Sorry this took so long. This new job has got me running ragged, and this week is going to be even worse. So...no promises on when the next chapter will be up.

To everyone that reviewed, you are amazing! Sending out hugs over the internet! *hug*

A little violence in this chapter, and a death. A little OOC

I own nothing.

Sookie screamed as Bill's blood was forced from her body. It felt as if her blood cells were being torn apart and burned. She thrashed and tried to get away but the spell and Adelaide were keeping her in place.


In Eric's office, Bill was screaming as he felt his blood being burned from Sookie's body. Bill had rushed towards the door in hopes of getting to Sookie and stopping whatever it was that was happening, but Eric had him by the throat and against a wall before his hand touched the door knob.

"Let me go! What is happening? I need to get to Sookie!"

"Your influence is being burned from her as we speak. You will have no hold over her, and no claim to her."

"NO! Sookie is MINE."

Eric chuckled, "not anymore."


Sookie screamed and pleaded with Adelaide to make the pain stop. Adelaide ignored her and kept chanting. The cup was almost full and she knew the spell would be over soon. She sent a mental message to Sookie letting her know that it was almost over. Sookie just sobbed.

After another minute, Sookie's wound stopped bleeding and healed. The blood in the goblet sizzled before turning clear and vanishing.

Sookie laid on the floor, crying and shivering. Adelaide called Pam to her, who entered the office slowly, and looked at the human on the floor.

"Will you put her on the couch please, Pam? Cover her up with a blanket and get her a glass of water."

Pam did as requested and Adelaide cleaned up the salt and materials from the spell. She walked over to Sookie and kneeled down next to her. She ran her hand through the woman's blond and now sweaty hair.

"You were so brave Sookie. Pam is going to watch over you while I talk to Bill and Eric. Sleep if you can alright?"

Sookie nodded and took a sip of her water before closing her eyes.

Adelaide smiled lightly at Pam and walked to Eric's office. When she walked in she saw Bill struggling in Eric's hold and screaming about how Sookie was his.

"Sookie belongs to no one. Especially not a weak little pissant like yourself." Adelaide stated, making herself known.

"You little whore! What did you do?"

Bill received a punch in the gut for his outburst. He groaned in pain and stopped struggling.

"Shall I kill him?"

"While I agree that he does not deserve to "live," the Queen sent him here. Won't she be suspicious?"

"She would. However, she went behind my back to acquire Sookie, by law she should have come to me first. William also failed to check in with me and request permission to reside in my area."

"If you gave him the true death, what would the consequences be?"

"I would have to pay a fine to his maker. I am unsure of what course of action the Queen would take."

"We can not allow her to take Sookie. She would abuse her and keep her hostage. Let me dig a little deeper into his mind and see what else I can find."

She watched his turning and his years with his Maker. She was disgusted by the amount of innocent people they tortured and drained. She watched his years in the Queen's court, and his discussions with her, and Sookie's cousin, Hadley. Hadley was the one that mentioned Sookie's gift, and it immediately caught the attention of the Queen. She knew that telepathy was a gift of the Fae. She sent Bill to procure her by any means necessary. She watched Bill's plan to seduce her, his plan to pump her so full of his blood she wouldn't know which way was up, then deliver her to the queen. She was appalled.

"Maybe we should give him the true death."

"We will work out a plan. For now, I will ban him from the area."

"William Compton, you are banned from Area 5. You have until sunrise. Allow me to escort you out."

Eric kept a firm grip on Bill's neck and sped out of his office. Adelaide walked slowly back to Pam's office to check on Sookie.

"She has been asleep since you left."

"Good. She needs the rest."

She felt Eric come up behind her and wrap his arms around her. He placed a kiss on her temple.

"Shall we take her home?"

"Yes. She has had a very taxing night."

Pam scooped Sookie up and walked her to the car. Adelaide followed, while Eric informed the staff that he and Pam were gone for the night, and met them at the car.

"She lives in Bon Temps. I retrieved the directions from her mind."

As they got closer to her home, Sookie started to awaken. Adelaide grabbed her hand and informed her that they were almost to her house.

"I smell smoke," Pam stated, "lots of it."

They turned onto her lane, and Sookie screamed as she saw her house in flames.

"GRAN!"

She didn't wait for the car to stop before she jumped out and ran towards the blaze. Pam caught up with her and held her back. She struggled against the vampire's hold and continued to scream for her grandmother. Adelaide called 911 before joining Sookie and Pam.

