Enemy in Our Midst
A/N I do not own anything CH and Ab do, I'm just playing with there creation. No harm intended.
Chapter 1
It's been two weeks since Victor's gruesome death and even now when I close my eyes all I see is the dead bodies laying shrown all over Fangtasia's blood soaked floor. I see the carnage and the part I played and I feel sick. Sick to my stomach at the person I have become, vile and blood thirsty like a vampire, like Eric.
Eric never called when he said he would and I took that as it was, he abandoned me like all the others. He used me up and then spit me out. How could I have ever loved a creature like him?
I haven't heard from the King either. Not like that is a bad thing, not at all. I'm glad, finally it seems I have been taken out of the vampire bullshit once and for all.
It's not like I don't miss Eric, cause I do but I cannot dwell on him for he has made his choice and I must make mine. In the end I choose me.
I can breathe once again and move forward in my life. Do what I choose and not have some arrogant vampire choose for me. I finally have a sense of normalcy and I intend to run full throttle with it into my waiting future
I'm still working at Merlotte's and I have started taking some college classes. I want to learn business management, someday maybe open my own place. I'm not sure were this is all coming from. Maybe it's been buried deep inside me and now that I'm free and more self confident I can make use of it.
I would like to open a garden shop and sell flowers and gardening supplies. I loved it when Gran and I use to garden together. It was soothing and seemed to relax me enough not to have to use my shields all the time. I miss Gran more and more everyday but I learn to deal and move on like everything else in my life I push the bad back and lock it away.
The classes are fun and informative and I find I'm learning new stuff everyday. I've met a few new people and there's a man in particular that seems to stand out among the rest. His name is Colin and he is handsome but it's his laugh and sense of humour that have enamoured me.
I cannot hear his thoughts which is a relief and a puzzle. He is clearly human since he can walk in the sunlight and he doesn't have the snarly brain patterns that a were has. I look at the silence as a gift, I hate knowing the thoughts of a man I might date. That never turns out well.
He's normal and warm and just what I need.
Colin and I began studying together once a week and then it becomes more than once a week. We start having dinner together and hanging out. I think for the first time I 'm falling in love with a normal man and I can see kids and a real home in my future. I feel my excitement grow at the thought of having babies and raising them in Gran's house, that would be a dream come true.
"Sookie, would you like to go to the Winter Festival with me?" Colin asks as he watches me across the table. I shake my head and try to focus on dinner and on Colin.
"I, yes I would love to" I reply and then take a drink of my wine.
"Great. It will be fun and they have a dance afterwards that we could go to. I'm an excellent dancer" Colin says with a waggle of his eyebrows that reminds me of Eric. Eric? Where did that thought come from?
"That sounds wonderful Colin" I reply and finish eating my food. Colin eats as well and there is a comfortable silence for a bit.
As I'm clearing the dishes away my mind strays back to Eric. Why after two years am I thinking of him? I left all that behind me when I decided to move on with my life, why now? I take the dishes into the kitchen and fill the sink. Colin joins me in a few moments and we set to wash the dishes.
Once everything is done and put away we retire to the living room to watch a little TV. I sit at one end and Colin the other. It is strange like we are sitting on a ledge just waiting. Waiting for what I do not know.
Yes you do lover
Eric's voice comes whispering into my mind like a cool ocean breeze. What the hell? Why oh why? Defiant Sookie comes emerging to the surface. Stubborn and angry as hell. I fling myself across the couch into Colin's startled arms and begin to kiss him. At first he resists probably wondering what the hell is going on before he starts to participate.
Kissing Colin is sweet and I can feel a slow burn start in my belly. Colin's hands are running over my back and sides constantly moving and I find that my body is following the movement. I can feel his erection just under my bottom where I sit on his lap and it gives me a thrill to know I put it there.
Heat is building and I start to unbutton his shirt wanting to get a look at his chest. He has muscle but not a lot and it's smooth with freckles. I bend my head and lick at his chest and I hear him moan in pleasure.
Lover, have you given up on me, on us?
I stop my ministrations at the sound of his voice in my head again. Give up on him? He gave up on me, left me here to deal with the aftermath of what happened. Left me all alone in this world, alone and cold.
