The next few days passed with much needed calm and quiet. There were no more royal balls, coronations, or brown nosing vampires crowding Eric so I was actually able to get some quality time in with my vampire. The only thing that we had to deal with at the moment was all the construction going on near Eric's house. It hadn't occurred to me when he accepted the throne that there would be some security adjustments in our lives.
The day after the coronation, Eric had called his real estate agent and purchased the remaining forty acres of land surrounding his house. Alcide and his company were hired to make some improvements to the property; including a small parking lot, a guest house, and some top secret project down near the lake. I tried using my feminine wiles to bribe Eric into telling me what it was, but he said I would just have to wait and see. The guest house would be for the new security guards to stay in while they were on rotation. There were twelve guards in total with six vampires for nighttime security and the daytime guards consisted of four Weres and two Werelions. Right now while there were no tangible threats to our safety, the guards would take turns splitting the days on a three day rotation. There would be three guards during the day for three days, and then they would be off for three days while the others took over. The vampires split their schedule the same way for nights.
Since I had no interest in moving to New Orleans, Eric was also in the process of trying to sell Sophie Ann's compound. Two more construction crews had been hired to renovate an old, large antebellum plantation that Eric purchased for his 'palace'. It was a beautiful pale yellow plantation home with ten bedrooms and five bathrooms. There was a huge porch all the way across the front of the home and a large balcony for the second floor. The lawn was immaculately landscaped with flowers, neat hedges, and a few ancient magnolia trees.
The compound was two stories tall and the construction crew was working on an underground level that would have safe places as well as a miniature vamp jail with silver bars and other interesting features that could control a rogue vampire. The main living area on the first floor was being converted to a throne room and there would be improvements on the dining room as well as a soundproof library where sensitive matters could be discussed in private.
I had been by the plantation one day to check out the progress and drop off some papers to Eric's contractor and was shocked by all the people working on the house. There were obviously several construction crews as well as a security company and tons of other people who just seemed to look busy. Eric even had the foresight to hire Amelia to come cast a few protection spells once the work was finished. She said she would be happy to do it for a friend, but certainly didn't refuse when Eric handed her a check for $15,000. Things were moving along quickly, which I was grateful for because the sooner Eric could get his compound established in Shreveport; he would no longer have to travel back and forth to New Orleans to hold court.
On the fourth night after Karin arrived; I invited her, Eric, Godric, and Pam to the farmhouse for a get together. Amelia and I had spent the day making a blood sorbet for the vamps and chicken salad for ourselves. About an hour after sunset, Pam and Godric arrived first. We were already down at the pool setting everything up when I felt the strange little tingle that signaled Godric was near.
"We're down here." I yelled over the sound of Johnny Cash playing on the radio.
Pam and Godric were standing before me in a flash. "You know Sookie; we could smell our favorite little Faery long before you told us where you were." Pam teased.
"Well I guess that's true, but it's just habit. Not everyone has the nose of a bloodhound Pam."
"I assure you my senses are far superior to that of a dirty dog." She answered as if the notion of her being similar to an animal was offensive.
Just by looking at Pam, you would never guess that she's a deadly killing machine. Right now she was wearing a teal bikini with a sheer, floral tunic over top and white sandals with a small heel. She looked like a very fashionable Mom that should be lounging by the country club pool instead of the two centuries old vampire that could drain you in seconds.
"How are you this evening my dear?" Godric asked.
"I'm great, I'm glad you guys could make it on such short notice!" I said stepping in to give him a hug.
"Amelia you look lovely as always." He said greeting my roommate. It didn't escape my notice that Godric's fangs had run down at the sight of Amelia in her pink bikini.
"Thanks; you look hot too!" She said like a giggly schoolgirl.
It was true that Godric was very attractive; it was just hard to think of Eric as his 'son' when they were so different. Whereas Eric is tall, blonde, blue eyes, and built like the Viking warrior he was; Godric is about my height, soft brown hair, chocolate eyes, and well sculpted muscles on a smaller frame. Pam actually looked like she could be Eric's biological child if they didn't look so close in age, and Karin was for lack of a better word; the redheaded stepchild. Even with their different looks though, they sure as hell made one beautiful; albeit scary family.
