Note: The lyrics that appear in this FanFaiction are from 'Poison' by Alice Cooper
Chapter 12: Poison
It had been a very long day for Sookie all in all. She had arrived at Merlotte's to find that she was scheduled to work, and that she was already late. Lafayette was working in the kitchen. He had tried to say something to her once or twice but she had fled from him. He just couldn't have that conversation yet. She had learned that Sam was still in the hospital though on the mend, he should be let out in a couple of days. She lived with the guilt of him being hurt because of her all day long. She had gone into the hospital to see him after work but that had not gone over very well. He had been taciturn and cold, and she had fled from the Hospital room to her car in tears. When she had visited Tara it had gone over a little better. Her friend was up and talking and moving around, but there was a haunted look in her friend's eyes that was painful to see. It seemed to reflect her own emptiness back at her. She had left feeling exhausted and drained. Tara would be coming back home tomorrow.
She had felt emotionally numb on the way home as the sun set, but as she drove in, two emotions hit her at once. Relief, she was finally home and could crawl back into bed, and intense fear, she did not want to get out of her car. She took a deep breath, and made a run for it. Her hands trembling as she tried to unlock the front door making it take much longer than normal. When she had gotten in the door, she had quickly locked it behind her and leaned against it breathing heavily. Her heart was beating crazily in her chest. She waited till it calmed somewhat before she moved towards the kitchen. She hung up her keys in the usual place and set about making herself a cup of coffee. The simple human routine settling her nerves even more. She took out her favourite mug, it had been given to her by her grandmother one Christmas. It had white spots on a black background and a red interior. She smiled fondly at it remembering her Gran's smile as she opened it. She had been so pleased with herself. Oh Gran, I wish you were here so I could talk to you!
She poured her coffee and walked out into the living room. Maybe I'll watch some television, or maybe a movie. But she was stopped dead when she caught sight of the couch. There was a large bloodstain on two of the cushions. Fucking Eric! He couldn't be considerate enough to put down a blanket first? She knew that was unfair, but dammit at this moment she was in no mood to be fair!
She wearily put her mug down on the coffee table beside the two empty True Blood bottles and picked up the cushions to remove their covers. She walked into the back room where she had the washer and dryer. She got out a bucket and filled it with hot, soapy water. She sprayed the covers with an unmarked bottle of cleaner. It was a special concoction of her Gran's who claimed it would remove any stain guaranteed. Sookie hoped she was right. With one thing and another, she couldn't afford to fix, the door, and buy a new couch as well. She also needed a new driveway. That brought Eric back to mind again.
He still hasn't paid me my ten thousand dollars for finding Godric for him!
Leaving the cushion covers to soak for a bit before putting them in the wash she marched out to the kitchen, looked up the number for Fangtasia in the little address book she kept by the phone and waited impatiently while the phone rang.
"Fangtasia, the bar with a bite." Pam's voice came over the line bored but seductive.
"Hi Pam, it's Sookie."
"Ah, Sookie how are you this evening?"
"I'm good, thank you. Is Eric there?" She figured she might as well get right to the point.
"I'm sorry Eric is out for the evening, shall I have him call you back when he gets in?" Sookie could hear the smirk through the phone line.
"No that will not be necessary. I just wanted to know when I will be receiving my ten thousand dollars."
"Well, well, well. Don't we think highly of our skills. I thought he returned a little later than expected last night." Sookie was shocked and disgusted as the blatant insult. She made a choked sound and held back her rage with effort.
"Pam, my fee for finding Godric is all I want. Just have Eric arrange it like he promised." And she hung up. Well she wasn't tired anymore!
She looked around her, at the dirty house and decided, Now's as a good time as any... and she headed back into the laundry room to get out all the cleaning supplies. She started scouring the house from the kitchen out. It took her till almost four in the morning, but four wash loads and three bottles of bleach later the house looked like it had when Gran had kept it. Sookie's arms were sore from the amount of scrubbing she had done, but it was a pleasant, human feeling. She put the couch coverings into one last wash load and turned it on before heading upstairs to sleep. She worked the late shift tomorrow so she would be able to sleep in.
