.
"You want protection, you fangbanging sack of shit?" Gabriel said before he kicked him in the stomach.
Sookie said nothing as she positioned herself in front of her sister, shielding her from whatever Gabriel had came in here to do.
"How's that for protection, huh?" Gabriel asked as he kneeled near Hugo, taking him by his shirt and punching him once, then twice. "Here's a little more protection for you."
"Stop it!" Sookie shouted as she launched herself at him.
She tried to kick him, there was nothing else she could do as her hands were tied behind her back. He got up easily, pushing her against the wall. Brooklynne's muffled screams echoed in the room. Gabriel turned around, putting his hands around Sookie's neck.
"You and your moron brother think you can make an asshole out of me?" he growled. "That's what you think, uh?"
"Get your filthy hands off me!" she choked.
"What's wrong? Your own kind not good enough for you?" he asked. "Lucky your sister didn't follow in your footsteps," he said as he threw her on the floor, and she landed near Hugo. "I'm gonna show her what a good decision that was."
Brooklynne watched with big eyes as he made his way to her. She tried to push herself against the wired wall, her foot sliding on the floor, again and again as if she'd eventually move. Her screams were stopped by the tape and didn't leave her throat. The big man seized her by the shoulders and pushed her down on the floor. She kicked him as hard as she could, with her good leg, but he slapped her once, then twice as she didn't stop. She kicked and screamed and kicked and screamed but he wouldn't stop. His hand landed on her shirt, his sweaty knuckles touching her cleavage. He ripped her shirt, both halves hanging on each side of her body. Every time she kicked, he slapped her, but she wouldn't give up.
"Leave her alone!" Sookie shouted as she recollected herself, but Gabriel ignored her. He easily pushed her away when she tried to get him off her sister.
But Gabriel did get off Brooklynne. It just wasn't thanks to Sookie. Brooke watched with wild eyes as he was held above her by a kid, a vampire no doubt, given his strength. She breathed heavily as she sat back up against the wires, with difficulty and pain. Gabriel was being choked by his sweatshirt from which he was being held.
"Godric?" Sookie breathed out.
The vampire's eyes travelled from Sookie to Brooklynne, though they didn't stay long there, and she was grateful he looked away as she was sitting there, in her bra, unable to conceal herself.
"Godric," Gabriel pleaded, "it's me!"
But whether he recognized him or not, Godric didn't care. Appalled by what the human had done, and was about to do, the vampire broke his neck, letting his lifeless body fall on the ground.
"You should not have come," was all Godric said.
Screams could be heard from upstairs, and Sookie and Brooklynne knew another vampire was present.
"Bill!" Sookie said, happy at the possibility that he was finally coming for her.
"No," Godric shook his head. "I'm here my child. Down here."
"Eric." Brooklynne thought.
"Eric?" Sookie asked silently. "Godric's Eric's maker?"
The blond vampire appeared suddenly in the basement, instantly falling on his knees to his maker's feet.
"You're a fool for sending humans after me."
"I had no other choice. These savages, they... they seek to destroy you."
"I'm aware of what they have planned. This one betrayed you," he said as he pointed at Hugo who was still unconscious behind him.
"He's with the Fellowship," Sookie explained. "They set a trap for us."
A cry of pain escaped Brooklynne which drove Eric's attention. Maybe he hadn't seen her before, or maybe he was too focused on his maker to notice anyone else was there.
"This one needs medical attention," Godric said.
Eric stood on his feet, his eyes moving from Brooke's body to Gabriel's, who was lying at his feet. He frowned, a trace of rage appearing then disappearing from his face. Brooklynne, who was still scared out of her mind, tried to move away as he approached. He removed his black leather jacket which he used to cover her. He then removed the tape from her mouth. She took a deep breath as soon as she could.
"Her leg is broken," Sookie told him.
"My blood will heal you," he said as a way to ask her permission.
She looked at him with fear in her eyes, pain on her face. She was panting and confused. All she wanted was to go home.
"Please," is all she managed to say. She looked terrible, as pale as he was, and as tired as ever.