"You left me you asshole" I yell out. Clearly startling Colin who has a what the fuck look on his face.
"Pardon?" Colin asks from under me and I swallow hard. Shit, why did I have to go and do that? Why?
"Nothing. Sorry" I mumble as I begin to stroke my hands over his chest again. His hands cover mine and still the movement.
"Are you ok, Sookie? Maybe we should slow down." Colin suggests with a shrug and that just pisses me off. I jump up and fix my clothes.
"Your right. You should leave. I'm tired and I want to go to bed" I mumble out and head to grab his jacket. I wait by the back door holding his jacket waiting for him to approach. I squash the urge to tap my foot impatiently.
I can't look him in the eye as I hand him his jacket and I watch him walk out the door not saying a word which is good cause I don't know how well I would have handled that right now.
I lock up and head up to my room where I start the shower . Once the water is heated I step under the spray and let the water run down my body and try to soothe the ache in my heart. I close my eyes and once I do I regret it cause Eric is there waiting with a small smile.
DAYDREAM
"Why are you here Eric?" I ask as I watch him reach out and caress my left breast and a shiver runs through me. I'm not sure if it is the water or his touch but at the moment I don't care.
"I need you Sookie. I want you, all of you" Eric says as his hands continue to caress.
"You left me for two years without a word, nothing" I say my voice trembling and tears mingle with the water that runs down my face. I try to pull away to hide my pain.
"Ssh don't cry little one. It will be alright, I promise" Eric whispers as he pulls me into his arms and tries to sooth me.
"Why?" I cry out again. I pull back to look Eric in the eye and notice the blood tears running down his cheeks. My heart aches at the sight of my tough, strong vampire crying.
"Lover, I don't have long please listen. You have to find me, Sookie" Eric says his voice hoarse.
"What?" I ask dumfounded. Why would I look for this selfish bastard. I glare up at him but when I see the look on his face I feel the tears fall again.
"Did you really think that I would leave you? That I would leave behind the one woman who gives me purpose and makes me want to live again? They have taken and hidden me somewhere, far away from you. Felipe is dead, I killed him to ensure that you would be safe but there's someone else after you. A new player, they will make themselves known soon. Be careful Lover, trust no one. Find me. Please" Eric says as his image fades.
END DAYDREAM
I jump slightly as reality comes crashing down all around me. The water is freezing and I hurriedly shut it off and grab my robe. I hugged myself and rubbed my arms to try and warm up but after that vision? Dream? I'm not sure I'll ever feel warm again.
I stumbled out of the bathroom and into my bedroom and straight to my closet. I need something, anything of Eric's that I can see and smell. In a box on the top shelf that has been there for two years is the shirt that Eric had given me to wear after the maenad incident. I takeoff my robe and pulled the shirt over my head and crawl into bed. I lay on my back and stare at the ceiling hoping it will give me answers I so desperately seek.
Where was Eric? Someone had taken my vampire and hidden him away from me but why? Who's after me? Again? Felipe was dead? To many questions and not enough answers. I must have fallen asleep at some point for a bit when something woke me up. I noticed my clock said 3 am and I also knew there was someone in the room with me, a vampire to be exact. I reach over and turn the light on and I' am shocked to find Pam in my room, well what sort of looked like Pam.
"Holy shit. What happened to you?" I ask as I take in her appearance. She looks gaunt and greyish. Her long blonde hair was now very short and grey looking and she was missing an eye.
"Retribution. I was lucky to break free. They still have Eric. Those fuckers still have Eric" She hissed as she crumpled to the floor in a heap. Without thought I jumped out of bed and went to Pam. I slid to my knees and pulled her into my chest.
"Who has Eric?" I asked Pam as I patted her hair in a soothing motion."I'm so hungry. Do you have a blood?" Pam asks. Without thought my wrist is in front of her mouth.
"Bite" I say, no more like order and she bites into my wrist and begins to feed. Of her own accord she stops a few minutes later.
"Thank you Sookie" Pam says as she sits up. She was already looking better. Her missing eye was very gross though.
"How long before your eye grows back" I ask and swallow back bile that threatens to spew forth.
"A few days. I'll wear a patch next time I see you" Pam says with a smirk. Wait, what?
