A/N: Thanks again for all the love! I can't tell you have grateful I am for everyone's kind words, encouragement and theories! Keep them coming! My muse is a greedy bitch and needs all the reviews you can muster. :))
Disclaimer remains the same…twisty and deceptive thoughts as well as any mistakes are my own!
The Night Sookie Leaves the Queen's Estate
Sophie-Anne waited several seconds for Sookie and her entourage to leave. Then she took a long, appraising look at Hadley and Bill. "Andre tells me that you were both assembled in the Sheriff's room this evening. I would hate to think that you were all gathered to meet regarding my plans for Ms. Stackhouse. You know, that would nearly be considered a treasonous act," the Queen warned.
Hadley spoke up first, "My Queen," she began, head bowed respectfully, "I was simply checking in on my cousin, who had a pretty eventful evening. She seemed fairly distraught over bonding with the Sheriff."
Then Bill chimed in, "Eric had asked me to stop by to give him a report on the condition of Sookie's family home. She has not been there for several days and she expressed concern over her cat and mail collecting unnecessarily. He was also inquiring about my financial resources, what I planned on doing in Bon Temps to bring in money to the area and in return to you. He is unaware of our special project still," he explained, glancing quickly at Hadley, realizing he may have let a little detail slip that she didn't need to know about.
"You know I think you're both full of shit, but since I have no proof and have to trust that my child and lover wouldn't do anything to harm me, nor you Compton, I will excuse you both. However, Hadley, you will not be going to rest with me at sunrise. Find alternate arrangement in the guest quarters. Compton, I expect you to return to Bon Temps promptly and keep an eye on Sookie for me. Notify me immediately of anything unusual," and with a wave of her hand they were dismissed.
"Hadley," Bill whispered, "Please be careful. I know we don't know each other that well, but I sense something is up and I don't trust either of them right now. I know you are very young and may not understand our ways fully. The Queen can be quite ruthless, never mind what twisted things Andre could dream up. We are on the same side. You can trust me," he finished, nodding curtly to her before walking off in the opposite direction.
Hadley made her way to the wing of guest suites and rooms where other, less important vampires lived. It was rumored some of them used to be like her, favorites of the Queen, but for one reason or another, they were brushed aside and wound up here. She was disappointed that only about a month or so into becoming vampire, she was already on the shit list. A very small part of her regretted getting involved with Niall and Sookie, but she knew it was the right thing to do in the end and if it made her less desirable to the Queen, she could handle that. She was so far ahead of where she was a month ago that this was like a vacation on a cruise ship.
She looked around to see if there was anyone to ask about room assignments. There was low-level noise coming from an open area at the end of the hall, so she went to investigate. Rounding a corner, she found an almost amusing sight. It was like the island of misfit toys. Several vampires of various ethnic backgrounds, shapes, sizes and gender were gathered in what humans would call a game room. Some were shooting pool; others were watching porn on the wall-mounted flat screen and the rest were sitting at a small round table playing poker.
They all looked up when she made her appearance known. "Hi, I am Hadley. I was wondering if any of you knew which rooms were available. I need a daytime resting place just for a day or two."
"Oh, that's rich! Aren't you the bitch that's been fucking Sophie-Anne for the last month now? And you've already done something to piss her off?! Not smart girl, not smart at all. But hey, you can stay with me if you want," said a greasy haired vampire, whom Hadley couldn't decipher whether it was man or woman. But the person's attitude pissed her off. She didn't need someone taunting her about being in the dog house.
"I think I'll pass. I was just being polite, but perhaps I should just go claim a room and leave you all to your very exciting evening," she snarked. Who-the-hell were they to say anything to her about her relationship to the Queen. She abruptly turned and walked back towards the rooms. She just rounded the corner again when she came face to face with Andre.
"Jesus, Andre," Hadley gasped. She should have heard or smelled him before she saw him, but he just appeared out of nowhere, like a ghost.
"Hadley, dear. Just the vampire I was looking for. Come, walk with me. I'll help you find a suitable room," Andre said, in mock consideration.
They took only a few steps before Andre stopped in front of an open doorway and held his hand out for Hadley to enter the room first. The hair on the back of her neck was raised. She did not trust Andre for anything, even though he was in all purposes her 'brother' or blood-sibling.
She walked in a few paces and then turned to make sure he didn't have a stake in his hand or anything, behind her. He gave her a slight fake smile before returning to his natural stoic expression.
