CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

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            'BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE ARE ON LOCKDOWN. Women with children, please take them to our classroom buildings. Man and able bodied woman, security personnel will provide you with stakes and silver, just outside the chapel.'

Dakota almost bumped into Eric's back when he came to a halt, he held out his arm so she couldn't step around him. They had reached the top of the stairs and were in the hallway that led them toward the entrance of the church. Eric watched as the soldiers ushered woman and children from the building.

"I could have you out in seconds." he said, though his gaze was on the 'soldiers'.

The blonde watched as more youngsters were being guided outside. "There's kids out there."

"Those humans wouldn't think twice about hurting us." he argued, an edge to his voice.

"Eric," she breathed. "they're just kids. They're innocent."

"I would kill every child inside this building if that meant I could get you out of here." he peered down at her, turning his body so he was fully facing her. Dakota pulled her brows together, confused and at loss for words. Eric caught it easily and said, "Don't you worry, I won't. I am following Godric's orders."

Dakota opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out, barely finding the words. His eyes didn't leave hers as she managed to ask, "He's your maker, isn't he?"

"Don't use words you don't understand."

"You have a lot of love for him."

"Don't use words I don't understand."

He held her gaze for another moment before turning away. Dakota stared at the back of his head, letting out a long breath. The fact he was willing to listen to another vampire's orders confirmed her suspicions. If Godric hadn't told him to spare the humans, most would be dead by now.

Eric peered around the corner, only three men were left in the hall, holding wooden stakes in their hands. They were discussing their next move and all Eric wanted to do was rip their heads off, distrusting every person within the church. He took a step forward, ready to make himself known but Dakota stopped him, tugging on his black shirt.

Dakota watched as he leaned toward her, lips almost brushing the shell of her ear as he whispered, "Trust me."

The blonde didn't have time to answer him because Eric had already walked into the hall, raising his shoulders slightly to mimic a slouch. Dakota watched him from around the corner as he approached the men.

"Oh, hey, ya'll." Eric was very good at pretending to be someone he was not and he had changed his voice to appear somewhat shy. "How's it going? Steve send me over to man the exit here. Think I can take it from here."

"By yourself?" questioned one, giving him a side eye.

"Uh, yeah." smiled Eric.

"You're big and all," said another, looking up at his tall frame. "but there's a vampire on the loose. Where's your stake?"

"Oh, dang." chuckled Eric, pulling a face. "I forgot. Maybe I can borrow yours if - if that's okay?"

The three men looked at each other, suspicious of the newcomer. "I can't do that. Get your own."

Eric narrowed his eyes faintly, luring the one closest into a glamour. "I'd very much like to borrow your stake."

"Yeah, yeah, that be okay, I guess."

Eric was about to take the stake from the man as Dakota noticed the one on his right raised his own, ready to strike him in the back. The blonde let out a startled shout, warning him. Eric turned, snatching the piece of wood from his hand and pushing him toward the ground. With a single blow to the chest, the other man flew across the room. Tearing the stake from the last ones grip, he pushed him against the wall all within seconds, pointing the sharp side of the stake to his cheek.

"Eric!" Dakota came to his side in a rush, resting her hand on his forearm. "You don't have to kill him."

It took the vampire a moment before he let out a snarl, dropping the stake and the boy, who slid down the wall in fear. Dakota felt a wave of relief when he ushered her toward the front doors of the church to get the hell out of there.

As Eric opened the doors, all she wanted was to close them again. The courtyard was full of members of the church, holding stakes, silver chains and more weapons as they stalked toward the entrance.

"Those arrows are wood." said the boy from beside them. "You'll never make it through."

"Eric, through the sanctuary."

He nodded his head, closing the doors swiftly and locking them before following her toward the space where she and Hugo were going to get 'married'. It was empty, apart from the piles of sleeping gear people had left from the lock-in tonight.

"Where's the exit?" urged Eric as they continued down the isle.

"In the back." said Dakota, quickening her step.