Godric stepped into Fangtasia through the back door. He was in no mood for crowds tonight. He had waited at Russel's compound for two nights now. No message had gotten through to him, Godric was sure. The Mississippi King was in a foul mood and taking it out on his house boys. Godric had watched as several bodies were taken out of the house and discreetly disposed of. Wherever Franklin Mott was he had not returned to Mississippi.
Godric stepped through the back door, and headed for Eric's office. He entered the office, quietly shutting the door behind him. Eric looked up from his desk, quickly stood and bowed deeply.
"Godric, you are back."
Godric waited silently, not feeling a need to comment on the obvious.
"I sent someone for you, but they could not find you. Franklin Mott is dead. He never returned to Russel."
Godric nodded, he knew he had not come back but it was good to hear that he had been disposed of.
"And why did you not come yourself to find me?"
"I had to meet with the Queen. I informed her that Bill Compton had been taken care of. She seemed a little ...'put out' shall we say when I told her that he had been killed, but I did not think it wise to inform her of the circumstances. She is just glad that he will no longer be a threat with his nosiness."
"Yes I think it best if she didn't know how close the information came to her enemies. So all is well?"
"Yes." Eric nodded his head. "I don't think we will have anything to fear from the Queen."
"Then I shall retire for the evening." Godric turned and opened the door. As a thought occurred to him he turned, "Eric, how is the girl? Is Sookie alright?"
"She is fine." Godric noted the closed expression on his face and the too-carefully controlled voice. Eric looked back down at his desk, shuffling through the papers in front of him.
Godric eyed his child with suspicious amusement. How is Sookie able to get under his skin that way? He is acting like a petulant child denied a special treat. He smiled to himself and walked out the door. He walked down the short hallway and descended the staircase to his temporary sleeping arrangements contemplating Eric's behaviour towards the girl. It was the oldest story – Eric wanted the one thing he had been denied. Even as a human, Eric had never been denied anything he truly wanted. But he had encountered something in this human child, and she had denied herself to him. She had given herself to another. But now her man was dead. Would Eric finally get what he wants? Godric smiled to himself. She is definitely something different, and surprising. She brings out oddly intense emotions in our kind. And I must say it is never boring around her.
I shall have to check on her soon, maybe tomorrow night.
Eric had been in a temper for two nights now, all the staff at Fangtasia were staying well out of his way. He had been informed by Pam that Sookie had called earlier, wanting her money. Pam reported that she didn't want to talk to him. Just his money. That had bothered him.
Every time he closed his eyes he could see her and feel her beneath him. He had thought she would be purged from him once he had sated himself with her, but she now haunted him more than ever. What has she done to me? The Queen had been right – I should have never tasted her! It was like a drug coursing through his veins. Maybe if I drained her dry...
But something inside him completely and violently rejected that course of action. And he was again angry with himself, with her, and with the world in general.
She was visceral, slipping into his veins to wreak havoc within him, and shatter his peace of mind. He threw the papers away from himself violently, and they skittered off in crazy directions ending up all over the floor of the room. He sighed angrily and put his head in his hands.
As Sookie walked into Merlotte's that night she could hear the whispers follow her. Since she had had so much vampire blood recently she had amazing control over her mental ability, but her other senses had been heightened, so though she could shut out their thoughts, she had to concentrate on ignoring their voices too. It wasn't something she was used to and so took her a little while to get the hang of. She kept catching stray comment from across the bar when she wasn't careful. The patrons blamed her for Sam's injuries and speculation was rampant as to Lafayette's brief disappearance.
"If only she didn't associate with those vampires none of this would be happening!"
"She should be ashamed of herself for bringing that kind of danger into her friend's lives."
"Haven't seen that vamp of hers in here for awhile. I wonder what's going on."
"Good riddance."
