A huge thank you to all have taken the time to read this story. I'm touched by how many of you have made this story a favorite, or added an alert for this, and even more shockingly, an alert for me as an author.
To those of you who left such kind words, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I love you all.
As always, I own nothing.
I woke with a smile on my face and immediately decided I wasn't going to let anyone or anything ruin my delicious Eric-induced glow. I felt marvelous, but still tingling and throbbing in all the right places. My dreams may have prepared my mind for how demanding a lover Eric is, but my body was basking in its first post-Eric Northman sex haze. I thought I knew it all, even bragged to Eric about how prepared I was. I so wasn't prepared. He's a sex god, voracious, demanding and unrelenting. He can be tender and gentle when the moment warrants, sure, but even those moments are tinged with a desperate hunger.
I grinned in pleasure as I stretched my body like a cat.
Sex is absolutely everything it's cracked up to be. I had my doubts. Everything I knew about sex came from my own dreams and the mixed bag of thoughts coming from everyone around me. Yeah, every dude I ever heard was looking forward to it, but women were always a different story. Many really like it and genuinely seem to want it. On the other side, there are others who always seem to dread it, or are disappointed in their sex lives. How was I supposed to know what camp I'd fall into? Up until now, I always thought sex would be out of the question for me. I was going to go from Crazy Sookie to Crazy Old Spinster Sookie with only my dreams of my vampire lover to soothe me in the night. I thought I was okay with that before last night. Last night changed everything.
He changed everything.
I roll around on my bed, taking in his scent and laughing like a loon. Nope, now that I've had the Eric Northman experience, I want it again and again.
I let my mind run through the night, freezing the frame when it reached our blood exchange. I felt myself flush a little just remembering how it felt. There are no words to accurately describe it, impossible to put that kind of magic into mere words. It was electric, primal, wild and all of the other clichés you can think of. It was all of that and so much more. It was just incredibly, overwhelmingly right. It felt right to take him into me, to have a tangible, physical reminder of the vampire I've loved all of my life.
It was our second exchange, but it felt like the first time for both of us as I was unconscious the first time and Eric had only licked the blood from my wounds that night. He was biting me for the first time, a new experience for us both. Fueled by the desperate passion and arousal between us, our raw emotions raged through our tie as more of our blood mixed and mingled. The small amount of his blood I drank seemed to flood my entire being all at once, entering each and every blood vessel at the same time. I was acutely aware of everything Eric. My body had never felt so alive, so aware before and the orgasm that ripped through me was monumental, especially considering my limited experience.
In the bright morning sun I have to wonder what caused the shimmering glow that surrounded us as our blood mingled. In my tangled memories of the first time, I do remember there being something similar, but not really the same as what last night brought. The way the light surrounded us, enveloped us and moved with us was something I had never experienced before, awake or dreaming. Eric seemed to be as clueless as I about the situation, but I seriously suspected it had something to do with this damned spark I'm supposed to have.
So much change in so little time. Just a couple of weeks before I was simply plain old Crazy Sookie, a simple country girl content to live out life in her small hometown. I'm teetering on the edge of insanity here, but knowing Eric is on my side helps. I groan out loud as I recall how forward, how brazen I was with Eric last night. Yes, I wanted to know where I stood with him, but I'm damned sure there were more ladylike ways of finding out.
Forcing myself up from the bed, I moved to the shower and let my thoughts consume me once again.
He said he was mine. I was his and he was mine.
Just Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman.
I dare you to show me the girl who could resist such a force. I doubt she exists. He is perfection, a breathtaking example of masculinity at its finest. I have a lifetime of bias, but I can't help but be swept away by this Eric. I loved dream Eric with every fiber of my being. I think I could love this Eric, too. Being with him feels like how I imagine a rollercoaster to feel – exhilarating, freeing and downright terrifying. I don't fear for my life nearly as much as I fear for my sanity should he grow bored with me. It's the reason I was putting reins on falling in love too quickly with this Eric. I knew I could love him if I gave myself the chance. But could he ever love me the way dream Eric did? Did he even know how to love?
I brushed those thoughts away as soon as they reached my mind. I reminded myself Eric and I stood just a good a chance of making it as any new couple. Everyone had issues, and you have to work for what you want. And I'm nothing if not a dedicated worker.
