“Do you wish to accompany me downstairs for a drink?” Eric asked with a leer.
“Not tonight my Childe I will wait for you here.” I returned to sit once again in the seat I had just vacated on the couch next to my forgotten bottle of synthetic blood and Sookie’s empty glass.
Eric watched me “I don’t know how you can drink that vile stuff.”
“It is really not that bad and I do not require much blood anymore at any rate and thus it is sufficient.”
“I will return shortly,” and with that he was out the door.
I sat and listened closely for any noises in Sookie’s room. I could hear that the shower was indeed running, but I also thought that I could hear her moving about the room. For a moment I was paralyzed with resentful feelings towards my Childe that he could feel her and I could not. I pushed it away rationalizing that it was better that one of us would know if she needed us. I heard the shower turn off and then the movement within the room ceased for a moment before the television was turned on. She seemed to change channels repeatedly until the phone rang and the TV noise stopped. I heard her answer and tell whom ever called that she would be downstairs in a few minutes. She started to move about the room again and then I heard the door open and close.
I quickly jumped to my feet and exited my room not having any possessions I was ready to depart as is. “Godric you startled me,” she said with her hand to her chest.
“My apologies, I believe we are heading in the same direction are we not?”
“I suppose we are, I just need to stop by Jason’s room and collect him and then Bill informs me that we are headed to the airport.” She picked up her bag and started to walk down the hall. I was overcome with the foreign desire to help her even in some small way. “May I?” I asked and gestured to her suitcase.
“Sure I guess it not like its very heavy for you is it?” she gave me a small smile.
We walked down the hall and got into the elevator and she pushed the button for the eleventh floor, “he’s on a human floor.” She seemed to be nervous in my presence again.
“So do you live with your brother?” I asked her, as I wanted find out more about her. “No I live in my Gran’s house and Jason lives in the house our parents left us.” She told me with no small amount of sadness in her eyes as she mentioned her family. “And you both live in Shreveport?”
“No we live in a small town bout an hour away called Bon Temps its small but with my curse I’m sure glad not to live in a city as big as this.” We exited the elevator and walked to Jason’s door.
“What do you mean curse?” I asked her concerned that she think so little of her gift.
“Oh I know now that I’m grown and using it I have better control over it and so it doesn’t seem too bad. But growing up not being able to keep anyone out; the reactions when I answered their thoughts instead of what they said, well that didn’t make me very popular that’s for sure.” She stopped and knocked; the door opened before I could say anything in response.
“Hey Sook, oh hello Godric,” Jason looked expectantly between the two of us.
“Are you ready? We all need to get going to the airport quickly I gather.” She told him and turned back towards the elevator. Jason and I both followed quietly, the elevator opened right away and the ride down was short. When the door opened I could see Compton and sense my Childe was near. We walked towards Compton who was poorly disguising his anger at seeing me with her again.
“I see you have your brother, I have already checked us out. The car is out front.” Bill said in clipped tones, they made to move towards the exit and so I followed. Bill whirled around “she is mine.” I simply raised the arm holding her suitcase while Sookie cringed on his behalf. “Bill relax we are all going to the same place anyways. Where did Eric get too? I don’t know if he thinks that they will hold the plane for him but I highly doubt it.” The corners of my lips twitched upwards in response to her fairly accurate assessment of my Childe who was now coming up behind me.
“Yes Bill I believe you forget yourself. You are here on my behalf as your Sheriff are you not?” Eric threw back at him always one to stir the pot.
“Enough, both of you. Let us depart I am sure Sookie and Jason wish to return to their homes.”
“Godric is right, quit with the macho posturing and lets get a move on.” Sookie scolded them – she is fearless – she reminds me of my Childe. We walked out into the night and took two vehicles to the airport. Eric and I rode alone in the dark car “I am curious about this bull headed creature you both spoke of.”
“Bill brought Sookie in one night with deep scratches down her back, Bill had tried to give her his blood but she rejected it so I called for Dr. Ludwig. She licked the wounds and then asked us to drain most of the blood from her body in shifts so as not to consume too much of the poison. Then Ludwig transfused her with human blood and Bill healed her wounds. She is very brave a little warrior that one is.”
I am starting to think that I might know what this creature might be but I’m not positive so I will keep it to myself. If I am correct: they would be returning to chaos and madness. We were silent the rest of the way to the airport. Sookie, Bill and Eric only had one piece of luggage each and so they were able to make quick work of the take off procedures.
Flying was something that always irritated me, as I preferred to fly under my own power and rarely travel with possessions. The flight crew performed their inane safety skit and the captain told us about the flight. I tried to pay close attention to Sookie and Compton without alerting my Childe to the intensity of my fascination. Sookie’s heartbeat took off with the plane and she held onto Compton’s arm with what looked like a death grip. She is not afraid to tell off ancient vampires but she is frightened to fly. I smiled inwardly at her contradictions: she was always surprising me. The flight was short and uneventful and it seemed that the others were not on speaking terms. Jason appeared to be only pretending to sleep.
I descended the stairs last and saw that Sookie and Jason were walking towards a little yellow car that did not look fit to drive while Compton was making his way to a Cadillac, and of course I followed my Childe to his bright red corvette. Sookie gave a little wave as she drove off and Compton kept his face blank but stepped on the gas.
“I need to stop in at Fangtasia a grab some papers that Pam insists I sign tonight, it will only take a moment and the club is closed already.”
“That is fine my Childe I would like to see your club and your Pam.” We again rode in silence and soon we were parked behind a nondescript strip mall type building. I followed Eric through the back door and into his office and sat down in one of the chairs opposite the desk. Pam came into the room almost immediately.
“Oh good your back, you owe me big time for this Master.” I turned in my chair to face her. “Godric” she said reverently “forgive me and welcome I am glad that you are to join us here.”
“Nonsense child and it is good to see you it has been too long.”
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