Chapter 25: Mabel Heenan
Sookie made her way through the hotel and down through the lobby trying to think up a backstory in case she was asked today in the church. Churchgoers were always interested in a new face, and never more inquisitive than at church. So she revised her story over and over in her head.
Mabel Heenan, 26, born and raised just outside the city limits of Shreveport in Louisiana. One older brother: Ned. Parents: Shirley and Peter. Older brother went missing – family suspects vampire involvement since the rash of vampire attacks all over Louisiana...
Sookie thought it all worked out pretty well. In the elevator he adjusted the wig and the unfamiliar fat suit. When she looked at herself in the mirrored wall in the full disguise she couldn't recognize herself. I guess that's the point. But she felt uncomfortable looking into a strangers face.
She kept an eye out for Barry but she didn't see him anywhere in the nearly deserted hotel.
She stepped down the concrete steps out into the busy, beautiful Dallas morning. The sun was out without a cloud in the sky and it promised to be a beautiful day. Sookie dug into her little purse and found a pair of sunglasses. Eric had left a wad of cash on the table that she'd assumed was for her, that was now stowed in her purse along with a mini tape recorder and miniature spy camera, both fitting conveniently into a pocket sized Bible, their shapes cut out just like she was in some kind of conspiracy spy movie. Sookie felt a little ridiculous carrying them in her purse and she knew it could be a little dangerous if she were searched...but it was important to gather as much evidence as possible. Though how exactly I'm going to trap him...Lord please help me with this one!
Sending up her fervent prayer, Sookie had bumped into someone as she had turned to hail down a cab. Her sunglasses went flying off and the man had already stooped to pick them up for her.
"I'm so, so sorry! I was just in a big ol' hurry and wasn't watching where I was goin'. I'm so sorry, are you hurt?"
The face that smiled politely up at her, handing back her sunglasses, was Barry!
"Barry! There you are!"
She could feel the confusion in his head as he tried to place her face, though her voice sent up warning bells.
'It's me Sookie.'
'Oh Shit! You again?! What are you doing back here?' He straightened from his crouch and handed her her sunglasses turning his body back to the stairs of the hotel looking like he wanted nothing more than to escape her.
'The Fellowship is attacking vampires all over Louisiana with a drug that drives them crazy with hunger. We need proof, so here I am.'
Barry looked at her with understanding, she could tell he had heard all about it on the news, but still a little fear. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with any of it.
'Well I hope you're successful. Have a nice day.'
He tried to manoeuvrer himself around her and make it up the stairs into the hotel but Sookie snagged his arm as he tried to pass.
"Please!" 'Please Barry, wait!'
'Why?'
'Barry I could really use your help. I'm about to walk into Steve Newlin's church again with no back up-'
'Oh no! I am not going to deliver any more messages for you. The last time I was bitten and nearly got killed!'
Sookie bit her lip, "I was going to ask if you'd come with me." 'Two heads are better than one my Gran used to say. I could pay you for your time.'
Barry looked at her with agonized eyes, his head flipping between her and the front door of the hotel.. She could tell he needed the money for something but she couldn't decipher the reason.
'And you won't tell the vampires about me?'
'Of course not!' She thought indignantly.
He looked at her a little sheepishly then as he read her sincerity and she had to grip her hands together to keep from slapping him as the reason for his reluctance slipped into her mind. He didn't just fear the vampires, he didn't want to be tied to them like she was, their tool. As he saw it they had way too much power over her life, and he wanted to stay well away from it.
'That's understandable, but a little hypocritical seeing as you need to work in a vampire hotel to maintain your sanity.'
He shrugged. 'I've been working a little to try and put up shields like you said, but I'm just not that good at it.'
'So if I pay you and show you how to put up more effective mental shields will you come with me this morning to church? One blond eyebrow raised in enquiry.
He sighed and she picked out from his head that he had only been going in to the hotel for his check, his shift didn't start till tonight.
"Great! Let's get going then." She took his hand in hers and pulled his reluctant form to the curb with her and hailed down a cab like she had seen the people do in movies.
She gave the cabby the address for the church and asked him to hurry, then turned her attention to Barry who was staring wistfully back at the hotel that was quickly disappearing from view.
"Alright well we'd better get our story straight. I was trying to think of a story when I bumped into you. So far I've come up with my name, it's Mabel Heenan. I'm twenty-six years old. I have an older brother Ned who went missing and my parents: Shirley and Peter Heenan, suspect vampire involvement with all the vampire attacks all over Louisiana. The last time I went in undercover I had a fiancé so I don't think that one would be smart again."
She looked down at herself, "Do I look like the type of girl who would have a boyfriend or should you just be a family friend who was willing to escort me out here? Or was already out here and I decided to visit? Speaking of which what is your last name? Or would you like to have a fake name too?"
Looking at the blank look on Barry's face she didn't even need to look into his thoughts to know he had gotten less than half of what she had been saying.
"I'm sorry when I'm nervous I tend to babble. Should I slow down?" He nodded numbly and she started again, this time slower. They spent the rest of the cab ride straightening out the finer points of the story when a thought occurred to Sookie that made them both feel a hell of a lot better.
'Even if they separate us we should be able to communicate so we won't get caught in any lies. Now that's what I call a major perk of working with another telepath!'
Barry had reacted with nerdy delight when he had seen the small tape recorder and camera concealed in the tiny Bible. Sookie heard the theme from James Bond playing in his head and carefully controlled her features. This might actually be fun...
They had entered the church getting lost in the large crowds that bustled through the doors. She and Barry kept themselves open just enough to identify any Soldiers of the Sun that may be in the crowd. Finding a small group of them Sookie strategically manoeuvred herself and Barry in behind them, snagging the seats from a woman who glared at her, Sookie pretended not to notice. She thought she recognized one of the soldiers from the description Godric and Pam had given f the female soldier that had burned down Fangtasia.
