It had been 2 weeks since Marina last spoke to and saw Godric. Most of the time she spent her time with the Kingsley sisters and while they did enjoy the occasional party, they also did things like play Scrabble and Twister and Rina found herself hanging out with them a whole lot more. 

It's been a long time since she'd made such a nice connection with people in her peer group.

Joseph had come to test the Kingsley sisters out one night under the guise of dropping her off but they managed to partially win even him over and even invited him to come to one of their game nights one night – although he has yet to arrive given his rising role in the Dallas nest after Stan's death.

Tonight was Open Mic at the café so Rina was watching some of the performers while helping with the waitressing since one of Jade's waitresses couldn't make it due to a family emergency that came up.

"Rina, I can't thank you enough for coming through and helping me out" Jade says to her as Rina grabbed the Tru Blood order of one of their vampire patrons.

"I'm happy to help, Jade" Rina says as she walked off to hand the man his Tru Blood. "Here you go and enjoy" she says as she placed the drink on the table in front of him.

"Thanks" the dark haired and pale skinned vampire says to her with a somewhat lazy smile as his eyes land on her necklace nervously as Rina nodded at this as she prepared to walk off.

With no people for the time being who needed to be served Rina watched the night's performances, cheering for some of them after their performances ended.

"Rina, we have a new customer" Sam says to her as she gestures to the new entrance as Rina turned to face the source only for her eyes to widen a bit when she sees who it is: Godric. "You two know each other?" Sam asks in intrigue when Godric's eyes land on hers as soon as her eyes did the same. "Ooh, is he the 'drug dealer' boyfriend?" she asks nosily with air quotations.

"Someone wants to order something so would you stop and go attend to that!" Rina says in embarrassment as she made her way toward Godric. "Hey" she greets, surprised to see him there. It felt like ages since they last saw one another. "What are you doing here?"

"Are not all residents of Dallas allowed to attend?" he asks her, arching a brow at this.

"No they are I just – I'm surprised to see you here" Rina says, "never mind" she says as she waves her hand dismissively. "Hi and welcome to Jade's Joint!" she says in her practiced line as Godric smirks a bit at this, "what flavour of Tru Blood can I get you tonight, sir?" she asks him.

"What flavours do you offer, miss?" he asks, going along with the joke that they don't know each other.

"All of them" she adds, "even AB negative which is said to be quite a hit" she adds with a wink.

"I'm fine for now. Thank you" he says.

"Alright then" she says, "shout if you need anything" she says as she made her way toward Jade who was standing behind the counter.

Jade seemed to have been watching her and Godric very carefully.

"That's the vampire sheriff, right?" Jade asks, recognizing him from the times she's gone to the vampire nest with Kim. "Sam says he's your boyfriend–"

"Okay well it's official. You are an only child now because I'm going to kill your sister" Rina says as Jade laughs at this.

"I wish you all the best with that" she adds as Rina heated up an AB negative Tru Blood. "Is that for him?"

"Yeah" Rina admits. The next performer goes up as Rina made her way to Godric with his warmed blood.

"Order up" she says as she placed it on the table in front of him.

"I didn't–"

"I know but I got you one anyway" Rina retorts stubbornly, giving him a look that said that she could not be swayed. Godric is amused that Marina is still very much the same.

They hadn't seen each other in quite some time as she didn't spend as much time at the nest anymore.

"Thank you...Jasmine" he says amusedly, reading the name on her shirt.

Jasmine was the waitress that wasn't able to make it tonight.

"You are perfectly welcome random person that I've never met before today" she says with a giggle as she sat with him as some of the vampires present watched the sheriff and the human's interaction in intrigue.

Godric takes a sip of the Tru Blood when Rina wordlessly gestures for him to take a sip from her spot beside him.

The synthetic drink is absolutely disgusting but Godric drinks it if only to encourage his vampire subjects to do the same.

"They're great, aren't they?" Rina asks him, referring to some of the performers that they've seen. All the while giving herself a pat on the back for managing to make him drink the blood – even if it is synthetic.

"Indeed" he agrees, "I think you would have an affinity for poetry if you should give it a try" he says as he took another sip of the disgusting synthetic blood.

"No, definitely not" Rina says with an embarrassed laugh, "you should have heard some of tonight's performances. I couldn't rival them even if I tried" she adds.

"Then do not compare yourself to them" Godric says simply, "just...speak as well as you write" he adds as Rina shakes her head no at this with a ghost of a smile on her face at this.

Godric smiles back upon realizing that he couldn't convince her to go up as they went back to watching the performances as Sam and Jade shared indecipherable looks from their opposite corners of the room.

⚜️Dig Down Deep⚜️

"Godric these are my friends Sam and her sister Jade" Rina introduced them when people had left as the Kingsley sisters got ready to lock up after cleaning up and packing up.

Godric was sweet enough to help them as Sam would shoot Rina smug smiles at this while Rina gestured that she was going to kill her.

