Waking the Dead

by latbfan

Follows Dead until Dark/True Blood Season One from Bill's POV. Possible spoilers through all the books. Story is abandoned. My apologies to my readers.

2. Chapter 2

Second Night

For the first time in over a month, I didn't wake before I could move from my daytime stupor. There was no horrible vision of my wife's death to shake from my memory, just the pleasant awareness that it was dark and time to feed.

It's impossible to describe what it's like to someone who isn't vampire. All the things that felt good when I was a human, the tastiest food or the finest wine or the most powerful orgasm, were nothing compared to blood. My entire existence was made for the hunt, and the hunt ended gloriously with my fangs sunk into the hot, pulsing vein of a victim. TruBlood was a disgusting mockery of all that mattered to our kind; it was no wonder the debate went on for years before a decision was made to revel ourselves. There were many, Malcolm and his nest included, who preferred the anonymity of myth and the freedom to hunt as they always have, using and discarding humans as needed. Despite my best efforts, I had my own doubts about a diet of synthetic blood. While anything was possible in the short-term, forever is a long time.

I pulled a TruBlood from the cooler I kept in my resting place, and I thought of Sookie's smile as I gulped it cold and tried not to gag. I wanted to see her again, and I didn't want the temptation I felt last night. I knew her work rotation, so I was in no hurry as I heated water to carry up to my new tub. As I soaked, I checked messages and felt myself growl when there were no returned calls from contractors. While I could live just fine without modern conveniences, they were just that, convenient. I loved my long showers and soaks. I wanted to keep blood in the house, and I wanted to be able to choke it down at the right temperature. I wanted to plug in my computer and my stereo. Unbidden, the thought of keeping food in the house for Sookie briefly flitted across my mind. I saw yogurt containers and a pitcher of tea and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries sitting next to my TruBloods. I envisioned her biting into one of those berries, the pink juice dripping down her chin and flecks of chocolate clinging to her lips.

I shook my head and continued listening. There was a message from Dianne, "Come on, baby. Don't be mad. Call us," which I had no intention of doing, and there was a text from Andre, "Call."

I put down the phone and submerged my head. My mind wandered to swimming with my brother when we were boys. We'd use reeds from the banks and lay under the water to see who could last the longest.

Since I'd been home, memories have snuck up on me at unexpected times, and I found it disorienting. Cleaning out a closet, I came upon a book, The Odyssey, whose pages smelled like my wife. I found a ring I remember my mother wearing when I pulled up the floor in the bathroom. The dining table was the same one I sat at with my parents. One of the bed frames had been in my sister's room. It was to be expected, and I reminded myself often that these things didn't matter to me. They belonged to a world that was no longer mine.

Shaking those thoughts from my mind, I fixated on Sookie's lips and reached down to stroked myself. All my experiences from my human life paled in comparison to what I'd learned under Lorena's tutelage. Her lusts were insatiable, and she was a gifted instructor. I loved my wife, and when I was alive, I was faithful to her, but we'd married young. My father offered, as my wedding night approached, a slave woman who belonged to the Bellefleurs who could teach me bedroom skills, but I did not take kindly to his suggestion. He'd laughed at my indignant response, and there were times when I wondered if I should've followed his advice. But my human days had been long and full of hard-work. I often fell into bed exhausted and aching, content to feel her warmth beside me.

I loosened my grip despite my growing need, imagining it was Sookie's hand that touched me. She would be hesitant, inexperienced, and she wouldn't have the strength of a vampire, but her hand would be hot. I couldn't stop myself from moaning as I imagined her running her thumb over the tip, or the way I would feel inside her mouth.

***

"Andre, this is Bill Compton."

"Ah, just a moment." I listened to the soft sound of voices fade as he walked to somewhere private. "It's been several weeks. Her majesty thought we would've heard from you before now."

"Yes, well, I was researching the situation thoroughly before I engaged. We met last night."

"And what have you discovered?" Andre asked.

"All is as advertised," I said, cryptic in case the call was intercepted.

Andre audibly inhaled. "It is true, then?"

"From what I can tell, yes, but I need more time."

"For what?"

"To be absolutely sure," I said. I swallowed unnecessarily and worried about Andre's obvious desire to possess her. "And to discover limitations."

Andre laughed. "Thorough, indeed, her majesty will be most pleased to hear how well you're doing your job." There was an underlying threat in his tone. "You must keep us better informed."

