Thank you all. Hoping you enjoy this one. You guys are so wonderfully lovely :-)


Chapter Seven

When Eric's done with the shirt tourniquet, I press the soles of my shoes into the hard cement and make the attempt to push myself up. And, without warning, I fall back flat on my butt. I think Eric has tied the shirt over my wound up too tight; My foot feels dead, and obviously the circulation is being cut off. I can't feel anything, so I suppose that's a plus. The downside, though, is that my leg refuses to function. That can't be normal, right?

"Eric," I whimper fearfully. I'm trying so hard to keep on a strong face, but my shaky voice has already failed me.

Eric looks me over carefully in alarm. "What is it?"

I roll my eyes. "Duh, I can't stand," I tell him, stating the obvious. "I think you wrapped the shirt up too tight."

"It's supposed to be tight. It'll staunch the blood."

"Yeah, well. Not only is it staunching the blood, but it's also staunching the circulation. My leg feels dead."

"I'll put you in the car myself," he says, and in a very decisive move, his arms go around me. The instance I feel myself being lifted off the ground, everything swims from around me. I lock my arms around his neck, real tight, to brace myself. It's kind of awkward, because he still isn't wearing a shirt, but I can't exactly complain, can I?

"If I lose my leg because of this, it's on you," I tell him.

"You're not going to lose your leg, Sookie. It'll be fine," he assures me. I know he means it, and I sure hope he's right. He manages to open the passenger's side of his car to get me in, but I'm still concerned over the state of my leg. I try to wiggle it, and it seems way too much effort. Definitely a bad sign, I'm sure.

"I can't move my leg at all," I tell him again unsteadily. "You sure I'm not gonna lose it? I can't even wiggle my toes around!"

"Oh, for fuck sake, Sookie," he grumbles, very politely. It isn't the first time he has sworn in front of me, so it doesn't concern me. Usually he tries to stop himself from saying bad curse-words in front of me, but sometimes he does slip up now and then. He usually only does it when either he's very upset or when his patience is being tested. When he slams the door on me and magically pops up in the driver's seat, I'd say its definitely the latter of the two. I'm trying his patience obviously. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Hmmm, I don't know," I murmur sarcastically. "You're the old man here, you tell me!"

I'm expecting him to get defensive over the 'old man' comment, only he doesn't.

Instead Eric makes a grunt as if someone has just poked him painfully up the butt with a pitchfork. I know exactly what he is doing, because his fangs are out and he has blood staining the tips of them. Recent blood. I try to distract myself by finding my bag of banana candy, while he gets to work. I stuff a banana lolly in my mouth and suck it, while I watch his hands yank my injured foot up into his lap. His capable, strong fingers untie the make-shift tourniquet free from its binding restraint on my sore shin, and then he slathers blood from an open wound in the centre of his palm into my torn, ragged skin. I make a disgruntled face at the gross sticky wet feeling.

Although Eric has become somewhat of a best and most trusted friend to me, this is something that I hate. I hate that with vampires there always has to be blood. I guess it comes with the territory, though.

My stomach churns and for a second there I fear I'm coming close to gagging. But then, fortunately, my nausea suddenly shifts into pure relief. Just like that, my ankle feels tons better. It looks even better than it did, too. There's a lot of blood, sure, but the gaping wound has magically faded, aside from a few little tooth marks from the wolf. Despite all the yuckiness, I know when gratitude is warranted.

"Thank you," I croak out.

"Wriggle your toes now," he says, and I do exactly that. I let out a breathy laugh. Oh, thank God.

Now my toes wiggle without effort, I can twitch my ankle around, and the numbness is gone. Now I no longer have to worry about my leg having to be decapitated. I might have overreacted, but I really haven't been that badly injured before. There were a few times when I was younger, and I would fall over around the house. But I never got hurt that bad. They were only minor scrapes I had endured. Nothing that looked as severe as a wolf ripping into my skin with his teeth had.

"Thank you, buddy," I say again, although it hardly seems enough. "You're my best, best friend. Maybe even more than Tara is, and she's a girl like me, so that's gotta be saying something."

In order to express it in a more better way, I lift my hand and go to touch his face with my fingertips. Eric catches my arm before I even get the chance and my fingers are left floating in the air an inch or so from his face, bringing it to a stop from its well-intentioned goal.

