***Alcide***
Overall not that many Weres had died. The ones that did would have their families receive ample settlements from Eric. Northman had spared no expense in defending Sookie as quickly as he could assemble a fighting unit. His child Pam had been there, along with Thalia and Longshadow. While I didn't know what was going on entirely, it seemed that a lot of vampires wanted this girl. I wasn't sure how she was going to see it through the next couple of days if this was the kind of fuss she attracted in one night.
"Hello." An older man stood before him wearing a silver crown.
"Who the-"
"Silence." I couldn't speak. The man was a supe, and he had just cut off my voice with a gesture. I doubt Eric could do anything about him and he was probably here because of the battle. Sookie!
The other Weres took notice and started stalking the crowned man. A slice of light zipped through the air and the supe was gone.
"Eric!" I shouted, now having my voice back.
***Eric***
I heard the Were yell as I was laying on Sookie's bed. A hand reached out from the middle of the air and clamped around my throat, claws digging in and penetrating the skin with a burning sensation. The portal of light drew back to reveal Niall Brigant, Prince of the Sky Fae.
"Eric Northman. A pleasure." Niall removed his hand and stood looking down at me. "I wanted to make sure you didn't do something foolish like attack me, before you realized the mistake you would have made."
I carefully backed off of Sookie's bed, putting it between Niall and I. With my hands in the air I went to kneel before Niall, placing them on the ground.
"Your Majesty." My head was bowed low. If Niall was here, this was a bigger clusterfuck than I had ever imagined. Sophie-Anne and the state of Louisiana? Sure, anyday. Prince of the motherfucking Sky Fae, ie: an entire species of fae? No. A thousand times no. Alcide stomped up the stairs and whipped the door open.
"Down Alcide! Take to your fucking knee." The large Were put the brakes on his momentum and his mouth gaped at the sight of me kow towing to the Fae. Alcide wasn't stupid, and he immediately dropped down to assume the same position as myself.
The shower turned off and all of our eyes gravitated towards the door. The light in the bathroom flipped off and Sookie stepped out with wet hair, a tank top and pink fluffy pajama pants. Her eyes surveyed the room from Alcide to me and finally rested on Niall.
***Sookie***
"Hello Niall. Have you met my new friends? They've been protecting me while you weren't here." If my voice was accusing, it was meant to be. "Why are they bowing to you?"
Eric practically cowered. It was not attractive. Alcide looked as if he would crawl out of the room on his belly if he could. Niall had a cross between a self-satisfied and charming smile pasted on his face. And he was wearing a crown. "I have the biggest dick in the room." La di frickin' da.
"Wolf, you may leave. Eric, stand." Alcide quietly shut the door and Niall looked back to me.
"You know what Niall? I make the rules here since this is my house. As far as I am concerned you're responsible for the death of Gran and all of these vampires coming after me. Gran called you thinking you could help. And you had the opportunity my whole life to be there for me, and yet you only show up yesterday and answer none of my questions. Not a one. I ask for help, you leave me in someone else's care. I have been chewed up and spit out and I am sick and tired of doing it on my own. I've had to do things to survive that I hope I do not regret."
I took a breath and prepared myself for another tirade. Niall was glaring daggers at me and his face had changed to become angular, and his skin was blue. Blue.
I didn't really hold him responsible for Gran's death. I was the guilty party, but I was just so… mad. So many different things could have happened besides this.
"Looks like I am making you mad enough to show me what you really are."
"Enough of your temper child." Light flicked from his fingers and circled like a frisbee towards my face. I raised my arm and smacked it away as it came near. What the hell was that?
"If we're going to have an all out family brawl why don't we go into the living room so I can practice throwing china at your face." Niall had changed even further. He wasn't an older looking man anymore and he definitely didn't look human. Silvery claws were in the place of his fingers and he positively glowed with light that made his face look sharper with small shadows under his cheeks. His skin took on a sparkle and light started swirling over his palms with his claws caging it in as it spun.
"You are a true daughter of my line, but do not imagine for a second that I wouldn't decimate you should you raise a hand to me."