"Of course," I said. "And there is another matter that has come to my attention."

"Yes."

"There are two drainers in town."

"Would you like me to notify the Sheriff?" Andre asked in a bored tone.

"Not at the moment. I'd like to try and handle things quietly. I don't want anything to adversely affect my mainstreaming efforts."

Andre snorted. "Your choice," he said, and then he hung up.

With that done, I put my phone in my jacket pocket and opened my laptop. I needed to look in on the drainers, not only for my safety but for Sookie's as well. It's amazingly easy to find information with a few keystrokes. Besides hot water heaters, computers were my favorite invention. I knew a lot of vampires didn't trust or understand the technology. Several "geeks" had been turned specifically for their skills. But I enjoyed learning new things. A few night courses out in California, and I was on my way. I'd met people, too, tinkering in their garages, and was able to make wise financial investments that paid off handsomely. In a pinch, I could always glamour someone and steal as much as I wanted, but even before the idea of mainstreaming popularized, I liked to keep things honest.

Their address and felony records committed to memory, I ran to Merlotte's. I hunched in the shadows for a few minutes, listening to what was going on inside. I knew the rotation, and Sookie was due to close tonight, so I didn't worry about her leaving anytime soon. Everyone was talking about a strangled girl, Maudette Pickens, and Sookie's idiot brother, who had been taken into police custody regarding the matter. The fact that the girl had fang marks seemed to be the most titillating topic, and I grew bored very quickly. Only a very old and very powerful vampire would be able to resist all that blood, and a body would only be wasted as a statement.

She was defending her brother when I walked in and like last night, she turned as if she sensed me. She flashed me her sunshine smile and started walking towards me.

"Good evening, Miss Stackhouse," I said, feeling oddly formal. I offered her my hand and, to my surprise, she sat and took it at once. I'd meant to simply help her to her chair, but once I had her warm skin in mine, I didn't want to let her go. I closed my fingers around her flesh, expecting her to pull away at any moment.

Sookie closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose, same as she did last night. I wanted to ask her what she was doing, but then she was looking right at me, her eyes familiar and warm, and she was smiling again.

"Your hand is cool," she said. She looked surprised, excited even, but not disgusted.

"Um, yes," I stammered, as if I were a boy. "I'm afraid I'm not as warm as the man you must be accustomed to."

"What men?" She looked away, and I thought for a moment that she was sad. She pulled her hand from mine and blushed. "What can I get for you tonight?"

I shook my head and, without thinking, leaned in closer to her. Her unusually sweet scent flooded my nostrils. "What are you?"

"I told you," she quickly said. "I'm a waitress."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "You're something more than that. Something more than human."

"I beg your pardon?" she laughed. For a moment, I thought she might even be flirting, and I wished my heart would beat just so I could feel it stop.

"Sookie," I crooned, my lips close to her ear. I said it slowly, feeling the syllables work their way around my lips and tongue. I wanted it to come out how I felt, like a caress. Her eyes widened, and I immediately smelled her arousal. I loved the smell of women in general, but her scent, like her blood, was exceptionally sweet and strong. "That's an unusual name, Sookie. Is it short for something else?"

"Nope," she said, gulping air as if she'd forgotten to breathe. "Just plain Sookie."

"May I call on you sometime?" I rushed out. I was more nervous than when I asked Caroline if I could call on her, and I tried to remind myself that I was just doing my duty for the Queen.

"Call on me?" she asked.

"Um. May I come visit with you at your home?"

"Sure," she quickly said, her eyes big and trusting. "My grandmother would love to meet you." I raised my eyebrows. Her grandmother? She thinks I want to come and visit with her grandmother? "Oh, that reminds me. Can I talk to you after work? I have a favor to ask you."

Of course she has a favor. Humans always want something. "Of course," I said, pulling back. "After all, I am in your debt."

"Not a favor for me" she rushed. "For my grandmother. If you'll be up?" I couldn't help but smile at her, and I was rewarded with one of hers in return. "Well, I guess you will be. Would you mind meeting around the back of the bar when I get off? Probably around 1:30?"

"I'd be delighted," I said, and I wanted to kick myself because it was actually true. I leaned towards her once more, breathing in a fresh wave of her scent. The shifter made a low, growling sound so quiet I was sure no humans could hear. "Do you realize that every person in this establishment is staring at us right now?"

