Well, hello! Another update, so soon? Crazy! So, this is the second to last chapter. The next one will resolve this story arc, but I promise I have a sequel planned out. It will be much more romance heavy, with less action an angst and "omg are they ever going to get their shit together?" This is a shorter chapter than the last one, but at least it wasn't a six month wait, right?! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy, and please leave a review!

Previously:

They hunted her down. Took her. Drugged her…And cut her.

I was growling; I could feel it in my chest, just as I could feel the caution and worry singing down the bond I shared with my Maker. Despite my best efforts at reigning in my rage, I could tell I was losing control.

I turned back to Russell Edgington, my fingers flexing slowly. Gone was his smile and genteel Southern demeanor; his countenance was the full-on ancient Vampire that I knew he was. Both our fangs were bared, my eyes shining with hate, his with insane glee.

I couldn't control myself anymore.

He hurt my Sookie.

A roar erupted from me as I threw myself forward.

I felt like I was swimming through muck.

Every limb felt heavy, darkness pressing in close all around me. I heard noises filtering in through the mud I was trapped in. I tried to lift my arm but all I could make it do was twitch half-heartedly. The world around me sounded angry; there were crashes and screaming, but I couldn't make out anything specific. Through my muddled thoughts I could feel dread starting to set in.

What happened? What's going on?

My mouth was as unresponsive as my arm; all that I could do was groan quietly. Huffing internally, I struggled to reach out with my mind, and found that was just as impossible as everything else. It seemed like the only thing still working was my nose, unfortunately, because I detected something foul close by.

What the fuck did they do to me?

The smartest thing to do, I decided, was to stop struggling and hope for the best. I was just expending energy that I could save for later. I had a feeling I would need it.

Sure enough, I slowly felt more awareness coming to me. I could feel my fingers respond as I stiffly curled them into my palm. I tried again to reach my brain out and was relieved to discover that was coming back, too. I felt voids zooming around, rarely pausing long enough for me to get a bead on them. There were numerous snarly thoughts—Weres, clearly—surrounding me, some of them stationary while others were darting around the voids I felt. Even as I tried to count them, several blinked out of existence.

I think I just heard them die. Who are they fighting? Is that Eric? What's going on?

I tried to concentrate harder, but I just couldn't seem to make myself. My eyelids wouldn't even open yet. I changed tactics, attempting to delve into the Weres mind closest to me and was a little startled to discover he was holding me, on the edge of the fray. Through his eyes, I was able to get short glimpses of what was going on.

A large, fairly tacky room, Weres crowded inside as two strange Vampires fought three very familiar ones. Pam was holding her own against a thin, curly haired opponent, while Godric and Eric were tag-teaming a man I knew from memories to be Russell Edgington.

How did I get to Mississippi?

I couldn't get much more than that, though I noted that Eric looked far angrier than I had ever seen him—and a lot bloodier, too. He'd mentioned that Russell Edgington was older than he and Godric combined, but surely their combined strength would be more than enough?

My internal musings were interrupted by a bone-jarring impact, and I felt myself flying through the air to collide with something solid. A dull ache pulsed from where my head hit whatever I'd been tossed into and my left side—the one I'd fallen on—was throbbing. My forearm seemed to hurt more, though I couldn't fathom why. The yelling and snarling got louder around me, and my mental net sharpened into focus.

Finally, my eyes opened, and I found myself laying in a heap on the floor, apparently forgotten as everyone in the room—save myself—turned into one big mess of fists and roars. I heard a pained yell and saw Eric crash into the wall opposite me. His wild blue eyes met mine for the briefest of moments, a small river of blood running from his blond hair straight down his nose, before steely determination flashed over his features and he was nothing but a blur again.

Useless. Absolutely useless. Come on, Sook, think!

There had to be a way I could help. My team, as it were, was severely outnumbered, and if these were the same wolves Edgington was feeding his blood to, they were outgunned, too. Casting my eyes about, I surveyed the room. There were no obvious weapons, no convenient stakes to drive through Edgington's heart. I had to be able to do something.

Suddenly, a screech echoed through the din and everything came to a grinding halt at once. Every eye swiveled to Pam, her hands locked just under the unfamiliar Vampire's ears, slowly twisting as his head turned at an angle that would kill a human. I vaguely heard Edgington screaming before the Vampire's head popped off cleanly. Every bit of him erupted into a goopy mess of veins and blood, covering Pam as she grinned fangily at her remaining opposition.

