Sorry this one is a bit shorter than normal. Hope it makes sense.
Chapter 12
In her dreams, Sookie found herself sitting at a table. She looked around and realised it was the restaurant Eric had taken her too when she had been introduced to her Great grandfather Niall. When her gaze returned to the table, the empty chair opposite her had been filled.
"Niall" she gasped, "what is this? Am I still dreaming?"
Niall smiled at her warmly. "My child" he said, taking her left hand and patting it. He notices the ring Sookie is wearing. "Marriage suits you dearest Sookie. To answer your question, yes, this is a dream, of sorts. As I already told you there are many windows between our worlds though which I can reach you. I thought you would be more relaxed if we spoke in a familiar setting"
"Do you have something to tell me?"
"My child, you must listen to me. Coming into your life was a selfish action on my part. I believed I could make them accept you, but I was wrong"
"Do you mean Dermot and his followers?"
"Yes, his followers have ceded to me, but Dermot did not return home. He is waiting for you."
"He still wants to kill me?"
"Yes."
"Is that why you're here? To warn me?"
"Partly. You have a choice to make Sookie. You have denied it long enough. Your Viking knows it too. That is why he brought you here."
"Choice? What do I have to choose?" she said shrilly, her voice getting louder as the room began to dim. "Niall? Answer me" she screamed. Everything went black and she thought she was dead.
"Sookie?"
"Eric, where are you?"
"I'm right here, wake up!"
Sookie sat bolt upright, sweat coating her body. She looked around her and found she was still in bed, Eric looming over her. "Sookie, you had a nightmare"
"No, I didnt. It was something else. It was Niall. He came to warn me."
Eric was instantly on edge. That damn fairy. "What did he say to you?"
"He....he warned me..about Dermot. Dermot is still coming for me."
"Even if Dermot could track you here, there is no way he can hurt you. This box we are in is cast iron. There is no way he will get in."
"Niall also said I had a choice to make but I have no idea what he as talking about. He said you knew all about it. What did he mean when he said I had to choose? Eric?"
"I didn't want to do it like this Lover but I won't lie to you. I brought you here so you could not run from me. When we fled your home I crossed a line. When Felipe finds us he will not allow me to live.
"You lied to me. You said we would be safe here but we're not."
"Hush Lover, I told you what I knew to be true at the time. But now it seems that Victor and Felipe have been working together to eliminate me. I suspected Felipe's involvement but I thought it best to 'play dumb'. Your shifter has been working with us. I am sorry I could not tell you these things earlier.
He brought Sam into this. Unbelieveable! "But what if they find us first? There'll be vamps everywhere looking for us. It's only a matter of time before they find and kill us"
"No, there is a bounty on my head. As far as vampire law is concerned, fleeing with you is tantamount to theft and treason. You, on the other hand, are to unique to waste."
"That's just crazy"
"That is the vampire way Sookie. You are mine and as I owe fealty to Felipe, so do you."
"Now you are starting to sound like Bill," she instantly regretted her words when he sneered at her. "I just mean, you are not the type to roll over so easily."
"I do what needs to be done."
"Well, how do we get out of this"
"That is entirely up to you Sookie. As Niall told you, it is you who must choose"
"What? Why do I have to decide what to do. I don't know anything about political strategies and armed combat"
He just laughed. "Sookie, this is all about you. It has always been about you. I have called the shots up until now and it has kept you safe. First at a distance then as your bonded. But my luck has run out. If I hope to live through this I must hand you over to Felipe. Unfortunately there is no guarantee he will allow me live.
"Then we have to kill them all, to save ourselves"
"Ah my dearest Sookie, my vengeful goddess is rising," he beamed at her, "but no, you will not participate in the slaughter. If this is your wish then I will rally my people and prepare for battle.
"But I want to stay with you. You can't go." Suddenly she felt the same feeling she had during their lovemaking and it terrified her. A chasm was falling away at her feet and Eric was on the other side, unreachable. ""No, don't go! You can't. If you go now, you wont come back. I love you Eric, you can't leave me, not now we have found each other!
"Sookie, I have to end this or we will never be safe."
"Can't you just bargain with them, pay a fine or something?"
"No, as King, Felipe must be seen as a firm ruler or his power will be undermined. He must show no mercy."
