Disclaimer: All Southern Vampire Mysteries characters belong to Charlaine Harris.
I.
I woke with a sudden and unpleasant start. I hadn't enjoyed the carefree, dreamless night's rest one often hopes for after a traumatic ordeal. Even in sleep my mind felt hopelessly confused; images of the cluviel dor danced about endlessly, taunting me. Slowly the horrors of the previous night came obediently marching back as if on a precise military schedule.
Jannalyn was dead. Eric was gone. And Sam, resurrected with the cluviel dor's magic, was in the guest bedroom across the hall. I used my sixth sense to search for his brain pattern and found it, though it held the definitive calm of sleep. I fell back against my pillow from my stiff upright position and let out a long exhale.
Sam was alive. I had saved him from an awful fate. So why didn't I feel like the brave heroine? My mind wandered to Eric and a dull pain throbbed in my chest. I hadn't yet been able to fully process the meaning behind his abrupt departure from the Were meeting. Sure, I had somewhat come to terms with his possible decision to elope to Oklahoma with Freyda, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. And it certainly didn't mean I wasn't still in love with him.
An unpleasant wave of sadness came over me when I remembered his stoic face looking down at me as I hunched over Sam's deadening body. What was that expression that had painted Eric's face? Was it annoyance, hatred, anger? I closed my eyes and saw Eric's icy blue ones gazing at me in the darkness of my lids. No, the expression he had held was regret.
After several more minutes pondering the events that had transpired, I came to the realization that I would not fall back asleep and sluggishly got out of bed. After washing up in the bathroom and taking extra care to remake the bed and arrange the throw pillows, I went to the kitchen to make breakfast. I was compelled to whip up one of Gran's favorite recipes. After all, I had a man who had just come back from the dead under my roof.
I mixed pancake batter, added some blueberries, and looked out the kitchen window as I turned the burner of the stove on. The Stackhouse backyard looked just the same as it always had: some weeds needed to be pulled in the flowerbed, my car sat in the worn out grass which served as my parking spot, and a light dew hung over everything. The lovebirds in the large Oak which stood by the kitchen window chirruped brightly. It could have been any old morning, but something just felt undeniably wrong.
"Hey there, Sookie," Sam's voice practically made me jump out of my skin and I whipped around gripping the frying pan like it was a pump-action shotgun.
Sam didn't really look like someone who had just bridged the planes between life and death. In fact, except for some dirt on his plaid shirt and blue jeans he looked completely revitalized and was positively glowing. His reddish blond hair was messy as it is usually is, but it now had a healthy sheen to it. His skin had the subtle tan of a man who makes his living working outdoors, though he spent most of his time running the bar. Good to know at least one person had slept well. Or perhaps some remnants of the fairy magic were still at work.
"Morning! I'm almost done fixing breakfast. You want some orange juice?" I tried to be my usual perky self but Sam saw through the façade instantly.
"Look Sookie, you don't have to pretend like nothing happened. We need to talk about this. Help me understand."
"Even I don't fully understand, Sam. All I know is you were dead last night. I felt your heart stop, and something inside me just couldn't let that happen," I pleaded with him not to probe me further. Even I was unsure how I could fully rationalize my possession of an ancient Fae artifact which was a product of my Gran's supernatural love affair with a fairy named Fintan.
Sam's eyes seemed to be searching me and I felt completely naked and completely ridiculous standing there still clutching the non-stick frying pan I had gotten on sale at Walmart. I turned back toward the stove as he hesitantly sat down at the small wooden table and began sipping the glass of orange juice I had set out. I went to work pouring the batter and flipping the pancakes. If there's one thing my Gran taught me, it was how to be a good hostess.
II.
Sitting at the kitchen table with Sam after a hearty breakfast felt surprisingly normal. The sun was shining brightly now and the morning dew had long since evaporated, though the lovebirds still chirped merrily. We didn't speak much, but occasionally, I would catch his eye and there'd be a strange vehemence behind his gaze. I couldn't wait any longer to explain what little I knew how to.
"The cluviel dor was a gift from my Gran. I didn't know about it until recently. She had hidden it in an old desk that was in the attic. It had the power to grant me just one wish and well, I guess you know the rest," I said, somewhat embarrassed.
I didn't know why I felt so strange explaining why I'd chosen to save Sam's life. Part of me knew it was the only option I had; I couldn't let him die without killing something inside myself in the process. Yet I knew there was some aftermath of my decision which I'd have to deal with. I just didn't know what it was.