"Oh," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "They're just staring at me because my brother's in some kind of trouble with the police." She looked thoughtful before continuing, "Bill, did you know Maudette Pickens?"

She was direct. I liked that. "I did not," I said. "They are staring at us because I am a vampire and you…" my voice trailed off as I looked down at her lips. "Are mortal."

"Well," she said with a mischievous grin, leaning in even closer. Her lips were an inch from my own, and I wanted more than anything to taste her. I concentrated instead on keeping my fangs retracted. "Who cares what they think?" She batted her eyelashes at me, and I felt my fingertips digging into the arms of the chair as I held myself back.

"I want to make this town my home," I said. "So I do." My self-control slipping, I abruptly stood. "I'll see you at 1:30."

I wasn't even out the door when my fangs slid out, and once I got outside, I rubbed my hands over my face to try and clear her scent from my nostrils. That was a mistake because I'd held her hand, so my skin was saturated with her. Before I realized what I was doing, I licked my own palm, sucking each finger into my mouth in turn. I wanted nothing more than to go back inside and sit and wait for her shift to be over. I wanted to watch her. I wanted to be the recipient of her smiles. I wanted to listen while she talked with the customers and colleagues. I wanted to know what she was thinking and how she felt and what she liked. I wanted to bury my nose in her neck and wrap her hair around my fingers and put my lips on my pulse.

She will not be mine, I told myself as I ran from the bar. She will not be mine, I told myself as I pushed to move even faster. It only took moments to get home, and I concentrated on gulping the wet night air as I sat on the porch steps.

"She will never, can never, be mine," I said out loud, and even though I didn't need to, I couldn't stop myself from sighing.

Shaking my head, I looked at my watch. I had four hours until I was meeting Sookie, and there was plenty I needed to do. I wasn't sure what she wanted to talk to me about or how long it would take, but I knew her grandmother always waited up for her, and that just wouldn't do.

Walking at a human's pace across the cemetery that separated my house from the old Stackhouse land, I tried to think of ways I could get the old woman to come out of the house without scaring her half to death. I smiled when I looked through the trees and saw her taking out a sack of garbage.

Before she could even see me, I'd moved across the open yard, made eye contact, and had her under my control. She smelled remarkably like Sookie, even through the general decline of old age, and I wondered again what Sookie could possibly be other than human and telepathic.

"Everything's fine," I said in soft, soothing voice. She smiled blankly at me. "Sookie is well. There's no need to wait up for her tonight. She's going to get home safely."

The woman nodded at me and took my hand in hers. I was so surprised at the affectionate gesture that I nearly lost my focus. Most humans are simply robotic when under my influence.

"You're going to go inside and lock up. You're going to bed. You'll have the deepest, most restful sleep you've ever had. You won't wake up when Sookie comes home, but that's okay because Sookie is just fine. You don't need to worry about her tonight." Mrs. Stackhouse continued to smile at me, and she rested her hand on my forearm the way women used to. "You never need to worry about Sookie when she's with me," I added on impulse. "Sookie will always be safe with me."

I slowly escorted her up the steps to the door. I considered prompting her to give me an invitation inside so I could investigate freely until I met Sookie, but I didn't want to force entrance into this woman's home. I held open the screen door for her, feeling the magical boundary that prevented me from crossing the threshold uninvited.

"Have a good night, Mrs. Stackhouse," I said once she was safely inside. I released her from my control and ran quickly back into the cover of the trees. I watched as she shook her head, looked towards the tree-line, and then close the door behind her. She left a light on for Sookie, but I listened as she toddled about in her bathroom, and then her bedroom.

While I walked home, it occurred to me that for the first time in over 50 years, I didn't know what to do with myself. I dismissed the idea of heading back to the bar early and watching while Sookie closed up. I needed to continue emptying the house of my decedents' personal effects, but I didn't want to get dusty. I didn't want to ruin my score by playing Wii distracted. I could always work on my database, which used to be such a source of pleasure, but I didn't want to do that either. I thought about driving to Monroe and finding a donor, but quickly decided against it. In the end, I lit a few candles, turned on some music, sat on the sofa, and closed my eyes.

***

When I woke up in the palace guest room my first night back in Louisiana, a palace guard was waiting to drive me to Hadley's apartment. She answered my knock wearing a tiny black lace camisole and even tinier lace panties.

"Oh! Um. Forgive me, Miss…" my voice trailed off as I looked above her head to the tiled roof.

Hadley waved her hand and opened the door wider. "Hadley."

