Beautiful Stranger

Chapter Twenty-One

No matter what way you look at it four hours sleep is not enough before going into work. Eric had left me exhausted, if glowing happily. My head hurt, I couldn't think properly, and for the first time since I started working for Sam I really wanted to pull a duvet day.

I couldn't do it on him though, I'd have to face him afterward and wouldn't be able to look him in the eye and tell him I was sick. Sam was a good boss, and there were moments in our friendship when I had thought he wanted more. But of course now that Eric was on the scene he had reverted to just being my friend and boss. Besides the bills wouldn't pay themselves.

I'd have to go home for a clean uniform first, and face the knowing look my Gran would give me. I'm an adult but when she looked at me with that I know what you've been up to look it was like I was ten years old all over again. The fact that she was passively encouraging my relationship with Eric wouldn't help, not one bit. At least I didn't have to worry about what my brother thought, he was too much of a tom cat himself to pass comment on my dirty stop outs.

The drive to my Gran's was difficult, a couple of times I nearly fell asleep at the wheel. By the time I was parking on the drive, I had the windows down, the music blaring and had eaten all the chocolate in the car. I thanked the god of greed that I had a habit of buying two when I only wanted one. One day I really must work out where that Queen album had come from, it was good, but it wasn't mine.

The house was empty, I could feel it as soon as I walked through the door. There was a note on the fridge from my Gran to say that the Historical Society were meeting in town this morning, and that she and Jason had agreed not to discuss the spectacle that had happened in our yard last night. It hit me then, I'd just run out on them to help Eric, and never thought of them while I was with him. What must they think of me, taking them for granted like that?

Probably because I was tired, and maybe because I had cramps I started to cry. Once it started I couldn't stop it, even though I had no idea why. When the doorbell rang I hoped they would go away, but they just kept ringing and ringing. Andy Bellefleur was not who I wanted to see when I finally answered it.

"Everything okay, Sookie?" he asked.

Great, I had a cop I don't particularly like, who I knew judged me because he couldn't hide his thoughts from me, standing on the door step. This day was just getting better and better.

"What's up Andy?"

"Can I come in?" I wanted to tell him no, right now I wanted to tell him to fuck off, but it's not how I was brought up. Instead I brought him into the sitting room, wiping my tears on my hand as I made a polite if insincere offer to fetch coffee.

"Is this a bad time?" he asked. I wished I couldn't read his mind when he thought the crazy girl has finally lost it. Normally I'm very careful about letting people know I could hear their thoughts, but what I said next just slipped out.

"The crazy girl hasn't lost it, her period's due, and she's tired and emotional, and hoping this won't take long!"

His face was a picture as he scrambled to gather everything I'd just said to him into his neat folders in his head. Problem was they wouldn't fit. Ever. I was enjoying his discomfort, even though I shouldn't have been. And I wasn't one bit sorry.

"It's true then, what they say about you?" he asked quietly.

"Some of what they say is true Andy, yes."

"Could be a useful skill that, you know," he said. I could read his thoughts, all the cases he could close. I wanted no part of it, so I changed the subject.

"Why are you here Andy?"

"Oh, there was a report of a large party of men in the area last night, we're checking on everyone door to door," again the thought was there, he'd drawn the short straw getting me. I made him uncomfortable but he had his duty to perform.

"A large party of men?"

"Maybe vampires, Sookie?" he didn't say, so when we heard there were vampires we thought of the crazy girl who dates them, but his thoughts did. I don't know really why Andy dislikes me this way, but it was fast becoming mutual.

"Never saw a thing," I lied.

"Oh. Well so long as everyone's okay?"

"They are."

"Then I'll be on my way," he couldn't get out quick enough. I tried really hard not to slam the door behind him. So that hadn't gone too well.

I had to rush to get into my uniform and get to Merlotte's, Andy's visit had cost me time I couldn't spare and left me in rotten form. Queen got dumped on the floor when I got in the car and I tuned in to one of the rock stations. Maybe listening to something with a bit of bite would help my mood. It was that thought that finally put a smile on my face.

Sam was out. Terry was looking after the bar, and Arlene was leaning way too close over one of Jason's men when I arrived. Shameless she didn't even flinch when I walked in past her. No my mood really hadn't lifted at all. I gave myself a shake in Sam's office when I went in to put my bag in the drawer. With my best smile fixed on my face I went out to face my public.

I'd just have to do what I could to make this shift pass quickly. Lucky for me it got really busy and for a while I forgot that I was supposed to be cross. Sam came in around three, said brief hellos then went to his office. At the switch I couldn't get my bag and get away quick enough.