"Does this, this cluviel dor, have anything to do with the fairies who you've been hanging around with?"
"Yes, it is—was—fairy magic, and very rare. But now that I've used it, it's gone. The compact doesn't even look the same anymore."
I went to my bedroom to retrieve the now used-up artifact. I no longer felt any warmth or happiness emanating from it as I picked it up; it was just another trinket to be auctioned off at a garage sale. I returned to the kitchen and placed it on the table in front of Sam. Its color was now dull and flat, a far cry from the creamy green with gold trim it had once been. He gave it a quick glance but his eyes eventually traveled back to mine.
"And Jannalyn?" Sam asked softly.
"She's dead, I'm sorry," although I wasn't really sorry. Jannalyn had been a snake and her betrayal of Sam was unforgiveable. Good riddance, as far as I was concerned.
But Sam didn't look heartbroken or even remotely saddened by this news. Their relationship had been rocky long before her death. Good, I said to myself, there's no reason Sam should shed a single tear of mourning for that horrible woman. Clearly far from grieving, Sam's next question actually took me by surprise.
"Sookie, you could have wished for anything in the world, anything at all, and you wished to save my life?" Now there was something deeper than mere curiosity in Sam's eyes, a determination which made my stomach turn somersaults in a decidedly unpleasant way.
"Of course I did, Sam. You're my best friend."
He looked at me with that same desperate forcefulness, that same seriousness, and I was finally beginning to see what lay behind his dark blue eyes. He scooted his chair close to me and I suppressed a cringe as I heard the wooden legs scrape against the floor and thought, I wonder how long that'll take to buff out.
Sam hugged me tightly and the contact between us made his shifter brain broadcast loud and clear. In bringing Sam back from the dead he thought I had solidified an eternal bond between us. I have to admit it was a pleasant change to be so deeply appreciated. It had been quite awhile since someone had expressed such gratefulness.
"Thank you, Sookie. Thank you." His words were heartfelt and powerful, and his eyes became watery. For the first time I truly recognized how astonishing the magic of the cluviel dor was. Sam was a living, breathing, talking miracle because of me. But given how spur of the moment my decision was I hardly felt I was worthy of all his praise.
"There's no reason to thank me. You're a good man, Sam Merlotte. You would have done the same for me or anyone else you care about."
Sam grazed my cheek with the back of his hand then rested it at the nape of my neck. He started pulling me closer and began to lean in slowly. I saw him shut his eyes and I could finally pinpoint what had felt so overwhelmingly off from the moment I woke up. Just before our lips touched I turned my head and pulled away.
"I...I can't. I'm sorry. Please don't take this the wrong way," but as I went to look at him I knew he already had. The overwhelming thankfulness I had seen previously in his eyes and in his mind was completely wiped away and replaced by stunned disbelief. His brain waves were now only giving me grief and sadness. Sam got up from the table and retreated back to the guest bedroom with his head hung. When he came out he was wearing his boots and grasping his car keys.
"I wish I could repay you for what you did for me," he said shortly, barely glancing in my direction. And just like that he was out the backdoor. The rumble of his truck engine made the lovebirds in the nearby Oak tree scatter.
III.
"Well, that went well," I muttered solemnly to myself as I got up to do the dishes and clean up. Who knew saving someone's life would elicit a romantic reaction? I had always loved Sam in a brotherly sort of way, but as he leaned in to kiss me I knew before it even happened that it would have been all wrong. Eric had disappeared without so much as a word and Sam had left abruptly after I denied him. I could practically earn a PhD in repelling men!
I checked my calendar and thought hallelujah as I realized I was off work. Seeing Sam so soon after that semi-awkward encounter would have been too much for flesh and blood to stand. But on the other hand, the prospect of a day alone at home was not altogether comforting. Solitary confinement is peaceful at first but can quickly turn depressing. I finished wiping down the kitchen table and rustled up a library book from my bedroom.
I sat in the living room and stared down at the page, trying to concentrate. All of the words seemed to melt together and become incoherent. I found myself picturing Eric again, but not just Eric. I saw Eric with his potential vampire bride Freyda, who was rich and powerful and everything I was not. They embraced each other in my mind's eye and Freyda laughed and mocked me. Eric looked as defeated as a boy who had just been told his dog was run over by a Mack truck. Freyda pulled him closer to lay a sloppy, wet kiss on his lips as her sly eyes taunted me.
