A/N: Min älskade = my beloved
"You're a vampire."
Sookie croaked out, jerking uncontrollably with each word, her throat still burning from Pam's vicious bite. While the flow of blood had stilled, her head throbbed from where it had struck the floor after she tumbled down the stairs, causing black spots in her vision as she gazed up into Eric's steely-blue eyes. His fangs had retracted, but she knew they were there and somehow it gave her comfort; he wasn't a man or a monster – he was a vampire, and that explained a lot in Sookie's mind.
Eric gently slid a lock of hair behind her ear, brushing his cold fingers against her cool cheek. He noted her change in temperature, but did not let his worry show in his expression. Sookie was laying her side on the floor; her head resting on Eric's lap, as he lightly drew circles with the tips of his fingers on the small of her back. The 3-foot tall doctor was diligent at work with her ministrations, charging Eric to keep the semi-conscious Sookie calm so that her heartbeat wouldn't quicken, while she checked for internal damages and such.
"Yes, min älskade."
Sookie did not know the words, but Eric's tone conveyed their meaning. She smiled weakly; her eyes fluttering open and shut as she fought against her body to stay awake.
After Pam had unceremoniously dropped Sookie – compelled by a stronger than usual maker's command – Eric had rushed to Sookie's side, pricking his thumb on his fang to rub blood into her head and neck wounds, but he knew it would do nothing to abate her pain or cure any internal injuries. He considered feeding Sookie more of his blood, but Pam had drunk quite a bit from her – he could not be sure how much. He feared his 1000-year old blood might turn her into a vampire instead of healing her human body. Eric refused to make Sookie a creature of the night without her permission, force an eternity on the woman lying in his arms. However, he secretly hoped it was something she would agree to a later date.
Eric instead had called Amy Ludwig, a doctor who catered to supernatural clients, to assess Sookie's ability to be restored – but not turned – by vampire blood. If his blood was not a viable option, the doctor had been authorized to heal Sookie by whatever means necessary; he could not lose her.
Dr. Ludwig was a very busy woman, in high demand with a heavy caseload. Supernaturals from all over the world called her for medical advice. Nothing she dealt with was "normal" by human standards, but she would remember this night as being the strangest night of her entire career.
Northman – as she called him – had phoned her personally, something he had never done. She was seconds from referring him to another doctor when he requested she come look at a human that he refused to call his pet – even when asked forthright if it was the nature of their relationship. Dr. Ludwig's curiosity was peaked to say the least. Once Northman mentioned he wanted to heal the girl with his blood, she decided this was too interesting of a case to pass up - vampires were highly possessive when it came to their blood, and Northman previously had not been an exception.
She had 'popped' into his safehouse within minutes to find a young blonde woman covered in blood, riddled with several broken bones at the foot of the staircase – instantly privy to the discord brewing between Northman and his petulant child, Pam.
"You know you're going to have to kill her, which is a pity because she's delicious."
"I am not going to kill Sookie because of your foolish actions, Pamela. But you, on the other hand...I have not decided what I am going to do about you."
Pam was shocked; she knew she'd be in trouble with Eric, but she never thought he would consider ending her undead life over something like this. Pam agreed she carried some blame for the current predicament, but it was mostly the Stackhouse girl's fault, the way Pam saw it. If the girl hadn't tried to run away, Pam would have never had cause to chase her, which had led to the topple down the stairs. She had been driven to act by the love she had for her maker; she had to protect Eric, and their secret. Once the scent of Sookie's blood hit the air, it was impossible for Pam to resist biting her – surely Eric understood that Pam's young age prevented her from having the same level of restraint that he did.
"Ahem," The doctor cleared her throat loudly; having seen the state of her new patient she knew there was no time to waste on petty squabbles, "So there's no question then? You want me to treat her?"
"Of course," Eric growled, responding more harshly than he intended.
He quite liked the doctor, but his anger at his child was overwhelming his ability to remain in control. Pam had gone behind his back and contrived a situation that had ended with Sookie broken at the bottom of the stairs and their secret exposed. In truth, he also had to admit that he was a little jealous his child had sampled the very delicacy he had denied himself – one he was still denying himself with much difficulty as the sweet perfume of Sookie's blood hung richly in the air.
"If your child can't control herself, I suggest you send her away, Northman. I will not have her causing further damage to my patient." Said the diminutive woman.
Eric shot a look at Pam, who was shuddering at each inhalation she unnecessarily took, twitching like a crack addict looking for her next fix.
"Pam, as your maker I command you to leave and you will not return again until I call for you."
With bloody tears starting to fall, Pam vamped out of the house, hating that she had been a disappointment to her maker. She would put her affairs in order; this was likely to be her last night.
'I was trying to help and instead I have failed my maker," Pam thought as she left.
