God's Silence

Alara awoke a few hours before sunset the next day, her heart heavy at the memory of the life that had been lost so fruitlessly. She sat up slowly in the luxurious bed she'd been laid down in and surveyed her surroundings. It was the hotel room she shared with Eric, of that much she was sure, but then where was the blonde vampire? What of Godric and Sookie? The dark-haired woman pushed away the bed covers and rose from the bed, bare feet padding lightly on the floor as she exited the bedroom.

Four heads turned as she entered the living area of the hotel room. Eric and Godric were both seated on the couch while Bill was in the chair with Sookie situated comfortably in his lap. The blonde female smiled widely and got up, quickly moving to her side and pulling the much older woman into a warm embrace. I'm so glad you are awake. How are you feeling? Are you alright? Alara smiled softly into the blonde's shoulder, running a small hand over the golden locks in comfort.

I am fine, Sookie, simply tired. Thank you, for protecting them from me, I owe you much. Of course Sookie protested that but Alara just shook her head as they pulled away from each other, glancing at the three male vampires sitting watching them. What is going on? Has something happened?

Sookie looked a bit uneasy for a moment. "Yeah, well I'll have Godric and the others explain that, I don't really know much about the politics of it all. Come sit down and they'll tell you everything." At her words, Godric pat the couch cushion that sat between himself and Eric, the blonde Viking watching her carefully, seeming to be analyzing to see if she was indeed alright.

Alara obediently did as instructed, sitting down between the two ancient vampires without any hesitation on her part, and crossing her legs elegantly before turning her gaze up to Godric. Sookie told him that she was ready to listen so he could begin any time he wished. "Before I say anything about what needs to be discussed, min lilla, I want you to know that you have my permission from now on to speak to me as you do Sookie, I have no reservations about letting you into my mind."

Alara looked uncertain about his words and Godric smiled gently down at her when he felt the soft nudge at the edge of his consciousness that was her asking if it was really okay. Godric easily allowed his mind to freely welcome her and he could see by her slightly widened silver eyes that she was surprised with his acceptance. A large hand on her back drew her attention around to the imposing form of Eric Northman that sat on her other side. "I as well, Alara, give you permission." She placed a hand on his arm, looking up at his quizzically, most likely remembering his obvious reluctance against her being inside his head. "It's alright, I would like to be able to speak with you instead of having to use Sookie as our translator."

Alara smiled warmly up at both of the vampires and nodded her understanding, making the connection to their minds as smoothly as possible. Thank you, both of you, for allowing this. I do prefer to be able to speak to you myself. The petite woman looked over at Sookie and Bill, seeming to have a conversation with Sookie. The blonde telepath shook her head. "I'll tell Bill everything that is being discussed, he likes his privacy." Alara nodded again before turning back to Godric. Now, what is going on? Have I missed something while I was resting?

Godric nodded solemnly. “Nan Flanagan, a representative for the Authority, as well as the American Vampire League, is coming tonight to speak with us about the events of last night. You saved many lives yesterday, but that also means there are many alive that saw what you did. We must discuss how we should approach the meeting before we speak with Miss Flanagan.”

Alara nodded her understanding, thinking silently to herself for a moment before looking back up at the two-thousand-year-old male, and at the same time projecting her thoughts to Eric as well. If you are worried that she may try to claim me for the Authority, you need not. I have an understanding with the one you know as the Ancient Pythoness; she allows me my freedom from vampire law and I stay out of the way of vampires unless the situation should warrant otherwise.

All vampire eyes widened as Sookie told Bill out loud what Alara had said. “You know the Ancient Pythoness?!” Eric exclaimed in a rush of disbelief, staring down at the small woman before him in surprise. “How did that come about?” He couldn’t help the curiosity shooting through him at the thought of the little angel negotiating terms with one of the most powerful and influential of their kind.