"Hadley," I continued, still standing on the porch. "I'll come back at a more convenient time."

"Now's fine." She leaned further out the door, and a man in a passing car whistled from the street. "Where's Susan?"

"Excuse me?"

"Susan. I told the guard last night when he dropped me off to send her with you." That explained the girl in the pink dress sitting in my car when I arrived at the palace garage. "She's my favorite…"

"I told her that her presence wasn't necessary," I said.

Hadley rolled her eyes at me. "For real?" When I nodded, she added, "Whadaya do that for?"

"I have work to do."

Hadley shook her head and walked back inside. I followed her, closing the door behind me. "Bit of a dick, aren't you?" she said as she flopped onto the sofa. The room smelled strongly human, and I had no doubt Hadley had lived there before she was turned. "Are we calling for a donor?"

I walked into the small kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and pulled out two TruBloods. After heating them, I handed one to her.

"Gee, thanks Mr. Boy Scout," she muttered before gulping it. The newborn are always hungry. Despite the vile nature of the synthetic blood, her fangs slide down as she licked her lips. I could see why the Queen wasn't sending her to investigate her telepathic cousin. I handed her the second bottle, which she promptly gulped, before warming one for myself. "Did you smell her? She's intense, and instead, I'm drinking this shit." She waved the empty bottle at me. "You don't actually live on this, do you?"

"Shall we begin?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Sophie-Ann says I have to stay here with you until you're done, so let's get this show on the road." She stretched and leaned back on the cushions, exposing more of her skin.

"Would you like to get dressed while I set up?" I asked her.

She smiled at me coyly. "I'm comfortable." She trailed her fingers down her neck, lingering between her breasts, and pinched her nipples through the thin lace of her camisole. "Would you like to get comfortable?" She ran her tongue over her fangs.

"No, I would not." I sat down and turned on my laptop, setting the scanner and camera on the table.

Hadley huffed off to the bedroom and returned moments later wearing a black silk robe. "You are so not fun," she pouted.

"Oh I'm fun," I said as I popped out my fangs.

Hadley laughed. "Sure. Okay." She shook her head and flopped back onto the sofa. "So… What do you want to know?"

For the next two hours, Hadley talked, and I typed. I only spoke when prompting her or asking her to elaborate. It's so different interviewing the young; older vampires guard their secrets, especially their human memories. Hadley seemed eager to tell me her life story, to draw sketches of the town where she grew up, to tell me about her wayward human youth and running away from home, and how she ended up in the donor room of the palace.

"Sophie-Anne liked me. She said I tasted different than most humans. Sweeter," Hadley said. Once again, I consciously focused on the human scents in the apartment, and I knew that what she claimed was true. "Andre said I'm part fae, whatever that means…" Hadley shook her head. "Anyway, Sophie-Ann had me feed on Andre, and let me tell you, V from the source is way different than the alternative." She sighed. "And then I started sleeping in her bed during the day, next to her. She let me watch her and Andre together. She watched me with other people. I watched her feed on other humans. She gave me this apartment. Eventually, the whole story came out. When I told her everything, she cried."

Hadley paused, her gaze unfocused and far away. "I didn't know that vampires cried blood. When she cried, I licked her tears. And the next night, she asked me if I wanted to be with her forever." Hadley looked around. "And here I am."

"Please tell me about your cousin," I quietly asked.

Hadley chewed on her bottom lip in a human-like way. She looked very young and unsure of herself. "You aren't going to hurt her, are you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Sookie. Are you going to hurt her? Why is Sophie-Ann sending you to her? Are you going to claim her?"

"No."

"Would you tell me if you were?"

I sighed. "Probably not."

Hadley nodded. "Then why are you going?"

"I've been ordered to go by my Queen."

"Why you?" she asked.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "If you're so worried about her, why did you share her secrets?"

Hadley looked away, but I saw the tears puddle in her eyes. "It wasn't like that. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," I said.

"It's like I'm not myself anymore," Hadley whispered. "When I'm with her, it's like I want to crawl inside her skin. Do you know what I mean?" I thought of sleeping with Lorena in my arms as Hadley wiped the tears from her face. She glanced down at her blood-streaked hand and shuddered. "Augh! It's disgusting. I'm disgusting. But when I'm with her, I just can't say no."

"It's the blood," I said.

"I know, asshole," she snarled at me, reaching for a tissue to wipe off her hand.