"Ugh," I grumbled and slammed the book shut. I couldn't sit still and let these images haunt me. I knew the impending marriage was a politically-driven impasse and apparently out of his hands, but if Eric was going to go with Freyda and abandon our life together then I had to accept that. I had been single before, right? Before you knew how amazing it felt to be in the loving arms of a Viking Vampire, I thought maliciously. Sometimes my own mind could be my worst enemy.
I got up from the old armchair and set to work doing the only thing I knew for sure would occupy me enough to temporarily forget my heartache: I cleaned. I started with dusting and did a thorough job, going over every neglected nook and cranny. I swept and vacuumed and sprayed and bleached. I turned on the radio and danced foolishly to every terrible song on the Top 40 as I worked. I went over the baseboards and dusted the fans and even washed the sheets.
I took a break in the late afternoon to have a sandwich but as I sat at the same kitchen table which Sam and I had nearly kissed at just hours before I felt that familiar unease. The thoughts came flooding back and I quickly got up and began my cleaning spree again, starting with polishing away the scrape marks Sam had made with his chair earlier. By the time I was through, the entire house had the faint aroma of PineSol and Lemon Pledge.
Finally, my lack of sleep the previous night began creeping up on me and I felt my eyelids growing heavy with exhaustion. I retired to my bedroom and began my usual routine.
I let out a huge sigh as I curled up under my freshly washed floral bedspread. It was only dusk and the sun still peaked shyly over the horizon but I felt I deserved an early night after such a productive day of cleaning and alienating the man whose life I had just saved. Well, maybe that latter part wasn't necessarily productive.
I reached over to the nightstand to check my phone for any missed calls or texts. When I activated the screen it held the most depressing news one can get on their cell phone: No New Messages. Yet somehow, I was too tired to even care and I promptly drifted off into what I hoped would be a deep, dreamless sleep.
IV.
To sleep was heavenly, although it was far from dreamless. In a haze, Eric and Sam appeared and began pulling my arms in one direction or the other. Eric snarled at Sam and Sam barked back menacingly. Finally, I let out an earth-shattering scream. Then they both skulked away and I was left alone.
As I turned over onto my right side I dreamed of a cool body sliding under the covers with me. My lips began to curl into a smile—as long as I was dreaming I might as well enjoy it, right? A cold hand wrapped around my waist and I half opened my eyes, pressing my back closer to the imagined intruder. I rolled over to face the mystery man and found myself eye to eye with Eric Northman.
"Ah," I breathed quietly into his bare chest. "This is a good dream." I nestled my head underneath his chin and took in his delicious scent as his arms curled around me. His hands began rubbing my shoulders and he pulled me closer.
"Sookie," he whispered in my ear. I looked up and even while dreaming his clear blue eyes brought me instant peace. I forgot about Sam's resurrection and misplaced attempt to kiss me. I forgot about Eric's possible marriage to the Queen of Oklahoma. I finally felt right. All the misgivings I had experienced earlier dissolved as I lay in his arms.
"Sookie," Eric repeated, "this is not a dream."
And then he kissed me, slowly and methodically. I barely had time to process his statement and jump back into reality before I was swept away by the softness of his lips and the calculated rhythm of his tongue. His hands traveled from my shoulders down my spine and onto the small of my back before I felt his fingers slinking underneath my shorts.
My eyes sprung open and I pulled back to stare into his face, unable to accept that something so good was not a product of my dream state but was indeed happening, right here in my bed. Eric looked into my eyes hungrily, his strong and able hands now clutching me around my waist. My, what those hands were capable of...
"I need you. Right now," his voice was forceful and had an animalistic edge. His fangs came down with that recognizable click. Now, it was my turn to meet his lips and as I did so I gripped the back of his neck to pull him close and ensnare him with my kiss.
My hands traveled up into his golden hair and he shivered when my nails grazed his scalp. I felt him growing large and stiff against my leg and a familiar tingle started at my navel and spread downward. Still moving his tongue in a gentle rhythm, he pulled down my shorts and panties and I felt his hand slide against my bare butt and cup the cheeks.
"Mhm," I moaned into his mouth as we continued to kiss. My audible exclamation excited him further; I felt every inch of his glorious length as he pressed his body against me and then finally rolled me onto my back. He sat upright on his knees and I admired the perfection of his physique in the soft glow of my nightlight. I took this opportunity to strip off my t-shirt as he frantically slid out of his dark jeans.
Utterly naked, he leaned down slowly atop me, his considerable manhood stood at complete attention. My legs quivered with anticipation and I spread them open for him to enter. Eric's gaze never broke from mine as he penetrated—slowly at first, every inch breaking new ground and making my mouth open wider and wider with pleasure.