After the first one hundred years of wandering, I came upon a pack of savage vampires who had no regard for human life. Being the type of person I am, I immediately tried to intervene on the part of the humans, to protect them. I did allow my wings to come forth because I am stronger when they are in their corporeal form, and after dealing with the wild vampires, I realized I was being watched. She was nothing but another vampire back then, trying to survive in a world that was far from ready for the knowledge of night creatures. She also knew that she could not beat me in a stand-off so we simply decided to stay out of each other’s way. It wasn’t until the Great Revelation that she sought me out; perhaps she was worried that I would cause undue friction with the now out-and-about vampires but I was quick to assure her otherwise. I have nothing against vampires, there is a reason for everything, even the existence of vampires. I am a being of peace, bloodshed and death are something I normally stay far away from but it is in my nature to be protective. That is one of the reasons I continuously move around; I am searching for something, yes, but if I linger in one place for too long then I start to care too much and nothing good comes from that.

Alara’s gaze flickers over to Sookie, who gave her a small smile. “Caring isn’t a weakness, Alara. It is the strength you need in order to do what needs to be done.” Alara shook her head. Caring got me into this mess Sookie, I am without my memories and without my voice because of caring. The dark-haired female couldn’t stop the bitter tone in her thoughts.

It was Sookie’s turn to shake her head. “You are here because you dared to love when it was against what you were made to do, but that does not mean it was a bad thing, or a dangerous thing. Your love didn’t land you here, his hatred for your love did.”

Everyone was silent for a moment, trying to process the bit of information the conversation had enlightened them too, but Alara was quick to change the subject back to the matter at hand. This Nan Flanagan, however, doesn’t know my connection to your Authority and she may try to handle this the wrong way. If that should occur, I will have no trouble handling her myself. I will do what I have to in order to keep my freedom and to keep you all safe. No exceptions.
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Nan Flanagan sat in the high-backed chair flanked by two physically-imposing male vampires who looked like carbon copies of each other. Godric was seated to her right on one of the couches with Eric at his side, Alara sitting comfortably in the massive blonde vampires lap. Bill and Sookie were on the opposite couch, and Isabelle was standing behind the couch at Godric’s shoulder.

“Do you have any fucking idea of the PR mess you’ve made? And you has to clean that shit up? Me. Not you, me. I should drain every one of you bastards. ” Nan practically hissed out, glaring around at all present.

“Stan went to the church on his own. None of us knew anything about it.” Eric drawled in a bored tone, running his long fingers through Alara’s hair since it was out of its bun for once. The action worked to keep him a little calmer and Alara seemed to enjoy the affectionate gesture that was so uncharacteristic of the stoic viking.

“Oh really? Cause everybody who’s met Stan in the last three hundred years knows he’s got a kink for slaughtering humans, but you, his nest mates, his Sheriff, had no clue?” Nan rolled her eyes.
“And how were we supposed to know that this time he meant it?” Isabelle said from her place behind Godric.

“Not my problem. Yours.”

“Don’t talk to him that way.” Eric almost growled out, leaning forward slightly in his seat. Alara brushed her mind lightly against his while running her hand over his arm, trying to soothe him. Remember what Godric said, Eric. We all must remain calm. The blonde Viking scowled slightly, glancing down at the female sitting calmly in his lap before sitting back again.

“Don’t talk to me that way.” Nan said with a mightier-than-thou look. “Let’s get to the point. How’d they manage to abduct you?”

“They would have taken one of us sooner or later. I offered myself.” Godric said calmly, and Alara’s silver gaze turned to look at him, sadness reflected in the mirrored pools.

“Why?” Nan asked, eyes widening slightly in surprise.

“Why not?” Godric asked, looking up at her like he was asking the deepest question of the century.
“They wanted you to meet the sun and you were willing?”

“What do you think?” Godric said solemnly.

“I think you’re out of your mind. And then I hear about a traitor?” Nan turned focus to the next part of the meeting.

“Irrelevant. Only a rumor. I’ll take full responsibility.” Godric quickly denied the involvement of any others in the Fellowship of the Sun incident.

“You bet you will.”