"No. Shit no what am I doing? I don't want you to come back Pam. Please don't get me involved in this shit again. It's been two years without a word and now. Now you decide to show back up just when life is looking up? Fuck you and fuck Eric" I yell and immediately regret it but it's to late. Before I can rescind her invitation she has me by the throat against the wall.
"Fuck Eric? Fuck Eric?" She snarls and her fangs descend. Without her eye she looks fucking scary and I have to concentrate so I don't pee myself.
"Eric killed Felipe for you, to free you even after the way you acted the last night he saw you. Your such a spoiled little cunt who thinks herself better than anyone. Well, missy let me tell you something your not as innocent as you think you are, no wait like you pretend you are. You schemed along with the rest of us on how to get rid of Victor and instead of rejoicing when the deed was done you quickly turned on Eric and blamed him. I should have drained you that night, no make that the first night I ever saw you" Pam hissed and then she did the oddest thing, she sucked in a breathe like a human.
"If you were gone my maker would be alright and he would be with me, safe. We would be at Fangtasia watching all the vermin vying for his attention. I wouldn't be alone and I wouldn't feel so helpless" Pam confessed as I watched a blood tear spill from her good eye.
"Your right. I cannot make you help me find Eric. I will be leaving now and thank you for the blood" she said as she let go and set me on my feet. I just realized that the whole time she had me against the wall she not once squeezed my throat she just held me there. She turned to me as she reached the door.
"There is someone after you Sookie. It isn't over. Better watch yourself and carry some sort of weapon. Be prepared and trust no one" and just like that she was gone out of my life once again. I slid down the wall put my head on my knees and cried. The dreams of a family and future disintegrating before my eyes. Sleep did not come again that night.
The next few days were quiet and lonely. It was Thanksgiving weekend and there was no school. I worked at Merlotte's made some good tips and went home. Rinse and repeat. I think Sam felt bad he offered to cook a turkey dinner but I politely refused saying that I had other plans which was a total lie.
Colin hadn't contacted me since that night and I was ok with that. I needed time to think to make a game plan. A plan where I didn't end up dead or someone's slave.
When I really thought about it the key to my survival was Eric. It had always been Eric. He saved me in Dallas from being riddled with bullets and again when Debbie tried to kill me and so on. Eric was always there, my knight, scratch that vampire in shining armour. I needed Eric, without him I was dead.
I believed that one hundred percent now I just had to get it through my thick skull. Yes, I admit it I can be a stubborn fool sometimes and yes a lot of the time I get myself into trouble without anyone's help. Passing the buck or in my case the blame onto Eric in my mind justified the things I did. Oh if it wasn't for Eric I would never have done it or he made me do it. What a crock of shit, I'm such a bitch. A big ice cold bitch.
No more. I was going to make this right. I picked up my phone and dialled. I was surprised that I had remembered the number after two years but I did.
"Sookie?" Pam asked.
"Yeah, it's me. If you have Eric's phone then, shit. What do you need me to do?" I asked as the weight of reality sank in.
"Come to Fangtasia tomorrow evening around nine" Pam said and hung up.
That was odd. Something didn't feel right. I needed help if I was going to do this. I called Sam and asked him if he would come with me the next night. He said yes without hesitating what a good friend he was. I went to bed that night feeling abit more relaxed and hopeful. Maybe I still had a future.
DREAM
As I open the door to my house I hear soft romantic music playing and it makes me feel safe. There are rose petals thrown all over the floor and candles lit everywhere casting a warm glow threw out the house. I follow the path of the petals and they wind through the dining room, to the living room and up the stairs. I slowly walk up the stairs and follow them to my old bedroom. The door is closed and when I open it I` m greeted with the sight of more candles. My old bed is covered in a bear skin and laying on top of the fur is a naked Viking. My Eric.
As I walk into the room I find that my clothes are gone and I am naked. I don't feel shame or self conscious I feel beautiful and loved. Eric beckons me over with his finger and I all but float to his side. He swings his legs over the edge of the mattress and plants his feet on the floor. His legs slid open creating a vee in which I step into.