"Not your tears, I mean her blood."

She looked at me, her eyes bright. "I don't understand."

"This wasn't explained to you?" She shook her head, and I continued. "All new vampires are compelled to obey their Makers. They cannot disobey, even if what they're being asked to do is abhorrent to them. Even without a direct command, the Maker's blood in the new vampire will cloud their own judgment. You're new, Hadley. You'll find yourself doing things you couldn't possibly imagine yourself doing. While in the presence of your Maker, you will relish things that would otherwise horrify you. It's not until you're away and the bond is weakened that you'll question yourself."

"Is it always that way?" she asked so quietly a human would not have heard.

"No. The bond will weaken over time. Your blood, as it ages, will become more powerful and begin to assert itself. Most Makers eventually release their Children…"

She looked at me as my voice trailed off. "But?"

"The Queen is different," I said. "Her blood is different. It's her gift." I shook my head. "Like all things, it's both a gift and a curse."

"What do you mean?"

"The Queen cannot bond with a human. Her blood drives them mad. That's why she had Andre bond with you; she can't do it herself. As far as I know, she's never released a Child, and no Child has ever requested it. None of her Children have ever become a Maker, either. They love her, but it's more than that. It's obsessive."

Hadley nodded.

"She's addictive. Once you've fed on her, you keep wanting more. Yes?" Hadley nodded again. "Over the years, rather than growing weaker, her bonds grow stronger. Her Children become more desperate to be with her. You're the first Child she's made in hundreds of years."

She looked at me for several minutes before getting up and moving at vampire speed to the bedroom. She was back a second later, holding a tin Hello Kitty lunchbox. She back down on the sofa, and then she held the box out to me.

It reminded me painfully of my own box of human treasures that were in my bag on the floor by my feet. Inside were several nice pieces of jewelry that must've been gifts from Sophie-Ann, a lock of fine, dark hair, legal documents, a newspaper clipping of an obituary, and a handful of photographs. In one of the photos, a younger, human version of Hadley had her arm around a blond-haired girl and an older woman.

I held up the photo. "This is Sookie?" Hadley nodded. "And your grandmother?" Hadley nodded again. I scanned the photo into my computer.

"She's a good kid," Hadley eventually said. "She's had a rough time of it, you know? I don't want her to get hurt. Please."

"What makes you think I'll hurt her?"

She shook her head again. "I just don't want her mixed up in all this." She waved her hand around the apartment. "Andre scares me…" Her voice trailed off.

I put the things back into the lunchbox and handed it to Hadley. "Hadley, please look at me." When she did, I continued. "You need to go to a bank, one that's open at night, and you need to put these things where they're always safe." She held the little box to her chest, and I thought about how difficult it had been when I was newborn.

"You need to find your own money," I said. "And you need to invest it. Ask someone you trust, someone not at the palace, to help you if you don't know how to do it yourself."

"I don't need money," she said. "Sophie-Ann takes care of me."

"Yes, but she might not always," I said. "And the time may come when you don't wish to be part of her retinue. You need to secure your own source of income."

"Why?"

"Because you are vampire," I said. "You are no longer mortal. You will, potentially, live for hundreds and hundreds of years." Hadley flinched at my words. "Your human family will grow old and die. Your human friends will grow old and die. You are locked in time. Forever. You are no longer part of their world."

Hadley narrowed her eyes at me. "You really are a dick."

"You will be, too," I said. "You'll have to be, or it'll kill you."

Wandering around New Orleans the next few nights, I thought about Hadley, and I thought about her cousin who was now on a collision course with vampire politics. I found myself looking at the scanned photo of the little blond-haired girl too often, wondering how she would look now. I thought about Andre, and his cold, pleasant face that never betrayed his feelings, and I imagined they'd have her pressed into service for as long as her human life lasted if she turned out to be of value.

***

When I opened my eyes and looked at my watch, I didn't expect to see that it was already 1:35. "Dammit," I said out loud as I rushed upstairs to the bathroom mirror. I ran my fingers through my hair and wondered if I should change clothes. In the end, I decided to just take off my jacket and go, as I was already late.

I'd planned on driving, in case she wanted to go and speak somewhere over a beverage, as human are wont to do, but running would be faster, so I left my car and rushed back to Merlotte's. I was thinking about her lips blowing over a hot drink when I first smelled the blood.