"I wanted to talked to you further about your discussion with Sookie and the Sheriff. As Sophie-Anne said, I think your little excuse was a bunch of malarkey. What is really going on? You were supposed to be the one helping me obtain the blood bond, remember?" Andre said in a hiss.
"Yes, Andre. I remember the plan perfectly. You were the one who went off cue and sent me to get her 'refreshments'. If you had just stuck to the original plan, she would be bonded to you right now. I was simply trying to make nice with her and the Viking, so they would feel comfortable around me, should Sophie-Anne need any extra leverage. Trust is earned Andre and your behavior last night left the chance of that happening, being as close as hell freezing over," Hadley said defiantly, crossing her hands over her chest and cocking her hip out, resting her weight to one side. She was not going to let this little creep intimidate her while they were alone. She would go down fighting if she had to.
"Well, I can't put my finger on it, but I just know you are up to something and I don't think it is any good for Sophie-Anne. For your sake, whatever it is, I hope she doesn't catch you because it won't be pretty," he said, turning and leaving her alone in the room.
She slammed the door and went over to plop down on the edge of the bed, reaching for the TV remote to tune out her thoughts. But before she could relax any, there was a knock at the door. She quickly got up, tensing for another round with Andre, but it wasn't him. It was a tall, lanky fellow, who was very white, even for a vampire, with red eyes and withered skin. He smiled, but it was the kind that made Hadley's insides churn. She had too many run-ins with guys that smiled like that, while she was living on the streets.
"Hi, I'm Waldo. I was the Queen's favorite the night she brought you home. You probably don't remember me, but I thought maybe you could use a friend. I know what its like to be on the outs with her and those guys are all a bunch of bastards," he said, nodding his head in the direction of the misfits down the hall. "Say, have you eaten tonight? Would you like to go hunting with me? We won't be able to do it much longer with the Revelation coming. It's such an adrenaline rush. Have you ever been?" he asked rather excitedly…well as excited as a vampire ever gets.
"Umm. I haven't had any blood this evening. It's been kind of crazy. I've never been hunting either. Usually I just drink from one of the glamoured humans Sophie-Anne keeps around or from her, herself. Is it very hard – to you know, umm, hunt?" Hadley asked, curious in a morbid way, of what it would be like to hunt. She was feeling pretty down and could really use an ally right about now.
"Come on, I'll teach you! It's all instinctual. We'll go to one of the Cities of the Dead. There's always tourists and pick-pockets and other lowly types around there in the evening. Too many to choose from really! It won't be hard at all, especially being your first time," Waldo said encouragingly.
Hadley nodded her agreement and they went on their way. Hadley never saw it coming.
Once news got back to the palace that Waldo had staked Hadley, the Queen was in an outrage. She was storming around the grounds, streaks of bright red blood, staining wavy lines down her porcelain cheeks. Anyone or anything in her way became an instant casualty. "Find out why he did it! I want to know, Andre! Bring him to my special room and don't do anything. Just leave him there until I'm ready," Sophie-Anne ordered. And because he was her child, he had to obey exactly as she wished.
After being so hastily dismissed by the Queen, Bill decided to stick around and enjoy some of the spoils of her building. He found a couple of nice blonde, curvaceous humans that unknowingly lived as donors in the compound and had his way with them. Oddly enough, he it struck him how much they resembled the one buxom blonde that everyone was after these days. Had she weaved some kind of spell on them all?
He was just cleaning up when he heard the commotion. News of Hadley's final death was spreading like wild fire and creating a sort of frenzy. He had never seen nor heard of the Queen going quite so ballistic. He felt no sadness himself over her loss, but was quite certain that whoever was truly responsible for her death, would not meet such a quick and decisive end. He immediately phoned the number Niall had left him.
"This is William Compton, may I speak with the Prince?" Bill inquired to the person who answered the line.
"Please hold…" came the reply.
"Compton, what word do you bring?" Niall promptly responded.
"Prince," Bill paused, unsure on how to proceed, "I'm afraid something has happened to Hadley this evening. A most unfortunate event." Bill went on to explain what details he had learned from the gossip. He also relayed his suspicions that Waldo was not the mastermind behind the plot. Although on the surface, jealousy may have been an easy excuse, staking another of your kind was not something vampires did over petty feelings. They were usually much more cunning in their ways of retribution. Bill told Niall that he was sure Andre was ultimately behind her execution. Especially after being caught in the Sheriff's room earlier and the stern warning the Queen had given them both.
Niall was outraged over Bill's news, but being a Prince, he was never one to show emotion. "How is the equipment working out for you Compton? Did everything arrive safely and to your specifications?" Part of the deal Bill made with Niall was that the Prince would become the major financier of the supposedly secret database the Queen approved his work on.