He bit his wrist and positioned himself behind her, feeding her his blood with one hand, while he removed the rope with another. She took a shaky breath as he removed his wrist from her mouth. She brought her fingers to her sore wrists, one, then the other, before she wiped the tears away from her cheeks, and brought her hands to her chest, to Eric's jacket.
"Thank you," she whispered as she moved her legs and felt no pain whatsoever.
She quickly slid her arms in the sleeves of the jacket and concealed herself in the cold black leather. She was still trembling, despite Eric's blood. The physical pain might have gone, but it didn't make her forget what she had just been through.
An alarm went off as the lights started to flicker.
"Save the humans," Godric ordered Eric.
Brooklynne gasped as she felt Eric's hands move under her thighs. He scooped her up in his arms and she was too weak to even fight the idea of him carrying her around. She rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes, enjoying the coldness of his body.
Eric stopped before Godric, waiting for him to follow him.
"Go on."
"I am not leaving your side until you..."
"I can take care of myself."
"Come on, we have to go," Sookie insisted.
"Spill no blood on your way out," Godric ordered, which obviously went against Eric's initial plans.
He sighed before he left the basement with Sookie and Brooklynne.
"What took you so long to find us?" Sookie asked as they walked up the stairs. "Where's Bill?"
"We didn't know where you were. A human named Barry told Bill he had a message from you, I don't know where your boyfriend is. He hasn't come out of his room since you left."
"Brothers and sisters, we are on lockdown," Steve's voice came out of the speakers. "Women with children, please, take them to our classroom buildings. Men and able-bodied women, security will provide you with stakes and silver just outside the chapel. Our Soldiers of the Sun are on their way to protect our church, but safely evacuate the building now. Brothers and sisters, the hour is upon us."
Eric and Sookie reached the top of the stairs, where they hid behind the wall and watched as Steve's followers exited through the front door.
"I could have you out in seconds," Eric said, though he wasn't about to disobey his maker.
"There's kids out there!" Sookie protested.
"Well, those humans wouldn't think twice about hurting us," he said, which made Brooklynne shiver. He looked down at her, but she was looking away, staring at nothing in particular.
"Why didn't you tell me Godric was your maker?"
He looked down at the telepath standing beside him, wondering if Brooke had told her or if she had guessed. "Don't use words you don't understand."
"You have a lot of love for him."
"Don't use words I don't understand."
He looked back towards the hall where the only humans remaining were three "guards" in shorts with silver chains around their neck and a stake in their hands. He gently put Brooklynne down who was reluctant to let him go.
"Trust me," he whispered in her ear as he saw the confused look she was giving him.
Eric left them and stepped inside the hall, making his way towards the three guards.
"Oh, hey, y'all," he said with a grin. "How's it going?"
They didn't reply as they looked at the stranger walking towards them with confused looks.
"Steve sent me over to man the exit here. I think I can take it from here."
"By yourself?" one of them asked with concern.
"Yeah."
"You're big and all, but there's a vampire on the loose."
"Where's your stake?"
Brooklynne shook her head as she rolled her eyes. She stepped out of the shadows, making all four men look at her. She didn't give them time to say anything before she helped Eric out of the silly situation he had put himself in.
"Sleep," she said, and the three humans instantly fell on the ground.
They had kidnapped her, broken her leg, tried to rape her. She was pissed and she wasn't going to stay behind while Eric was trying to find a way to get them out of here.
"Thank you," Eric said, impressed, before he opened the front door.
But they weren't out yet. A group of humans was coming their way. The front door wasn't going to be their exit.
"Eric, through the sanctuary," Sookie told him.
She led them through the empty nave.
"Where's the exit?" Eric asked.
"Back that way."
"There are several exits, actually," Steve said as he appeared near the altar. "For you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell."
"Brooklynne," Eric asked but she didn't have time to work her magic because the Soldiers of the Sun were coming through every door, filling the room. There must have been around fifty of them.
"Let us go!" Sookie said. "Save yourselves, no one has to die!"
"The war has begun, you evil whore of Satan," Steve told her. "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."
