Hi all and thank you for your reviews (so many different takes on what's happening - individual interpretation is amazing)! It was around this point years ago that I think I got tired (and too busy) of this story. I read my old chapters and thought: "Okay then..." So let's see how this refresh goes!
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He was the big, bad vampire in black as he loomed over me, eyes jewel-like and fangs exposed. I could have been terrified, instead I felt rage.
This had been building up for far too long.
I aimed high and punched him in the face.
The cracking sound gave me a fleeting moment of satisfaction. Unfortunately an untrained attack from my puny human fist had no lasting effect upon a thousand year old vampire. His head was unmoving despite the impact, his skin still smooth and pale. In contrast, I stumbled backwards and my knuckles throbbed.
"You broke my nose," he remarked with an infuriatingly wry smile. His fangs retracted neatly. I stormed passed him, out the door and back onto the porch.
"Where are you are going?" he called, strolling after me at a leisurely pace.
I ignored him, reaching into my bag for my phone.
"Come now, Sookie."
He used effortless vampire speed to appear in front of me in the next instant, so relaxed given he had the upper hand. I knew his stupid, handsome nose was already repairing itself.
"Where are you going?" he repeated.
"I'm leaving," I fumed. My voice sounded reassuringly pissed off. "Until I work out what the fresh hell is going on, I'm staying at Jason's."
My phone was whipped away with vampiric sleight of hand. "I wouldn't be so hasty," he advised. "Who do you think sold me this charming piece of real estate?"
"Jason?" Some of my anger was replaced with shock.
"He wouldn't," I said, although deep within my heart I feared he had. Suddenly Jason's small attempt to get me to stay with him had a more deceitful meaning than brotherly concern.
"He did," Eric confirmed coolly. "Your brother sold me this house around six months ago. Willingly and without any coercion or glamour on my part."
"Why would he do that?" I gaped, running a shaky hand through my hair, messing up what had been the no nonsense ponytail.
Eric shrugged elegantly, like it was no big deal. "I imagine he was feeding an expensive V habit and therefore wanted the money."
"Are you lying to me?" I asked, hollowness creeping into the churn of my emotions. Deep down I knew he wasn't lying, he was telling the horrible truth and my brother had sold me out. Or at least my house.
Eric's head dipped, carefully watching my face. "It is the truth, Sookie. I swear it on Godric."
"Godric," I muttered, suppressing a shiver. "Don't bring him into this."
Another elegant shrug. "If it makes you feel any better, me owning this house has ensured a cleaner and gardener have maintained the property during your absence."
The neatness and tidiness of the house suddenly stood out with glaring meaning. I should have realised there was no way Jason had miraculously become the perfect maintenance man. It had been too good to be true.
It had been Eric.
"That does not make me feel better," I snapped. I put my hand to my forehead, trying to keep the sudden stress headache at bay. At that moment I didn't know what to do or where to go. My one haven in Bon Temps… Gran's house. Gone because my brother wanted to make some quick money behind my back, bought by the vampire I'd nearly died for.
Eric continued to watch me, moonlight highlighting the smooth, chiselled planes of his handsome, infuriatingly calm features. I was deteriorating into a hot mess whereas he was eternally in control.
"Let's go inside," he said, but I resisted his attempt to propel me back through the door, jumping away from the hand placed on the small of my back.
"Don't touch me," I said through gritted teeth, wary of his unnatural physicality, especially now that the house offered no sanctuary. "I'm not going back inside. Not until you're gone."
He laughed. The bastard actually laughed. It was as if I'd made a casual joke. But I was not a girl with a good sense of humour right now.
"I see this news has caused you some shock. However it's late and you need rest. I want to take you upstairs to bed."
I recoiled, scowling. "You are one deluded asshole. You steal or buy my house or whatever and think this is funny? I should never have come back here! All because I cared about my traitor-of-a-brother!"
The amusement faded, his expression sobered.
"For the record, your brother appeared quite convinced that you were not returning when he signed the deed. I suppose he thought you would never find out."
"Trying to make me feel better?" I sneered sarcastically.
"If it makes you less melodramatic," he agreed.
"Urgh!" I snatched the phone back from him. Pity I couldn't do the same with my – his – house key. I was horribly aware that it remained in his pocket, in his possession legally.
