PART TWO

Chapter 5

Viktor had little use for anything flashy and this non descript house in a very rural area of Louisiana was the perfect setting for what he was to do. Less chance of prying eyes, less chance for some innocent to happen by-not that anyone ever visited him-. He would prefer not to have to do away with one unfortunate enough to knock on the door and see something…..but not really. He actually had made the house look rather inviting looking from the outside, spelled it to enchant people to come by and those who did, he had experimented upon with his magic. Nothing permanent, but over the years he had needed human subjects to experiment on and though some had expired, he had managed to make it look like a accident, or a medical case that had killed these unfortunate people. But now, he was intent on not being bothered further and with his dark magic, he had ensconced the two story house with a magic that would not only keep people at bay and from entering, but had also rendered the windows dark, keeping sunlight out. And as such, the house was as dark as pitch, save for the candles lit here and there. The basement, sprawling as it was, was set up with the usual dark accoutrements-a altar, more candles and some slender metal pins. He had positioned some copper cups at the sides of the altar, a disturbing blood collection system in which he would slowly bleed the girl dry. And of course, the second victim, currently working for him, would follow. And with any luck, Viktor hoped, within a few days he would have everything he had ever wanted and would finally be able to conquer anything and anyone he wanted. It was to be a process, a fairly slow one, a intricate one. But a few days was a small price to pay for the rewards in the end. And perhaps, those who would inevitably come after those he had taken, Viktor could take their power as well, though they were mere peasants compared to those he currently possessed. He decided to be generous and after a few words with his enthralled prisoner, he decided to make the final preparations before things would finally get rolling. And he laughed to himself as he thought of the house they were in. the basement, as vast as it was, the structure so innocent in appearance form the outside…..but he had constructed the building just to his specifications and the walls were as if they were made from material to make bunkers. He would return to the basement where things were set up, where the cell was where his other guest was held. But for the moment, he enjoyed a glass of Chianti, savoring that which he had already accomplished and what was about to come to pass.

Chapter 6

The door opened just as she was about to finally unleash her energy she had spent hours trying to summon up. She had hoped it to be enough, but the doors, the walls of this place were not only spelled but were forged of materials that kept her power all but useless and she knew that this structure, this house, was no ordinary, run of the mill house like in a planned community. It was actually as fortified as her own home in their own gated and secure cluster of homes back where she desperately wanted to be. And she stepped backwards a few paces, feeling her energy once more wane, unable to bring back the feeble light she had managed to conjure when she had been interrupted. As he closed the door behind her, she assumed he had been granted permission to enter the room. And the haggard looking Viking looked at her impassively, his clothes barely clothes after everything that happened back at the bar. Pained for him, she also knew how dangerous he was under necromancy and this time, her magic was not there to stop him should he have been ordered to do anything. But then she saw something. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he slowly smirked at her. And not in any devious sort of a way. It was then and there she knew, somehow, he was no longer anyone's to command. Well, perhaps her.

He rushed to her and embraced her. "I had to play along….but I don't know how…how it didn't work….unless….." he thought long and hard. "You…our connection, the blood I have had from you….I think its made me immune to necromancy….but if he suspects anything…..he sent me in to have…" he winced as he hesitated to reveal to her what his orders had been upon entering the room. "He wanted me to do what I would with you so long as I leave you in one piece and that you're not drained. I don't want to think of just what he really expected of me but we need to make it look reasonable…believable. I have already summoned Pam…she did manage to get Ginger calmed down enough to get her free and she got a hold of some of the others. But there is still magic keeping it impossible for them to find us. Unless we can get you out of here, perhaps you can weaken the magic enough to let them find us."

She nodded and looked at him with a mix of fear and relief. "I suppose we had better make this look good." she said as she let her hands touch him, the dried blood on his beck where a wound had healed up. "You've seen better days." she quipped a she started licking the blood away, knowing that his blood within her could only help strengthen her for what was coming. And he took her face in his hands and she grimaced. "Do what is necessary. I'm not scared."

He nodded. "You would have made a amazing Viking….even though I know your background, I could swear there was a little Viking in you." he made a face as if he was swallowing a lump in his throat.

She looked at him, a brief coy look crossing her face. "Hopefully, when this latest mess is over with, perhaps tonight I will get a little Viking in me. And I am not talking about the blood." she said, stepping on her toes to whisper the last part in his ear, to which he arched a brow.