When he had made it halfway inside of me he leaned down to kiss my neck. His tongue swirled on my delicate skin and I felt fireworks explode beneath the surface. I moved my hands against his hard, defined muscles, squeezing his shoulders and arms with gratitude. He then backed out a bit only to push inside even deeper than before. I gasped in ecstasy and he groaned against me. I felt my wetness seep out onto my inner thighs.
"My lover," he whispered hoarsely in my ear in a maddeningly sensual voice. He was picking up some speed now and I willed my legs to open wider to allow as much of his member to enter me as possible. He took my left breast in his large hand and squeezed softly. I closed my eyes and allowed my tactile senses to take over. My hands ran hurriedly up and down his broad back and shoulders, encouraging him to continue pulsing.
"Oh Eric, please. Please don't stop," my hands traveled down to his firm butt and I guided him along the path. He continued to move in and out in a mouthwatering rhythm. Finally his hips thrust passionately and I felt our pelvises touch: he was all the way inside.
Suddenly, Eric's powerful arms lifted my back completely off the bed and I found myself in a sitting position directly on top of him. He sat facing me and we looked into each other's eyes—mine dark and mysterious, his crystal blue and expressive. He changed his rhythm and was now using his powerful hands to grip my waist and lift me up and down onto his shaft. The friction was touching places I barely even knew existed.
"Sookie," he cried out urgently into my ear as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my breasts into his chest. I arched my back and began kissing him frantically. The change in position was driving my body crazy. An electrical current raced all the way from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes. I felt myself climbing to the pinnacle and his gasps and moans told me he was approaching the same precipice.
I urged him onward, my fingernails digging into his cold, smooth skin. He accelerated, groaning all the while in his deep, masculine tone. Suddenly I felt the warm burst of climax and I clenched my thighs tightly against his sides, spasms shooting all throughout me. As my muscles contracted and I cried out with pleasure he moaned louder than ever and pushed inside me hard. Eric had arrived just in time with me.
We stayed just like that for a spell, our bodies still intertwined and displaying the telltale aftershocks of ecstasy. Both of us breathed deeply and held one another in blissful silence. In that moment, everything was right.
V.
Afterwards, we cuddled up under the covers and I would have laid there with him till high noon if he'd have let me. However, I'm sure the fact he was undead and thus burned to a crisp by sunlight would have put a damper on that plan.
It was nice to feel Eric's fingers trace patterns along my back and occasionally move up to stroke my hair. The scent of him was intoxicating. We seemed unable to move out of each other's arms and given the weakness in my knees, I was perfectly okay with that. Though I didn't want to, I knew we had to talk about the previous night.
"Eric, what happened last night? You just up and disappeared after the Were meeting. I thought…I thought you had gone," I looked into his eyes to gauge his reaction as I spoke.
"I'm sorry I left so suddenly. Even vampires can be victims of emotion," Eric said enigmatically. I turned to face him and saw his frank eyes gazing down at me. I now wished we could just make love forever instead of having to navigate these difficult subjects.
"I know you're mad at me for using the cluviel dor on Sam. If I'd had the foresight, maybe I could have used it to make sure we could be together. But Eric, he was as good as dead. I had to," I pleaded with him earnestly, searching his stoic gaze for any inkling of forgiveness. He unwrapped his arms from around me and moved onto his back, staring blankly up at the empty ceiling.
"I understand why you did what you did," Eric said unemotionally. Apparently he could no longer make eye contact with me, "I left out of disappointment, not anger."
The balloon of joy I had blown up while we made love was fast deflating. I would rather deal with outright rage than disappointment. Now Eric could barely even look at me. What was I supposed to make of that?
"So you would have preferred that I use the cluviel dor to benefit you. Okay. I can deal with that. But I won't sit here and say that I regret saving Sam's life, because I don't."
The moment I spoke those words I knew they were true. I couldn't even imagine a world without Sam in it. If I had let him die knowing I had the power to revive him I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. I felt like I was back in my earlier dream with both men yanking me in two painfully opposite directions. I could sense the sadness welling up inside of me and I tried desperately to stamp out the prickling of tears I felt in my eyes. Eric didn't speak again, so I had to.
"I only ask for your honesty. So you might as well just tell me you want to go off with Freyda and live happily ever after with her. Tell me you're leaving," Oh no, the tears were coming. My efforts to remain dry-eyed were crumbling, "Tell me you don't want me anymore."
