Trade in the Sun

Chained

"Wow." Aya shifted in the bed so her chin was resting on Godric's chest and she was looking up at him. Godric chuckled slightly and stroked her hair.

"I agree." He moved his hand to her shoulder and started tracing the tri-spiral tattoo there. "You are marked too." He commented.

"Ya, but your marks mean something. Mine just means I got drunk one night in Dublin."

"It's the symbol of a goddess." Godric said quietly. Aya nodded in the affirmative. "I think you might be one." Godric continued.

"I'm no goddess, I'm too short." Aya teased. 

Godric shifted both their bodies so he was on top of her braced up on his elbows.

"You are, Aya Reznik." He loved her full name, the way it rolled off his tongue and sounded so exotic and ancient. "You are Aphrodite," He stroked her face with one hand, "Calypso," he shifted on to his side so he was facing her and traced a hand over her stomach. "Freyja, Kali, Danae, Isis, Ishtar. You are all of them and surpass each one in beauty and spirit."

"Careful," Aya said breathlessly, "You don't want to tempt the gods."

Godric smiled and lifted her so she was straddling him then sat up and held her in his arms. "I will gladly take their fury for you." He whispered and started kissing down her neck. Suddenly he tensed and pulled away.

"Godric?"

"Something has happened to Eric." Godric looked like he was trying to listen intently to something, Aya moved off of him and sat on the bed quietly. "I need to go to Fangtasia, now." Godric was out of the bed and pulling on his jeans in a flash.

"What is it?" Aya asked, pulling on her terry cloth robe.

"I don't know." Godric kissed her forehead, "I'll come back to you as soon as I am able." Godric opened her window and flew out. 

Aya wasn't sure if she was more shocked at his sudden departure or the fact that he could apparently fly. Knowing she wouldn't sleep, Aya went into the living room to watch television. She found Godric's t-shirt and took off her robe so she could pull it on, it smelled like spices alcohol, probably from the bar, Aya decided. She sat on the couch, sent a quick text to Laura reminding her that she would pick her and Aiden up from school in the morning, and settled in for a restless night.

Dirazen's house felt lonely without the kids filling it. When he first told her he was moving to Louisiana Aya thought her brother was joking. She was just a kid and he offered her to move in with him, but she thought he needed to be alone with his newly pregnant wife. Instead, she graduated from her fancy Swiss boarding school early and had intended to study history and archaeology like her father and brother before her. Instead, she found the nuances of academia exhausting. After graduating from both undergrad and grad school early she just drifted. No job seemed to satisfy her, after a lifetime of traveling there was no country that felt like home. Before she received the call a few months ago that Dirazen was missing she had resolved herself to a life of wandering. She would never fit in anywhere or with anyone. But now she was the only family her niece and nephew had left, now there was Godric. 

Godric. How he wound up in her bed was still a mystery. Who he was and why he wanted her were even bigger mysteries. Logically, she should not let herself fall for him, right? Yes, the world had changed since the Great Reveal, but nothing had changed for her. She was still what she was and once Godric learned the truth, well, that sense of belonging she felt with him wouldn't be around much longer. 

                                                                           *      *     *

Godric arrived at Fangtasia and followed Eric's scent to the basement. He found Pam chained up and badly burned, the magistar holding a cane tipped in silver, and Eric trying convince him to let Pam go. Godric growled furiously, "What is this about, Magistar?" He yelled.

Eric was visibly relieved to see his maker, the magistar looked scared. "Godric!" The magistar bowed. "We have reason to believe these two have been dealing V out of this business." His voice came out shaky and unsure, he was terrified of what the ancient vampire could do to him, as he should be.

Godric rushed over and slammed the magistar against a wall, causing him to drop the cane. "You dare accuse my child of desecrating the blood?" He let his fangs drop.

"I..." The magistar never finished his sentence. Godric let him drop and turned to Eric. "Is V being sold in your area, Sheriff?" Godric asked authoritatively.

"Yes, but it is not on my orders!" Eric looked from Godric to the now standing Magistar.

"On whose, then?" The Magistar had some of the cockiness back in his voice. "Your Queen's? Which is it? Desecration of the blood or treason?"

Eric was silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Godric could feel his inner turmoil through their bond. 

 "It's Bill Compton!" Pam yelled. The Magistar and Godric looked to Eric for confirmation.

Eric nodded, "It's true. You've seen yourself how easily he betrays our kind. I'm currently gathering evidence against him, let me finish my work." 

Godric gave Eric a suspicious look and the Viking knew his maker had caught him in a lie, but Godric said nothing.

"They say the loss of a child is the deepest despair," The Magistar spoke to Eric and ran a finger down Pam's terrified face. "Two days, Mr. Northman, or she dies the true death. Don't you agree, Godric? Is that fitting punishment for a blood crime?"

Godric nodded, "There was a time I would have given the same punishment. Now leave."

The magistar and his cronies fled the basement. When he was sure they were out of the building Eric helped Pam out of the chains.

"You have been selling the blood. That's what you've been keeping from me." Godric said quietly to Eric.

"The Queen forced-"

"You should have outsmarted her." Godric cut Eric off. Eric would never learn. How many times over the past thousand years had Godric tried to teach him about the sacredness of their blood? "How do you plan to get Compton to take the blame for this?"

"I don't know yet, but I cannot let Pam die." Eric seemed lost. 

"I will not let the final death come to her. If it comes to that, I'll kill the magistar and his people and we will flee the country, perhaps to your farm in Orland. Sookie is looking for Compton in Jackson as well?" Godric sent waves of calm through their bond. He was not a fan of this new world the vampires inhabited. The chance to run away to wilds of Eric's home country was a welcoming thought. They could all be free there, free from the incessant bureaucracy the vampires had created in the name of keeping each other in check. 

Eric nodded yes. Godric continued, "Perhaps this will end well for all of us. I'll go with you to Mississippi."

"Godric, I can handle this myself."

"Edgington has wolves working for him," Godric commented, only Eric could have caught his meaning. "I want to be there in case..." Godric trailed off.

"Fine," Eric straightened himself and all traces of concern left his face. "Pam, don't give the magistar any reason to think we are less than law-abiding while Godric and I are gone."

"Of course." Pam said quietly, still feeling the sting of the silver on her skin. 

Godric and Eric started up the stairs. "I need to make a quick stop before we leave." Godric said once they were out of the building.

"Does this have anything to do with you being shirtless and smelling of sex and waitress?" Eric asked with a smile.

Godric grinned back, "Yes, it does."

They arrived at Aya's house within seconds. Eric waited outside, trying to think of a plan for when they reached Jackson.

Godric entered the home quietly and smiled when he found Aya napping on the couch wearing his shirt. Not wanting to wake her, he found a pen and paper and left a note next to her coffee machine in the kitchen. Before he left, he leaned down and kissed her cheek, finding it difficult to leave her, but knowing Eric would need him in Jackson.

Eric was grinning devilishly when Godric returned to him. "She wouldn't give you back your shirt?"

"I decided it's being put to better use." Godric smiled playfully and took off into the air with Eric.