I do not own any of these characters; they all belong to Charlaine Harris.
Let me know what you think of this. But please be gentle because the only writing I've ever submitted was in English class.
Chapter 1
"Pick one." Amelia said, She placed a few books in front of me. They were travel books all to European destinations I couldn't tell weather to sigh or jump for joy. I could definitely use a vacation, but knowing the company I keep there would be issues. There were always issues. Heck, I had just been at the epicenter of a fairy war. A fairy war! I had been tortured and now my cousin Claudine who was with child was gone. She had saved my life multiple times, and I really missed her not to mention all my other fae family. My great-grandfather Niall had decided after only barely getting to know me that he had put me in great danger, which was true, and that it would all go away if he sealed off his world from mine. Ha that wasn't true. I was always in danger. I really missed having my family though.
Some days I would wake up and sit in my bed wondering How did this all happen? Well it pretty much all happened when Bill walked into Merlott's. As soon as he did I'm pretty sure I was transported to a parallel universe where I was constantly being thrown into some kind of danger. Thought I dont think I could personally tack down Bill for all of this. Things really started to shake up when the vampires decided to "come out of the coffin" as we like to say. That is what Bill is of course, a vampire. A lot of my friends now a days are supes, Supernatural beings. I myself am pretty supernatural. I'm one-fourth fae, I'm telepathic and I'm blood bonded to the sexiest Viking vampire in the history of the earth. I wasn't too sure about my relationship with Eric at the moment. He had all but told me that he was in love with me. I was pretty sure that he was waiting for me to tell him that I loved him. I'm not sure if I do or not. Bill had been the one to rescue me from my tortures. He had selflessly fought for my safety even though he had been poisoned by the silver capped teeth of one of the fae tortures. It was hard to ignore that kind of devotion. That and he was my first love.
I needed to get away from it all.
"Okay Amelia, lets do this." She let out huge grin.
"Thank God, we both really need this." She said. Tray had died protecting me during the war as well. Tray had been Amelia's boyfriend. "My dad owns a villa in the French country and I'm fluent so I would suggest we go there for at least a month. We could stay in the villa for half the time and then sight see in Paris for the rest of the time." That sounded surreal. I was beginning to get excited.
"Do you think I should run it past Eric?" I asked her. I couldn't possibly know what he would think or say. Unless I got one of those random glimpses into his head. It didn't happen very often thank God, but every time it did worried me to the core.
"No," Amelia said, "You can't have him controlling your life." I knew she was right. I didn't know how I felt about Eric. On occasion I felt like the bond was actually making me like him when I knew I shouldn't. I did care for him though. I loved being able to curl up in his arms and tell him what was bothering me, and then forget all about it while he made love to me. Eric was a sex god. I haven't really had that much diversity in my collection of lovers, but had I as much experience as him I was sure he would be at the top of my list, as I was for him.
"Mmmkay," I said, "when should I start packing?" I was kind of anxious; I'd never been out of the country before.
"I'd say as soon as you finish your coffee," Amelia said "but I know you probably want to make sure that Bill is completely on the mend before we leave." She was right I couldn't just leave the country and then come back to find Bill dead. I know I wouldn't be able handle that.
"Yeah, I think that I might go see him tonight actually. If I think that he's better then we can leave sometime tomorrow." The sooner the better I thought. I needed to forget. It wouldn't be enough to just go to some destination vacation in the US. I needed to get out of the country.
"Okay I'll go book the tickets." Amelia got up and went to her room where she kept her laptop. She had on occasion told me to get one and I was seriously considering it. It just seemed time.
I thought about the trip for a little it was just such a good idea. I mean I was sure that the minds of people wouldn't really bother me there. They would be speaking in French and I had taken Spanish in high school and I only knew a little. But then a thought rippled across my mind
They would go crazy. All of them. Pam, Eric, Bill, Sam, Jason, and probably quite a few others would just loose it if I up and left. They would search for me and be angry with me and they would just not let me go. They needed to know, but they needed to find out in a way that would ensure that they couldn't stop me or follow me to make sure I was safe. I didn't want a single one of them following me to France.
