Chapter 3
When it was over, I walked outside. I tried to calm the bloodlust. I was not going to indulge myself with a fangbanger. I would wait for her. To taste her. To be reminded of why it was that I'd offered to give up everything for her.
I saw her then. She was yelling at a lion. A lion. She was exquisite.
Then I saw the tiger. All my plans, my conspiracies went out the window. My blood was still up. I was not done yet. By the time he saw me coming it was too late. I landed with my knee in his back. Even if I had not broken his back, he was down.
As I raised my sword I whispered, "she's mine!" After I severed his head from his body, I worked fast.
By the time I was done, she was gone. I went to Hadley's apartment and was in time to see the queen and Andre dropping her off. I watched her go upstairs. She turned and looked as she reached the door. Searching for someone. Someone who was not going to come.
I watched as Bill came and tried to explain himself to her. Did he not understand the pain he caused her? Even if we were no longer human, we lived side by side with them. We fed from them. We fucked them. We worked with them. How could he understand so little?
I heard her then, "I risked my life for you. I gave Eric power over me forever, for your sake, when I took his blood." And at that moment I could feel that power coursing through us, although I think she was too tired to recognize it. "I killed someone for you. This is not something I take for granted, even if you do . . . even if that's everyday existence for you. It's not, for me. I don't know if I can ever not hate you."
She got up and looked down at him. "You probably saved my life tonight." Thanks to me. I thought. "And I thank you for that. But don't come into Merlotte's any more, don't hang around in my woods, and don't do anything else for me. I don't want to see you again."
I nearly gave a triumphant howl. Two birds in one night. The path to her was cleared of those annoying obstacles now.
"I love you," he said stubbornly.
What a fool.
