As always, I am thankful for the many the creative people that own these wonderful characters, and thus being able to make said characters interact in different, fun and sometimes perilous ways! And this time, Sookie may have made her biggest mistake ever! This is a work designed for a mature audience, please enjoy! :)
What Next?
Sookie's phone rang and she grabbed it to look at the caller ID. Bill. She actually considered letting it roll into her voice mail because she wasn't sure she could be rational right now, but that was just stupid. She answered the call, her voice shaking, and her mind trying to remind her mouth not to get out of hand. "Yes." She held her breath trying to get calm.
"Sookie, before you say anything else, you need to hear what I need to say, agreed?"
Sookie wanted to start yelling, she didn't want to talk calmly like an adult, she wanted to be ranting and raving. "Agreed" she managed to answer.
Bill could feel her tension and conflict. He could tell by the tone of her voice that the fuse on the keg of dynamite may have been sputtering, but it was in fact, still lit. "Sweetheart, I will do my best to answer questions and I will listen. But… and this is important Sookie, I will not be screamed at, I will not be taking the blame for every last thing you are unhappy about because of this, do you understand and can you see my reasoning behind me asking this of you?"
Bill listened to the hum of the open connection, he still felt her emotions rolling over him but they were becoming muddled, disjointed. Full of anger and fear, sadness and frustration. He suddenly felt apprehensive and was about to speak when he heard her words spoken barely above a whisper, "Yes, Bill, I do. Bye."
The line went dead.
XxXxX
Sookie disconnected, made a quick phone call and then turned her phone off. She went into the bedroom, stripped, and then took a sumptuous rain-forest shower. She gave herself a full on, 100% pampering, spa treatment. She used her favorite scrubs and gels, put a half-hour intense conditioner in her hair and let every upsetting thought in her mind slip down the drain with the lather. When she finally stepped out she felt soft and pink and as relaxed as was possible. She sat at the vanity and used a wide tooth comb to separate the few remaining tangles.
Sookie took great care in fixing her hair just right and paying the same attention to detail with her makeup. Finally she went into the walk-in and pulled out her favorite DKNY summer dress and the sandals that she'd bought to match. She picked her phone up off the table and dropped it into her purse. She walked into the laundry room to be sure the dryer was off and ten minutes later she drove out of the parking garage with three surveillance cars keeping her under a careful watch.
A short time later, Sookie found herself walking along the Louisiana Boardwalk killing time. She browsed through some of the many shops before glancing at her watch and calculating how long it would take her to get to the restaurant. She decided she had enough time so she continued to look at the things in the shop. It had a lovely selection of organic hand creams and other natural products and Sookie took sniffs of the various testers. She tried a small dab of one and after rubbing it in, she loved how it made her skin feel like satin and the smell was soft and not the least bit overpowering. She bought five frosted glass pots of hand creams, five small glass pots of cuticle creams, and five small glass pots of solid body scents. She chose lavender for herself and other scents for each of her bridesmaids.
After she left the store she went to the restaurant; was seated and after ordering a sweet tea, was joined by Anna about ten minutes later. Sookie stood and hugged her friend and they clung to each other just a second longer than a normal hello hug between friends. When they sat, Anna reached over and took Sookie's hand in hers and said, "Spill."
Before Sookie could speak the waiter arrived tableside and Anna ordered lemonade and since they both knew what they wanted, they ordered right away. Anna held Sookie's hand but they didn't speak until after the waiter returned with the lemonade. Sookie took a big deep breath and said, "Anna, I'm losing it."
To Sookie's complete amazement, Anna burst out laughing, "Losing it? Sookie! What are you talking about? You look fantastic, your clothes match, so do your shoes and you are capable of speaking and from the looks of the shopping bags you've actually bought things today, am I right?"
"Yeah, I guess…" Sookie said confusion evident in her tone.
"Sook, at this point before my wedding it was a miracle if I was wearing the same color socks! I had a note stuck on the door into the garage that read, "Underpants" so I would make sure I had them on before I left the house! Give yourself some credit!" Anna got a real smile out of Sookie with that line and though she hated to do so, she had to continue, "Now let me see that monstrosity." Anna said sourly, releasing Sookie's hand.
Sookie sighed and reached for her purse, handing the folded piece of black paper over, handling it like it was cottonmouth.
Anna opened it and a grim look marred her pretty face, "Oh for god's sake! Sookie this is all Nan," Anna cast her eyes around quickly and said quietly, "and the Authority. Sookie," Anna talked very quietly, "I have no doubt that this is a direct result of their desperateness to get their hands on Eric. You know, his managing to remain free all this time, is more than a little embarrassing for them."
They both straightened up as the waiter returned with their salads. When he left Sookie said, "Do you think that this thing has all come about in the last, what? Two weeks?"
Anna didn't hesitate, "I'm amazed it took this long." She took a bite and Sookie looked at her in disbelief.
"You're serious?" Sookie also took a bite and for just a moment, relished the fabulous homemade house dressing on the crisp lettuce.
Anna swallowed and nodded. She put her fork down and leaned slightly forward. She seemed to be giving great thought to the words she wanted to use and it gave Sookie pause. "They," Sookie nodded her head in acknowledgement of Anna's meaning. "Want this situation over and done with. It makes them look bad for one, and at the same time perpetuates the possibility that they are not as powerful as they would have everyone believe. Even Henry made mention of it awhile back. It's certainly something that needs to be resolved and your willingness to help has spurred them to be… somewhat," Anna's eyes flicked to the invite on the table between them, "… creative." She picked up her fork and speared another bite and gave Sookie a smile.