I concocted a plan in my mind. I would see Eric early in the evening. I would go down to Fangtasia and I would get into a fight with him. If I was going to do what I was pretty sure I was with Bill tonight then I had to do it after I saw Eric. If I knew Eric he wouldn't think of it if I didn't call him for a few days after our fight. He may send Bill to check up on me but that would be about it. I could tell Sam and Jason that I was taking a vacation. I didn't need to tell them where and if they asked I would just lie. It was something I've grown good at. In the event that any vampire came to my house I decided I would leave a note taped to my doors saying that I was on vacation until further notice. Okay good plan. It was already two thirty in the afternoon and I didn't have to work today, but I needed to go into Merlott's to tell Sam that I would be going on vacation along with Amelia so we would try to find people to cover our shifts.
I told Amelia where I was going and I set out.
Merlott's was pretty crowded today. Arlene wasn't there. She had quit once she found out that Sam was a shifter. She had also tried to kill me. I was pretty much against anyone who wanted to kill me.
"Hey Sookie!" a few people greeted me. Not many of them knew of the things that had happened to me. I wouldn't want them to know. Sam did though and I was pretty much counting on that and the fact that he harbored feelings for me for this to work.
"Do you know where Sam is?" I asked Holly. She was one of the waitresses that I sometimes worked with.
"Yeah, he's in his office." She nodded towards the back. I was pretty sure I didn't need to ask that. Sam is either at the bar or in his office and he wasn't at the bar. I hope I wasn't going to blow this with my brain over thinking things. I stood outside Sam's office. I wasn't sure if I should knock or not, do I usually knock? I couldn't remember. I decided to knock. It seemed like the polite thing to do, and after all I was always trying my best to be polite as can be.
"Come on in" Sam said as I pushed the door open. "Hey Sook" He said when he saw me
"Hey Sam, listen I wanted to ask you something." He looked absurdly hopeful. Maybe she's finally had enough of those damn vampires.
"Amelia and I are really not doing well and we were thinking of taking a vacation." I told him. I don't think Sam and I were ever going to happen. I just didn't see it in the cards, but I would never tell him that.
Sam smiled "Aw, Sookie of course. You two have really been through a lot." Yeah tell me about it.
"We could find replacements to cover our shifts. It's looking like we are going to be gone for a month." I told him
Wow that sure is a long time Sam thought. "That's fine Sookie," he said, "If you can't find replacements for the whole time just call me and let me know."
"Thanks Sam, your the best" I leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. I could feel happiness just rolling off of him. It felt nice to know that Sam would always be there caring for me.
"Have a good time Sookie, or where are you going?" He asked I winced inwardly.
"California," I told him "Amelia has some family that owns a house out there that they aren't living in at the moment." Sam knew that Amelia's family was rich. She wasn't because she preferred to make it on her own, but Amelia's dad was loaded.
"Cool, you two have fun." He smiled at me as I left. Phew, that went pretty good.
I called Jason when I got home and left a voicemail to let him know that I was going away. It was almost five and soon the vampires would be rising. I decided that I would head down to Fangtasia a little early. They were open at six but no one came till eight or so. Amelia was upstairs packing when I got home
"Hey," I said standing in the doorway of her room "I told Sam, do you think you could find us replacements for while we're gone I have to go out."
"Yeah okay," Amelia said, "what do you think of this?" she held up an adorable yellow triangle top bikini.
"Whoa where did you get that?" I asked coming over to admire it.
"I've had it for a while, but I haven't had the opportunity to use it till now. Hey, you should get a new suit." She was right. The one I had was old, but I really only used it when I was tanning.
"I'll get one in France probably. I'll bet they have amazing clothing." I said. I could just imagine all the cute clothes I would get. I should probably get something for Pam, just to ease back into things when we got back.
"Oh yeah they most certainly do." Amelia smiled. I could see memories in her head from the last time she had been there. I was going to have to bring extra cash.
"Okay I'll be right back and then I'm going to head over to Bill's." I told her.
"Sounds good!" she called. I decided to change to see Eric. I would put back on my clothes when I got back to see Bill, so that he would be able to tell less that I had gone to see Eric.