“You cold bitch.” Eric said, glaring over at the television icon. Alara reached up a hand to his neck, her thumb making warm circles into his cold-as-ice skin, though the temperature difference didn’t bother the petite woman in the slightest.

“Listen. This is a national vampire disaster and no one at the top has any sympathy for any of you. Sheriff, you fucked up. You’re fired.” Nan explained.

“I agree. Of course. Isabelle should take over, she had no part in my disgrace.” Godric said. “I remove myself from all positions of authority.” Alara looked over to Sookie as she saw the blonde woman fidget, thinking about how she could help.

Sookie, humans are looked down upon by most vampires, most of all by those like this Flanagan woman. She will not listen to you. Please. Alara told her softly, watching the younger’s eyes flash with conflicting emotions before Nan’s words got her attention once again.

“Works for me. Moving on.” Cold, calculating eyes turned on the small form sitting on Eric’s lap. “I’ve heard some very interesting things about your….human, Mr. Northman.” Silver eyes looked up at her with a calm expression, not worried in the slightest about the attention she was receiving. Hearing how her heart and breathing didn’t spike in agitation or fear seemed to be keeping the other vampires in the room calmer than they would have been otherwise.

Eric remained laid back against the couch, resuming petting Alara’s obsidian locks nonchalantly. “Last I checked, the goings-on of my human are none of your business.” He kept his eyes focused down at Alara. God, I really am sick of this bitch.

Alara turned her head and looked up into the icy-blue eyes, smiling softly up at the extremely unamused man. I know, but I really don’t want to get into a fight with someone like her. I can talk my way out of it with the Pythoness but I would rather not have to. Eric scowled slightly at the woman’s words but relaxed his stance slightly.

Nan smirked her amusement at the defensiveness of the Viking. “The fact that you care enough not to want to discuss her is reason enough for me to be curious. There were those at your maker’s nest who told me a very interesting story when recounting the bombing incident. Care to enlighten me?”
Alara glanced over at Sookie and the blonde nodded before recounting Alara’s words. “It’s true that Alara did protect the nest, which of course you should be grateful for as many of your kind would have perished in the blast, but this nonsense that you have been told, fantastical wings like those of an angel, is false. People see what they wish to see when on the brink of death, even vampires, and perhaps they wanted to believe there was such a thing as an angel who would protect beings like them, that they see as having no souls.”

Nan sneered at the blonde human. “I don’t remember asking the opinions of a human.” All vampires in attendance, minus of course Nan and her guards, straightened up in defense of the woman.

“Alara is unable to speak, therefore Miss Stackhouse uses her telepathic abilities to speak for her. Please refrain from demeaning her as she is our guest and has done much for our cause, as you should be thankful for. She is a human who fully embraces vampires as equals and others like her are what makes it possible for us to be out in the open.” Godric’s voice was calm but there was no mistaking the scolding tone he used when speaking to the younger vampire.

Nan scowled, annoyed that she was being given the run-around, though she wasn’t going to simply let the issue slide. “You saying that is easy enough, but that does not negate the fact that something, or perhaps someone, helps deter the bomb from causing any lethal damage to our kind or the human companions. Tell me yourselves what happened last night and I may decide to believe you.”

Godric was as calm and elegant as always when he began to recount what he remembered of the incident, or course leaving out Alara’s heroic involvement. The mercurial-eyed female sat calmly, head resting against Eric’s chest, as she soothingly pet Godric’s mind with her own in encouragement. The 2000-year-old vampire was surprised by how much the feeling of her inside his head seemed to make him feel more alive that he had in the last few centuries. “A young human male walked into the nest, I thought he was someone’s human companion. He called for everyone’s attention before revealing the bomb strapped around his waist. I was standing with Isabelle, Eric and his human were with Miss Stackhouse a few feet away. Eric shielded Miss Stackhouse and instinctually, Alara moved to shield Eric. She is just a human, and being as close to the blast as they were there was still a chance of Eric taking serious damage even with Alara there to block some of the shrapnel. I pushed Alara into Eric and forced them all to the ground before the majority of the blast could hurt any of us. The rest of the nest was able to react fast enough to save the lives of all vampire and human in the building.” There was never any change in the man’s voice to indicate he was telling anything but the truth.

