Chapter 12
Impressions
PPOV
I sped through the woods and then slammed on the breaks as two cars appeared around a bend. One was Sookie's, the other belonged to Sookie's shifter boss, Sam Merlotte. He was leaning against his car. His whole body told a story of grief and loss. I sent a text to Amelia, detailing our location and then stepped out of the car. I acknowledged Sam with a nod. He stared at me blankly and then tipped his head in the direction of the woods, as though I could not feel my maker's presence. Shifters. They were almost as clueless as humans.
I turned and left him behind. I had been right to wear hiking boots, the terrain was uneven and wet and would make my responses sluggish if I had on other shoes. I would be ready for anything.
I could already smell Sookie's scent tinged with fear. The sharp smell of her adrenaline increased about 100 meters into the swamp, and I could see evidence in the mud that her trajectory began to falter as her feet slipped and her hands caught her as she fell.
I followed her path and I was hit with a wave of hunger and desire as the wind blew the scent of her blood in my direction. My fangs ran out and my mouth watered even though the blood was clearly hours old and mostly dried.
I was not ashamed at being enticed by my dead friend's blood, my reaction was natural, and her scent was delicious, as it always was. I considered my reaction to be my way of showing her respect similar to the way humans did when they wore black and sad expressions at funerals.
I used my heightened arousal defensively; I removed the pistol from the back of my waistband and held it at the ready, but all I could sense was Eric and he was not expecting a fight. In fact, he was completely focused on something, so I would keep watch. I continued walking silently until I came into a small clearing. Here the scent of her blood was nearly overpowering, it took me a few seconds of concerted effort to acclimatize to the scent before I moved closer.
Eric was floating above a patch of mud with his face inches from the ground. As I moved closer, I realized that there was a clear impression of a body in the mud, from the smell, Sookie's body. There were a few of her hairs present, and a large bloodstain where the neck of the impression was located. I regretted the waste of all that delicious blood. I had only enjoyed a few small sips, but even tainted with poison, it was more sublime than anything I had ever tasted, never having experienced the flavor a full fae myself.
The impression that Eric was studying was clearly of her left hand. Both hands had left raking impressions in the dirt, but the left hand had Eric's attention. He lowered himself even closer to the ground as he smelled the dirt of the impression without touching it to preserve the scent. I wondered if he had found a scent that would tell us who had killed her. He lowered the tip of his sword and pried up a flat rock that had been stained with blood, he then reached down and plucked it out of the ground and landed 20 feet to the side, staring at and smelling the rock repeatedly.
As I watched him, Sam came out of the woods and stood by me. Eric turned to us with a fanatical look in his eyes. "Smell this," he demanded holding the rock out to us carefully balanced in the palm of his hand. We moved forward and I smelled it, Merlot did the same and then we both stepped back, keeping our distance from Eric.
He looked at us with expectation in his eyes.
"It smells like Sookie," I said and Sam nodded in agreement.
Eric growled and shook his head, "You are not being thorough enough. Smell the undertones, not the general scent." He shoved the rock back toward us expectantly.
We tried again and this time I was able to detect a slight something hidden deep within the scent. It was almost like a hint of spice. Sam just shook his head and removed his clothes to shift. He took the form of a bloodhound. He was actually cute, all of those wrinkles begged to be grabbed and rubbed. "Focus, Pam." Eric demanded. He knew I was an animal lover. If they came without fur and teeth, I would have one.
The bloodhound moved forward and Eric lowered the rock. Sam took his time sniffing, before he sat back and whimpered. Eric groaned in frustration, he was just barely holding himself together, Sam had better keep his distance. Eric licked his finger and rubbed it on the rock, wetting the dried blood and then held out his bloody finger for Sam. The bloodhound sniffed a few times and then moved back and sneezed before turning back to his human form. What a shame. As he was dressing again, I also smelled the blood on Eric's finger.
The scent was much more powerful now. I actually felt it in my nasal passages, almost like a feeling I remember from when I was human of smelling an especially fragrant flower but getting too much pollen. "It tickles my nose," I could understand why the Sam had sneezed.
Sam finished dressing and said, "It's like getting your nose too close to a carbonated beverage. It's as though the atoms of the blood are in fast motion, popping around, almost dynamic or…alive somehow."