The sound coming from Edgington was absolutely inhuman, and I knew I would never be able to forget it. He launched himself at Pam, only to be intercepted by Godric and Eric. Before he reengaged them, I noticed how pale and drawn he looked; the veins in his stringy neck stood out sharper than I remembered from Crystal's memory, dark bags making half-moons under his eyes. Still, it seemed Godric and Eric had their work cut out for them.

As for Pam, she was going after the remaining werewolves with a ferocity that really was impressive. In no time at all, she had downed three opponents; she snapped two necks in quick succession before running her hand through another's heart. She whirled away, blood spraying everywhere, but I noticed that Edgington paused momentarily to stare at the pool of blood forming underneath the body almost hungrily.

When is the last time he fed?

I moved my arms to prop myself up only to feel a searing pain in my left arm. Looking down, I discovered a bandage wrapped tightly around my wrist.

Did he take my blood?

It was like a lightbulb burst into life in my brain.

Of course, he did. He's been feeding the werewolves, but it doesn't look like he's taken enough back in. He must be starving. If he's this strong half-drained, I'd hate to see him at full capacity.

I searched around me for something sharp as I unwrapped the bandage, keeping mental tabs on Eric, Godric, and Pam. A picture frame seemed to have shattered several feet away, and I was completely forgotten as the room full of supernatural beings were fighting each other to the death.

If he wants Werewolf blood, which Eric told me is gross, then he'll definitely want mine, which Eric said is not gross. If I can distract him just long enough…

I didn't have any doubts about Eric being able to capitalize on the opening I was hoping to give him. Even without prior coordination, he was an opportunist through and through. He'd know to jump in.

I crouched and made my way quickly over to the scattering of broken glass, searching for a piece that was sharp enough and big enough for what I needed. The fighting was getting more intense, making my hands start to sweat and shake from adrenaline.

I need to do this quick.

Carefully, I picked up a piece of glass that looked just right for the job. I breathed deep and tried to summon my courage, placing the sharp tip right against the wound created without my consent. For a few long seconds I couldn't seem to make myself push down, until another painful grunt from Eric gave me all the courage I needed. I exhaled and pressed the sharp glass deep into my wrist, dragging it down quickly. It was painful beyond words and I gasped, feeling almost faint as the blood immediately began to pour out.

I must have gone deeper than I thought.

I stood up fully, trying to regulate my breathing as I began to pick my way into the eye of the storm. I was really kind of banking on Russell being the only hungry Vampire, though I couldn't imagine Eric being so stupid as not to eat before charging into battle.

It took some effort and a lot of dodging, but I was able to make it within ten feet of Russell squaring off against Eric and Godric. They were at what looked to me like a stalemate, though Edgington admittedly looked better. Godric was smeared red all over, and Eric was panting heavily—which I didn't even know Vampires could do—with cuts littering him from head to toe. Edgington had a few scrapes, and while he did look incredibly worn down, he looked more in control of himself.

Until he seemed to finally smell me leaking blood all over his polished marble floor.

A look of pure ecstasy overcame him as he turned my way, his fangs elongating almost down to his chin.

"Oh, my dear, you do smell so delicious."

That was all he said before he blurred toward me, knocking me into the floor as he savagely bit into my arm. The pain was excruciating, and I screamed automatically before kicking wildly at him. I could feel his mouth sucking greedily at my arm; I could almost feel the blood zooming from my veins down his throat. I looked around, frantically searching for Eric. Surely he was coming.

To my horror, I couldn't see him anywhere. I sensed him, surrounded by a ring of werewolves, fighting through them as fast as he could. Their minds blinked out rapidly, but I didn't think he'd make it to me in time. There were too many Weres, and Edgington was draining me far faster than I thought he'd be able to.

I brought my free hand up to shove at him, only to discover the big shard of glass still clutched between my bloody fingers. Taking a deep breath again, forcing the last bits of my strength into my right arm, I took aim, and plunged the makeshift knife down into his left shoulder.