Nan chuckled. “Nice try ex-Sheriff, but that’s just not going to work. Every other vampire and human that was in that nest gave stories about Northman’s little human protecting them, and each one of their stories is so far off from yours it’s almost comical.” None of the vampires or humans flinched at the implication of being caught in a lie. “Something powerful enough to save an entire nest from being completely obliterated by a bomb would be very useful for the Authority to have in its possession. Northman, as a representative of the AVL and the Vampire Authority, I’ve been ordered to procure your human in order to ascertain if she will really be of use to our kind.”

Her tone was so…lofty, as if she thought no one could touch her and that her word would never be questioned. Eric didn’t rise to the bait, in fact, after glancing down at Alara, who looked up at him with what he could only describe as a devilish glint in her bright silver eyes, the Viking even laughed out loud. “Well, let’s just say I think Alara disagrees with you.” was his only verbal response to the television personality. Show her a good time, little one, and please make it amusing.

The tinkling laughter that danced across the minds of Godric, Eric and Sookie, like chimes swaying in the summer breeze, was the only answer Alara gave as she gracefully got up from Eric’s lap to stand facing Nan Flanagan. Thinking that this was the human’s way of showing cooperation, Nan motioned for her two cronies to grab her. At vampire speed they each appeared at her side, each grasping one of her arms in a steely grip. Alara didn’t look at either of the male vampires holding her, her deep silver gaze never left Nan’s and the female vampire admitted only to herself in the very back of her mind, that the gaze was un-nerving to her. It was as if this little human could see right into her non-existent soul.

Before anyone actually knew what was happening, Alara’s eyes as darkened and the two vampires holding her both screamed, releasing her so they could grab their heads, trying to force away the pain of her forcefully ripping through their mental shields. It was much worse since they were vampires, like physically tearing a thick metal slab in half. Both imposing figured fell to their knees at her feet, her eyes still never leaving Nan Flanagan. The female’s fangs were out and she quickly moved to attack Alara, gripping her through and hoisting her up off the ground, snarling. “What the fuck are you and what did you do?” Nan hissed viciously.

She had no time to make any more threatening moves toward Alara because she soon joined the two male’s writhing on the floor clutching her head as Alara forced her way in. The other’s present in the room quickly noticed the blood that had begun dripping from Alara’s nose and Sookie reached out to her, asking her to stop lest she harm herself more that she already was by forcing her mind on three vampires that each had a couple hundred years on them.

Do you hear me now, Nan Flanagan? Alara asked coldly as she crouched down, watching as Nan turned, pain clear in her eyes as she moved to look at the small human…no, she was something much more. I have never, nor will I ever, be anyone’s pet. I am not a vampire, I don’t play by your rules. You play by mine. I abhor violence, and I almost never use this method with anyone, not even vampires, but you are most definitely the kind that wouldn’t get the message any other way.
Alara reached out her small hand and firmly grasped Nan’s chin, pulling her up so their noses were almost touching, her silver eyes boring deadly holes into the dark-brown ones of the vampire she held. Listen well vampire. Threaten my life all you please but if you come after me, I will kill you. I may not even feel bad about it this time around because you have been warned. If you retaliate against me by harming Eric, Godric, Sookie, Bill, Isabelle, or anyone who I deem as being close to me, I will kill you. I’ll get away with it too, your Authority is not mine and they have no hold over my actions. Remember this lesson and perhaps next time we meet you won’t end up in such a predicament.

Without another word to the woman on the floor, Alara easily stood back up and turned to leave the room, stopping for a moment to glance back at Godric and beckon him and Eric to follow her. She quickly told Sookie she would stop by her room later to talk but that she had something else to do first. Godric and Eric, having to shake off the arousal that had surfaced watching Alara become dominant over the younger vampire, quickly pulled themselves back together and followed after the petite female.