"Amelia and I made a special treat for you guys for later, but would you like a blood to start with?" I asked my fanged guests.
Pam accepted a warm True Blood, but Godric just smiled and said he would have some later. I noticed Amelia's wink at him, but decided to let her think no one had seen it.
"Eric and Karin should be here soon. He said he had some business to take care of first." I said.
For the next hour, the four of us swam and talked about everything going on with the Louisiana vamps since Eric had taken over. So far the consensus was very positive about Eric being the new King. He was old and a fierce warrior, so everyone had a healthy dose of fear of him; but more importantly they wanted to serve him because he had always been a fair and just Sheriff. He had many vampires who would willingly take up arms to defend him because they respected him as their leader.
"He is unlike most monarchs, which makes him more desirable. His first act as King was to lower the tax that all vampires in Louisiana must pay into the Kingdom and put 90% of that money into a fund that will only be used for garnering more tourists back to Louisiana. The only part of the money that he will use is to pay for the general upkeep of his court. He will not keep any of the money for his personal use. This alone is unheard of and makes vampires respect him even more." Pam enlightened us.
It made me very happy to know what Eric had done. I always knew he was a good man no matter what kind of unsavory things he had to do sometimes, but it was nice that everyone else would know as well. He certainly didn't need the money in any way as he was already extremely wealthy, so it was nice to know that he really was trying to make Louisiana into a prospering state for both vampires and humans.
As if talking about him had summoned him, Eric pulled up in the driveway and made his way across the yard. Right before he reached the gate, I used my mind to open it for him and he smiled as he walked up to me. He always loved it when I used my powers; to a vampire it's just natural to use any magical abilities at your disposal to show off. I wrapped my arms around him and breathed in his scent. It was manly and sensual and it had become a habit to smell him the way he had always done to me. Maybe it was my Supernatural side kicking in, or perhaps it was just a woman in love.
"Good evening dearest. You look incredibly sexy in that bikini." He purred with a toothy grin. He had been here for ten seconds and I could already feel my temperature rising.
"Thanks babe. Did you take care of whatever it was you had to do?"
"Yes and no. I actually need to talk to you about that; will you walk with me?"
"Sure. Let's go in the kitchen and grab the rest of the stuff." We walked hand in hand back to the house. I poked at the bond but could only feel contentment and a little lust from him, so apparently he didn't have anything too bad to tell me. We took seats at the kitchen table to talk, as we had done so many times before.
"Tonight I had a meeting with a newborn vampire from Monroe. She was taken by a vampire one evening on her way back to her sorority house and turned against her will."
"Oh my God that's awful."
"She is only two months old and apparently her Maker was killed several days ago. She said he would leave her at the house every night while he went off and fed, and she was never allowed to go with him. Several nights ago while he was gone, she said she had an overwhelming pain that caused her to vomit blood and then she couldn't feel her Maker's presence anymore. She didn't come out of the house for a few days because she didn't know what was going on. She wasn't sure if he was finally dead or if he was just trying to trap her into disobeying him so he could punish her."
"That's sick. Is he dead?"
"Yes. After doing some checking, I spoke with my Sheriff Arla in Area 2; apparently a vampire in her area had already reported the death to her. He said that the girl's maker; Roberto was visiting his nest and attacked his human pet. After reprimanding him, Roberto fought back and lost. Arla had no idea he had a child because he had not yet registered her through the proper channels. The girl had stayed in the house alone until last night; she hadn't fed since he left that night and her hunger finally prompted her to leave. Unfortunately in her starved condition; she accidentally drained a man."
"Oh gosh. That's terrible Eric, but it sounds like she didn't know any better. Didn't her sleaze bag maker teach her to feed properly?"
"No he didn't. In fact, he hasn't taught her anything. She has no knowledge of vampire ways nor did she know anything about the hierarchy. Lucky for her, Thalia was visiting a friend nearby and found the girl crying over the human's lifeless body in an alley. She disposed of him before taking Harper to shelter for the dawn and brought her to me this evening."
"Ok, so what's going to happen to her? Are you going to punish her?" I asked nervously. I certainly didn't agree with humans being killed for no reason, but I genuinely felt bad for this young vampire who had been thrust into this life that she knew nothing about. I knew from what Eric had told me before that newborn vamps require a lot of blood and they don't yet have control over their instincts. That's why it's so important to have a good Master to teach the newborn everything they need to know.