'Barry I need you to keep a close eye on the frizzy brunette sitting right in front of you.'
'Okay, can I know why?'
'Let's just say she is just as important to us as Newlin.' She tried to keep the girl's fate from him. She didn't need him any more nervous than he was right now. He could tell she was holding something back, but he didn't pry because he didn't want to know. But he really was getting caught up in the whole cloak and dagger fun of it all.
The congregation went wild when Steve Nelwin made his appearance at the pulpit, roaring and clapping their approval. Sookie had the impression she was at one of those inspirational seminars rather than a church service. Steve held up his hands smiling benignly at once acknowledging their praise and asking for silence. When the people quieted he began his service. Sookie tried as hard as she could to ignore his words and listen only to his thoughts, which didn't always match up with his so-called messages of love. Barry beside her was appalled at the hate that exuded from Newlin's thoughts, and she sympathized.
The service was a nightmare for the two telepaths, at once trying to shield themselves but also listen in to specific people's thoughts. Sookie switched back and forth between Newlin and the soldiers in front of her, catching snatches of them congratulating themselves in their battles against the evil vampires. She was also expending energy helping Barry keep his shields in place, so that by the end of the service Sookie felt mentally exhausted.
'You stay with Jessica, I will stay with Steve. Good luck Barry, and thank you.'
Sookie followed Steve out the back of the church while Barry kept Jessica distracted. She couldn't believe her luck that she had caught him alone. She could tell by his thoughts that it didn't happen often outside his mansion and she was ready to seize the opportunity. He was looking out on the grounds behind the church contemplating the reception his sermon had just received. Everything is falling into place just perfectly.
She took a deep breath and plunged right in.
"Mr. Newlin, sir? M-May I please have a moment of your time?" Sookie tried to sound apologetic and awed at the same time. She thought she sounded pitiful enough. And she worked to maintain a straight face when Steve looked up assessed her with one brief glance and didn't suspect a thing. He wasn't happy she was there but ever the politician he answered her.
"What can I do for you young lady?" His smile was artificial and she could feel his annoyance.
"Well sir, I-I've heard that you put on leadership conferences. And I've heard rumours that you recruit the best of those who attend to join you in a quest to rid this world of the vampire's evil. I want to join you. I need to join." Sookie looked at the ground and willed tears to come, Steve was becoming suspicious.
"I don't know what you've heard, but our leadership conferences are all about spreading the word of God, and the message of his love."
Sookie looked up with pleading eye brimming with tears.
"Please sir, I've already lost my brother to those...fiends...those...monsters! They've taken my brother from me!" Steve took pity on her and touched her shoulder comfortingly.
"I feel for you sister. Some people just don't understand, but this is what we are fighting to try and prevent – your loss has been felt by many of our parishioners here today. May I ask when you lost your brother?"
"He went missing around the same time as the murders that swept across Louisiana." Steve stiffened slightly next to her, and she heard the glee in his thoughts – Yes! It's working! It's just too bad we can only release it in Louisiana...for now...
"Those are truly terrible tragedies that have happened there. It's so sad that something so horrible happened, but I have to say I predicted it. Vampires are blood-thirsty killers and it was only a matter of time before one or a few became fed up with pretending to conform."
"I heard that it was some kind of drug?"
Steve made a sound of disgust. "That's just more of their lies to try and escape the rightful blame for the massacre of ten innocent lives, and those are just the ones they found bodies for. How many others did they not find, people like your brother who will just never come home again?"
"I heard the vampires had apprehended a group of men who had the drug on them."
"What? Where'd you hear that?"
"It was on the news early this morning in Shreveport, my mom called to tell me."
Steve looked a little white around the lips.
"Well I'm sure it's they're just scapegoats. They prolly glamoured those poor people into lying for them. Would you excuse me? I need to go check on my wife." He stood up and took a few step away from her
Dammit, dammit, dammit!
"Fine! If you won't help me I will just try to stake every vampire I come across!" She let the sobs come, her breath catching in her throat. She felt Newlin consider leaving her, but something cold inside him was calculating her potential worth to him, how he could use her to further his own ends. He looked around him to make sure no one was around, and Sookie felt her stomach tighten. Did I just get in too far?
"You know that would be a very stupid move, the vampires will likely kill you before you can harm one of them."
Sookie glared up into his eyes, it was the first real look she had been able to give since arriving at the church and he flinched back.
"Jesus will protect me!" She felt like a fraud saying the words but it sealed the deal with Newlin. I think I have just the job for this little martyr.
"If you truly feel that way, I think we should go in and talk in my office. There is someone I would like you to meet."
Godric woke hours before dawn his stomach tight and his nerves on edge. "Sookie." He knew immediately she was not in the hotel, and though she wasn't in direct peril that she was feeling extremely nervous. Sookie what have you gotten yourself into? Eric shifted on the bed, sitting up.
"Sookie?"
"Yes. She must be with the Fellowship still." He watched as Eric shifted his shoulders uncomfortably. He felt the same.
"Do you think she has found out anything important yet?"
"I'm sure she has, the real question is does she have the proof? We cannot kill him till we have something to bring to the media."
They lapsed into silence feeling the slow progression of the sun across the sky. Eric checked his cell phone and found a message. He turned to Godric a relieved look on his face.
"Kevin has made a full recovery. He does not remember anything that happened since the moment he was injected. He's still feeling weak but he is coherent and able to control himself. Pam is stable, if all goes well she should make the same recovery as Kevin. And Chow reports no incidents at the bar or any of the other businesses." They had heard reports about human retaliation against vampire businesses and hang outs around Louisiana, so far Shreveport seemed relatively quiet. There had been rioting during the day in New Orleans. Eric suspected it was only a matter of time before his territory was violated if they didn't move fast and bring down Newlin publicly for the drug.
