Chapter 2

"WHAT? I can't be…I…don't believe you…" I stammered.

Suddenly, I noticed two male figures in the room.

One was a tall man with long blonde hair that looked like he just stepped out of a romance novel cover. His body was sculpted and you could tell he was used to getting what he wanted from women. His eyes were steel blue and intense. He just oozed strength, sex and cunning with a dangerous edge, like he could beat you at chess and then just beat you to a pulp if you were a sore loser. Great, oodles of fun.

The other figure lay in a crumpled heap in the corner. Cole. I staggered over to him and looked closely. He was most assuredly dead. Thank God! Something in the back of my mind started to click and I remembered…everything.

Cole was grabbing me and slapping me awake, astonished and pissed that I didn't scream and cry like I usually did.

Leering, he spat out, "You no good slut! Why can't you just die like your stupid mommy and daddy? Well this time I'll make sure you won't recover! Maybe, I'll have some fun before I do that. You would like that, wouldn't you, slut?"

For the first time in my life I was calm. Bewildered, I looked at him. All I could feel was a rising hunger from deep within. All I could feel was his heartbeat vibrating in my head. I grabbed him with a speed and force I never knew I could have. The look of shock and confusion on that bastard's face was priceless. I looked at him in his eyes and he flinched. Oh yes, I was going to enjoy this. My fangs came out and I pulled him down to his knees, as a slow, comprehension appeared on his face. He just realized he made a huge mistake. Then I bit. I clamped down on him while he screamed and his body jerked. He tried to kick me and punch me, but I did not budge. I kept drinking. Pretty soon he stopped moving. I felt his heart slow until it was barely a flutter. I still kept drinking. Then I knew there was no longer a glimmer of life in him. Don't ask me how I knew but I did. Then I dropped him in that heap that I was now looking at and had laid back down, sated and content.

Sookie went to me and put her arm around my shoulders trying to comfort me. I shrugged her off. She put a cool hand on my cheek. I slapped it away. "Don't touch me!" I staggered back shaking my head waving my arms in front of me as if I could push this reality away. Sookie stepped back looking almost as hurt and confused as I felt. She looked over at Mr. Gorgeous. "Eric? What should I do?" she asked him.

"Give her some time to adjust to the news, my lover", he said in a deep voice full of love and concern for Sookie. He was instantly at her side taking her hands into his in an effort to reassure her. He pulled her into an embrace and started to stroke her hair, his eyes never leaving me for a second. He seemed to steady her and she pulled back fueled with strength and resolve.

I plopped down and stared at them. Never in my life had I ever witnessed such love and support. Even my parents, God rest their souls, were cordial to each other at best, united in their common fear- me. Well there was someone who had loved me and supported me when no one else would...but he was now dead. Killed by my own hands and I enjoyed doing it. I looked at my palms as if they held some deep revelation. I let out a deep sigh, gathered my resolve and stood up.

"Okay, what now?"

Sookie looked shocked. "Are you really okay with this, Ally?" she asked doubtfully.

"Like I said, I was always a quick healer, both physically and emotionally. There is not much I can do about it now and if I hadn't been a vampire, I don't think I would have ever been rid of Cole."

"Do you regret killing him?" she asked tentatively.

"Nope. He was a vicious bastard. He hurt me so many times and in so many ways, you couldn't imagine."

Sookie just nodded and looked up at Eric who was evaluating me with amused interest. "I see why you felt such a connection," he said smiling. My lover… I added in my head. Even if he didn't say it, he said it.

"Hey, I thought you said you were hit or miss with supernatural beings. Do you read vampire minds?" I asked, curious.

"I never used to be able to. They were a complete blank to me when I was human. That was what was so fascinating and scary about them." She looked at Eric lovingly. "Since I became I vampire, however, I can read vampire thoughts too but certain vamps, like Eric are immune to my abilities."

"Thank goodness for me," Eric added while casually giving Sookie a squeeze. I rolled my eyes. Get a room. Geez.

"You asked me if I was human. Does that mean you have problems reading my thoughts?"

"Yes, only when you were upset did I get bits and pieces from you probably because you were projecting directly to me, but when you are calm like right now, you are a blank. The fact that you are my child and my telepathic ability, I assumed I would be able to read your thoughts and you mine." she seem thoughtful. "Tell me about yourself, Ally."

I hesitated. When I finally opened my mouth to say something, Eric put his hand on my shoulder and ushered us into the living room. There was a fire burning in the fireplace and the room had a cozy lived in look to it, filled with family and childhood photos and even a couple of pictures of Eric and Sookie. Some were candid photos with them and some friends and there a few formal looking ones that I can only describe as wedding photographs.

"You ladies have a long night ahead of you. I'll leave you two to talk." Eric moved to go upstairs, but not before giving Sookie a lingering kiss on the lips as she gave his cheek a tender caress. When he finally left, all I could say was, "Wow! Is he for real?"

"Yup, I am one lucky girl." she replied with a small smile playing on her lips.

I nodded and sat down on the sofa facing the fire. Sookie sat down next to me, her body angled so that she could look at me and the fire at the same time. She looked into my eyes and waited. No one ever looked into my eyes- at least never directly. They usually focused on my forehead or my lips when I talked to them. I don't know what they thought would happen, maybe they thought they would burst into flames or grow an extra ear or something.

I felt strangely at ease with Sookie despite her plaintive stare. She must have been in her late twenties when she had become a vampire. She must have also been a pistol in her human life. She definitely retained that vitality in her undead one.

"Okay." I said finally straightening up. "Let's get on with it."

TBC.