I felt him convulsing in pain, though he didn't explode into gooey bits, so I figured I must have missed. Or maybe it had to be an actual wooden stake and not a glass one. I didn't have the time to ponder the difference in materials, so I jerked my weapon free from his skin and started stabbing wildly, as deep as I could, hoping I'd be lucky enough to hit home.

A few slashes in and Edgington snarled, disengaging from me to sit up and glare down at me.

"You stupid bitch," He growled, my blood splashed across his face. Gross. "You think that you, a silly, weak human can kill me? I am an ancient Vampire, and your hybrid blood is no match—"

He stopped abruptly, gurgling for one full second, before he exploded all over me in a disgusting, tepid bath of blood and gore.

Eric stood behind where Russell had been moments before, his hand squeezing a lump of red tissue, blood halfway up his arm. Everything seemed get quiet suddenly as we locked eyes for the second time that night before the blood loss seemed to catch up with me, and everything went dark again.

When my eyes opened again, I was staring at the dull white ceiling in my bedroom, and I half-hoped everything had been a dream. From meeting Eric, to coming back home, to being kidnapped and drugged…

I didn't feel any pain, which boded well for my dream theory, but those hopes were dashed when Eric himself came into my view and sat on my bed beside me.

I swallowed before clearing my throat to speak. "Hi."

The smallest of smiles graced his lips. "Hello, Sookie."

A tense quiet settled between us, each waiting for the other to start.

"You feel fine?" He questioned.

I nodded. "But you know that, with your blood in me."

He looked almost abashed for a moment. "You're correct. Though I'll be feeling you much more clearly now."

My eyes narrowed. "What does that mean, exactly?"

"Sookie." Eric's face went stony as he regarded me. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't give me any of your attitude right now, considering what we went through tonight."

I huffed out a breath. "You're right, I'm sorry. I feel all…muddled."

"I'm aware." He paused, staring at me. I sat up in bed, needing to feel less vulnerable. "We had a second blood exchange."

"Okay." I ran my hand over my face and through my hair, pushing it back behind my shoulder. "Did this happen after I passed out?"

"Yes," He murmured, his eyes disconcertingly soft. "You'd lost too much blood, so I gave you some of mine. I cleaned and sealed your arm and the various other cuts you sustained."

I sighed. "He drank faster than I thought he would."

Eric laughed quietly. "He was doling his blood out as if he would never run out of it. I'd call him stupid, but we may not have survived if he hadn't done it."

I nodded, picking absently at my quilt. "He's dead now, right? I didn't imagine that?"

"No, he's gone. His vile pack of wolves are all dead. His lover, Talbot, is dead. He's the one that got his head twisted off by Pam." He must have felt my confusion at the mention of Talbot. "He was older than Pam, actually, so it's quite impressive she was able to best him so easily."

"She survived, right?"

"Yes. All four of us are alive and well."

We went quiet again, though we couldn't seem to hold eye contact this time. The silence got to be oppressive enough that I blurted out, "So is everything over? Like, he's dead, I repaid Jason's debt, we go on our separate, merry ways?"

I still wasn't looking at him, focusing on the faded fabric of my quilt, until Eric's cold fingers gently tilted my chin up. His eyes were deep and fathomless, shut off but somehow still inviting. If I didn't know any better, I'd say there was a bit of hope shining there.

"Do you want to go on our separate, merry ways?"

I was a little gobsmacked. He was putting it all in my hands? It was only fitting, I supposed, since he'd made a lot of decisions for me in the scant week that I'd known him. Maybe it was his way of apologizing?

Still, I wasn't sure…

I licked my suddenly dry lips and gently pulled away from his touch. "I don't know. It's just…a lot. You know?"

Eric's face became shuttered as he rose gracefully from my bed, nodding. "Of course. A lot has happened. I'll leave you to your rest."

He turned to leave, and in my panic, I shouted, "Wait!" He froze and turned his head partially back, though I couldn't quite see his eyes. "Look…I just need time to think. Alright? I just need time." My fingers began picking at my bedspread again, nervous energy surging through me. Eric sighed softly before turning and walking back to my bed.

"Here," Eric said, fishing out his wallet and extracting a business card. "For when you're ready. Or not."

He turned again and walked to my bedroom door, murmuring softly, "Goodnight, Sookie," before closing it softly behind him.