Sookie ate more of her salad and made the decision to stop thinking about it and just enjoy her lunch. She took another bite and smiled a bit more before reaching over and stuffing the black paper in her purse. Their conversation turned light and before long their entrees were served. It wasn't until they declined dessert but asked for coffee that the conversation turned back to the matter at hand.
Anna gave Sookie a very serious look and said, "There is one thing I need to ask you about, and you can tell me to piss off and it's none of my business but… why don't you care if this ruins your ceremony? If it doesn't mean anything to you why did you ever agree to do it, or perhaps a better word would be ask to do it if…"
"Whoa!" Sookie interrupted holding her hand out, "Of course I want to do this and it means the world to me because of what it means for Bill within his community, basically, they are kinda like his family! Why would you think I wouldn't care?" she said the words with a certain annoyance but not in such a way that it was apparent to other customers. "Anna, the last thing in the world I want is for that to happen! What I'm counting on is Eric falling into the trap and getting nailed! If there is any true karma in the world, it will be Eric's ass getting snagged before he is even remotely near me, Bill or anyone else I love!"
Anna looked a little shocked but a lot more relaxed, "Well, that's a relief! I was starting to doubt my sanity, and yours!"
For the next half hour, they discussed the ceremony, Sookie was a little weirded out about the blood part of the ritual but it wasn't as bad as it could be. The more they talked, the more excited Sookie got. Anna explained the robes that she and Henry would wear and the robes that Joe and Rose would wear… that led to the discussion of the Versace and shortly thereafter they were on their way to Bon Temps so Anna could see Sookie in it.
XxXxX
When Sookie had hung up on him, Bill's first response was complete surprise, then a fair amount of anger. After a moment or two, he shook it off and realized it was a good thing. He no longer felt every one of her emotions pouring over him, in fact he felt very little. He worried then, was something wrong? It occurred to him quickly that he would feel her if she were under duress. It didn't keep him from thinking about it; he lay back and tried to slow his mind and rest. He'd had the bleeds last night after spending almost all afternoon on a conference call. He was feeling the effects and he needed more rest. He laid there looking at the ceiling and was sure he would not get any, he moved to get up when a feeling a calm swept over him. He smiled and whispered a soft, 'Thank you Sookie' and was instantly at rest.
XxXxX
Anna had helped Sookie into her mother's wedding gown and tears filled her eyes, "Oh Sookie! It's perfect, you're beautiful!"
Sookie half moaned, "No… don't cry! You'll make me cry!" They both laughed, a little shakily but they laughed it off. Once the dress was back in the closet, they walked downstairs with Anna in the lead, "I'm telling you Sook, I'm going to drop them by, they would be fabulous with that gown! Granted, technically the ceremony doesn't require the traditions of a conventional wedding,"
"Yeah, I figured that out when I discovered I had to give blood."
Anna rolled her eyes a little and continued, "But it would be your, 'something borrowed' at least."
Sookie wore a slight frown as she said, "But they were your Grandma's! What if I lost one of them or something? I'd feel awful!" with a slight pleading in her tone.
Anna stopped at the bottom of the staircase and turned around to look at her friend, "Sook, my Grandma's earrings are some of the best amethyst ever found at Thunder Bay, and they would be the perfect complement to that gown, besides, it's not like we'll be at a frat party!"
Sookie saw the set of Anna's jaw and caved. "Fine, I will be honored to wear your Grandmother's earrings."
"Good!" Anna threw her arm around Sookie's shoulder as they walked to the front door and said, "You understand of course if you lose one I will actually have to kill you, right?"
Sookie just shook her head with a laugh and set the alarm, as the two of them stepped out of the house to head back to Shreveport.
XxXxX
Bill woke suddenly and listened intently. The soft knock came once more and he glanced at the clock, it was nearly two hours past sunset! He slid off the bed and walked to the door, expecting someone from the hotel with a message, he'd forgotten to unblock his phone from Do Not Disturb. He opened the door and was stunned speechless to see Sookie standing there. He was so taken aback he just stared, unmoving, holding the door open before she finally said, "Can I come in or should I get my own room and drive back to Shreveport in the morning after I've gotten some sleep?"
She was in his arms then, he held her tightly lifting her off the floor while his lips kissed the soft warm skin of her throat. His fangs snapped into place and when Sookie heard it, she tipped her head to one side and Bill bit with a moan she felt all the way to her most sensual, sexual core. The door clicked quietly shut behind them.
Without warning, Sookie abruptly raged against Bill with shocking force, she slapped and scratched him, teased, then denied him. She shoved him, then rubbed her bleeding throat against his, roughly handling his length, spurring him to respond without thinking.
During one of the many long nights Sookie spent with Pam while she healed, Sookie asked if it were possible for her to ever drive Bill to act as Eric had done to Pam. Pam had explained that Sookie would have to push Bill into revealing his true, predatory instinct. Pam warned her it was a dangerous thing to do. If she provoked Bill too much and he went too far, there would be a very high chance of him losing all control. Sookie had kept the information tucked away for a long time now.
But when he'd opened the door and Sookie got a good look at him, with his sunken eyes and unusual gray pallor, she knew it was time. She knew he would never drink enough from her to do any real good, so she let her mind flood with all the rage she'd felt when she'd first seen the invitations and as it filled her, it fueled him. Their first coupling was complete madness, he tore at her clothes and she did the same. When the important parts were freed, Bill wrapped her legs around him and held her against the wall as he plunged deep inside her, he moved into her with force and she raked her nails across his shoulders and back, he pounded himself into her and her hands gripped his biceps as she begged for more. She dipped her fingers into the blood running down the side of her neck and smeared it onto his lips; he snarled and bit yet again.