I struggled with my phone to find someone to call, but couldn't immediately think of anyone in Louisiana who was a real friend these days. Jason was out. I had to call Alcide. He couldn't exactly turn up in the next minute, but he could listen to me rant.
"Don't call him," Eric said, anticipating this. He spoke quietly but with an edge to his tone. "Stop running to that dog to solve your problems when I'm right here."
"Pfft." I struggled with my phone, the touch screen infuriating me in my haste to stab at the symbols. Getting through to Ginger would do at this point!
"I'm serious, Sookie. If you could just get past this grudge you're holding against me, everything would be fine."
This anti-pep talk was about as effective as the intimidating vampire fangs. A new burst of rage replaced some of the hollowness I was feeling.
"You-" I gave up with the phone to stab at his broad chest with my finger "-you never stop trying to take from me! What's next?! You take my blood – practically my life – and now my house?!"
His head bowed in open acknowledgement rather than any sense of shame. I stabbed his chest a few more times. It was like poking a rock, simultaneously releasing my rage and causing further distress.
"I bought this house because I care about you," he said mildly.
"You care about me?!" That triggered it. I felt the wetness of angry, bitter tears upon my cheeks. Memories flooded me, including that one critical time where I'd needed him, but he hadn't cared enough to be there. I wished I still had my car. I could have jumped into that little yellow Honda and driven off, away from the past and this present. But the car had gone a long time ago - another memory - back when I never thought it would be missed. I agitatedly wiped at the tears and my now-runny nose with the back of my hand.
"Sookie." His low, serious voice was perhaps an attempt soothing me. To my ears, he still sounded arrogant.
I didn't immediately register his hands upon my shoulders. I was caught off guard as he drew me to him, the length of his body pressed against mine. The phone flew from my hands, over the railing.
He kissed me.
It was like the Eric of old. Hungry, demanding and all-consuming. My mind reeled, taking a moment to catch up, to comprehend this was really happening. Then I could feel everything, from the sweep of his tongue to the fingers that entwined with my hair. My body, full of unspent adrenalin, catapulted between the longing that was our blood bond and the realisation that this should not be happening. But dear lord, it was deep.
I tore myself away.
My hands clenched, warding him off as reached for me once more. If he was a vampire, I must have looked like a banshee, my wild hair a result of my anger and his passion.
"No," I whispered, struggling for the breath he'd taken. If I had to punch him again, this time I'd go for those blue eyes.
"No?" A blonde brow arched, in a blink coolly composed. "But this is us. I felt it, Sookie. And you must have too."
"Oh for Godssake!" I cried. "Do you think my legs are just going to magically open for you?"
"I wish," he replied, not missing a beat.
We stared at each other. Like we seemed to do all the time now, where there were no words for our history or the emotions that strained our real interactions. Or maybe just the emotions that strained me. The ones beyond the glamour of pretending we could actually work together again. I could have laughed hysterically, cried just as bad and dropped a string of curse words all at once.
But I didn't. I couldn't lose it now even if a few cheap tears had been shed. I concentrated on regulating my breathing as a means to steadying my emotions.
"After everything you're still messing around with my life," I said when my voice was mine again although it did sound bitter. "And now my house. Has all of this just been orchestrated so you can manipulate me again, Eric. So you can win no matter what?"
His expression shifted. It was almost imperceptible, but I saw the darkening of his eyes, hooded and secretive. He was good at withdrawing to impassiveness when it suited him. Even after all the intimacies we'd shared and the blood bond that lingered, I couldn't read him at times. Knowing him too well meant sometimes I didn't know him at all.
"No," he finally said. "Not everything."
I nodded, like that was that. It had been a week of trying to keep it together, to play it cool despite the yoyo of emotions that Louisiana brought out in me. The emotions I pretended to not exist in my life in Dallas, where it was so much easier to do so. I was exhausted, wanting off this rollercoaster of vampires, betrayal and the bayou.
"So what now?" he asked softly. The Viking vampire stood there, tall and handsome, as if waiting for me to finish coming to terms with myself.
But there was no more passive, cautious Sookie and neither was there optimistic, reckless Sookie. All I was left with was the me who'd tried to get on with life. The one who had to protect herself, who couldn't get swept away by starry eyes and love heart dreams.
I pointed to his car.
"Eric," I said firmly. "Get the fuck off my porch and out of my life."