"Then we can run. Surely there are places we can go?"
"Would you really run with me? Always hiding, living a half life? The world is only so big Sookie. We would be caught eventually, and the punishment would be far worse the longer we try to run.
"But....if we can't fight them and we can't run....what can we do?" She felt hopeless
"There is a way I could end all this right now."
"What is it? I has to be better than taking on Felipe and Victor."
His stare drilled into her. She suddenly realised what he meant. "Eric, I don't want to be a vampire."
"The only other option open to us is this; I drain you dry and let you die a merciful death in my arms."
She was aghast. She got off the bed and backed away from him. "What...what are you saying? Eric, this is me, Sookie! You wouldn't do that to me....would you?" Her fear was apparent.
"Consider the alternative. Running and hiding for the rest of your life or would you rather be bonded to Felipe as his servant and his mistress.........?"
"Don't......"she whispered. She could almost feel the imaginary collar around her neck. She swallowed hard.
"......You would never see daylight nor the stars again....."
"Eric, please, stop" she begged
".....He will force your submission. If you where a man he would simply beat you until you begged for mercy. But woman are much more fun to break. Shall I tell you what I have heard of Felipes' sexual appetite?"
"No! Oh God please, no!" she cried. His heart was breaking for her but he ignored her pleas and continued unabated
"You will be an empty shell for him to fill. Once he has broken you he will turn you. He will make you hisfor eternity, Sookie."
"Please Eric, stop, I can't......" she was gasping for breath and on the verge of a panic attack. She drew in a huge breath and screamed.
"Why are you telling me this?" she yelled
Eric, still naked, flew off the bed and pinned her in place by holding her upper arms. "I have sheltered you and protected you long enough," he said right in her face, "I tell you this so you will finally see the world for what it really is"
"What...?" she said in disbelief.
"There are no easy choices Sookie. Most of us are lucky to even have a choice. I wasn't given a choice. I did not give Pam a choice. You have made many of the choices that have shaped your life and brought you to this moment. Many you may regret but most you won't. Right now, you need to choose again. Do you choose to live or do you choose to die?
"I can't... I" she whispered. Sorrow flowed out of her.
He picked her up and held her against the wall, her arms still pinned. Her eyes were wide and searched his face for any sign of compassion.
"I can finish it now. I can end your suffering and mine! But you must choose!" he demanded. She sobbed louder. Her mind was spinning through all the options. She couldn't believe this was happening. Her impulse was to kick and scream at him but her body wouldn't obey. Some deeper part of her spoke up and told her this had been a long time coming and it was inevitable.
"Answer me" he roared, "Fuck this, if I thought you this weak I would have ended you long ago. I put my own existence on the line to keep you alive. I will ask you again. Live or die?
"I'm sorry, I can't." she said meekly. Ever with her vision blurred with tears she could see his eyes darken.
"I'm sorry too" he said. His eyes went wide as his fangs came down. He sunk his fangs into her neck and drew deeply. Draught after draught he drew from her body.
"Eric, please don't do this! Let me go, please let me go" she begged quietly but she was powerless to stop it now. The thrall of her Fae blood overcame him and he drank deeply. As Eric heard her heart beat become dangerously slow, he drew back and looked at his lover again.
"Please Sookie, please." he begged
Sookie looked into his eyes and tried to focus her vision. "Please, let me go" she whispered before she closed her eyes for the last time. The essential spark was gone.
Eric felt their blood bond fracture and it floored him completely. He fell to the floor and roared in agony. He writhed and churned on the floor of the cabin for hours on end, unable to stand, to run, to ease the pain. Finally, when he sensed dawn was approaching, he was able to stand and walk. Eric gathered her up and left the cabin with her, setting it alight before his flew into the nigt with his dead lover. He returned to Bon Temps and placed Sookie back in her bed as the first rays of the dawn lit the tops of the trees. He placed a last kiss on her cold lips before he walked outside. He removed his clothing and welcomed the dawn for the first time in 1000 years. As his flesh blackened and flaked away he saw wisps of blonde hair and the smell of sunshine. Sookie, his lover, took his hand and led him away.
"I am sorry I had to show you this child"
"Niall? Please God, tell me I am still dreaming"
"It was not a dream but rather a vision of what is to come."
"I can't let it happen."
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Next chapter up within a week.