Once Bill had approached Sophie-Anne on it, she had been micro-managing him and it was prohibiting him from getting any serious work done. And she expected him to invest all of his own capital, while taking the majority of the profits. This was just one sore spot among several Bill had regarding the Queen. He was happy to be away from her constant meddling, now that he had actually moved to Bon Temps, even if it was originally for a human. He was even happier that he had decided to work with Niall. He was able to get all the best equipment and really start proper work on his vampire family tree database. It would be quite valuable, especially if the Revelation went as smoothly as most suspected.
"Yes, Prince. Everything has worked out marvelously. Thank you again. I have already gotten a great start on my compilation," Bill replied.
"Great. This is good news, Compton. And now I need to ask you to find someone for me. I need to find a vampire, someone in a position of power, that would be able to successfully take over Louisiana – say – should the need arise. Do you understand what I'm asking you?" Niall asked, plotting his next move.
Bill hesitated, trying to figure out what Niall was actually asking of him. "Well of course, I'll get right on it. Give me as many specifications as you require of this vampire and I'll create a query on the data I already have available. I'm certain I can come up with a short list for you."
They spent the next several nights in contact with one another, until a short list of potential suitors for the royal position of Louisiana was selected.
Meanwhile, the same night Hadley met her final death, Eric was trying to figure out who had given him and Sookie chase from the airfield. His contacts at the police station where unable to provide much information because almost as soon as they were booked on felony speeding, a person whose information wound up being false, bailed out the Weres responsible. And of course the bail was paid in cash, leaving no trail behind.
Then there was the whole disaster of Claudine Crane's visit. Eric was so distraught over the amount of restraint he needed to refrain from draining her dry in front of Sookie, that he nearly took the life of another human woman in her place. Luckily, Chow and Maxwell Lee were around. As it was, the woman had to be glamoured in such a way that she might never really be the same. And for that, he would wind up employing her at one of his businesses, just to make up for it.
To top it all off, he felt an emotion he had never felt in his 1000 years as vampire…guilt. He was simply overwrought with it, as soon as he laid eyes on Sookie. It wasn't guilt over how he treated the woman, but the fact that he drank another's blood. Was it part of the bond that made him feel this way? He couldn't be sure, but the minute she turned away from his attempt to kiss her, he knew she sensed it too. If she began to not trust him, it would make it that much harder to keep her safe. He had to find out what was making this bond so different from any he had ever heard of or witnessed.
Once Sookie was done with her part of questioning the Weres, Eric arranged for Claude and Claudine to hand them over to him. Through an intercom system hooked to the room they were all in, the assembled vampires had learned what Sookie was able to ascertain from the captives. The fact that a vampire was responsible for the blatant death of a fairy, was not unheard of. But, what was important in this case, was that the dead fairy was a daughter of the Brigant line, making it just a little more dangerous -- coupled with the fact that they were actually there to retrieve Jason for some unknown reason, gave everyone a little pause.
Eric did not enjoy the call he placed to Niall, describing what they all had learned. "First my granddaughter Hadley was killed tonight, now you are informing me that a vampire was behind the death of Claudette as well? This is disappointing indeed, Vampire. Is this not your area of responsibility? How are these things happening under your watch? Perhaps it is best if I involve a few more of my trusted staff to assist you in protecting Sookie. Especially if she is now required to return to the Queen on the eve of the Revelation. She will need to be guarded 24/7 from here on out, without exception. You will work side by side with who I assign to protect her, understand?" Niall nearly shouted and fairies don't shout.
"Niall, how do you expect us to work with fairies? Be reasonable," Eric shuddered, thinking there was no way he could go through that experience every night.
"You let me worry about the logistics of that. You just make certain that Sookie remains safely with you. I'll be in touch," Niall finished.
Eric went to his daytime rest more stressed then he could remember. In a few days time, everything had gone from boring and mundane to one crisis after another. He was worried about failing in his protection of Sookie and of all the scheming and plotting going on around him. Vampires were twisty and deceptive by definition, but the plots that were unfolding around him seemed to take that to a whole new level. The worst part was that they were all somehow pointing to this one partial-fairy girl – his bonded. He drifted away as the sun rose, with a deep longing and despair over that one girl.
When he rose for the evening, he was overwhelmed with even more intense feelings than he had before death had claimed him that morning. He actually missed her being there with him. In a matter of a few days, this tiny woman had managed to break down all the barriers he had in place since puberty. His upbringing as a Viking and later the training from his Master assured he would never be able to feel the feelings, he was obviously feeling now. What was it about her – about their connection to one another? Did she feel it too, he wondered.