"She's right. If she was of your line, why was she so ill-protected?" Eric came to my defense, and it earned him some Sookie-points.
"Silence vampire!" I wanted to be in front of Eric to protect him, and I was. The light Niall shot at Eric crashed into me and then blipped out of existence. My great-grandfather's face flickered from shock to rage as he launched himself at me, his light turning into tendrils that reached towards me. They grasped my wrists first and then bound themselves around every part of my body but my head. I could feel a push through the air and I was pinned to the wall next to my bedroom door. Niall apparated to be in front of me as I had done with Eric. Niall laughed and it was unsettling.
"You've got it! None of my halfling sons or their children had it the way you do, but here you are." He stroked my cheek gently and possessively.
"I don't really care what you think it is that I 'got', but I ain't staying put while you're trying to kill Eric and I." Since when did I get so defensive of Eric? Oh, probably because he was the only one who hadn't lied.
"You don't have choices at this time my darling true-child."
Oh yeah? The fuck I don't. I flexed against the light bonds and felt them loosen slightly. A searing sensation traveled down the length of my body. It was intense, hot, and it was reacting angrily to the light wrapped around me. Still not enough; the bonds were not as tight but weren't sliding off either. More. Where do I get more energy. My concentration lowered my shields and I thought I saw Niall encased in light with a spinning galaxy at his core, while Eric was a black void with a small white flame.
Niall was hovering in front of me, his face only a foot away from mine. I got a better look at his mouth and wished I hadn't. It looked like the inside of a shark's, with layers of teeth sitting behind the other. All silver with no rhyme or reason as to where they were angled. The bones of his face were pushing at his thin blue skin. His chin, cheekbones and jawline were carved into sharp lines. The brow bone was also sharp and continued out towards his ears, curving and tapering up towards his hairline. It was the first time I noticed his ears were also pointed, and that silver antlers were growing from the top of his head.
I boosted my push against at the bonds. What I was pushing with, I didn't really know but it felt right. The burning sensation on my entire body was reaching a fever pitch and had morphed into cold, like sticking your hand under water that is far too hot for you to register that you've done so until it burns like hell. The light around me flared pink now, with notes of red swirling up the coils of light like blood being dripped into a glass of water.
Niall faltered. While he was terrifying in every sense of the word, he was also glorious. His crown had risen up to coil around his horns and his eyes were a white blue with slits like a cat.
Niall was blasted backwards as the bonds broke, righting himself quickly, hovering over the ground. He barked a laugh, his face returning to a state of smugness.
Eric was struggling with some invisible problem. "Eric?"
"Our scent is driving him mad. I will show you how to mask it."
"You just pinned me to a wall and you want to come near me and give me something?"
"Sookie, it is natural for our kind to test each other in power. I wouldn't have killed you and I am not angry."
"I'll do it, but only if you tell me what I am." I had truly lost it letting him come near me.
"Very well, True-daughter mine. You are fae and royalty."
"When were you going to tell me that? Before I forced your hand?" Royalty in the middle of a small Louisiana town? No way. Fairy? Less way.
"When you came into your power, which it looks like you've done a good job of doing. You are a treasure."
"I certainly don't feel like one." Eric had turned away trying to maintain his control.
Niall's pointer finger lit up with light and he walked over holding it up so I could see.
"Press your finger to mine." I did so and I felt something rearrange itself inside of me.
"Now hold that. It will feel uncomfortable at first, but it is necessary."
Eric breathed a sigh of relief.
"I suppose I will not stop you true-child from having your pet vampire. I can deny you very few things." I didn't think he was saying that out of love. Upon examining my wrist I noticed that I had claws too, though not as long or distended as Niall's. Were they sharp? I cut my wrist open with one nail and thick red blood started pouring out before the wound healed up. A little deep.
"I see that you took more blood. Don't make the mistake of bonding to this one Sookie. I will return to you with someone to help train your abilities. In the mean time, your appearance has changed to look more like what you are, fae. Focus on calming yourself and you will return to looking like a simple human again."
