CHAPTER ONE
"I FUCKING HATE YOU!" I hissed as Eric walked past me. I glared at Bill and then added as an afterthought "both of you." I folded my arms across my chest and sulked. Staring at a spot on the table and tried my best to ignore both the vampires in the room with me. Eric, walking circles around me and Bill, sitting on a stool at the bar behind me.
"Sookie, we are doing this for your own protection." Bill said and I turned to face him.
"So you keep sayin' but I'm well beyond believing any of it." I snapped and I heard Eric chuckle. "As for you, I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate you."
Eric stopped walking and leant in to put his face close to mine. I pulled away from him as far as I could but I kept his gaze. I could feel Bill tense but it was somewhere in the back of my mind. Eric smiled as he spoke. "I'm sorry you still feel so angry with me."
He straightened and continued to pace the room. He raised an eyebrow as he spoke to Bill. "So we've got a pack of werewolves,renegade Fae and a witch out to kill her?" He asked.
"Yes." Bill replied.
"This is problematic." Eric drawled. "And you want my help to protect her?" He asked and I slammed my hands on the table. Eric turned to face me, amused and Bill looked nervous and frustrated.
"I can look out for myself, thankyou. I know how to use that magic I have. I don't need you." I was doing my best to put on a tough face and to appear like I wasn't some simple blonde waitress that can't look after herself.
"What happens when a pack of werewolves bursts into your house and tries to rip open your throat and kill you?" Eric asked. I glared at him.
"What happens when a vampire who owns a night club tries to?" I spat and I heard Bill chuckle before Eric hissed and bared his fangs at me.
"Don't make the mistake of thinking I would hurt you."
Regarding Eric with a contemptuous look I answered. "Don't pretend you like me." Eric stood and walked away from me, retracting his fangs and he did. "Are we quite done here?" I asked the two men. "I want to get home and have a bath."
I stood and grabbed my bag and Eric came and took my arm. Bill hissed and bared his fangs at Eric who returned in favour. I rolled my eyes and turned my back. "Oh for heavens sakes."
I stalked out of Fangtasia and to my car. I stopped short in suprise when I noticed Eric was standing beside the drivers door and was preventing me from getting in the car. "Get out of my way." I snapped and he grinned.
Holding out his hand to me he simply said "keys."
"What? No please?" I tsked and he contemplated me with a steady glance. I was so over this whole vampire male dominance, testosterone thing, it really was getting old. "Come on, Eric. I'm tired and want to go home so if you wouldn't mind moving out of my way."
"Keys." He ordered again and I growled as I threw them at him. He caught them easily and unlocked my car. I got into the passenger seat and slammed the door as hard as I could to prove how angry I was at the whole thing. I put my seatbelt on and stared out the window. I'd be damned if I was going to talk to the man at all on the trip home. I prayed that when I got back I'd be left alone. Little chance of that happening I thought sadly to myself.
The trip back to Bon Temps was long and silent. We didn' speak nor did we put on the radio. I was more than happy to sit in the silence, sulk and feel sorry for myself. Eric pulled the car to a stop in my driveway and had my door open before I had time to unbuckle my seatbelt. He had his hand outstretched for me to take it. I glared at his hand and got out the car by myself.
I walked to the front door and got my keys out of my handbag. Eric leaned against the wall and studied me the whole time. I found it a little disconcerting. "Do you really need to do that?" I asked and Eric smiled enigmatically.
"I find it rather enjoyable. I can't really seem to stop myself."
A thought occured to me and I turned to Eric who raised an eyebrow at my sudden turn around. "When will your blood wear off on me?" I asked and he smirked.
"It would have already left your system."
"Well it hasn't because I still..." I stopped mid sentence and he stepped up close to me, staring down into my eyes.
"You still what?" He whispered and I found that I had a lump in my throat. I didn't want to admit what I kept feeling and dreaming. It didn't make sense that I would be still having those kinds of dreams about Eric if the blood had warn off. I decided that he must be lying to me about the blood wearing off. "What is happening that makes you think you still have my blood in you?"
"You can still sense me." I finished, proud that I had so successfully covered myself. Eric gave me his self satified smile.
"I will always be able to sense you now I have tasted yourblood and you have tasted mine." He drawled. "There's something else isn't there?" He asked and I stepped back, trying my best to look confused.
"No."
"Yes." He smiled and studied me. He ran his eyes over my body and grinned. "You dream of me still, don't you?" He asked. I bristled at that and frowned.
"Fuck you." I snapped and Eric grabbed the back of my head, lacing his long fingers through my blonde hair. I placed my hands on his chest and felt a primal rumble in his chest. He tried to pull me to him and I did my best to push him away from me.
It was no good. He was too strong for me and he crushed his lips to mine. I pushed with all my might to shove him away from me. I heard him groan and he put his other hand on the back of my head, pulling me in for a kiss. We had been down this road before, when Eric was going against the king after killing the kings lover Talbert and he was certain he was going to meet the true death.
This kiss was the same as that night. He was possessive and I was trying to shove him away. I was doing my best to pretend I didn't want this, didn't want Eric to kiss me. Pretending. As soon as that thought that I gave in. I stopped pushing Eric away and instead I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed back. He growled deep in his throat and pulled me to him.
