PART ONE

Chapter 1

The information that had been left behind after recent events had picqued the interest of the faerie. He had left Faery some time ago having simply grown bored of the surroundings, wanting some adventure and fun. He had lived in the town for several years now and when he had gotten the call that Viktor had met his end without doing that which he had strived for, taking stolen power from two very powerful beings, he still had left a juicy piece of information that the reader at the desk was finding rather intriguing. As of this moment, he was a mere faerie who lived in Monroe was as non descript as could be and lived a ordinary life as a road crew worker. He paid taxes, went grocery shopping and rather enjoyed a simple existence. But his inner faerie, his inner voice was screaming for an adventure. He had a history of being something of a trickster and as a rule tended to keep to himself, finding humans rather uninteresting. As he read the journal left behind by Viktor, the notes within the few pages that had been written in, if this could be the way to make the world safer for faeries. With what he was reading, this waitress and her club owning hubby had power unlike any other supernaturals and it was thought, by Viktor that they were the two strongest supes in the country and likely the whole of the world. As he read the notes, the faerie, Giles, thought that perhaps there could be a way to turn the two against one another, to have her destroy him. Though she herself was a half-breed and had a strong streak of vamp in her somehow, Giles wondered to himself how he could use her to get rid of the biggest threat to faeries. To stop at the top was a daunting task but he also hoped that he could purge the girl too, to heal her of the taint of vampire that was in her. If he could help free her from the dark then perhaps he could use the unofficial king of the vamps to take down the rest of his kind. And then, of course, he would need to meet his end too. Naturally. And then faeries could live in whatever realm they wished. Giles hoped that he could alter the queen of Faery as well, cleansing her of her unfortunate genetic part that was vampire too. Another puzzling question he had was how that had been possible but he cared not. He wanted both worlds to be cleansed and made a happier place. Though others had failed in the past, he would play this more clever, bolder. And then, soon, all vamps would scatter and cower, dying at the hands of one of their own, one they couldn't ever hope to best. But for now, it was time to come up with the magic and a strategy to make his hopes and wishes become reality. After what he had spied the other evening, seeing the raw power unleashed, he knew there had to be a way t control it for himself. And then, when he had him under his thrall, the things he could do, have….of course, once all the other vamps went the way of the dodo. And then, Giles, thought, he would take great pleasure in the destruction of the strongest of them all. He would of course, by then, have the means to subdue him but for now, one step at a time.

Chapter 2

It had been a nice interlude, having gone off to enjoy the trip to his ancestral castle in Sweden that she had arranged for their anniversary. That they now had to focus on the anger and manic behavior that was emerging within him whenever he shifted into his enhanced vamp form, which was almost demonic looking and yet there was still that handsomeness there that couldn't be denied. That power had recently bloomed in him, another step in vamp evolution that he had learned Godric also had possessed but had been reluctant to talk about. Sookie had seen Eric use his power to help and during a recent time that she had been incapacitated, her senses had still kept her in the loop and she had been aware of his rampage, that he had gone so far as to hurt two of their friends in the blind rage that had overtaken him. He had of course regretted his actions and though he wouldn't admit it openly, this power he had, this ability he had that he wanted to use to protect, was becoming a liability. And it was with her help that he was going to do what he could to purge that insanity from the power he hadn't ever asked for but was forced to accept. They had been home for only a day and yet, she was determined to rid his demon of, well, the demon that was very much a threat to themselves and their loved ones. Hell, if he was unleashed and lost control even worse, he could destroy anything and everything in little time. She had a feeling that not even Godric would be able to do anything to stop him. They had learned, from some research that Aurora had done that there was only one other like him before. That she had evolved to this point, the highest level to which a vamp could evolve. The ancient book detailed that because she had faerie blood in her after ingesting several in a matter of minutes, that it had made her a force upon itself, almost unstoppable. But it was also, it was thought, what had helped drive her insane. And as for Eric, he certainly had had his fill of Sookie's blood within him. So it made sense that he had gone off the rails. This other vampire that had evolved, it turned out she had a mate she had been trying to save and in her blind rage, helped along by the faerie blood, it had not ended well. The couple poring over the book knew they were lucky this time.

"There has got to be a way to level you off when you shift, I refuse to think its my blood that has helped make you go insane when you…." she trailed off as she went back to where she had read about the downfall of the vampire that had suffered like he had. "They had to silver her and…I don't think it has anything to do with the blood….I feel like there is a….darkness in there….I mean I know there is darkness in all vamps. Me included and I won't say I never ,act on it. But it is different when you change, that becomes something greater, something that even you can't fight for long. Maybe there is a way to turn that darkness more to light, even if not completely."