Niall sliced through his portal and was gone.
Eric closed the gap between us. "We need to talk." We're not dating and those are still the four worst words to hear.
"I'm exhausted and I have nowhere to stay. I can't stay with Bill, and I can't tip off my friends or family."
"You can stay at one of my houses then. But first we need to talk about what happened. "
"Is this really the time to be doing this Eric?"
"Sookie. You are not aware of what you look like right now. Your hands are silver tipped claws and your teeth have taken on a similar shade. And your skin, it shimmers silver. Lastly you have delicate white horns sprouting from your silvered hair that has tiny bells weaved into it. Or have you not heard them tinkling as you've been moving?"
I was in shock. Running to the bathroom, I flipped on the light and put a hand over my mouth. Eric was right. I could sort of see myself in the person I saw in the mirror. Eric came in behind me and put his hands on my shoulders.
"Sookie, I will take care of you. My house was designed for humans. I've only modified it to house a vampire. Otherwise you would find everything to your liking. But we do need to have that chat."
He started gently toying with my hair, smelling it and purring. Not that I cared at that moment. I thought about what to do, tapping my super sharp, super long claws on the sink. They were really quite scary.
"If you burn the house, and I'm found with you, isn't that suspicious?" I asked.
"You'll be safe with me."
"I need to be with someone I know who can vouch for me if need be."
"Who do you suggest?"
"My boss, Sam. He's a shifter." Eric's hands tightened over my shoulders.
"You can't be away from me."
"And you can't be there during the day."
Eric turned and looked out into my bedroom. I could see his struggle, and the moment where reasoning won out over his desire for me.
"You can't call him. I'll take you there and we'll wake him up."
"Thank you Eric."
"Let's leave." The tall vampire was now cold and stiff. Given that I had rejected staying with him, I could understand.
"I'll grab my things. I can't take anything from my childhood can I? Pictures, baby clothes, nothing?"
"Nothing that would be recognizable by others later, no. And we only have time for a few things. Small things."
Eventually, one day, I would tell Jason what happened. I didn't want to leave all of these memories here, but I had to.
"What do you think I should take then?"
"Your grandmother's jewelry and any precious heirlooms that you can carry."
The stairs were empty of Gran's body; someone had moved it. Probably Alcide. First I ran to her room. It looked the same as it always had, and from the inside it seemed like nothing was wrong anywhere else. I didn't have time to throw myself on her bed and breath in her scent and pretend this wasn't happening. Instead I grabbed a necklace of pearls and Gran's wedding ring. My room had the green jewel Gran had given me in my mostly empty jewelry box. The jewel looked like two Jade oreos sandwiched together with a gold seal along where the two stones met. I hadn't looked before, having been focused on Gran at the time.
Eric was still brooding, looking out the window. I snatched my purse, cell phone and keys, shoving the necklace, ring and jade stone in my purse.
"Ready Eric." He said nothing and started walking down the hall to the stairs. I followed behind him tentatively, taking in the damage from the bullet holes. I was numb. This was my life's funeral and I barely took anything with me into what felt like the death of who I was.
We stepped through the door and I left a lot of what that house meant to me inside of it. My new life greeted me in the form of yet another vampire.
***Eric***
"Hello Lorena." She hadn't changed a bit with her dark long hair, sultry eyes and sadistic mien. Her relationship with Bill hadn't altered either; she had a stake pressed precariously to his heart.
"Eric, I thought you invited me for pleasure and not business." Lorena's eyes reached Sookie and she whipped away the stake held to Bill's chest in fear. Bill stared with mouth agape, not realizing Lorena had dropped the thing that kept him trapped in her arms.
"Tell me what that is Eric." Lorena's eyes dilated, staring at Sookie in her now half-transformed state.
"Neither she nor what she is are mine to divulge or give Lorena. If you wish to challenge her, be my guest. I ask that you release Bill to us and no harm will come to you. If you do not, you can be assured that it will."
