Chapter 4

She wasn't much, a little southern belle who never landed a real beau. At ten she understood that she was different and that the things that other girls had were denied her. Young Sookie stayed with her grandma and watched the late movie on a Friday night while her brother cavorted with his latest conquest. She was the grandchild that could be counted on for chores, for visits to elderly neighbors and for companionship.

And then Gran died and she was alone in the world. There was Jason but he was to busy with his Soldier of Light meetings and his spiritual retreats that were anything but spiritual. Sookie pulled into herself, went to work and came home to her cat every night. She thought that she would grow old in her crumbling farmhouse without having realized any of the dreams she once dared have. Her life was small and likely to stay that way.

Around her everything changed but it wasn't until she was confronted with the change itself that she understood that her heart did not have to be closed up to experience. That there was a world beyond her own tragedy and that others suffered worst.

That night she dreamt of him.

She saw him as he should have been: a proud and strong vampire sheriff sitting in a throne while a multitude of admirers vied for his attention. He was respected and his area thrived under his careful watch. He had a second-in-command whom he trusted as he would no other. Together they had built their own personal empire which provided them with all the comforts that made their life agreeable. Eric had carefully maneuvered shark infested waters for many centuries to build his power base and he was finally reaping what he had sown. He was as content in his hard-earned security as a vampire could ever hope to be.

She would have come to him…because she needed his help and maybe there would have been a connection, something that would pull her to him. She might have been hesitant but eventually the bond would develop into something akin to affection. She would have come to care for this vampire and he in turn would find in her something to treasure. And maybe someday she would want to join him and he would make her his. Then Sookie would never be alone again.

So it was understandable that when she awoke that morning it was to a profound sadness and a sense of loss that she could not comprehend. The feeling accompanied her through her routine and it was not until she finally saw him that the pain abated somewhat. Sookie realized that something in her was changing and it did not bode well for her heart or for her sanity.

XxXxXx

Sookie had been working at the lab for three months when she found Eric's cell empty. At first she'd thought that he'd been wheeled into one of the upstairs labs but when the hours went by and he had not been returned she'd begun to worry. Luke had been going through his weekly rounds so she took a chance and asked about her charge.

"He's been lent to the lab at Oklahoma City" he answered her without looking up from his notes.

Sookie felt sick "Just like that? But I thought he was permanently housed here?"

He shrugged unconcerned. "They requested him and the petition was approved. I am certain that he will be returned eventually but since we're not using for anything in particular we can be generous with our assets. Now if you don't mind I have to get back to my work".

She went home that night feeling more exhausted than she'd even been before. Whatever had made her days a little more bearable was gone leaving her alone and miserable.

XxXxXx

When she saw him a few weeks later she failed to recognize him right away. His pale, slightly luminescent skin was riddled with large purple hematomas that made him look grotesque and inhuman. The long blond hair which she had kept neatly braided had been chopped off and she could see the black thread from the stitches he'd been given just beneath the blond fuzz. He was so thin that the restraints had to be taken in another notch when they transferred him from the stretcher to his regular gurney.

The transport team secured him in his cell and left him alone. Sookie rushed to the refrigerated drawer inside the lab where the bagged blood was kept. She took out a bag of O positive and attached the tubing which allowed him to feed from it. With care she entered his cell and approached the gurney.

"Mr. Northman?" she ventured softly as she leaned over him. His eyes were open but unfocused and did not even glance her way. "Are you hungry Sir?"

There was no response besides a slow blink which she took as a yes. She ripped the package open and carefully paced the tubing in his mouth. His dried out lips curled around the offering and suctioned the liquid feebly.

She held the blood packet for several minutes until he tired of feeding and let the tubing drop from his lips.

"Sookie?" he whispered.

"Yes sir, it's me"

"Is this hell?"

"I think so. What did they do?"

He was silent for a long while and when he finally answered his speech was halted as if words were hard to string together.

"…took…all my blood and a piece of mm..my brain, I think. Can't remember. I don't know….was so cold. I haven't ff…felt the cold since I was made vampire"

"Blood loss makes your temperature drop a lot I think. I'll get you some more blood" she made to leave but was stopped by his gentle plea.

"No…please"

"What sir?"

"Don't leave me please."

XxXxXxXx

Amelia Broadway dragged the heavy box to her house. The bottles inside clanked against each other and she had to stop several times before managing to get it into her home. Once inside she slid the package across her carpeted floor all the way to the white tiled kitchen.

She was glad that the house had come with an extra large refrigerator otherwise the bottles of imported True Blood would have overtaken the space and her dairy would have spoiled on the counter. Synthetic blood took precedence over Swiss cheese at this point in her life.

The girl finished putting the bottles away and made herself a cup of strong coffee. Her guest would be up within the hour and she wanted to be wide awake to greet her. The last few nights she'd struggled to keep her eyes open past midnight and she did not want a repeat of that. Anna was too interesting to miss even for a good night's sleep.

She was sitting on the sofa watching TV when her guest finally came down from the attic. The slender blond was wearing a borrowed ice blue nightgown and quilted slippers. Her hair was loose and curled softly at the ends.

"Have a good rest?" Amelia asked cheerfully. Anna gave her a smile that could also be interpreted as a smirk. "The best, nothing like total and unexplained amnesia to trigger peaceful dreams"

"Oh, I'm sorry"

"Don't be. It's not your fault. I'm just cranky today" she said tiredly.

"I got the blood shipment. It's in the refrigerator."

A few minutes later Anna returned with a heated bottle of O positive and sat next to Amelia to drink it. The witch watched fascinated as the vampire consumed the substance in one gulp.

"How is it?"

Anna wrinkled her nose in a ladylike fashion. "Atrocious but much better than the Red Stuff from last month. At least this tastes like it could be from a human and not from a guinea pig."

Amelia brought a hesitant hand up to her clavicle. "If you want… you could…you know"

The vampire looked at her pointedly as if she was considering the offer. "I thank you but I daresay that I am taking far too much advantage from you as it is. To make a meal out of you doesn't seem very fair"

Amelia nodded and went to get another cup of coffee with the amnesiac vampire at her heels.

TBC.

Sorry to leave it at that but I am falling asleep. Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews. They really encourage me to keep working on this story.