He frowned, leaning back in the chair he was seated at. He said nothing but in a flash, he had thrown the chair across the kitchen where they were seated, a dent appearing where the seat had struck. "I don't want it…any of this….the fact I am deadly as I am now, that even like this I have lost control….Sookie, I wish I could give it up….to purge it from me. I hate what I did to the others and I haven't said it before but when I took you to help bring you back…..there was a moment I wanted to tear you to pieces and make a meal of you. I couldn't see you as being you, just another….another meal." he bit his lip. "I don't want to be seen as a monster, I don't want to be the cause of the deaths of those I care for. I couldn't hardly listen to reason and I just was barely able to hang on to save you rather than…." he turned his back to her and looked up at the ceiling. "Perhaps I have to do what I had to do once before. But it's the only way I can see to save you and keep you all safe." he paused. "Though you an I have the special bond and I think even with my powers when I change….I know you can come after me. But if you really do care for me, if you love me like I know you do, you won't come after me. I need to get away before further damage is done. I don't want your blood on my hands, nor anyone else that doesn't deserve it." he walked up to her and cupped her face to force her to look at him. But she was bust clenching her eyes shut to hold the tears back

"I am not letting you go not again, not ever." she protested. "You think you're doing me, us, a favor but you're killing me. You know I will just come after you."

"That's what I am worried about." he replied, baleful eyes pleading with her to let him go. "We have had a amazing life together and for everything you have done for me…no words can be enough. But I can not and will not be responsible for destroying you. Its better this way, I think deep down you have fears of what I could do to you. Tell me you don't." he paused and just by the look in her eyes, it was all he needed. "Goodbye Sookie." and with that he flew from the house and she was left shaking and her tears finally started falling. She would go after him, sure but for right now, she was numb.

Chapter 3

He hated leaving her like he had done and he hesitated, landing just outside the gated community he was abandoning. She would be alright with those she had around her. She would be safer, no fear of a attack by the likes of him. It wasn't like him to up and leave others in a lurch, this time was different from the last time he had left town. That time he had been broken, had given up. This time it was merely for the greater good. And it was at this moment he was about to take off for the longer leg of his trip, though he was yet unsure where he would hole up. But the important thing was that he wouldn't be a threat to anyone here any longer. Something rustled in the nearby woods and with a frown, he blurred over to investigate, only to find something leaping out at him, plunging something that was so clearly silver into his side. Again and again. At first he thought it was a dagger but he felt it was a syringe. Pure silver, the best of the best and he had only been subjected to silver this potent in his blood once before and it was neither pleasant or easy to come back from. Something else was in it too, magic. Of course it was.

"So you are running away, thinking yourself a monster….maybe that is what I need, maybe there is a use for you out there, don't you think? For one, I think you would serve well as a destroyer…..a destroyer of all vampires and when you're done with my commands-"

Though weak and unable to summon that which he feared, Eric was nonetheless still ready to fight. "Commands? I serve no one…..any time or anyplace. So you're another…" he scented the faerie in the air. "See, a faerie once made the mistake of interfering, trying to ruin our lives. It didn't end well for him and-"

"They didn't have what they needed to get the job done and I am determined to make the world a safer place for my kind. Instead of forcing us to live in only Faery. We want to live here too but with you blood crazed monsters all about…..but I also know, thanks to the notes passed on to me by Viktor-"

"The same Viktor who tried taking my wife's magic, her power….and would have taken mine?"

"The very same. He happened to be a idol of mine and taught me magic that I never would learn otherwise. Funny how people can meet and become something more than what they are individually….you of all people should know that. And though I hope you enjoyed the life you are abandoning, I want you to know that those you care about are about to meet rather messy ends by your own hands. You see, I need them out of the way before I can send you out on the larger mission. And it would be such a shame to lose those loved ones of yours, I know, but sacrifices need to be made." Giles' voice was laced with sarcasm and he made haste to get them spirited away off the property. "And no, she can't sense anything, I spelled your bond. You are fine, as far as she knows. Nothing amiss. But when she and the others do realize something is wrong, well…..it will be far too late and the last thing they will feel is their lives being taken by the one they trusted the most." Giles laughed as he brought them into what looked like a mausoleum. Very solid and secure. Very menacing. Very spelled by all kinds of magic, both warlock and faerie. "We made a promise before we parted ways that one way or another we would change the world and I am not sorry for the loss of Viktor. He became too greedy and power-hungry for my taste. I, for one, simply want a safer world to live in and that can not be unless your kind are gone."

There came a laugh from the still trapped and all but helpless Viking. "I think you underestimate me and my own. I have taken out worse than the likes of you and all it would take is one deep, hard bite and I can end you."

Giles arched a eyebrow. "Not when you are about to be all too willing to do what I require of you. You thought yourself mindless when you barreled through the streets of Bon Temps not long ago….wait until I unlock the pure darkness of your deepest potential and that it will be mine to control….." he had, back on the property, conjured a net of pure faerie light, light made form sunlight itself, to trap the Viking and weaken him and it had certainly helped along with the silver. Wordlessly, Giles sent the prone figure across the small chamber, into a structure that was barely more than a animal kennel, the bars of silver and unforgiving to any vampire, even one as strong as the one currently within it. And though he was struggling with everything he had, trying to even call upon the rare power he possessed, even the Viking found it impossible within his confines, within the magic around him. And Giles reached down and slapped his face with a amused look, ignoring the fangs being bared, fangs that would not, could not reach them like he knew the vamp no doubt wanted them to. "Shall we begin with the retraining process?" he asked and he pulled out a rod that was etched with strange symbols and runes. "May I present the literal key to unlock you're greatest potential. And when I am done, you will obey me and me alone and your power will be unlike anything anyone could ever imagine."

TO BE CONTINUED