Hello!
How are you all? It's been a few days now since finishing up Remember but here's the new story. I want to say a massive thank-you to my lovely betas Campyrs and BloodSucker815 along with Trajedy99 who has just joined the team too. Charlaine Harris owns the wonderful Southern Vampire Mysteries and on with the chapter.
Stuck inside what I could only describe as a broom closet I had nothing else to do but think. I'd been cramped up inside for hours already, the only illumination on offer to me came from the little face of my watch that glowed in the dark ever so slightly and the only company I had was in the form of the water bottle that was only half full. At least I was still being optimistic. I was over abject terror, I'd gotten past claustrophobia and I definitely was hopeless yet. That left me a surprisingly calm place, especially since I couldn't even hear anyone's thoughts since there was no one in the bedroom. There was no point in trying the door handle, mainly because there wasn't one on this side of the door and I couldn't get any purchase on the seam between the seam between the door and the frame, I could barely feel it the fit was so snug. So instead of wasting energy I relaxed back into the corner, pulling my new coat around my shoulders to keep off the coolness of the unheated closet and sank back into my thoughts, thinking of all the events that had led me to this place which was stuck inside an old closet on the sixteenth floor of the Blood Garden.
"Why do you screw vampires? " They're the scum of the earth and not wanted by God!" That was one of the more pleasant questions thrown at me as I tried desperately to scramble through the crowd. I'd been unceremoniously dumped on the side of the street for all intents and purposes by the taxi driver who had taken one look at the crowd before zooming off as fast as possible, not even bothering to help me with my bag like he had at the airport.
"Bitch, what's a pretty thing like you doing here?" Another voice assaulted me, accompanied by roaming hands that clamped down on my shoulder, yanking me back towards the baying people. I'd had enough of this, I wasn't quite here against my will but there was certainly a long list of places I'd rather be and most of the things they were accusing me of, I wasn't even guilty of; at least not anymore.
"Let go!" I yelled back, using more volume than absolutely necessary. I pried the grubby paws off of my shoulders and threw myself forward, down the little bit of a clear path they'd left through to the front doors of the hotel. The sun was setting below the horizon casting everyone in a pale orange glow; the soft light contrasted sharply with the harsh people being bathed in the light. My right hand tightened on the handle of my suitcase as I tried desperately to wheel it down the paving slabs to my destination which didn't seem to be getting any closer no matter how many steps I took. The crowd closed in behind me and the sense of being buried rose in my mind sending my heart thudding.
"We're live with BMC in front of Blood Garden and another human servant is seen going in to court with the vampires that are just about to start rising for the night. A young woman is making her way toward the front doors. "Excuse me Miss! What is your job here?" A man in his mid thirties held a microphone out toward me, his arm reaching out over a couple of people in his desperation for a good story.
"No comment," I huffed and said the words I'd been instructed to say when asked any questions. I concentrated my eyes straight ahead, focusing on my goal of the opaque black doors. It was just as I was beginning to lose hope of ever actually reaching there that one of the doors was thrown open and two burly security guards barged through the crowd toward me.
"Come on Miss," one stated to me, gripping my suitcase in one hand and wrapping his other around the top of my arm, pulling me along behind his broad shoulders. The other giant of a man walked beside me, his arms held out to the side to keep the crowd back; helping keep the path we created clear. Eventually we took the two steps that raised the front of the hotel from the street and I was swept inside the sanctuary that was the lobby.
"Thank-you," I stuttered while trying to get my breath back. The only response I got was a curt nod from both of them before they resumed their positions beside the doors facing toward the elevators that lined the back of the foyer. At least that explained why they hadn't immediately come to aid me; they hadn't seen it at first.
"Sookie Stackhouse," I told the receptionist when I'd reached the plush desk that ran the entire length of the right hand side of the gigantic room from doors to elevators. The left hand side was taken up with doors that led to a couple of small conference rooms, the bar and restaurant, the staffroom and finally a corridor that, according to the signs, led to the part of the hotel where the summit would be held. The floor of the place was shiny marble; some squares black and others white making a checked pattern and everything was expensive, you could even tell by a cursory glance around such as the black dyed roses in crystal vases that adorned the large desk every couple of metres.
"Ah yes, you're all sorted Ms. Stackhouse, here's your room key and you can also use that to access the meetings and anything else that is security controlled. Have a pleasant stay." The woman behind the desk with her honey golden hair pulled up into a business style bun was entirely too perky for her own good when dealing with someone who had been up for as long as I had. I graciously accepted the electronic key card and immediately deposited it into the back pocket of my slouch fit jeans before smiling my thanks to her and turning towards the elevator.
It was only when I actually reached the impressive bank of them, all shining as though they'd never been touched that I realised I had no idea where I was actually going.
"Room 214, it's on the eighth floor, take a right when you get out of the lift and follow the path around, it should be on your left." The woman from behind the desk hollered politely from her position behind the bar, giving me a knowing smile.