"I told you once before I always liked when saucy faerie Sookie came out…are you ready?"

She nodded and he started in on her, biting her as gently as possible, while making it appeared to be a more violent attack than intended. A few minutes later, he emerged from the basement room and out into the area set up for the ritual, a bloody and feebly stirring Sookie in his arms and as he took in the somewhat damaged form before him, Viktor gave his supposed cohort a seal of approval.

"Well, I am glad you enjoyed yourself….not that you have any real control or idea what you are doing…." he said, taking the body from him and laying her on the altar. His back to the vampire, he started talking again. "You really didn't think I knew you were free of my control…..you think I am so easily fooled…" he didn't bother turning around as he heard the sounds of chains coming to life and ensnaring the shocked, then furious Eric. He was able to wrest some of the chains away but it seemed they were coming out of thin air and finally, even he was overcome, taken to the ground as the villain took some of the metal needles that looked almost like knitting needles and started putting them in certain spots. The spots being through the skin of the awake but too weak Sookie. One by one her wrists were impaled, then her throat, her midsection and then her calves, the blood trickling right to there the villain had put the copper cups. It was indeed a slow process as she bled out, growing weaker by each drop leaving her body. And it was a strange and familiar feeling that started creeping through his own veins, though bound by the silver chains conjured up. There came a vibration to the room, the flames of the candles flickering with a power that was not being called on by Viktor but the Viking, the recent evolutionary power that he had used only one before and hadn't even known that he had had. And entranced, Viktor watched as the skin of the vampire turned a slightly grayish and for a moment, Viktor saw what he could become, a winged demon with a lethal-even more so-muscular body complete with a tail. But using his own magic, Viktor made sure the change didn't allow for any time to escape and infused the silver with more power. Still, it was clear that there was little time left for him to keep the angry vampire in check.

He felt nauseated by the change that had overcome him and hadn't lingered. He had hoped the magic would have come to his aid and yet, here he was, trapped in the magic chains and seemingly unable to call upon his newfound ability. And then he heard it, sensed the others arrival. It seemed that even the magic of this Viktor wasn't strong enough to keep himself and Sookie from being discovered, and the cavalry, it seemed, had arrived, as judged by the annoyed shouting form Pam upstairs. Something about her shoes once more falling victim to some psychopath. He smiled to himself as Viktor was distracted and headed upstairs, all the while the eyes of the Viking started turning from blue to a eerie, deadly yellow.

Chapter 7

Viktor was not happy upon seeing the intruders and he was flummoxed as to how they had managed to find this place. Still, they were unable to enter the building, which suited him just fine. Not that he was pleased at seeing the invaders. There were two females and one male, all clearly with great skill and power but yet against his own talents, well, he felt that they would stand no chance. Brave and foolish that they were daring go against him to try to rescue their kin. He opened the front door using his magic and saw the three he knew from his background check on the close knit family, a bloodline that was steeped in history and power and was one of the most respected and feared vampire families in the world. Still, he knew that this tall woman, Pam, was too eager to come after her family, especially her maker. And the other woman, Willa, he knew was a young vampire. But the lone male, he knew was a formidable force and was the patriarch of this odd family. And knowing the age and power of this one, Viktor decided that perhaps he could take the power of this one as well. For now, he would need to put them somewhere they couldn't trouble him.

"Welcome, though I daresay I don't think I invited any of you to the party. How you found me is something of a mystery and perhaps you have greater power than I expected. But you are not ruining what I have waited years to do. And I may have a use for one of you later but for now, I simply can not risk you getting in my way." he starter muttering something and though they made to charge at him, something gripped at them by the ankles and looking down, they saw the ground coming to life, thick roots bursting through the earth and trying to ensnare all of them in the thick tangle that was growing around them.

"Plants…..you are gonna try stopping us with plants?" Pam laughed coldly as she broke through the first onslaught, the others making easy work of it as well. But her laughter was short lived as she saw the roots were embedded with thorns that were made of…..

"Clever, like you didn't think I planned for vampires such as the likes of you? Yes, thorns made of purer than pure silver and inject silver right into your flesh. Enough to keep the lot of you busy….." he grinned as the three were quickly weakened by the odd but undeniably clever spell work that had created the thick roots and vines that now enveloped the three, turning them into little more than lawn decorations. Satisfied that he had taken care of business, he retreated into the basement, knowing that any and all obstacles to his plans were taken out and now, the fun could really begin

TO BE CONTINUED