Ha! Quicker than last time! Hope you enjoy and thank you all for your reviews last chapter, you're awesome!

Jason

There's no one, absolutely no one in sight as he and Sookie walk through the streets of Bon Temps. Everything has been trashed, windows broken, buildings covered in graffiti and boxes littering the roads.

"What the hell…" Jason trails off and looks at Sookie.

"I don't know. We need to find somebody, but where do we start?"

"Sam? He is the one that called us."

"Alright, let's go to Merlotte's."

They carefully make their way across town and down the dirt path leading to Sam's bar. The silence is deafening and rings through the air in a way that sends chills down the sibling's spines. Red streaks line the sky as the sun fades away and gives birth to elongated shadows.

"You hear that Sook?" Jason asks his voice tense.

"Yeah, not even crickets. What is goin' on?" Sookie replies in a whisper.

In the stillness the softly snapping twigs under their feet sound like gun shots as they echo off the trees. Their heads are on swivels, turning this way and that to find the source of their unease. Finally, Merlotte's comes into view, but so do the twenty people surrounding it.

"Is that Arlene and Terry? Arle-!" Sookie's cut off by Jason's hand covering her mouth.

"Shh Sook, look at them. That seem normal to you? We shouldn't draw their attention."

"You're right, okay." Sookie nods. "But what are they doin'?"

Jason shakes his head before pulling on Sookie's hand and leading them both away from the group. When they reach a distance that he deems safe Jason takes out his cellphone and hands it to Sookie.

"You remember Sam's number?"

"Yeah, course."

"Call him and ask where he is."

With only slightly unsteady hands Sookie dials the number and waits anxiously for an answer.

"Yeah?" Comes through the phone.

"Sam? Where are you and what the hell is going on?" Sookie demands, her knuckles white from gripping the phone.

"Sook! Keep it down would ya?" Jason hisses at her while looking around at the silent trees.

"Sookie? Thanks god, we're in Merlotte's and all we know is that Maryann is looking to string me up in some sort of fucking ritual-"

"What? Sam, you're makin' no sense. How are you in-!" Jason grabs the phone from her.

"Sook, please!" He brings the phone up to his ear. "Sam, it's Jason who's all there with you?"

"Andy and Holly."

"Who's Holly?"

"New waitress, only been around for a few days, but this craziness hasn't scared her off yet so…" Jason can almost hear the shrug in his tone.

"Alright, well we're a few yards away. Why haven't they just busted in to get you?"

"I seem to have a knack for picking strange people to work for me, but in this case it's a good thing. Holly's a witch, she scribbled something on the floor and presto, we have our own bunker."

"…umm." Could this town get any fuckin' weirder?

"Yep, my thoughts exactly. Think you and Sook can make it past them?"

Jason sighs, "Looks like we gotta try, is everyone actin' like them?"

"Yeah, Andy and Holly are the only ones I found that haven't been affected by whatever Maryann's done."

"Okay, we'll be there as soon as we can." He says before snapping the phone shut.

"We need weapons before we try to get through them."

Sookie looks around before grabbing the nearest branch and hauling it up on her shoulder.

"Not exactly what I had in mind." Jason says before taking it from her. "We need to get to the house; hopefully most of them are here."

"Oh my god…"

Jason isn't sure what he should be more shocked at: Sookie using the lord name in vain or the mass of people having sex on their Grandmothers lawn. Desperately trying to block out the moans Jason notices the large makeshift statue that is adorned with freshly cut meat; blood soaking into the wood. Maryann walks out the front door with people trailing behind her.

"Tara? No, no, no." Sookie goes to run towards her friend, but Jason holds her back.

"Maryann is right there, Sook! And Tara won't come with you 'cause of whatever hold she has over everyone."

"Jason, I will not leave my best friend there by herself. You go back to Merlotte's, find out what Sam knows and how we can stop this. Besides, there has to be a reason Maryann is using Grans home."

With that she removes herself from Jason's slackened hold and weaves her way through the withering bodies to meet Maryann face to face. Jason can see Maryann smile and call to two men attaching more meat to the statue who walk over and take Sookie's arms before leading her into the house. Maryann brings her hands up to her face and bends backwards in a graceful arch before spinning in a circle, laughing.

"Damn it, Sook."

With a punch to the nearest tree Jason makes his way back towards town.

The hunting shop is just as empty as any other store and just as broken down. Since the window already had a chair thrown through it Jason didn't really classify what he was doing as breaking and entering, "So it ain't that bad. Besides it's not like anyone's gonna need these unless Maryann's taken care of."

