I know that Susana come across as sort of a bitch sometimes, but consider the PTSD and other trauma involved in dying and then never talking/confronting it and being stuck in a life radically different from what you knew and trying to adapt without dealing with any of your problems. I'd bet you'd be an angry little person too. FEELINGS AHEAD.
The return to conscious was a terrifying experience, to similar to the darkness that had enveloped me that other time. I had never talked about what had happened to me, and I avoided thinking about it as much as possible. This was to close for comfort and I'm not even ashamed to say I was beginning to lose it. Coming too I already was sobbing from a throat that didn't seem to hurt and started to thrash about, trying to touch anything I could before a pair of steel arms wrapped around me.
"Not again…" I found myself whispering from a dry and hurting throat, trying to beat away whoever it was, I don't know why but I was terrified of something that I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes and see. I didn't want to go back into where I had been, I didn't want to be in the darkness again, and I really didn't want to know if I was again reborn and was being held by a new mother.
"Hush Sanna, you're fine now." The voice brought me back, belonging to one Eric Northman. I stilled, my senses returning and I realized I was in my bed with Eric holding me for some reason.
"What happened?" I whispered, the events leading up to this a bit blurry as my brain started to come back online, his arms relaxed their hold but he didn't let go instead shifting into a gentler position and stroking my arms.
"Long Shadow heard what you said, it seems you were right, he was the one stealing from me, rather stupid seeing as he was a partner." My breathing was starting to regulate, the stroking actually helping, weird because I knew he was probably the most dangerous thing in the city, but I think I was starting to realize that while he was that, I was also under his protection. Not where I wanted to be, but it was clear that he cared, so if I had someone like him looking out for me… I suppose I should maybe get use to the fact that I was irrevocably tied to Eric.
"It's never going to stop now is it?" it was more of a rhetorical question, a sort of mournful acceptance as his arms stilled and I glanced over to the clock a glaring 3:45 on the clock
"No." short and simple, his answer actually made me feel hopeful that this could work out in the long term. I shifted around to look at him, I safe and alive in my apartment, the arrogant vampire had saved me and was lying here with me…
"You gave me your blood… didn't you?" I looked hard at him, willing his eyes to give anything away.
"Yes" he didn't flinch or anything, his baby blue eyes boring into my slightly darker blue, our hair on the pillow mingled and except for his being straight and mine having a wave.
"And what does that mean." I wouldn't tell him what Sookie told me, something in my gut screaming that I needed to see if the answers would match up.
"I healed you, you would have died." I clenched my eyes shut, I was terrified of dying. My hands curled into fists and I took a deep breath.
"Thank you Eric" I opened my eyes again, he was still staring at me "but what else will it do?" he pulled back a bit and I felt a sense of loss at the distance.
"I can feel you now, and you will feel for me." His explanation left much to be desired, I raised my eyebrow, "we are bonded in a sense, and there is part of me in you… that means something with vampire blood." His eyes were searching mine, looking for my reaction.
"But you haven't had my blood have you?" I was genuinely curious.
"No Sanna, but if you are offering I wouldn't say no." a wicked grin made its way across his face and a flicker of surprise crossed his face when a softer one crossed mine and I raised my wrist to his face.
"We're a team now, you and I… I'll be your telepath, and you'll be the one who makes sure I don't die while being that." I offered up the wrist, an offering to solidify whatever it was we had.
He looked startled for a second, as if I had caved far easier than expected, and I had. But I was done being antagonistic with what my life was spiraling into, Eric was my best bet for everything, and I was now firmly placing my hat with him. This was my acceptance.
He slowly reached up and took my wrist, as if waiting for me to pull back, his eyes searching mine. He must have found what he was looking for as he lifted my wrist to his mouth, caressing my pulse point with his lips, tongue flicking out to taste. I braced myself for the pain.
"Relax" he drawled out stroking my pulse, and I did a little as his fangs sank in and he groaned, eagerly drawing blood. It wasn't a pleasant sensation, but he seemed to be taking care not to make it hurt despite how eager he seemed. After a few minutes he pulled away licking at the clean holes almost reverently.
"Exquisite. I knew you would be" he smiled, his eyes dilated but he stayed where he was and continued to hold my wrist close and I glanced over at the clock again, it read 4:15.
