A/N – So I didn't really intend to post another chapter this week, but I was inspired. Thanks again to nmarie3 for being a sounding board. I appreciate it! Also many thanks to all of you who reviewed and marked this story for alerts or favorites; you had me smiling!

The usual disclaimer – Charlaine Harris owns the SVM.

Chapter 21

SPOV

Why? Why was this happening? I closed my eyes and remained slumped on the floor for a few moments before I decided nothing good was going to come from me curled up on the ground. It was the shock of knowing that Lafayette was being forced now to do something that he was tortured for weeks for doing that caused me to slump. I just couldn't get over the shock. I also couldn't get over how proud Bill looked that he was the one to tell me. I heard him talking to me, but I really couldn't focus on what he was saying. I knew that he was upset to find me here with Eric, but why would he try and hurt me too?

As I started to stand, I felt Eric grip at my elbow to try and help me up. The tingles I normally feel when he touches me were noticeably absent. I was angry with him; furious even for being so hypocritical. But I would not let Bill see any kind of argument between us. If I was – no when I was going to let Eric have it, it would be when we were alone. I straightened myself out and stood looking back and forth between the two vampires standing before me. The only two people I'd ever slept with; and both I thought I knew better that I really had. Eric had a snarl for Bill and Bill stood with a smug look on his face thinking that he'd gotten the upper hand.

I didn't move away from Eric, I didn't move closer to him either. I was looking up at him realizing that he was still having a hard time looking at me when Bill started to speak again.

"Sookie, come on. I'll take care of you. Let's leave."

"You'll take care of me Bill? You mean it? Really? Great! I feel so much better now. So you'll take care of me like you did before? Like when you left me here for weeks on end with no contact except for an impersonal shitty letter that asked me to water your stupid plants and pick up your mail? Oh, that mail by the way that included something that caused two creeps to come and beat me within an inch of my life because I had it. Phew. That's just great. "

"Sookie, that's enough." Bill didn't like what I had to say and was trying to treat me like I was a child. So maybe my sarcastic tone wasn't the most mature way to respond, but damn it, I couldn't stand the way he was acting.

"You're right Bill. That is enough. That's the second time that I've been beaten within an inch of my life because of you. And now I'm learning the first time might not have been the coincidence that I thought it was. You know what Bill? I'm not a cat. I don't have nine lives. I have just one. It would seem that being around you isn't good for my health. Come on Eric, let's go."

Eric looked surprised. I couldn't tell if he was more surprised that I was still willing to leave with him or that I was so flippant with Bill. I may be angry, but I'm not stupid. Staying here was not an option; and I certainly was not going to be staying with Bill. I knew Eric could protect me. I knew that Eric would protect me. So going to Eric's house was the smart thing to do.

"You can't be serious Sookie! Think about this. He's just going to use you. You don't think he actually cares about you do you? I've taken care of you. I care about you. How could you forget about all of what we've had together… all we've been through?"

"Bill, I don't have the energy or the desire to hash this all out with you right now. Please just go. I need to lock up my house."

He looked at me in disbelief. He slowly made his way to the porch. He turned around though before stepping out the front door.

"I'll leave you now Sookie. You've been through some kind of trauma and I don't wish to add to it so I'll go. But know that I am not done with this conversation. This is not the end of this, the end of us."

"Bill, there is no more us."

Bill looked as if he was going to speak again when a loud hiss came from Eric. I guess he felt he had been quiet long enough. It was enough to make Bill reconsider what he was going to say. Bill just shook his head and walked out the door and then back to his house at vampire speed.

Eric took the keys from my hand and with a hand to the small of my back he guided me out the door. Silently he locked the door and walked me to a car that Pam must have brought with her. I did not recognize it. He opened the door and helped me in the passenger seat. After putting my bag in the trunk, he slid into the driver's seat and we took off. I looked in the mirror as we pulled away from my old farmhouse. I've always felt safe there; Gran made sure of it. It was such a strange feeling to be leaving because I no longer felt safe there. Thinking about it, I wondered when it would be safe for me to return. I wondered if I packed enough. I thought of leaving and losing my safe haven and silent tears fell down my face.