"It is an honour to meet you both" Godric says to them. "I have heard many wonderful things about you" he adds.

Not necessarily from Rina but rather from listening in on her conversations with Joseph.

"Rina never told us you were so hot" Sam says with a crooked smile as Rina's eyes widen in panic at this as she sent a glare Sam's way.

"Yeah Rina, thought you could keep him all to yourself then did you?" Jade teases Rina further.

If ever there was a time that Rina wishes the ground could swallow her up....NOW is that time.

Sam and Jade were doing a great job of embarrassing her.

"Don't be ridiculous you guys" Rina says as she fought to keep her voice level and steady, "I've never hidden anyone from you" she adds coolly despite the nervous hammering of her heart and the embarrassed smile on her face.

"She's being honest" Jade admits to Godric, "we just like teasing her is all" she adds with a wink directed at Rina who playfully narrows her eyes in response.

"It is funny when she gets all flustered" Sam agrees with her sister as she chuckles at this.

"Okay, we're leaving" Rina says, "let's go Godric" she says as the two sisters laugh at this as Godric inclined his head toward the two women once more before he and Rina made their way out of the café.

The two of them watch as Godric says something to Mac and Julian before disappearing with Rina in the blink of an eye.

Mac and Julian climb into the SUV and drive off less than a second later.

"He is so in love with her" Sam says to her sister with a laugh, "did you see the way he was looking at her whenever she smiled or laughed?!" she adds.

"And they said the boy Death had no more emotion" Jade says. "How wrong they were" she adds.

"How are we going to go about doing this, Jade? She's always surrounded by Mac and Julian" she adds, "not to mention the sheriff would slaughter us if there was a misunderstanding" she adds.

"I've got a plan" Jade reveals.

⚜️Dig Down Deep⚜️

"This is amazing!" Rina says in awe as she flew in Godric's arms.

He'd told her back at the Fellowship that he could fly but she'd never seen it before so she asked him to take her flying as they left the café in order to divert from what Sam and Jade had been saying and he surprisingly agreed before dismissing Mac and Julian for the night.

"Don't drop me" she says in panic as she clung to him tightly.

"I wouldn't ever" Godric teases.

"Oh yeah, then why is there that mischievous look in your eye that Eric also has?" Rina challenges with a laugh.

"I have no idea what you mean Marina" Godric said as he flew them toward the ground at a rapid pace as Marina inhaled sharply at this.

"Godric!" she cried out in panic as Godric chuckled as he flew them back up again. "You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" she asks him as they flew onto the grounds of his nest.

The guards pull back when they realize that it's only Godric and Marina as they inclined their heads toward them as they responded with a "Sir. Ma'am" before heading off again to patrol the grounds.

"I couldn't imagine anything worse" Godric says to her, in reference to her jest, fully aware that she hasn't yet released him or stepped back from him as they stood pressed flush against one another.

"Pay no mind to Sam or Jade" Rina says to him, "they are–"

"Just kidding" Godric finished off for her. "Yes, I am aware" he reassures her.

"It was nice to see you there" Rina admits to him as she finally steps back at this and Godric has half a mind to draw her back and hold her close again, "though I was surprised to see you there" she adds, "and make no mistake, I'm not saying don't come again but rather that it's nice to see you outside of formal events" she adds with a smile.

"I came to see you, Marina" Godric admits to her, taking her aback at this.

"To see me? Why?" Rina asks him in confusion.

"I haven't seen you in 2 weeks and worried that perhaps I had done something to upset you" Godric admits to her as her confused look melts into an affectionate smile at this.

"I've just been spending time with Sam and Jade" she adds, "Joe has his own friends now and I figured it was about time that I did the same" she adds in reassurance as she stared into his grey eyes. "We uh – We should probably head inside now" she says as she clears her throat, fighting back a blush at this as Godric nods at this as they made their way toward the house. "By the way, thanks for flying us here. It was fun" she says to him.

"It was my pleasure, Marina" Godric replies as they headed closer toward the house as Rina shoots a glance in his direction from the corner of her eye.

"Godric" she speaks up as she wrung her hand nervously.

"Yes, Marina?" he replies coolly, enjoying the casual walk with her in the cool night.

"Will you not get into trouble for abandoning your role as sheriff to come and hang out with me tonight?" she asks him, "I only ask because I don't want to get you into trouble" she adds.

"No" Godric reassures her, "Isabel had everything under control and I am certain that if there was anything that she could not handle then she would have notified me" he adds as Rina nods at this.

"Good" she says as they ascended the stairs that led to the front door as Rina watched the guards patrolling the grounds.

"Something bothers you" Godric notes as he watched her frown as if in deep thought.

"Would you mind if I asked you another question?" she asks him.

"I cannot promise that I can answer the question but you may go ahead" he adds.

"It's about Julian" Rina says to him as she turns to face him, "why did you appoint him as my bodyguard? What made you trust him of all people with my life?" she asks him.