"There are several exists, actually." drawled Steve Newlin, appearing at the front of the room as he stalked from behind a column. He wore a neat white suit, that damn smile never leaving his lips as he studied them. "For you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell."

The doors on their left and right opened before the one they had entered through also slammed open. Eric reached for Dakota, pulling her to his side as the church members came in, weapons and silver tightly in their hands, surrounding them.

"Let us leave." Dakota begged. "Save yourselves. No one has to die."

"The war has begun, said Steve, looking murderous as he watched her. "you evil whore of satan. You vampires vast the first stone by killing my family. The lines have been drawn. You're either with us, or against us. We are prepared for Armageddon."

"The vampire prisoner you're holding got away." she warned. "He's a sheriff, he'll get help."

"I'm not concerned about Godric," he replied, giving her a smug smile before turning to the vampire beside her. "any vampire will do for our grand celebration. Look, we got one right here."

Dakota watched in horror as Eric mulled it over, fighting some internal battle as he looked at the reverend. After a moment of silence he turned to her, eyes soft as he took in her face. "I'll be fine."

Eric moved away from her side and walked toward Steve with slow strides. All Dakota could do was watch, frozen in her spot with a heart rate that would certainly land her in hospital.

"Brothers and sisters," Steve announced. "there will be a holy bonfire at dawn."

Four members of the church charged for Eric, who didn't even bother to fight them off. Another held back Dakota, who had come to her senses and took quick steps toward the viking. The girl cried out when they chained him to a stone surface.

"Stop it!" she screamed, flinching when Eric grunted in pain from the silver attached to his pale skin. "Let him go!"

Silver chains were wrapped around his ankles, wrists and neck and Eric had nowhere to go. He couldn't move, though he did try. His skin was sizzling, leaving deep and red marks. He avoided eye contact with anyone and instead opted to stare at the windows behind him, watching the night sky.

"Please, let him go." Dakota tried, fighting the grip the man had on her.

"You see," said Steve, ignoring her. "just as our lord and saviour was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, a few ounces of silver can betray a child of satan to the world."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Dakota stressed, glaring at the reverend. "How can you people listen to him?"

"I ... I offer myself in exchange for Godric's freedom." Eric grunted, a hint of pain behind his eyes. "And the girl's as well."

"That's noble," nodded Steve. "but she's just as culpable as you are. She's a traitor to her race, the human race. She hardly deserves mercy." He walked around the platform, coming to a halt next to Eric's face as he leaned down. "Maybe we should tie her to you, so you can meet the sun together?"

Dakota's eyes are wide as Steve makes his way toward her, grinning. Eric had his hands balled in fists, completely and utterly defenceless while being held by the silver chains.

"I bet this marshmallow would roast up nicely." he added, nodding at the man who was holding her.

Dakota screamed as he hauled her toward the vampire, kicking and trying to bite him when his arm reached around her shoulders. Another member of the church grabbed her feet and they all but threw her onto Eric face first. The vampire let out a huff, alarmed as they tied her to him with a piece of robe, knowing silver had no effect on her.

The blonde's head was hidden in the crook of his neck, unable to move as her limbs were spread out along his. Dakota tried to hold her head up, almost brushing her nose with his as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Dakota," he tried to get her attention but she was too caught up in her own panic that she hadn't heard him. "Listen to me."

"Oh god," she moaned. "we're going to die."

"Dakota," he said firmly and her eyes fluttered open.

If she hadn't been so scared, she could get lost in the different shades of blue in his eyes. Their proximity hadn't even registered in her brain when they tied her down, but as she looked at Eric fear slowly turned into anger. Dakota wasn't planning on dying today, and definitely not like this.

"It's okay," he soothed, breath fanning over her cheeks. "you can untie yourself. The knots are badly done, I know you can do this."

The woman gave him a small nod and turned to look to see Steve with his back toward them as he spoke to the members of the church. Dakota wiggled her right wrist, seeing how bad the knots were herself.