Using one arm he swept aside his papers and other items, including a lamp that had been bolted to the long low dresser, and he laid her on it, pulling her to him as he held her legs up and against his chest, the position, the energy, the raw animalistic need tore through Sookie so fast she was barely aware of little else than the waves of pleasure and pain as she continued to beg for more. Sookie couldn't begin to process all the sensations, it was everywhere, and he was everywhere! Her throat, her breasts, her belly and the simple need to push! Just to feel it so deeply, so intensely… that need! So she did and as she climaxed again and again, Bill bit her everywhere he could… he bit her throat, her femoral artery, he drank from one wrist, then the other and every time he did, she came again and again until finally with one mighty thrust he roared her name as he filled her.
Sookie passed out.
Sookie heard low murmured voices and her ears seemed to be ringing a little. She smelled something odd; she couldn't quite place it though. She felt tired and even though it took monumental effort, she managed a tiny smile when she thought about why. Harder still was getting her eyes to open, but when she did she saw Bill's very worried face and a man and woman standing behind him. "Hi." She said in a raspy whisper. Bill's eyes held certain sadness and suddenly there was a large vampire alongside him, a large vampire cop! Her eyes popped open fully and she quickly registered the IV pole and the unit of blood that was making its way inside her thanks to the line they'd placed near her wrist.
"Ma'am, do you wish to press charges against Mr. Compton here for his overzealous feeding?" Sookie must have looked confused because he continued with, "What I'm asking is, have you been, ah, fang raped and do you wish…"
Sookie's brain kicked into high gear on a number of levels at the same time. The smell! "Stop! Take the silver off him! Now! Please! I got… no I, we, just got…" Sookie was trying to sit up but the nurse and doctor leaned in to restrain her, as the doctor said tersely to the cop, "Do as she says!"
Relief flooded through Sookie when she saw the officer carefully remove the silver cuffs and slip them into a lead-lined carrying case on his Sam Browne duty belt. "Thank you, and no, no charges, I apologize for wasting your time." she said quietly and she lay back against the pillows. Bill's eyes no longer looked sad and it dawned on her that it had been pain she was seeing, as well as sadness.
The officer gave her a smile and said, "No bother ma'am, we do have to make certain whenever there is an Emergency Blood Call. You get some rest, good night now." He gave her a smile that was a bit disconcerting as his fangs were out, and then said to Bill as he stepped away. "You keep yourself under better control, do you hear me?" the tone of his voice was one Sookie wouldn't dream disagreeing with!
Bill thanked the officer and walked him to the door, as he came back to the bedside Sookie was shocked at the emotions playing across his face. He sat beside her and picked up her hand, as if it were as made of spun glass. The doctor patted her shoulder and smiled kindly, "This will take another hour or so, we used the rapid infuser for two units of packed cells and two more of O-neg… you two need to be a little more careful." He looked at Bill them back at Sookie, "I'll check back in about an hour, Mr. Compton," he looked at Sookie, "Miss Stackhouse."
Bill didn't get up to take them to the door and the doctor and his EMT assistant (Sookie had heard) left the room and Bill's face fell and ruby tears filled his eyes, "Sookie…"
"Hey! None of that! Baby, come here, crawl in with me, please?" Bill stood and walked to the other side of the bed and lifted the covers, "Take your clothes off first." Bill froze and stared, she couldn't keep the smile from her face so she said, "Okay, how about some sleep pants at least." He stripped, walking naked to his suitcase and pulling the sleep pants on before sliding gently under the covers and getting next to her, but not touching her.
"Bill…" she said carefully, her voice almost dripping with honey, she very gingerly but carefully turned up on her side, before reaching out and wiping her thumb across his cheek, capturing the tear before she licked it away. She brought her head toward his and said, "Will you please hold me?" She kissed him and he slid his body next to hers. They lay with their heads on the pillow, eye to eye and Sookie said, "I'm not sure what that was exactly, but man! Do you think we could maybe do that like every year on our anniversary or something?"
If Bill hadn't been lying down, he would have fallen down. "Excuse me? Sookie! Do you not understand that I almost killed you?"
Sookie laughed and said, "Well, duh! Why do you think we should only do it once a year?"
Bill stared into her eyes, his mind unable to comprehend her words. "Sookie, I almost drained you! I had to call for help! I was almost arrested because of it! Oh my god… I've brain damaged you! Your brain didn't get enough oxygen…"
Sookie couldn't help herself, she laughed out loud and placed her hand alongside his face, being careful to not catch the IV tubing and said, "Oh baby… I never believed that my sexual experiences could ever be better than what they've been. I mean… for years I thought sexual releases like the ones you give me were nothing more than somebody else's fiction! And I've got to say… you have never disappointed me. But this? This was like I was transported to some other astral plane or something!"
Bill was dumbstruck. When he finally spoke his voice was above a whisper, "No, I won't… I can't ever do that to you again Sookie! Don't you understand? If I would have done this to you at home I would have had to turn you! You don't want that! Sookie…!"
She laughed and said, "Yeah, that's why I let you do it here. I knew they have stuff like that to help out. " She frowned slightly, "sorry about the silver though. I didn't know they'd do that."
Bill was so completely astounded he couldn't make a sound. Sookie said, "It also goes to show how much you've been pushing yourself. Just how many times have you had the bleeds lately? Did you think I wouldn't notice when you answered the door? Why do you think I pushed you so?"
Realization showed in Bill's eyes and she leaned into him and kissed him very softly on the lips, then whispered, "I do have to ask something though."
"What dearheart?" he touched her lips with his.
"Ah… I wasn't quite expecting the friction thing? Do you think?"
