AN: Hey everyone, I know it's been a ridiculously long time. A lot has been going on in my family, and I had to push everything aside to deal with that. Everything seems to be settling down now, but please be patient with me during this time. I may have to focus on my family for a bit, I promise though that I will update my stories when I can. Again, I'm very sorry to those who waited so long for this update, and the updates for my other fics. It does mean a lot to me to see all of the nice comments that you guys have been leaving, and has helped me through this tough time. So thank you to my readers.

Responses:

Azera-v : Thank you for liking my work enough to re-read it. Sorry if I worried you, I promise I haven't given up.

Tleel: Thank you and I'm so sorry about the eye thing lol I never know which one to go with for Sookie since book Sookie and show Sookie have different eye colors. I'll probably stick with brown, however and use blue for a future plot point.

Shellbean: Sorry for the wait, but thank you for your comment. I hope I live up to your expectations.

The sounds of steel hitting steel filled the backyard of Godric's home. Eric was giving Sookie a lesson in sword play. Godric and himself had agreed that she should learn to be able to defend herself if she ever needed to. They had started her training at the age of 10 and just after a year of training she was really getting the hang of it.

"Watch your footing." Eric instructed, "Good, now under hand strike."

Godric smiled as he watched them. Sookie had grown quite a bit. When she first came into his life she only came to his hip, now she came up to just under his chest. Her hair had gotten longer, it was currently in some sort of complicated looking braid. Eric had done it, so Sookie dubbed it viking braids.

"The capital of Egypt?" Godric called out.

"Cairo!" Sookie called out as she struck.

This was another part of her training. Godric thought about hiring a tutor for their mate, Eric was against it though, believing the two of them could teach Sookie. After all who was more knowledgeable than two vampires who lived through most of world history and knew a variety of languages? It had nothing to do with the fact all that applied for the job were men. Not at all.

"How do you say 'thunder' in Russian?"

Eric smirked as Sookie's footing became off again from her lack of focus, she had been struggling with Russian. In a swift yet soft motion he used his leg to sweep her off her feet making her fall onto her butt with an eek.

Eric laughed as Sookie glared up at him, she looked cute when she got mad. Her cheeks would tint red and would puff up slightly. Grinning he crouched down.

"I told you to watch your footing."

Sookie stuck her tongue out at him making both vampires laugh. Maria then came out and announced Sookie's dinner was almost ready. So Sookie stood up and headed back to her room to freshen up and change. Leaving Godric and Eric to speak in the backyard.

"Her back hand is getting stronger." Godric commented, "She's also getting better at reading your movements."

Eric smirked proudly, "Yes, she's getting better each day. I'm thinking of having a sword crafted for her birthday. Something more light weight, perhaps I'll have them incorporate some silver and iron into it as well." He held his chin in thought, he had been thinking about this for awhile.

Godric chuckled, "And you say I'm over protective of her."

Eric raised an eyebrow, "Who was it that got her a bracelet with a tracking spell on it, Master?"

Godric cleared his throat needlessly, "I have no idea what you're talking about, My Child. Although if you're getting her a sword I guarantee my gift shall win this year as well." Godric then smirked and headed inside.

Eric glared at his Maker's back. Since moving in the two had a slight rivalry when it came to getting Sookie gifts. It got so bad at one point that Sookie got overwhelmed, Isabel had to put her foot down and state that the two could only give Sookie one gift each for her birthday. Christmas was five gifts each. Currently Godric was leading by one point. The bastard had gotten her the unreleased fourth volume of those wizard books she liked so much, and it was signed no less!

He would win this year, mark his words.

Sookie soon came down and sat at the kitchen table with her vampire family, minus Stan and Isabel who were out feeding. Godric and Eric only drank bagged blood. Dinner tonight for Sookie was meatloaf.

Halfway through dinner, Godric received a call from the King informing him that he was needed for an emergency Sheriff meeting. Godric sighed, he hated leaving Sookie's side for any length of time, but he reluctantly agreed. It was his job after all.

After hanging up he smiled sadly at Sookie, "It looks like Khui needs my help with a situation, Dear One."