"No I will not punish her. She is a brand new vampire and she was stuck with a maker who didn't try to teach her the first thing about her nature. It seems as though this rogue vampire was just keeping her around for a toy as he had not followed protocol for creating a vampire. If he had not already met the true death, I would show him no mercy for his actions." I nodded because as cold as it might sound, I completely agreed with him.
"So what now? Where will she go?" I asked.
"Since her maker did not teach her the first thing, she might as well have just risen tonight as far as her abilities go. She will need a new Master to teach her and guide her for several years to come. I have offered to let her stay in Area 5 and find her a new Master who will not harm her as her maker did. In exchange for staying in the area, all I have asked is that she obeys her new Master and does not do anything else that could be bad for the rest of us."
"That sounds fair. Do you know who you're going to place her with?"
"Yes I do. I've thought about it and I think Bill would be perfect for the job."
"Bill Compton? Why would you choose him when you don't even like him?"
"It doesn't matter what my personal feelings are. Bill is a mainstreamer who can teach the girl how to be a civilized vampire. He has never made a child because he feels that he cannot burden someone with this life. As far as vampires go, he is smart and strong for his age; but he also retains some of his human emotions and qualities. Harper is very much the same; she still thinks like a human for the most part. She has feelings and emotions and she hasn't been hardened by a long life of cruelty. I believe this is exactly what she needs and that it could be beneficial to them both."
"What if he doesn't want her?"
"I am King and it is my decision. I'm sure he will balk at the idea at first, but regardless he will do it. Once he becomes comfortable with her, I believe the arrangement will benefit him as much as her. You know that he is a loner and does not have the love of a child or a mate, and that is mainly because he has never truly accepted his own nature. I believe by teaching the girl to be a 'good' vampire that it may be therapeutic for him. Also, do you really want him to be hung up pining for you forever, while he broods alone in his house?"
"Of course not. I know things didn't work out with me and him, but he's my friend and I want him to find happiness like we have." I said as I took his hand and kissed his open palm.
"He is not my favorite person, but it will be beneficial to him if he moves on. He needs someone to care for and I think this will be good for him."
I shook my head because I knew he was right. Bill did need someone to care for and that would care for him. It might not be romantic love like we had, but if Harper and Bill could even come close to what Eric and Pam have; it would be a wonderful thing for them both. I did want Bill to be happy and have someone in his life and maybe this was the perfect opportunity for him. He could teach her to be a vampire without losing her humanity; something that was important to him.
"Have you told him yet?" I asked.
"No. She is with Karin right now at Fangtasia, waiting on word from me. I was actually hoping that you might talk to Bill."
"Me? Why would you want me to tell him? You're the big boss."
"Yes I am his King, but he loves you and he listens to you. If you explain to him that you think this would be a good thing for the both of them, I think he will accept it. If not, then I will punish him but I don't think it will come to that. You have a way of getting people to see your side of things." He smirked at me.
"Alright fine. Why don't we invite him over and you can tell Karin to head this way with Harper."
"Very well. Go talk to Bill and I'll meet you back down at the pool in a few minutes."
Eric stepped outside and I went upstairs to grab some shorts and a tank top to put over my swimsuit. Walking through the cemetery to Bill's house, I wondered how he would take the news that he was now a father. Maybe I should have brought him some of those cigars with pink foil that say 'It's A Girl!'
I took a deep breath trying to arrange my thoughts and lifted my hand to knock on the door. Almost immediately Bill opened the door and looked surprised to see me.
"Hey Bill! Can I come in?"
"Of course Sookie. To what do I owe the pleasure this evening?"
"Well I wanted to talk to you about something really important and I hope you'll hear me out and listen to what I have to say before you say anything."
He looked at me quizzically for a moment, but nodded and sat down beside me on the sofa.
"So here's the thing; there's a baby vamp named Harper in the area and her maker was a total douche bag and now he's finally dead. He kidnapped her and used her for a play thing for the past two months that she's been vampire and now she's all alone. She accidentally drained someone because she was starving and didn't know how to control herself and now she's in Eric's care. She was turned against her will and she isn't your typical vampire; she's very humanlike. She's kind and sweet and still very much in touch with her humanity. He and I both thought that you would make a great Master for her. What do you think?" It all came out in about two breaths, but I knew Bill got the jist of it.