He didn't have time to wonder and stew over it for long, because he felt her presence close…too close for her safety. She wouldn't have tried to come to him would she? He panicked and left the safety of his chamber without even a second thought of his own welfare. He had to make sure she was well.
When he found her outside the last set of secured entryways, he was relieved and concerned all at the same time. Was she hurt? Had someone tried to get to her in the daytime? What of her guards he had arranged for? Where were they? All his questions were answered, once he had her in his arms. Then his questions turned to anger and jealousy.
She had spent the afternoon, barely dressed, in front of the Were guards, sunning herself and rubbing lotion all over her body. He imagined her standing on the steps of the pool, facing them, dripping with the cool droplets of pool water as they cascaded from the ends of her hair, to the tops of her supple breasts, in between that heavenly valley. He saw her in his mind's eye, licking her luscious lips and giving them flirtatious glances. He wanted to tear something apart and unfortunately, the cause of his rage was standing before him. They had words and she ran, locking herself in the bathroom. How many times had he told her not to run from him -- that it only set off his instincts to pursue. Yet, he could hardly blame her, he was sure he looked ferocious.
He started pounding on the locked bathroom door, shouting, "Sookie! Open the damned door!" He would not be denied!
"Eric, you are scaring me and until you calm down, I will not open this door," Sookie bravely responded. She was shaking with fear. She had no idea what set him off so. One minute he was lovingly looking her over for injuries, worried that she had been hurt while he was dead to the world -- kissing her even. The next minute he was freaking out over the fact that she only did what was expected of her… allowing the guards to be with her while she spent a little time outside.
"You will open this door or I will! And you won't like how I'm planning on doing that," Eric growled.
"Take your jealous ass and leave before I do something I regret!" she spat back at him. She could feel the energy gathering around her. This was the first time she was really aware of it and it scared her almost as much as Eric was scaring her. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she didn't think it would end well.
Her threat broke his resolve and in a sound that sent shivers down her spine, the door was ripped off its hinges and splintered into pieces.
Even though she was scared out of her mind, she couldn't help but admire the beauty of the beast standing before her. He stood there, gripping the sides of the doorway, not a stitch of clothing on and each of his muscles dancing under his skin, itching for a fight. She wondered if this is how Vikings looked to the women whose villages were being pillaged, while they tried in vain to escape.
"Eric," she gasped, afraid of what he was going to do next. He could feel her panic and fear of him, through their bond. She closed her eyes and cowered against the wall because she didn't want to see what was going to happen next. Her magic was still simmering around her, but her fear had made her lose focus.
"You have the nerve to threaten an angry vampire, who is over a thousand years old, but you won't look him in the eye?" Eric remarked, not moving from the doorway.
For some reason that made her want to laugh. He was right. She had just threatened him, but now she wouldn't face him – to even try to defend herself. Was she just going to surrender? Her eyes snapped open and focused back on him. He was still very angry, but something had changed. She was angry now too, perhaps it was shared anger because of the bond.
Her chest was heaving, as she tried to steady her breath. They were in some sort of standoff, just staring at each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. Then in a blink of an eye, he released his hold on the doorframe and was instantly in front of her, hands braced against the wall on either side of her head. He leaned over her, placing his head down against her neck, taking a deep inhale. She thought he was going to bite her and just end it all right there, but then he brought his head up and locked eyes with her again.
"Why would you want to give me a gift, Sookie? I'm nothing more than an animal, can't you see that?"
"Ummm. Yes, thanks for reminding me in such a subtle way," she remarked, feeling a bit calmer now that he was away from her jugular.
"You did not let the Weres touch you?" he asked, moving his right hand to brush some hair off her left shoulder. He cocked his eyebrow, expecting an immediate answer.
"Eww," Sookie said, "Why would I let some strangers touch me. I'm the 24-year old telepathic, part-fairy virgin, remember? I don't let anyone touch me…well aside from you…" she trailed off. "Cut to the chase Eric. Are you going to kill me or not? I can't stand much more of this before my heart gives out."
Eric laughed. It was short and unfunny. "I am not going to harm you."
"Well, if you aren't going to hurt me, why did you rip down the door? I could feel your anger…no fury, is more like it."
Eric shrugged, a very human gesture. "Because you ran from me, shut me out and then threatened me. I am a Viking and a vampire. What did you expect?" It was perfectly logical…to him.