Suddenly, Eric moved at vamp speed to jump on top of me. His strong hands pressed my shoulders down against the bed. My heart beat quickened as I braced for his cruel admission that he was indeed going to marry the Queen. He leaned in intimately close as he said:
"I want you, Sookie Stackhouse. Always. Don't you dare ever think otherwise," he spoke with such a forceful urgency that I knew it was true. I could feel him imploring me with his eyes. He moved his right hand away from my shoulder to wipe away the few solitary tears which I'd let drop.
"I don't want to lose you, Eric."
"And I don't want to lose you," he responded quickly. His eyes pierced mine with their brilliant blue color.
"Then stay here with me. Forever," I said in a small voice. As long as we were being honest I might as well let all my wishes be known.
His voice dropped several octaves as he said determinedly, "I will find a way."
Eric stared so intently into my eyes at that moment that I felt he was touching the very surface of my soul with his gaze. For some reason his seriousness made me giggle and he leaned down slowly to plant a kiss on my smiling lips. In a split second, another vamp speed movement occurred which was barely perceptible to my human vision. Now Eric was on his back and he had me straddling him on top. My hands rested on his beautifully defined chest and I sat down with my butt against his pelvis.
"Hmm, I could get used to this," he smiled up at me slyly. It had been a long time since I saw that mischievous smirk and a rush of happy memories flooded back to me. I stared down at my handsome vampire husband and relished every angle of his chiseled features.
"I can't wait till you tell Freyda to kick rocks. I'm going to thoroughly enjoy that. By the way, how did you get away from her to come spend the night with me?" I jested playfully at him. But instead of returning my flirtation some unease emerged to color his face. I began to wonder: how had he escaped the notice of his powerful suitor to journey to Bon Temps and have a late night tryst with me?
Just then, I saw a flash of movement outside my bedroom window. Was that a face I had seen peering in through the curtains? My breath caught in my throat and I gasped in shock and horror. Instantly, Eric sat upright and rigid. The fun-loving grin had vanished from his demeanor.
"What is it, Sookie? What happened?" he asked me quietly, holding me close to him as if to protect me from a boogey man underneath the bed.
My voice wavered as I met his eyes and whispered, "Somebody's outside."
VI.
Eric leaped off the bed with his fangs bared. I extended my mind to scan the front of the house but sensed nothing. I heard Eric growl under his breath as he rushed to the window to yank the curtains open. I hopped off the bed and patted the ground in search of my clothing which had been strewn onto the floor. Glancing over I saw only darkness.
"Did you see who it was?" I entreated him with my eyes big as saucers. He looked back and shook his head. In another movement he pulled on his pants and shirt and placed his hands on my shoulders.
"I need to go outside and catch the scent to track them down. Promise me you'll stay in the house," he looked worried—not an expression he wore often. My breathing began to accelerate. If Eric Northman, a Viking Vampire over 1,000 years in age was concerned then that probably wasn't a good sign.
I felt weakness rising up inside and before he walked out of the bedroom I said quietly to him, "Please don't go."
He came back to me as I stood like a helplessly lost puppy in the middle of the room and hugged me close.
"I will return," he assured me. Just as he leaned down to kiss me on the forehead there were five booming knocks at the backdoor, Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang-Bang. My body convulsed in fear and Eric tensed up and flexed his considerable muscles.
Who could be lurking outside my house in the middle of the night and then have the audacity to knock on the door? There were wards around my entire property. Bellenos the elf and my witch friends Amelia and Bob had all laid protection spells in order to stop those who wished to harm me. Had the wards somehow been weakened? Or did the visitor have another agenda?
Before I could stop him, Eric rushed out of the room toward the back of the house. He returned mere seconds later with the most dismayed expression I had ever seen cross his face.
"Who is it?" I asked him in a squeaky, terrified voice, "Who's at the door?"
He just stared at me with those big baby blues. I felt beads of sweat break my forehead as I stood frozen in place, trembling in my loose t-shirt and cotton shorts. Suddenly, Eric scooped me up and whisked me into the bathroom. He sat on the edge of the antique clawfoot tub and perched me in his lap.
Eric's fangs descended and he bit into his wrist. I saw the dark red blood begin to run down his arm as he held the wound to my mouth.
"Drink," he demanded in a voice marked by urgency, "we must reform the bond."
"What? Why?" To say I was confused would have been an understatement.
"There's no time to explain," he responded gruffly, "quickly, drink before it heals and closes."