"You and Eric want me to take on an orphaned vampire? Why would I do that?"
"Because you're a good man Bill Compton. Yes you're a vampire, but you're not cruel and miserable. You're good at mainstreaming, you're smart, a good fighter, and most importantly you would teach her to be a great vampire."
Bill suddenly stood from the couch and start pacing the room. I couldn't read vampire minds, but if I had to guess; I'd say Bill had a whole lot going on right now.
"Sookie I have never had the desire to be a maker. As you well know, my maker was a sadistic, cruel, mistress who took me away from everything I held dear in life. I have never felt the call to turn another human into a creature of the night. I have not made a child because I do not wish to be anyone's Master. Why the hell would Eric send you to tell me this anyways? Mr. High and Mighty King can't tell me himself?" I tried to keep my calm because I knew Bill wasn't really angry with me but rather his conflicted emotions about his own vampiric existence.
"Yes Bill, your King could have summoned you and ordered you to take her and there would be nothing you could do about it. Instead he sent me; your friend, to talk to you about this and give you the choice to do something great. I know you were turned against your will, and I know that Lorena was a miserable bitch. I have done things in life that I regret, but freeing you from her is not something I have ever regretted. But Bill, you aren't Lorena; you aren't cruel or sadistic. You are still a good man and a damn good vampire. Harper didn't ask to be what she is either; but it's done now and there's no way to change that. What can be changed is how she spends her afterlife; you can teach her and shape her into a vampire that you can be proud of or you can throw her off to be someone else's responsibility and hope for the best. You were a father once Bill and right now she needs guidance and compassion. She needs to learn how to be a great vampire without losing herself. I know you can do that for her." I truly believed every word I was telling him. I knew if anyone could be trusted to raise a good vampire, it was Bill. Truthfully he really didn't have a choice in the matter if Eric put his foot down, but I wanted him to believe he did so he could make the choice to take her on his own.
Bill had stopped pacing and was sitting across the room from me in a chair. His chin was resting on his hand and the small gesture made him look shockingly human. I knew he needed to think it over and I would give him his time.
"I'm going back over to my house now. Harper will be there in half an hour and I want to make her feel at home. After you decide what you're going to do, come on over and hang out with us." I left him there with his thoughts and headed back to my house.
I stepped back through the gate and went to sit down beside Eric. He had changed out of his usual business suit and was sitting back on a chaise lounge in just a pair of swim trunks. I needed to talk to him about something, but seeing his long legs stretched out and his big biceps flexed as his hands were behind his head was making it a little hard to remember what I was thinking. Instead I just crawled up between his legs and layed on his chest, like a large blonde cat seeking attention. I could feel his amusement through the bond as he looked at me.
"Don't get me wrong lover I am happy to see you too, but don't you need to tell me something?"
"Huh?" I asked dreamily. "Oh yeah! I talked to Bill and like you guessed, he's conflicted because he never wanted to be anyone's Master or maker and that's why he hasn't made his own vampire…blah blah blah…he's thinking it over and he'll be over here in a little while to let us know."
"To let us know? Dear one it isn't really his choice."
"I know that but I made it sound like he had a say in it because I want him to choose her."
"You sneaky little Faery. Perhaps you have been spending too much time around vampires and our crafty mind games."
"I learned from the best." I said smiling at him. I had done my part and now it was up to Bill what happened next.
Amelia and Godric were splashing around in the pool while Pam lay lounging in another chaise a few feet from Eric.
"Of course bleeding heart Bill would have a problem with being a maker; even a fake one. He never did possess that certain joie de vivre it takes to be a great vampire." Pam snarked.
"Give him a break Pam, not everyone had a maker as cool as yours." I replied.
"That's true Sookie, but at least you solved that problem for him."
"True and I would do it again in a heartbeat. That cunt got what was coming to her."
"Spoken like a true warrior." Eric said proudly.
Godric chuckled and said "I guess I'm glad you are fond of me child. I would have to sleep with one eye open."