An hour before sunset there came a knock on the door.
Eric, dressed in a blue t-shirt and jeans, answered the door. Opening the door he considered the unfamiliar human dressed in the uniform of the hotel who looked extremely nervous.
"Are you Eric Northman?"
"Yes."
"I-I have a m-message from Sookie Stackhouse?"
Eric took a step forward, looming over the boy who'd crouched and winced at Eric's sudden movement.
"Come in."
Looking up from his cringing position, his lips white, "I think I would like to stay out here, please sir. I have to get to work soon."
"I said come in." Eric would not be denied.
Barry walked into the room looking left and right like something was going to jump out at him. When he saw nothing in the immediate vicinity he seemed to calm and turned to Eric who was regarding him with interest.
These is something different about this human. Hmmm, I wonder how he knows Sookie...
With the lift of an eyebrow and a brief flash of fang he had the boy quaking again.
"So what is the message?"
"Sookie, told me to tell you that she is with Steve Newlin now, and she has gotten a confession from him about the distribution of the drug. She has managed to get herself to be a part of his next plan. Steve plans to use her as bait somehow for the vampires here in Dallas."
He tried to make it to the door, but Eric blocked him.
"And how is it you know Sookie?"
"I met her here in the hotel the last time she was here."
"And how did she get you this message, did she call into the hotel?" Why wouldn't she have left a message on one of the cell phones? He watched the boy twitch nervously unsure how to answer. At once Eric had him pinned up against the wall his hand at his throat lifting him off the floor.
"Are you a Fellowship spy?" He was glamouring the boy.
"No! No I swear! Sookie sent me!"
"Where is she?"
"I told you she's with Newlin!"
"Eric put him down."
Barry let out a whimper of fear as Eric continued to glare into his eyes, but slowly he let him down and released his throat but didn't step back.
"How did Sookie get this message to you?"
Barry continued to stare wide-eyed at Eric without responding.
"You heard his question, answer him." Eric's voice was quiet and deadly.
Barry could see no way out of the situation. Damn you Sookie! Sweat began to bead up on his brow and he felt a trickle run down the back of his neck.
"When she ran into me outside the hotel this morning Sookie convinced me to go with her to the church in case she ran into some trouble. After the service we separated. She went after Newlin while I kept his guard Jessica busy. He asked Sookie up to his office and that was the last time I saw her. A little later she asked me to give you the message...I have to work now, can I go? That's all I know I swear!" Godric entered Barry's line of sight. And he felt his knees buckle as he recognized him. He closed his eyes. Oh shit, fuck, crap! I'm not going to come out of this alive!
"Just answer how she gave you her message and we will let you get on your way."
No, no, no, no, no!
"I could hear her in my mind." Barry mumbled.
Eric's eyebrows rose and his fangs disappeared. Interesting...
"Can you hear her now?" Godric was watching him calmly when he shot him a furtive look.
"No." Not unless she called.
"Thank you for the message then, and please do not go far. We may need you to get a message back to her."
"I work at the hotel all night sir."
"And who shall we ask for?"
"Barry the Bellboy."
"Well Barry, here is something for your troubles." Godric handed him a stack of bills. Barry didn't move from under Eric's steady stare. So Godric moved up and held the cash out.
"Thank you for accompanying Sookie today."
"Yo-your welcome." After snatching the money and bowing nervously, he backed out the door.
As the door closed behind him Godric gave Eric a look, "Did you really have to frighten him that badly?
Eric smiled. "No, but it was fun." He stared at the door his head cocked to the side.
"Did you notice anything off about him?"
Godric's mouth lifted on one side, "You mean other than him almost fouling the carpet? I noticed he seemed to be as immune to our glamouring as Sookie. And he did talk about hearing her in his head. He could be another telepath."
"But you didn't know about him?" Eric turned to look at his maker.
"I didn't spend too much time here while I was sheriff and he seems far more guarded about his abilities. In fact, I got the distinct impression he didn't want us to know about him. He never once came out and said it. I wonder if anyone in his life knows about his abilities."
"I wonder if they taste similar..." Eric mused turning back to the door. Godric watched his child with amusement. Oh Eric, you are obviously wondering how best to use this information to your advantage. No wonder the poor human doesn't want anyone to know about him. Who would want to have someone take over your life?...Is that what we have done to Sookie? Has she merely chosen the lesser of two evils...us over the Queen?
I wonder if he and Sookie are the same...have all the same abilities...Perhaps Eric is right, maybe we should taste his blood...
Both Godric and Eric felt it the moment the sun dipped below the horizon, and were out of the room and down the hall. Without even having to consult each other they both knew they had to get to Sookie.
Steve Newlin watched the girl closely as she smiled nervously at around the room at his soldiers. They were ranged in front of him. She was perfect for his newest plan. He had been cowed long enough by that vampire scum! But now that they had the formula for this drug, there was nothing holding him back from expanding its distribution. He would become a senator on the wave of anger the deaths would cause. And the vampires would take the heat. It was perfect.
And the lovely morsel in front of him would be the first step. The perfect bait, and oh so willing! Religious fervour and desperation definitely worked in his favour.
Now to let the troops know their orders.
"Men, I would like you all to meet Mabel Heenan. Mabel here has lost a loved one as we all have to the vampires, and just like you she cannot stand back and let their evil fester and spread. She will be our eyes and ears on the inside. Tonight we go after a nest. Carson I want you on point. Matt, I want you and the others to surround the house at strategic points. As they try to flee I want you to kill them. They cannot be allowed out of the trap to hurt any more innocent people."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, , but what am I going to be doing?"