Bill's head jerked suddenly as he absorbed her words, his fangs dropped and he quickly punctured two fingers, slipping them under the sheets and touching her very gently, "Inside?"" he looked into her eyes.
She smiled and kissed him again, "No, the inside is still giving me wonderful little gifts by way of delightful aftershocks," she flicked the tip of her tongue between his lips to touch the hypersensitive spots just behind his fangs, "so if you don't mind…"
"Sookie!" his voice tried to sound shocked, but it came out much too strangled and she just smiled.
"What? Afraid you won't live up to the high standard you set?"
His body molded itself to hers, but this time, every touch, every kiss… was feather light and slow. His hands and his mouth traveled every inch of her body and he pierced his finger more than once to remove the marks he'd left earlier and it wasn't long before her breathing quickened but he held her back, time and again but when she was finally on that golden cusp, he took her earlobe between his teeth and nipped lightly before he whispered, "Maybe."
She fell.
Hard.
XxXxX
Sookie was propped up in bed with a tray across her lap, eating a late dinner, she was starving, and Sookie guessed that her body needed extra fuel after the blood loss. Who knew? Oh well. The doctor had removed the IV and her blood count had been checked and was within normal limits but just barely. The doctor gave her a loading dose of vitamin B and also a booster of iron and told her to take it easy for a day or two. Bill sat propped up beside her, the black invitation in his hand.
"How did you know I was in New Orleans? I didn't even know until almost dawn." Sookie just smiled as she chewed a bite of the best honeydew she'd ever tasted. Then Bill smiled… "Mr."
"Garth" she finished and gave him a glorious smile.
Bill sighed, and Sookie barely concealed a grin. She wondered if Bill was even aware that he did that when he was about to speak about something unpleasant. "Sookie, you must know, I had nothing to do with this and even if I had, I would have had the fight with you before they were even ordered."
His dry delivery and knowing statement made Sookie laugh out loud. "I know, and believe me, I was horrified at some of my reactions when I first got blindsided with the damn things." He cocked his head slightly as if to signal her to go on, but she just shook her head and said, "Not about to go back there. By the way, can you even mail black envelopes? Anna said she thought the Post Office would have to special handle them or something and put some kind of white stickers on them to go through the sorting machines or something like that."
"Well," Bill said calmly, "actually, they aren't mailed, they get sent by private carriers."
Sookie swallowed just before her mouth popped open and her eyes grew wide. "All of them?" she asked, shocked silly.
Bill just nodded and kept his eyes on the invitation in his hand. After a moment, Sookie reached over to lift his chin so his eyes met hers. "Baby, I think it's time you tell me exactly what this all means, please?"
Bill's blue eyes took hers in then looked at her tray, "Done?" She just nodded; Bill took the tray from her lap and put it in the dresser. He got back in bed and pulled her next to him, cradling her in his arms. She relaxed against him and he slowly drew his hand back and forth across her arm and shoulder. "The contact information about Eric was investigated with more fervor after I even told you about it. Confirmation was absolute; Eric has come back to the United States, although at the last sighting, he was still far in the north, Wisconsin I think."
"If you have a way of sighting him, why can't you just catch him?" Sookie couldn't quite grasp why the two were not possible.
"Mainly because we don't have many vampires older than him. Those that are, are either royalty or were ancients against coming out of the coffin and refuse to help capture a creature that they believe is simply living as he should be and they think he should be left alone."
"Sooo…" Sookie drew the word out to give herself a moment to reconcile her next question. "Just how many of these Royal or 'ancient' vampires are going to be at our ceremony?" When Bill didn't answer immediately she had a bad feeling.
"Probably? All of them once they receive the invitations. Sook…" he stopped speaking when she held her hand up to stop him and pushed away from his chest so she could see his face. Bill could see from the look in her eyes that the next few seconds of their conversation was going to be crucial.
"So, what you're saying is that there is in all likelihood going to be more than 600 people at our ritual. And of those six or even, god forbid up to 650, most will be there only with the purpose of seeing Eric captured, tried, convicted and executed. Before, during or after our ritual, is that about right?"
Bill looked Sookie in the eye and simply nodded his head, he was about to speak but Sookie stopped him once more. "Bill, tell me the truth, what are the chances they won't capture him before we begin?"
Something suddenly occurred to him and it shocked him, "Very slim. I believe we will capture Eric before he gets anywhere near us. Sookie, are you upset or are you extremely calm?"
That was a very strange question and Sookie said, "Good heavens Bill! Why would you think I'm extremely calm? The doctor gave me blood, not a sedative!" Then Sookie grasped the meaning behind his query. "You can't feel me? Bill! What the hell?"
After a moment of stunned silence, Bill and Sookie both said, 'The blood', at the same instant and Sookie began to shake, she'd known she forced Bill to feed to aggressively but she'd not even begun to consider the bigger picture until now. He'd fed to the point where their blood bond had been seriously weakened and she grew slightly dizzy at the thought of how close to death she'd really come. She dropped back onto his chest and he held her tight.
"Don't worry darling, in a day or two, I'll be strong enough to feed you and our bond will be strengthened immediately, we could even try a little later."
Sookie sighed deeply and said, "No… it will be fine. Keep talking before I flip out, okay?"
Bill had to give Sookie a great deal of credit; she appeared to be handling this with a logical mind. He also knew that he was going to have to be very, very careful, because with her emotions being so muted for him, she could also go off like a landmine. He sighed again, and Sookie smiled against his chest as she heard the unnecessary air enter and exit his chest. "If by some complete miracle that Eric gets past the sentries and additional security…"
"Wait, first tell me how this is gonna start."