"It'll be dawn soon." I segued, shifting slightly away as I decided there would be no more sleep that night. He shifted closer pulling me into him nuzzling at my neck,
"Plenty of time." His hands starting to wander, traveling to cup my breasts and pull me closer, and breaking the lull we were in.
"No Eric" I pulled away and got out of bed, glaring down at him, only just realizing that he was shirtless and silently committing the sight to memory, unfortunately he noticed. He stretched, preening under my gaze, the ass.
"This isn't something that you can just demand, and I won't be offering all the time, don't mistake me." I glared, "I'll work with you, but our agreement stands, I'm your telepath, not your bloodbag, and definitely not your whore." He actually seemed angry for a second before his face cleared,
"Well then," he stood up and stalked over to the window, opening it "I'll be going then, expect my call Kitten." And he flew off, actually flew away.
"Holy shit." I looked out my window, but he was gone. I groaned and scrubbed at my face, so much had just gotten resolved, but now it seemed like a whole new crop of problems had made themselves known.
I went and spent my day at the café, letting my problems take the backseat and welcomed the stream of others thoughts wash over me. When it got to overwhelming I went to the back and did paperwork, letting the employees take over the front.
I stayed until 8, before leaving the night shift to their own devices. On the way home Sookie called, unusual because I had just visited, I answered and wasn't prepared for what I heard.
"Su? Su?! Grans Dead!" she sobbed over the line and I blinked in shock, pulling over to the side of the road
"What?" I couldn't quite believe it, "what happened?"
"Someone killed her! I don't know!" she practically wailed over the line as I made a quick U-turn to drive in the direction of Bon Temps.
"I'm on my way." I clicked the phone shut. I could drive as fast as I needed to with Sookie hysterical over the phone. My blood felt ice cold and I was numb, this was the second time in 24 hours death had been in my life, and this time it had won. Gran had been my one true tether to Bon Temps, both Sookie and Jason had their own lives that didn't often intersect with mine and most of the time we were happy not interacting overly much.
Gran had been the nicest old lady, and she had loved me despite my lamentable demeanor and distain for the town she had lived in her whole life. And now apparently she had been murdered, in a town that had such a low murder rate before this past week it had been laughable. Now I was furious.
Two girls had been killed, young attractive girls, Gran was so far out of the victim profile it was laughable… but Sookie wasn't. so she had probably been the one targeted, but hadn't been there, now I really had to get there, who knows what was going to happen, and she was probably a mess and in danger.
I was pushing 85 down the highway and hadn't been pulled over yet when my phone started to ring, I didn't look at the caller ID before opening it.
"What!?" I barked, keeping the majority of my attention on the road.
"So harsh Kitten, something upset you?" the smooth voice of Eric sounded over the phone, "I thought we had gotten so much closer after this morning?" he drawled, obviously in the mood for a verbal tango which I wasn't going to give him.
"My Gran was just murdered and I think my sister was the target, you either tell me that there's a nuke and I need to find who planted it or you hang up right now." My voice icy cool and even, my fury being directed into other channels that would help in the next few days, already thinking about arrangements and the funeral that would have to be paid for and everything else.
"Sanna…" Eric sounded much more subdued, surprisingly "I am sorry for your loss, can I be of assistance?" I was taken aback by the offer, I hadn't thought he'd really care… but he probably didn't and was just asking out of curtesy.
"No, Eric…" I sighed, "but… thanks, what did you need?" despite my recent understanding of my place in this hierarchy, it wasn't easy to suddenly not rage against him all the time.
"I had been calling to tell you I have been summoned by the Magister to explain my staking of Long Shadow, I will be away tomorrow night." I secretly was surprised, I hadn't thought he would get into any trouble regarding that, I suddenly didn't feel as antagonistic as I had.
"Oh… I didn't realize that would get you in trouble… I'm sorry Eric." I apologized over the phone as I reached Bon Temps town line.
"It is fine Sanna, I will be fine, stay safe, I will see you soon." He ended the call on a softer tone and I turned my attention to pulling up the atrocious driveway. It seemed the cops had left; there was just the porch light, and the kitchen lights turned on to let me know where Sookie was.
I parked and quickly went up the steps and opened the door with my key. Stepping into the entry I notice smaller blood splatters before entering the kitchen where I was greeted by a sight that will stay with me forever.
Sookie, Surrounded by a pool of what had to be Grans blood, the smell of bleach and iron was nauseating and I felt myself getting lightheaded…
"Su?"
