Sookie Stackhouse closed the door of her car outside her house on the other side of the cemetery. She had just gotten off her shift, it was 1:30 a.m., and she wanted nothing more than to go straight to bed and snuggle with Alcide. But as she approached the landing on her porch she heard a soft crying from the side of the house. Sookie was no stranger to odd-ball people showing up at her place, including two particular vampires. Faintly hearing her thoughts, she sighed, put her purse on the porch and walked around to the side. Between a bush and her house she saw a woman with dark brown hair curled up in a ball and crying softly.
"Who are you?" Sookie asked.
Lydia was so startled she jumped and threw herself flush against the house, looking around like she'd just seen a ghost. "Are you a vampire?" she asked weakly. Sookie shook her head. "Shit."
Sookie glanced at Alcide as he came around the corner. "Sook, I heard you pull up but—Who's she?" he asked when he saw Lydia.
"Don't know, but she's really freaked out."
Alcide got down on one knee several feet away. "I'm Alcide, and this here's Sookie. Can you tell us your name?"
She shook her head violently. "Kill me, kill me," she sobbed.
"No, no. We won't hurt you," Alcide said calmly and soothingly.
"I want … to … die. I can't … do this anymore." Tears streamed down her cheeks, her eyes red and swollen.
Alcide stood back up and whispered to Sookie, "She's human, but I smell vampire on her. Can you hear her?"
Sookie concentrated on her mind. "She's confused, tired and scared. But she doesn't want to die."
"What are you going to do?"
She sighed. "What I always do, Alcide, rescue her." She stepped closer. "Honey, we'll leave you alone. But you're welcome to come inside when you're … ready. Okay?"
'No, no! Eric … no,' she screamed to herself, her body shaking violently.
"It figures," Sookie said as she stood next to Alcide.
"What was she thinking?"
"This is Eric's doin'."
"Figures," he sputtered. "We can't leave her out here."
"No, we can't." Sookie sat down beside her about two feet away. "Make a deal with you. I'll sit right here until you can make it inside. I'm not … we're not leaving you, okay?"
'Just do it … kill me. Get it over with,' Lydia repeated over and over.
Ten minutes later, tears still rolling down Lydia's face, she was no longer hysterical. Sookie made it close enough to her to put her arm over the stranger's shoulders. "See, it's not so bad now, is it?"
Sniffling and hiccup-crying, every ounce of energy completely drained from her, Lydia was able to hold her head up. Looking around more focused, she checked out Alcide then threw her head on Sookie's shoulder. "Lydia," she said weakly.
"Lydia, did you say? It's nice to meet you," Sookie said reassuringly.
"I … I need to go home," Lydia whispered.
"No, darlin'," Alcide objected. "You're not going anywhere tonight."
"Come on inside with us. You need some sleep," Sookie told her softly.
Alcide helped her to her feet, but her legs buckled underneath her. Swiftly, he picked her up and carried her into the house, laying her on the bed in the spare bedroom. She immediately curled up into a ball and closed her eyes.
Sookie grabbed Alcide's elbow and pulled him into the hallway, closing the door but leaving it cracked. "I've got to see Eric to find out what this is all about."
"No. You are not going nowhere near him," he protested. "Not without me, and someone needs to stay with her."
"Do you want him to come here?" she challenged.
He growled, not liking her answer, but he replied, "You will not invite him in."
She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."
Again, he growled as they walked downstairs, where Alcide stopped at the bottom of the stairs and Sookie went to the door. Her hand almost on the door, she saw a shadow on the other side. Shaking her head she opened it and stared up at Eric.
"I was just about to come get you," she told him.
He saw the werewolf in the foyer but said nothing. "I know. She's sleeping?" It was more of a statement as opposed to a question.
"Yes. Who is she?" Eric gave her the short, abbreviated version, leaving out the true death of the king, Christian, and pretty much everything else about Lydia's past. Sookie just stared at him. "What are you going to do?"
"She won't let me change her. She must stay here with you until …"
"Good for her," she retorted.
"No," Alcide said firmly.
"This is not your home, wolf," Eric snarled.
"It's not yours either, Eric," Sookie stated. "What am I supposed to do with her?"
"Keep her safe until I wake tonight."
She sighed. "I'll do what I can, but I'll do it for her, not you." He nodded and flew away. Sookie walked to Alcide and told him, "Here we go again."