"It's fine, Sookie. Don't mention it," he says gently, and finally he releases my hand. He starts his car, but I can't shake off the awkwardness, not even when I move myself into putting my seatbelt on. Partly I think the awkwardness is due to the fact that Eric doesn't have a shirt on. I have no idea why it left me feeling a little funny, but it just did.

I stare out the window boredly all the way back to my Granny's house. It is way too dark out to see anything, but it sure beats looking at Eric. I gnaw on the inside of my cheek as I think the night through. So, it turned out my fairy Grandfather employed a werewolf to scare me and push me into defence-mode. I hadn't really even known werewolves existed. Well, I think I did, but I just hadn't really seen one before. I shudder as I recall the way the grungy, long-haired man had transformed into one. His clothes just tore right off him. And his eyes... I think they were the scariest thing about the wolf of all. His eyes were glowing orange. I can't believe my Grandfather would actually go so far as to get a wolf to attack me, though. I know it probably went further than what he wanted for me, but still. It was pretty cruel and over-the-top, wasn't it?

I still wasn't sure what Eric was supposed to be protecting me from. I still wasn't sure why he was bothering to help me train up for some danger coming my way. I still didn't even know what that danger was. I know Eric and my Grandfather probably assumed I was too young to know back then, when I was younger, but wasn't I old enough to know right now? I don't know if Eric will even bother to tell me the truth, but since we are in the privacy and safety in his car, now was a good enough time as any, right? I mightn't get a better enough opportunity so I might as well get it over with.

I take in a deep breath and let the words rush out. "My Grandfather sent you to me because he felt I needed protection. He also wanted you to train me up and teach me how to use all the fairy skills I have. What exactly is it that I'm training for here? Who are the bad guys?"

"There is no bad 'guys', Sookie. There is just one bad guy."

Okay. Well, at least we're finally getting somewhere. "Right. And who is this one bad guy that's supposedly a threat to my fairy life?"

I feel a slight twinge of hope at finally being enlightened with the truth. But it's suddenly all shot to hell when Eric turns slowly in his seat to glance at me quickly. "Now isn't quite the time for it, Sookie," he says, grimacing a bit in reluctance.

I sigh loudly, grumbling to myself internally. Now isn't the right time? Then when? When would be the perfect time? "And why isn't now a good enough time, Eric?" In all my frustration, I punch my thigh once with a fist. "When will be a good enough time? You've been hanging around me since I was eight years old. I think I'm old enough now to know what's really coming for me!"

"Now isn't right for it," he says again. "When the time does come, I promise you, I will tell you everything you need to know. Niall doesn't want you to know yet, and I gave him my word that I wouldn't go against his wishes."

"And what'll he do if you go against his wishes, huh?" I find it ridiculous that Eric should care so much. He's the strong thousand year old vampire, not my Grandfather. What's the worse that Niall can do? "This is my life. My life is at stake here, apparently. And I think I have a right to know."

"Not now."

We've pulled up into my Gran's yard. Eric has parked behind the tree, so Gran can't see. It's obvious I'm not going to get my way, and it makes me mad. Really, really mad.

"Well, since we got nothing else to say here, goodnight then." I get out of his car, muster all my energy into slamming it shut to show how cheesed-off I am, and I take off walking furiously. Already Eric is walking beside me. Damn stupid vampire speediness.

"Sookie, stop being immature," Eric says. I don't bother slowing down. If he thinks I'm being silly and overreacting, well too bad. I have a right to know. I'm fourteen. Surely I'm an old enough girl to know now what's really happening and why Eric has intervened in my life at such an early age the way he was. I have a right to know who the bad guy is here! Besides, I'm fourteen, and I'm allowed to be immature! "Sookie, wait the fuck up." I go to kick a rock but accidentally end up kicking his shoe instead. Serves him right for having it in the way, though. "Oh, very mature."

"Just tell me who is coming for me!" I demand loudly. "Tell me!"

I lift my chin to look him square in the eyes pleadingly. It's a bit too dark to really see him, but hopefully it'll be enough.

I start to engage in one of my staring contests, one that I know will make him budge, because he doesn't like it when I stare at him and he always tends to crumble when I do. But then something kind of interferes with my concentration. A sound comes from a while away. Leaves crackle near one of the big trees planted in Gran's yard, and when I turn to look, I can faintly see an outlined shadow of a person. I can't tell what sex the shadow is, though. Eric hears it as well, I know he does, because he suddenly grabs me by the hand tightly. It's a bone-crushing hold.

