Know Thyself

Chapter Twenty One

Pam walked over to us, scowling, listening to someone speak on the other end of the phone. I heard her say 'yes' and 'I understand' but beyond that my human hearing couldn't decipher anything more. I watched with some surprise as Bill silently handed his keys to Pam and took up position in the back seat so I could ride up front. We loaded into the car swiftly and Pam slapped her cell phone shut in a smooth one handed movement. She started the engine and before long we were out of Bon Temps and heading toward the Mississippi border.

Bill plugged in his laptop and was tapping away on the keys. He spread a map of Mississippi out on the seat beside him and he was making little marks at various locations. Pam was silent and focused, but not really stressed. I was simply trying to breathe and keep my anxiety at a minimum. I was fidgeting restlessly and Pam flipped on the radio; I assumed it was an attempt at toning down the tense atmosphere in the car. It didn't really work, at least not for me, but I appreciated the gesture. It was a local country station, at least. That helped.

I stared out the window and stared unseeing at the passing scenery and silently sang along to a song I knew. The whole situation really smacked of Deja Vu, and not in a good way. Here I was, heading off on a rescue mission to save yet another vampire lover from the clutches of his maker. I turned my head and looked at Bill, saw his face bathed in the blue tinged light from the laptop screen. I hoped Eric's outcome was as good as Bill's. I hoped Eric wasn't being tortured. I hoped I didn't end up staked.

"Forty Eight hours," Bill said unexpectedly, looking up and meeting my eyes.

"Excellent," Pam said, and she sounded pleased.

I had no clue what they were talking about. Bill must have noticed my confusion because he hurried to explain.

"I've been doing some research. Izo won't risk leaving the country on a commercial flight. He'll certainly book passage with Anubis. The airline requires forty eight hours notice for all international flights."

"So," I said. "If Izo called yesterday, the soonest he will be able to leave would be tomorrow night, right?"

"Yes. And it may be even longer. A lot of it depends on what the destination country requires in terms of paperwork. Traveling to Japan isn't like flying state to state. Vampires need passports, too. Anubis has a sister company that deals with that sort of thing, but it still takes time."

I tried to get a mental image of an ancient vampire standing in line at the Post Office for a passport photo. I wondered if Izo smiled with his fangs out.

"I've marked the Anubis pick-up locations in Mississippi," Bill continued in his calm voice. I twisted around more fully in the seat and peered at the map beside him. "I've also marked the safe house locations." Bill pointed to an area he had circled on the map in the Northern part of Mississippi. "This one is closest."

"You think Eric is there?" I asked.

Bill looked at me silently for a long moment. "I don't know. That list of coordinates is several years old. Some of those safe houses may no longer be viable. Or Izo could have traveled through another state entirely. I'm just trying to narrow down the possibilities as best I can."

"Can I see that map?" I asked and Bill folded it in half and handed it to me through the seats.

I flipped on the dome light in the car and looked at the marks Bill had made. I started to touch the area Bill had circled, hoping he was right. Eric could be so close. Just before I touched the spot on the map, I stopped cold. My finger hovered over the area, but I couldn't move it another millimeter. I wrinkled my brow and concentrated, tried to touch it again but got the same result. It was like my finger and the map were opposite poles on a magnet. I had felt that sensation before. I pulled my hand into a fist and raised it to my heart.

"What's wrong, Sookie?" Pam asked, glancing at me quickly.

"Nothing," I whispered. I lied. I recalled the week before when I had tried to call Niall and my fingers simply wouldn't let me push the buttons on the phone. I had chalked that incident up to stress and hadn't thought any more about it. (In hindsight, I was glad I hadn't called Niall that night.) But now it had happened again. Was my sub-conscious trying to tell me something? Or maybe I was just crazy.

I felt a cool hand on my shoulder. Bill was leaning forward and when I turned my head he was very close. His dark eyes were full of concern. I turned back quickly, and cleared my throat.

"So, if we don't find him there, where will we try next?" I tried to keep my voice light.

"We try the next closest safe house, and then the next," Bill answered, but he was still looking at me with worry. I refolded the map and passed it back to Bill.

"Thanks," I told him, looking him in the eye and trying to smile. "For doing all this. You've gotten really good with computers." Most vampires weren't very skilled in modern technology. They either ignored it, or hired a minion to deal with it. It spoke volumes that Bill had taught himself and excelled in such an area. It probably appealed to his deliberate and organized nature.

Bill sat back in the seat, turned his eyes back to the laptop. "I've found I enjoy it," he replied, confirming my suspicion.

"And it looks like you're staying busy," I said, turning back around to stare out the window. Bill's computer database and the ensuing troubles that resulted from it was the beginning of the end for us. I recalled a time when I couldn't even look at a computer without remembering and feeling bitter. Now I was happy for Bill's success, and proud, in a strange way.

"It's become very time consuming, though," Bill said, and I heard a slight edge in his voice.

"It will only get worse," I replied. "When word gets out about the tracking program and how well it works, every kingdom will want one."

"I'm sure they will," Bill said softly.