"You're insane," Brooklynne told him.
"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," Steve shrugged. "Any vampire will do for our grand celebration, and we got one right here."
Sookie and Brooke looked up at Eric who was looking around. There were too many of them, and if he were to leave with both sisters without spilling any blood... he'd end up dead.
Eric, resigned to his fate, took a step forward. Brooklynne instinctively seized his hand, trying to stop him. He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her. She released his hand.
"I'll be fine," he told her.
"Brothers and sisters, there will be a holy bonfire at dawn."
Brooklynne watched as Eric let the reverend silver him to the altar, each chain burning his skin.
"There's too many of them. I can't hypnotize them all."
"What else can we do?"
"I don't know. I could try just stopping Steve."
"They'll think you're glamouring him."
"Then what can we do?"
Sookie didn't reply. She didn't have an answer.
"Don't touch me!" Brooklynne shouted as a man tried to put his hands on her.
Eric growled in pain as he turned his head towards her, despite the silver chains around his neck.
"Get your hands off my sister!"
"Easy brothers," Steve said. "They can't go anywhere. You see," he told them all as he went to stand behind the altar where Eric was immobilized. "A few ounces of silver can betray a child of Satan to the world."
"That doesn't make any sense!" Sookie shouted. "How can you people listen to him?"
"I..." Eric tried to say. "I offer myself in exchange for Godric's freedom. And the girls' as well."
"That's noble. But they're just as culpable as you are. They're traitors to their race. The human race. They hardly deserve mercy. Maybe I should tie them to you so you can meet the sun together."
A loud noise came from the hall, as if something heavy had just fallen, or maybe it was the doors banging on the walls. The Soldiers of the Sun gasped as the doors of the sanctuary opened and Bill stepped inside.
"Sookie!"
As Bill started to make his way towards his girlfriend, Steve took a gun out of his jacket and pointed it at her head.
"One move, vampire, and I shoot her."
"If you shoot her, everyone here will die!"
"Put the gun down you moron," Brooklynne growled, and he obeyed.
"Stop doing that!" he whined. "You see! She spent so much time with vampires she's learnt their tricks!"
"Let them go, now!" Bill ordered the reverend.
Steve sighed. "Honestly, what do they see in you two?" he asked the sisters. "Soldiers, some silver chains for our friend, here."
"Don't, he's done nothing to you!"
"Sookie, I will be fine!"
"Newlin!"
Every single person in the nave looked up towards the second floor, where Jason was perched on the balcony. He had a gunshot aimed at Steve and he shot the reverend in the hand, making him drop the gun he was holding.
"Let them go, fuckwad!"
"Ow!" Steve shook his injured hand. But it wasn't blood dropping on the floor, it was... paint.
Jason shot again and Steve stepped back as he was hit by a bullet of green paint, right in the middle of his forehead. His people gasped as they stepped back, the distraction allowing Bill to get close to Sookie. He took her in his arms, then inspected her for any injury. Jason was stopped by three men who took his guns away.
"Son of a bitch!" Steve groaned in pain.
As the Soldiers scattered, Brooklynne took the opportunity to get to the altar and free Eric of his chains.
"Let's go," she told him.
But Eric wasn't going anywhere. His fangs were already out when he got off the altar, taking Steve by the throat and pushing him down on the stairs.
"Eric! Do not kill him," Sookie said.
"Kill him!" Jason shouted. "Kill the motherfucker!"
"Go ahead," Steve said. "Murder me. Murder us before God! We are willing to die!"
Brooklynne didn't need to read their thoughts, to know these people weren't willing to die at all.
Noises from the hall could be heard suddenly and the doors of the sanctuary were opened by a vampire once again. Stan appeared, followed by a few vampires.
"Steve Newlin," he said as he walked in with a few friends.
In less than half a minute, the church was surrounded by creatures of the night.
"You have pushed us too far," the vampire continued. "You expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come lynch us? We'll kill you first."
Steve's people gathered together, now outnumbered, clenching their stakes and their silver chains.
"Same way we did your father," the vampire finished with a smirk.
"Oh God, no," Sookie breathed out.