I get ready for work quickly and move through the house with a spring in my step. Even the thought of facing Sam again was more bearable today. I hurried through my morning routine, downed a cup of coffee and left the house.
As it turned out, today wasn't so very bad at work. Sam avoided me like the plague, only speaking to me when necessary. The rest of the day he spent staring at me when he thought I wasn't looking, but as long as there were no confrontations, he could stare to his heart's content.
I took a long lunch, with Sam's grunted approval, and ran over to see Tara. I'd thought enough ahead to ask to borrow some luggage yesterday and I was hoping to find something for New Orleans when I was there. Tara's Togs was the only hope for anything nice in Bon Temps, and I didn't have time to make it to Shreveport. Tara had great taste and carried a large selection. Other than maybe Dillard's in Shreveport, hers was the best shop to find what I needed. Not that I knew what the appropriate attire for meeting a vampire Queen was, but I was pretty sure there was nothing in my wardrobe that would do.
"Hey, girl! How are they knocking?" Tara came out from behind the counter to greet me with a hug and a kiss to the cheek. She looked damned good herself, but her wardrobe had been nothing short of kick-ass ever since she opened the store.
"Hey, Tar. Looking good, baby!" I returned her hug with sincere affection. She would always be family to me and we just haven't had enough time together lately.
After catching up for a few minutes, we started to browse the racks and pull outfits to try on. It didn't take long for a daunting stack to appear in the dressing room and I got to it, going as fast as I could through the pile. Tara was an angel and waited on me hand and foot. As soon as I had one dress off, she was ready with the next, doing zippers and helping with closures and hooks. I found what I needed faster than expected and there was still plenty of time to look at shoes and accessories and chat a bit more with Tara.
My tummy got a little tight when Tara gave me the total, and that was with my customary discounts. I've never spent so much at one time before and I got a touch nauseous thinking of how many hours I had to work to pay for it. Money was always tight and I usually shopped on sale and bought no more than one thing at a time. I've spent more on clothing since I met Eric than I spent all of last year combined. What could I do, though? I doubted he'd ever say anything to me, but I didn't want to embarrass him in front of people who might hold my future in their hands. It was important to make a good impression and I just had to suck it up.
Saying good bye to Tara and heading back to work, I couldn't stop thinking about my finances. There's been no real money in the Stackhouse family for generations now. We all do okay and eke out a living, but at the end of the day we've all had to count our pennies and make sure there's enough to pay the bills. It's not like I assumed I'd always live in near poverty or anything, but I never really imagined much else for myself, either. I knew I was one of the lucky ones, as poor as I am. I've got a roof over my head, a job that pays the bills and I had good friends, even if I didn't have much family.
My thoughts drift to the contract Mr. Cataliades had drawn up for me and the one Eric whole-heartedly agreed with. According to the terms of the contract, all I had to do was work one day a month for the Queen and I'd make more than I would make the entire month at Merlotte's. We all suspected the Queen would make use of me more often and my mind was boggled by the possibilities. It was near on winning the lottery for me. I'd never dreamed of making so much money. I didn't want to get excited about it, though. Who knows what could happen? The Queen might eat me alive for asking for so much money no matter what Eric and Mr. Cataliades say.
Of course, if I listen to Mr. Cataliades about everything, I wouldn't need to worry about all of this anyway. But the legal papers he gave me to look over are still sitting on the table where I dropped them yesterday and I'm trying like hell to not think about what he told me. Pulling into Merlotte's parking lot, I again put it out of my head and went back to work. It wasn't going anywhere and there were far more important things to worry about now. I'd think about it after New Orleans. Maybe.
I arrived home with two hours until go time and I was anxious to jump in the shower and grab a bite to eat. Those plans were put on hold when I noticed the strange car sitting in the driveway. Further inspection revealed a short, pudgy balding man on my porch with two large boxes and an enormous set of matching luggage beside him. I turned off the ignition and lowered my shields.
His thoughts confirmed he was here on behalf of Pam. He hated being at Pam's disposal when he'd much prefer to only ever deal with Eric. Listening for even a minute was exhausting. This man's thought patterns were as fast as any I had ever seen. His mind was a whirlwind of nastiness, basically. Everybody and anybody were beneath him except for Eric. When his thoughts touched on him, they became even more hectic as he basically hero-worshipped Eric in his head.
It was a little sickening, if you ask me.