'The waves lapped onto the shoreline, seagulls squawked and circled the two bodies intertwined on the beach. The sun was high in the sky, warm and bright as they made love.
"Eric," she moaned breathlessly.
"Lydia, my love," Eric replied.
A seagull landed beside them, silently watching them; seconds later another seagull landed, and another and another. Lydia turned her head and was met with a dozen heads resembling Christian, glaring at her and scowling with pure hatred. Looking at Eric, it wasn't Eric, but Christian …'
Lydia bolted straight up in bed, sweat beading on her forehead, the hair on the nape of her neck drenched from the nightmare. She looked around the room in panic and fear, not knowing where she was. The only thing that calmed her, that made her feel somewhat safe, was the soft, faint beam of after-dawn light filling the room.
Slipping out of bed she stepped into the hallway, cautiously, looking for the bathroom. Seeing the top of the stairs she headed that way and found the bathroom. After relieving herself, she splashed cold water on her face to alleviate the dry stinging in her eyes from the crying. Staring at her pathetic reflection in the mirror, she thought of only one solution.
As quietly as she could she headed downstairs to the kitchen and pulled a knife from the block on the counter. She was about to turn around when a man's voice surprised her, though she remained calm. She carefully slid the knife down the waist of her jeans, surprised and relieved she didn't cut herself … yet, anyway. Turning around, she looked at the buff man in a tight t-shirt and sweat pants standing by the refrigerator.
"Good morning, Lydia. I thought I heard you up. Want some juice?"
She shook her head. "I, uh … who are you again?"
"Alcide." He took out the orange juice carton then got two glasses. "How are you feeling?" After pouring, he handed her a glass.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Where am I?"
"Sit," he said, pulling out a chair at the dining table. After she sat, he did as well. "Bon Temps, Sookie Stackhouse's house. You're safe here."
She snickered under her breath as she sipped half the juice. Her brain shut down, and her body grew numb. "I'll never be safe." Standing up, she said, "Thank you for … I've got to go."
"Lydia, we talked with Eric earlier. You are safe here," he reiterated.
Ignoring him, she walked to the foyer, taking the knife out. Reaching for the door knob, Alcide rushed to her side. Seeing the knife in her hand, he backed off a bit, though he didn't feel threatened by her. "Don't do this," he warned, his voice soft.
Abruptly, she stepped back further, brought the sharp side of the knife to her wrist, brought it back and sliced into her skin. Though she aimed for her wrist, she got her forearm. Watching the blood stream down in a thin line, she slid down the wall onto her butt and brought the knife back up for another strike. Alcide grabbed the knife and threw it into the kitchen.
"You don't want to do this," he said as he got down on one knee, reaching for her arm. She jerked it away, not bothering to cover the seeping wound.
"I don't know what to do!" she whined, beginning to cry. "God, I'm so fucking tired of crying!" she exclaimed.
"Lydia, I've got to stop the bleeding."
"Wha'?" She looked down at her forearm in shock. There was something metal poking out of her skin, and she dug it out. "What the hell is this?" she asked, showing it to him.
He took it from her and looked at it more closely. "It looks like it might be a tracking device."
"A what? That's how they found me," she muttered. "Then … that means they know where I am."
Alcide stood, threw it on the floor and stomped on it, glass and plastic grinding softly.
"No, no," she said as she stood up. "You don't get it. You two are in danger, too … and Eric …" She looked towards the door, like she had to stop herself from running out to go to him. It was impossible for her to find where his lair was.
"What's all the …" Sookie started as she came down the stairs. "What's going on?"
"She's cut herself. Can you get some towels, please?" Alcide asked.
A few minutes later, the three were in the kitchen, Sookie had tied a clean hand towel around her forearm to stop the bleeding. "I have to leave."
"And where will you go?" Alcide asked.
"I don't know, but the king will find me."
"The king? Bill?" Sookie asked surprised.
Lydia shook her head. "North Carolina."
Sookie and Alcide looked at the other, angry that Eric hadn't told them the whole story. Alcide pulled her into the foyer. "We can't let her go, Alcide. She'll die out there."
"If she wants to go, then let her go."
She scowled up at him, about to protest then she sighed. "I don't like it, but at least let me take her somewhere where I think she'll be safe."
"Where would that be, exactly?"
He nodded his head towards the front door, indicating the cemetery. "Bill's. They're both kings, right? Let them fight over her."