With a gun stowed away in his jeans and another stashed in a holster Jason pumps the shotgun in his hands. Overkill for friends and neighbores? Possibly. "Rather have 'em and not need 'em, then need 'em and not have 'em."

After making sure all of the weapons are loaded he grabs a small bag and starts to load extra ammo. Then it's back to Merlotte's.

It's dark when Jason gets back to the bar and the group is still standing outside the building, kept back by Molly's spell. Jason can feel his adrenaline rise as he realizes the only way for him to get in there is to go through the thick crowed; they haven't left an inch of space clear. "Might as well go to the front door." Drawling in a deep breath he brings up the shotgun and creeps through the mob.

At first their attention remains unbroken; eyes straight ahead on the bar, but as Jason got closer the less space there is between people.

Bump.

They turn as one to look at him, their pitch black eyes unblinking. Unmoving and without a hint of emotion they watch as Jason continues to make his way towards the door. A few tilt their heads in question as he is allowed pass whatever force that is keeping them away from their target.

The door is at his back and with a twist Jason is through the door.

Only to come face to face with the business end of a gun wielded by a sweaty, bloody and stressed Andy Bellefleur.

"Jesus, Andy! He got through 'em all and now what, you're gonna shoot him? Put your damn gun down." Sam says before smacking Andy's hand out of Jason's face.

"How do we know he ain't one of them?" Andy asks, eyeing Jason suspiciously.

"He doesn't have black eyes and Jason; you got any feelings to take me to your maker?" Sam's whole body oozes sarcasm telling Jason just how stressed the situation has him.

"Sure don't." He answers anyway before laying his shotgun onto the table.

In the middle of the floor is a triangle shape that looks to have been drawn with chalk, there are two lines that cross in the middle to form an X with other symbols Jason can't place scribbled abound them. Footsteps sound from the back as a blond woman peeks around the corner.

"It's alright, Holly. This is Jason Stackhouse the guy we told you about."

Holly nods which Jason kindly returns.

"Hello."

"Where's Sookie?" Sam asks.

"She saw Tara when we went to the house," Jason says with a sigh. "Said she couldn't leave her there alone and went to see Maryann."

"And you just let her go?" Sam yells.

"I don't let my sister do anything," Jason glares. "No one does or ever will. God help anyone who tries to make Sook do anything 'cause if she don't deal with them, lord knows I will."

After a beat Sam just shakes his head and looks away.

"How long have you all been in here?"

"About a day and they've just stood out there waiting. It's like they can't get tired or something." Andy says while looking out through the blinds.

"Why are they after you exactly, Sam?"

"Hell if I know, Maryann thinks I can make some god appear if I'm sacrificed. We umm…met when I was younger." He says while looking at the floor, neck red.

"What do ya mean…oh." Jason can feel a shock take over his body.

"Yeah."

"Okay then, have they went after anyone else? Like Andy and Holly or…"

"No, Holly was already here and Andy was with me when they first showed up at my house. We booked it here, just got lucky that Holly knew how to keep them out."

"We might be able to use that. If they're not after anyone else maybe they're let us through and we can go after Maryann. Try to stop all of this before anyone gets killed."

"And I what, just sit here? No, I can't allow that." Sam starts to pace the floor.

"He's right, Sam." Andy says, "Jason and I will go back to his house and see if we can figure out what we're dealin' with, but you comin' with us would be handin' her what she wants."

"Holly I'd prefer if you stayed with him and kept this..spell?" Jason says questioningly; she nods. "Spell going, that alright?"

"I can do that."

"Alright," He pulls the hand gun out his jeans, "Take this and bring your own, Sam I assume you got a gun here?"

"In the back."

"I'd grab it," Jason grabs the shotgun off the table. "Let's go Andy, times wastin'."

With a creak the door is pushed open and the long barrel of a shotgun leads the way as Jason and Andy ease outside. Black eyes follow their movements with frightening single-mindedness; the door swings close. Measured steps bring the two men to the edge of the wall separating them from their possessed neighbors.

"They didn't do anything to you on the way in..ya think we'll get the same treatment?" Andy mummers.

Eyeing the groups' tense body language Jason can feel the hairs on his neck rise.

"Some reason I doubt it'll be that easy this time."

The first one they have to pass is a tall man with broad shoulders. Fists curl as Jason draws closer; then he's over that invisible line and the man makes a grab for the gun.

"Stay back, Andy!" Jason yells trying to fight the other man off, it would do no good for them both to be caught.