"Murderer!" Steve choked, trying to get up, but in the impossibility to do so because of Eric's grip on his throat.
"Destroy them. All of them," Stan ordered the vampire.
Brooklynne gasped as she saw all the vampires seizing at least one human in supernatural speed. Eric let go of Steve, and made his way towards her, putting her under his protection, making sure no vampire would mistake her for a target.
"We have to go, now!" Bill shouted.
But they didn't have time to go far, as even before anyone had the chance to get hurt, they were interrupted by a higher power.
"Enough!" Godric called from where he was standing above them, on a wooden beam above the doorway. "You came for me, I assume. Underling?" he asked Stan who growled, then sighed.
"Yes, sheriff," the vampire in the cowboy hat rolled his eyes.
"These people have not harmed me," he told them. "You see? We can coexist. Mr. Newlin, I do not wish to create bloodshed where none is 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 said, kneeling on the ground, untying his tie. "Kill me."
"No!" a woman from the crowd begged.
"Do it! Jesus will protect me."
"I'm actually older than your Jesus. I wish I could have known him. But I missed it," Godric shrugged before he disappeared from where he was standing.
He appeared suddenly behind the reverend, seizing him by the nape. His sudden emergence made Brooklynne and Sookie jump. The two thousand-years-old vampire made Steve stand up on his feet.
"Good people," he said, "who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?"
No one replied, of course. Steve watched as his followers stepped away, not just from the vampires, but from him too.
"That's what I thought," Godric nodded. "Stand down, everyone."
Stan's vampires obeyed, to his dismay.
"People, go home. It's over now."
"Oh, thank God, Bill," Sookie breathed out as she hugged her boyfriend.
"It's all right. You're safe now," Bill whispered.
Eric looked down at Brooklynne who was watching everyone leave. She was still wearing his jacket which she had closed. It was way too big for her. He brought a hand to her face, gently taking her chin between his cold fingers. The sudden gesture made her look up at him in confusion. He could see she was tired, relieved, but still extremely uncomfortable.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
She tried to cross her arms over her chest, but the giant jacket made it impossible. She moved away from his gentle touch as she looked down.
"I'm fine," she whispered. An obvious lie.
"Please, don't leave me," Steve started calling after his people.
Godric let him go, and he fell to the floor.
"I daresay my faith in humankind is stronger than yours."
Newlin didn't reply, he just watched the last of his people leave him behind.
"Come," Godric instructed his progeny.
Eric gave another look to Brooklynne, who didn't look back. She tried to walk down the stairs of the altar but tripped on the second step, the heel of her shoe breaking under her. She was sure she'd hit the floor hard, but Eric caught her right on time.
"Alright," he sighed as he scooped her into his arms once again.
She was too weak and too exhausted to blush at the situation. She just rested her head against his chest as she closed her eyes, hoping for a little peace.
"Sir," Stan said as Godric approached him. "After what these humans have done to you?"
"I said come," was all Godric said to him before he walked out.
"Sookie, Brooke."
An out of breath Jason appeared, relieved his sisters were alright. He gave Sookie a long hug as he sighed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Will you please forgive me?"
"What were you doing with those people? You out of your mind?"
"Yeah, I was," he nodded. "Just... that son of a bitch sucked out my brain and planted all his own babies in there," he said, gesturing towards Steve who was trying to get up from the floor.
"You know nothing," Steve told him. "On the final day of reckoning, we'll see who goes to heaven and who goes to hell."
Jason laughed as he approached the reverend. "I reckon I've already been to heaven. It was inside your wife," he said, enjoying the look on Steve's face before he punched him.
Sookie gasped. Bill took it upon himself to separate the two of them.
"I'm fine," he said. "I'm fine." He then made his way to Eric to whom he gestured to give him his sister. "I've got her."
"I'm fine," Eric told him.
"Give me my sister, vampire," Jason said in a threatening tone, amusing Eric.
"Jason!" Sookie reprimanded her brother.
Brooklynne moved away from the vampire's chest, stretching her arms towards her brother who happily welcomed her into his arms.