"Alright, you understand that you will be in a secure area adjacent to where the altar will be." She nodded. "Normally you would be attended by Anna, Rose and as midnight approaches, Mr. Garth. We've made significant changes to your ritual room. There will be video cameras placed everywhere, above the ceiling, even inside the walls. There will be a minimum of eight sentries posted, and Mr. Garth has also insisted that John and Frank be with you at all times. Furthermore, he will be supplying a fairly large contingent of additional, demon-heritage backup guards to assist."
Sookie frowned and said, "Won't that tip Eric off?"
"No, if Eric knows about the ceremony, as we believe he does, he is also most likely aware the
Mr. Garth will be there, along with other royalty. As such, your ideas were discussed at great length. Eric will simply believe he has nothing to fear, in fact, he will most likely dismiss it overall. "
"I sure as hell hope so!" Sookie muttered vehemently. Bill dropped a kiss to the top of her head as a reply and gave her a squeeze.
"We believe we will intercept him before he gets anywhere near either of us." Bill was oddly comforted when he felt a sudden stab of fear. "Don't be scared sweetheart; I will have as much protection as you will have." Sookie relaxed.
"What will happen if he manages to crash the ritual? Will they really try him before they finish with us?"
Bill wished he could see Sookie's face, to try and figure out what would or wouldn't be the right thing to say but he didn't have the luxury so he had to forge ahead regardless. "Sookie, if Eric gets close enough to stop the ceremony, it will mean there has been a catastrophic failure of some sort and it will mean our ritual will end at that juncture."
Bill waited, he could feel the tension in her body, he had a vague sense of annoyance before Sookie said, "All I can say if that happens? I'll ask them to let me stake the son of a bitch myself!" Bill was so surprised at her words that he laughed out loud. Before he could say anything, his phone rang and Sookie instantly recognized the ring tone as Nan's. Sookie had once suggested the ringtone should be of the theme music of the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz, but Bill declined to do it.
She pushed herself off Bill, brushed his lips with hers and scooted out of the bed and into the bathroom as Bill picked up his phone. When she emerged wrapped in a white robe, almost as soft and thick as the ones at Mr. Garth's, he was still on the phone, but was kneeling on the floor looking through the papers he'd sent flying when they were in the middle of their frenzied encounter. She knew better than to try and help, he'd have scanned and retrieved what he needed before she was capable of turning a page over to look at it. She just perched at the edge of the bed after taking a banana off the tray, peeling it and eating it as she noted the sharp edge to Bill's voice. That was never a good sign.
Bill disconnected and stood with his hands full of papers and Sookie marveled at the way he put them in perfect order the way a casino dealer would shuffle a deck of cards. He looked at her then a bit sheepishly and before she could ask what was up, he came to sit beside her. "Ah, I have something I have to tell you, but can you be ready to leave in the next ten minutes?"
Sookie was stunned and stammered, "Um, yeah I guess so, why?"
"Because I've been suspended until further notice and if we leave now we can make it back to Shreveport before sunrise."
"Why?!" Sookie asked her voice echoing complete shock.
"It seems the AVL has issues with nearly draining your fiancée in a relatively public place. I'll explain on the way home, why don't you get dressed." He handed her the overnight bag she'd brought and she opened it operating pretty much on autopilot. Bill was acting as if it wasn't an issue of real consequence, but Sookie knew better… this was bad, really bad and for the first time that night, she wished she hadn't come to New Orleans.
End Results
After they'd checked out, they went to the parking garage and Bill held his hand out. Sookie didn't hesitate, she handed her keys over and they got in the car. The only words Bill had spoken were only those needed to be said to the desk clerk. They got on the road and Sookie kept her eyes straight ahead. Bill was… well, he was blank. He didn't look as if he was holding back terrible anger and he certainly didn't look sad or guilty. Still, Sookie kept quiet and leaned back in her seat.
Her mind recalled one of the many dark nights she'd spent with Pam while she healed and fought to recover from Eric's heinous abuse…
Pam had sat staring at the wall, her eyes took in no details, and she was feeling no emotion of any kind. As such, she told Sookie, "If there is anything you want to know, now is the time to ask." Pam heard Sookie's quick intake of breath, she'd just surprised the hell out of the woman who was probably the best friend she'd ever had in her long life.
"Are you sure Pam," Sookie asked gently. Pam nodded. "How could Eric just up and do this to you? You are his, well, were his child."
Pam thought about it and then spoke with amazing clarity, all things considered. "Sookie, inside every vampire, there is a primal desire, a primitive and instinctual response to pressures and situations. Humans refer to it as 'flight or fight'. There is no flight or fight with us. We're killers. We kill to live; we kill because it appeals to our basest desire. We're at the top of the food chain and that is never going to change."
"Some vampires are able to tamp that part of them down, suppress it to the point that it never interferes with their own existence. Some become unhinged in the effort to remain civilized; others never try it and disguise it any longer than it takes to acquire their next meal."
Pam went silent and Sookie knew that she was not done speaking, so she sat there quietly waiting for Pam to continue. A few minutes later, Pam whispered, "Eric just, he just went mad. Eric wanted you Sookie, he wants you still." Sookie couldn't keep from shuddering in revulsion at Pam's words. "When Mr. Garth forced Eric into a position where he lost any and all control over his life? He lost it. Sookie, you know that Eric behaves like a spoiled child, a petty and vicious child, with a capacity for violence you can't imagine. Eric does not take losing well or lightly."
Pam turned her head and looked at Sookie with lusterless eyes. "Mr. Garth put you on a pedestal and surrounded it with a million wood and silver stakes. Eric was denied what he wanted, it went from being an 'intrigue'; with the slight inferences of leaving the stoic Mr. Compton behind and take a walk on the wild side with him, the flirting, the rubbing it in Bill's face trying to get a rise out of him… to simply coming down to being flat out denied you, his most coveted bright, shiny toy."