"You should make someone help you," Pam piped in. "We have stacks of resumes at Fangtasia. We get them all the time. If they didn't get destroyed in the explosion, I can let you look through them."

"I don't think I'm quite ready for that," Bill said coolly.

I turned back to look at him. "Why not?" I asked. "That's a great idea. You're making plenty of money, you can afford to hire someone."

Dead silence ensued.

"What?" I asked, and noticed Pam was trying very hard not to laugh.

"She isn't talking about hiring someone, Sookie," Bill said. "She is talking about making one. A child."

My mouth dropped open and I looked at Pam. "But you said you had stacks of resumes!" I exclaimed, and then Pam did laugh. I felt my eyes pop. "You mean people actually apply to become a vampire? Are you serious?"

Pam shrugged. "Yes. There are humans that offer everything they have for immortality. Most are pathetic creatures, quite useless. The new trend now is for humans to send out formal requests for consideration. Some send resumes, and we also get videos. It's quite amusing. You would be surprised at what some people list in their skills section."

I didn't even want to think about one.

I tried to wrap my mind around this concept. "Okay, so if you decide you need another vampire at Fangtasia, you would just go through the stack of potential applicants, pick one and call him in to be drained?" This was morbid, but strangely enlightening.

Pam snorted. "Hardly. Vampires are very selective when choosing a child." She made a face. "For the most part, anyway. There are some vampires out there I've met, and I can't begin to imagine what their makers were thinking. Anyway, we keep the requests mostly for amusement. Eric gets several every week. He has quite a reputation."

"I'm sure he does," I said under my breath, feeling a surge of jealousy. The thought of humans clamoring on Eric, begging to be turned, was revolting. I turned to look at Bill.

"Are you really considering doing that?" I asked him.

"Not at the moment, but it's not out of the question, if I find the right person."

I stared at Bill, not quite believing what I was hearing. I must have looked a little shocked because his face clamped down in an expression I knew very well. I turned back around.

"Immortality is a great gift," Pam said, peeking at me from the corner of her eye. "Your stoic aversion to the idea is a little confusing."

"Well, vampires thinking they are superior to humans is a little confusing to me," I retorted, a little more strongly than I intended. "And I'm not having this conversation again."

"We're stronger," Pam stated in a reasonable tone. "We live longer so we have more knowledge. We have learned to think far into the future. Humans are always wasting energy on petty issues in the moment."

I huffed out a laugh. I couldn't believe she was going to press the issue. Sweet Jesus, she was as stubborn as Eric! I really had no desire to have this debate with Pam, but I knew she was not going to let it go. I had actually given a lot of thought to vampires, and to people who wanted to be vampires. I didn't dwell on it, and I was far from being an expert on the subject, but as much as I was around them, I would have to seriously have my head in the sand to never think about what their lives meant in the grand scheme of the universe.

"Do you know vampires don't leave ghosts behind when they die?" I asked her, and I was tickled to no end that Pam actually looked taken aback for a moment. "Amelia told me you had to be a human to leave a ghost."

"Yes," Pam said slowly. "I know that."

"Okay, so a ghost is like a soul that hasn't moved on, right? So that must mean there is something after this life for me. For humans. Sure, I won't get to hang around here as long as you will, but maybe when I die I get to go somewhere else. And maybe when I get there, I will actually live longer than you. Maybe when it's all said and done, I'll be the real immortal one."

Pam smiled hugely at me. "Maybe so. Who is to know? Some of our kind think as you do. They believe we lost our souls when we were turned."

"I'm not sure about that," I said softly. "You didn't have a choice. Maybe when Eric killed you - and yes, I still believe he killed you, Pam. Oh, and by the way, thanks for telling him I said that!"

Pam laughed again and I quickly got back on point.

"So maybe when he killed you, when you died, your soul went to wherever it was supposed to go. Maybe it's just floating out there, waiting on you to come back. You won't live forever. Even if you survive until the earth explodes, you will eventually, finally die."

Pam smiled at me again. "Anything is possible."

I was sure I wasn't telling her anything she didn't already know or hadn't considered, but I was pretty sure she wasn't going to bring up the becoming a vampire discussion again. Not for a while, anyway.

I noticed that Bill had remained very quiet during the whole exchange, but I had no doubt he had been soaking up every word.

We drove in silence after that for a good long while. We lost the local station early on, and Pam flipped off the radio when it started to get staticy. The only sound in the car was Bill's fingers typing on the laptop from time to time. When Pam's cell phone rang, it seemed extremely loud. I noticed she looked in the rearview mirror and caught Bill's eye before she answered it.

"Pam," she said, and there was a long pause.

"He's lying," Pam growled into the phone a minute later. Bill had leaned forward, and I was sure he could hear everything on the other end of the line. I wished I could.

"I won't do that," Pam said. "Not until I speak to Eric."

Another pause.

"I will deal with that when and if the time comes," she said and then she flipped her phone shut.

I waited until I was absolutely certain no one was planning to tell me what was going on before I spoke.

"What was that about?"

Pam and Bill did that cryptic stare thing again. I turned my body to face Pam as much as I could.