"You know it! That's me; Sookie the vampire slayer."
"More like Sookie the vampire tamer!" Amelia laughed.
Pam and Godric nodded in agreement while Eric just growled at her. For once the night seemed to actually be moving slow as we laughed and played. For a few hours, there was no King Eric and his second Pamela and all the drama that politics brings; it was just me and my boyfriend and family having a good time.
Almost an hour later, Eric stopped while we were swimming and looked at me. "Karin is here."
If Karin was here, that meant that Harper was here too. I pulled myself out of the pool and dried quickly while Eric did the same. I asked Amelia to go grab some more warm bloods while I pulled the blood sorbet out of the cooler and began scooping it into small bowls.
Eric walked up to me and smiled. "You are always the perfect hostess my love. I need you to do something for me though. Can you completely shield your scent?"
"I think so." I did as Claudine had showed me and sure enough I completely blocked my Fae side.
"Though your scent is not enough to affect myself or Pam; I don't want to take any chances with a newborn that is unaccustomed to your delicious scent."
That was good thinking on his part; I didn't want to have to zap the poor girl the first night I met her. Karin came through the gate and Eric walked up to her. I watched as a beautiful blonde girl stepped up to them and bowed to Eric. I guess Karin had spent her babysitting time teaching Karin the proper protocol for addressing different vampires. I walked over to stand beside Eric and greet our new guests.
"Hey Karin, nice to see you. This must be Harper." I said cheerfully while slightly nodding my head at her.
"It is nice to see you as well Sookie, and yes this is Harper Devins." Karin replied.
"Hi, nice to meet you. Are you Sookie?" She asked. She really was a striking young girl; she had shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes like mine, and a lean fit body. Her voice had the expected southern twang of a local girl, and she looked like your typical cheerleader type. I could see so much of myself in her; the girl I was two years ago. She was young, pretty, well mannered, and painfully naïve about the world around her.
"Yes that's me. I'm King Northman's bonded and this is my home. I'm glad you could come, it's nice to meet you." I could feel Eric's approval through the bond. He was glad I referred to him as King in front of her since she really would need to learn the ins and outs of the vampire world quickly. "If you're hungry, I've got some warm True Bloods over here and my roommate and I made some blood sorbet today if you'd like some."
"Blood sorbet? I didn't know there was such a thing." She answered timidly.
"I didn't either until recently so I don't know if you guys will like it or not!" I said. "Well come on everybody, let's sit down and get acquainted."
Everyone went to take their seats around the picnic table while I grabbed the tray of bowls and bottles of blood. I stuck some spoons and napkins on the tray and carried it to the table. Amelia grabbed the bowls of chicken salad and watermelon for us and we sat down. I took the opportunity to introduce everyone to Harper and let them tell her how they were all related. As Amelia was talking to our newest vamp, I sensed a void just outside the fence; Bill was here but he wasn't coming in yet. I looked at Eric who just gave me a little wink; he obviously could sense Bill as well. After another minute, Bill finally came in and walked up to the table.
"Hey Bill, I'm so glad you came." I said standing up from my seat.
"Thank you for the invite Sookie." He then turned and bowed to Eric. "Your Majesty." Eric inclined his head and went back to eating his sorbet. I guess it really had turned out good.
I looked at Harper and said; "Harper this is my neighbor and good friend; Bill Compton." Since she still wasn't clear on protocol, she stood and bowed her head to him.
"It's nice to meet you Mr. Compton." She said in her sweet southern drawl. When she flashed her smile, I figured Bill was probably a goner.
"It is nice to meet you as well Harper. You can call me Bill."
They sat down and I put a bowl of sorbet in front of Bill and smiled brightly at him. He looked as if I had handed him a cheeseburger before he realized all the other vampires were eating it. He slowly put some to his nose and gently sniffed it before tasting it.
"What do you think? Me and Sook made it today." Amelia chimed in.
"It's a little odd to have chilled blood, but it's actually pretty good." He said.
I realized immediately that I had been thoughtless when serving our dinner. Although the older vampires didn't look twice at regular food, I realized Harper had barely touched her blood and was eyeballing my chicken salad. I knew from a previous conversation with Eric that young vampires often miss food as much as they do the sun and here I was eating right in front of her. I set my fork down on my plate and looked at Amelia.