Even from a distance, I knew it could only be Sookie's. The scent was mixed with dirt and adrenaline and the sweat of someone else, but I'd never smelled anything more intoxicating. When I arrived, I saw the drainers, both wearing steel-toed boots, standing over Sookie, whose blood was soaking into the dirt of the parking lot. The shifter was there, teeth bared and growling. The human man had a gun pointed at the dog, and I watched as Sookie reached over and tried to pull on the man's leg to stop him.

In the back of my mind, I was blaming myself for being late, and wondering how she'd found the strength to move, and why was she thinking of saving a stray dog, and what on earth the shifter was thinking by not showing up as a man with a gun.

I didn't want to lose complete control, in fear I'd drain her after I'd killed the humans, but I let myself feel the vampire overtake me. I was on the man in a moment, throwing him away from Sookie. His body smacked wetly against the trunk of a tree before falling to the ground with a thud. I heard his back break in several places, and he uttered "What the f…" before I snapped his neck.

I was moving too fast for the woman to see me, and I smelled her fear and her arousal at the power before her. "Show your face, freak," she shouted into the night. She turned around in a tight circle, not sure where I was, her breath coming in gasps and her heart racing. The blood always tasted so much better when it was pumping like that, and I was sorry I wasn't going to be draining her when I snapped her neck and threw her into the trees. She dropped to ground, already dead.

I raced to Sookie, smelling carefully and trying to evaluate the extent of her injuries. The shifter was still a dog, sniffing her broken body, when I stepped up. He bristled and growled at me.

"Fucking dog," I snarled as I carefully picked up Sookie. I immediately heard the distinctive sound that meant her boss was shifting back to human form.

"Sookie," he said softly, touching her cheek with his hand. "Oh Sookie." I had no doubt in that moment that the shifter loved her. "Put her down!"

"She's dying," I said.

"Let me…" he looked around, as if someone would magically appear who could help. "Let me…"

"Smell," I said as I began walking towards the woods. "That's spinal fluid. Her back is broken. Her skull is fractured. Listen." I stopped moving and closed my eyes as I heard the wet sound of her breathing. "Broken ribs, punctured lungs." I kept my eyes closed and listened to blood flooding her abdominal cavity. "She's bleeding internally. If you called an ambulance now, she wouldn't survive until it arrived."

"Where are you going?" he demanded as I started walking again, as fast as I dared to move her without jostling.

"I'm going to heal her," I said.

"No," he growled.

"Do you have a better alternative?" I snapped back. When he didn't respond, I snorted. "I thought not. Make yourself useful. Load up the bodies."

When I got to the bank of a small pond, I carefully set her down in the moss. She opened her eyes and looked at me. "Sookie," I whispered.

"Bill," she managed to get out, blood seeping from her mouth as she spoke. "I can't feel my legs."

I rested her body against my knee, unbuttoned my cuff, and bit into my wrist.

"Quick. Drink. Before the wound closes," I begged her, holding my arm to her lips.

She pushed against my arm that supported her. "Will I be a vampire?" she asked. That she would rather die than be like me made me want to snap her neck myself.

"You won't be. Goddammit, do you want to live or not?" Once again, I pressed my wrist to her mouth.

"No," she said.

I forced my wrist again to her lips, and once the first drops went down her throat, she reached up with both hands and latched on. She sucked hard, swallowing whole mouthfuls. She moaned in her pleasure.

She was the first human who'd ever fed on my blood, and I felt it inside her. I closed my eyes as she drank, allowing the intimacy of the moment to wash over me. I gently stroked her hair, and I let her scent flood my head. I felt my arousal, inevitable with any blood-exchange, but it wasn't the painful, furious release I associated with Lorena feeding on me. It was warm and gentle and intense, and I felt her pleasure as she continued to feed, the bond between us strengthening, and I didn't know if she came first or if I did, but we were together as I'd never been with anyone in all my long life.

She shuddered, little after-shocks taking over her body, and I wanted nothing more than to lie down on the moss beside her and listen to her bones mending and tissues healing themselves. I gently pulled my wrist from her lips, groaning at absence of her heat on my skin, and laid her on the ground.

"How is she?" the shifter asked.

"Healing," I said. He nodded at me, blood from the dead humans smeared on his naked body. "I need you to shift back and watch over her. I think I'll be back before she wakes, but just in case, I do not want her to be alone."

He narrowed his eyes at me. Without a word, he shifted back to the familiar dog and snuggled up to her side. He rested his head on his paws.