"Get inside," he growls at me suddenly, his face hardening.

"Why?" I demand, attempting to yank my hand free. "What the hell from? Who's standing over there?"

"Inside. Get the fuck inside your Grandmother's house. Now!" He says it in a way I can't ignore it. He's whispering to me so the person doesn't overhear, but the words are harsh and stern.

I wish I could really see who the person is that Eric is seeing.

But whoever the person is, clearly it's a bad person. Maybe even the person Eric is meant to be protecting me from. Without warning, Eric starts towing me towards the porch. I twist and struggle to get free, but his hold on my hand is far too tight. Then at last he lets my hand go and then his hands are pushing me up the stairs and I stumble before hauling myself inside obediently. My heart is beating so fast and fiercely. I want to know what's going on, and what Eric's thinking of doing, but my head is too hazy to make any coherent thought or sense into anything.

I have never seen Eric act this way before, so that tells me something is wrong. Very, very wrong. The person outside must be the bad guy. Why else would Eric demand I get inside? Suddenly, I'm filled with terror for my vampire friend. I know he's meant to be strong, but what if the bad guy hurts him in some way? What if he actually dies on me? I've never had to face the possibility of losing Eric before, and it isn't one I want to face anytime soon.

Gran's already in bed, I can't hear the television, so that calms me some a treat. At least I won't have to try put on a brave face for her, pretending I'm hunky-dory. I'm really not in the mood. Racing upstairs, I close my door and cross over to my window. I pull apart the curtains, peering out. I can't see anything. I can't see Eric. I can't see anything of what's happening. What the fudge is going on?

It happens without warning. Suddenly Eric's white face appears out on the other side of my window as he floats in the air and I clutch a hand over my chest, staggering back in shock and fear and happiness at the sight of him. I have a sudden urge to laugh loudly, but I stifle it down.

He pulls open my window and my vampire friend looks how he normally does. There's no blood whatsoever on him. No scars on his chest, or any telling sign of a fight having only just taken place outside in Gran's yard. But then why all the dramatics and cursing while telling me to get inside, like my life depended on it?

So many emotions attack me at once. I'm grumpy. I'm frustrated. I'm scared to death. But most of all, I'm filled with relief and joy that everything seems alright with my pal. Despite my best efforts in keeping on a brave face, I feel tears starting to pool around my eyes. Losing it, I lunge at him and throw my arms around him, thrusting the side of my face into his cold chest. Eric makes his discomfort known in stiffening, but then he loosens up enough to wrap his arms around me, holding me close. Tonight has been the craziest night ever.

"Tell me what's happening," I beg, sounding like the small child that I am, embarrassingly.

"Not now," he says, and he bends down to rest his chin on the top of my scalp.

I ignore him, because I need answers. "Who was that person? Why did you tell me to get in the house the way you did? Is he the bad guy that's coming for me or what?"

"I think so."

"You think?" Thinking really isn't good enough. "You have to know whether it was the bad guy. I know that you'd know if it was or not. You're not dumb."

"It's been a long night. I think you should get some sleep. You have school tomorrow." With that, I know he's deliberately trying to evade my questions. I know him well enough by now. He has no right doing that to me, but at the same time, I know he's right. I do have school tomorrow, but I also know I'm too frigging stressed to even make the attempt to sleep now.

Defeated, I peel the side of my face off his chest and separate myself from him.

He turns and stares at the wall and doesn't peek while I get into a long shirt. It's only when I crawl underneath the covers of my bed that I give him the all-clear.


The sound of rain drumming gently on the old tin roof of Granny's house gently pulls me towards consciousness again. I fight to return to sleep, though, cocooned in my warm blanket, safe at home and the terribleness of the evening with the wolf-man and what happened all over. I'm vaguely aware of my shin aching dully, but thanks to Eric using some of his blood to heal it somewhat, it's the way I like it. It isn't hurting as much as it was when it first happened, that's for sure. It feels just fine now. I'm also vaguely aware that my head is resting on Eric's bare shoulder, its all hard muscular skin, and I feel his hand brushing the hair away from my face now and then. I don't even remember him getting on my bed with me, but when I pry my eyes open, I see the soft light of my lamp is still on and Eric laying there on top of my sheets.