"What happened to her?"
"That Gabe guy," Sookie said and she could tell her brother knew him well, "he tried to... well..."
"Son of a bitch," he growled. "Where is the motherfucker? I'm gonna kill him!"
"He's already dead," Eric informed him.
"Oh," Jason nodded. "Good. D'you kill him?"
"Unfortunately, no."
"Godric saved her," Sookie said.
"That's good. That's good," he nodded. "Let's go."
They all walked out of the church, leaving Reverend Newlin alone with his thoughts, and his hate.
***
It was loud and surprisingly warm in Godric's house where a party had started. Brooklynne was standing near the fireplace in the middle of the room, looking right into the flames, hearing everything that was being said to Godric, who was sitting in his chair, facing a line of people waiting to welcome him back. Jason, for some reason, was one of them.
"I just wanted to say I'm real sorry for what the Fellowship put you through. And I wanted to thank you, for helping my sister."
Godric stared in silent for a moment, which Jason understood as a dismissal.
"You helped save many lives today, Mr. Stackhouse," Godric said as Jason was about to turn around. "Please know you have friends in this area whenever you visit."
"Thanks, man, but uh... I don't know if I'll be wanting to come back any time soon."
Godric gave him what could have been an attempt at a smile before Jason practically ran out of there. He turned around and walked away and almost ran into Eric who was leaning against the brick wall of the fireplace. Brooke watched as the two exchanged words.
"Hail the conquering hero," Eric said sarcastically, but sarcasm wasn't a language Jason Stackhouse understood.
"Oh, no," he chuckled. "I'm no hero."
"No, you are in this town," Eric insisted. "But in my area we know you well as a buyer and user of vampire blood," he said and all colors drained from Jason's face, "and that's a very grave offense."
"Yeah, listen, I don't do that no more."
"All things considered, however... we'll call it even."
Jason smiled, relieved, and nodded, ready to get the hell out of there, but Eric stopped him.
"But you won't be doing it again," the vampire continued, leaning forward.
"Yeah," Jason nodded.
"No," Eric shook his head and Jason imitated him.
"No, got it."
"Good boy. Run along," he let him go and Jason couldn't have left faster. Eric smiled, amused by the eldest Stackhouse.
"Thank you," Brooklynne said from where she was standing a few feet away. A human wouldn't have heard her in the loud room, but Eric was no human. "My brother's an idiot, but he means well."
Eric made his way to her, noticing her red cheeks, probably because of the heat coming from the fire.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better, thanks to you. I feel... odd."
"Vampire blood will do that to you."
"Sookie said your blood was stronger because you're older. Is that true?"
"It is," he nodded. "But you'll be fine."
"I know," she said, looking back into the fire.
"Have you eaten anything?"
"I'm not hungry," she told him, not moving her eyes away from the fire.
"Come on, you're going to ruin my jacket if you keep standing in this heat," he said as he pulled her away.
He took her to the opposite end of the house, a kitchen, as white as the rest of the other rooms. The isle was big, separating the room in two. Eric opened the fridge and Brooklynne was surprised to see regular food among the bottles of Tru Blood.
"Godric has food in his kitchen?"
"As sheriff he needs to accommodate other vampires and that includes their humans."
"Do you have regular food in your house?"
"I don't have a house," he said, taking a box out of the fridge and giving it to Brooklynne.
As soon as she took it, he put his hands on her waist and made her sit on the counter with supernatural speed, the sudden movement making her gasp.
"Don't do that," she complained.
"Eat."
She opened the box to find small pieces of carrots inside. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Carrots?"
"I don't know what humans eat."
"Yes, you do."
"Do I?"
"You watch TV," she shrugged. "And you used to be human too," she said as she brought a piece of carrot to her mouth.
"A thousand years ago."
"I still think you know more about humans than you say you do. You just want people to think you don't care."
"I don't care."
"That's probably why you're making me eat carrots right now."
He sighed, stepping back and leaned against the fridge, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I hear they're good for your eyesight," he said, making her laugh.