I put on the white dress that I wore the first day I ever saw Eric. Then I changed my mind. We wouldn't have time for sex. Tough I'm sure it would be amazing. I'm also sure that as soon as I see him and he kisses me I would melt and probably just give in and forget all about my vacation. I made a vow while I sat in the parking lot to not loose my nerve. I would use the slightest thing to pick a fight over. I would not fall prey to those deep blue eyes or his beautiful lips, or his shining golden hair, or his… okay wait. I took a deep breath and got out of the car it was six forty-five and I knew he was there. I could feel it. Don't melt don't melt don't melt I chanted in my head. Pam was at the door. I put on my game face and went up to her.
"Hello there Sookie." She said. Pam was wearing the Fangtasia uniform, a filmy black dress. She was beautiful.
"Hey Pam, I came too see Eric." I kept my smile pretty neutral. I wasn't sure what would be happening.
"I think he's in his office, but if not then I'm sure you'll see him." She let me inside and didn't follow. That was good; if she had thought I was up to something she would have for sure followed me.
Eric was inside the bar. I could feel his presence as soon as I stepped inside. Don't melt don't melt. I began to repeat again. It was effective so far. I had spotted him sitting at his table and looked straight into his eyes. Did I mention that I was still standing? I congratulated my self on my amazing self-control.
"Sookie, my dearest." he crooned tucking some hair behind my ear.
"Hey Eric." He hadn't given me anything to fight about yet.
"What brings you here lover? Do you crave my company as surely as I crave yours?" Dang vampires they had a way with words I'm telling you. I kept chanting.
"I think maybe its time to talk." I knew that if we had our talk it could bring up some very sore subjects. Eric looked kind of surprised. I had been putting this off for a while.
"Yes, I think so too." He rose and led me to his office. Eric sat on the couch and indicated that I was to sit next to him. I bent my legs over his putting us in the perfect conversation position. Though I was acutely aware that it would take a simple shift for us to be in the perfect position to have sex. Eric's big hand stroked my thigh. I was pretty sure that he wanted to move his hands elsewhere.
"Where to begin," he mused staring at my face. He was probably trying to guess what exactly was on my mind.
"Maybe we should begin by discussing what happened when you stayed at my house." I wasn't sure if this was good or not, but it was pretty much the first thing that we still hadn't cleared.
"Mmm," Eric's eyes flashed with desire. No doubt he was remembering some all the times we had had sex. "Possibly the best days of my existence." Yep I was in trouble I had to really stick in there. I started my chanting again. It was beginning to loose its effect.
"Yeah." I decided to let him do more talking. That way I would have more of a change to pounce. "It really was memorable wasn't it." I sighed. The Eric I had grown to love really was someone completely different from the one in front of me now. Eric grinned his trademark grin that alerted me to trouble. His fangs were starting to show.
"What are you thinking?" he asked me. I was thinking about not melting.
"I'm thinking that the Eric I spent all that time with is not the same one that's here with me now." I told him. I could see his eyebrows knit together. He wasn't in the mood any more.
That wasn't true I found when he decided to try and show me that I wanted to be with him by moving his hand slowly up my thigh and sliding his fingers into me.
"I think you know that isn't true." He whispered into my ear. My breathing sped up when he kissed just at the edge of my jaw. Somehow I manage to get a hand around his write and pull him away from me.
"Eric it is." I said as defiantly as I could. "In fact I'm almost positive that if we hadn't had the blood bond that I wouldn't want you at all. I might want the other Eric but not you right here." Maybe I didn't need to pick a fight with him. Maybe I could get him to get angry with me.
He was definitely was listing now.
"Sookie, that's not true because the bond only amplifies feelings that are already there. I told you that." He said looking straight at me. I could feel the pressure of his eyes on my face but I looked straight ahead.
"Eric," I began "I feel in love with the you that wasn't all wrapped up in trickery and using people. Almost as soon as you were yourself again you started right up again. You tricked me into giving you that knife that promised me to you. Honestly I think that the bond is all we have." I had stood up and was looking at him sitting on the couch as I finished. He looked so shocked. It hurt me and I wanted nothing but to kiss him and fuck him and tell him that I really did love him and wanted to stay with him always.
"May I ask what prompted this?" he asked bitterly.
"Quinn," I said ignoring the look of absolute hate on his face at the mention of my ex boyfriend "what he said." I corrected my self. I would hate to have Quinn killed just because of Eric's jealousness.