"We need you to go in, with a small radio and report to us how many are in there. Not one of them should escape the justice of our Lord and Saviour. In this war, they struck the first blow. Tonight we revenge our lost family members! Are you willing to step into the lion's den Mabel?"
Not that you have any choice, but it makes it so much more morale boosting if you just say yes.
"My faith in the Lord will protect me. He will see me through."
Steve clapped his hands together and smiled at everyone. "Excellent! Time to put our plan into action."
Sookie was packed into the back of a van with ten soldiers, three of them women. All of them bristling with weapons. Sookie tried to take deep steadying breaths. She had gotten enough of Newlin on tape to leave now, but he had not revealed all of his plan, and she was sure she could trap him just that little bit more. If I can get my hands on the videotape Carson is supposed to shoot, we will have him! And then finally I will know he is no longer a threat to me or the people I care about.
Oh I am so stupid for agreeing to this! I wonder which nest of vampires we are after tonight...maybe I could somehow signal them that something is up?
Sookie was concentrating so hard on trying to figure a way to live through this and save as many of the vampires as possible that she missed most of the conversation passing in the van. But she snapped to when she felt the van slow to a stop. The driver turned around in his seat.
"Everyone ready?"
There were nods all around and the back doors were opened and everybody piled out onto the sidewalk of a run down residential street, pushing Sookie along with them. She barely had time to register the unsavoury look of the neighbourhood, all weeds and unkempt lawns when suddenly she was grabbed from behind, her arms trapped at her sides.
"Just one more thing to be done." And Sookie saw the glint of light reflect off the shiny tip of a needle.
Oh FUCK! "What are you DOING!?" A hand was clamped across her mouth and the fuzzy haired Jessica advanced on her, a cruel smile on her lips.
"Consider this Steve's insurance policy. He thanks you for volunteering. You are furthering the cause." Sookie felt the needle break skin, and felt the unnaturally cold liquid stream into her veins as the plunger descended. Terrified but apparently unharmed by the drug, she was gagged and her hands bound. She was placed at the front door of a house that was beginning to look a bit fuzzy around the edges. Sookie put it off as a side effect of the intense terror she was feeling at this moment.
Godric! Eric! Help! I need you NOW! Jessica put something in her hands and she couldn't seem to drop it. Looking down at it confused, it looked like a letter. I wonder what it says...Jessica had rung the doorbell and run away. Sookie tried to breathe deeply to steady herself, she was beginning to feel lightheaded.
Her breathing stopped all together when the door opened a crack. Please be too smart for this! Please, please, please! But her hopes crashed down around her when she saw the smile spread across the older man's face. His hair was iron grey, and scraggly-looking with grease. He was dressed in what used to be a white wife-beater but was now a horrible greyish colour with the stereotypical stains.
He called back over his shoulder, "Who ordered in tonight?" He reached down and gripped her roughly by the arm and she felt his long, sharp fingernails bite into the skin of her arm.
Oh shit, oh shit! Fuck how do I get outta this! She was picked up bodily from the step and hauled inside the house. She tried to speak through the gag, but he ignored her completely. He threw her down in the middle of the floor, and Sookie took in her surroundings.
The place was as shabby as the vampire who'd opened the door. The hideous flower wallpaper was faded, cracked and peeling in some places. The furniture smelled like mould, and there were cobwebs and piles of garbage everywhere. Sookie almost threw up in her mouth behind the gag when she looked down and saw the pool of foul-smelling crud she had landed in. It was so different from the vampires she knew, these were definitely the bottom of any society. The perfect vampires to make Steve's video that much more appealing to people...And I thought the Ratrays were low...
The woman that walked into the room then really would have put Denise Ratray to shame. She had wild, bushy blond hair, a face that had make up caked to it and was wearing skin-tight multicoloured snakeskin matching halter and miniskirt. As she moved the colours shimmered distracting Sookie. She was starting to feel very weird, colours seemed sharper, smells and tactile sensations felt...more. And she felt a surge of adrenaline flash through her blood, her heartbeat picking up when she saw the way the female was eyeing her.
"Well Ray, whatta we got here? She looks just tasty." She leaned down over Sookie, who got an eye-full of cleavage, and took a deep breath. "And she smells even better. Hey Hunny, Tessy, Rudy, get in here! And bring Ox. Ray's brought y'all a treat!" She turned to Sookie.
"Isn't that right darlin'? Now what's this?" She took the letter from Sookie's clenched fingers, as Sookie tried again to talk through the gag. She willed this unknown vampire to see the danger before it was too late. Her eyes became huge when four other vampires came through the doorway, all eyeing her in the most terrifying way. Sookie couldn't focus on anyone but the vampire standing behind the other three, he was the largest vampire she had ever seen! He must be over six feet and have weighed over four hundred pounds when he was turned. His head was bald, and his little hungry eyes raked her from head to foot and felt like they pinned her to the floor.
"Oooh, I like them when they're not all meat and bones!" One of the girl vampires said in a much more girly voice than Sookie would have expected. The first female vampire dropped the letter smiling at Sookie with fangs extended.
"Apparently our little bloodbag here was left by her boyfriend and just doesn't want to live any longer without him. We're more than happy to oblige you darlin'." And she gave a raucous laugh.
Sookie felt a tear escape and roll down her cheek into the gag. She closed her eyes and waited to die. Hearing a growl sent another wave of adrenaline through her and she felt her limbs begin to tingle. That's when she felt four pairs of fangs sink into her, at her shoulder, one at her neck and one at both of her legs. It was excruciating .Through the pain she became aware of an angry hissing.
"What the hell – this chick's wearing a fat suit!" All the fangs left her body at once, and a scarier sound began. Sookie opened her eyes and four of the vampires were on the floor convulsing, their bodies rigid and twisting. Sookie tried to push herself away from them, but the two vampires who had tried to bite into her but had only gotten the suit noticed her trying feebly to move away and swooped down on her.