It felt good to laugh, after the two horrible days she had just spent. She needed to laugh, to relax. She needed food, she needed a shower, she needed a bed.
"Now that your blood is in me... Can you know where I am at all times?"
"I can feel you," he nodded. "If you're scared, I'll know where to find you."
"Does that... does that make me yours?"
"Not unless you want to."
Did she want to? Sookie would kill her.
The sudden silent coming from the other room invaded the kitchen and made them curious. They returned to Godric and found a crying Isabel standing above Hugo. His face was badly bruised from Gabriel's beating earlier that night. He was kneeling at Godric's feet, waiting for his judgement.
"He's the one who betrayed us," the vampire said.
"Hugo. He is your human, isn't he?"
"Yes, he is."
"Do you love him?"
A tear of blood fell down her cheek as she sniffed. "I thought I did," she cried.
"It appears you love him still," Godric said, surprisingly unbothered and calm.
"I do. I'm sorry. But you are my sheriff. Do with him as you please."
"You are free to go," Godric said, surprising the entire room.
"What?" Stan growled from where he was standing near the fireplace, behind Isabel.
"The human is free to go," Godric repeated firmly. "And do not return," he told Hugo. "I fear it is not safe for you here," he continued, his eyes falling on Stan.
"This is a travesty," the cowboy said.
"This is my verdict," he told him. "Eric," the vampire called on his progeny who took a step forward. "Escort them out. Make sure he leaves unharmed."
"Yes, Godric," he nodded, before he made his way towards the stunned human who could barely believe he was getting out of that house alive.
"Thank you. Thank you, sheriff," Isabel said with a bow.
Brooklynne watched them leave and saw Jason step out of the house with Bill. She frowned, joining her sister in the other half of the room.
"What is that about?"
"No idea," her sister shook her head. "What are you doing with Eric?"
"Talking," she shrugged.
"You know what will happen now that you've had his blood, right? You'll think about him more than usual, dream about him..."
"I know. You told me. So did he."
"Just be careful, okay. Bill thinks he wants you to be his."
"Yes, he's asked a few times."
"What?" Sookie breathed out. "You didn't say yes, did you?"
"No..."
"Brooke, he kidnapped and tortured Lafayette for three weeks! He's not safe to be around!"
"He also saved our lives today."
"Because his maker made him do it."
"He's nice to me, okay?"
"Of course he's nice to you, he wants you! But that doesn't mean he's a nice person!"
"Hello there," a woman dressed in a long bright red dress, too fancy for this party, interrupted them. "I'm Lorena."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Sookie," she smiled at her.
"Mmh," Lorena nodded. "Yes. You are what all the fuss is about."
"Excuse me?"
"Aren't you a morsel?"
"I'm sorry. Who are you?"
"Well, we have a mutual friend."
"Bill?"
"That's right. Funny he never mentioned me. I practically made him what he is today."
"Lorena!" Bill called as he appeared in the room, hurrying towards the two sisters and his maker.
"Oh, hello, darling," she smiled at him. "I was just getting to know your plaything. You always did like to prey on the innocent. The little sister is more to my taste, though," she grinned and Brooklynne took a step back at the look she was giving her, making her grin grow bigger. Brooklynne's back met with Eric's chest, and she looked up at him as he put his hands on her shoulders. Lorena ignored the Viking, just like he stayed silent. He was curious to see what was going to happen next, he just wanted to make sure Brooklynne wouldn't get caught in the middle of it.
"Bill, is this your maker?" Sookie asked.
"She released me years ago. She no longer has any hold over me."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," she breathed out a laugh. "We had two marvelous nights in your hotel room."
"What?"
"Did you know your boyfriend hit me over the head with a 52-inch plasma television earlier tonight?" she asked, bringing a hand to the back of her head. "Everyone says they're so thin and light, but let me tell you when wielded properly, it's quite a weapon."
"You did?" Sookie asked Bill.
"Lorena, you need to leave," Bill told his maker.
Every single person in the room, human or vampire, was watching in silence as the three of them argued.
"I hope he doesn't pull the same shenanigans with you. There's no excuse for domestic violence."