"If this is about Eric, I want to know!" I said.

Pam glanced at me. "It's not about Eric. It's about you."

"What?" I demanded. And this time it was Bill that answered.

"Victor went to the King. When he failed in his attempt to turn you, he panicked. You're under the King's protection, so he violated an official edict by attacking you. He decided to undermine your credibility. He told the King lies, and Felipe' has sent word that you are to be brought to him immediately for questioning."

"What?" I nearly screamed. "'I'm not one of his subjects! He can't order me around!"

"Yes, he can," Pam and Bill said at the same time, and I leaned back heavily in the seat, a little defeated.

"What did he tell the King?" I asked, but I had a terrible feeling I already knew the answer.

"He told Felipe' that you can read vampire minds, and Eric had been keeping that fact a secret to further his own ambitions."

Oh hell. It was just as bad as I thought. Maybe worse. I couldn't think of a thing to say.

"Don't worry, Sookie," Pam said. "We know Victor is lying. We'll find Eric, and he'll be able to convince the King of the truth."

Right, I thought. The only problem is that Victor was telling the truth. It would be my word against his, and I doubted the King would take my word over that of his lieutenant. And now Eric was brought in, too. We might save him from Izo just to have him staked when he got home.

I tossed ideas around in my head for the next few hours. It was just too much to consider. I pushed aside everything except thoughts of Eric. I pictured his face, tried to visualize him safe and healthy and in my arms.

"Take the next exit," Bill said suddenly, and I sat up a little straighter. Pam did as he instructed and we soon found ourselves in an industrial type of area. The street was old, and hadn't been maintained for some time. We bounced over and around pot holes and gravel until the pavement ended and a dirt road began. There was absolutely nothing around us, no cars, no houses, no lights. Pam slowed.

"Keep going," Bill said, and when I glanced back at him he was looking closely at the map. "Two more miles on the dirt road, and then we need to take a left."

I held my breath. We were getting close. I closed my eyes and tried to feel Eric. I looked over at Pam, and I got the impression she was doing the same thing. I wondered about her own bond with her maker, how it worked, if she could feel him when he was close, too.

Pam took the left as Bill instructed and we drove very slowly on a strip of land that could only be called a road in the loosest sense of the word. The headlights caught a flash of light in the distance, and Pam stopped the car, turned off the lights and engine. She looked at me.

"Stay here, we'll be back."

I didn't have a chance to argue. She hopped out of the car with Bill on her heels. The two vampires moved silently into the darkness. I watched them disappear and clenched and unclenched my hands over and over. My breathing sounded very loud to my ears. Minutes passed. I had no idea what was happening. My mind was conjuring up all sorts of horrible images and I was just about to ignore Pam's instruction when I heard the back car door open. I yelped in surprise. I hadn't seen or heard Bill come back. Pam was back in the driver's seat a moment later.

"Deserted," she said. "No traces of vampire smell at all."

I exhaled and felt my heart sink. Bill put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"This isn't the only place," he said gently. "We still have time before dawn."

I nodded, and watched as Bill took out the map. Pam got us back on the highway quickly and Bill was playing navigator in the back seat.

"Which one are we going to try next?" I asked, leaning over the seat to get a better look at the map.

"This one is closest," Bill answered, pointing to a spot he'd marked in red, then he pointed to a road. "We're here."

I reached over to trace the road and as I approached the spot of the safe house my finger froze. It was happening again, the weird sensation from earlier.

"What is going on here?" I said very softly.

"Excuse me?" Bill said.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Where is another safe house?" I asked quickly and Bill showed me. It was much farther away. I reached out and tapped the spot, this time with no difficulties. My head was spinning. Was this some kind of fairy magic popping up again to help me? I was reluctant to accept my newfound abilities, but it had to mean something, right? I looked at the clock, and looked at the map. We had enough time to check one more safe house before Pam and Bill would have to find shelter. I bit my lip. If I was wrong, I could be dooming Eric. But if I was right...

"We should try this one," I said, tapping my finger on the map. Bill looked at me carefully.

"There are closer ones, Sookie."

"I know, but I really think we should go to that other one. I just have....a feeling."

Bill looked at his watch and I could tell he was doing some mental calculations. He focused his dark eyes on me a long moment, uncertain.

"I think we should listen to her," Pam said suddenly. "She has a strong tie to Eric. We should trust that."

Pam's tone left no room for debate, so she essentially made the decision for us all. Bill sat back again and shook his head.

"It'll be close," he said and Pam accelerated.

Bill gave Pam new directions and I sat in the seat, praying I wasn't wrong. Eric said there was magic at work between us now, and I couldn't help but believe him. I heard his call, I could feel him when he was close, I could sense his emotions. Those are not normal occurrences by any means. Something was there, and to call it magic was as good a name as any. And how much deeper did this blood magic run? It was something to consider another time.

Pam drove rapidly, but it still seemed like an eternity before Bill spoke, telling her it was time to exit. This time the area wasn't industrial at all, it was very rural, but still remote. Bill navigated and Pam drove us in a complicated combination of dirt paths and gravel roads that seem to stretch on for an eternity. Finally, at the end of a long and winding road, we came to a dead end in front of a barren field. Pam put the car in park and looked at Bill, as did I.

