GPOV
Since a few decades , my thoughts were coated with a deep feeling of emptiness and doom. Two thousands years on earth, seeing the same things again. People had not changed, with civilisations came the usual wars and abuse of power. Thinking on how people were almost never honest, even with themselves always made me sad, but this sadness had evolved into a state of quasi-gloom. I was hopeless of the future, bored with the present and despised the past.
How many nights had I spent preying and killing during those years? Most of my nights for sure. While I was still younger I enjoyed killing and draining humans, especially the younger ones, as they taste better. But now all I could feel was the lack of meaning of my existance.
The only thing in two millenniums I could look back on was Eric and the education I gave him. I taught him all I knew, starting with love and respect.
I was so proud of him, and knew, whatever happened, he would always be strong and victorious. Me, on the other hand, was another story.
It took a bomb in Dallas to wake my up from that torpor and make me decide to change my attitude and see what could be done to look forward and stop acting like an ostrich, keeping my head in the sand, trying to be blind to the unpleasantness of the future.
As a predator, taking an inventory of your life can be extremely dangerous, as you cannot be as conscious of the external world as usual, and therefore can be easily taken. The time had come to wake up.
My child, only and so beloved child. I couldn't meet the sun for the love of him. I had been thinking of ending myself since a while, but even though Eric's one thousand years old, he is still my child. For his sake and as his maker, my responsibility towards him compelled me to stay.
Eric and me had stayed a few days together at the hotel, talking and enjoying each other's company. Now he had to go back to Louisiana to look after his area.
I still didn't know what to do...
How could you not be a master of history and be as old as me. Analysing the past always helped building a better future. When I look back at the millions of people I've met, so few had this "special something" that radiates and change you in even the tiniest way. Now, in Dallas, I met one of those, it had been so long. Maybe the last one I'd met was Gandhi. Strong, committed and unbeatably honest. Almost to an inhuman level. But here, was someone new. She had character, and strong-headedness. She had the signs of someone who had a long time alone thinking, even though she was just a baby for me. In a word she had potential.
That, I decided was the key to my future: potential.
Was that the solution I've been looking for? I have spent more than 2'000 years on this earth and I still didn't understand much. Take magic, for example: it was for us vampires a nightly blessing and curse: so much power but still so vulnerable to insignificant things such as stakes and silver.
I had to share my insights with my child.
"Eric?", deciding to talk to him and ask him about this girl he brought with him.
He quickly approached me and bowed at my feet.
"Master? How can I be of service?", his voice is still filled with devotion towards me, even after all these years.
Placing my hand on his head I tell him about my thoughts on her potential, then suddenly we are interrupted by loud bangs on our hotel's door.
"ERIC! GO..." Before Sookie has the time to finish her call, Eric violently opens the door.
"What is happening, Sookie?", using the voice he usually reserves for his seduced prey.
"Can you help me, please? After Lorena left the other day, I thought Bill and I could patch things up, but Lorena came back. She is with him now. I just saw them together in the hotel lobby. I came straight here, I don't think they saw me! I am scared and don't know what to do. It's obvious from their behaviour, Bill is willingly with her. She might try to harm me in revenge. What can I do?" , she asks so fast I could only count one breath during the whole tirade.
Eric, my child, is analysing the situation and in a blink of an eye has found his advantage. I've always thought he was more of a vampire than I would ever be.
"Miss Stackhouse, please do come in and sit down, we need to have a chat". They both sit on the couch next to me.
"You are very valuable, Miss Stackhouse. I am not speaking of your telepathy only. You have a kind heart and are not afraid of what might happen to yourself in order to help those you are close to. In some ways, you seem to get the 'bigger picture', but in other ways, you lack so much. I will protect you from Bill and Lorena. Don't be mistaken, if Lorena wants you tortured and dead, so does William Compton. I have known her for a couple of centuries and knew of Bill since I moved to Louisiana. In our world, you cannot separate the interests of a Maker and their Child. You have been kept ignorant of our ways far too long.
But there will be a price...nothing is free in both our worlds. Would you be willing to pay it?"
Sookie looks in my eyes, trying to understand what my Child wants. I have some idea of what Eric is trying to do, and it amuses me a little.