"Amelia I'm full, do you think you could take care of the food please?" I said and barely nodded towards Harper.
It took her a few seconds to catch on but then I saw the flash of recognition in her eyes. "Sure!" She snapped her fingers and all the human food disappeared from the table and hopefully landed in my kitchen. I heard Harper gasp beside me and looked to find her eyes as wide as saucers. Of course she didn't know Amelia was a witch; she had just entered the Supernatural world and she didn't know anything about it yet. I looked at Bill who finally spoke up.
"She is a witch." He said gesturing to Amelia.
"A witch? Like a real witch with spells and stuff? How is that even possible?" She asked surprised.
"Yes she is an actual witch. It means that instead of being a Supernatural creature; one who is genetically a magical creature, she was born with the gift of intuition and learned to harvest her magical powers."
"That's amazing!" She said.
"Thanks!" Amelia beamed.
"There are so many things you will learn about the world that you did not know as a human." Bill said. She didn't know it yet, but Bill was going to be the one to teach her about all those things.
After a few more minutes of the vamps eating and Amelia and I chatting with Harper, Eric gave Bill one of his thoughtful looks before going to jump in the pool. Godric and Amelia jumped in after him while Pam went to the cabana to pull out her favorite float. I turned to Harper and told her to follow me inside to get a swimsuit. She looked at Karin nervously, who in turn smiled and nodded her head that it was fine.
When I walked in the back door, I was about to invite her in before I noticed that she looked confused as to why she couldn't walk through the door.
"I have to invite you in; a vampire can't enter a human-owned home without an invitation."
"Oh, sorry I didn't know." She looked embarrassed and it made me want to stake her maker if he wasn't already dead. What a shitty excuse for a vampire he must have been.
"It's alright; you're going to learn everything real quick. Now, Harper won't you please come in?" I said in my sweetest twang.
I looked through my swimsuit drawer and threw several out on the bed for her to choose from.
"I'll be downstairs, just come on out when you're ready."
Soon after, she came downstairs in my hot pink and sequined bikini. Besides her paler color and slightly smaller boobs, she looked almost the same in it as I did.
"You look great! Come on let's go." We walked back out to the pool and jumped in to join in on the chicken fight going on. Godric was holding Amelia as Eric held Pam and they were going at it. I could see Amelia fighting dirty with little shockwaves that would throw Pam off balance, but Pam was still getting the better of her. Harper was watching them and smiling; it was a beautiful and relaxed smile and one I bet she hadn't worn in a while.
"Come on let's show them how it's done!" I said and dipped under the water to hoist her up on my shoulders. She actually squealed when I popped us up out of the water.
"Oh my God are you sure you can hold me? I'm gonna hurt you!" She squealed.
"Honey you're a vampire, not a lead weight. Now I'm warning you that Pam is tough as nails and Amelia is a cheater, so you better be ready to hold your own!"
"Hey I'm not a cheater! I'm just using my gifts the way Pam uses her gift of HE-man strength!" Amelia yelled indignantly.
"Oh this should be good!" Pam snickered.
"Harper; show no mercy!" I yelled and lunged her forward to join in the fight.
The three of them were pushing and grabbing, yelling and laughing like lunatics. It was the most fun I had in a long time and it was nice to see Harper finally relax and have some fun. I couldn't imagine what she had been through in the last two months but seeing the way her face lit up; I had no doubt that Bill could turn things around for her.
After a few more rounds of fighting and Pam winning every match; we all climbed out and toweled off. Amelia and Godric snuck off to the house for what I presume was dinnertime while Pam sat beside Eric; staring at Harper's towel jealously as she dried off.
"If he doesn't want her, I'll take her." Pam purred.
"Sorry my child but you have enough on your plate as it is." He replied.
"Must you always spoil my fun?"
He looked at her and I knew they were doing their silent communication. She sauntered off and went to grab Karin who was talking to Bill.
"Come sister, let's chat." She said strolling off with Karin in tow.
Eric motioned for me to follow him and walked towards Bill. "Harper please join us."
Poor girl, the smile fell from her lips and she walked nervously over to join our little meeting with Bill. We sat down and immediately Eric was in charge.