"The coordinates put the safe house about three miles straight ahead," he said. "We can probably drive through the field, or we can walk."

"Drive," Pam and I said together. She smiled at me, and I saw excitement in her eyes. I had seen that look on her face before, when we were getting ready to attack Hallow and her coven. She was ready for battle. She put the car in drive and edged forward into the field. It was rough and bouncy, and we had to go slow, but it was better than walking. I kept my eyes peeled for any signs of a building, a barn, something. I scanned the area, but saw nothing. Pam continued to drive, and her eyes were searching, too.

Then I felt Eric.

"Stop!" I screamed, and my hand went to my chest. Pam braked instantly, turned off the engine and killed the lights.

"Eric?" she asked, and I nodded.

I could barely believe it. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed him until that very moment. Feeling his presence, it was like a missing part of me had fallen back into place. I breathed heavily, in and out. He was still alive. Well, not technically, but he was still here. And he was close by.

And he was in terrible pain.

I whimpered a little, popped open the seat belt and grabbed at the door handle. I was almost out the door when Pam grabbed my arm.

"Where are you going?" she asked me, startled. Bill was already out of the car and rummaging in the trunk.

"He's in pain," I told her, and I tried to pull away; It was useless, of course.

"He'll be in more pain if you get yourself killed!" She said, and her eyes were hard.

Bill slammed the trunk and appeared beside my door. He had the stakes in one hand, his old military sword in the other, and the black bag hung over his shoulder.

"Sookie," he said, his voice charged a little. "Pam and I will deal with Izo."

"No," I protested. "No!" I looked at Pam, pleaded with her with my eyes. "I can't just stay here and wait. I'll go crazy! Pam, I can feel him!"

Pam looked at me, then up at Bill.

"No," he said firmly. "We can't let her near Izo."

"It's not your decision," I said and I jerked my arm as hard as I could and Pam let go. I got out of the car and slammed the door. Somewhere in my head I knew I was being really, really stupid. There wasn't much I could possibly do in a vampire fight, except maybe act as cheerleader. But then again, I had killed Lorena, and I had managed to injure Siegbert pretty bad. I might be just a mere human, but I was getting to be a pretty bad ass mere human.

"Look," I said, turning my eyes from Bill to Pam and back. "The only way you're going to keep me in this car is if you lock me in the trunk. And since I've had Eric's blood - and yours Pam - there is no guarantee that will hold me."

Bill stared at me like I'd grown a third eye, and Pam looked downright amused. Now that I knew what to look for, I could feel Eric more clearly, and I was getting impatient.

"Are we going, or were y'all planning to meet the sun?" I asked.

"Let's get our Sheriff," Pam said, and she grinned and started walking. I followed her and Bill brought up the rear. He wasn't happy, but he was smart enough not to try to take on two women.

The farther we walked, the more intense the feelings were coming from Eric. I actually had to stop once when a powerful wave of anger and distress washed over me. I doubled over, and held my stomach and my breathing became ragged. My Eric was in a terrible state, and I couldn't imagine what was happening to him. Pam took my arm, and waited silently for me to regroup. She placed her arm around me and I found it comforting. It was black as pitch even though the sky was peppered with stars. We walked a good way, but I still couldn't see a building anywhere.

Bill and Pam's vampire eyes saw something though, and they stopped. I started to ask a question but Bill held up his hand and silenced me. I saw him raise his face, and I knew he was sampling the air. Then he took a few more steps, and his eyes focused on the ground. He knelt down and pointed. Pam and I moved closer and it was then that I saw the metal door in the ground. It was rusted with age, and there was a huge circular, metal handle.

Pam pulled me close and spoke directly in my ear.

"Stay close to us. We will try to bargain with Izo first, but if it turns into a fight, stay clear and watch. Do not try to intervene, no matter what happens. If Bill or I are killed, get out and get back to the car. It's close enough to dawn that Izo would not risk following you."

I felt a shudder run the length of my spine, but I nodded. Bill handed me a stake, and gave the other to Pam. He held his sword at the ready, and reached down and tugged on the metal handle. The door made a terrible creaking sound as it opened and I cringed.

Bill looked down into the hole, then looked up and nodded. I peeked inside; there were stone stairs leading down. Bill went first, holding his sword with both hands. Pam went next and I followed closely behind her. It was cool, as expected, and there was a foul smell in the air. It was dark, and the farther we moved down the stairs the darker it became. Finally I couldn't see my hand in front of my face and I stopped. I reached out for Pam and felt only air. I started to panic. I touched the wall closest to me and leaned heavily against it. I took a few cautious steps and finally came to a solid, dirt floor. I held my hand in front of me and tried to get a sense of where I was. The air was much cooler now, and it was breezy, like I was in a large, open space. I had no idea where Pam and Bill had gone, and I wondered if they even realized I was left behind.

A cool hand clamped over my mouth just then and I struggled until I heard Bill's voice in my ear.

