Disclaimer:  Don’t own any of it.  My world, their characters.  Capiche?

Pre-Edit Count: 2,924 Words

Song: Storm by Lifehouse

Previously:

Before he can react anymore, he feels a blinding pain in his chest and he looks at the Northman in shock.  Eric’s fangs are dropped, his eyes dark with rage.  He snarls out, “Mine!”

Felipe tries to say something, anything, but before he can, Eric pulls the heart out of his chest. He explodes as Eric crushes the useless organ in his hand.

Eric snarls at the ex king, his eyes flashing.  The bastard had done the wrong thing by pointing out none other than his mate.  Threatened to take the one being that matters more than any other, his newly found mate, and to use her in his blood court.

Unacceptable.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and hits speed dial.  Without waiting for the person on the other end to speak, Eric commands, “I need you here.  Nevada is mine.” Eric ends the call and then goes to hunt down any who would challenge him. No one will threaten his and live to tell it.

Now:

The ripples of that action sweep through the world.  All of a sudden, vampires are on the move everywhere, converging on Nevada and the prophecy that the founder of their bloodline had gambled their very lives on.  How fitting that for that very promise, the first throw of that far affecting dice was when she had undertook turning Godric, now becoming fulfilled in the state that the world knows for its gambling.

The call to Godric started a windfall of events.  One of them that had shocked the new King of Nevada, is that Pam wants to stay in Louisiana. After asking why, the answer stunned him, “There is some reason.  The AP called me, told me to stay, saying that it will be significant to our family.  It will bring completeness to our blood line.”

Well, that was that.  Eric will never do anything that may hinder another of his bloodline feeling the same as he, or joining their line.

Godric was shocked by the fact Eric had killed a king, knowing his wish to never be in a position that will make him more of a target than ever.  On the way to Vegas, Godric never once questions why Eric killed the former king.  That had not mattered.  Godric trusts and will work to help any of his bloodline, but more than that, Eric is his son, brother, and father in every way.  If he did something like this, there is a good reason for it.  Godric is going to Eric’s side to help him out of a spot, the elder vampire thinks his child doesn’t want to be in.

Godric arrives in Las Vegas, intending to offer that he will take the position as King of Nevada. He finds that Eric killed many vampires; ones that his spies had informed him would be issues. The Viking had left a literal bloodbath, large enough that the survivors of the culling are cleaning the palace, hoping to curry favor with the king.  Ignoring the babbling from the idiots whining to him, Godric uses the bond with his child to locate Eric, hurrying once he hears the crashing of furniture and roars of rage.

Now that the new night has started, Eric is ready to go after his mate.  The fact that she did not appear in his hotel room the night before made him wary of the reasons why.  He is in the process of strapping on his sword, ready to cause havoc with the Cold Ones that have his mate, when he gets a call.

“Do not allow her to break her promise of walking down that aisle, Norse Man.”  Those are the only words spoken,  however, there is no chance for Eric to reply because the phone call ended.  Furthermore, there is no answer when Eric tries to call the number he has for the giver of the vague words.

In his rage, he throws his newly acquired desk across the room and through the wall.  Within minutes, his temporary office, aka Felipe’s old office, is in shambles.  He is panting in his rage, his eyes searching for something to take his anger out on when his Maker walks in the door.

“I agree that Felipe’s taste was horrible, but isn’t this going a little overboard?”

When Eric’s eyes turn to him, Godric is shocked.  The madness contained in those vivid blue eyes are enough to make even he take a step back in caution.

Eric stares at his Maker, in shock because he has arrived so quickly, but then snarls out,  “Your Maker just told me that the woman I found earlier last night, the whole reason I am stuck here, my mate, is to be married!  And I cannot go after her!” His hands clench and his fangs are fully down as he pants trying to regain the control he is known for. He, Eric Northman, swore he would never take on another kingship, yet he has done so in order to protect his mate. And now the Ancient Pythoness is telling him that his mate is promised to another!

Godric’s eyes widen, then go flat black.  “What do you mean she won’t let you go after her?  No Supe can interfere with the finding of a mate.  Especially vampires since ours are so rare!  It’s the law.” Moreover, no one, not even his Maker can stop one!  He will fight her, so that his child can have the chance to have that most precious commodity.  Nothing she could have seen is worth the chance of Eric losing his mate.  The alternative, now that he has met her, will be disastrous.

Eric will walk out into the sun if she is gone.  There is no alternative for a vampire whose True Mate is dead.