"Eric, the bond has been broken. Even if I drink your blood now we can't forge a new bond, can we?"
"Our bond is not that far gone, it will only take a few drops to reestablish itself, especially at my age," his eyes blazed like wildfire.
I didn't know who could possibly be knocking at my door to elicit such a reaction. Eric was always cool, calm, and collected even under dire circumstances. To see him like this was cause for intense anxiety.
"Sookie, this is not a request," Eric then firmly pressed his dripping wrist to my mouth and I stopped questioning and began sucking.
The blood was sweet and rich with a subtle metallic flavor which awakened my palette. Eric let out an involuntary moan of pleasure and his contentment only made me pull harder on the wound. He put his free arm around me and I felt the magical substance seeping throughout my body as it coursed into my veins and muscles. The more I drank, the more I craved him.
Eric then took his free hand and held my neck. He laid a delicate kiss on my jugular vein and then bit me ever so gently. My eyes shot open in surprise but the sensation was intensely erotic and I became even more desirous once our blood flowed mutually.
A louder, deeper groan emanated from his throat as he tasted me and I echoed his gratification by continuing to drink from him with increasing enthusiasm. His wrist was really gushing now and I glimpsed myself in the bathroom mirror with crimson dripping down my chin. He sucked on my neck slowly and sensually, careful not to draw too much. As I sat on his lap I could feel him growing erect.
Without warning, another violent round of knocking at the backdoor interrupted us in our passionate exchange, BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG. Eric let out a guttural growl as I gulped down a few more mouthfuls of his blood before finally pulling myself away.
He gently picked me up and sat me on the countertop. He dabbed his index finger in his own blood and used it to heal the two punctures on my neck. He then washed off his wrist and the deep red blood flowed down the drain, contrasting sharply with the clean white enamel of the sink.
He wetted a towel and dabbed my face and neck. The blood was now in full effect, every inch of my body was pulsating with the introduction of his elixir. I could feel him deep down in my bones making me strong. I looked into his eyes and felt the familiar rush of calm that the bond instilled.
"I'll always know where you are now. No matter what," Eric said quietly as he looked down at me, "I'll be able to feel your presence again, feel all of you again."
"Not saying I'm unhappy about that, but how come you suddenly had the urge to reform the bond now?" As if on cue, several more knocks came thundering upon the backdoor and it sounded like the frame would be cracked by the force. The knocking was becoming more relentless. The visitor was growing weary of waiting.
"Sookie, I need you to listen. If something happens to me, just know that I always have and always will love you," his eyes begged me to understand.
"I love you too, Eric," in fact, I didn't think I had ever loved him more than in that moment. The bond was born again and his essence felt extraordinary. But I was scared, and I knew he could sense it.
Eric's eyes became solemn as he helped me down from the countertop and took my hand in his, kissing it as he did so. We walked through the hallway that led to the kitchen and backdoor. I felt as though I were marching in a funeral procession.
I saw a figure obstructed by the paisley ruffled curtains and sensed the void of a vampire mind. What was once curiosity was now blossoming into fear. Eric unlatched the lock, turned the knob, and the door creaked in protest as he reluctantly swung it open.
"It took you long enough! Didn't mean to interrupt your romantic evening, but it's rather important I speak to Eric," the woman wore a short and tight black dress and spoke with a syrupy, falsely sweet voice. Her bosom spilled out of the bodice and her pale skin, caked with makeup, gleamed in the moonlight. She was beautiful, and it sickened me.
"Well, aren't you going to invite me in?" she asked with a malicious grin as she looked daggers at me. Freyda, Vampire Queen of Oklahoma, was standing on my back porch.
VII.
"I'd rather die than have you set foot in my house," I snapped. Queen or not, this was still my home.
"Then perhaps you will die. And soon," she snarled at me, dropping the coquettish pretense. Clearly, seeing me straddling Eric butt-naked had struck a nerve of jealousy with her.
Eric then moved in between us and stepped outside, guiding me to join him by grasping my elbow. The night air had a chill to it and the moon was hidden by clouds. Except for the dim light from the kitchen we were shrouded in darkness.
Though my porch is rather spacious the unwelcome guest made it feel as cramped as if we were having our little powwow in a closet. I glimpsed some lawn tools and debris resting against the side of the house and desperately wished my earlier cleaning spree had extended outside.
"Forgive me, Freyda for my defiance. I assure you it will not happen again," Eric spoke slowly but coldly. I felt waves of hatred emanating off of him like the stink lines on Pig-Pen. Eric was apologizing to her for snooping in my window and banging on my door? This was definitely not good.