"You okay, Sookie?" Sam asked when I went in to get my bag.

"Just tired, and stuff," I told him. The room seemed to grow brighter, then darker, then the floor moved, then my empty gut moved. Sam caught me before I fell.

"You're not okay, are you?" he said, still holding me. I think if he'd missed I would have hurt myself when I fell. I still felt dizzy and sick.

"Just tired," I assured him.

"No, you're too pale. When did you eat last?" he asked.

"Can't remember, yesterday I think, Andy called when I was getting ready for work, so all I had for breakfast was chocolate." Of course I hadn't eaten, there just hadn't been time.

Holly walked in at just that moment. I didn't know whether to be relieved or embarrassed, Sam was still holding me. Her face registered shock then amusement, I shut myself out of her thoughts. Her expression changed when she got a better look at me.

"You're ill Sookie?" she asked.

"I just felt a bit faint, that's all," I told her.

"Holly talk to her for me, will you," Sam said, as if I wasn't there. "You've dated a vampire after all haven't you."

Gently he set me in the chair, then strode out of the room and left me with a very amused looking Holly.

"So it's that kind of ill then," she smiled, not patronizing but it felt like I was about to have a mother daughter style talk. Hell it wouldn't hurt to listen.

"They're hard on us Sookie, you have to take better care of yourself. Does he feed off you?"

I wanted to tell her to mind her own business, Eric had been so careful not to mark me where anyone could see. I nodded, cringing.

"They all do," she said in a matter of fact way. "Bet your not getting enough sleep either, or time to eat properly?"

I wasn't, life with Eric didn't work that way, and we'd only been together a heartbeat. Holly was looking at the circles around my eyes critically, like she knew what she was looking for.

"I'm guessing you need a good feed, and some of these won't do you any harm either," she said, handing me a little prescription bottle. I don't do drugs, don't like drugs, but she turned the bottle to show me the label. "Iron tablets, every little helps."

"Thanks Holly," I said, taking the little bottle of her. I felt string enough to go to my car and drive home, but Sam was back with a better idea. He'd been to the kitchen and come back with a chicken basket and fries.

"We'll leave you to it Sookie," he told me, and then left, taking Holly with him.

I started to cry again, but I ate as I did. There was so much I didn't know about being with a vampire.

Sam woke me carefully. It was dark outside, and I felt sweaty and grubby in my uniform. My mouth tasted bad and my face, I wasn't even thinking about my face. I needed a bathroom too, and someone to rub the knots out of my joints. Then a bath, and then...

"Sookie," Sam said a little more urgently.

"Did I sleep long?" I was disoriented, and sure my thoughts were more than a little scrambled.

"We've closed. There's someone here to see you," he told me.

"If it's Andy tell him to fuck off!"

"It's Eric," he said. I could see my handsome lover standing in the doorway behind Sam. He was looking at me with something that would have passed for concern on his face.

"Let me take you home, Sookie. Bill's here too, he can bring your car." I tried to get up, but after sleeping in a chair everything was numb and didn't seem to work right. Eric saw my discomfort and moved towards me, swept me up in his strong arms, and carried me out to his car. I turned my face into his solid chest so he wouldn't see that I was crying again.

Home turned out to be the hotel again. Eric all but carried me up to the room and set me on the bed. I started to protest that I was much too tired when he started to undress me. He shushed me with a finger over my lips, then carried me to the bathroom, where the tub was already filled. Without ceremony or showmanship Eric stripped and lifted me with him into the hot water. When I leaned my shoulders back into his chest he wrapped his big strong arms around me and just held me.

"I should have warned you, Sookie. I should have thought more about you," he said to the top of my head as I drifted off to sleep, held safe in his embrace.

When I woke again it was three in the morning. We were in the bed, Eric wrapped around me, head propped up on his hand.

"What's wrong with me?"

"Tired, emotional, menstrual. You've had a rough few days, and your body can't cope with the feeding," he told me softly.

"Will I be okay?" I asked him dreamily.

"I'll keep you safe," he assured me.

"Are you falling in love with me?" I asked him, not expecting an answer. I'd only known Eric a little while, but I knew I could love him.

"What's not to love?" I thought he said as I drifted back to sleep.

The persistent banging on the door woke me again. It was after eight, and room service were determined to get a response. I felt better than I had for a while, but very hungry. I pulled the quilt up over my neck and told them to come on in. The waiter looked a little embarrassed to find me still in bed, but he still proceeded to lay out the plates of food and morning papers, before backing out of the room.

Under the largest metal dish there was a card.

Stop asking, you already know. E.

This time the tears were for a different reason.

A/N Sorry for the delay in posting.