What was more sickening was listening to the little shit's chaotic thoughts when I got out of the car and walked up to the porch. He didn't think much of me, that much was clear. He didn't understand Eric's interest in me at all, especially if it involved regular trips to this sleepy little backwater hole.
"Can I help you?"
"Are you Miss Stackhouse?" The little toad gave a sickening smile when I nodded and introduced himself. I snorted a little and ignored his outstretched hand. Rude, yes, but as his thoughts were percolating around the idea that I was nothing but a pudgy backwater tramp, I didn't quite give a damn if he added rude to my list of faults. "I'm Bobby Burnham, Miss Stackhouse. I'm Eric Northman's daytime associate."
I nearly laughed out loud when I heard his mind going over some of the tasks he performed for Eric. Daytime associate, my pudgy backwater ass. Lackey or gopher was more like it. His tasks for when he left here included picking up Eric's dry-cleaning and purchasing two more bottles of bodywash for him. He also had to pick up a parcel for the she-devil bitch. I assumed he meant Pam.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Burnham?" I want to kick him so badly, and I'm not sure I can resist much longer if he doesn't stop projecting such nastiness. I just wanted him gone.
"I have this," he thrust an envelope at me. My name was written in distinctly feminine, loopy handwriting. "And Ms. Ravenscroft asked me to deliver these packages to you. If you would tell me where to put them, I'll get them inside for you."
I wanted tell him where to put them alright and it wasn't anywhere inside my house. The nasty little toad wasn't stepping one foot inside my house.
"That's okay, Mr. Burnham. Leave them where they are and I will move them when I am ready. If that's all, I must be going. I'm in a bit of a hurry."
"Are you sure, Ms. Stackhouse? It would be no trouble, I assure you." The toad was starting to sweat, his mind going a mile a minute over whether Eric would consider this a dereliction of his duty. He had delivered the packages as instructed, but should he insist on carrying them in, even though the heifer – that would be me – could carry them herself? I settled the question by unlocking my door and stepping through the entrance. I turned to look at him once more before I closed the door.
"Don't worry, Mr. Burnham. I'll be sure to tell Eric how helpful you were." I slammed the door behind me and cussed him out in my head. I'd be sure to tell Eric to never, ever send that unpleasant little toad to my home again. I waited until his car disappeared from sight before retrieving the packages he brought and hauling them into the living room. I stared at them huffily for a moment before deciding it wasn't their fault Mr. Bobby Burnham was such an ass-toad. I sat and opened the envelope from Pam.
Sookie,
I wasn't sure you'd have the time to shop for New Orleans, so I thought
I would have a few things delivered. Something might be suitable.
Sorry Bobby's such an asshat dipshit.
Pam
I'd had my suspicions looking at the luggage and the boxes, but knowing didn't make it any better. Did Pam actually feel she had to shop for me? I didn't know what to make of that. A terrible thought struck me. Did Eric ask Pam to do this? Was he afraid I would be an embarrassment? I was glad I had made the trip to Tara's and gambled on my future. I couldn't bear it if Eric felt that way.
I hauled all the rest of my bags and my borrowed luggage from the car and dumped it all in my room. My appetite had disappeared completely and I decided to skip dinner for now and just shower and get ready. The shower helped with my mood and by the time I was done, I was willing to assume Pam had meant no offence and was simply looking out for me.
I dried my hair carefully, using a big round bristly brush as I blow it smooth and dry. I look at the ends critically and decide it's time to schedule a haircut soon. After sorting through my new purchases, it didn't take long to finish packing and get myself dressed. I chose a dark green sleeveless dress for the journey. The simple boat neck dress minimized my boobs nicely and the pencil skirt made my hips and ass look great. I thought I looked presentable.
I left my room in search of my black pumps and handbag. They were my only accessories other than the silk scarf I tied around my neck. The scarf was predominantly red with vivid splotches of purple and green throughout. I hadn't been quite sure when Tara suggested it but I had to admit it looked great. I was sold when she off-handedly mentioned how other vampires would view it, thinking I was covering Eric's bite. Another layer of protection wouldn't go astray.
Now ready and waiting with an hour to spare, I sat in the living room and stared at the packages from Pam. I hadn't even opened them and I was starting to feel guilty. If Pam was trying to be kind, I shouldn't be a petulant bitch about it. I didn't need her help, but I could at least make an effort to appreciate it.