Andy doesn't seem to have listened though, because Jason can hear the sounds of a struggle off to his left. The man trying to take the shot gun quickly gets a fist in the face and falls backward, but it's a small victory as Jason is grabbed from behind and hurled into the group. His arms are pulled behind his back and a fist lands repeatedly on his unprotected stomach and face. A breath later a large woman charges towards them and Jason cringes before taking the unknowingly offered chance. Kicking the woman in the middle is made even more painful for her by her own momentum; Jason back steps onto his capturers' feet then swing the man over his back landing him in the dirt.

Twisting to where he last saw Andy, Jason makes his way through the throng and spots him as he lands a kick on a man's knee. Running towards him, Jason tries to push them both back into the protection of Holly's spell; Andy falls through, but someone grabs the back of Jason's shirt and a knife is suddenly to his throat. Andy is yelling, Sam and Holly have made their way out of the bar and the possessed group forms a tight circle around Jason who stills at the cold blade touching his vulnerable neck.

Terry walks in front of him and looks him up and down with black eyes before turning to Sam.

"You come with us Sam or we'll slice him open and you can watch as he bleeds to death."

A thick silence falls overs everyone and it becomes harder to draw in breath for both of the opposing sides.

"Don't do it, Sam. You stay right fuckin' there." Jason murmurs, trying to keep the knife from slicing his neck

"How can I?" Sam takes a step towards the line.

Feeling the knife dig deeper into his skin Jason knows they're going to kill him anyway. "I'm sorry, Godric. Didn't forget about you, I swear." Blood starts to trickle down his neck; Sam takes another step.

Snap!

The body holding Jason's suddenly does limp and looking down he can see the man's head is turned the complete opposite way it should be. Then everyone is dropping, moaning in pain from one gruesome injury or another, but luckily still alive. A figure brushes past Jason and he swings around to see Godric with his hand gripping Terry's throat with his fangs descended. A growl emits from his gut and he levels the fallen group with a steely gaze.

"I suggest you all leave, now."

People towing broken limbs rush away from the scene, the black in their eyes growing smaller with their fear. Godric turns Terry so they are face to face.

"Don't!" Jason works past the lump in his throat.

Godric looks at him out of the corner of his eye before returning his attention back to Terry.

"You get to tell this to Maryann; I will be seeing her soon."

With a final squeeze to Terry's neck Godric flings him to the dirt and calmly watches as he scrambles away. He then reaches towards Jason and inspects the wound at his throat.

"What are you doin' here?"

Collecting the small drops of blood onto his finger Godric brings his eyes to meet Jason's.

"You were in trouble."

He runs the bloody digit across his pale lips before his tong reaches out to possess the red liquid.

They all head into Merlotte's and Jason can feel his head spinning. Throwing glances in Godric's direction he's slightly unsettled to see how clam he appears, like breaking a person's neck had little to no effect on him. The door swings open and everyone but Godric turns to see the newcomer, weapons at the ready.

"They went back to Sookie's house; seem to be getting ready for a ritual. Bill stayed to watch over them." Eric says as he calmly walks in the door casting a superior smirk at the guns aimed at his head.

"Good," Godric turns towards Jason. "We went to your family home before coming here and I saw Maryann. Those weapons will be of little to no use."

"You know what she is?"

"A Maenad. The same creature that I'm told attacked Sookie before. She believes she can bring her god into being with a worthy sacrifice, seems to be her life's mission."

Jason sighs, "How do we kill her then?"

"With this." Godric brings an old knife out from his jeans.

"Never seem him in jeans before…nice." Jason thinks while forcing himself to swallow any possible drool. Out of the corner of his eyes he can see Eric smirking as he watches the two of them interact. With a quick scowl in his direction Jason takes the blade from Godric's hand and looks it over with interest.

"How old is this?" He's never seen markings like it before, "Seems to be a running theme today" Jason thinks with a look to the markings on the floor.

"Slightly older than I am."

"And Maryann? It older than her?"

"It's hard to say, I don't know how long she has been around as Maenad's can live just as long as vampires I'm told."

Jason feels an unsettling emotion rise in his chest. If this thing is older than Godric could it kill him? He feels torn, Godric said he came here for Jason, but can he really ask Godric to fight a creature that could possibly destroy him? It's not easy to consider that a being older than Godric could exist, to consider something stronger, faster? Unthinkable.

"The sun will be up soon and there's nothing Eric and I can do to help you then. We should wait until nightfall to attack."

"We should sleep here then; Holly put a spell around the bar. We'll be safe." Jason says through numb lips.

"Agreed."

With that Sam takes Holly to the back to figure out where they could keep the two vampires away from the sun and find anything for the four humans to sleep on that could be even remotely comfortable. Eric looked between Godric and Jason before letting out a sigh and grabbing Andy by his shirt and hauling him into the kitchen where they can hear ice being taken from the freezer.