Sookie tried to tune it all out. She kept her smile in place all evening. She took orders, brought, food and drinks and endured it all. Thankfully Lafayette wasn't in tonight and Terry was in the kitchen. He and Arlene had been seeing each other and it was nice to watch their simple romance unfold. Though it too was not without it's problems, at least they were very human problems. She smiled at her red-haired friend, but avoided her questions about Bill, and the mysterious vampire who had hurt Sam. She knew she would have to answer sometime, but she wanted to make it right with Sam first.
Sookie's checks hurt by the end of the night from smiling so brightly for so long. She closed up companionably with Arlene, listening as she chatted away about her kids and Terry. They all walked out together, Terry heading after Arlene in his truck. Another day gone. At least tonight I can sit with Tara. Comforted by this thought Sookie headed for home.
When she pulled in, she recognized Lafayette's truck. Oh crap.
She headed around to the front of the house more reluctantly. As she stepped through the door she heard the conversation in the kitchen stop. She steeled herself, put the smile back on her face and turned into the kitchen. Tara and Lafayette were sitting at the table with mugs in their hands.
Tara got up and embraced her.
"Hey Sookie. The place looks great. You should have waited for me, I would have helped you out." Sookie's smile became more genuine.
"Well, if you mean it I could really use you help with some of the more hard labour jobs. The front door needs to be replaced, and I could use some help dry walling."
Tara nodded, "Of course! You know me – miss fix it! Always handy with the tools." The girls laughed together.
"Damn Hooker, you lookin' mighty fine. You do somethin' new to your hair?" He held out his glass, "Drink?" She could smell the alcohol from where she was. She shook her head answering both questions at once.
"Is there any more coffee left?"
"Yea there's some still in the pot, just sit and I'll get it for you." Tara was trying her best to be cheerful, Sookie knew her friend well enough to tell, but as she was doing the same thing she accepted and just hoped that one day they would both actually heal from the wounds so recently inflicted on them. She accepted the cup gratefully. They sat around talking about nothing in particular for awhile till Sookie announced she was going to bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow she had fallen into a deep sleep. Though she was plagued by dreams in which a naked Eric was a central theme. She woke confused, sweaty and turned on.
Oh fucking fantastic! Like my life wasn't complicated enough already! Stupid vampire blood!
When Sookie got up she found Tara down in the kitchen.
"Coffee's in the pot."
"Thanks." Sookie poured herself a glass.
"I found the couch cushion covers in the washing machine. Is there something you want to tell me?" Tara had a set to her shoulders and had a tone in her voice that Sookie knew meant she would not be denied.
"What do you mean? I was just being very thorough." Sookie tried to look like everyone cleaned their cushion covers often.
"Then explain the big blood stains to me. And while you're at it why don't you tell me when the door got busted up, and the wall for that matter. I know those weren't busted when Maryanne was here. And I saw the looks Lafayette was throwing at you all night. He said I should ask you about it. Tell me what's up." Sookie saw the effort it had taken her friend to say that, and she did feel bad for keeping it from her. She just didn't want to pile all her troubles onto her friend's shoulders when they were so fragile. But she recognized all the stubborn signs. Maybe it will help her, focusing on something else...not that Sookie wanted to focus on it.
"All right but when I tell you, promise not to lose you're shit, okay?"
Tara's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I'll try."
"Bill went missing about a week ago. He proposed to me at dinner, and then was abducted. So I went to Eric at Fangtasia to ask for help finding him. He found out Bill was taken by his maker to Mississippi, the vampire head honcho-guy there has a problem with the head vampire here and was looking for some dirt that he could use against her. Since Bill was already in his territory, he had this Lorena torture Bill to try to find any information. They sent a vampire after me to try and use me against Bill, but I wasn't here I was already in Mississippi with a guy who works for Eric. We were looking for information on where Bill was being held. Well it turns out Bill knew something, and I guess he told Lorena who brought him back here. They took Lafayette, for a reason you probably shouldn't know for your protection, just in case. Well when I got back here with Eric and Godric, I found Bill torturing Lafayette in his living room! Well the vampire's got into it and now Lorena and Bill are dead. As well as Jessica, you know the one dating Hoyt Fortenberry?" Sookie knew she was missing a lot of details, and babbling terribly, but Tara already looked confused and it would take too long to tell the whole story in detail, and it was just too painful for that. Not yet.