"What have you done you fucking little bitch! What the hell is going on!?" She was picked up and thrown against the wall and held by the throat.
"What have ya done to 'em? Answer or I kill you."
Sookie tried to scream behind the gag. And finally it seemed to sink in that she couldn't say anything with the gag in her mouth. The vampire Sookie thought of as Hunny, ripped the gag from her mouth none too gently, Sookie felt her lip tear and blood trickled down her chin.
"We need to get out of here now! I was drugged and left for you to find by the Fellowship of the Sun. In about a minute your vampire friends are going to lose control of their hunger and kill anything in their path!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Sookie watched as over her shoulder one by one their twitching began to stop. The other vampire Rudy, who was standing over them bean to smile with relief.
"Hunny, they seem to be comin' around." Hunny turned unsure. She looked back at Sookie a terrible anger blossoming in her face. Sookie knew she was about to die and the tingling in her limbs intensified. Suddenly Hunny let go of her looking down in disbelief at her burnt hands. Sookie paid her no more attention as her body felt like it had caught flame. Her legs collapsed beneath her and she felt herself convulse. What the hell is happening to me?!
Eric would have liked nothing more than to kill every one of the humans in his path, but he would have to come back, Sookie needed him. Her pain and fear ripped into him, and was an actual physical pain. He reached the house a second after Godric. Godric had tossed one of the humans carelessly out of his way when he had stepped in front of him stake held high. Eric felt a small stab to his upper shoulder that he ignored and flew into the house.
Sookie was on the floor, bleeding from several wounds. Her skin was glowing slightly and getting brighter. Two vampires were standing and backing away from her, while the four on the floor began snarling and picking themselves up off the floor.
"We'll never be able to contain them all. We have no choice." Godric sounded very angry beside him. Suddenly one of the vampires jumped up from the floor and with a howl sprang at Sookie. Eric was on her in an instant breaking her neck and throwing her across the room. He reached up and pulled the wooden arrow out of his shoulder ready for the next attack. Godric reached for two and dispatched the quickly, their bodies a bloody mess on the floor. He and Godric had left the door open behind them when they had come in and one of the vampires made it out , Eric could hear screams coming from outside. Fuck! But he didn't move from his crouch over Sookie. Eric snarled savagely as a huge vampire began to circle him his burning eyes fastened on Sookie. Eric sprang at him catching him in the chest with the arrow. Ox's arms snaked around Eric in a bear hug, growling he bit into Eric's arm. Eric howled in pain and pushed the arrow deeper into his huge chest, evoking a deadly snarl and a tighter grip of the viselike jaws. Eric ripped himself from Ox's grip ready to spring again, but he had come away with both the vampire's arms still around him. The hulking vampire collapsed to his knees his body dissolving to form a pool on the floor. Eric threw the dissolving arms away from himself disgustedly. When he looked around the room for more threats there were none left. Godric was already outside. Eric crouched beside Sookie whose skin was still glowing, she was no longer bleeding but she seemed to be convulsing. Eric put his hand on her, snatching it away quickly as his flesh burnt.
"Sookie! Sookie you are safe now. Sookie are you injured?"
He shrugged quickly out of his leather jacket and put it around her trying to lift her, but his hands burnt even with the material between them.
"Goddammit Sookie! You are safe now, but we have to get out of here!"
Eric could only watch helplessly as Sookie slowly stopped twitching. Her eyes opened and Eric knew something was seriously wrong.
"Oh God Sookie..."
Eric backed away as Sookie rose gracefully to her feet, her pupils dilated and her head tilted to the side regarding him.
"Eric?" She shook her head like she couldn't see him properly, rubbing her eyes. Her voice was small and frightened. Looking around her she seemed lost.
"Eric where are we? What's happening?" Her voice was trembling and her skin had stopped glowing and Eric cautiously moved toward her.
"Sookie are you okay?" Sookie looked down at herself and seemed to be whole, but she felt weird.
"How did I get here?"
"You were with Steve Newlin-" As he said it Sookie had broken flashes of images, fragments of memories flash through her mind.
"Yes! He tried to kill me!" She reached out and grabbed Eric's arm as she felt a wave of something flash through her, upsetting her balance. Vaguely she heard Eric hiss in pain. She looked down and watched in horror as Eric's arm crisped and burnt beneath her fingers. She jumped back, her back bumping painfully against the wall.
"Oh God, Eric I'm sorry!"
Eric watched frightened as he saw Sookie's agitation grow and her skin began to glow again.
"Sookie get a hold of yourself. I'm fine, but we need to know what happened here. Why were they waiting outside the house?"
"What?" Sookie couldn't concentrate, she felt electric pulses running through her body, this is what it must feel like to be high. She felt loopy and she found it hard to concentrate.
"I said, why were there humans waiting outside if they were drugging the vampires? What was their plan?"
"One of them has a video camera. He was going to tape the whole thing, then they were going to release some of the footage to the media." Sookie was using all her willpower to concentrate on tonight's events. She was hugging herself tightly so she wouldn't touch anything.
"Eric they injected me with the drug and gagged me. When the vampires fed they were infected. I thought the drug only worked on vampires!" Sookie held her hands in front of her face and watched horrified as they began to glow. Eric made a small movement toward her, and her head whipped up, fear stark on her face.
"NO! Stay back! Get away from me!" She ran past him toward the door, slipping on the slimy remains of the vampires in her haste. At the front door she shot him a terrified look, then ran out into the night.