Sighing, I got up from the couch and opened the first box, only to find it full of shopping bags. The first few were full of more casual wear and daytime dresses. It was all beautiful, tasteful, elegant and completely my style. The next box proved to be full of evening wear, all as lovely as the others. There were a few smaller bags from stores I didn't recognize and I opened them only to find a lavish selection of daring and sexy lingerie. I fell in love with most of it, but boxed it all back up. It was far too expensive for me to think about, especially with what I spent at Tara's.
My hands drifted over the last set of lingerie in the pile. It was black, with a full demi-cup bra and tiny satin panties. Both were woven with scarlet ribbon, as was the matching garter belt. I doubted the bra could fully wrangle the girls, but it wouldn't matter for what I had in mind. A sheer black peignoir finished the set and I just knew Eric would love it. I had everything neatly folded and put away when I decided I would keep the lingerie. It would at least be a peace gesture towards Pam and I really did think Eric was going to love it.
I stowed my borrowed luggage in the back seat of my car and thought about eating something, but my stomach was really urging me not to. I was full of nerves and no appetite. I poured myself a glass of milk and pulled a couple of cookies from the cupboard. It was just going to have to do for now. I turned to sit down at the table and nearly tossed my cookies in fright when Claudine appeared with a POP.
"Mercy! Claudine! You frightened me nearly to death!" I scowled at her and continued my scolding. "Still mostly human here you know. A little warning next time?"
"Sorry, Sookie." At least she had the sense to look contrite. "I promise I will announce myself better in the future."
"I'd appreciate that, Claudine. It'd be a shame for me to drop dead of shock when y'all are doing so much to keep me safe and alive." I smiled at her to let her know I wasn't really all that mad. "What are you doing here? I'm leaving for New Orleans in a few minutes."
"I know you are, sweetie, and that's why I'm here. I think, though, we should step outside into the air while we speak. I can only shield my scent so much and I don't want you smelling like fairy before you get into a car with vampires."
"You're probably right." Eric already proved he has enough control to ignore Claudine's scent, but Pam is so much younger and I really don't feel like fending her off all night. "Come, let's go out onto the porch. Can I get you some milk and cookies, too?"
"I'd love some, Sookie. I didn't have a chance to have lunch today." She took the offered milk and cookies and we made our way to Gran's old porch swing.
"I want you to be careful in New Orleans, Sookie. There will be too many vampires for me to help you if you need it." Claudine munched on her cookie and continued. "Of course, if you are in real danger, all you need to do is concentrate really hard and call for Niall in your mind. We will be watching, and Niall could get to you in seconds if need be."
"That's a great comfort to know, but I'm really hoping it doesn't come to anything like that. I'm sure Niall doesn't want to have to poof into a vampire Queen's lair."
"If you need him, Sookie, don't hesitate for a moment. Niall will be perfectly safe, I assure you. He is stronger and more magical than you can comprehend right now." Claudine reached out and squeezed my now cookie-free hand. "But it's your magic I'm here to talk about. Both Niall and I felt you accessing your spark last night. It was truly impressive, Sookie, considering you've no training."
"My spark? I don't know what you're talking about, Claudine. I didn't access anything." My cheeks burned with the untruth on my lips. I might not have known what I was doing, but Eric and I exchanging blood caused something to happen.
"Oh, Sookie! You are so adorable when you blush like that." Claudine's tinkling laughter wafted across my yard. "I saw the two of you, Sookie, so you can give up the innocent act."
My face flushed crimson and my mouth hung open.
"What do you mean you saw us?"
"When we felt your spark ignite, naturally we were curious about what was happening. Niall thought –"
I shrieked when she spoke my fairy great-grandfather's name.
"Tell me Niall didn't see that!" My eyes wanted to pop out of my head as I imagined the very proper Niall Brigant observing Eric and I going at it like rabbits.
"Don't worry, I was pretty sure I knew what was going on between you and your hunky vampire. I left Niall and popped over myself. I only stayed for a couple of seconds to make sure you were alright."
I wanted the ground to swallow me whole in that moment.
"Um, yeah, well. It's not like I used the spark thing on purpose. I don't know what I did, or how it worked at all."
"I assume you shared blood with the Viking again?" She's so casual about it, it's like we're discussing nothing more important or personal than cookie recipes.
"Yes." I am so not going to give her more than that.