"Every vampire has that horror in them Sookie. I took what Eric dished out because he was my maker. But… there were more hundreds, likely thousands of times when I treated humans with no more significance than stepping on a bug. Sometimes it was because I was provoked, sometimes it was because I was bored." Pam looked deeply into Sookie's eyes and said, "Sookie, sometimes I killed because I just fucking felt like it."
Pam's words hit Sookie like a physical blow. Sookie couldn't imagine the look that must be plastered on her face. It was the next sentence that made her mad. "You think Bill isn't capable of that? You think under no circumstances would Bill act even remotely like I've described?"
"Bill is just as much of a killer as Eric and me. It's just that he is one of those vampires that hide it better than some."
"Now just a damn minute Pam!"
"Sookie, do you want to know just how easy it could be? All you need is to push him… one of the things you hate most about his job is the stress he's under. Not getting enough rest, getting the bleeds sometimes for days at a time, his body is weakening, sure he chugs TruBlood but that doesn't cut the thirst and the hunger, not when you're suffering from the bleeds. You don't approve when he needs to get donor blood, so instead… he starves. He gets hungry enough Sookie; you could push him into losing control in the blink of an eye."
Sookie was stunned by Pam's statement. "What if, what would happen?"
Pam hesitated, "Sookie, Bill loves you so much that he could possibly hold himself in check. He could possibly hang onto that part of him that is his, very strong and noble control, but there is no guarantee Sookie, if you push him hard enough, his true nature will emerge and you could find yourself in serious trouble."
"It's what happened with Eric Sookie. He was shoved over the brink and I was his closest target. The fact that I'm blond probably didn't help much either. The problem was simple really, he brought out what could have been a thousand years' worth of bottled up aggression and anger, and there was no escaping it. The crueler and more degrading things he could do, to Gustav and me… the more it fed his madness. Sookie, he did things that you will never fathom. Things that will haunt ME for the rest of my life… Eric was so far gone that if I moved my head in a way he disliked? It was like pushing the button to launch a warhead from the silo. My advice for you and the danger of pushing Bill? For the sake of all you hold holy, don't do it, don't ever try and bring that part of Bill to the surface."
They talked until dawn and Sookie asked Pam many questions and though Pam thought she shouldn't, she told Sookie how to bring out the predator in Bill in an emergency situation where he needed blood desperately. As Pam talked and explained, she prayed that Sookie would never attempt it. Sookie seemed unable to accept the fact that if she ever pushed Bill that far, it could cost Sookie her life and that made Pam more melancholy than she could have ever imagined.
Sookie was so lost in thought, she had missed the fact that Bill had spoken to her. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" She fought to get her head back in the game. It had been just over an hour before Bill asked, "Did you do that on purpose?"
Sookie's heart sank; this was because of what she'd done. She turned toward him and answered very quietly, "I didn't drive to New Orleans with the express purpose of attacking you. Well, yeah I did but not that way, I just was hoping we could discuss things… and you know, make love and then I'd…"
She stopped speaking when he reached over to take her hand in his. "I want to know why you did that. First, before anything else. Why did you do it?"
Sookie's mind raced, so many different answers and explanations ran through her mind but she just spoke the truth, "I saw you and you looked so awful! I just - I just knew you'd never take enough of me, you know, drink from me, to make you better so I, I upset you." Her voice was hardly more than a whisper when she said, "So I guess, that technically, I did do it on purpose. Bill, I'm so sor…"
Bill surprised her by lifting their hands to his lips and kissing hers, "You can't un-ring a bell sweetheart, and we'll just have to deal with it."
Sookie had no words to say, she had so many questions… a million questions! But she wouldn't voice a single one, not tonight. They made it to Shreveport with seven minutes to spare. They hadn't exchanged so much as a single word during the rest of the drive. They undressed and Bill pulled down the sheets, they got into bed and Sookie found herself quite nervous, not sure of what to expect. Then Bill reached over and slid her close to him, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her mouth gently, his tongue touching hers in a slow and gentle way. He broke the kiss and whispered, his lips still brushing hers, "I love you Sookie." He then tucked her head beneath his chin and both were asleep in mere moments.
XxXxX
When Sookie woke, she was taken aback for two reasons, Bill wasn't in bed with her and she could smell coffee. She'd never admit it to anyone but the smell of fresh brewed coffee was more tantalizing than why Bill wasn't still at rest. She used the bathroom and put her robe on before heading to the kitchen. There she found Bill sitting at the kitchen table, addressing black envelopes while her favorite mug stood waiting for her across the table opposite of him.
She leaned over as he lifted his head to meet her kiss, she sat down and picked up her mug and took a sip. She watched Bill write another name of one of the envelopes, he was writing with a feather quill, using gold ink dipped from a bottle. It looked almost like it was real gold and Sookie marveled at Bill's incredibly fine hand. She picked up one of the envelopes from the pile that were already finished and was impressed. They looked exactly as if they had been printed on a press, the calligraphy was flawless, the ink, even and crisp.
She looked at Bill and said quietly, "Babe, considering I've probably killed your career, do you really think you should be up so early? Or is it because you're finally going to blow up at me because of what I did?"
Sookie jumped when Bill laughed out loud, not to mention when she suddenly found herself being held on his lap and his tongue playing in her mouth! She kissed him back and then he pulled away to look into her eyes.
