Chapter 14

No...no...no! Bill will kill him if he finds his hands on me... Sookie was more concerned for Josh's safety than her own. She was fully aware of Bill's presence and could suddenly feel his attention on her. Get hold of yourself Sookie...

Bill emerged from the back office to find Sookie fending off the advances of a very drunk, very persistent bull of a man who towered over her. He had his hand firmly around Sookie's wrist and Tara was cursing at him while the two of them did their best to pry his fingers loose, but without success. Sookie was afraid – but not of the man accosting her. She's afraid of me? Suddenly Bill understood. She's afraid I'll kill him... He also could sense Sookie's exhaustion and could feel that she was too fragile to deal with anything tonight, not a drunk customer and especially not an angry vampire. Bill held his temper in an iron grip and put on a calm front. It wouldn't fool her – Sookie could sense Bill as he did her, but in a more limited fashion – but it would make the situation easier for her and right now Bill was certain that she needed it.

"Sookie? Are you all right?"

Sookie mutely looked up at Bill and he could see tears forming in her eyes. Anders looked at the interloper and puffed out his chest. "Mister," he slurred, "I'm havin' a private discussion with Miz Sookie here, and y'all are interruptin' us."

Sam had immediately followed Bill out of the office and was just in time to size up the situation, watching in surprise as Bill fought to calm himself. "The lady is spoken for."

Ignoring Anders' hand still crushing Sookie's wrist, Bill moved toward her and reached for her. Sookie leaned against him, fighting back tears of fatigue, and closed her eyes. She just wanted this night to be over. She just wanted to go home with Bill and get some quiet. In spite of Bill's touch, the drunk's thoughts were a booming roar and were as loud and as addled as his speech, and she could hardly think. She just couldn't deal with this; not now, not after all the noise of the day. It was all she could do just to stand there, desperately trying to keep herself together.

Josh crowded the couple, trying to bully Bill with his size as he stood with his arms around his human. The drunk man's breath was foul and smelled of stale beer, and the stinking cloud surrounded Bill and Sookie as he continued to bluster. "Well hell, I don't see no ring on her finger, and she didn't say nothin', neither. So why don't you just let us finish our little chat?"

Sam saw the muscles in Bill's face tense. Trouble was coming and, in his drunken state, Josh had no idea the danger he was in. Bill's voice was a menacing whisper. "You obviously haven't looked closely enough." Bill reached up and brushed Sookie's long blonde hair away from her neck, exposing the fang marks there. "She's mine." Bill's fangs had made their appearance and he glared at the drunk man. Anders looked at Bill's fangs, and his bleary gaze then traveled to the marks on Sookie's neck. His eyes widened, and before he could say another word, Sam moved forward quickly to pry his fingers from Sookie and hustle the big man away toward the door.

"Dammit Josh, y'all know better than to bother my girls. Am I gonna have to throw you out of this place for good?" Anders' alcohol-sodden attention turned to Sam, and he completely forgot about Sookie and the dark-haired man.

"I'm...I'm sorry Sam. It's just tha' Debra's been givin' me a world of grief, an' I was feeling sorry for m'self. Y'all won't kick me out? Please, Sam. N'body else will let me in any more..."

"I'll think about it. Now y'all go outside and wait for Donny. He'll be here in a minute, and then you can go home and sleep it off."

"OK. OK, Sam..." Anders reeled out the door and Sam sighed with relief. He turned to check on Sookie, and what he saw concerned him. Sookie looked about to collapse. She was leaning into Bill, who was holding her close as he looked over her head toward Sam. Tara was looking from Sookie to Sam with worry evident on her face. Sam signaled her with a quick nod, and Tara hurried back to the office.

"Bill, why don't you take Sookie home? It's been a long day." Bill looked at Sam with gratitude, and Tara returned with Sookie's purse. "I will, Sam."

He took the proffered purse in one hand, his other arm supporting Sookie. Still not having said a word, Sookie let Bill lead her from the bar, put her into her car, and drive away.

With Anders out the door and Sookie gone home with Bill, Sam and Tara were the last ones in the bar. Sam locked the door and wheeled on Tara.

"Tara, what the hell was that? Sookie knows how to handle a drunk...I've seen her put the fear of God into men twice Josh's size. I've never seen her so helpless. And what's with Compton? I thought for sure he'd kill Josh for mauling Sookie like he was, but he let that dumb redneck off without even raising his voice... What the fuck is going on?"

"Oh God, Sam. Did Bill talk to you at all? He wasn't back there very long." Tara plopped herself into one of the booths and put her face into her hands.