Godric felt the vampire in his hands gasp as he pulled her in half. He hated to do this but she was contaminated with the drug and had tried to bite him when he blocked her exit out the door. Throwing what was left of her to the floor he looked around the room for anyone that was left. Eric was on top of a very large vampire, he seemed to be doing all right. Sookie was still on the floor, but she appeared to be glowing and convulsing. Godric felt rage boil in his stomach, and the screams outside gave him an outlet.
I will find out what they have done to Sookie, and when I get my hands on Newlin... He growled a deep and savage sound, promising violence and death to whatever stood in his way.
Outside Godric watched as one of the vampires who had escaped out the door leaped onto one of the humans, ripping out his throat in his haste to feed. Several of the other humans surrounded the pair and were shooting arrows and throwing chains of silver onto the vampire. Godric heard the arrow in flight and moved just in time. An arrow thunked into the wood of the door frame behind him. And then he was in front of the poor human, whose eyes widened in fear as he tried to raise a stake. Godric growled and brushed him aside. The human went flying into a car, the frame denting around the body. Two more men came running at Godric with crossbows trained on him. Godric took to the air quickly as they shot at the spot he had just been. Descending on them from above, Godric lifted them into the air and threw them back to the ground hard enough to knock them unconscious but hopefully not kill them.
From the air Godric watched as the soldiers backed away from their fallen comrade and now dead vampire, one of them was holding a camera, videotaping the whole thing. Godric descended quickly and snatched the man up and was back in the air with a hand over the man's mouth before any of the other soldiers noticed. Three of the soldiers were female and they were laughing amongst themselves congratulating each other. One of them Godric recognized as the female who had approached him in Fangtasia. Just then Godric heard Sookie yell something inside the house and she rushed out onto the front step. Most of her disguise was still in place, the dress had been ripped though and some of the fat suits stuffing was poking out through it. Her face was terrified, her eyes huge in her face, appearing even bigger with her dilated pupils.
"You! How did you get out alive?" Jessica, the frizzy brunette, advanced on Sookie who looked confused for a moment her face then clearing leaving in it's wake a look of murderous rage. Sookie made a sudden leap toward her but collided with another of the female soldiers. Eric was in the doorway behind Sookie. As his eyes took in the rest of the scene, Godric watched comprehension fill his face as he recognized the frizzy-haired brunette. He snarled in sudden fury.
As he leaped for her, a blinding light flashed like a bomb going off without sound. The whole area was lit up for a second like the sun had come back out. Godric was far enough away that he felt only a warm gust of wind, the man in his arms stopped struggling abruptly. He felt his heart beat strong and steady but he had become utterly limp in his arms. He must be unconscious.
Godric descended carefully. Everything had happened in seconds. Godric searched the night for any sign of Eric. He found him laying unconscious on top of the brunette soldier half his body burnt badly. Her head was twisted to an extreme angle, whether on purpose or by accident Godric couldn't tell. She was also badly burnt. Still it's no loss. As he watched Eric's wounds began to heal Godric turned back to the scene of destruction. One of the female soldiers, the one who had been furthest from Sookie began to rise unsteadily to her feet. Godric was at her side in a second, and held her in a headlock till she passed out unconscious again. She hadn't even been able to put up a struggle. He laid her body down gently. He stopped suddenly, his head jerking around, his senses alert. Sookie stood up amidst the carnage. The soldier she had attacked had been burned beyond recognition. The corpse lay smoking at her feet. Another corpse, one of the men he had dropped earlier lay close by, most of his face burned away. The grass at her feet had shrivelled and it looked like she was standing in a fire pit. Everything around her in a five foot radius was burnt to ash. She was turning slowly in a circle taking in the destruction. Godric approached her cautiously.
"Sookie." He tried to keep his voice soothing.
She looked at him and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I-I didn't mean to."
"I know Sookie, I know."
"I just got so angry. I don't even know what happened." She looked around her again, but her tears were falling faster. Godric cautiously approached her and took her in his arms. She flinched and tried to pull away but Godric held her firmly.
"It's okay Sookie, everything will be fine." Sookie sagged against him, burying her face in his sweater.
"Oh Godric, how can it be?"
"I promise you Sookie, this will all be taken care of." He watched over her shoulder as Eric rose from the ground, the last of the burns on his face disappearing. Eric looked around him in astonishment.
"Wow. Sookie, you went a little overboard didn't you." Godric felt her jerk in his arms when she heard him, and peeked out of Godric's arms into his smiling face. He sauntered over and touched a hand to her cheek wiping away another tear that had leaked out. She flinched and he frowned.
"Don't worry, Sookie I can touch you now." When she saw that she wasn't hurting either of them she pressed her face into his hand. Her skin was warmer to the touch than usual.
"I'm so tired."
"Eric watch the humans."
Godric swept her up in his arms and jumped to edge of the lawn, looking down the street both ways. I know their vehicle must be around here somewhere. In his arms Sookie pointed to a white van parked just down the street. In an instant they were beside the van and he opened the back door, placing Sookie gently inside. Then he was gone. Sookie wrapped herself into a small ball and tried to calm herself down. Everything will be okay, everything will be okay. She repeated it in her head over and over. Hoping with all her heart that it would somehow be true.
Godric joined Eric on the lawn. "We should get the bodies inside and set the whole place on fire."
Godric nodded his approval. "It really is the only way to cover all this up. Even Isabelle cannot know the whole story." Together they cleared the front yard of bodies, keeping a close eye on the two unconscious survivors. When all the bodies were inside, they searched the house for flammable materials and set the building on fire. Each picked up one of the bodies and returned to the van. Eric hopped in behind the wheel after throwing the guy in the back of the van, not caring about the less than gentle way the soldier hit his head on the metal wall. Godric was kinder when he placed the girl in beside him and Sookie. Eric found a spare key in the visor above the seat. And smiled triumphantly.
As they sped away, Godric looked back to check on Sookie.