I went on, knowing that this needed to happen. Even if it hadn't been part of my plan Eric needed to know that I couldn't be his woman sitting around waiting for him to not have to work so he could come and have sex with me. He needed to know I was my own person. Vampires wrote the book on possessive.
"I realized that you really were trying to wall me up. And it doesn't make sense because if you really did love me then you wouldn't do something like that. The Eric I feel in love with wouldn't do that to me." He remembered. He remembered telling me that he would leave his job and come to live with me, and love me every day and get a job so that he could support me. If the real Eric ever said that I would probably laugh because it just wasn't something he would do.
Eric's head was in his hands. I felt a part of me ripping. This man had cared for me. This one right here. I thought I could see red dripping down his face and I couldn't stand it. I just wanted to cry too.
I started to leave. Every inch of me was trying to stay where with him. Eric was too. He was suddenly in front oh me. A little red was still visible at the bottom of his jaw.
"If I find that you have gone back to that animal I will kill him." Eric growled. I lowered my face. I just couldn't look at him.
"I know." I said and then I left. I went out the employee door so I wouldn't have to see Pam. As soon as I stepped out side I herd him yell. It was pure frustration and probably agony. I couldn't believe that I had that kind of hold on him. I saw Pam run inside and I knew that this would be the time to head back. I drove as fast as I could.
In the car I let it all out. I cried so hard I couldn't believe it. When I broke up with Quinn I hadn't cried like this. I tried to tell myself to pull it together. I couldn't let Bill see me like this. Well it might help my purposes if he did. He would be less inclined to ask too many questions. So I just kept crying. I cried all the way home, but I had cried enough. I changed and drank some water because I was feeling dehydrated from all the crying and I went over to Bill's.
He answered the door when I knocked, which was a good sign, but he still looked gray and sick. He looked surprised to see me. I could tell he noted my red wet eyes. I took evasive action.
"Hey Bill, can I come in?" I looked up at him through my wet lashes.
"Of course," when I had entered he took my hands "what happened Sookie?" He asked.
"I, I" I couldn't get it out. I threw my self into his arms. "Bill I'm so sorry!" I started crying all over again. He put his arms around me and kissed my hair. I wasn't sure how I was going to get him to agree to take my blood with out sex. But I couldn't sleep with Bill, not after what had just happened with Eric.
"Sookie, don't cry." He ran his fingers through my hair. I was beginning to think that this might be really bad for him. If Eric found out he would probably try to kill him. Also if I was giving him ideas that I might love him again he would probably not take it so well when I didn't.
"Bill," I looked up into his eyes. It was now or never. I concentrated all of my eye power into his. "You have to let me feed you." He frowned and was about to say something but I put my fingers on his lips. "Bill, I need to contribute to your healing. It was trying to save me that you got all that silver in you, and I can see that you're not all better yet." I moved my wrist now to his mouth. He kissed it. I prayed he would. I knew Bill knew how stubborn I was. I knew that he wanted to make me happy. Please Bill I thought just drink. I need you to drink. I focused my eyes again.
"Please." I said. He kissed my wrist again and I saw his fangs had come out. "Take as much as you like." I told him, and then he bit. I said thanks to the powers that be. I closed my eyes as Bill drank and I imagined France and I was so grateful that I would be able to go. My planning had worked.
I must have fainted from blood loss because I woke up on Bill's couch. His skin looked so much better. I smiled at him. He leaned down and kissed me. I wasn't sure what to do. I kissed him back, but not too enthusiastically. He pulled away after a little bit.
"I should get you home. I took a little more than I should and you need your rest." I nodded and Bill picked me up. I rested my head on his shoulder as he walked me through the graveyard to my house. He didn't come inside, but he did kiss me again.
"Good night Sookie" he said, and then he was gone. I went inside.
"We leave tomorrow at three. Our flight is at six thirty." Amelia said grinning. I grinned back. I would have just enough time to pack.
Chapter 2
I woke up at ten thirty. It was perfect timing. Amelia was already up and scurrying around the house cleaning it up. Amelia hated a dirty house, just like my Gran.
"Did you have breakfast?" I called to her from the kitchen. I opened up the fridge. There was milk and that was it. Amelia came into the kitchen
"It looks so sad all by its self doesn't it?" she remarked.