"As we suspected, your spark is reacting with the magic in the vampire's blood. With more of his blood in your system, your essential spark is active and strong now." She took my hand in hers once more and held it as she closed her eyes. A dreamy look graced her perfect features. "Your magic is emerging, Sookie. I can feel the power in your spark."
I pulled my hand away from her and tucked it under my thigh. I thought about her words for a minute before voicing my conclusions.
"This spark – the whole fairy thing – everything about it scares me to my very core, Claudine. I've been a freak since birth," I held up a hand to ward off her instinctive protestations, "and I'm not real thrilled about the idea of becoming even more different than I am now, becoming less human than I am now."
I truly did worry about my non-human genes and what it meant for me. Gaining other-worldly, supernatural powers wasn't the typical human experience. I was afraid of losing touch with that part of me. Truth be told, I was afraid the supernatural world was going to chew me up and spit me out. Where would I be if I lost my humanity?
"But I am a Stackhouse, and Gran raised me to be a realist about life. If this is going to happen to me no matter what I want, then I want to learn how to control it, at the very least. If I can learn to protect myself better, and not be such a burden on everyone else, then it will be worth it."
Claudine smiled across at me. She had an excited twinkle in her eyes that would rival that of a five year old in a candy store. Well, at least one of us was happy about this.
"I'm so happy, cousin! Niall has agreed to let me teach you as much as I can about harnessing your energy, and accessing simple magic. I know he wants to work with you later, when you are more comfortable with your magic."
Claudine's enthusiasm was contagious and her excitement was rubbing off on me. Just a little, but it was there. Even if I totally failed at being a fairy, I would at least get the chance to know my fairy kin better.
"Ok, so when do you want to start training? What's involved in all this, anyway?" In for a penny, in for a pound.
"We can start as soon as you get back from New Orleans. You can start practising while you're gone."
I snorted. I didn't have a clue what I was doing and told her so.
"Your magic is a part of you, Sookie. It's been there forever. There is some part of you that has always been aware of it and now that it's gotten stronger, the rest of you should be able to find it, too."
"Just like that, huh?" I snorted again. "I don't feel anything different about me, Claudine. How can I find it when I don't know what I'm looking for?"
"Let's look at it this way. You are of the Sky Fae clan. Your power is harnessed through the sun. It recharges us, powers us in a sense. I can see you spend a lot of time in the sun. Think about how it feels to bath in the warm and light of the sun. Close your eyes and imagine the heat on your skin. Tell me how you feel when you are connected to the sun."
I did as she asked and closed my eyes. Ever since I was a kid, I loved the sun, loved feeling the rays penetrate me, warming me to my core. My mind brushed over so many hours, so many days spent basking in the unrelenting Louisiana sunshine.
How did I feel in those moments? Being in the sun always made me feel better. I would spend hours outside when I was a kid and still had little control over my telepathy. It was easier to get away from mama's thoughts and I spent hours lying on my back, baking in the sun. I had a secret spot I returned to time and again when I wanted to get my head clear of all the thoughts running through them. I'd just lie there and let the sun wrap me up and make me safe and secure.
I craved the sun. I can admit that easily. I sunbathed as often as possible and spent as much time outdoors as I could. I've been hearing all my life how it's gonna kill me, but I simply couldn't care less. I imagined myself lying in the sun as Claudine asked. I felt the rays on my face, felt my body absorbing the heat. I tried to focus, tried to feel inside me, but it just wasn't working. I knew I felt better in the sun, but I couldn't identify why.
"It's not working. I know how it makes me feel, but there's nothing else, nothing attached to that feeling." I was frustrated, but tried to keep myself calm and looking inward.
"Can you feel your bond with the vampire?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with it?"
"How do you find it?"
"It's hard to describe. He's there, in the back of my head all the time. I know he's there. I feel him when he wakes, and I feel him better when we are close. But I don't see how that helps me find my spark."
"Your spark reacted intensely to his blood magic. I think if you can focus on his magic, you will find yours alongside it."
I closed my eyes and thought about Eric. He was still in his dayrest and our bond was sort of muted. I concentrated on our blood tie and focused on finding his blood within me. I pushed deeper and deeper into the bond, following the blood to the root of our connection. It was brighter now, a solid cord I was able to grasp in my mind.