"Sookie there is no evidence that we were ever there. It has all been taken care of."
Evidence? It took a moment for her brain to grasp that and work through why it was important. Evidence! She searched frantically around her in the van, and almost squealed when she found her purse. As far as she could tell no one had been through it. She pulled out the little Bible and opened it to find the recorder unharmed. She rewound the tape and played it back. Their voices came through strong and clear. Excellent!
"I've got the tape and it recorded everything!"
When Godric glanced back at her, he stopped and took another look, she was glorious. Her hair and eyes wild as she laughed to herself. She looked vital and alive. He could feel her happiness bubble inside him but he couldn't smile as he dug into the pocket of his cargo pants grabbing the video camera. He held it out to her silently. Sookie looked at him absolutely delighted.
She laughed out loud. "Now we can take Newlin down for good!" She became distracted.
Godric watched a small frown appear between her brows.
"Sookie? Sookie what's wrong?"
"I can't seem to-" She shook her head from side to side and rubbed her temples. "I can't seem to block out the voices."
As the entered a very populated part of the city Sookie was suddenly on her back in the van writhing.
"I can't block them out! I can't block them out!" She was screaming at the top of her lungs. Godric jumped into the back and tried to grab her shoulders but she had begun glowing again, and he felt his hands begin to burn. Godric felt panic rise within him. If she went off again in the van she would kill them all and destroy the evidence!
Hoping she would understand and forgive him, he pulled back his fist and punched her. Her head snapped ominously to the side and she collapsed unconscious. Godric gathered her in his arms and smoothed her hair back. He raised his eyes to meet Eric's in the mirror.
"Get to the hotel as quickly as you can." He looked back down into Sookie's face. The engine roared as Eric pushed it to it's limit speeding through the city streets.
"I'm so sorry my love, please forgive me. It was all I could think of to do."
Eric sped down the streets of Dallas toward the Hotel Carmilla. It was only just past midnight and Eric needed to feed. He had used up a lot of energy healing himself. He was aching and his muscles were tired. The tiredness stopped at his muscles though, and left his mind seething.
Sookie's been affected by the drug...she seems unable to control her powers...Does this drug effect all supernaturals? That's something we never considered before...
He pulled up in front of the hotel and jumped out not waiting for the valet who came running up. Eric lifted the two still unconscious humans throwing them over his shoulders while Godric carried Sookie up. Passing quickly through the lobby Eric shooed a vampire couple out of the elevator. Once inside the elevator Eric dropped the two humans and allowed himself a weak moment, leaning up against the glass closing his eyes.
"You need blood."
"I will when we get to the room." The doors opened and Eric reached down, hefting the two humans up into his arms again. As they reached the door, Godric opened it wide for Eric. He threw the two humans down in front of the fireplace and walked the short distance to the couch by the phone. Sitting he called down to the front desk.
"I need a case of O negative True Blood brought up, and I would like it brought up by Barry the Bellboy," and hung up. Godric had re-entered the room and nodded approvingly at Eric.
"That was good thinking. We may need his abilities to help Sookie."
Eric passed a hand over his eyes, "I was thinking of eating him, but I'll refrain till you're done with him."
Godric chuckled softly. He took the video camera and tape recorder out of Sookie's purse and placed them on the table in front of Eric.
"Make sure they have the evidence we need." And he turned on his heel and walked back into the bedroom. The two humans were coming to in front of the fireplace, and he worried about Sookie. He felt terrible for hitting her. He sat beside her on the bed and held his cool hand against the bruise forming on her cheek, waiting for her to wake up.
Sookie woke feeling like the bones on the left side of her face had cracked. She felt a cool hand gentle on her face, and her eyes fluttered open. Godric's concerned dark eyes were looking down at her.
"Sookie how do you feel?"
Sookie took a moment to consider that. Other than her face the rest of her felt okay. She still tingled but she tested her limbs raising each of them and wiggled her fingers and toes.
"I think I'm okay. My face hurts a bit. What happened?"
Godric's face became blank and his eyes would not meet hers. "Godric what's wrong?"
"I hit you Sookie." Sookie frowned, did I hear him right?
"Sorry what?"
"You were in the back of the van and you were screaming that you couldn't block out the voices. You began to glow and I did the only thing I could think of." He got onto his knees before her on the floor.
"Can you forgive me?" His eyes looked up into hers with such guilt and sadness that her heart broke for him. She tried to give him a lopsided smile, trying to move the left side of her face as little as possible.
"Well it worked." Bits and pieces of the evening began to come back to her. And her face became serious. She gasped and rolled away from Godric who watched her anxiously.
"Godric you should stay back. I've been dosed with the drug. Steve Newlin used me as bait and I was so distracted I didn't see it coming. Those vampires tonight became infected after biting me. Tonight was all my fault!"
"No, no, love. Tonight would have happened without you. Newin would have found some poor child and sacrificed her for his cause. Because of you we were able to contain it so only his soldiers were harmed by their own plan. No innocent lives were taken tonight."
"I remember losing control." Sookie looked dejectedly down into her hands. "I remember killing more people. How many did I kill?"
"It's true that your powers manifested and two people died. The rest were killed by Eric and I. But you are not responsible for those deaths any more than the infected vampires are. The drug seems to bring your powers to the surface more easily. Making you kind of...volatile."
Sookie uttered a short bark of laughter. "That is putting it mildly. I saw what I did."
They were silent then, Godric watching her closely. Sookie looked up at him. "I'm starving. Can I call down and get something to eat?"
"Of course Sookie what would you like?"
"Can I get a, hmmm, a steak with mushrooms and a baked potato?" Godric smiled.
"Anything you want Sookie, though I think I shall let you order it. It all sounds very specific."