"Wh-what do you want?", she looks at him with disgust.
"Sookie, I am not an extortionist. Even when friends help each other, something will always be expected. It is implied. I just wish to be honest with you, enabling you to make an informed decision. My Maker here is in need of a safe house for a little bit. He would need a human donor. In exchange, he would teach you our ways and more if you are so interested. Don't worry, at his age he would need very little blood."
When my son finishes, I know he purposefully omitted to tell her Bon Temps would not be suitable.
"Of course Godric can stay at my place, but I don't need to learn your ways. I think I know too much already."
I chuckle a bit at her naivety.
Sookie stares at me with incomprehension in her eyes as Eric answers.
"Make no mistake, in the long run, knowledge is the strongest defence against our world you can ever have. Do you accept our deal? There can be no going back. I am man of my word and, Miss Stackhouse, if you take them back, it will be the last thing you'll ever do. Are we clear?"
She looks at me in a shock she thought I would share. But I totally agree with my son, this is a very important lesson she needs to know.
"I agree to care for Godric if he needs a place. But I will give him blood only if you cannot find a willing donor."
Eric nods at her and answers:
"Thank you for your word, it is now a sealed deal. We will return to Shreveport tonight. Our plane is already getting readied. Come with us, we will keep Lorena and her bastard at a safe distance. But we have to see them in order to let you renounce his claim on you. You will have to accept our claim, if you want to be safe. Do you agree?"
"I asked for your help, and acknowledge you will know how to deal in such a situation better than me. But is there no other way?"
"Letting Godric and myself claim you will ensure no other vampire will try to get you. There are very few that can rival the both of us. I cannot think of a safer option."
Sookie looks at me to confirm Eric and me are at the same page. I offer a gentle smile of approval. She doesn't understand how she is sealing herself to our wishes. Eric and I agreed she would make a good child, with time. But she will need to be tutored.
"I agree and will acknowledge I belong to you both, in front of witnesses if need be".
Getting up, I say: "so be it. We will go to check their room and the lobby, and then directly go back to LA. Are you all set?"
"I don't have anything since my luggages are in Bill's room. Maybe we should go to his room first."
"Eric, could you please bring our luggage down and get a car? I will be going to William Compton's room with Miss Stackhouse. We will shortly join you in the lobby." Eric was out before I could even finish me sentence, briefly reminding me how much he respects me and how much I love him in exchange.
Sookie looks quizzically at me, she must have seen something on my face.
"Let's go, Miss Stackhouse!"
"Please, call me Sookie."
I offer her my arm, and we go to William's room. It's empty, and Sookie's able to take her luggage. We take the lift down, and see Lorena there, on Bill's lap. As soon as they see us, they stand, and the youngling growls at me. How uneducated can he be? Doesn't he know not to piss an elder? How is it possible he survived more than a year with such a behaviour?
"She is mine, you have no right to touch her!", looking at our arms.
Sookie starts on: "I renounce your claim, Bill. I am now Godric and Eric's. And thank God, because you are a yellow-belly, good for nothing, micropenis asshole. I don't want anything to do with you anymore! How could you parade with another woman when we are supposed to be together? In front of my nose too! Why didn't you help me when I needed you? I don't want to see you ever again, Bill Compton!", my little spitfire turns back and nudge me towards Eric who was looking at us smirking. Bill and his maker were left open-mouthed at her, unbelieving what she had just said.
Walking outside, Eric shows us to our car and we leave to the airport. On the way, I am too delighted at having chosen Sookie to even talk. It doesn't matter as Sookie is also deep in thoughts. Only Eric's seems to be enjoying the moment and smiles.
When we arrive in Shreveport, it is early morning, we take a car to one of Eric's house. Thankfully Sookie falls asleep, and cannot complain we didn't take her to Bon Temps. Eric carries her to his light-tight basement's suite. We put her up in one of the room's bed. All the rooms are equipped with a small fridge and microwave, so we left her some sandwiches we bought on her way here, while she was asleep. I leave her a note explaining the food and telling her, she unfortunately cannot leave the suite during the day, for security reasons.