"Don't scream," he said and he took his hand off my mouth. He took hold of my arm and led me through the dark. I wondered if there were lights here at all; vampires had excellent night vision. We walked down a hallway and I was relieved to see a flickering light coming from underneath a door in distance. Then Pam was there again, flanking me on the opposite side from Bill.

"Let us go first," Pam said in my ear, and she squeezed my forearm. She and Bill moved to the door with the light and stood together. They exchanged a look, then Pam reached for the door handle. I held my breath. Pam turned the knob slowly then flung the door open wide and she and Bill disappeared inside in a flash. I heard something that sounded like a chair being overturned, then I heard a deep male voice bark out something in what sounded like Japanese.

I went to the door and stopped just short of going through. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel the blood rushing through my ears. I peeked around the corner. The room was large and round and made of stone. The flickering light was coming from a dozen or so torches scattered around the room on the walls. It was all very medieval, and a little spooky. Bill and Pam were standing about 4 feet into the room, both in battle stances, with their weapons at the ready. Beyond them I saw a young vampire - well, he looked young - dark skinned with black, tangled hair falling to his chin. I thought he might be Filipino. He was about Bill's height, maybe a little taller. He wore loose jeans, but he wasn't wearing shoes or a shirt and he had one of the most impressive physiques I'd ever seen. He wasn't heavily muscled like a body builder, but every part of him was well-defined and sculptured in a way that spoke of extreme conditioning.

Then I saw Izo and I felt a powerful rage. He was standing in the middle of the room, facing Bill and Pam, and he didn't have a weapon. He stood calmly, and if he had any anxiety about facing down two vampires with stakes you wouldn't know it from his face. Izo was a small man, perhaps 5'6 or so. He looked much like his photo on Bill's database, only in person he was much more attractive, and far more dangerous. He had shoulder length hair and a thin mustache. His face was smooth, and his eyes were black at coal. He was dressed, oddly enough, in dark slacks, polished shoes and a crisp, white shirt. He looked like he could be closing a multi-million dollar deal in any country in the world.

Sitting on the floor behind Izo was a young girl of Asian decent, and it took me a minute to realize she was also a vampire. She appeared no more than sixteen, very pretty and very recently turned from the looks of her. She was wearing torn jeans with multi-colored embroidery down the legs, tennis shoes and a tee-shirt, and she knelt on the dirt floor with her eyes cast downward.

It only took me moment to process the scene, and when I did I was terrified. Izo wasn't alone; he had two vampires with him so basically Pam, Bill and I were outmatched. Even the young girl, fresh as she was, would still have strength and speed and abilities. I pulled my head away from the door and pressed against the wall outside the room with my eyes closed and choked down my instinct to run.

"You have come for the Viking," I heard Izo say. I had never heard his voice, but I just knew it was him. His voice was deep, commanding and accented, though not heavily.

"We are willing to pay," Pam responded evenly. "We know you were hired to kill him. Whatever Madden offered, we are willing to double."

I wasn't sure if Pam was serious about that, or if she was bluffing. Eric told me Izo's greed was his downfall, so perhaps a bribe would work with him. Of course, Victor had bribed him already and Izo hadn't fulfilled his end of the agreement. Thank God.

There was silence, and I wondered if he was considering the offer. I shifted slightly, trying to hear.

"Human," I heard Izo say louder. "Is it considered polite in this country to lurk outside of doors?"

Oh, not good.

I hesitated, but then rallied. I was the one that insisted on coming to this tea party, so it was time to play nice with others it seemed. I moved away from the wall and walked into the room slowly to stand just behind and between Pam and Bill. Pam spared me a quick glance. Bill didn't budge.

Izo looked me over and smiled. The filipino vampire moved a few steps, taking up position closer to Pam. He stopped and knelt on the floor in front of what looked like a sleeping mat and remained there, his eyes never leaving Pam. The young girl on the floor looked up sharply when I entered the room and her eyes blazed bright with hunger.

"There is nothing you can offer me," Izo said, shifting his attention back to Pam. "And need I remind you that the Viking is mine by rights. You have no claim here."

Izo took a step forward and held his arms apart in what looked like a gesture of peace. I saw Bill tense. I still had the stake in my hand, and I clutched it harder.

"I have no quarrel with you," Izo said, looking first at Bill, then Pam. "Indeed, I find honor in your coming to your master's aide. It is quite refreshing." He smiled, but his voice wasn't exactly dripping with sincerity.

"I'm not leaving without Eric," I said and I was shocked at my own voice. Pam's eyes flashed to me in warning. Izo studied me a long moment, then chuckled. He turned to Bill.

"Go now. I have no need to levy charges against you for this interference. No harm was done. I will take what is mine by rights, and you will return to your homes." Izo clapped his hands in front of him, and I thought that may have been a signal of some sort.

The filipino vampire was still crouched on the floor, and I saw him move slightly to reach for something under the sleeping mat. The young girl rose slowly and moved closer to Bill. She looked hungry, but also terrified. Her eyes were wide and her gaze kept shifting from Izo to me and back again.