"Never the mind. Bill coughed up the contents of your plan. The only vampires alive who knows the majority of Sophie-Anne's sins are Waldo and Bill. Guess who won't be living through this conflict? You intended to make Bill King, but I've decided I want to be Queen. So as your future Queen, hand over that creature or your evidence against Sophie-Anne dies and you and yours become traitors."
I looked at Sookie. I was afraid to mention to her that her fae appearance had not fully retracted itself back into her person.
"There is no way you will be allowed to be Queen with your backwater views on mainstreaming." I hissed at Lorena and then addressed Sookie. "Any chance of a repeat performance of what went on in your bedroom? " Her eyes narrowed and she turned to face Lorena.
"You want me to handle this?"
"Yes. Because you can. And you need to learn to in order to survive. Plus, watching you fight is hot."
"Does she deserve it Eric?" She ignored my taunt and her eyes told me that she wanted a reason to justify Lorena's death.
"Deserve death? There is no "deserve" you stupid creature." Lorena butted in. She turned to Eric. "Humans are nothing Eric. They have nothing of value to offer but their blood. This mainstreaming behavior is farcical. And we owe no allegiance to anyone but other vampires, and even then. Especially not to whatever the fuck that is standing next to you."
I ignored Lorena again in favor of Sookie. "She is probably the sole reason Bill is as broken as he is. Without her tutelage, he never would have done what he did to you. As for her, she's been a stake away from death for centuries given the trail of bodies she leaves behind wherever she goes. Human bodies, and so many of them."
"You're not going to hurt me or let her hurt me?"
"Your Grandfather would kill me. I won't fail to mention that my death would not be swift."
***Sookie***
I centered myself. Ok, accept this. That house behind you, that's all over. This isn't your place anymore and you need to buck up Sookie Stackhouse. I loved Jason, but I knew in my heart he was not like me. No one I had met but Niall was. Even the vampires were closer to being "like me" than I was to other people, now. Eric and I were both chasing the same carrot more or less, freedom from tyranny, but we may not be in the future if Lorena had her way. Eric didn't exactly have my back, but the enemy of my enemy was my friend. I trusted that Eric wanted Lorena dead and honestly she sounded like she needed to be. She'd probably killed hundreds, if not thousands. Well, Eric probably had killed that many too. I'd have to think about that fact later. Personally, I'd never been judge jury and executioner before. Even though I had good cause to be, given what I knew from other's thoughts.
I wondered if this was the new side of me that was allowing me to rationalize what I was about to do, or if I had reached my limit of what was tolerable and wanted to right the wrongs I had seen day after day. It was within my power to kill this vampire, I could feel it. And I was probably the best person do to it given that Lorena clearly thought my attacking her was a joke.
When I gave it serious thought about actually going through with what Eric suggested, I could feel the heat of light inside me agree that this was right, this was good. Do it. It said. Sookie the human was a heap of tears in the background of my mind, unable to find the gumption to protect the doomed vampire Lorena.
"Ok Bill, I ain't doing this for you, just so you know." He wanted to be king evidently and I wasn't going to let him think I gave a rat's ass about him.
I started "pushing", like I had when I was wrapped with light. Lorena's face became a rictus of fear and she vamped away. I took chase by instinctively apparating behind Lorena mid-run, wrenching her hair back and slamming her to the ground. I could feel Eric vamp behind me. With my hand still buried in her hair and using it to keep her head down, I opened my hand wide over Lorena's face. My claws were so long, and the light emanating from my palms caused her face to singe.
"You fucking bitch! I'll fucking kill you! I'll have Bill rape you while I watch! Bill-" I clamped my hand over her mouth, feeling her face burn underneath it. Her hands were wrapped around the hand in her hair, her fingers burning when she touched my claws, and she wailed like a stuck pig behind the seal on her lips. Watching and hearing her scream about what she'd do to me and how she was about to command her child to attack me, I believed what she said. She meant it. She'd do it to me, to a million other women and not have an ounce of compunction. Without another thought, I took my hand out of her dark locks and dug two of my claws into each of her eyes, pushing into her head until her hands went slack around my wrist. She screamed underneath me, until she didn't. I pinned her head down while she dissolved. The bones underneath of her eyes caved and the pressure on my fingers blew away with the wind.