"So how did your house get messed up, if everybody died over at Bill's?"
"Well when I got home, the vampire who was sent to abduct me caught me alone and roughed me up a little. Eric got here in time though and I guess he killed him. I was passed out at the time."
"Well holy fucking shit." Tara was looking at her wide-eyed. "Fuck Sookie, you have got to stop hanging out with vampires!"
Sookie could see and hear the million questions going through her friend's mind, but she held up a hand.
"To answer your most important questions: I almost said yes, but he was abducted before I got the chance. And I have no idea why he would betray me like that." A tear leaked out before she could stop it. Tara was up and hugging her before the real waterworks began.
"I will tell you the whole story in detail sometime, but right now it's still too new."
Tara nodded in understanding. She looked up to the clock.
"Well Sook, we should start getting ready for work, are you all right to go in tonight?"
Sookie nodded still wiping away tears.
It was a busy night at Fangtasia that evening. Eric had taken his place up on the throne on stage. His mood was still bad so his vampiric demeanour was appropriately impressive and terrifying. The tourists were loving it.
"Wow, you'd have thought a good fight would have made him happier. He hasn't had a good fight like that in a long time. And now that we are so public it is rare we get to anymore. What has that girl said to him?" Pam flipped her hair over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Godric.
Godric just looked back at her steadily. She sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Fine don't tell me then." She stalked off towards her place at the front door, her black filmy dress floating out behind her.
Godric had been going to tell Eric where he was going this evening, but in light of his bad mood Godric decided he would just go. So he slipped quietly out the back.
Eric was preoccupied and not paying attention to the scene around him. The evening was progressing slowly and he could think of nothing but Sookie.
Your cruel device
Your blood like ice
One look could kill
My pain your thrill
I wanna love you but I better not touch
I wanna hold you but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you but I want it too much
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison
You're poison running through my veins
You're poison
I don't wanna break these chains
It was a moment before the song started to filter into his consciousness. It was like the song was mocking him, taunting him with his weakness.
Your mouth so hot
Your web I'm caught
You're skin so wet
Black lace on sweat
I hear you calling and its needles and pins
I wanna hurt you just to hear you screaming my name
Don't wanna touch you but you're under my skin
I wanna kiss you but you're lips are venomous poison
You're poison running through my veins
You're poison
I don't wanna break these chains
Poison
Finally he could take no more. He leapt to his feet snarling loudly. Everything in the bar stopped, everyone was looking at him with fearful eyes, afraid to make a move lest he focus his anger on them.
"Change the song." he commanded. The vampire DJ did so at once, changing it to a remixed version of Blue Oyster Cult's 'Don't Fear the Reaper'. Mollified Eric returned to sitting, but the atmosphere in the bar had changed subtly. As soon as he was looking in another direction, many of the tourists made for the door. The fangbangers just looked impressed and confused.
Pam weaved her way through the crowd. She approached the chair, bending towards Eric half shielding him from the crowd with her body.
"I think you should go to the back room and make sure everything is in order."
Eric glared at her, but she just glared right back. "Okay, then go out and get something willing to eat, but you should go. I wasn't going to say anything about the mood you've been in lately, because at first I found it amusing, but now you are hurting business. So go cool off a bit. Take a human to bed or something."
"I am not here to amuse you." His fangs were fully out now. Pam rolled her eyes.
"You know Eric, normally I wouldn't care if you scared or ate all the humans in the bar, but you have got to get yourself out of this funk, and being here is obviously making it worse. Go. Eat something." She made shooing motions to get him off the stage.
Eric stalked off the stage. Maybe she's right. Maybe I just need to eat something. He scanned the club, but no one there piqued his interest. I guess I shall have to find my supper someplace else tonight. He smiled to himself. Yes, dinner out sounds nice.
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