"You will leave the human as payment for my generosity and time," Izo added and I felt my eyes grow wide. "I have a young one that needs to feed." He turned to me. "And since you appear anxious to see the Viking, perhaps I can arrange that as well."

Izo smiled then and my heart skipped a beat. I had a horrible image appear in my head of Eric being forced to watch while Izo and his minions drained me dry.

Bill didn't make a sound, and he didn't hesitate. He leapt forward and swung his sword down on Izo, but the vampire smoothly dodged the attacked and spun away in a fluid movement. At the same time, the darker vampire jumped up and in his hands were two wooden sticks about two feet long and maybe an inch in diameter. He spun them around in movements so fast it was only a blur to my eyes. He advanced on Pam. She retreated a step and reached out her hand to me. I understood what she wanted and I placed the stake I was holding in her waiting palm.

I backed up against the the wall, and watched with fearful eyes as Bill fought Izo. Izo was unarmed, but he was very fast, and seemed to dodge Bill's attacks without effort. I turned to Pam and saw she and the dark vampire were heavily engaged. They were both armed with dual sticks now, and they were swinging them at one another furiously. Each time a blow was blocked it made a sharp crack that resounding loudly in the room. They circled one another, jumped and spun in a way that almost looked like a dance.

Before I could gather my thoughts, I felt myself shoved brutally to the ground. The young vampire child was on top of me, her fangs bared and bloodlust in her eyes. I struggled with her, and though she was a vampire, I had extra strength now and I was able to roll her off of me. She appeared stunned for a moment, and she hesitated, which gave me time to jump up and come up with something of a plan.

I reached up and grabbed one of the torches from the wall and brandished it in front of me, swinging it back and forth. The vampire took a step forward, but stopped, uncertain and fearful of the flames.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

I glanced back to Pam and was amazed to see her holding her own against the larger vampire. She clearly had some kind of training during her long life, and the results were impressive, to say the least. The dark vampire was equally skilled, however, and he moved like he didn't have any bones at all, going down on his knees in swift, fluid motions and then spinning and leaping up again, all the while keeping up the assault with the sticks. Pam was blocking him and moving with equal grace, but I knew it was just a game; a matter of who was going to make a mistake first. When that happened, one of those sticks would be plunged right into the other's heart.

I continued to wave the torch in front of me, which was so far being effective at keeping the young vampire at bay, and I started to make my way toward Bill. My intent was to get close enough to Izo that I could set his clothes on fire. It wasn't the greatest plan in the world, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment.

Right before I was in position to toss the torch at Izo, the ancient vampire charged at Bill and intercepted a thrust with the sword that was clearly meant to eviscerate his heart. He dodged the blade and grabbed Bill's arm above the elbow, twisted, and Bill was pulled forward and tossed to the floor. Izo changed position and brought his knee down on Bill's back, hard. Then Izo pulled upward on Bill's arm and I heard a horrible snapping sound. Bill grunted out in pain, and I screamed.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

I looked over at Pam again and she seemed to be moving even faster than before. The stakes she wielded were flying in all direction, so fast it looked like helicopter blades. She was still holding her own, so I turned my attention back to my ex, still on the ground under Izo, who had managed to wrest the sword from Bill's grasp. I charged at Izo, lunging at him with the torch, and he jumped back, grinning at me in a fangy way. He raised the sword slowly and spun it in his hands masterfully.

I backed up, turning to wave the torch at the female vampire a few times. She was definitely wary of the flames, and was keeping her distance. This was good because it was at that moment I realized I had Izo's full attention. He stepped toward me, but Bill - who was still on the ground with a broken arm - reached out and took hold of Izo's ankle and pulled hard. The Asian vampire turned and brought the sword down toward Bill's head. I screamed, and Bill was barely able to roll away before being decapitated. He pushed himself to his feet, but he was now unarmed, and Izo didn't hesitate. He brought the sword around in an arcing movement and caught Bill in the midsection. The stroke would have been a killing one, but at the last possible second Bill was able to move back just enough to keep himself from being bisected. But the blade cut through his skin cleanly, creating a deep, and horrible gash that ran from Bill's right shoulder all the way to his left hip. Bill coughed up blood and fell to his knees.

I charged at Izo again, and in a quick movement he used the sword to knock the torch from my hands. It fell to the floor and I backed up. Izo stalked me. The young vampire girl started for me, but Izo barked something at her in Japanese and she fell in behind him.

I risked a glance at Pam, and she looked at me for just a moment, her quick eyes taking in everything; Bill lying bloody and mangled on the floor, Izo and his minion advancing toward me. She cried out in a loud voice, and she leapt straight up into the air and spun. When she came down she used the two stakes like a baseball bat, catching the dark vampire off-guard. She hit him hard in the head and he fell backwards to the floor. His arms flailed out and Pam used the opportunity to quick advantage. She held the two stakes together over her head and brought them crashing down into the dark vampire's chest. He made a terrible sound, and shook, and then his body began to crumble.

The young vampire girl cried out in horror, and Izo turned and slapped her hard across the face, sending her spinning across the floor. Pam charged at Izo, holding one stake out to impale him, but he brought the sword up in a lightening fast, smooth motion and cut through the wood. Pam, now without a weapon, growled and bared her fangs. Izo returned the gesture.