When I stood to face Eric, he was smirking at me as if he was privy to some inside joke.
***Eric***
Someone had taken the innocent girl in a sundress and replaced her with a battle maiden. And that someone was Niall. Perhaps he also knew she could defend herself and didn't need help or from me.
Bill vamped over, his ruffled clothing having been smoothed out and the rest of his person put back into order. He looked like he was in a vast amount of pain.
"Thank you Sookie. Words cannot express my gratitude. I am in your debt." Sookie nodded at him absentmindedly. He continued, "I understand this may be sensitive, but as your future King I need to be on the same page. What exactly are you and would you be willing to help remove Sophie-Anne from the throne. Keep in mind she is your biggest threat at this time."
"I killed Lorena yes, but I don't really know anything about these powers. I don't think I can be relied on. And I don't want to discuss what I am."
"I think you can be relied on Sookie. Should you wish to keep your secrets, that is your prerogative." I said. Clearly her manifestation of powers were related to stress and adversity.
"Ok, I will ask you again Sookie, when this is over. Eric." Bill brushed off what Sookie had said and took his leave.
"All of what I value will burn." She looked distant and unfocused. Her body was starting to shift back into human form, slowly.
"Yes. I understand this hurts, but they are only things."
"They are only things."
I wasn't sure that it was altogether good that Sookie was willing to let her home go so easily. Her change to being fae had likely altered her mental state. How much, I had no idea.
***Sookie***
Eric took me flying, which was a heady experience. I wondered if I could do it someday. It seemed there wasn't that much of a limit on what I could do if I could hold my own with a vampire. There was a certain peace regarding Gran's death. It was inevitable and Gran had died trying to protect me in the best way she knew how. If it hadn't been a bullet, I had to realize that it would have been a heart attack or dying in her sleep. I would have to find a way to not use the excuse that she had been shot as a way to blame myself. I needed to to acknowledge that her time had been coming to an end in this life, like she had told me.
It was almost sunrise and I would have to stay up to wait for the call from the police. Sam would be with me though. But I couldn't tell anyone besides him. If I were to try I suppose I would with Tara first and see where it went. I wanted to know that I would be loved even if I was different. More different than before. Otherwise staying was meaningless. There was nothing left for me but Sam, Jason, Tara, my job. All of my life I had been dealing with jealousies, fears, envy, and hatred from many people in Bon Temps because of my telepathy. Adding what new things I had found out about myself to the pile made living here almost impossible without their support.
I had to think carefully about Eric. Thus far he had proven to be available, honest, reasonable, but also full of himself. I suppose I would be too if I was the most powerful vampire in the state. While I did not know much about Eric, I had to admit I liked a lot of what I had seen besides his arrogance. Actions speak louder than words and he had provided a guard, defended me from certain death and revealed a plot to ensnare me all at his own expense and without the need to do so. He could have let Sophie-Anne and Bill have me. Maybe it was his way of having the upper hand. The world of vampires seemed to have a lot of showboating when it came to politics and hierarchy.
"We're here. Are you sure you want to stay with him?"
"Yes. But how did you know where he lived even?"
"He's a supe. I know where they all live because it's my business to know." Eric looked irritated as he walked away from where he had put me down and banged on the door of Sam's trailer loudly. He waited about ten seconds and did it again.
"Jeez, what the hell it's almost sunrise, who is knocking at- Eric?"
"You will take care of Sookie until I return tomorrow night. And you were with her all night, as much as the idea of that disgusts me. Understand?"
"Yeah, yeah sure!" Sam peeked over Eric's shoulder and his jaw slackened. I probably looked like a wreck and I was still part fae, fluctuating my hair, hands and facial features. It was a strange feeling as they warped my skin. Ridges on my face and the lengthening of my fingers were a pulsation that ebbed and flowed.
"Don't touch her. Do you hear me shifter?"