Eric gave a ferocious grin, not remotely a smile and nodded his head, "Exactly. That is not Sookie. There is the scent of Sookie's blood present everywhere," he ground his teeth together and I felt grief pour through him again, "but this scent stands out right here." He turned and pointed at the impression of her left hand. "She must have scratched her attacker and drawn blood, leaving this trace scent behind."
He looked back down at the rock and at his hand, smelled the blood on his finger again and then held it out to us once more. When we had both caught the scent again, now that we knew what we were looking for, he looked at the finger and then cleaned it off with his tongue. He closed his eyes, I could feel his pain and his wonder at the flavor of the blood. "I taste Sookie, but this blood is even more unique, it…pops on my tongue…I can actually feel it tingling…" he traced his fingers down his throat to his chest and looked thoughtful before shaking his head.
"Do you have a clean cloth or bag?" he asked us.
I shook my head, but the shifter replied, "Yes, in my car. I'll get it."
He left us to get Eric a receptacle for the rock. Eric began to pace around the site, looking for any clues, any scent he could find.
I quietly informed him that Amelia would be here shortly with her coven to do an ectoplasmic reconstruction. He just nodded, but I could feel his appreciation for handling that detail. He grimaced and said, "I need to call Freyda." He turned and paced off, pulling out his phone. I wondered what he would do. He was free now to marry Freyda, would he finally relent and take this good step that would get him away from Felipe and Victor? Or would he continue down the path of aligning with her and overthrowing Felipe. I knew he loved a fight, and would be doubly wanting one now, but he was smart enough to know when to jump from a sinking ship. My maker was nobody's fool. Whatever he chose, I hoped it would give him a much needed break.
After a few minutes, Eric returned to the clearing looking almost satisfied and he had the energy of battle coursing through him. Good. That had to be good, right? It was pretty clear which pathway he had selected to follow.
He returned to his determined scouring of the area as I waited patiently. About 10 minutes later, we heard many sets of feet making their way through the swamp. The witches were here. Eric looked up, his face was expressionless, but his emotions were filled with hesitant anticipation, this is something he needed, but did not want to see.
The witches arrived, carrying flashlights and led by Sam. Amelia walked near the rear of the group, supported by a skinny black-haired guy, that I assumed was Bob from her descriptions. I liked him better as a cat, but I was glad she had someone with her.
Two extremely powerful black witches led the group into the clearing and began providing the others with directions. They were clearly in charge of the coven. It appeared that Amelia would not be involved as the woman directed her to sit at the base of a tree near me. I moved closer to her to offer her whatever support I could and she wrapped an arm around my calf.
"How large an area do we need to include and what is the timeframe?" The male asked Eric.
Eric stared at the witch for a few tense moments before saying, "From just beyond her car to this clearing. Begin today at 5:30am."
The witch nodded and directed five of his group to stand along the path Sookie had traveled. He asked Sam to point it out to them and meet at the street. When the witches began chanting, Eric, Amelia and I joined Sam at the roadside. We all waited for something to happen and finally a spectral car driven by Sookie appeared and pulled to the side of the road.
I could feel Eric's longing and saw him clench his teeth and fists as he fought the urge to go to this false-Sookie. The image of my friend appeared very distressed as she threw the car into park, slappped open the door and began to run toward the side of the road and the swamp, all the time, looking over her shoulder. Suddenly she stopped, looking at the road from the direction that she had come. Her expression was non-pulsed and yet relieved at the same time. Sam spoke loud enough for Eric and I to hear, "Alcide Herveaux and others of his pack were here, when I arrived. They and the guards car were stopped right around that corner by a force field of some kind. They were all blocked from getting out of their cars until I opened the door for them. It was powerful magic."
Eric didn't take his eyes off Sookie, but growled menacingly at Sam effectively shutting him up.
Sookie slowly relaxed and she leaned on a nearby tree and she appeared to be taking a few deep breaths. She crossed one arm around her chest and held her forehead supported in the other hand, covering her eyes. Her shoulder continued to rise and fall steadily so it appeared she was calming herself rather than crying. She had obviously been terribly stressed by the pursuit of her guard, I wondered what they had been thinking that upset her so and potentially put her in this deadly situation. I could feel Eric's guilt growing as he surmised that she had been chased to this place by the Weres as well.
