Chapter 7~

"Again?" Sookie nearly shouted, "You two know each other? How, Gran? How is that possible? And why didn't either of you say anything before now?"

Adele cringed as she saw the look of shock and betrayal written all over Sookie's face as her granddaughter's eyes cut towards Eric.

"Sookie, dear, now don't you be angry at Mr. Northman. He couldn't tell you. He couldn't tell anyone. It was part of a promise that he was bound to almost half a century ago."

It was obvious to Adele that Sookie's confusion was only growing. "Eric, Jason, could you give Sookie and I some privacy?" she asked, "I believe my granddaughter and I are long overdue for a talk."

Eric nodded politely, even as his gaze remained locked on Sookie. He was obviously reluctant to leave her side. Nevertheless, he grabbed a very confused looking Jason, whose mouth had yet to close from the shock, and dragged him out into the hallway to give the ladies their privacy.

"Gran..." Sookie began, before Adele hushed her with just a look.

"It's my turn to talk, Sookie, and you can be angry at me if you'd like, after I say what needs to be said. Until then, hush your mouth and just listen." Sookie nodded slowly and listened as Adele began.

"Sookie... you've known for a long time now that Vampires are not the only supernatural creatures out there. With that little gift of yours, you know a great deal more about this world than most people ever will. You also know just how dangerous this world can be. I was about your age when I met Mr. Northman. I was young and beautiful and in love with your granddaddy... and very pregnant with your father, Corbett." Adele smiled wistfully.

"It was long before the vampires came out of the coffin and revealed themselves to humans. I'd put some laundry out on the clothesline to dry earlier that day and had forgotten about it. By the time I went out to get it, the sun had set and it was just after dark. I never even heard him come up behind me, I just felt someone grab me by the shoulders and then a searing pain in my neck." Adele grimaced at the memory. Sookie's eyes widened and Adele reached out to take her granddaughter's hand. "Yes, Sookie, it was a vampire. But not the one you think." She smiled reassuringly. "That vampire had barely gotten his fangs into me before he was ripped away. By Eric. It was your Mr. Northman who saved me that night."

Tears had begun to slip down Sookie's cheeks and Adele reached out to her granddaughter and gently wiped them away. "He saved my life, Sookie. He didn't even know me and he saved me. Heck..." she continued with a laugh, "he didn't even know himself." Sookie's confusion and eager anticipation was written all over her face. Adele always could tell exactly what her Sookie was thinking just by looking at her.

"After some rather hesitant introductions, I discovered that Mr. Northman could barely remember his own name. 'Course, all this had happened in mere seconds. By that time, your Granddaddy Earl had joined us in the yard. Now, I'd always known what Earl was, he'd never kept it a secret from me, but what happened next shocked even me."

Sookie listened in attentive surprise as Gran wove a rather incredulous tale of Fairies, Witches, amnesiac Vampires, blood oaths, and promises made. A witch had cursed Eric, taking his memories, and whether by fate or chance, he somehow found himself outside the Stackhouse home at just the right time to save a young Adele. When Gran got to the part of the story about the fae, Sookie couldn't help but giggle a little. "Fairies, Gran? Really?"

Adele gave her an admonishing look and continued, explaining the centuries long conflict between vampires and the fae, and that apparently her granddaddy's real name wasn't even Earl Stackhouse. It was Fintan Brigant. And he was a fae prince. A fae prince who had fallen in love with a human woman. With a war brewing in the fae realm, Fintan had chosen to remain here to protect his family. He assumed a human identity and lived a, relatively, normal life.

That night Eric and Fintan made a pact sealed in their own blood. Eric promised to never reveal his knowledge of Fintan and his family and in return the fairy used his healing light to cure Eric's amnesia.

When Adele stopped speaking to wipe away a single tear that had escaped, it was obvious to Sookie that there was more she wanted to say about that night but was holding it back. With exhaustion seeming to settle into Gran, Sookie decided not to push her on it... for now.

Adele's eyes closed as she breathed out an exhausted sigh and Sookie smiled lightly, leaning down to press a kiss to her gran's cheek. "Get some sleep, Gran. I need to talk to Eric but I'll send Jase back in to sit with you." Adele's eyes closed gratefully as Sookie stepped out into the hallway to find Eric. She needed more answers. Maybe she couldn't get them from Gran right now, but she was determined to squeeze them out of a certain vampire.

Bill yanked open his front door with a growl, "It's about damn time..."

The hand that whipped out and cracked him across his face took him by surprise. "I'm doing you a favor by being here, Bill Compton. Don't forget that. I wouldn't need to be in this shithole town at all if you weren't so damn incompetent."

Hadley's insolence had always pissed him off... and turned him on. His fangs dropped as she pushed him aside and swept into his home as if she owned it, her heels clicking against the hardwood floors.

"You're here" he began "because you want this as much as I do. Or did you really want that bitch Sophie Anne getting her hands on Sookie? How long do you think you'll be her favorite little child if that happens? How long before she kicks you out of her bed and replaces you with your cousin?" he sneered into her face.

Hadley's own fangs dropped at the mention of her cousin. She hated Sookie. Bill knew it and he had no problem using her hatred and insecurities to get what he wanted. His queen had sent him here to find Sookie and bring the girl back to New Orleans for her, but the moment Bill saw his Sookie he knew he wouldn't be turning her over to the queen. She would be HIS.

Bill smirked as Hadley settled herself onto his couch with a sense of resignation. "Fine..." she huffed impatiently "So what exactly is your little plan here? I assume you mean for me to lure Sookie out of hiding. How could you have fucking lost her to begin with? It's a small town, Bill; she couldn't have gone far."

Bill's phone chose that moment to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen, a grin beginning to spread across his face. "It seems she hasn't gone far at all." he said with a chuckle. "She was just spotted going into the hospital with a man, probably her fool brother." As Hadley's lips quirked up at the mention of Jason, Bill had the sudden urge to bite those lips of hers and bend her over his couch and fuck the attitude right out of her. Another time, perhaps. Maybe he'd fuck her and Sookie together later after they retrieved his new pet from the hospital. His cock began to stiffen in his pants at the thought.

"Come on, Hadley..." he said as he started for the door "It's time to see how useful you can be."