"Sookie, you must understand that we are bonded now. You are mine and in the Supe world, wearing what you are wearing," he emphasized what little she had on by sliding his finger under the strap of her top and lifting. It snap in two just from that slight pressure, exposing her left breast. "…in front of other male Supes, without my presence or supervision, is an insult to me. You are saying that you do not value our connection and that makes me look weak. If I am to protect you, you must follow certain rules." He took advantage of her exposed flesh by taking her nipple between his finger and thumb, pinching and twisting just a little. That shot an electric current right to her core and fired her up.
But the 'mine' thing also fired her up, in a different way. "Eric, you know I don't know the first thing about supernatural rules. If you don't want me wearing something, then don't leave it for me to wear. I was given no choice in the matter. No one explained any rules to me. And I don't appreciate you claiming the 'mine' thing all the time. I am my own person, you do not own me, Buddy," Sookie said defiantly, lifting her chin a little and trying to straighten up, despite the giant presence of a Viking looming over her.
Instead of getting angry, he leaned in very close to her face, noses almost touching. "On the contrary Dear One," Eric said, enveloping her breast in his giant white hand and squeezing gently, "…we are blood bound, this in and of itself makes you mine. You even declared so the other night, at the Queen's palace. Do you need me to remind you?" he asked gruffly, grinding his now very obvious erection into her stomach.
Well, shit, she thought, he has me there. But, in her defense, she really didn't know what she was declaring. "You can't hold me to something I said in the throes of passion! It's just not fair!" she whined.
"All is fair, Lover," he replied, brushing his lips across hers before ghosting them along her jaw line. "So, tell me again…Why did you want to give me a gift?" he whispered in her ear. His left hand was still pressed against the wall, while his right moved to remove her sarong and barely-there bikini bottoms. Her top was hanging literally by the thread of her right strap.
"I…I…I honestly don't know. Especially after the way you have just treated me…scaring me half to death. I will not be control by fear, Eric," she tried to sound mad, but her voice wavered when he stuck his tongue in her ear. That drove her crazy and apparently he knew it. "I…I won't be controlled…oh god…by anyone," she stammered out as he grazed his fangs along her shoulder. For some reason, that really flipped her bic.
"Tell me," he commanded, lifting her left leg up and hitching it up around his hip. It allowed him to move even closer to her, giving him further access to her warm body. He ground into her, allowing her to feel how much he desired her. He experimented with the bond, thinking of only desire and lust.
"I know what you are doing. You aren't fooling me with your emotions," she said, trying to resist his advances. He trailed soft, cool kisses up and down her neck and across her jaw.
"Tell me," he whispered again. He slid his hand around her buttocks and slipped two fingers between her folds. She was so wet from his teasing.
"Oh god. This is so unfair!" she cried out. He could feel some unfamiliar emotion coming from her. It made his chest tight, as if his undead heart was clenching. He paused his ministrations for just a second, so he could look into her eyes. She immediately closed them, still running from him, even though she had nowhere to go.
He pinched her nub between his fingers and she let out a low moan, "Eric," she hissed between clenched teeth.
"I'm a very patient man. We can do this all night, Lover," he teased her. "Tell me."
"I…I…I don't know. I just wanted to do something nice for you. You have been so sweet to me…well the majority of the time, other than kidnapping me initially and then trying to rip my throat out and then tearing the door down, just now. I wanted to show you how much I appreciate your efforts…how much I…" she closed her eyes, reveling in the sensations she was feeling throughout her body. "…ahhh. I can't think. I need you. I want you. Please, Eric," she sighed, begging for him to take her. She was weak, she knew that, but she couldn't help it. Their mutual feelings bouncing back and forth, the way he knew her body, it was just too much.
"How much you what, Lover?" Eric whispered in her ear then taking her lobe between his teeth, barely missing sinking his fang into it.
"Gah. Please!" she cried out, grinding her hips into him, trying to create more friction.
He stilled his fingers, bringing them up to his mouth. Seeing him do that, nearly undid her. She closed her eyes briefly, allowing his pleasure flow through her. Then he picked up her other leg and slid himself into her, right to the hilt, in one fluid motion. He pushed them up against the wall, as she cried out his name.
"Eric! God!" she exclaimed as he claimed her mouth, their tongues battling for dominance.
"Why do we always wind up against a wall, Lover," Eric asked, eyes dancing. He thrust into her again and again. She threw her head back, pushing her chest out, taunting him with her glorious breasts.
"I don't care where we are. Just don't stop!" she demanded.