She stood upright, took another deep breath and stepped away from the tree. She took a few more uncertain steps further away from the road into the swamp and appeared to be looking for something. When her vision fixed on something, she stopped and her breathing hastened and her whole body began to tremble. Had she heard something? Seen something? I nearly growled with frustration that I could not determine the cause of her actions and I knew Eric was going crazy. She turned to look north back up the road with a desperate expression, closed her eyes and after a moment she mouthed something and then turned back to the swamp.
Sam, who was facing her whispered, "I think she said, 'I'm so sorry'." I knew he was right. She's sorry? What the fuck? She turned back to the forest, squared her shoulders and took a few determined steps before she broke into a jog. We all followed her, Eric keeping the closest, hovering next to her, watching every expression for a source of any clue. She was fearful and alert constantly scanning around her environment for danger. She knew that she was walking into danger, had come to this exact spot for a reason. What the fuck was she doing?
Without warning, Sookie leapt in fear and stumbled, looking over her shoulder in terror. She shook her head, appeared to scream and took off in a faster, more erratic run, stumbling over roots and crashing into branches. She kept looking back as she ran, clearly the source of the threat was behind her, but it was invisible to us.
As she entered the clearing, a force struck her from behind, throwing her forward onto the ground. She tried to get up but the force hit her again and pinned her down. Her legs and arms flailed and kicked uselessly and then her left hand began to scratch and pull at something on her face. From the look in her eyes, it was clear that she was being suffocated. At one point, her intense expression of fear was replaced with sadness and regret and then she began to fade. The hand that had been scratching at the force on her face tore at the ground as her body spasmed as it sought oxygen. Eric had been right, she must have transferred her attackers blood at that moment. Her body stilled just before the light faded from her eyes and she disappeared.
We all stood still in shock of the violence of her attack. Yes even I was disturbed with watching my friend's death. She had been so good and kind, so brave and unique. Why would anyone seek to destroy her like this? It appeared meaningless. Less than two seconds later, blood began to flow from midair about four inches from the ground and saturated the muddy soil. Her killer had clearly decided to ensure that the job was done well by slitting her throat.
Two things happened at that moment, Amelia turned and vomited and the rage in Eric reached new proportions. He was incensed not just that his bonded had been murdered but the fact that they had defiled her body after killing her set fire to his anger, taking him to uncharted levels of fury. I could see his body shaking from the effort he was making to restrain himself from attacking anything that moved.
When it was clear that we would gain no more information from the reconstruction, Eric turned and sped into the swamp. From a distance, we could hear and feel the ground shaking as tree after tree was torn down and decimated.
The power of his emotions was raging though me with an intensity that mimicked a violent thunderstorm. I didn't like it and wished for silence from his pain, I was dismayed to find that I had more than enough of my own. I walked away from the group to find some privacy to mourn for my lost friend and for my maker's grief.
After a few minutes, I returned to the clearing to find the witches murmuring among themselves. I interrupted them, "Why was the reconstruction incomplete? Why could we not see her attacker?"
They looked at one another and then the male leader spoke, "During an ectoplasmic reconstruction we are able to recall the life force which resides within living beings. We could see items she touched because, for that moment, her life force traveled into that particular item. Just as we could see her blood, moments after her death, it still carried her life force."
"Why could we see her blood after she died, but not her body?"
"I don't know, typically the blood and body fade at the same moment. It may have been the manner of her death. I have only done reconstructions where the death involved blood from a knife or gun. In this case, her blood was contained until just after her death and then released. It may have retained some of her life force." He said with a shrug and turned to his coven, "Any other suggestions?"
They all shook their heads except for Amelia who said quietly, "I think that it may have had something to do with her being part fairy or having so much of Eric's blood in her system. She was so different from anyone else that we can't make any real assumptions."
There was a rumble around the group as Amelia told everyone of Sookie's fae heritage. Way to go Amelia, but I guess there was no reason to protect that secret anymore. All of the witches apparently knew about the fae, but had not met one. I could see their imaginations creating far-fetched explanations based on this now.