Always with Eric I find a funny sense of security. Although he's meant to be a vampire- and a big old one- he's still my best friend in the entire universe, almost beating Tara in the friendship stakes. It's with him that I always am at my most relaxed, especially after a crazy night like the one I've just experienced, because he was the one who went through it with me, too. He's the only one who knows I'm a descendant of a fairy, and that I have special skills, and that someone dangerous is coming after me. Sometimes Eric stays in my bedroom with me, when he isn't off on his duties at his vampire bar helping his prognay out. Gran doesn't know, of course, because she'd royally freak out that I have a male in my bedroom, but I just can't imagine it any other way.

I turn my head up slowly to look at him, being cautious not to move too much. He's reading one of my romance novels, which perks me up real quickly. What a total hypocrite. He just told me tonight in his car that he found the romance novels I read extra sappy and unrealistic and, yet, here he is, engrossed in one. He must sense that I'm awake, because he quickly throws the novel down on the floor so that he can't be caught-out reading it, and turns slightly to look down at me.

"You can go back to sleep, Sookie. I'll defend you from any closet-monsters or bed bugs. You know I always do."

I roll my eyes. When I was younger, I used to be terrified of monsters springing out of my closet, or just something scary happening to me in my room while I slept. Now, I'm not so much scared of monsters anymore. I know the ones I was thinking of aren't real anymore. "I'm not a little girl anymore," I tell him. "It isn't monsters that I'm afraid of anymore."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"Men that turn into wolves," I whisper, without thinking. "Like that one tonight. I don't want to get bitten ever again. It really hurt."

"Is it still hurting now?" he asks, and I can hear the concern in his voice.

I consider it. "Nope, thanks to you, it isn't. But it's just, like, a dull throbbing right now. But I don't notice it when I'm sleeping."

"Sleep then." He's right. I should get back to sleep, but I kind of don't want to.

"Something happened tonight," I say slowly, thinking back. "Something bad, and you're not telling me anything. I have a right to know. I'm old enough now."

"No, you're not," he disagrees quietly.

"I am so," I say, feeling an intense flare of anger hit me. "Don't undermine me."

"Well, don't overestimate yourself."

"I'm not."

"You are. The fact you enjoy reading those kind of novels pretty much illustrates that," he says grimly.

"Bullcrap," I scoff. "Just because I like reading romance novels, it doesn't mean I'm any less ready for the truth. What does romance novels have to do with bad guys anyway?"

"Because it shows you'll be looking for the sentimental motive. The sense of danger and self-preservation that you need in order to stay alive won't be there, because your longing for romance will cloud your judgment. There isn't anything sweet about this person that is coming for you, but since you invest all your imaginative energy into reading romantic drivel, it already tells me now isn't the time for you to know what's truly out there coming for you. You are still so naïve."

"What?" It doesn't even make any sense to me.

He sighs and tilts my chin up with his fingers. I can tell I'm not going to get a real answer out of him. "Go to sleep, little fairy," he says mockingly. He leans down and bestows a quick kiss on my forehead.

Sighing, I give up and close my eyes. It's obvious I'm not going to get anywhere tonight. "You're still my best friend, no matter how mean you are to me sometimes," I whisper, just making sure he knows.

"Oh, please. When am I ever mean to you?"

"All the time," I tell him in a prissy voice, "Especially right now."

"Well..." He makes a deep noise from in the back of his throat that sounds hilariously disgusted. "You're my favourite human. I suppose that means you're my best friend, too." He definitely sounds like he is having a hard time admitting it, but it makes me smile.

"But there's, like, a gazillion other humans in the world. Does that mean I'm still your favourite over gazillions?"

"Yes, Sookie. I guess it does. Usually I would prefer killing children, than befriending them." He makes another disturbing noise. "How weird it is."

I hear a funny sound like the ruffling of paper. I peek open one eye, and Eric is holding something out to me. I take it from him cautiously, and crack up giggling uncontrollably as I open it carefully. Oh, boy. He still carries around my lousy drawing I drew of him from when I was eight in one of his pockets. It's got a few splotches of dried blood on it and its a bit torn, but its real sweet of him to keep it all these years.

"Aw, you kept it," I whisper shakily, touched. I sure wasn't expecting that.

"Of course I did." He takes it from me, folds it up extra carefully, and slides it back into his pocket, like it's a cherished present of his. "And I always will, as I said."

I feel the hugest grin hurting my face.

Hope you enjoyed this one? Is it strange, Eric and a younger Sookie? Thanks so much for reading, I always love reading your thoughts so please do keep them coming :-)