SPOV

I awoke in pitch darkness, very disoriented. For a few moments, I thought I was back in the cave. Then I remembered. I fumbled around, finally managing to light the oil lamp. I relaxed my shields, then began looking around for anything in the room that would make a lot of noise. My plan was to listen for people. If anyone was close, I would make as much of a racket as possible in the hope of attracting their attention. Maybe I was too far down to hear. Maybe no one would be able to find the secret passage. But, it was worth a try.

I found some tin plates and beat them on the stone walls, not bad. I washed the best I could and dressed, then chose another wall and started touching stones. About half way through I caught a red snarly brain. Alcide! I banged my pans, yelled… Alcide was getting angry and so was someone else – Bobby. Shortly there were more men, policemen from what I could gather. Soon only Bobby was left and apparently no one heard me. Crap! I'd have to come up with something else.

Two entire walls today and no secret passages and only one loose stone, at the very top of the wall. My fingers were almost raw from the rough stones. When Eric came tonight I would ask him to bring me some books or my sewing. I had never finished making my new dresses; I'd devoted all of my free time to planning my escape. Fat lot of good that had done me! I put my head in my hands and shed a few tears of frustration.

Thoughts caught my attention. Four men were at the door asking Eric for permission to search the house. Policemen? Had Alcide told them I was being held prisoner? They searched for about half an hour. They couldn't' decide if they should believe Alcide, who was adamant a woman was being held prisoner in this house, or Bobby and Eric who both insisted they were the only ones in residence. I made all the noise I possibly could, but I was just too far underground. Crap! Eventually I 'heard' Eric glamour them into believing Alcide was lying to cause Eric problems.

Jangling keys alerted me to Eric's presence. "Hello, Sookie. Are you alone? Was all of that clanging really just you?"

"Yes." He grabbed my hand and looked closely at my sore fingertips and broken nails.

"What have you been doing to yourself?"

"Trying to find a way out," I answered. I figured I might as well tell him the truth.

"Alcide attempted to break into our home today. Luckily Bobby caught him before he could enter and called the police. Alcide is sitting downtown in jail as we speak. With the connections I have made so far, he is looking at six months of hard labor, maybe more." I just stared at him. Alcide didn't belong in jail for attempting to rescue me.

"Will you drop the charges?" I asked.

"That depends on you." I knew it would. I took a deep breath and stood very straight.

"What do you want, Eric?"

"Come here." I stepped closer. He grabbed the collar of my black widow's dress and ripped. I'm embarrassed to say I screamed. I grabbed the material over my left breast and held it in place.

"What are you doing?"

"It was an ugly dress anyway. Give me your hand." I just glared at him. "I promise not to chop it off," he added with a lop sided grin. I rolled my eyes at him and place my hand in his.

Eric's fangs ran out. He pressed the pad of my thumb to a fang, then held my bleeding digit over the scrap of cloth from my dress. Thumbs bleed like crazy; soon blood was dripping all over the piece of material. Eventually he licked the wound, moaning as he did so. Eric's eyes were clouded with lust. Oh my! I stepped back.

"Don't worry, I can control myself," he said with a fangy grin. "Unless you are ready to beg?" I shook my head.

"What are you doing with that?"

"Paying Alcide a little visit when he leaves the jailhouse." Yes, that explanation was perfectly clear. "I will bring your trunk down later," Eric said, one hand on the door. "I enjoyed hunting for all of your secret hiding places. You'll understand if I keep the money?"

I frowned at him. "Can you bring me some books to read?" I asked.

"Bored already? Feel free to amuse yourself, imagining all the ways we will have sex together." If I had had anything in my hand, I would have thrown it at him. Eric laughed as he left the room and locked the door.

EPOV

I waited outside the jail for Alcide to emerge. Another man was with him, a human as far as I could tell.

"Guess who bailed you out?" I asked, stepping out of the shadows and tossing him my blood soaked rag.

Alcide looked at it and pressed it to his nose. "Where is Sookie? This is Sookies' dress and her blood! What have you done to her?" The full moon was only two days off. Poor Alcide was shaking with the effort to refrain from shifting. I wondered if his friend knew he was a werewolf? I thought not.

"What the hell is going on?" the friend asked. I caught him with my eyes and glamoured him into standing quiet and still.

"She will recover," I finally answered Alcide. "If you attempt to break into my home again, I will not be so gentle with her." Alcide looked a little green. "Go back to Shreveport," I ordered. I glamoured his companion into forgetting me and melted back into the shadows.

Once back home, I did some work until I was sure Sookie was asleep. I carried her trunk and a few books down and set them in her room. She looked so peaceful laying there on the small bed. My feelings for this woman concerned me. If I were wise, I would drain her and end it all. I stroked her beautiful blond hair. My mind was made up.