I could tell that Eric had been occasionally looking at me as he drove. I didn't want him to see the tears, but I knew that he knew they were there. His hand reached out across to me, and his thumb wiped tears away from under one of my eyes. "I am sorry." He said. They were the first words that either one of us had spoken since we had left my house. I couldn't speak. I was trying to choke back my tears to begin with, so I just nodded my head. His hand left my face and went to pick up my hand that had been resting in my lap. Normally, I would have loved nothing more than to thread my fingers through his. I couldn't bring myself to do it just now. My small hand sat limp and still in his large one.

Not another word was spoken until I realized that we weren't headed to his house. At least the one I was familiar with.

"Eric, where are you taking me?"

"Home darling."

"But this isn't where we were before."

"I know. Other people know of that house. Given the events of the evening, I thought it best to take you someplace else. Someplace that very few know about."

Well, I guess that made sense and he did say that he owned quite a bit of property. He raised my hands to his lips and kissed it gently before returning it to my lap. I watched the lights and streets of Shreveport pass by. Before I realized it, we were on the outskirts of town and pulling into a gated community. Eric entered a pass code in at the gates and then we proceeded to his house. It was a European style home (I knew this from going on home tours with one of Gran's clubs when I was a teen) that had ivy growing over part of it. It was grey stone. It blended in with the rest of the neighborhood. The lawns were neatly manicured and the gardens well cared for. Nothing screamed "A Vampire Sheriff lives here."

We pulled into the garage that contained nothing but another car. Eric got my bag from the trunk and then came around to help me out of the car.

"I'm fine Eric. I can get out on my own."

"I know." He was being very cautious around me. Almost as if he wasn't sure how to proceed. I hadn't known Eric long, but I had never seen him at a loss for what to do. Again he took my elbow and helped me into the house. He brought me into a large den and sat me on an oversized, overstuffed couch.

"Wait here." He took off at vampire speed. I'm not sure where to, but he still had my bag with him. I assume he was putting it away.

The anger that I was feeling earlier upon learning that Eric was forcing Lafayette to sell V was gone. It's not that I had forgotten, or even forgiven Eric; but I just was exhausted and anger required too much energy at this point. I had a long day, I had waitressed, was beaten to a pulp, found out that Bill wasn't exactly who I thought he was and that Eric might not be either. I was just tired and drained. I was slumped into the couch when Eric returned. He crouched down on the floor in front of me so we were eye to eye and offered me a glass of water that he brought in with him. I gave him a meek smile and took the water from him. It was cold and felt good on my throat. It still was a little bit sore from earlier.

"Sookie?" He was finally looking into my eyes again. "I'd like to explain."

"I'm sure you would Eric. Except tonight, I'm just too tired. I'm too disappointed. I just can't tonight. It must be getting close to dawn and I'm sure you will need to go to your rest soon." I felt tears start to gather in the corner of my eyes, but it appeared that I was even too tired to cry. "Please just show me to where I'll be staying the night and let's both get some rest. We can talk tonight."

I was surprised when Eric hung his head. "Fine. You must understand something Sookie, this is not something that I am used to. I am not used to caring about someone else's feelings, not in this regard." He let that hang in the air between us for me to consider before continuing. "I originally had planned for you to spend the day with me in my day chamber. Even though I know that this house is the safest place for you to be, I still think it is best that you stay in the chamber with me until I am certain that the danger has passed."

"Eric, although I may now doubt some things I had thought about you, I don't doubt that you know what is best when it comes to my safety. I'll stay in your chamber with you, but I won't lie with you." He nodded his head quickly in understanding and took me to a door that I never would have realized was in the paneling on the walls in the den. The staircase led us down to a heavy door with a pass code.

"This is my primary resting place Sookie. No one but me has ever entered here before. Not even Pam. My housekeeper does not know this room exists. You are the only person I have ever considered bringing here."

I didn't know quite what to make of that. I was speechless. When we walked inside I realized that it was a big and full suite just like Eric had in his other home. I wondered how he managed to have it look so complete if no one ever knew about this room. I couldn't imagine Eric tidying up after himself. I 'humphed' to myself while wondering about it. It must have been out loud because Eric responded.

"I bring all of my clothing and linens up to the master bedroom. I keep clothing and other items upstairs so it looks as if I live there. No one is the wiser."

"Oh. I was wondering how you managed that."