"So using your explanation," I said firmly to the male coven leader, "we could not see the attacker because he or she either did not have a life force or could hide it and could block hers from affecting them. Correct?"
He nodded.
"Do vampires show up in reconstructions?" I asked, not having seen one for myself.
"Yes, vampires have a strong life force. It is different from that of humans, but it is present."
That made me feel better for some reason. I wonder if I still had a life force while asleep for the day? I would have to assume so, since we could be wakened with effort as when Sookie woke Eric in Rhodes.
"Can a powerful witch block a reconstruction, or hide themselves magically?"
"I imagine that it is possible although I have never heard how, but I am guessing that this is what occurred here. It would take more power than that of any witch I have ever met, but it is the most reasonable assumption."
"Explain," Eric growled as he emerged from the woods. His face was lined with bloody tear tracks and his clothes were ripped and filthy. The witches collectively shied away from him and I realized that to their eyes, he appeared ferocious and extremely dangerous. To my eyes he looked pitiful, but I carefully blocked that emotion from him.
"If she had been attacked by a being without a life force, we would have seen that being brought at least partially into focus when it touched her. Just as we saw the car and trees appear as she touched them." Again he shrugged, "It's just a guess, I have no proof."
I could see and feel Eric's intense focus as he carefully screened his knowledge of all beings known to have enough magic. He gave a shallow nod and his jaw clenched tightly again. We would speak no more about this in our present company.
I too contemplated many things including all I knew about Sookie. I concluded that my friend had indeed been up to something. What that something was…now there's the real question. Things were not lining up for me with the girl I knew. But those thoughts could wait for another time.
I thanked the witches, accepted Amelia's hug and passed her back to Bob. He helped her make her way out of the clearing with the rest of her coven. I would call her in a few days to ensure that she was thriving again.
Eric silently encouraged me to go back to my Miriam while he stayed at the clearing with Sam.
I looked at them, two grieving men who had loved the same woman. They would have to make plans for involving the human authorities and develop damage control for dealing with the fae, Felipe, Victor, Sookie's brother and the Weres.
He would need my help.
I did not leave him.
Eric wanted me to go, he didn't want me to witness his grief and pain but I knew that he was also trying to protect me from what he had to do next. It didn't matter where I was, I would feel his torment whether I was here or not, it was the curse of our bond and I would not let him face the next few hours alone.
Sam had called the authorities, they would be coming along with a contingent from Bon Temps, including Jason, the Sherriff and the detective, Belefleur. Alcede Herveaux and his enforcer had wanted to come back, but I knew that Eric would rip any Were he saw into pieces, it didn't matter what the cause of their failure was, they were responsible for her and they had failed. Sam told them to stay away until things had cooled down. Eric would seek them out when he was ready.
Eric took one last look at Sookie's imprint before pulling out his phone and pressing one key, regret rolling thick through the bond.
"Yes?" a quiet voice answered. As always, I could hear the conversation clearly.
"I have a message for Niall Brigant from Eric Northman."
"Go on."
"Tell him his great granddaughter, Sookie Stackhouse was murdered this morning. Magic was involved." Eric flinched as he said the words.
"I will tell him," and the call was disconnected.
Fucking fairies.
There was no way Eric could avoid alerting Niall, he had to be told and quickly. He would want to see the site of her death while it was still somewhat fresh.
Eric had barely placed his phone in his pocket before it rang, he answered and the same passive voice spoke. "He is coming, tell me where you are."
Eric described our location and he hung up again.
Two minutes later, Brigant appeared, walking out of the trees. He was not glamoured and was glowing brightly; his scent called to me as he had not taken the time to mask it. I nearly lost control but Eric looked at me sharply, "Lock yourself down Pam." I had no choice but to comply. I tightened my muscles and waited patiently to be released, I could not act, but his blood still called to me. I was grateful for Eric's order, I didn't know how he was able to control himself, I could feel the desire raging through him.