I rushed back to the parking lot, pleased to see that he had not only loaded the bodies into the back of his truck, but he'd also spread fresh dirt over the blood stains on the ground. I didn't want to feed on the drainers, but Sookie had taken a lot from me, and I was hungry. I fed from both of them, careful to leave enough blood so they wouldn't appear drained.

Sam had left the keys in the ignition, and his old truck roared to life. Grateful that I had looked up their information, I drove on the dark, quiet roads to their home. It was an old trailer at a crossroads in the woods. Fortunately, seclusion suited their illegal activities, and there was no one to see me as I uprooted trees, snapped the power line, and strewn belongings around, finally tipping the trailer itself on top of the bodies, hearing the satisfying crunch as they were crushed under the weight.

When I got back to pond, Sookie was still asleep. "Go," I told the dog. He didn't move. "Go," I growled. He stood up and once again bristled. He narrowed his eyes and walked towards the bar, but I heard when he stopped and dropped into the bushes within earshot. "Suit yourself," I said.

I ignored the dog and turned my full attention to Sookie. She looked beautiful, and she sounded and smelled as she always did. I closed my eyes, and I marveled at the feel of my blood in her veins. I felt her sleep, and I even tasted the flavor of her dream, something dark and warm and safe. Before I could stop myself, my tongue darted out and licked the blood drying on her bottom lip.

It was like nothing I'd ever tasted. Part of it was the sweetness of the fae that I associated with her scent and the scent of her grandmother, but there was more to it than that.

I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth and felt my fangs slide down. Once again, I felt myself harden and strain uncomfortably against my slacks, and I couldn't stop from pressing against her thigh as I took her top lip into my mouth. I licked her lips, her chin, her nose. I licked my way down to where the blood had pooled by her collar bones, and I rubbed my nose against the beat of her heart in her neck.

I could feel in the bond that she was pleasured, and her arousal only spurned me on. I moved up to her forehead and buried my nose in her hair. The fracture in her skull was still healing, and the blood that oozed out was fresh. I lapped at it, sucking her soft skin into my mouth. I wanted to rub myself all over her, to press her to my body, to take her right there by the water under the stars.

I felt it immediately when she woke up. One second she was asleep, and then her eyes were open, staring up at me as I licked the blood from her head. I pulled back and licked my lips.

"Do I taste different from other people?" she asked.

"Jesus," I muttered, finding it difficult to believe that was her first question given the situation. "Yes. What are you?"

"Well, apparently, I'm not dead," she said. "What I am is telepathic. I can hear people's thoughts."

"Even mine?"

"No. That's why I like you so much. I can't hear you at all. You have no idea how peaceful it is after a lifetime of blah blah blah." I watched as the wound in her head closed. She smiled at me and began stretching. I helped her move to sitting positing, her back resting against the trunk of a tree. My finger gently stroked her cheek, and she stared at me with wide eyes.

"May I ask you a personal question?" I finally said.

"Bill, you were just licking blood out of my head. I don't think it gets more personal than that."

She shook her head and smiled, and once again I was surprised at how casually she was taking it all. She'd met me, her first vampire, just last night. She'd saved me. Tonight she was nearly killed, drank several pints of vampire blood, and was calmly accepting that she woke up to my licking her blood.

"How do you manage a social life… with men you own age?" I tried to think of a delicate way of wording it. "Their only thought must be…"

"I don't date."

"Ever?" For someone so young and so pretty, even with the difficulties, I couldn't believe no one had asked her out.

"Well, I've been on a few dates…" Her eyes looked away, and I felt her sadness and anger, but then she pushed them down and smiled. "Not every guy was a pig," she said after a moment. "But it always ends up the same."

"There must be some people who know about your talent?"

"The people closest to me, but we never talk about it. And I do my best to stay out of their heads. Over the years, I've learned how. I figure it's kind-of unethical to listen in on my family, my friends… My boss." I did not like that the shifter earned his own designation. "But they know. Other people suspect, or they think I'm psychic. Most people just think I'm crazy."

"What does it sound like," I asked.

"It's sort of like a… stream of consciousness," she said. "It gets weird if people are mad or upset. Sometimes…" her voice trailed off. "Sometimes it's just images."

I shifted my weight and leaned in closer to her. Once again, her mouth was inches from mine, and I wanted to memorize her, the shape of her face, the way the moon danced off the water and her hair. I felt my blood stirring inside her, and I felt her desire for me to kiss her.