Sookie smiled reassuringly, "It's alright. You're the best Sheriff in all of Texas." Sookie grinned, "He would be lost without you and Niran."

Godric chuckled and nodded, he then gave her a kiss on the forehead and headed out leaving Sookie and Eric alone in the house together.

"How about we go out and see a movie?" Eric suggested, "You need human time anyway."

Sookie smiled and nodded, liking the idea, "I get to choose this time though!"

The two soon left to go to the cinema, Sookie choosing X-Men. Eric hadn't liked the idea of seeing a comic book movie, but he had to admit it was good. He did cringe when the mothers in the theater kept whispering about how sweet it was to see a 'father and daughter' at the movies together. He couldn't wait until Sookie grew up more.

When the movie ended Eric took Sookie to an ice cream stand at a near by park. He liked these moments alone with her, it gave him memories that he could keep to himself. He didn't mind sharing with his Maker, but he knew both of them would desire alone time with their mate-to-be.

Sookie finished her ice cream and smiled up at Eric, "Tonight was fun. We should go to the movies more often."

Eric smiled back, "Perhaps."

Sookie then excused herself to the bathroom, there was one a few feet away from the bench they were sitting on. As Eric waited he heard a muffled scream from the bathroom and immediately vamped inside when he recognized it as Sookie's voice. A male werewolf had her pinned against the wall his hand over her mouth.

"Perfect, a little snack before I go home." He licked his lips.

Eric saw red and in an instant he had the wolf by his throat, he felt Sookie behind him, clutching his shirt. Her small hands shaking.

"Vampire." The wolf rasped out, "I didn't know she was your prey. W-We can share! You can have the blood and I'll have the bones."

As the wolf tried to bargain with him, Eric became more fueled by rage. Flashes of the wolves killing his family entered his mind. In that instant he crush his neck before he even knew what he was doing. He then dropped the body to the ground. The small frightened gasp behind him bringing him back to reality. When Eric turned around he saw the frightened look on Sookie's face, she was staring at the dead body.

"Sookie..." Eric began, but when her scared eyes turned to him he saw the fear in them and his words died.

Eric stood there unsure what to do. Sookie was afraid of him now. It felt like his world was crashing down around him. Godric soon vamped into the bathroom, he had been on his way home when he felt Eric's rage. He glanced around the room assessing the situation. He could smell the fear radiating off of Sookie, and could feel the inner turmoil of his child.

Godric approached Sookie and knelt down in front of her.

"Little one, it's alright. You're safe." He spoke to her gently.

In a flash Sookie clung to Godric, the vampire holding her and rubbing her back comfortingly. He then told Eric to call the cleaners while he took their mate home. Eric wanted to follow them, but he knew it was better to distance himself from Sookie for now.

Sookie was in her bed now, sipping on some hot chocolate. Still a little shaken. Godric entered her room with a soft look in his eyes.

"Sookie, may I talk to you about tonight?" He gently asked, when Sookie nodded he came over and sat on the edge of her bed. "Dear one, about tonight. I want you to understand why it happened. We have been teaching you about Vampires, however we've been keeping some of the more dark aspects of them."

"I know that you kill people." Sookie spoke shocking Godric, "I'm a telepath, Godric, I hear things. I guess it just never fully set in until… tonight."

Godric nodded and sighed, "Yes. Both Eric and I have killed, however it was never without reason. You must understand, Dear One, vampires are very protective of those they come to care for. Eric especially. There's a similarity between you two that I never told you. I won't go into detail, but when Eric was a human his family was murdered by werewolves."

Sookie's eyes widened and she looked to Godric then back down at her mug.

"So when I was attacked by a werewolf..."

Godric nodded, "Correct. Eric cares for very few. Most of which are vampires. You however, are mostly human and vulnerable. For that Eric's very protective when it involves you. He won't admit it out loud, but the idea of something happening to us as it did his human family terrifies him. We're his one weakness."

Sookie understood now and soon felt terrible. She had been afraid of Eric earlier. She must have hurt him,

"Godric, where's Eric?" She asked.

Godric smirked, "I believe you know very well where he is." He glanced upwards towards the ceiling.

Sookie chuckled and nodded, "Of course."