"You seem worried; Maryann won't hurt you or your friends Jason. I won't allow it." Godric says while walking closer towards Jason.

Leaning against the bar Jason shakes his head while trying to force moisture into his suddenly dry, tight throat.

"Is it Sookie? Bill was watching over her tonight and Maryann won't do anything until nightfall, that's when she can perform her ritual and for some reason she wants Sookie to be a part of it. Eric also has convinced a few companions of his to keep watch over her during the day. She will be safe Jason, I promise."

"And what about you?" The words tumble out of his mouth before he can stop them, the worry too real to be kept at bay.

Jason almost wants to laugh at the confused look on Godric's face.

"What about me?"

"Can you guarantee that nothing will happen to you? You keep telling me that everyone's safe, but you haven't mentioned how or what is going to keep you safe."

"Jason, I've been in many battles. Some I've had hundreds at my back while others I've had only a few and I've been up against the same numbers, this one creature is nothing."

"Have you fought one before?'

"No-"

"Then how can ya know! How can ya tell me not to worry if ya don't even know what you're going up against? I don't want ya to die 'cause of me!"

Jason's chest is heaving when he's finished yelling. After a beat Godric walks up to him and presses them close together. Godric's hands are in Jason's hair, forcing him to meet his gaze while he slowly, gently scratching the sides of Jason's head. Godric looks at him with blazing eyes full of conviction.

"I will not die tomorrow and most importantly, neither will you. We will both survive and then we will talk about where this," He presses their foreheads together. "Is going and what that means for both of us. Just know that…the only thing that will make me leave your side is you direct order to leave. I care very deeply for you Jason and after we make it out of this alive I intend to show you how much."

With a meaningful look, Godric brings Jason's forehead to his lips before bringing their mouths together in a gentle kiss. The intimate moment is broken when Sam comes charging into the room asking Godric to look at a space and see if it will be safe for him and Eric. "Fuckin Sam, ya cock blockin…" But the deep shade of red Sam's face takes on when he saw how close they were to each other makes up for it.

"Yes of course Sam." Godric says before giving Jason a chaste kiss and following Sam into the back of the bar.

Sighing, Jason runs a hand through his hair and turns around to see Eric who is leaning against the wall. With little experience to go on Jason is at a lost on how to act around the vampire, but Eric obviously doesn't have that problem.

"I like that you worry about him, it's refreshing. Most, Godric included, think he's invincible and at times I have to confess I believe it too. But nothing will happen to him tomorrow, he's been in too many battles for this to be a worry. And what he did to that man today was nothing compared to what he is capable of. Know that if you plan on…entering a relationship with Godric this will only be the first of many battles you'll have to deal with."

"Are you tryin' to warn me off him?" Jason asks incredulously. "What is the worse Godric is capable of?"

Eric smirks before pushing himself off the wall and stalking towards Jason.

"No, in fact I think having you around would do Godric some good. But most vampires won't take to you quickly…or at all. They see humans as lower than them; walking meals. Think you can handle that? Think you can stand by him? Matt won't be the only jealous vampire that will be looking to get rid of you to take you're place. It might seem fun and adventurous to be a vampire's lover, especially one of Godric's power and standing, but are you willing to fight to stay there? To learn all of his dirty secrets?"

Jason's eyes harden and he can feel his jaw clench.

"I want to help Godric and I'm not perfect either so why would I judge him? If we can make this work nothin they say or do can make me willingly leave him."

In a flash Eric's face is inches away from Jason's and their breath mingles. After a few moments of searching Jason's gaze Eric moves back with a nod and a smirk.

"I believe you. Keep that fire, you're going to need it."

With that he turns and walk towards the back of the bar, pausing before he rounds the corner.

"And Jason? If you want to help Godric and hell everyone, do not die tomorrow, understand?"

The next moment Jason is standing alone in the main room of the bar, waiting for tomorrow night.

A/N: All Jason this chapter sorry guys, finished before I even realized that.

So I think I lied, I believe I told you the Maryann showdown was going to happen this chapter and…nope. I want do it justice and not rush, but I also wanted to have a quicker update to make up for the major delay we just went through so that will happen next chapter, something to look forward to, yay!

Also I'm not sure if I said this before but I have a livejournal now! I'll be writing little random things there as well as little notes about the progression of the upcoming chapters. If you ever want to know how much longer it's going to be till a story is updated I suggest you go there (a note about TKHS was just posted). It can be found through my profile, just go to the "HOMEPAGE" link and check it out! Also I would love to hear from you all if you have one or even if you don't or if you just want to yell at me to *write faster* so don't be shy! :D

Reviews feed the muse monster! Rawr!