"Your wish, my command," he replied, working her into a frenzied state. She was writhing and moaning, like she was possessed by the devil himself. Grabbing the back of his head, she brought him to her breast, needing to feel him everywhere. She wanted to be claimed, whether she could voice it or not.
As soon as his fangs grazed her nipple, she was gone… straight to the moon, passing the heavens, floating into space, lights flitting behind her eyelids in bright reds and gold. She cried out so loud, Eric was sure she was heard all the way down to the main floor of the building. He smirked, swelling his already inflated ego.
He moved them to the counter space, by the sink, setting her bottom just at the edge and throwing her legs over his shoulders. He was as deep as he could get without an operation. "Omigod! Yes!" she cried as he thumbed her nub while circling his hips, trying to hit her sweet. She had her second and third release in quick succession and her legs were like jello.
"You are mine Sookie Stackhouse. Don't you forget it. Say it. Tell me you are mine," he demanded, giving her the pounding of her life.
She brushed her hair back off her shoulder and away from her neck, tilting her head off to the side, offering herself to him. "Bite me Eric. Do it, now!" she replied.
He noticed she didn't exactly say the words, but submitting like that was just as good in his book and he didn't need to be asked twice. He licked her rapidly pulsing vein with his cool tongue before slowly sinking his fangs into her thin skin. Immediately her sweet blood filled his mouth and she cried out, "God, I love you, Eric!"
He couldn't believe what she just said. He was lost – drowning in her sweet fairy laced blood, undone by her clenching core, consumed by her words and the emotions that followed in the bond. He drank her in, filling himself with her essence. Then the guilt hit him. He was reminded of the human he nearly drained and it brought him back to reality. Sookie went limp in his arms, barely breathing, eyes closed.
"Yea, Gods! What have I done?!" Eric called out. He carefully healed her puncture wounds and cleaned her up. Then he laid her down in her bed and rushed to call Dr. Ludwig, the local Supe doctor.
Sookie came to, about an hour later, dazed and confused about what had happened. She also had a wicked headache. Eric was stretched out beside her, propped up on an elbow, wearing just a pair of jeans and his hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was holding a glass filled with a reddish orange liquid and a pink straw. "Drink," was all he said, holding the straw to her cracked lips. She felt completely dehydrated and weak. It was akin to the time she had the flu when she was 16 and her grandmother came around every few hours to check her temperature and force broth down her throat.
"What is it?" she asked hoarsely. She felt that twinge of guilt again, like she felt last evening. "Why do I keep feeling remorse from you? What have you done?" she demanded.
Sheepishly, Eric looked out across the room. Then turning his gaze back to her, he replied, "Please, just drink some of this first and then I'll explain."
She complied and nearly spit out the awful tasting stuff as soon as it hit her tongue. "Don't you do it! Just swallow it like a good girl. It will make you feel better," he ordered, holding the glass firmly in place.
She did want to feel better and the look he gave her, suggested she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. She downed the nasty liquid as quickly as she could, feeling a warm burning feeling spread across her cheeks, like a sugar rush. "What was that stuff," she gagged.
"Orange Juice and synthetic blood," Eric replied coolly.
"What?!" she shrieked. "Why would you give me that?" she said turning to face him.
He focused on something across the room, so that he wouldn't have to look in her eyes while telling her the truth. His jaw clenched and she felt his agitation through their bond. "I inadvertently took too much of your blood, in the heat of the moment." Eric could feel her anger and panic building and sure enough, just as he thought she might, she shoved at him to get off the bed.
"You nearly drained me? Am I going to become a vampire now? Because of the bond?"
Yup, definitely panicking, he thought. "No Lover, I didn't nearly drain you. Just too much at once. It made you become light headed and because you were…ummm…in the midst of, well, you know… you simply lost consciousness. The doctor recommended I give you this concoction to help bring your blood sugar levels back up and help with the replenishment of fluids. You will be perfectly fine. No fangs in your immediate future," he added with a roll of his eyes.
"You called the doctor? What kind of doctor can you call when you're a vampire? Was it a vampire doctor? How can you be sure they are correct in their assumptions?"
Yup, still panicking. "Sookie, calm down. Really, it's OK. Haven't you ever given blood? Some people get woozy afterwards and even pass out. That's all that happened, honestly, you'll be right as rain by the morning, I promise," Eric tried to soothe her.
"No, I've never given blood…except to you. So, I'm a little freaked out OK?"
He rolled his eyes again, "Ya think? You have quite the flare for dramatics. You and Pam should get on well. Maybe I should have her come sit with you for a while, hmmm," he said, pulling her into his lap and setting the empty glass on the floor.