"It better not happen again. You swore no allegiance to your human wife remained, but now I see that is sadly not the case," Freyda had such a pretentious air it made my eyes roll, "Perhaps it is necessary to hold your divorce proceedings sooner than we had planned."
At these words my heart sank into my stomach and my breath caught in my throat. So Eric really was leaving. Hearing the word "divorce" out of Freyda's mouth somehow made it much more real. It took every ounce of strength to maintain my composure after absorbing this gut-wrenching news.
"That will not be necessary, Freyda. Our nuptials are not set until next month, there is no reason to rush a trivial divorce," Eric was stalling and though he had a strong tone, I sensed him wavering through our bond.
"I'd really appreciate it if y'all stopped talking about me like I'm invisible when I'm standing right here. Freyda, you may have cornered Eric into marriage with your ridiculous vampire politics but make no mistake, he will never love you," though I knew directly insulting a Queen was not the wisest maneuver, I was so overcome by heartache and anger that my emotions were now ruling me.
Freyda did something very surprising at that moment: she laughed. It made her sound even more smug and loathsome than before and I had to remind myself that smacking the stupid grin off her face would definitely not be a good idea.
"My dear girl! What on Earth ever made you think that this is about love?" She was practically in hysterics with her disbelief, "This is about power. Do you know what I stand to gain through wedding Eric Northman? My kingdom will flourish," She drew herself up to her full height and put her shoulders back. Arrogant, much?
"Please forgive Sookie, Freyda. She doesn't understand the inner workings of the royal infrastructure," Eric spoke without emotion but he gave me a cautionary glance and projected a strong warning through the bond. He wanted me to back off, though I knew he felt my pain just as I felt his.
"Yes, I realize your human is largely ignorant and I shouldn't blame her for that," Freyda replied contemptuously, "If she were smart, she would know that vampire-human marriages almost never work in the long run. We are immortal and bloodthirsty. We have centuries of knowledge and cunning. It's a pity you never taught her that her status barely surpasses that of a piece of meat."
I was so infuriated I wanted to spit. Rage was building inside Eric as well and it was projecting strongly onto me. I looked up at him and saw a completely flat and disinterested expression; he was much better at masking his emotions than I was. She should have sensed the animosity in the air but unbelievably, she continued her rant:
"I assume it has been many years since you've had sex with another vampire, Eric," now she was speaking directly to him, "It will only take a few minutes for you to remember how much more satisfying it is to be with someone who can…keep up," In the blink of an eye Freyda moved at her supernatural speed and was right in front of him with her huge breasts pressed against his chest.
I felt a towering inferno of hatred growing inside me. My brows drew together and my eyes narrowed. She was purposely provoking me on my own back porch! I couldn't believe this foul creature had any pull or sway over Eric. I could sense he was disgusted by her but his face never betrayed him.
"Yes, it has been quite awhile," he said curtly.
"Well, perhaps I should give you a reminder," Freyda then did the unthinkable: she grabbed Eric's face in both of her hands and leaned in to lay a kiss on him with her ruby red lips.
Several things seemed to happen all at once. I jumped on her back monkey-style and yanked her face away from his by her hair. Eric's blood had made me not only strong, but reckless. Eric slipped out of her grasp and moved at vamp speed to the side of the porch with the lawn tools. He grabbed an old wooden rake that was leaning against the house and broke the handle in half over his knee cap. Fangs bared and snarling, he moved to stake the Queen of Oklahoma through the heart with the splintered tip when suddenly we were awash in bright lights.
I saw as many as twenty people emerge from the woods. Some were holding flashlights and others were wielding high-powered rifles. They were all dressed in black combat attire and wore bullet-proof vests. I slid off of Freyda and Eric dropped his makeshift stake. A large black SUV peeled around the corner and trained its high beams on us. The Queen took a few moments to regain her composure as the intruders approached—she straightened her bodice and carefully patted down her hair.
"You really think I would come all the way out here alone? My, my, you do have a lot to learn," she said in a voice which made my skin crawl. I sensed a new wave of emotion coming off of Eric now. He was afraid.
VIII.
I heard the door of the SUV open and close and gulped when I recognized the occupant coming out of the passenger side. It was Felipe de Castro, Vampire King of Nevada, Arkansas, and Louisiana. He wore a three piece suit and his black hair glistened under all of the lights.
I took a moment to ponder how my wards could have failed me so epically when finally I realized that these people were not here to hurt me, they were here to protect the interests of the Queen.