"Thanks." The elevator dinged its arrival and I clambered aboard, noting that there were fifteen floors that could be accessed by this elevator alone and I knew the hotel comprised of two different blocks of different heights, this just being the smaller one.
After only a few seconds on a very stomach churning fast elevator I reached my floor and followed the receptionist's instructions to my door with tired eyes that I could feel drooping with the thought of a comfortable bed coming closer to my aching body. Fortunately for me my room was only about five doors down from the elevator and I was quickly inside which left me with my mouth hanging open at the room.
It was about half the size of the downstairs of my house even though it only incorporated three rooms into the design; living room, bedroom and what I could only assume was the bathroom behind a closed door. The living room held an expensive flat screen television mounted onto the wall above a fake fireplace that held real logs and the couches were recliners and looked big enough to use as a bed. The actual bed, which I could just make out through the open doorway straight ahead, was a massive four poster design with an ornate headboard of a dark wood that was simply stunning and the bedding matched the rest of the decor; simple, modern yet still with a homey feel that most hotels didn't even bother trying for.
My suitcase thudded to the floor as I let go of the handle to staring in awe at the room I was standing in, mainly just the sheer size of it considering I was staying in a human only room in a vampire specialising hotel. I padded through to the bedroom, my tired feet dragging slightly along the honey coloured carpet. The bedroom was huge, easily as large as the master bedroom in my home that my grandmother used. The walls which were a simple cream were decorated with gorgeous landscapes of the English countryside and one cityscape showing the local tourist attractions, and unsurprisingly there were more than a couple that I didn't quite recognise.
I turned to investigate the closed door and found that it led to the bathroom which was decked out with a separate bathtub and shower along with a little vanity table in the corner. The shower however, was what called to me. With a speed I hadn't realised I was still capable of at the time I grabbed my things out of the bag and jumped under the hot spray.
After an amazingly long shower of near scalding water which eased the tension out of my muscles, all my thoughts were focused on two things; a pillow and a comfortable mattress so I indulged myself and curled up on the bed.
Hot chocolate. I was seriously thinking about devoting a shrine to the rich drink since it was finally making me feel like I could actually sleep. My eyes had been drooping for hours and were bloodshot to the point that I looked ill but as soon as I'd laid my head down on the pillow to sleep they'd stubbornly refused to remain shut. The bartender had given me a quizzical look when I'd requested it but had brought it along anyway in a tall glass mug with whipped cream and a chocolate flake on top for good measure. I had been sitting on the same bar stool in the hotel for the past half an hour, minding my own business and just generally ignoring all of the bustling activity going on around me that was provided by the larger number of the vampires.
"I hate jet lag," I mumbled to myself, allowing a little bit of self pity to sound in my voice. I wouldn't complain to anyone else about everything but I could complain to myself; at least for awhile or more likely until I'd got a good night's sleep. I plopped the flake that I'd been saving for last into my mouth, shut the book that I'd been using to occupy my mind and slid down off the stool. If I was lucky I would be able to sleep now and I really wanted to test that theory because I wasn't actually fit to do anything. The last time I'd looked in the mirror I looked exactly how I felt; like I hadn't slept for more than an hour in nearly two days.
The gorgeous chocolate flake, that seemed richer and sweeter somehow than the stuff I was used to at home, melted in my mouth deliciously as I made my way out of the bar towards the elevators. The population in the hotel seemed to be primarily vampire with human and shifter coming in a close second of equal proportions. I was waiting in front of the large bank of elevators when I heard someone calling out behind me.
"Excuse me Ma'am." I smiled at the typical American phrase; I hadn't heard it once since I'd been here, and I turned around to find out what was going on. What I didn't expect to see was what greeted me; a hulking vampire striding purposefully toward me with a folder grasped in one hand and a coat thrown over his other arm. I immediately recognised the coat as my own. "You left this behind." He came to a stop in front of me and a look of concentration flashed across his face, followed quickly by recognition.
"Thanks," I said before he could start up anymore conversation; I was too tired to hold one as I'd discovered earlier at the airport. He deftly handed over the coat, making sure I'd got a firm grasp of it before letting go of the fading blue material that had seen me through probably too many winters.
"You're Sookie Stackhouse." It wasn't a question but it did however pique my interest since I had never seen this vampire before with his intelligent blue eyes that seemed to be studying me.
"Yes. I'm sorry but I don't think I know you." I replied politely and I actually managed to plaster a bright smile on my face, I could never forget my manners apparently.
"No you don't, I'm Eric Northman, and I'm with Sophie Anne. I've been told to give you this," he paused and handed the folder over with a grin that I just couldn't place. "You are to carry the passes with you at all times, they allow you security access to the areas private to our group and they identify you as being with the Louisiana and Southern United States group." He must have been given some form of information about me to be able to recognise me and feel confident enough to give me identification without double checking. There was nothing I could do but I really didn't like the idea that the Queen, or maybe even Bill, had been gossiping about me to other vampires. The few that knew about me were interested in me enough, too much really, without throwing any more into the mix.