I went in to use the bathroom first. It was just as beautiful as the one in his other home and was stocked just as nicely. I took my bag with me and brushed my teeth, washed my face and got ready for bed. When I originally packed, I had forgone bringing any nightgowns or lingerie because I thought I could just sleep in his shirts or in nothing at all. Right now I wouldn't do either. I pulled a T-shirt from my bag over my head and made my way into his room. He had been sitting on the bed, relaxing against the headboard typing away on his blackberry. I was beginning to think he was addicted to that thing. He looked up as I walked out and offered me a small smile. He was in sleep pants, and I was grateful. I climbed in the bed on the opposite side and got under the covers. I rested my head on the pillows and rolled to my side, facing away from Eric rather than cuddling to him as I did the last time. I felt Eric shift in the bed and get himself comfortable. Even though we were in the same bed, there may as well have been an ocean between us. I was glad that he was keeping his distance.

"Eric."

"Yes Sookie?"

"Despite everything, I really do want to thank you for saving me. Thank you for keeping me safe."

"You are most welcome dear one."

And with that I drifted off to a restless sleep.

EPOV

In all of my years I have never met someone quite like Sookie. She continually surprises me and this evening was no different. She was strong as she defied her attackers this evening and taunted them, not giving in. I have lived through torture and I have tortured others. I was proud of her. I was pleased that she accepted my blood. I felt the connection to her instantly and could sense her pain lessen as my blood healed her wounds. My blood is not something I give lightly. Sookie is the only person I have shared my blood with since Pamela; and that was with the intent of turning her. I did not hesitate to give her my blood as she was seriously wounded. I did not have a second thought. But now that it is done; I wonder if this is not something that I would have offered to her eventually. This is convenient. I will now know how she is feeling and if she is in trouble. It will help me protect what is mine and keep her safe.

Pamela has argued with me this evening that it is altogether out of character for me to behave in such a way. Although I dismissed her, she is right. I have never allowed myself to have such an interest in another and have never let another person influence my actions, let alone a human. That considered there has never been another who has held my interest in the way that Sookie has. I find myself drawn to her. At the surface or to a casual observer she may appear simple. Sookie is anything but.

I was not surprised by Compton's desperate behavior this evening at Sookie's house. From the time he first appeared in Sophie Anne's court, he has felt a competition of sorts with me. Being the favorite sheriff of the Queen, as well as one of the oldest vampires in the new world causes envy in others. Compton was one of them. I knew that it would enrage him to lose Sookie to me, especially as it was her own choice. But his response, coupled with the background information that I have been able to piece together makes me believe that his anger was not just that he had lost someone that was his. There was something more to it than that. I will uncover what his ulterior motives are.

Sookie's reaction to Bill was entertaining. At first I could tell she was trying to be kind. I could feel that she was feeling sympathy for him, which was quickly replaced with annoyance and eventually disgust. I enjoyed watching her sharp replies to Bill's attempts to convince her to leave with him. What has me most uncomfortable is the extreme sense of disappointment and regret that she felt. I knew those feelings were reserved for me. I told her that I would always be honest with her; I told her I was not prepared to discuss what Lafayette was doing for me. Although in retrospect, I was not completely honest with my explanation of why I would not tell her. I told her that it was for her safety as well as Lafayette's and my own that was true. What I did not reveal was that I was not prepared to tell her because I did not want to have her look at me differently as I knew she would when she found out the truth.

Outside of the first century or so that I was turned when I was being "broken in" by my maker; I have always looked others in the eye. I have never backed down from a challenge or what I knew to be right. Tonight was the first time since then that I have not been able to meet someone's eye. Knowing how Sookie felt, I could not stand to see the disappointment that would be clear on her face. I could not bring myself to look at her. I am proud of Sookie for pulling herself up and holding strong in front of Compton, when I could tell that she felt anything but. I could tell she felt sad and weak but to look at her you would never know.

I wanted nothing more than to explain to her why I could not tell her about the V and why exactly I was involved in something so distasteful. I wanted nothing more than to restore her faith in me. She was tired. I would not push her. I will let her lie away from me. I will not pull her into my embrace as I would like to. I will let her have her space.

I could sense her immense sadness when she told me that she might not believe all she thought of me to be true anymore, but she did trust me to keep her safe. Her sadness wounded me more than I expected. Pamela is right. This is completely out of character for me, but I cannot help it. As I am pulled into my daytime rest I look across at Sookie who is already asleep. I am anxious for dusk to come so I can mend the rift between us.

"Rest well dear one. Pleasant dreams."