"Ms. Stackhouse! It's always a pleasure," Felipe bowed and kissed my hand as he stepped on the porch. He seemed to be in an excellent mood, all things considered, "and Mr. Northman! How good of you to stop by for a visit! Freyda called me here on a hunch that this is where you ran off to and lo and behold, she was right! She usually is," he added as an aside.
"My King, I only wished to set my wife's financial affairs in order before reporting to Oklahoma. The visit was purely business," Eric said casually. He was utterly expressionless on the outside but inside he was writhing in pain. I looked at him, searching for some type of answer but his gaze never met mine.
"Now, I don't think that's entirely true," Freyda chimed in. I felt my hair curling with my hatred of her, "When I first came upon the house I spied Eric and his human in bed together," she said the last words as if they disgusted her.
Felipe looked like he was enjoying this, "That, Mr. Northman, is a grave offense. You have sworn fealty to the Queen of Oklahoma and you are contracted to marry her in less than a month. You maintained that your current marriage could still stand in the meantime because you no longer had any attraction to the human," Felipe looked at me slyly and flashed a stomach-turning grin.
"Though, I can't really say I blame you," the King continued, "she does smell absolutely delectable."
"Please, excuse my indiscretion, your Majesty. I never intended to undermine your authority," Eric was desperately trying to conduct damage control.
"You are excused. However, I do think it's time for your marriage to Ms. Stackhouse to come to an end. You are my subject. You are under contract to marry a Queen. Do not defy me again, Mr. Northman," Felipe's voice was now cold and heartless. Freyda looked positively ecstatic. I felt like vomiting.
The King snapped his fingers and the driver of the huge black SUV emerged holding a velvet bag. I already knew what it held inside. Eric had his eyes trained on the ground, he was clearly defeated. The driver handed Felipe the bag and he extracted the ceremonial knife with a nauseating smile. I had the sneaking suspicion that the King had been waiting for just such an opportunity to harm Eric. Felipe had long suspected that his sheriff had a hand in the death of his regent, Victor Madden.
Eric took the knife without a word. He then turned to me, finally looking me straight in the eyes.
"Sookie Stackhouse. I renounce the bonds of our marriage and the union of our blood. I am your husband no longer. You are my wife no longer," the sadness coming off of him nearly floored me as I heard him speak the words. He presented the knife to me handle first and held up his wrist—the same wrist I had just drank from. I now knew what had to be done.
I made a shallow cut and a single drop of blood fell to the ground before the wound healed. Eric took the knife from me and I held out my own arm so he could complete the ritual. I gasped as he sliced my skin and many more droplets of blood began falling. I wouldn't be so quick to heal. I could sense how much it pained him to hurt me, and I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks in streams.
I looked up and noticed both the King and Queen practically drooling at the smell of my blood. I clutched my wrist to my t-shirt to stopper the flow.
"I do hope you have a pleasant evening, Ms. Stackhouse," Felipe smirked at me with his fangs now descended, "I wish we could stay and ah, keep you company," he looked thirstily at my dripping wrist, "but we have more pressing matters to attend to. You understand, I'm sure."
Felipe de Castro gave me an insincere wink and then began walking down the steps and back toward the black SUV. Freyda's guards turned to walk back into the woods with their guns and flashlights. Again, the night grew dim.
"Let's go, hubby," Freyda spoke scathingly, enunciating the pet name as her fingers stroked Eric's back, "you wouldn't want me mentioning to Felipe that you just attempted to stake a Queen, would you?" And with that she strode off the porch and into the SUV.
Eric and I finally stood alone again, but I couldn't find anything to say. I was still bleeding and the tears were clouding my vision. A sharp honk blasted from the SUV trying to hurry Eric along. He stroked my wet cheek with the back of his hand as he looked at me and spoke quietly:
"This is not the end."
And then he was gone. I fell to my knees and broke into full on sobs as I heard the car door slam shut. The driver peeled around the corner just like he had arrived. Though the strength of the blood bond was rapidly fading with our growing distance, I could feel Eric's emotions as clearly as if he were whispering them in my ear—I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…
Author's Note: If you've made it this far, thank you! I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I know exactly where I want to take this story, so if I receive enough positive feedback (and perhaps even if I don't), I will happily continue on into the infinite abyss. Any comments, suggestions, or criticisms are more than welcome. Be ruthless.
Also, please excuse my lack of proper chapter separation. I was unclear how the system works as this is my very first fanfic. Now I know ;)
- Peach