There was a gunshot from outside the hall and the people gasped. Screams erupted and the side doors slammed open with a hard crash. Dakota tugged harder and was able to wiggle her hand from the knot and she let out a quick 'yes'.

"Good girl," Eric praised.

"Newlin!" there was a yell and Steve screamed in pain as a shot rang through hall. He was shot in the hand, inspecting the green splash of paint caused by the paintball gun Jason was holding. "Let her go, fuckwad!"

Another shot, green paint splattering on his forehead while the reverend cried out.

Jason struggled as two members of the church managed to disarm him and held him down at the right side of the hall. Dakota had managed to get herself free from her bounds and now straddled Eric on top of the platform as she carefully tore the silver chain from around his neck. He squeezed his eyes shut in pain as she did so, skin coming off with the silver.

Dakota was apologising profusely as she slid off his lap and did the same with the other four chains. Before she knew what was happening the vampire sped toward the reverend, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the steps that led to the platform they were tied to.

"Kill him! Kill the motherfucker!" called Jason, struggling against their grip.

"Go ahead," begged Steve. "murder us. Murder us before god. We are willing to die."

The main doors burst open and in came Stan with the rest of his nest of vampires, charging inside. The church members held onto their weapons tightly, but fear hung in the air and you could almost taste it.

"Steve Newlin!" he bellowed. "You have pushed us too far. You expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come lynch us? We'll kill you first. Same way we did your father."

"Oh god, no."

"Murderer!" accused Steve, trying to get up but the viking pushed him back down.

"Destroy them, all of them." said Stan, dropping his fangs.

All Dakota did was blink and the vampires all had a hold of a human, having disarmed them as they screeched in fear. Eric let go of his hold on Steve and took a step back, watching with caution.

"Enough!" It was Godric, he stood above them on the balcony. He looked down at his nest with an unreadable expression on his face. "You came for me, I assume?" Stan barely sank his fangs into the person he was holding, growling. "Underling."

"Yeah, sheriff."

"These people have not harmed me." said Godric. "You see? We can coexist. Mr. Newlin, I do not wish to create bloodshed when none is called for. Help me set an example. If we can live in peace, will you do that same?"

"I will not negotiate with subhumans!" he declared, sitting up before kneeling at Eric's feet. "Kill me. Do it. Jesus will protect me."

"I am actually older than your Jesus." stated Godric, amused. "I wish I could have known him, but I missed it."

Godric disappeared from the balcony and appeared behind the reverend, grabbing him by the back of his neck like he had Gabe. He peered at the church members and said, "Good people, who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?" no one said a thing. "That's what I thought. Stand down everyone." the vampires let go of the humans. "People, go home. It's over now."

Slowly they glanced at each other and hurried out of the church. Stan was furious as he sped out of the hall, followed by the rest of the vampires.

Eric brought his hands to Dakota's face, holding her cheeks as he asked, "Are you okay?"

Dakota nodded her head, wanting to know if he was okay. His skin had healed, no marks visible on his pale skin. Eric was about to open his mouth when she was ripped from his grip and pulled into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry! So, so sorry!" Jason rambled as Eric took a step back. "Will you please forgive me?"

"What the hell were you doing with those people?" she pulled back, frowning at her cousin. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Yeah, I was." he nodded, glancing at a fuming Steve. "That son of a bitch sucked out my brain and planted all his own babies in there."

"You know nothing." Steve interjected, slowly getting up from the floor and standing to his full height. "On the final day of reckoning, we'll see who goes to heaven and who goes to hell."

Jason dropped his hands by his side as he let go of the blonde and walked toward him with a sneer. "I reckon i've already been to heaven. It was inside your wife." He clocked the reverend in the face, hard. "Honesty my shit, ass."

"Jason," Dakota said, though made no move to stop him.

Eric grabbed her cousin by the shoulder and dragged him away while he yelled profanities at Steve. They were the last ones out and Dakota would never step foot in that church ever again.

Godric gave Steve one last look before following his progeny and the humans out and into the night.