"First," he said kindly, you haven't ruined my career, second," he nuzzled her neck just enough to make her sigh, "I'm not up early, you, however have gotten up quite late, the sun set more than two hours ago, and third," He slowly drew his tongue slowly up her throat from her collarbone to her earlobe, before he whispered, "The only thing I intend to do with you is take you in the hot tub and make love to you until you fall asleep in my arms, only after you finish your coffee of course."
Sookie shuddered in his arms and said, "Coffee can be reheated." Fifteen seconds later the jets turned on.
XxXxX
After about an hour's nap, Sookie woke happily in Bill's arms. She stretched and felt her body sing in sated pleasure. Bill gently tipped her chin up with his finger and kissed her softly. "Do you feel like talking?"
Sookie's inner coward tried to convince her to say no, but she knew she had something to answer for so she took a deep breath and nodded. She was afraid her voice might waver if she spoke aloud.
Bill moved so that they lay on their sides, face to face so he could look in her eyes and Bill saw what he thought he would, tremendous guilt. "Sweetheart, you did a very dangerous thing. I understand why you felt you had to, to a certain extent but Sookie, my darling… don't you see how foolish that was? Just because we were at a place where help was available, didn't make it the least bit safe! There was no guarantee that they could save you! If I'd drank just a bit more, if you'd not passed out when you did, if I hadn't regained my senses as quickly as I did…"
"Sookie, I need more answers and you need to know a few things as well. The AVL, quite obviously Nan in particular, isn't too thrilled about me having to place an EBC. Hence, the suspension." Sookie began to speak up but Bill held up his hand to stop her. "Please let me finish. I know that you are confused, Sookie, I'm confused! I know that I downplayed the seriousness of it all. But I cannot allow you to believe any longer, that I am actually alright with what happened!"
Bill closed his eyes and Sookie was in tears when she saw the look of pain and sadness on Bill's face. When he opened his eyes, the crimson tears brimming on the edges, made the incredible blue of his eyes that much more sad. "Sookie," he said, his voice breaking with emotion, "I would have met the sun in the morning, if I had killed you last night." A ruby tear made its way down his cheeks towards the pillow and Sookie's did the same. "We will never do that again, Sookie. Never again."
Sookie's heart broke at the sound of such fear and grief in Bill's voice. Sookie threw herself at him and he held her tightly as she said over and over, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" She began to sob and when she realized Bill was crying too she was beside herself with regret. They held one another tightly, each giving the other comfort and reassurance, before slipping into a calmer state and eventually dozing off.
About an hour later Sookie slowly became aware of Bill beside her. His fingers traced long, slow, feather light trails up and down her back. She smiled and turned just enough that his fingers now followed a path up her side, slowing as they reached the curve of her breast, with tantalizing promise, his fingers circled her breast, careful not to touch her already aching, hardening nipple. When one finger did dance across it, she couldn't help but gasp, it felt like fire.
With her hands flat on his chest, she pushed him and he turned on his back and she moved onto him with one fluid motion. Bill sat up and took her nipple in his mouth, his fangs snicked into place and when she felt the tips just barely pierce the tender skin on either side of her highly sensitive nipple, when she was rocked by a zenith so sudden she cried out, as her innermost self contracted and pulsed around him. Bill flipped her then and he began to move above her, his strokes were long and slow and her fingers dug into his back, his flank… he struggled to remain slow, surprised at himself.
She kept her eyes locked on his and they began to move slightly faster. They kissed, their tongues dancing and dueling, she flicked the sensitive spots behind his fangs, he flicked the roof of her mouth and she moved her hips upward to meet him, her breath coming in great gulps. He felt her delicious tightening and he held her steady as he moved faster and deeper, his name whispered from her lips, became almost a chant, she tipped her head back, begging him now, expecting it, needing it.
Bill found himself at a place he'd never been before… he couldn't bring himself to feed from her.
XxXxX
Bill and Sookie were once again at the kitchen table. Sookie was drinking a cup of nuked coffee and Bill was paging through the envelopes, both of them avoiding the elephant in the room. Oddly enough it was Sookie that spoke first, "Why didn't you bite me? You always feed from me."
Bill glanced at the envelope in his hand but in truth was unaware of the name it held. His mind was troubled because he was considering telling Sookie a lie. He stared at the envelope a second longer before he told the truth. "I don't know Sookie… I just, it just didn't feel right." His eyes were full of sorrow and hers held such shock and dismay at his words he had to look away.
"Dear God, what have I done?" Sookie whispered, her tone horrified. She pushed back from the table so abruptly, her chair tipped over, clattering on the ceramic tiles as she raced for the bedroom, Bill met her at the bedroom door and he gathered her in his arms and walked to the bed, sitting down on it holding the sobbing Sookie in his arms, cooing softly, he worked to calm her while his mind searched for the best way to broach the subject once again.
Sookie was inconsolable and he couldn't stop her from sobbing and shaking in his arms. He told her he loved her, he told her he was sorry, he told her it wasn't anything that mattered, it just happened… still she cried, her sobs turning to slow and quiet tears. He rocked her and rubbed her back, and though it took a while, her tears finally began to abate. He held her close unsure of how to ask her why she'd done it. He knew there had to be more to it than seeing him rundown from the bleeds. Finally when she was calmed enough he got up and gently laid her down on the bed, he went to the bathroom and got a warm, wet washcloth and cleaned her tears away.
He got into bed with her and she gave him a wan smile. He smiled back and smoothed her hair back from her face. "Dearheart, we need to discuss this, I'm at such a loss! I don't understand your actions and I need to. Why do you want me to believe that you simply reacted to my appearance? You yourself agreed to my supplementing with donor blood! More than likely had you not shown up I would have simply ordered a liter and would have even ordered a second if it didn't set me to rights. So I have got to know what is at the bottom of this! Please darling, I'm begging you, please tell me why."