Eric asked where her grandmother would be at this time of night, and Sookie explained that she would have been in bed. Her room was on the bottom floor in the back of the house. Eric followed her directions and listened carefully. He could not hear a heartbeat in the house. The fire seemed to be worse at the exact location of her grandmother's room. He took a deep breath through his nose and smelled the fresh scent of Compton. He growled and zoomed back to the women in the front yard.

"I can not hear a heartbeat in the house. The structure has been compromised and is about to collapse."

Just as the words left his mouth, the second story fell into the first. Sookie screamed and screamed until the sounds of sirens overpowered her. She collapsed against Pam and cried out for her grandmother.

The fire trucks and ambulance arrived and began to put out the flames. The police department showed up, followed by half the town. Jason, Tara, Lafayette, and Sam pushed their way through to get to Sookie. She was still clinging to Pam as the four dropped to their knees beside her.

"Sookie! I'm so glad you're okay!" Jason exclaimed as he tried to hug her. She finally released Pam and threw herself at her brother. He caught her and held her close.

"She's gone, Jason! Gran's gone!" Sookie sobbed.

Jason's eyes welled up, and Tara and Lafayette started to cry. Adelaide buried her face in Eric's chest as tears filled her eyes as well.

Sam took in a breath, trying to catch any scents that he could. The only one that he could pick up that didn't belong to people already there, was Bill Compton. He looked up at Eric, who caught his eye and nodded. Sam swore under his breath. He hated vampires.

Sookie continued to cry as the firemen slowly put out the fire.

"Come on Sook, I'll take you to my place and you can rest."

"No, Jason. I can't leave. I can't leave until they find Gran."

"Sook, you're tired, lets go."

"No. I want to know how this happened. I want to know who did this."

"I'm sure it was an accident Sook."

"It was not." Eric interjected. "William Compton did this. I can smell him all over the property. Especially near your grandmother's room."

"Wha…What?"

"I'm so sorry Sookie, but Compton did this. My only guess is that he did it for revenge." Adelaide explained as she too sunk down next to Sookie and grabbed one of her hands.

All of her friends looked around confused. Last they heard Bill and Sookie were getting along fine.

"Why would Bill do something like this?" Tara asked.

"It's a long story. Right now we need to get Sookie somewhere safe." Adelaide knew that Sookie could not go through the emotional exhaustion of explaining Bill's betrayal to her friends after losing her grandmother.

Sookie stared blankly ahead, "there is nowhere safe. He could glamour himself into any house he wanted."

Adelaide glanced up at Eric. Eric took in the scene and made a decision. He knew it was very uncharacteristic of him, but Adelaide brought it out in him.

"Ms. Stackhouse, if you are willing, you may come and stay with Pam, Adelaide and I, in my home. I know that you do now know me or my progeny, but you and Adelaide share a gift. Perhaps it is something that you can discuss and nurture while you heal from this event."

He saw Adelaide smiling at his from the corner of his eye, but kept eye contact with Sookie.

"Oh hell no!" Tara snapped. "One vampire just burned down your house with your grandmother inside! You can't trust them! Come stay with Lafayette. We'll protect you!"

"Yeah, Sook! You need to be with family."

Sookie looked around. She knew she could trust Adelaide. She sensed a connection with her immediately. She knew that Eric was powerful, Bill had even said so, and could protect her. Tara was already being insensitive and Jason didn't know how to handle crying women. She needed someone who was going to curl up with her and let her morn. Tears filled her eyes again. She listened and heard her friend's thoughts. They were all practically screaming, "I told you so," and she did not need that right now.

"If…if it's not too much trouble, I will accept your invitation."

Eric inclined his head.

"What?!"

"NO!"

"Sookie, be reasonable."

"Sam, I'll be out for awhile, I don't know what I will be coming back."

"Sookie…"

"Ms. Stackhouse has made herself clear. We will be back tomorrow night to give our statements to the police and you may speak with her then if she is so inclined."

Adelaide grabbed Sookie and helped her up, then walked her to the car. Pam held back her brother and friends as they tried to make a last ditch effort to make her stay with them. Sookie just clung to Adelaide's hand tighter and ignored them. Adelaide put her in the backseat and met Eric on the driver's side. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was full of adoration and awe.

"Thank you, Eric."

He nodded, "let's go home."

Sookie's friends watched in astonishment as she drove away with vampires, and a woman none of them knew.