"No. No. I trust you…I think. Which reminds me, you were feeling pretty remorseful last night too. Since that wasn't about you nearly draining me, is there something else you'd like to confess before we move on for the night?" Sookie asked.
This was the part Eric was dreading. In fact, he was hoping he wouldn't have to tell her at all. "We can discuss that later. I want to know if you remember what you said before you passed out…" he trailed off, trying in vain to change the subject.
Sookie blushed a bit, because she was hoping she hadn't said the big L word out loud, like she had been chanting in her head for about twenty minutes prior to their finale. "Don't change the subject. You told me once, you would never lie to me. Well, my trust is earned Buster, so you better fess up to whatever it is you did. And if you won't tell me, I'm sure one of the others will. Or maybe I could read one of the non-vampire's minds and find out myself. Which would you prefer," she threatened, while poking him in the chest with each sentence.
He grabbed her wrist, to stop the poking and brought her hand to his lips. He was actually nervous about her reaction and he didn't understand why. It was if someone had hijacked his emotions. Maybe she was nervous of what he was going to tell her? He sighed, unnecessarily, feeling foolish that he was being put on the spot by a tiny human. He was a freaking Viking for godssake. "OK. First, stop with the name calling. I am NOT your Buddy or a Buster, understood?" he paused to look down at her, curled up on his broad chest. She just shrugged and cracked a smile.
"Tick-tock. I am not as patient as you, Eric. Stop trying to avoid the issue and just tell me already!"
Rubbing his thumb across her palm, in an attempt to soothe her, he began. "Well, after Claudine left, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to contain my desire to drain something, so I flew, literally, flew downstairs to meet with Pam and the others." He looked down at her again. Sookie had closed her eyes, as if bracing for impact and her heart was about to beat out of her chest. She was sure he had probably fucked some gorgeous woman or maybe even ten, in a crazy attempt to rid himself of his lust. Maybe he even had fucked Pam. She couldn't stand it if that's what happened. She felt her heart shattering already into a million pieces, but she was determined to hear it from his lips. She just needed for it to be said, so she could move on. She actually started to pull away from him, but he kept her firmly in place.
"Lover, stop squirming. I left so I wouldn't hurt you. Doesn't that mean anything?"
So it was true then? He had screwed someone else and then had the nerve to get all possessive on her earlier. That was bullshit! "Well, I hope she was worth it, Eric. I mean how could you?" she started to cry.
His brow furrowed. He didn't understand what just happened. "Wait, why are you crying? I didn't even tell you what happened yet."
"Oh, you don't need to. I'm sure I can fill in the blanks. Was it Pam or some other whore you keep around for times like that?" Sookie sobbed. Why is it that he had the power to lift her up so high but also bring her so low. Is this what love really was all about? Having power over another so fully? If so, she wasn't so sure she wanted to ever be in love.
"Lover, what are you talking about? I simply took another's blood. I needed something to stop the bloodlust. And before tonight, we did not have any synthetic blood on hand. It's not widely available for distribution yet. So, I had to go for the real deal. But I didn't have sex with her. I simply attacked her and nearly drained her dry." There he said it.
"And for some unknown reason, I felt guilty about it afterwards, when I saw you. I felt like I had dishonored you somehow, even though I'm a vampire and that's what we do. I felt guilty, OK? That's it, nothing more. You can continue to trust me, right?" He held her tight to him so that she couldn't run. He felt her emotions and she was stiff, like she wanted to bolt. But she wasn't strong enough yet.
"And so you nearly drained me tonight too? For what? So I couldn't run when you confessed your ugly sin? That's pretty devious, Eric."
"Woman! Where are you getting this stuff from?! I did not intentionally try and drain you, for the last time. I simply TOOK-TOO-MUCH at once. Get that through your head! If you must know, it was in response to YOUR words. You told me you LOVED me and I lost my head. There! Satisfied?!" he growled, jumping off the bed and walking towards the windows, clenching and unclenching his fists. Gods! She was infuriating!
Now Sookie was beet red, surely from head to toe, with embarrassment. She had said that out loud and now he had one more thing to hold over her. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed some more. Was this torture ever going to end? From the minute she got into that limo with him, she has been on a giant, non-stop roller coaster ride and she wanted off. Why had her great-grandfather wanted Eric of all people to protect her? Did he know they were going to be like this? They were like positively and negatively charged particles, wanting to collide and fight for dominance over each other, until they become one.