Pam crouched; keeping her eyes fixed on the older vampire. I grabbed up the torch again and I threw it at Izo. The flames hit him, igniting his shirt, and he screamed. But my victory was short lived. Izo tore off his burning shirt and threw it to the ground and focused an angry glare on me. Pam used the moment to attack, and she jumped on Izo's back and bit into his neck with a frenzy like I'd never seen. Izo struggled with her and they both fell to the floor, Pam still ripping at his neck.

I looked around frantically and ran to the wall to grab up another torch, but just as I was reaching for it, Pam's body came crashing into me. She hit me hard and we both fell to the floor. I looked at my vampire friend, and she had a terrible wound on her head. I didn't see what Izo had done to her, but it must have been bad because Pam lay on the ground unmoving.

Izo started toward me, sword raised and I had a terrible moment of fear. I managed to rise to my knees. I was shaking almost convulsively and very scared. But then I felt a rising strength well inside me, a surge of confidence and power. I recognized the feeling, the same feeling I had in Rhodes when Eric stood up with me when I faced down the Ancient Pythoness.

Eric knew I was here, I realized. Wherever he was, despite his own pain, he understood I needed him and he was managing to lend me his support through our bond.

I knew then I couldn't let him down.

I rose to my feet and calmed my breathing. I fought back my fear and tried to concentrate, tried to summon the elusive magic I had tapped into only once before. As Izo came toward me, I screamed out with my own Sookie-version of a battle cry and slammed my mental shields up as hard as I could. I had no idea what I was even trying to do, or how to do it, but by the grace of God, it worked.

Izo ran straight at me, sword raised high, and he smacked face first into an invisible barrier that bounced him back, causing him to splay on the floor. The sword was knocked from him hand and it skittered across the floor. I backed up, and Izo stared at me with wide eyes and bared fangs.

I ran across the room and snatched up the sword and held it in front of me. Izo looked at me cautiously, uncertainly. I knew I was no match for Izo. I couldn't keep myself locked up behind this magical barrier forever and as soon as it faltered he would have this sword out of my hand in less than a heartbeat. I looked around the room, and realized I had another choice.

"What are you?" Izo asked me in a growling voice, moving slowly to stand. "What magic is this?"

I took a step forward, concentrated and lowered my shields.

"Fae!" I answered, and I threw the sword as hard as I could. It arced through the air above Izo's head. He turned and watched it, and then yelled in anger as the sword came to rest in Bill's waiting hand.

Bill, who had struggled painfully to his feet, snatched his sword out of the air with one hand, and with his one unbroken arm, he swung the blade down hard, catching Izo at the neck. The ancient vampire's head flew across the room, hit the far wall and fell to the floor.

I watched with relief and horror as Izo's headless body hit the ground and began to flake away. I looked at Bill, and saw him drop the sword, and fall to his knees, his face twisted in agony. I saw Pam, who was still foggy eyed, but moving. And then I saw the young vampire girl, crouched in a tight ball in the shadows of the room, staring wide eyed at the remains of her Master.

Pam came to stand shakily beside me.

"Are you unharmed?" she asked, and I nodded. Then she turned her attention toward the vampire girl, who was slowly starting to stand.

The young vampire looked at me, and Pam, then her gaze fixed on Bill. She ran to him, and I thought she was going to attack him, but then I watched in astonishment as she knelt in front of him and flung her arms around his neck. She was speaking very rapidly in Japanese, words just seemed to be flowing out from her. Bill, still in pain from his devastating injuries, made an attempt to put his one good arm around her in a fatherly way.

"What is she saying," I asked Pam quietly.

"I'm not sure. I know very little Japanese. But I believe she is thanking him for freeing her from Izo."

To my amazement, Bill started talking to the girl in her language. She released his neck and smiled hugely at him, and I saw streaks of red flowing from her eyes.

Bill sat down on the floor, and the young vampire didn't leave his side. But she looked up at me with hunger in her eyes. Pam took the hint and went over to the black bag we had brought from the car. She unzipped it and pulled out two bottles of blood, handing one to the girl and one to Bill. I couldn't say which of them drank it down faster.

Then Pam stumbled a little on her feet.

"Find Eric," she said and she sagged to the floor.

"I will," I told her, and I reached for her. "What's wrong?"

Pam didn't respond. She was moving in slow motion, and when I looked at Bill I saw he was lying back on the floor. The young vampire was laying near him, already asleep.

Of course, I thought to myself as understanding seeped into my brain. Dawn was here.

And in the next minute I was standing in that underground room surrounded by what was left of two finally dead vampires, and three that were dead until dark.

But the only one I cared about at that instant was the one that was still in such torment I could feel it almost as my own.

I had no idea where Eric was being kept, but I grabbed up a torch from the wall and started from the room. I paused, and went back and grabbed the black bag of supplies, just in case. I started back down the hall the way we came in - this time I could actually see where I was going, thanks to the fire. The walls were made of stone, and they were cold to the touch. The ceiling was low hanging, giving the narrow area a claustrophobic feeling.