"What she has failed to mention is that she was holding me prisoner."
"We were just catching up is all. You must have been worried sick, wondering where he was. I admit it got a bit... heated. But you know how old lovers can get sometimes," she said, bringing a hand to Bill's face.
Sookie stopped her, taking the vampire's wrist in her hand. "Do not touch him," she snarled.
Brooklynne saw Stan chuckle from where he was standing a few feet from them.
"My, we're feisty too," she told Sookie who released her wrist. Lorena started laughing. "Aw. You're no more than a blood bag. You cannot win this."
"I've already won. Bill chose me and yet you still won't give up. Don't you have any shame?"
"Sookie, stop," Bill begged, knowing this wouldn't end well for her.
"I'd listen to him. Run away, little girl. William and I love each other."
"She's insane," Brooke told her sister silently. Sookie scoffed.
"You've gone mad," Bill told Lorena as he seized her by the arms, pushing her away. "Get out, now!"
"Maybe you do love him," Sookie decided it to push it for some reason. "Who am I to guess? But he doesn't love you. He never has, and that we both know."
Bill was trying to keep Sookie away from Lorena. The vampire let her fangs out with a growl.
"Take those words back or they shall be your last."
"We're leaving," Bill said as he put his arms around Sookie, trying to take her away.
"Go find someone else, you fucking bitch!"
"Sookie!" Brooke breathed out but Eric tightened his grip on her shoulders, not hard enough to hurt her, but enough to make her understand that this wasn't her fight.
"You've lost this one!" Sookie spat at Lorena.
The vampire pushed Bill away from Sookie, sending him flying to the other end of the room, before she took the telepath by the top of her dress and pushed her down on the counter near them. Brooke knew Eric was about to intervene because he let go of her shoulders, but someone else got there first.
Godric stopped Lorena who was about to bite Sookie, stopping Eric and Jason from intervening. He grabbed the vampire by the throat and moved her away from the telepath.
"Retract your fangs," he ordered and she silently obeyed. "I neither know nor care who you are, but in this area, and certainly in this nest, I am the authority. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sheriff," she said, and he let go of her.
"This human has proven herself to be a courageous and loyal friend to our kind. And yet you treat her like a child does a dragonfly, pulling off wings for sport. No wonder they hate us."
"She provoked me."
"And you provoke me. You disrupted the peace in my own home. I could snap you like a twig. Yet I haven't. Now, why is that?"
"It's your choice."
"Indeed it is. You're an old vampire, I can tell. You've had hundreds of years to better yourself, yet you haven't. You are still a savage, and I fear for all of us, humans and vampires, if this behavior persists," he said, not so much for her but for the entirety of the room. "You," he told Bill. "You seem to know her."
"Yes, sheriff," Bill said, clearly unhappy by it.
"Escort her from the nest," he instructed him. "I wish you out of my area before dawn," he told Lorena who slowly made her way towards the exit, followed by Bill.
"Thank you," Sookie told Godric who nodded before he returned to his chair without another word.
"You know what," Brooke told Eric, "I get what you meant when you said you couldn't have asked for a better maker."
The vampire chuckled.
"Who the fuck was that?" Jason asked as he joined them.
"Bill's maker," Sookie answered.
"His what?"
"Bon Temps's your area, right?" Sookie asked Eric. "If she comes to attack me, you could stop her?"
"She'd be smart not to," the vampire nodded.
"What the fuck?" Jason breathed out.
"What?" Sookie asked.
"That's Luke. From the Fellowship," he said, as he pointed towards a man whom they recognized from the church. "What is he doing here?" he asked as he left his sisters to go to him.
He was wearing a big black coat, which was odd considering it was warm outside.
"Stay away from me Stackhouse."
"What the hell you doing?"
"Just go," he pushed him away. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Once, twice. Then finally spoke up. "Excuse me, everyone. If I could have your attention," he called, and everyone appeared in the room, Godric, Isabel, Stan... "My name is Luke McDonald. I'm a member of the Fellowship of the Sun. And I have a message for you all, from Reverend Steve Newlin."