Sookie's eyes red-rimmed and shiny could not hold his. She dropped her gaze from him and took a shaky, uneven breath. When she spoke, her words didn't surprise him all that much, he'd almost been expecting them. "I wanted to know if you could be like other vampires."
Bill nodded and asked as kindly as kindly as he could, "You wanted to know if I was like Eric." He was careful not to make it sound like a question, nor an accusation. He needed to get her talking. Her answers were important to his own peace of mind.
Sookie tried to speak, choked up a bit, before saying, "I-I guess so."
Bill felt a slow rush of confusion and sadness, but it was as if they were very far away. She needed to drink from him, but first he needed to know more. "Sookie, why now?"
She sighed heavily and wiped away a tear, Bill wanted to jump for joy when she willingly looked at him and shrugged her shoulders slightly before saying, and "It was, like that book, like all the things that lined up in just the right way, you know? The perfect storm of the century or something." Bill nodded and smiled to encourage her and was grateful her voice already sounded stronger when she said, "I've been going through the ceremony and then those god awful, things show up and I'm pissed and then I pissed you off and…" Her eyes flitted away from his for a split-second, "I wanted to see you and I wanted to confront you, but not in a bad way," she said hastily. "More like we could have a little tiff and then have wonderful makeup sex and I wouldn't care about all this other shit."
Bill could see her struggling, so he pulled her closer to him, cocooning her so she could feel more comfortable telling him without having to face him as she 'confessed'. "Go on," he whispered as quietly as a shadow.
"When you opened the door? I got a little mad for real, you shouldn't have looked that way, you should have been better and then… I just don't know why exactly, but I suddenly needed to know if what I was told was really true." Bill lay quiet and still as Sookie took a deep, quavering breath in and blew it out. "I wanted to see if I could make you lose it, I was so sure you wouldn't." Bill was more than a little surprised at the last few words, he'd never expected that!
She fell quiet and Bill debated and after a moment asked delicately, "Does that change your feelings about me? About us?"
Sookie gasped and launched herself from her prone position. She placed her hands on either side of Bill's face and stuttered, "N-no, no! Of course not, I mean, I was sorta startled but… aren't we okay? I thought we were okay!" Her eyes were filled with worry and her emotions seemed about to overwhelm her.
Bill sat up and gathered her back in his arms and lay back against the pillows. "We're fine darling, we're perfectly fine." He kissed the crown of her head and built up the courage to ask his next question. "Sookie, do you want to call off the vampire ceremony?" Bill waited for her response and wasn't upset when she didn't immediately answer. He felt it was a good sign, she was truly thinking about what she wanted.
When she did answer, her first words weren't what he expected. "I can't be sure, but I want to have the ceremony because it's probably the best chance we'll have at getting Eric. But that's not the only reason, I want everyone you think is important enough to know, that I love you Bill Compton. I will always love you and if that means giving some of my blood in front of witnesses and binding myself to you forever. Then that's just what I want to do, okay?"
Bill hugged her tight and said, "Okay. But you've brought something else up,"
"Bill!" she cried out with a laugh.
"Not that Sookie… he moved her so he could see her face and said, "I don't like the mute button being on between us, will you drink from me?" She nodded and they moved themselves to sit up against the headboard. Bill put his arms around her and Sookie leaned back against his chest. He brought his wrist to his mouth and his fangs dropped as he did. He opened his vein and as soon as the blood began to flow, Sookie took his arm and drew it to her mouth.
Bill felt a rush of incredible sensations when she began to draw his blood into her mouth, he felt himself harden which was to be expected. Sookie knew it too, because she dropped one hand to his length to caress it as her sweet lips and tongue brought him a pleasure as deep as any he ever felt with her. She felt his arm healing so she licked the last bit of it, then turned her head to kiss Bill with his blood still wet on her lips. They kissed slowly and deeply. They took their time and savored each sensation, Bill was being inundated with wave after wave of emotion and he marveled in it, just those few hours without it had proven without a doubt that he could not live without her.
They repositioned themselves on the bed and began to make love, slowly, delicately, with whisper-soft touches, and slow deep kisses. When he entered her, he felt as if every sensation in her body and his were hard-wired to his brain. They moved against each other in slow motion, each one savoring the touch and taste of the other. Even as their climaxes came to fruition, it was like one long slow fall… Sookie had never experienced anything else like it before in her life. It was something Bill could not recall doing before… even though she had fed from him, he had not been able to do the same. She did not bring the matter up afterward when they lay sated in one another's arms. After a bit, she fell asleep and Bill felt a bit of relief.
While she slept, Bill turned their conversation over again and again in his mind. Part of him felt glad she hadn't pushed their lovemaking into a more vigorous encounter. He wondered as she lay sleeping beside him, if she'd done it for the same reason he had kept it so slow and deliberate. He tried to believe that all things considered the last thing she needed was for him to be feeding on her. Of course, he could have bitten and not actually drank, it wasn't like he'd never done that before, and actually he knew they had done exactly that on other occasions when she'd been a little anemic. He refused to allow himself to light on the truth; he couldn't face it just yet. He closed his eyes and the images that flooded his mind's eye forced him to face the truth whether he was ready to or not.
Even as dawn pulled at him, he couldn't succumb to it, not before he admitted to himself what was really and truly wrong. Bill was terrified, simply terrified that if he ever bit Sookie again he would lose control. The truly wretched part was how much he wished she'd never opened his own version of Pandora's Box. Bill's body shuddered violently at the thought. But it was the ultimately chilling, horribly disturbing, extremely alarming and unvarnished truth that terrified him… he wanted to lose control again.
To be continued...