A/N:
First, thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts. I'm sorry I was slack and did not respond, but I read each review and I loved all of them! Please keep 'em coming!
So… yes this is an update, but it's a short chapter. I hope everyone enjoys it nonetheless. The next chapter will make up for the shortness of this one. I have something special in the works! *Evil grin on my face and I'm tapping my finger tips together*
Many, many thanks again to the awesome SibylVane Vamp for quickly reviewing this baby-sized chapter and getting her back to me ASAP. You're the best C!
Chapter 7
As I navigated Sookie's Tahoe towards downtown Shreveport I realized I was heading towards her condo. The only problem was that she didn't know that I knew where she lived, which just goes to show how much the last thirty minutes had fucked with my head.
Son of a bitch! I can't believe she's a fucking telepath!
I stopped myself seconds before removing my hand from its current position and slamming my palm down on the steering wheel in frustration; which would, likely, crush it.
I'm supposed to know if this kind of talent resides in my area! This is what I pay my people for! Fucking imbeciles!
I took a long, although unnecessary, breath in. Get it together Northman, you've got to play this carefully and correct.
Step one, return her to her home.
"I assume you live downtown?"
"Oh, um… yes."
I waited for her to continue with an address, but as the silence continued I realized I was going to have to prompt her again. For fuck's sake, I hated having to dumb myself down.
"And your address would be?" I tried to contain my sarcastic tone, but I felt certain my annoyance was obvious.
"Oh, sorry." A pink tint ran from her cheeks down her neck to the tops of her breasts. "229 Milam Street." And then she was silent again.
I bit my tongue as a sudden urge to make the pink tint continue to brighten ran through my veins. Head back in the game, Northman.
I already knew where she lived, of course. I had checked out her living arrangements after she kicked me out of her office the previous night. I didn't take kindly to her rejection; it's not something I encounter often and I, briefly, considered paying her a midnight visit to encourage her to reconsider. But something held me back and now I was grateful I refrained from visiting her last night. I needed her mind professionally but wanted her body personally. I let one telepath slip through my hands several centuries ago and I'll be damned if I make that mistake again.
My last vision of her was one that had haunted me for many years. Her beautiful auburn waves fell over her shoulders as she leaned forward from her hips, both arms stretched out to me as she expected me to save her from the King's guards as they pulled her by her waist backwards toward the king's chamber. In truth, I was just as much a prisoner as she was; only my chains were invisible.
"Um, Eric?"
"Yesss," I drew out as that last vision of Tsura faded.
"Can we finish this tomorrow? I'm just tired and I really want to go to bed." Just as I was about to interject that I'd love to join her, "Alone," she replied.
"Very well, I will be in contact tomorrow to set up arrangements for a meeting."
I pulled up to her building and placed the car in park. As Sookie started to get out of the car realization hit her.
"Wait. How are you going to get home, err, back?"
Compassion? Sookie was showing me compassion? I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
"I will be fine." I turned off the ignition and withdrew the key. "Here," I said as Sookie turned back towards me. Slowly, the fingers of my left hand sought her right wrist and turned her hand over so her palm was facing up. I lowered my head and gently kissed her wrist at its pulse point and allowed my tongue to caress her skin. I lifted my head mere centimeters but willed my lips to linger above her wrist. I breathed in her delicious scent and contemplated the ramifications of plunging my fangs into her for a quick taste.
Ultimately, the logical part of my brain won out and I forced my head to rise and my fingers to loosen their grasp.
"Goodnight, Ms. Stackhouse."
I didn't allow myself a moment to reconsider my decision to leave her as I bolted from the car and ran around the side of the building. As soon as I had cover from the road, I launched myself into the sky and headed to my home.
Within minutes my feet touched down on the soft sod on my front lawn and in three long strides I was inside the entryway of the house. I had several business matters I needed to tend to, including getting an update on the situation at Fangtasia from Pam, so I headed through the kitchen to grab a Trueblood and down the hall to my office.
Sitting down in my burgundy leather office chair, I allowed my knees to swing wide and my shoulders to slump down caving in my chest. I twisted the cap off my O negative and picked up the phone to call Pam. Three rings later, I ended the call. Fucking Pam. The phone dangled between my thumb and forefinger of my right hand. I swung the phone in rhythm with the swaying of the chair from left to right.
Having nothing else to occupy my mind, my thoughts went back to Tsura. Tsura, the beautiful gypsy who's name meant Light of Dawn and she had proven to be just as dangerous to me as her namesake.
I ran across Tsura's clan during the mid 1800s as I was traveling south through the British Isles. That beautiful, unruly hair made her stand out amongst her people and I knew at once that I would have her.
I stalked her clan for weeks, observing, plotting, and waiting for my chance to strike. Finally, Tsura wandered away from the group one moonless night to walk along the water. I took the opportunity and approached her from behind. Just as bowed up and prepared to sink my fangs into her smooth olive skin; she turned around and placed her warm petite hands on either side of my face. My fangs immediately retracted as if protesting any thought I may have had to do this creature harm.
"What are you thinking?" She'd asked and then replied, "You are a void to me."
I felt my brows pull together as I thought through her question and the following statement.
"Ah, but your expression tells all you think not of."
I remember in that instant the puzzle pieces fell into place and I realized she could read minds; well, all except mine. From that moment on, I was her void, her respite, her safe harbor and I protected her until she was dragged from my grasp by the King's guards.
One of Tsura's clan betrayed her when faced with the need to repay a debt to the king, and the rest, as the humans say, is history.
I wandered Scotland and England for years simply existing; not having the passion for life I once had. I fed for necessity, feeling neither excitement during the hunt, nor pleasure as I consumed my prey.
My travels had led me to London during the spring sometime near the end of the century.. It was there that I saw a beautiful young blonde, who looked as though she had only recently come into her womanhood, sitting in the third story window seat of one of London's many row houses. She stared out the window deep in thought and oblivious to my watching her.
I visited her like this for months trying to convince myself that I was not stalking her as I had once done with Tsura. In hindsight, I was, of course, stalking her and as she snuck out of her parent's home late one night I struck. And thus, Pam became my first child.
Speaking of the she devil, my phone began to vibrate between my fingers.
"Speak child."
"Whew, aren't we in quite the mood, Master? What's wrong? Did the little telepath not put out?"
"Pam, I grow tired of your games this evening." I exhaled loudly to further emphasize my annoyance. "The fact that the little telepath assisted us in avoiding a much un-needed run in with Shreveport's most lacking police force has not placated me. Why was there no security covering the bathrooms?"
"Clancy was making a trip to the bar."
"Clancy is a fucking idiot."
"The badges came into the bar, of course found nothing, and left." I could hear Pam's smirk through the phone and I knew she was finding it hard not to laugh at the Clancy comment.
"I will not tolerate Clancy's insolence again."
"Yes, master."
Silence grew on both ends of the line and I knew Pam desperately wanted to ask for more information about Sookie.
"I'm working on it Pam." She needed no further explanation; she knew exactly what I was talking about.
"Yes, master."
"Goodnight Pam."
The line went dead. I took another gulp of my O neg and made the call that I knew would change everything.
The line connected and rang twice before being answered, but no greeting was spoken.
"What have you found regarding Sookie Stackhouse?"