Niall stood for a moment, looking at what was left of his great granddaughter and then dove at Eric. My maker was caught off guard and the enraged fairy threw him through the trees. They landed hard and I felt some of Eric's bones break in his shoulder and ribs. I was devastated. I had come here to help him and now I was powerless to do anything due to Eric's own command, and then suddenly I picked up triumph and glee from Eric. This was exactly what he needed. I felt him unleash his rage as he threw down his sword and lunged at Niall, roaring and using all his deadly skills and pent up passion. Niall was fast and magical, popping from place to place to avoid Eric's strikes, but Eric finally made contact and they flew through the trees again, tumbling and crashing as they went. They were evenly matched when the fairy did not use his magic and Eric neglected his sword.
Eventually I saw the fairy's determination begin to fade, this was Eric's chance, but he did not strike, instead they both stopped their attacks, nodded slightly at one another and returned to the site. I realized that the fairy must have been using this fight exactly as Eric was, as an outlet for his grief and anger.
Niall knelt by the side of the impression that Sookie's body had made in the earth and Eric allowed him two minutes of privacy to grieve before he stepped forward.
Sookie's great-grandfather stood and blinked a tear from his eye.
"Where is the body?" he asked.
Eric didn't answer him, I knew that same question was haunting him and causing him intense pain.
Sam stepped forward, I never thought I would be happy to hear him speak, "Eric called me when he felt the bond break and told me where she was. This is exactly what I found when I arrived about three hours later. I haven't been able to find a trace of her scent anywhere."
Niall nodded and turned back to Eric.
"You said there was a magical influence, explain this," he said as he looked over the impression of Sookie's body.
"The witches did an ectoplasmic reconstruction, you are familiar with this?" Niall nodded and motioned for Eric to continue. "Her attacker was invisible even when clearly touching her. I had guards following her as she drove south, they were magically detained until Sam arrived."
"Tell me exactly what you saw, leaving out no detail," he demanded.
Eric recounted what he had seen and then looked at Sam and I to encourage us to add our point of view where it differed from his.
"I also found this scent, it is unlike any I have smelled before." He removed the rock from his pocket and unwrapped it from the cloth Sam had provided and offered it to him. "Smell it only, do not touch," Eric directed Niall.
The fairy leaned in, took in a short breath and stood back up, his face a mask of hatred and shock, "Scrios," he swore. He pulled out his phone and began speaking in the original fae language that I recognized but did not understand. It had some familiarity with Gaelic so I could catch a few words. Scrios, meant destroy, but I heard sgriosadair also which meant destroyer. I was mostly familiar with words associated with war since those were the ones I had heard Eric speak most frequently. Niall was agitated and was clearly familiar with this scent and very unhappy to find it here.
Eric was losing what little patience he had, he stepped toward Niall again and took his phone from his hand, hung it up and placed it in Niall's pocket, using all his restraint not to crush it in his fingers.
"Explain," Eric demanded.
Niall's face transitioned through many emotions as he looked at Eric debating what to tell him. Eric finally snapped, he threw the fairy to the ground, pulled out his sword and placed it against Niall's neck allowing it to touch his skin. It was an iron sword and he paled as it parted his flesh a little. Eric threatened him in a deep Gaelic growl. My maker was incredible, he could rule and control anyone he wanted when he tried, with the exception of one small blond mostly human girl. The fairy looked him straight in the eye, seemed to decide something and nodded carefully.
Eric removed the blade and pulled him upright.
Niall straightened his tunic before giving Eric the details of the Scrios, but Sam and I were left in the dark. I didn't catch more than a few Gaelic words here and there as obviously was Niall's intent. Fairies were notoriously unwilling to discuss their secrets, and this appeared to be a big one. Whatever was being said, it simultaneously intrigued and worried Eric. I would have to wait until later for him to explain it all to me.
Finally Eric switched to English. "What is your plan?" he asked.
"I intend to hunt for this Scrios and destroy it before it kills any more of my family. What do you intend to do vampire?"
"I will join you in your search once I have secured my position as King and can use the abilities of those sworn to me to assist us in the hunt."
"I wish you luck Eric Northman, husband of my great-granddaughter," he said as he nodded, took one more look at the impression in the mud and walked away into the woods.
A/N: Before you ask, Eric will be sharing Niall's information at the right time…I need to keep the details of our antagonist cloaked for a little longer.