"It is as I have told you before. Julian would be apt at protecting you during the day when neither myself, Isabel or Joseph can get to you" Godric replies simply.

"I get that part" Rina says, "but there must be more to why it's Julian you send to protect me" she says as she looked into his eyes.

"You appear to have formulated an opinion of your own, Marina" Godric replies, seeing the look in her eyes and understanding that she has caught onto Julian's secret.

"He's not human, is he?" Marina asks bluntly as Godric's eyes twinkle in amusement at this.

"No" he admits, "no, he is not" he adds.

"I knew it!" Rina exclaims with a bright smile as Godric chuckles at her exclamation.

"How did you figure it out?" he asks, awed by her intelligence.

"It wasn't easy" Rina says, "but it's all about paying attention to the finer details" she adds. "On any other day he's perfectly fine but he gets a little more agitated and restless than usual on nights of a full moon so I decided to do a little digging and voila!" she adds as Godric looked at her in awe at this. "There's a reason I'm studying journalism, Godric and it's not just because I have pretty words that I want to write" she says with a teasing half-smile as Godric nods at this.

"Your brain is an exceptional thing, Marina" Godric praises sincerely as she blushes in embarrassment at this.

She's managed to figure out in a few weeks what others don't see or have never taken the time to notice.

"You're giving me too much credit" she says, "anyone could have figured it out" she adds.

"No, not just anyone" Godric replies, looking at her like she's something he's never seen before in all his 2 thousand years of life as her blush deepens at this.

"So he's really a werewolf?" she asks in awe. 

"All the guards are" Godric informs her.

"Wow" Rina says in astonishment. "Am I allowed to ask what other kinds of supernaturals there are?" she asks in absolute wonder and awe.

"You can but unfortunately I cannot tell you of them" Godric says as she nods in understanding at this. It wouldn't really be his place to say so she can understand that. "I'm afraid that if you wish to know more of his kind then you may have to ask Julian about it" he adds as Rina nods at this.

"Do you know what I enjoy the most about talking with you, Godric?" she asks shyly with a sweet, tender smile.

"No, I don't" Godric replies, curious to hear what she has to say.

"It's that I always manage to learn something new" she adds, "and for an inquisitive mind like mine that's the best thing in the world" she admits with a bright beam directed at him that fills Godric with warmth. "Goodnight, Godric" she says as she kisses his cheek before drawing back, "and thanks again for tonight" she adds as she headed inside the house, leaving a stunned Godric behind as he touched his cheek in complete perplexity.

"Goodnight, Marina" he replies softly, still awed by the fact that she would willingly kiss a monster such as him.

In a matter of a few months Marina has managed to make herself someone very important to him and he has – dare he say it – come to care very deeply about her and has become quite protective of her and of ensuring that no harm comes to her.

At first it was because she was Joseph's sister and Godric admires the young vampire, who at times has acted better than vampires 10 times his age but now he's coming to realize that he cares for Marina in a much deeper capacity than as Joseph's sister and someone that Isabel also cares for greatly.

⚜️Dig Down Deep⚜️

"So..." Julian says awkwardly as he sat across from Marina on the following morning as she ate breakfast.

"So" she says in the same tone.

"The sheriff informed me about your conversation" he adds.

"Yip" Rina says as she pops the p at this.

"I shouldn't be surprised that you figured it out" he adds, "you are a smart one" he adds as Rina snorts at this. "What do you want to know?" Julian asks with a snicker.

"Everything" Rina says in awe, "that you're allowed to share of course" she adds immediately as Julian chuckles at this.

"Yes, I do turn into a wolf" he adds, "with the fur and the claws and apparently an earthy smell that is...annoying for vampires" he adds with a snicker as Rina chuckles along with him.

"Is it only on full moons or–?"

"That part of the legend is false" he admits, "easier to conceal ourselves that way, you see" he adds as Rina nods in understand at this, "we can change at will though the urge is stronger on a full moon" he adds as Rina looks at him in awe. "What?" he asks with a laugh when he sees how she was looking at him.

"This is – This is amazing" she says breathlessly. "The fact that werewolves actually exist!" she adds excitedly, "it begs the question of whether stories and legends are all actually true" she adds.

"Well I can tell you now that I've never seen a man change from being a frog into a man after getting true love's kiss" Julian teases, in reference to fairytales as Rina chuckles at this.

"Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it isn't real" she says, "if anything the existence of vampires and werewolves should show humanity that we're not even close to being at the top of the food chain" she adds, thinking of people like Steve Newlin who think that they are the best thing to happen to the world solely because they are human.

"Humans panic easily and when they do they lose rationality" Julian says with a casual shrug, "so it's far better that we don't ALL reveal our existence to you" he adds.

"And when you say all you mean there's a lot more?" Rina asks excitedly at him sharing such a large secret with her.

Godric gave her a tidbit last night and she knows that he wouldn't lie to her but Julian is confirming it.

"A whole lot more" Julian adds with a grin and a wink.

A/N: I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter✌️