That thought stopped her short. "Hey Eric? Did Niall ever tell you why you should be the one to protect me? I mean, didn't he actually say something to you about being the only one who could do it? Do you think it was coincidence that you happened to be here…Sheriff of my area… and that I needed your protection? Because I certainly don't believe in coincidences. Everything happens for a reason…"
He was so angry at her, at this whole situation that he didn't really hear her at first. But then her tiny little voice sunk in and he realized she was obviously trying to reason something out. He turned to face her and was pained to see her face all red and puffy from her crying jag. He had made her cry once again.
He walked back over to the edge of the bed, looking down at her. "What are you getting at? Are you looking to blame Niall for all your misfortunate lately? Well, join the club darlin' because I am already there."
"You're that sick of me, huh? I don't fault you for that. It seems as though trouble has followed me wherever I've gone lately," she hiccupped. "But, I was just thinking that we are such total opposites in many ways, yet something about you just pulls me in. From the moment I saw you in the bar. It was like you were holding a Sookie-sized magnet and I was a big ol' piece of metal. So I was wondering if maybe Niall knew that something like that would happen between us and that's why you were chosen to protect me. Of course I'm assuming a lot here, by thinking you may feel some sort of the same thing with me…but you know what they say about assumptions…" Sookie rambled.
Eric chuckled at her last statement, but her line of thinking gave him pause. He had been the Sheriff here, in area five, for the last sixty years. "Didn't Niall tell you he had known about your family for the last sixty years?" he blurted out.
"Umm. Yeah, that sounds about right, why?"
"Because that is exactly how long I've been in Louisiana. Sophie-Anne tracked me down in Minnesota, where I had been living with Pam. It sounded like a good opportunity and it gave Pam the chance to venture out on her own. Do you think that's coincidental?" he asked, arching his eyebrow. It really was more of a statement. He sat down with much flourish, making Sookie bounce a little on the bed.
Sookie laughed. "You mean, you were a Minnesota Viking?"
"Very funny, Lover."
"Aside from the joking, do you think we are somehow being manipulated by Niall?" Sookie asked. "I'd hate to think that everything I feel for you is manufactured, but at the same time I don't want to be tricked into anything either, you know?" Again, her question was more of a statement as well.
"I am not one to be easily manipulated," or so I thought, Eric silently added. But I have been a means to an end for Niall before, so I very well could be again, he reasoned.
"We need to find out more. It does seem equally coincidental that his company is behind the synthetic blood creation. And there was obviously some great talk amongst the elder vampires, to get them to form a league and uniformly decide that coming out was the right idea. Because honestly, many of us do not agree with this path. Do you think you could arrange some quality alone time with your cousin Claudine soon? Perhaps she can inadvertently shed some light on the subject. You get my meaning, Lover?"
"I whole-heartedly agree. It's worth a shot. Except that I don't have any way of calling her, Eric, being that I don't have a phone or her number," Sookie chided him.
"Have no fear, I come prepared!" Eric laughed, whipping out his cell phone from his jeans pocket. His fingers blurred across the number pad briefly and then he handed it to Sookie. "Photographic memory," he said, tapping his temple. "No need for address books. It's a safety thing."
"Right," Sookie said, shaking her head from side to side.
"Hi Claudine? This is Sookie – Sookie Stackhouse, your cousin? Right, well I was wonderin' if you had some time in the next day or two to come break me out of my house arrest over at Vamp Central. I could really use a girls day out, you know what I mean?" Sookie was putting forth her best southern charm. "Tomorrow? Oh! Great! That would be wonderful. Can you 'pop' by here, say around noon and maybe bring a car? I don't have any way to get around, really," she shot Eric a frown. He just smirked in return. "OK. See you then!"
"Right, well that was easy enough. Now let's make a plan," she said, holding out her empty hand to him, while holding his cell phone in the other. He gave it to her and she tugged on it, pulling him down for a kiss.
"My feelings may or may not be manufactured. And as disturbing as that all is, Eric, you are still all I have right now and I sure do appreciate it," Sookie said, placing her hand on his cheek. It was a real tender gesture and Eric closed his eyes briefly to take it all in. He had a sinking feeling he was about to lose everything. Or maybe that was her feeling?
A/N: Another cliffie, Tek? Really? What are you doing to us? Well, press the little green and give me a piece of your mind. Maybe I'll use it next chap! Oh and IKEAGODDESS suggested a battle cry in there for when he broke down the door. He didn't actually cry out...but I thought the imagery of him standing there bare-assed might make you all cry out! :) *VikingBattleCries 4 All*