At the extreme opposite end of the hall there was another staircase, also made of stone, this one leading down instead of up. I walked down carefully, keeping the torch pointed at the floor. The stairs seemed to go on forever, but finally I came to the end and found myself in a room almost exactly like the one where we had found Izo. Except this room was filled with coffins.

There were maybe 20 or so coffins lined up in rows on the floor. They looked very old, and all were in varying stages of disrepair. I could feel Eric's presence very strongly now, and his pain, and my breathing increased. I walked past each coffin, shining the torchlight on them.

"Where are you, baby?" I asked softly.

Then I found the only coffin in the room that was padlocked.

I tugged desperately at the lock, but it was solid. I cursed under my breath and looked around for something I could use to break it. Wood wouldn't be strong enough, I knew. Crap crap crap!

My head worked frantically, and I was on the verge of panic. Eric was right here! But I couldn't get to him!

I needed a crowbar or something metal, something...and then I knew. I propped the torch against the wall and sprinted back up the stairs and down the hall, and took the other stairs upward to the trapdoor. I swung it open and shielded my eyes when I saw the daylight sun. I blinked a few time and took off across the field to the car. I popped open the trunk and tossed things around until I found a metal tire iron. I cheered silently and started back, and within minutes I was back at the coffin. I jammed the tire iron into the loop at the top of the lock and with my extra strength I was able to break it with less difficulty than I would have imagined.

I flung open the coffin lid, smiling, but then I sucked in a breath and put my hand over my mouth in horror.

The inside of the coffin was filled, absolutely filled, with tiny shards of silver. I couldn't even see Eric, covered as he was. I reached in and started to scoop the shards up but then winced in pain. The shards were razor sharp, and when I pulled my hand back it was covered in blood.

I took off my shirt and covered my hands. I reached back inside the coffin and - more carefully this time - started to scoop away the metal pieces. I tossed them on the ground in a pile, and it wasn't long before my shirt was shredded and useless, so I tossed it down, too. I kicked off one of my shoes and used it as a scoop, and that actually worked pretty well. After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only about ten minutes, I saw a strand of blond hair. My heart soared and I worked faster, trying to be gentle and not to jostle the shards too much, since I knew they were digging into Eric's flesh with every movement.

I worked for the better part of an hour, and finally I had removed enough of the nasty little silver pieces to see Eric's face and upper body. He was barely recognizable. He was burned, swollen and red. He had been stripped of his shirt, but he was still in his jeans, thank God. Every single inch of his exposed skin was cut and bloody. His eyes were closed, and I knew he was terribly weakened from the silver. Plus it was daytime and his body was rejecting any kind of alertness.

I leaned into the coffin and put my arms on Eric's big shoulders. I found out quickly that he was lying on top of silver pieces, too, when my fingers got sliced as I tried to lift him. I winced in pain, but fought it back. Eric was such a big guy, and I was at a terribly awkward angle, but I managed to raise him to a sitting position.

I looked at Eric's back and was horrified to see dozens of the little shards stuck into the skin in his back. I pulled them out one by one, as gently as I could. Eric didn't budge and his head fell forward to his chest. I whispered to him as I worked, letting him know I was here and he was safe. I didn't know if he could hear me, but it calmed me to think he could.

If not for the recent ingestion of vampire blood I would never have been able to accomplish what I did then. I wrapped my arms around Eric's waist and his head rested on my shoulder lifelessly. I pulled and tugged and little by little I was able to extract his huge body from the coffin. On the last pull, I fell backwards into the floor and Eric fell right on top of me. The wind was knocked out of me and I gasped for breath.

Eric stirred when we hit the floor, but his eyes never opened. He moved a little, and groaned.

"Eric," I said. "Eric honey, it's Sookie."

He didn't respond. The torchlight gave me enough light to see that my beautiful Viking was in terrible shape. His lovely hair was tangled and matted with blood, and his flesh smelled of unhealed, festering injuries. I wrapped my arms around him and stroked his back and shoulders, feeling hundreds and hundreds of little cuts all over his skin, so many it didn't even feel like skin anymore, more like a textured wall. It was awful. I wanted to bring Izo back to life just so I could kill him again.

Eric moved again, and I saw his nostrils flare. He tensed and I was suddenly afraid. Eric was terribly injured and in pain. He had been locked up and starved. And I smelled of blood. I tried to wiggle out from under him, but his arms held me in a vice grip so strong I could barely breathe.

"Eric," I whispered, but he didn't appear to hear me. He was lying on top of me, and his weight was crushing. He wrapped one arm around my waist and with the other he pulled my head back, exposing my throat. I felt his mouth move to my neck, and I whimpered a little. I clenched my teeth and braced myself for the inevitable bite.

But instead of his fangs, I felt Eric's lips brush my skin just under my ear.

"My lover," he whispered hoarsely.

Then his entire body relaxed, and he fell back into his daytime trance while I held him.

- To be continued

This was a long one, and if you made it this far I adore you! Thanks again to my beta, to the the supportive readers! xoxo