Not minutes later, Sookie's breathing had become labored; her shaking more like convulsions, as she started to drift in and out of consciousness. Eric found himself becoming anxious, a feeling he only ever seemed to experience around her. He wished he understood more about humans and their fragile bodies; all he knew for sure was that Sookie's was failing. Had he a beating heart, he suspected it would be trying to burst out of his chest cavity.
"Hurry," He barked at the doctor, "Can I give her blood or not?"
"Patience," Ludwig answered calmly, swirling a test tube to mix Sookie's blood with another unknown liquid, waiting for the result. It changed to a vibrant blue – and while Dr. Ludwig was utterly surprised, none of it was betrayed on her face.
"Yes, her body will accept your blood without kicking off the change. But be cautious of how much. Her brain is swelling from the blow to her head, causing the tremors; it's what's killing her now, not the blood loss. But you must stop feeding her your blood once the spasms are gone – in my professional opinion, that's the most you can do for her tonight if you don't wish to turn her. Her body needs time to replenish its own blood supply; I'm going to give her some iron supplements to help speed the process along. If you want, you can give her more of your blood tomorrow night to help repair the broken bones and such. Otherwise, she will heal in time."
Eric sighed in relief, shocking Ludwig for the third time that night before she added, "I will return tomorrow to speak with her about her recovery."
And with that the little doctor was gone, vanishing almost instantly.
Eric tore violently at his own wrist, ripping open a vein, offering his blood to Sookie, whose head was still cradled in his lap. "It will heal you," he said.
She was lucid, in that moment, nodding slightly, giving Eric the affirmation he was seeking. She sucked greedily at his wound until it closed, her autonomic movements slowing with each mouthful until she had stilled entirely.
"Thank you," Sookie said softly, capturing his eyes, before drifting peacefully off to sleep.
Eric gazed at the beauty resting against him. She had tried to leave him, but he was not angry at her for that – he was incensed at himself. When he arrived home, to see Pam devouring Sookie, he had immediately recognized his folly in containing her like a prisoner. She had told him she felt she was merely his hostage, and he had ignored her – too grateful and elated that her safety was assured. But he had been wrong.
Keeping her, quite literally, in the dark had not protected her – Pam's attack had made that quite clear.
He would make Pam tell him later what lengths Sookie had gone to to gain her freedom. The plan must have been good since it had worked; she had been released from her locked cage. And if Pam had been a human, Sookie would be long gone. But Pam was a vampire. Sookie had risked her life trying to escape, and she hadn't even known it. What if she had gotten outside? There was an unknown vampire after her; she had enemies with strengths she couldn't fathom – he could've lost her forever.
He brushed his fingers affectionately along her cheek; a rare smile breaching his normally placid countenance. He could feel his blood inside of her knitting some of her wounds back together, healing her. He liked the sensations it sent coursing through him. He carefully moved her head off of his lap so he could rise to lift her bridal style into his arms, being cautious of her sore ribs and dislocated shoulder.
Despite her stupor, Sookie tugged at his shirt, and threw her usable arm around his neck, nuzzling her cheek into his chest. "Gods, the things this woman does to me," He thought to himself willing down the erection building in his pants. He sniffed at her and was pleased to find his own scent was emanating off her skin. 'Honeyed sunlight and the North Sea," he thought, 'Amazing.'
Eric contemplated how his marking might change things. With his musk heavy within her, Sookie would be identified as his by other supernaturals. That would offer her some semblance of protection, but it was not enough. A vampire would be punished for hurting her, but it didn't mean that one wouldn't be stupid enough to harm her anyway – his own child had taken that very risk. He could not ascertain why Pam had interfered, gone to his house to seek out Sookie, but her punishment would be great.
Eric admitted to himself that he could not handle Sookie as he had before if he did not want her to leave. With Sookie, it was clear to him why she had tried to escape – she was scared of him, fearing for her life and sanity. Humans had a saying, better the devil you know than the devil you don't. Eric did not like this particular idiom, but he realized for Sookie to choose the unknown over him, she must have been particularly desperate. In truth, he had seen her anxieties build during the past couple of weeks, she had seemed different to him, but he had ignored it – a foolish mistake – letting his inner beast feed off of her fright.
He peered down at his Sookie. He couldn't be a man, but it didn't mean he was a monster. He had to show her that he was more than her captor and that she was more to him than a mere hostage – worthy of small freedoms and his trust.
Instead of depositing her in her room, Eric carried Sookie down into his basement bedchamber, resting her carefully on his bed. Eric suspected she would sleep late after her long and stressful night, but in the event that she woke up before him, he penned a letter imploring her to stay until he rose, leaving it for her on the nightstand. He tucked her small body against his tall frame to discover that she fit perfectly, acutely aware that he has taking the biggest risk of his undead life.
As the sun took him to his death, he whispered a quick prayer to the gods of his human life asking that they grant Sookie the patience to wait for nightfall.