A/N: I am going to focus on finishing this story before I focus on the others. Since this one actually only has a few chapters left, I think maybe (hopefully) I can give you faster updates if my concentration isn't split into 3 or 4 different stories.
Thanks for those that reviewed the last chapter. Your kindness means a lot to me. HUGS
EtheHunter beta'd. She's so win, and I don't deserve her.
Disclaimer: Charlaine Harris is boss, I just volunteer.
Previously...
Eric's lips were becoming more insistent, and I knew we really needed to get a move on if we were going to find anything in Hot Shot. But with his kisses and talented hands on me, I was having a hard time finding the will to stop him.
Luckily I was saved by the bell. Well, at least the ringing of the phone.
Which Eric didn't seem to hear. "The phone," I panted. "The phone is ringing."
He pulled back after one more toe-curling kiss, and I stumbled over to the phone on legs made of rubber. It stopped ringing as soon as I reached it though, but then my cell immediately began ringing. "Weird," I mumbled and walked across to the bed side table where I'd set it.
The caller ID told me it was Jessica, who didn't even allow me the opportunity to answer. "Sookie?"
She sounded breathless and alarmed. "Hello. Jessica? What's the matter?"
"Oh, Sookie, thank God you answered."
"What happened? Are you okay?"
"I found your brother," she said. "I think... We have him here." The relief I felt was short-lived, her next words making me crumple to my knees. "Sookie, I think he's dying."
SPOV
"You stay here."
"I could help." Eric grabbed my elbow, his eyes full of sorrow and worry. I swallowed back my fears as well as my tears. "I would offer my blood."
We'd rushed over in my car after getting dressed at the speed of light. I didn't even know if I matched. I'd only let Eric come along at his insistence, and my lack of time to argue.
I squeezed his hand gently before removing it from my arm. "Only if it comes to that. You'll hear me? I don't know where he's been, or who has had him." We couldn't risk Eric's safety, too, unless the situation was absolutely dire. "I'll call if I need you, I promise."
He looked like he wanted to argue, but he set his hands in his lap and nodded, holding back his objections. "I will be here."
I took a deep breath before getting out of the car and jogging up the driveway to Jessica and Hoyt's house. The door was open a crack, so I didn't bother knocking. The smear of blood on the doorway made my stomach turn, and my fears reignited.
"Jessica," I called, noticing the specks of blood on the carpet and following them through the house. "Hoyt." Something like dread settled deep in my gut, making my steps drag.
The trail ended in the guest room, where Jason was prone and sprawled over the bed. Jessica's wrist was in his mouth. I nearly collapsed where I stood in the door, but managed to rush over to Jason's side, knocking Hoyt into the wall as I knelt next to the bed.
"His heart stopped," Jessica whispered. "I didn't think I had much of a choice."
"Oh God," I whispered. My hands hovered helplessly, fingers not quite touching the gaping wounds that covered most of Jason's body. He was completely naked, I noticed, and it looked like whatever had attacked him hadn't missed much. "Oh God, Jason."
"I know CPR," Hoyt said, "so I was able to revive him. But..."
"We didn't think he'd make it to a hospital," Jessica continued. Jason was sucking on her wrist, but I didn't think there was much effort in it. "I'm sorry, Sookie. We didn't know what else to do."
"Oh, Jason. What happened to you?" Tears rolled down my cheeks, but I did nothing to wipe them away. "Where have you been?"
"We found him on the side of the road. Almost ran right over him," Hoyt said. I felt his hand touch my shoulder and flinched. "Hey, Sookie, you alright?"
"No. No, I'm not alright. It looks like something... ate at him. And he's not drinking enough. Why isn't he drinking? His wounds aren't closing."
Just as I said it, Jason's body gave a shudder and his back arched off the bed. His eyes shot open, and for a moment it looked like they were glowing, but then they closed again. A low growl rumbled up from his chest before he grabbed hold of Jessica's wrist and bit down.
"Ow. Fuck." Jessica sagged forward with the force of Jason's draws from her vein, the pain evident on her face. Her fangs descended with a click and she hissed, trying to pull her wrist away from Jason.
I stilled her with a hand on her arm. "No. Don't. He needs it."
"He'll kill me," she growled, her eyes wide with fear.
"We won't let him, I promise. Just a little more. Look." I pointed to the worst of the wounds, a rough looking tear that went all the way through to his ribs. "It's closing."
There was a soft licking sound and then Jessica moaned, her eyes closing and head falling backwards. The atmosphere shifted, and suddenly everything was awkward. Hoyt cleared his throat behind me, and I averted my eyes.