"Um, yeah, by the way where did all of our food go?" I asked her.
"Well since we are going to be gone for such a long time I figured you wouldn't want to leave the power on. It would definitely save us some money, and you can't have food in a fridge that isn't on." It made sense, but I was stuck with cereal. There was only a little left in the box and a lot of the food in the pantry had disappeared as well. There was coffee at least.
I felt excitement building up inside me. I was getting away! A huge grin crept across my face.
Amelia came in with a duster in her hand. She was grinning too.
"We're going to France!" she squealed. We both laughed and I went up stairs to pack. I decide to bring a lot of clothes. I wasn't quite sure what we would be doing at the Villa so I brought a couple of sundresses and shorts and t-shirts. For Paris I brought some skirts and blouses. I packed nice lingerie just in case, and I also packed a few of my nice dresses. It was a good thing that I had such a huge luggage because once I had packed everything I could think to need I still had some room for things I could buy. I brought my luggage down when I was done. Amelia had called a cab to take us the airport. It was almost three. I decided to print up my note. I made it pretty clear just in case the person reading it wasn't thinking too clearly. It read
To whom it may concern,
I am away on extended leave until further notice. Make no attempt to contact me at all. Make no attempt to enter this house to find out where I have gone. If you are good I will bring you back a present.
Love, Sookie
I kind of laughed at the last part. I was almost sure I would not have to bring presents back to anyone. Amelia read the sign while I taped them to the doors. She laughed too.
"Very nice Sookie, direct, to the point, and you make use of treats." We laughed about my letter and about who would be reading it all the way the airport.
We got there at five and breezed through the check in part. We sat waiting at the gate. I was reading a book I had gotten from the library when I herd my phone buzzing. I pulled it out of my purse. It was Eric. I ignored the call and a minuet later it beeped telling me that I had a voice message. I checked the time. We would be boarding in five minuets. I decided to listen to the message before I got on the plane.
Hearing Eric's voice made my hear jump. It was like he was there speaking into my ear.
"Guess what I have just come across my darling," he began. "I decided that I needed to talk to you so I went up to your house and I found a note." He paused I could hear him seething with anger "If I find that our fight last night was because of this trip you are in more trouble than you have ever had before." He continued. "Do you have any I idea what I am going through Sookie!" he was yelling. I don't think I've ever heard Eric yell. I could imagine what he was going through thought. The woman he loves had spurned him so that she could get away from it all for a month, and now he had no idea where she was. For any normal guy it would have been a minor nuisance. Eric was a vampire and I knew that he would be thinking of ways to punish me the whole time I was gone.
"I also find," he continued " that you have rescinded every invitation to your house, so no one can get in. I will find out where you have run off to." I knew Amelia had brought her laptop with her so I wasn't sure if there actually was anything Eric could use to track me down.
"Not to mention that Bill has had your blood." OSM!
"I am on my way to the air port as I speak, and if I find that you have left I will be very put out." The message ended and I freaked. I checked to see if I could feel Eric. I couldn't! I wondered if I called Eric he could track me. It wouldn't matter. He knew I was at the airport. I decided to call just to make sure he wouldn't hurt Bill.
I stepped away from Amelia and pressed call. It barely rang once.
"You insufferable woman." I laughed. It was kind of funny. I herd Eric growl into the phone.
"Eric," I began "don't hurt Bill I didn't sleep with him I just needed to know he was totally on the mend before I left."
"He may not be in as good shape when you come back." Eric was threatening me I could tell. It was like the old days when Eric would use threatening Bill to make me do what he wanted.
"Your trying to threaten me to get what you want again Eric" I chided him.
"I wouldn't have to if you were here right now." He said. I figured this meant that he still wasn't near the airport yet. I herd the intercom come on to call for our flight to start boarding, so I decided to wrap things up with Eric.
"Don't worry Eric, I'll be just fine." I decided then that I needed to let him know about how I feel. "I love you." I said matter-of-factly. He moaned into the phone.
"Sookie I love you too. Please come back to me." He pleaded. I felt better about leaving him here now. At least he wasn't thinking that I never wanted to see him again or anything, so I hung up and got on that plane.