"Okay, erm, thank-you." I took the offered folder and turned to enter the elevator since it had arrived at some point during our little interaction. I nodded my head once at him; his face now wore a bemused expression as he returned the acknowledgement and stayed there watching me.
"I'll see you tomorrow." He called out clearly, not bothering to raise his voice, just as the doors began to close. My attention turned to the folder grasped tightly in my hand and I opened it up to reveal a plastic card on a lanyard that had my own picture staring back up at me. Unsettlingly, I could barely remember posing for this photo, I believed it was the one from my driver's license and I knew I'd never given the vampires a copy. I swallowed down my unease and pulled out the other sheets of paper after obediently slipping the chain over my head. The papers were a list of events taking place over the next week, along with everything that I was expected to attend and a list of all the vampires in the group. Just as he'd said, Mr. Northman was indeed on the list; and the second name there which meant he was exceedingly powerful within the ranking.
I paid no more thoughts to the handsome vampire as I waited for the elevator to reach my floor; instead I skimmed through the pages of the binder to see faces staring back up at me, each with a little biography underneath. None of the words sunk in, in fact the only piece of information I could garner from the pages was that none of the Queen's entourage had been given a description as apparently all the other vampires had, instead all I had was a list of their names. The elevator dinged and I walked to my room which was thankfully nearby. Once I was inside I dumped everything into a careless pile on the floor and collapsed onto my bed and instantly fell into a deep sleep.
"Leave me alone!" I called out wildly, my hands covering my face so that I wouldn't have to look at the man who sat in front of me. My elbows were resting on the table, I could feel the rough grooves of the wood underneath my skin and it helped to ground me somehow; get my emotions in check. I'd wanted nothing more than to throw myself at him, curve my fingers into claws to try and rip his flesh from his bones.
"Sookie, we need to discuss this." His cool voice haunted my ears, sounding as though he was surrounding me on all sides; like I was in a sea of his voice. I couldn't stand it anymore. I needed to stop treading water and start swimming fast; for the shore. A strange banging noise, as though Bill was smacking his hands atop the table registered in my mind, but the table wasn't moving at all.
He needed to leave fast; before I was tempted not to restrain myself and end up getting hurt. Hitting vampires when you're only human tends to hurt the person doing the thumping.
"Just go," I spat out, infusing as much venom into my voice as possible. I peeked through my fingers as I drew my hands down my face, wiping the tears away as I did so. "Bill, you need to leave." I stared at him, giving him the same stony expression he was giving me while trying desperately to ignore the wild banging sound coming from somewhere behind me. I made sure no emotion leaked through my eyes, giving him nothing in return for the nothing he'd given me in the past few months.
I allowed myself to take a few seconds to say an internal goodbye to him because if I had my own way, I wouldn't lay eyes on him again. It was only a pipe dream though; I knew being neighbours that my wishes wouldn't come true. His floppy dark brown hair that had just a hint of grey over the temples was hanging down over his eyes in a complete mess due to him constantly running his hands through it for the past half an hour. His deep brown eyes stared back at me, devoid of the humanity I'd fallen for. He was handsome, in a traditional kind of style, but I wasn't attracted to him anymore, I couldn't even look at him without feeling disgust in the pit of my stomach.
After a few seconds he silently stood up from his seat opposite of me and walked around the table where he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, letting his lips linger which actually made me feel physically ill and then turned to walk out of the door and hopefully out of my life.
"Shit!" I whispered, sitting up straight in bed. I'd thought those dreams had stopped months ago as I barely even thought of that vampire anymore, in fact I barely thought of any vampire apart from when I was working for the Queen. I glanced at the clock to find that only six hours had passed; somehow Bill had managed to disrupt my exhausted sleep and I just couldn't understand why. That was until I heard the loud rapping coming from down the hall again and I recognised it as the same sound that I'd heard in my dream; though, I hadn't understood it then.
Groaning, I fell back on the bed and pulled the duvet up above my head and screamed silently into the bedding, hoping that whoever wanted to get me up at such an early time, the sun had barely risen, would just leave me in peace. It seemed I wasn't getting this wish either because after a few seconds of waiting, during which I actually held my breath, the incessant knocking started again, this time it actually managed to sound angry.
"Gah," I sputtered out and threw the duvet cover back from the bed, exposing my pyjama clad body to the cool air of the bedroom. From there I willed myself out of the bed and heaved my grouchy self down the hallway toward the door where yet another round of knocking had started up. All I could think was that it better be some kind of emergency because if not, the person at the other side of that door was going to get a piece of my mind.
So what did you think? I already have chapter 2 with my betas (have I mentioned I love them for all the work they're doing to help me?) but i'm aiming to update once a week since that's probably all i'll be able to manage when term starts up. Expect an update same dayish next week. Thanks for reading and you know I love feedback almost as much as i love a certain Viking vampire. Btw, on sunday will someone let me know if Eric dies in the finale or not? I daren't watch it :) until I know