Pacing, with his hands running through his hair, Eric demands of his Maker, “What the hell am I supposed to do?  Do you know what my mate has gone through?” Though he is not entirely sure, Eric had an odd dream, which had stood out in his head since they don’t dream, but it was so hazy. Full of so many flashes of past events that were not his.  This evening when he had risen, the information from his informants confirmed some of the information in the dream, that is if she really is Bella Cullen as they insist she is.

Godric lifts an eyebrow and asks the same question that Eric is asking himself, “And you do?”

Eric still pacing, looks for something to take his ire out on. “She is mine!  There is something wrong, I feel too much off about her, for everything to be fine.  And there is the fact that I am supposed to allow her to walk down the aisle for her wedding!” He is growling, his eyes looking for something to tear apart, to allow him to vent his rage on.  He has an itch, a need to be with his mate; to protect her, and he has been ordered not to go!

Rubbing his face, Godric reaches for his phone and makes a call he rarely does.  He cannot understand why his Maker would do this to his child. This is the only way he can help Eric, and maybe, just maybe, find out what is really going on.

When the call connects, he cannot help but  smile at the greeting. “Is he still throwing a fit?”

Godric nods, knowing she will see, but a long habit of calling people has him also answering her. “Ναι, η μητέρα. Μπορείς να μου δώσεις τα πάντα για να τον ηρεμήσει; Ξέρω ότι θα ήθελα κάποιες διευκρινίσεις σχετικά με το τι είναι αινιγματικός για μένα, ένα σπάσιμο από τους δικούς σας κανόνες.” (Yes, Mother. Can you give me anything to calm him? I know I would like some clarification on what is puzzling to me, a breaking of your own rules.)  He is making the effort to be calm, knowing she will answer more than if he is Eric and raging at her.

She chuckles. “Γιε μου, όταν θα έχει μάθει δεν έχω τίποτα, αλλά το καλύτερο συμφέρον της γραμμής μου ανά πάσα στιγμή. Αλλά γνωρίζοντας τι κάνει από τους συντρόφους του κατάσταση, μπορώ να καταλάβω το θυμό του. Ο χρόνος θα της δώσει την ευκαιρία να απελευθερωθεί από την επιρροή του Ψυχρού One, φυλή εμπιστοσύνη στη Βόρεια Man. Θα επιτρέψει επίσης μερικά πολύ πολύτιμα μελλοντικά μέλη της συνοδείας του έρχονται στο δικό τους.”  (Son, when will he learn I have nothing but the best interest of my line at all times. However, knowing what he does of his mate’s predicament, I can understand his anger.  The time will give her a chance to break free of the Cold One’s influence, breed trust in the North Man.  It will also allow some very valuable future members of his retinue to come into their own.)  She is sad for the time when he truly finds out what has been done to his mate, but she cannot allow him to go to her yet.  They need the time to let this situation play out or she will die.

Then she tells him seriously, “Ό, τι συμβαίνει, συμβαίνει για έναν λόγο. Αλλά εγώ υποφέρουν μαζί του. Θα βοηθήσει επίσης με κάθε τρόπο μπορώ, πες το frist μεγάλο πράγμα είναι να πάρει μια άδεια γάμου εκεί έξω για τους δυο τους. Μικρή αδελφή του θα τον σοκάρει με την εφευρετικότητα της. Πλέον, θα πρέπει να προετοιμαστεί γι αυτήν. (Everything that is happening is happening for a reason, but I suffer along with him.  I will help in every way I can, tell him the first big thing is to get a marriage license out there for the two of them.  His little mate will shock him with her ingenuity.  Plus, he needs to prepare for her.) Her mind’s eye is continually searching for the path, the light to lead her bloodline to where they should be.  Not the hell she has seen all this time, except for the slight glance she had once that helped her put into motion all of the Bloodline.  In fact, if it had not been for the chance, she would have had to allow the pain to come.  This new future is not without pain, but she will make sure Eric will at least have a chance with his little mate.  Not to mention this will save her beloved son.

Godric looks over at Eric whose eyes are dark with rage, but he can see the thoughts there, telling him that his son is considering the opinions of the progenitor of their line.  Finally, Eric spins and leaves. He will find another way to get rid of the anger coursing through him.

The AP tells Godric. “I have seen you will have your hands full.  Nevertheless, be ready to act on my advice.  They have a seer on their side so this will be an exciting game.” Her blind eyes shedding the tears for her soon to be grandchild’s pain.  She wishes there was another way, and knows her bloodline will think her heartless for a while.  Later they will know better, but until then, she will cry for the pain of them all as they suffer now and in the future.