He opened his coat, showing the chains of silver he had around his chest, wooden bullets attached to it, and a black box, ticking, with a red light flickering. A bomb.
Brooklynne and Sookie gasped as they saw what was under Luke's coat. Half a second later, Luke blew himself up in a deafening and blinding explosion. Brooklynne felt herself fall though the movement started before she heard the explosion. Her back hit the ground violently and something heavy fell on her as a wave of heat passed over her. Her ears were ringing but she could still hear the screams and the cries. It took her a moment to realize what had just happened and to recognize that it wasn't an object that had fallen on her, but a person.
"Eric," she whispered.
He groaned in pain, unable to move. She did her best to move away from him, but he was too heavy. His head was resting on her shoulder and his hair caressed her cheek.
"Eric," she whispered again. He was too heavy, she couldn't breathe.
"Sookie, Sookie!" she heard Bill call.
"I'm here," her sister replied from the other room.
Godric appeared and crouched down near Brooke, gently turning Eric on his back, freeing the telepath.
"I covered your sister," he told her. "Both your siblings are fine."
"Thank you," she said in a whisper.
"He has pieces of wood and silver in his back, will you take care of him?" he asked. "I need to tend to my people."
She nodded. "Of course."
She tried to sit up, but felt dizzy, the ringing noise still in her ears. She kneeled as she faced the vampire immobilized on the ground. She gently turned him over, apologizing as he growled in pain. She removed the silver and wood from his back, some of the wounds closing up as soon as the foreign objects were gone, but not all.
"Thank you," he growled as he sat up with difficulty.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine."
"You're not healing."
"I need blood," he said, locking his eyes with hers, silently asking.
She hesitated. But he did just save her life, how could she refuse? Besides, she did want to help him. He gave her his blood, why couldn't she give him hers?
She brushed her hair away from her shoulder, giving him access to her neck.
"Are you sure?" he asked, which surprised her.
"You just saved my life."
He nodded before he let out his fangs. She swallowed as she saw them. He cupped her right cheek in his left hand, bringing her closer to him. His right hand moved across her back and rested on the right side of her waist. She felt his cold breath on her neck and his fangs graze her vein before she felt them pierce through her skin. A small cry escaped her. It wasn't as painful as she'd imagined. She barely felt the blood leave her body, but she felt his cold lips slightly moving on her skin and his tongue licking around the two bleeding puncture wounds. She didn't realize she had placed a hand on his arm as she waited for him to let her go.
He drank for a minute, it seemed like an eternity. He slowly released her, carefully removing his fangs from her vein, stroking her cheek with his thumb, once, then twice, before he moved away completely. She brought a hand to her bleeding neck as he licked his lips.
"Thank you," he said before he bit his wrist. "Drink, it'll heal you."
"Are you sure?" she frowned. It seemed counterproductive.
"Yes," he nodded as he brought his wrist to her mouth.
She felt her wound close as his blood fell down her throat. She didn't need much and didn't want to take more than she required. She pushed his wrist away as she felt the pain completely vanishing from her neck.
"Thank you."
He stood up, and she took the hand he was holding out to her before he helped her get back on her feet. They both looked around, taking in the damage the explosion had done. Godric's living room was completely destroyed. A few vampires had died, given the puddles of blood around the burned room. A few humans too. Isabel and Godric were helping the survivors recover, helped by Bill, Sookie and Jason.
"I can't believe they'd do that..."
"Really? I'm not surprised at all."
"Eric," Godric said as he appeared before them. "Please, bring your human back to the hotel."
"She's not mine," Eric corrected his maker.
"Apologies," he told Brooklynne. "Please, bring back Mr. Compton and his human too. The brother as well."
"What about you?"
"I need to sort things out here. Isabel will help me. The sun will be up in less than an hour. Please, rest, and we will talk tonight."
"I can help..."
"Yes... Please, help her and her siblings. I'm sure they need to rest as much as we do."
Eric nodded. "I will see you tonight."
"You will," Godric assured him before he walked away.
"Come on," Eric told Brooklynne. "Let's find you sister."
***********
Thank you for reading!
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