Sookie jumped off the bed and into the front room, she was brought up short when she saw the two soldiers cowering on the couch. Eric standing over them his arms crossed over his chest. When she came in he looked her over from head to toe.
"I'm glad to see you up and about Sookie. Though you do look like you could use a good shower."
Sookie looked him over, covered in dirt, blood, and who knew what else, his clothing burnt on one side. "Yeah, look who's talking." She replied archly and he smiled.
"I'm hungry. I'm ordering some food."
The soldiers watched her astonished. Sookie could hear their thoughts screaming in her head.
"Would you two shut up!" she snapped. "I can't think when you're screaming at me like that." Her eyes flashed with more than just anger. She could feel their fear and hate battering against her. It mingled with her emotions and she couldn't distinguish them from her own. She tried to shield and control herself but it seemed that once the gates were opened the rage flowed through her unrelenting. Eric was quick to act, he caught the eyes of both soldiers and glamoured them. The clamour in Sookie's mind died down, and she sighed in thanks. She focused all her energy on getting a hold of her anger. Eric picked her up ignoring the pain in his hands and kissed her.
Inside she felt the rage subside and morph into a different kind of madness. She attacked him with teeth and tongue, crushing herself to him, fitting herself around him as best she could. Her hands wound into his hair and she forgot to breathe.
"Ahem!" She felt Eric reluctantly pull away from her, his face inches from her own, he was looking down into her face intense. "Sookie I believe you were hungry?"
Godric's voice was soft and amused. She knew she should have been embarrassed but the lust that raged through her burned everything else away in its wake. Sookie unwound herself from Eric with a sigh.
"I am very hungry." She watched the way Eric moved across the room, licking her lips at his sheer perfection.
Eric was very glad he could hear someone approaching their door. For a moment while kissing her he had forgotten that she had the drug in her system and the urge to bite her had been almost overwhelming, especially considering how much he needed blood after all the healing. Sookie was on the phone as Eric opened the door before the boy could even knock. He could smell him coming down the hall, and hear his delicious heart beat rapid with his growing fear.
Sookie turned on the couch and almost dropped the phone seeing Barry. She quickly finished her order, telling the cook she wanted her steak very rare, and hung up the phone.
She watched as Eric ushered Barry into the room holding a case of True Blood. Eric relieved him of it as he closed the door cutting off Barry's escape.
- 'What are you doing here?'
'You're all right! Thank God! When I heard you earlier I was worried.'
'Did you tell them what you could do?'
'No I told them I could hear you. Hopefully they'll think you can project your thoughts.'
Sookie looked at him doubtfully. 'You know I don't think they'll believe that. Especially since we've been silent staring at each other for this long.'
"Oh shit!" Barry winced and looked at the two vampires who were watching them both with enigmatic expressions.
"So Sookie why don't you introduce us to your messenger friend." Godric's tone was pleasant but Barry went a sickly white colour.
"Barry this is Godric and Eric Northman, Sheriff of Area 5 in Louisiana. Godric, Eric, this is Barry."
"Hello again Barry. I want to thank you for delivering your message to us earlier. But we need your help again."
Barry looked nervously around at the three of them, and was pointedly not looking at all at the two sitting in front of the fireplace blankly. "I don't think I can help you sir."
"Sure you can Barry." Eric stood beside him patting him on the shoulder and casually leaving his hand there.
Godric levelled a look at him. "I understand your reservations about revealing your ability to us, but we already know so there is no point pretending you are not a telepath. We just watched you communicate with Sookie in your heads, we were hoping you could help her maintain her ability. She has been dosed with a drug that seems to make her gift too powerful to control. She seems to be okay for now, but if there is another incident we may not be able to help her." Or stop her.
Barry looked at her confused, and she nodded letting select images come into her brain for him to read. And one image she couldn't stop – the burnt bodies of the people she had killed. Barry looked sick for a second, and utterly shocked. Sookie looked at him pleadingly, needing him to understand. In her agitation she spoke out loud,
"Barry, is telepathy your only power?"
He nodded dumbly. "Yes."
Sookie could feel it was true. But maybe...
"Maybe what?" Barry demanded in her head.
"Maybe you will develop this electricity thing the same as I did. I am better at the mind reading than you, maybe yours will develop in time as you practice..."
"It might happen."
"I'm not sure I want it to." Barry shot a frightened glance up at Eric who was sill holding him by the shoulder.
"There may be an easier way to check than waiting for years." Eric reached down and picked up Barry's arm. "May I?"
Without waiting for an answer Eric pulled up the sleeve of his uniform and sank his teeth into his wrist. Barry let out a cry of pain and fear, and Sookie cried out with him as his feelings penetrated her mind like a bullet. Her hands flew to her head as if she could physically block out the thoughts. Flashes of light jumped from her fingertips as she rubbed her temples. Sookie pulled the wig from her head violently and threw it across the room. Barry watched her with a kind of awed horror, and he clutched his wrist to himself.
"S-Sookie? Are you okay?"
He touched inside her head and flinched back from the burning power that was coursing through her. He squared his shoulders and bent all his attention on her.
Sookie felt stronger, she felt her attempts at reinforcing her shields began to work and she felt the pulsing in her blood subside. She looked up astonished and grateful. Looking into Barry's brown eyes she thanked him. "Thank you Barry."
He gave her a shy smile, "Your welcome. I didn't think I could do it. But your welcome."
"Well done, my telepathic friend." Godric's quiet voice was approving.
Sookie looked directly at Eric then. "So is his blood like mine? Are we the same?"
"I'm sorry Sookie. Your blood has a similar taste, it must be your ability that makes you both taste different from other humans, but the quality of your blood is vastly different. It goes deeper than different blood types. Though you share an anomaly in your gift which is similar and flavours both of your blood – he is not what you are."
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