Sookie made her way up to the roof. Just as Godric implied, Eric was indeed up here. He was laying back on a blanket looking up at the stars. It was his favorite spot. Sookie remembered the first time he took her up here. She had sat on his lap and he told her about all the constellations in the sky. She quietly made her way over to him, of course the vampire knew she was there. She took a seat next to him holding her knees.

"I'm sorry, Eric." She said softly.

Eric sighed and sat up, his hand coming up to pat her on her head. "No, I'm sorry. You shouldn't of had to see that."

"I get it though. Godric told me about your family… I'm so sorry. I wish that you told me."

Eric sighed again, "It's something I don't like to talk about. It was my fault. I wasn't there to save them. When I got there they were already dead. My parents and my baby sister. I couldn't even avenge their death."

"Well they all have to be dead by now right? They're probably in hell burning."

Eric smiled bitterly, "I killed some of them after I became a vampire. Godric helped me track them down. However we could never find the leader. The man who stole my father's crown."

"Crown? Wait," Sookie looked up at Eric in shock. "Are you like a Prince or something?"

Eric chuckled at that, "You could say that. I'll explain the social class system to you sometime."

Sookie nodded then went back to the subject at hand, "What was so special about the leader?"

"He wasn't werewolf. He was vampire."

Sookie was surprised, but then she hugged Eric, "We'll find him, Eric. I don't know how, but we'll find him. I'll probably never find out who killed my parents, but I'll help you find this monster."

Eric hugged Sookie back, it amazed him how special she was every day. A regular human would be scared. His Sookie though? She wanted to help him seek vengeance.

Eric ruffled Sookie's hair gently, "I know you will my little valkyrie, just as we will find who killed your parents." Not that Eric cared about those monsters. Godric had told him about her parents had treated her, if they were alive he would have done worse than whatever creature had gotten to them. However, he knew it would give Sookie some comfort if they found the culprit.

They then laid side by side looking up at the stars. When Sookie dozed off, Eric picked her up and flew her back to her room to tuck her in. Giving a silent plea to Niorun for the girl to have pleasant dreams and not ones of death after what she witnessed today. He then sought out Godric. His Maker was by the fire reading a book on the couch.

"I take it you two made up?" Godric inquired.

"Yes, I guess I should thank you for that?" Eric moved to stand in front of the fire place.

Godric smiled, "No, I knew Sookie would come around sooner or later. She has a big heart, she wouldn't have held it against you for long. I just gave her a small nudge to help things along."

"She keeps surprising me every day." Eric smirked, "She swore to me she would find my family's killer."

"That's one of the few regrets I have in my thousand years." Godric frowns, "The fact I was unable to assist you in finding him."

Eric shrugs, "We had little to go off of, besides that symbol. We did what we could."

Suddenly Sookie screamed, causing everyone in the house to vamp to her location. The girl was sitting up in bed shaking, tears in her eyes. Upon glancing over the room, the four vampires and witch observed she was the only one in here. Godric and Eric moved to either side of Sookie.

"Dear One, what happened?" Godric asked gently.

"It was so real!" Sookie sobbed, "So much blood! So many bodies..."

Eric had a concerned look in his eyes, but his face was emotionless, he worried she had a nightmare about him, but then Sookie clung to him.

"You were there, Eric, he was going to kill you."

Eric was stunned for a moment but quickly recovered and rubbed her back, "Who, Sookie?"

"I didn't recognize him." She hiccuped, "He had bluish green eyes though and an accent I didn't recognize. One of the bodies though… it had a symbol on it's hand."

Isabel approached them, "What did the symbol look like?"

Sookie asked for one of her notebooks on her desk and a pen. Isabel retrieved it since it was obvious Godric and Eric weren't going to leave her side. Sookie then began to draw, and what she drew shook Eric and Godric to their core. It looked like a backwards N with a line in the middle. The vampires knew the symbol well.

Celest backed out of the room and leaned against a wall.

'She's coming into her powers faster than I thought. I'll have to report this…' She thought before looking back towards the room, 'Hopefully he won't sense you yet, kiddo. You're nowhere near ready to face him yet.'