"I should be getting home" she said, breaking the spell. She looked confused, and then tested out all her limbs. "Wow," she said, as if she just noticed she was whole. "I feel completely healed."

"You are."

"Do doctors know V-juice can do this?"

"No, and we want to keep it that way." She looked deeply into my eyes, and I sighed before saying, "I should show you to your car." I stood up and offered her my hand, which she took without hesitation. She bounced to her feet and breathed deeply.

We were quiet as we walked through the woods towards the bar. I reached over and guided her elbow over various tree roots and branches, but I knew she wouldn't trip. I just wanted an excuse, any excuse, to touch her. When I felt her heat under my fingers, her own anticipation buzzed within the bond, and I felt her excitement as well as my own. It was as addictive as her scent or her smiles.

"How old are you?" she asked when we reached the lit parking lot. "Am I allowed to ask that?"

"I was made vampire in 1865, when I was 30 human years old."

"Wow, you look older than that.
"Life was harder then," I said softly.

"Were you in the Civil War?"

"I was."

"Would you be willing to come and talk to my grandmother's club? It's mostly a bunch of old people who had family in the war. They call themselves the Descendants of the Glorious Dead."

"The glorious dead?" I stopped walking and looked at her. "There's nothing glorious about dying in a war." My voice was short, and I didn't want to be angry with her. I felt her uncertainty along with my own painful memories. "A bunch of starving, freezing boys killing each other so the rich people can stay rich? Madness."

"I'm sure it was awful."

There was a long pause while I considered what she was asking me. This was the favor for her grandmother. She wasn't asking me for blood or sex or money or a revenge killing. She wanted me to give a lecture to her grandmother's friends. I sighed. "Would it make you happy if I did this?"

She smiled. "It'd made my grandmother ecstatic."

"Would it make you happy?"

"Well…" She looked at me, and tilted her head flirtatiously. "Yes," she said, drawing out the word. She blushed and fumbled with her car keys.

"I'll do it then," I quickly said, thinking I'd do anything for her pleasure. She turned suddenly, her hair loose and sending out waves of fragrance as it moved. "I look forward to meeting your grandmother. When may I call on you?"

"I'm off work tomorrow."

"Just after dark then," I said.

She turned back to her car, and I hesitated for a split second, considering pulling her into my arms. I wanted to grind against her back so she could feel her effect on me. I wanted to run my fingers along her bare arms. I wanted to turn her to face me and hold her cheeks between my hands and kiss her as I knew she'd never been kissed.

"Oh look," she said. "Sam's still up."

Damn shifter, I thought as I rushed away from her. I assume she turned around to look for me, but I moved too quickly for her to see. I ran to her house, beating her there by several minutes. I climbed into the tree nearest the house and rested on a branch near the top and listened to her little car driving down the road.

It was after 3:00, and no one else was around. She pulled into the yard, and I watched as she looked down at her ripped and bloodied clothes. I raised my eyes to the stars and thanked whatever made me guarantee that her grandmother had gone to bed. Sookie peered into the window and realized that her grandmother wasn't waiting up, worried that she was so late. I felt her relief as she took off her shoes on the porch and tip-toed into the house.

She was back out sooner than I expected, dressed in only an over-large t-shirt. She ran through the dewy grass in her bare feet, dug a hole, and buried her ruined clothing. Her task done, I felt her delight as my blood heightened her senses. I thought back to my first nights as a vampire when, even through my anguish, I could not help but marvel at the world around me. Every little thing seemed new. Miraculous. I watched and felt as she rubbed her feet against the grass. She saw stars a human eye could never discern. I listened to her breathing in the damp, fragrant air, and I felt a joy I'd never known before.

Once she was safely inside for the night, I went home. Dawn was a couple hours away, but I immediately went to my hiding hole. I didn't change out of my blood-stained clothes, and I didn't shower. I would pay for it when I awoke thirsting for her blood, but I wanted her scent to permeate the dirt and the wood.

It had been years since I'd felt so completely inhuman. Despite my best efforts to control my instincts, killing the drainers felt so good. But I'd never felt so human, either. Feeling Sookie through my blood was not what I'd expected. Maybe it was different depending on the human, but she just felt so good. There was a lightness that was not mine that hummed along inside me, so different from nearly 150 years sharing Lorena's darkness. Despite the Queen's edict, I knew that I'd do anything to keep her as my own.