"Look at me lover" Eric croons and my eyes lower to his. The blue is so bright and warm that I lose myself for a moment. When I come back to myself I go the last inches and press my warm lips to his cold ones and it causes ripples of pleasure to course through my body. Eric deepens the kiss and I match him stroke for stroke I give as good as I get and soon I'm panting and I can feel wetness starting to run down my inner thigh.
"I can smell your arousal Sookie and you smell so divine. I want to lick you and bite you and rub myself all over you. No man has had you since me and no man ever will. YOU ARE MINE" Eric growls out as he bends his head and takes one of my nipples into his mouth and sucks it into a hard peak. I cry out at the sensation and push my other nub, the neglected one into his face begging for him to do the same to it. His indeed.
"I have waited over a millennia for you lover. I never thought it possible to fall in love. I did not truly believe in it, I merely classified it as a human trait but I was wrong, so terribly wrong. You were made for me and I for you. We were destined to meet and fall in love. There are those who would plot against our love. They bend it and twist it until it is unrecognizable and then they burn it to ash in the dawn of a new morning. If you love me and if you want to fight for us you must hurry. My days grow shorter and soon there will only be ash left" Eric whispers against my skin as his fingers dance across my body making it sing. I feel his cool digits breach my opening and I scream out my pleasure as my orgasm takes me over.
I watch through hooded eyes as Eric brings his fingers to his mouth and licks them clean. I feel myself grow weak in the knees.
"That will have to hold me over till we meet again. Your enemies are closer than you think. To find me all you have to do is listen. I love you Sookie now and forever, always" Eric says as he kisses my lips and then I wake up.
END DREAM
I swear that I could smell Eric in my room, all around me. I could taste myself on my tongue. It was a dream wasn't it? All I knew was that my body ached for it's other half and I knew deep down that I had to find Eric so that I could feel whole again. I needed to feel whole again and I knew what I had to do.
The next evening I was ready for the next step. I dressed in the red and white "vampire bait" dress I had worn the first night I had met Eric and waited for Sam to pick me up. As I waited I heard a car pull up in the drive and went to the door to see who it was.
Colin was here but didn't get out of his car so I went out and knocked on his window. He rolled it down and I was immediately met with soft music.
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moon light over threw ya
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the hallelujah
"Hello Sookie, you look lovely tonight" Colin greeted me with a smile. Something was wrong. Something was scratching at the back of my mind. Something I was suppose to remember.
Listen Lover Listen
"You ok sweetheart? I'm sorry that I haven't gotten hold of you for a bit. Please forgive me" Colin says but I can't help the shiver that runs through me. I wrapped my arms around myself.
"Chilly" I lie smoothly. Alarm bells are ringing loud and clear in my head but I try not to show my distress. Just then Sam pulls up. Sam gets out of his truck and walks up beside me and stays.
"Hey Sam. Let me grab my coat and we can head out to meet up with your brother and his wife" I say hoping Sam would go along.
"Yeah. Let's not keep Tommy waiting, he hates it when I'm late" Sam said with a wink. I went into the house to grab my jacket and let out a breath and tried to relax. Just keep it together a little longer. I repeated that to myself repeatedly but all that kept running through my mind was that Colin was my enemy. I almost fell in love with my enemy. Oh, crap.
"I'm ready" I called out as I locked my door and joined Sam at Colin's car.
"Sorry Colin I have plans but call me tomorrow. See ya darling" I said and the words felt like acid on my tongue. I blew him a kiss and went to Sam's truck. Sam helped me in and off we went.
A few miles passed before Sam or I said anything. He was the first to speak.
"What the hell is going on Sook?" Sam asks but he's not angry he just sounds worried.
"I had a dream or a vision I'm not sure but Eric was in it and he warned me to listen for my enemies. I heard that same song playing in my dream. Eric is trying to warn me bout Colin. Colin has Eric Sam and he might have Pam too I'm not sure" I reply trying to stay calm.
"What? You mean we might be walking into a trap? Shit Sook. When we get there I'm going to phase into a small dog, put me in your purse. If everything goes south I'll change to a lion" Sam says as we get closer to Fangtasia.
"No Sam what if there's no time?" I say trying to change his mind.
"I've made up my mind, please just do as I ask" Sam says finality in his words and all I can do is nod.
At least if I'm walking into certain death, I'm not alone.
TBC