She hangs up, and Godric looks down at his phone.  ‘Game huh?’  He looks around the office and sighs.  There are times he wishes his Maker would live in the same world as they do.  However, living as long as she has, as well as seeing so many outcomes, has made her view life differently.

However, she always looks after her bloodline, and this is one of those times he will need to blindly trust her.  However, he too is not happy with Eric having to stay away from his mate.  He remembers the tales of the pain that can happen if mates separate from each other too long.

With that in mind, Godric heads out, ordering the vampire outside the door, “Clean up the mess and have something in place for when the King is back.”  Without seeing if his orders are acted on, Godric goes to find his son and see what needs to be done.

That office was just the first of many destroyed over the months it takes to be ready for Eric’s mate. Anytime anything delayed them retrieving her, the office was marked for redecoration.  Only one time had Eric destroyed it saying his mate would hate it.  No one dared to gainsay it, not with the look in his eyes.

During that time, Eric also takes care of setting up the state.  One of the first official proclamations is that Eric’s second and the Sheriff of Las Vegas is Godric.  Faster than any thought possible, he has the kingdom secure within a day of him taking control.  That power only became more stable as his allies poured in their support. Eric ruthlessly tore apart the state, installing the members of the bloodline in strategic places as they arrived.  The AP sent a message telling Eric to pull in Molly, one of Godric’s sibling’s children.  Eric, to keep up the charade of how the large bloodline is so small, bribed her away from the Authority. The bloodline is not known to be so large, and Godric is the eldest.  Just as Eric is the eldest of Godric.  Starting his new reign by hiring a new vampire away from the Authority showed his power even to that group.  He had taken her as well as others to force the state that has always been so prosperous to being rich.

To build his new headquarter to ensure that there were no hidden surprises, Eric bought the land that the Golden Nugget had been situated on and proceeded to build his own casino. Not trusting anything made by others not under his supervision for the place that will be his headquarters.  Part of making sure that it was safe was it being regularly swept during construction for bugs, and making it a stronghold to keep his bloodline safe.

What is not known is that there are siblings to Godric, nor how many that Godric and his siblings have turned.  It is not even recorded that Godric has turned more than Eric.  Eric himself has additional children in keeping with the tradition of the line.  Each of the additional Children that were made in secret was told why and were fostered by other members of the family.  Pamela, who thinks she is an only child, is about to be shocked when she is brought up to speed.  It is time for her to become independent and know what is expected of her.

However, what the AP has not told her line, is that the reason for all the secrecy is about to become known. She had seen the ghost of it, once before and put her hope on it.   Eric had been a decision she had not had to urge Godric towards turning him.  Godric picked him, and the day he bites him, the AP had showed one very rare grin.  That grin had resurfaced as Eric had met his mate.  Her line is meant to rule, and Eric is the culmination of that.  He will rule with a strong fist, but his mate will temper him.  That one glance is proven the hope of the future.  That one-second glimpse that she had never seen again, nor lost as her goal for everything, was now the reality she is working hard for, seeing it fade from a possibility to the documented past.

However, she has her own demons to put to rest.  That the time that has come, as much as the AP wishes it was not needed, is one that help Bella to become her own person again.  This is necessary to allow Bella to be so much stronger for what has happened to her.

Also, there is a certain someone coming with her that will help Eric and Godric, and allowing one of her Bloodline to gain their own Mate.  Nevertheless, for it all to work, Bella has to last the course.  Moreover, Eric needs to convince her to walk down the aisle.  After they have done everything to push the wedding date back.

The AP is not wanting Eric to suffer more than he has to.  Which is why she will conduct the pledging and Coronation of the two.  There will be no doubt in anyone’s head that Bella will be the queen.  Moreover, it is not as if Eric will wait too long to turn his mate. Her smile fades for the pain to come, but the ending will be beautiful, and will make two of her Bloodline so much happier for it.

Then there will be the other ones.  She smiles.  Some will be a complete surprise, and some will be at the very least entertaining.   Now she needed to call a particular queen and make sure that Pam is in a place where she needs to be to have one couple taken down.

Though she frowns, upset that the one who Pam is waiting for only recently appeared in her visions.  As soon as Eric met his mate in fact.  Also, the person has suffered greatly, which she would have never allowed.  Then, there is someone sending her the visions, which she actually believes in that fact, and nothing, since she has been turned, has made her ever doubt it.

Final count: 2,949 words.

Fairfarren~