It was the first time I experimented with the bond this way and I was fascinated by how it responded to my mental manipulations, glowing golden wherever my mental fingers stroked. I wrapped myself around our tie, attempting to absorb as much of him as I could while trying to remember and focus on how the light felt last night. I was looking for anything that was more me than the pulsing dark red of Eric. My mind slid over it repeatedly searching for anything different. It felt stronger, but nothing else seemed different about it.
I cracked an eye and looked at Claudine.
"I'm sorry. I wish I was better at this, but I can't find it."
"Don't be sorry, Sookie. It takes time, even with full Fae. Seriously, it does," she continued as she saw the doubt on my face. "And we are taught all about our spark from birth. You're just learning now, and it's all so new. Don't be disappointed. It will come."
I sighed. Logically, I knew she was right, but I still felt like I was flunking Fairy 101.
"I promise I will keep trying, Claudine. I'll have all day tomorrow to practise by myself while the vamps are in their dayrest." I refused to say dead for the day. It seemed so wrong. "I want to learn, I really do. Y'all are putting your very lives at stake for me. I feel so damned helpless and if anything should ever happen…" my words trailed off as I thought of the consequences of someone dying in my name. My body clenched as a cold chill shuddered through me. "I just want to be able to stand up for myself, Claudine."
"Oh, Sookie, don't put so much stress upon yourself. Magic is at its best when you are relaxed and focused. You have to push past the fear and the worry and trust in yourself. Trust in us to protect you. We are all seasoned warriors, sweetie. You will find what powers you, and when you harness that power, you'll have the strength you seek."
I thought about her words and came to the reluctant conclusion she was right. The only thing I can do is to keep trying to find the spark I'm supposed to have and when I do – that's right. When. Not if. – I will devote myself entirely to training and controlling the blasted thing. I could at least even the playing field slightly.
The sun was falling towards the horizon and I knew I had to leave. I assured Claudine I would take her advice and keep trying. We parted after making plans for the day after we were due home. I hurried through the house, rinsing our glasses and grabbing my purse and keys. In just a couple of minutes, I was hitting the highway on my way to Shreveport, even as my attention remained on my conversation with Claudine.
My tie with Eric pulsed to life about twenty minutes into the ride and I felt the difference immediately. Before our second exchange, I would only have felt him this clearly if he were physically near me. I was still twenty minutes outside Shreveport. I concentrated on him as best I could while still paying attention to the road. It was different, stronger. It felt deeper, more rooted, in a sense. I tried to focus on our bond and quickly realized it was easier to find every time I looked for it. I was easily able to grasp it and follow it to the source. Again, I tried to absorb as much of Eric as I could, looking only for what remained of me in our tie.
Our connection flared as I poked and prodded it and I felt a wave of shock and intense curiosity coming from Eric. Oops! I guess he can feel it when I manipulate the bond that way. Good to know. I pulled back as much as I could and laughed as I felt his curiosity increase.
Pulling into Fangtasia's parking lot, I sheepishly parked my old clunker next to Eric's Corvette. I was proud of my old beater, even if I could admit it had seen better days. It was the first car I ever bought myself, and still the only thing I could afford to drive, but I could see how it must look. Perhaps I'd be able to buy something better soon.
I took a deep breath and got out of the car. I was feeling a little like a lamb to slaughter, but I firmed my resolve and started walking toward the employee door. The steel door flung open before I made it there and the doorway filled up with 6' 5" of glorious Viking vampire. His shoulders filled the available space as he stood there staring at me. His face wore his normal impassive expression, but I could see the tension around his eyes. Waves of curiosity and concern swell through our shared blood.
"Eric?" I called out to him as my steps faltered. I didn't know what to expect seeing him after last night, but this wasn't it. "Is everything alright? You're scaring me a little."
He moved faster than I could track, stopping abruptly just inches from me. His eyes scanned my body before coming to rest on mine. I could feel them boring into me, like he was searching for something.
"Why did you call me? How did you call me?" His words made no sense to me and I told him so.
"I never called you, Eric."
"Oh, but you did, lover. I felt your call as certainly as I have felt my maker's call. You called me through our blood bond, Sookie."
I stared at him, my mouth agape.
"Oh, crap!"
Sorry for the delay in getting this to you, but it's been a busy week. Next chapter will be up in a few days.
Are you all ready to take a trip to New Orleans? Wonder what's going to happen with dear old Billy boy? Y'all haven't forgotten about him, have you?