It all happened so fast I barely had time to register what happened. One moment I was lost deep in the kiss and the next I was kissing and holding cool air. I opened my eyes and glanced around confused. Then I noticed two blurs moving down on the driveway. I ran to the top of the steps and looked down. As soon as it started it was over. Eric was leaning over Bill, his hand wrapped around Bill's neck snarling with his fangs out. Bill was on his back in the dirt, trying to prise Eric's hand off him and was also snarling with his fangs out.
"What the hell is goin' on here?" I yelled, running down to where the two men were hissing and snarling.
"He was kissing you." Bill answered.
"She wanted it." Eric replied flatly. Bill snarled.
"I don't believe that."
"Believe what you want." Eric replied. "Sookie wanted me..." he glanced at me over his shoulder and I gulped, "and I was happy to oblige." He finished.
"No." Bill breathed, looking at me with hurt in his eyes. "Tell me you didn't want him to kiss you."
I bit my lip and looked from one man to the other. Eric smiled triumphantly and Bill closed his eyes. "Kill me." Bill said and Eric's eyebrows rose.
"What?" He asked. Bill opened his eyes and looked up at Eric pleadingly.
"Kill me, give me the true death."
"Bill!" I interrupted but he continued.
"If I cannot have Sookie then I don't want to live." I felt tears sting my eyes. Eric bit his lip in thought and then he stood and backed away from Bill. He grinned and shook his head.
"I'm afraid it is against the law for a vampire to kill another vampire without just cause. I can't kill you, sorry." Eric said and Bill rose to his feet. He got bloody tears and looked at me.
"I love you Sookie." He said and I felt a teardrop roll down my cheek. I was about to answer when there was a howl in the distance. Both Eric and Bill snapped to attention and I felt my blood run cold.
"Sookie, go wait in the house." Eric demanded and I glared at him.
"No, I don't..."
"Go now!" He demanded as another howl pierced the night, this one closer than the last. The primitive animal in me sensed danger so I turned and ran into the house, slamming and locking the door behind me. Deciding I needed something to protect myself with I ran up the stairs to my bedroom. I locked the door and then wedged a chair underneath the handle to give me added security. Then I raced to the bed and dropped to my knees, extracting the shotgun from under it.
I stood and checked the gun to make sure it was loaded. When I was sure there were bullets in it I clicked it shut and pumped it to ensure it was ready to fire should I need to. I stood facing the door and braced myself for an attack. Outside I could hear the feral cries and grunts of vampire's fighting wolves. It chilled my blood but I stayed strong.
All of a sudden I was shoved forward and the shotgun shot out of my hands and across the wooden bedroom floor. I had stupidly forgotten the window. I pulled myself onto my hands and knees and crawled across the floor to get to the gun. I never made it there as pain shot through my leg and I cried out. I knew that both Eric and Bill would be able to feel my fear and pain and would be with me as soon as they were able.
I was dragged away from the gun and then I felt the jaws of the werewolf release me. I was in pain but I ignored it as I tried to crawl to the gun again. I knew I needed that gun if I had any hope of surviving this encounter and I was desperate to get a hold of it. I had almost reached the gun, my fingertips touched it, when I felt teeth bury into the soft flesh at my neck.
I screamed at the top of my lungs as a pain worse than I could have possibly imagined claimed me. I felt blood spurt out of my neck as the wolf tore away a chunk of my throat. I could taste metallic blood in my throat and it bubbled up into my mouth. I was panicking. After everything I had been through I was finally dying, at the hands of a psychotic werewolf.
I heard a growl and then the wolf bit me again. I was losing conciousness but I still managed to hear a primal roar and the wolf flew across my room at dizzying speed. It hit the wall and I heard it yelp, either in pain or suprise I didn't know nor care. I blacked out for a moment and then regained my vision. I saw Eric move past me toward the animal, a feral expression on his face.
This was a one thousand year old vampire, viking prince. I must have blacked out again because the next thing I know I felt a cool hand under my neck. I screamed at the searing pain in my eviscerated neck as I was lifted off the floor. I gained enough vision to see Eric bite his wrist and hold it to me. "No." I gurgled, struggling for air past the gaping wound in my neck and my choking on my own blood.
"You need to drink, Sookie." Eric said soothingly. I didn't want to have anymore of this man's blood in me. I didn't want to keep having those dreams or feeling those things for him. I tried again to say no but only a gurgling noise came out. I coughed once and a jet of blood sprayed out of my mouth. Eric growled and pressed his wrist to my mouth.
I wanted to pull away but the blackness was threatening to claim me again. The primal part of me was desperate for survival and I couldn't help it. I swallowed Eric's blood and then drank deeply. I wanted to live. Somewhere, far off in the background of it all I heard Eric make a triumphant cry. I closed my eyes and grabbed his arm and drank even more deeper than before.
I heard heavy footsteps on the wooden floor but cared nothing about it. I think I heard Bill's voice say "What the fuck is this?" but couldn't be sure.
"Stop Sookie." Eric's voice came to me as his wrist left my mouth. Then darkness consumed me for the last time.