"Yes. I understand."
"Sookie, we will have our conversation tomorrow." Eric turned away and flew into the night.
"Sookie."
"Sam."
He put his hand behind his head and rubbed it through his hair, a tic of Sam's. It made me feel better, like things could be normal again.
"I'm not sure I should ask what happened."
"I'd say don't ask, but there are some things I do need to tell you."
"Come in Sook. We can start with why you look the way you do and why you smell like vampire, dead vampire and Were." Sam turned and gestured me to come in looking exasperated. I had never been in Sam's trailer, and thankfully it was clean and tidy. I sat down on his couch while he leaned on the wall that probably led to his bedroom.
"Gran is dead Sam! And I'm fae. I look like this because I'm fae, and I don't really have an idea of what that even means besides, well, this! And everything that's happened to me tonight, and Gran's death, and in the past couple of days is because of that."
"Ah cher." He sat next to me and put his arm around me, ignoring the strangeness of my body. "It's going to be ok. You'll figure all this out." His stroking my hair gently reminded me of Gran's last minutes. "How did she go?"
"She took a bullet to the chest and died at the front of the stairs." He pulled away from me in shock and anger, his thoughts a judgemental and disappointed tangle.
"What? Sookie, why aren't you with the police? What is wrong with you!"
"You know what Sam? Last night some vampires came to take me. Eric's vampires fought them off. The Were you smelled in the woods? They were there to protect me during the day. And tonight they hit harder. My house and my life are destroyed! And Gran died because of that! Because of me and what I am!" I gestured down at myself. The changes had slowed and my hands were looking more human with my fingernails being in place instead of claws, but they were still vaguely silver. "I would have died too Sam." I finished softly.
"Sookie I am so sorry. But we have to call the police…"
"My house is burning down as we speak. Everything I own is gone."
Sam opened his mouth and then closed it. Again he rustled his hair on the back of his head and walked over to get some water.
"Here." He handed me a glass.
"Sam, Jason or someone is going to call me to break the news. That's why Eric said that as far as you were concerned, I've been here the whole night."
"Oh christ! Sookie, I can't lie to the law enforcement of this town! I already have to be so careful to not be found out, I can't believe Eric put me in this fucking position." Sam got up and banged his hand on one of his kitchen cabinets and pressed his forehead against it.
I was dragging everyone down with my problems, including Sam. Forcing him to lie, forcing Jason to live a lie about how Gran died, never being able to tell Tara. Just because these people may love me, doesn't mean I wouldn't hurt them again and again. I was the person who the blame rested solely on. My telepathy and my not being human was probably a death sentence to those around me. Why had I thought that I could stay?
"Well, thanks for the offer of hospitality Sam, but I think I will pass." I stood to leave and Sam reached out and grabbed my arm before pulling it away and cursing.
"Sookie, your skin just burned my hand, did you feel that?"
"No, but I'd like to leave now."
"Eric will end my existence if you leave."
"Then I will do my best to help you by not letting Eric hurt you." Instinctively I put my hand up in front of me and willed something to happen. A misty puff of light pushed out from my palm into Sam's face and he fell down in a heap. I didn't think he was dead, but I checked to make sure. After finding his pulse I looked for a pen and paper and found it at a small desk he had in the front of the trailer.
Eric,
Before you do anything to Sam, it isn't his fault. I knocked him out and left of my own accord. There was nothing he could have done, as I used something I didn't know I had.
If it somehow comes to light that I died in that fire, that's probably for the best.
- Sookie
I made my message cryptic so that only Eric would know what I meant about using my power. I started in on the next one.
Sam,
I am sorry for what I did and what you will find that I've done when you wake. I will pay you back. Don't tell Jason and Tara. Let them think the fire took me.
- Sookie
Regretfully I grabbed Sam's truck key off of its ring. Sunrise had started peeking over the horizon as I walked out of Sam's trailer. It would have seemed like a taunt if I had put into the letters "don't look for me." Because they no doubt would anyway. The car's engine rolled over several times before sputtering into life.