"Harper I have given a great deal of thought to your situation since I spoke with you earlier this evening. I have decided that Bill will be your new Master. He is a good man as well as a formidable vampire. He will teach you in the ways of our kind and show you how to mainstream as he does. He is also my area investigator, so he has proven himself a worthy subject and he will be able to care for you financially."
She looked nervous and fidgety which is not something vampires do.
"I feel like such a burden. You all have been real nice to me, but I don't deserve it. I killed someone for God's sake! I'm a monster!" She cried with the agony she had held inside for the past few months and I couldn't stop the tears that welled up in my eyes.
Instinctually I put my hands over top of hers and tried to soothe her. "You are not a monster! Every new vampire has to learn to feed and your shitty maker didn't bother to teach you. You were starving and it was an accident; it won't happen again. Bill is going to teach you everything you need to know and you won't have to worry about hurting anyone again."
Eric and Bill were watching the exchange with an uncomfortable look. Freaking vampires could skin a person alive and not bat an eye, but a few tears and they want to run for the hills. Bill seemed to snap out of it first and surprisingly he put his hand over her free one and spoke to her.
"Harper, you are not a burden. It is not your fault for what happened to you. If you will allow me, I would like to be your mentor. I live just across the cemetery from here and you will be quite safe with me. It would be my honor to teach you the ways of our kind and I will never violate your trust….in any capacity."
I shuddered at the underlying meaning in his speech. He was subtly trying to tell her that he would never force himself on her sexually, as many Makers did with their children.
"He really is one of the good ones, you can trust him." I said smiling at her. "Plus if you stay with Bill, you'll be really close by to hang out with me and Amelia."
"Really? I'd like that. Thank you for everything you've done for me tonight Sookie."
"Aww it was nothing! Just some sorbet and a bikini."
"No, thank you for making me feel again; for not treating me like a freak or an outcast." She said.
I had to swallow the lump in my throat before I burst into tears. I felt Eric sending me calm and love and I was able to suppress the sadness that was creeping up in me. I knew better than anyone what it felt like to be an outcast; it was the story of my life. Before I met Supes, it was almost impossible for me to find someone to accept me just the way I was.
"You are not a freak; you are just as nature intended you to be. Once you learn to control your instincts, I think you may find that you enjoy being a vampire." Eric was saying to her.
"Well if you're sure you don't mind, then I would like to stay with you." She said to Bill. He nodded his head that it was fine.
"Bill will be taking you to his house to show you around and get you settled before dawn. Write down the address of the house where you were staying and I'll send someone to pick up your things tomorrow during the day and deliver them to you tomorrow night." She nodded and he continued in a more serious tone. "I do not blame you for your incident last night, but it is vital that you remain with Bill. He is now your Master and you will need to do as he says, just as you would your maker. As he mentioned, he will not ever violate you but you know that you must exchange blood with him?"
"Why do I need to do that?"
"As he is not the one who made you, you have no ties to him. Now that the bond with your maker has been severed, you will need to create a blood bond with Bill to ensure that he can track you and that you will hear his call. It will help him to feel your emotions so he can help you understand them and work through them. Creating a blood bond will also help the two of you to feel more connected; more like a maker/child."
She thought it over for a minute before agreeing. "I understand."
Before they left, I gave her my number and told her that I was always just a phone call or short walk away. Pam and Karin showed up simultaneously, so I figured Eric had called his children to him. They said their goodbyes and left; with Karin going to stay at Pam's house. My Viking carried me inside and set me down in the shower. He pulled slowly at my strings and watched in amusement as I was very quickly naked.
"I like these swimsuits; I don't even have to rip them to get them off quickly." He said leering at me.
"Yeah if only all my clothes included easy break-aways; life would be much easier for the Viking."
"I'm glad you see things my way dear."
We spent the next hour running out the hot water and alternating between cleanliness and filthiness. In fact, it was hard to decide which I liked more.
Ok so I only have about two more chapters left of this story and I started worrying that when I go on to the new story that I might lose some of my readers. To me it seems like a completely new adventure, so I've been planning on making it a separate story but I don't want to lose anyone! Please drop me a line and let me know if I should stick with the original plan to make it a new story! Thanks