I had a pretty good feeling Jason was going to be just fine.
"You got an extra blanket, Hoyt? Something to cover him up with?"
There were several things I definitely did not want to see on my brother. His boner being one of them. I glanced up at a silent Hoyt; his face was twisted in rage.
"Hoyt," I said and placed a hand on his arm. "It's not like that. It's sort of a... an involuntary thing. It's nothing personal."
He nodded, but there was still a lot of angry sitting behind those eyes of his. "I'll get that blanket."
When he left the room, I slapped at Jessica, who was beginning to get a little too enthusiastic with the moaning. She looked at me, but she wasn't with me. "Hey! Snap out of it. Hoyt will be back in a second, and I don't want you getting frisky on top of my brother right here in front of me."
That would just be... eww!
"You're right," she breathed before she tried to push Jason's mouth from her wrist. "That's enough." Jason growled and latched on harder, his eyes snapping open. I hadn't been mistaking before; they were glowing. A strange orange-yellow. "Holy shit," Jessica choked.
"What the fuck?" I leaned in, just as Hoyt came in and tossed the extra blanket over Jason, pushing his head down so I could see his eyes more clearly. They faded just as soon as he detached from Jessica's vein.
She hopped off the bed and scrambled over to Hoyt, her embarrassment obvious.
"Damn. Damn," Jason muttered, his eyes wondering around the room, not settling long enough to focus that I could tell. "Hot damn, I feel good."
"Well, you don't look good," I said, holding him to the bed when he tried to sit up. "You're still healing. Let the blood do its job." He struggled against me, Jessica's blood making him stronger. "Sit still, damn you."
Jason looked at me, as if just realizing I was in the room. "Sook? What're you doing here?" His eyes roamed again and a little blood trickled out of his mouth. "Come to think of it, where is here? And how did I get... um, to it?"
"We were hoping you could tell us that." I sat back on my heels, the floor cold and hard against my knees. I still couldn't shake the feeling of dread. What had made Jason's eyes glow like that? I was pretty sure mine had never done that when I'd had to take vampire blood. "Where the hell have you been?"
"Crystal," he groaned, scratching at his chest which had healed almost completely. "That crazy bitch kidnapped me. Or man-napped me. I'm not sure what to call it. They's panthers, Sook, real live panthers. Like the kind you see on Animal Planet."
I had assumed that much, maybe not specifically, but I'd been close. And in my gut I'd known Crystal was behind it. "What attacked you? Did she do this to you?"
"Her and just about every other crazy fucker in that town."
Jason shook his head and sat up. I allowed it that time, but only because the majority of his wounds had healed. They still looked a little angry and pink, and Jason was filthy, but the threat of death wasn't looming over him anymore.
"How'd you get out?" Hoyt asked.
"I was able to talk one of the little ones into letting me out of the binds. Ran like hell as soon as I got the chance. One of 'em found me though. I think I passed out, 'cuz I don't remember much."
"They had you tied up?" I saw red. I'd never wanted to kill someone as bad as I wanted to kill Crystal right then.
"'Course they did," Jason said, as if it were a stupid question. "I'd have ran long before they started... Well, I don't wanna talk about that, but I would've got away a lot sooner if I hadn't been tied down."
"Fuck," Jessica exhaled, and I agreed completely. I was too afraid to ask about what else they'd done to him. I was ready to commit murder as it was.
"But why?" I asked, frowning. "Why kidnap you? Why bite you? Were they trying to kill you? I just don't get it."
Jason cleared his throat, and I could tell by the way his eyes never met mine that he was trying to avoid my questions. "Hey, you guy got anything to drink 'round here? All I can taste is blood. No offense or nothing, Jessica."
Jessica smiled and took Hoyt's hand. "We'll get you something." Then she dragged him out of the room.
I stood up and sat on the mattress next to Jason. He still wouldn't look at me. "What are you not telling me?"
"Hmm? Man, Sook, is this how you feel all the time after drinking them vamper's blood? I don't remember it being like this."
"Jason Stackhouse!" If he hadn't just been knocking at deaths door I would've punched him. As it was I did give him a little shove. "You've been missing for days; you better tell me what's going on."
"Alright. Alright. I was just dying a minute ago, don't hurt me."
I huffed a little, crossing my arms over my chest. "Sorry. Now spill."
"I think," he whispered, leaning towards me as if to keep it a secret. I didn't figure telling him Jessica could hear him anyway would make much difference. "And you might know more about this – since you're in with the vamps and all – but I think they were trying to make me one of 'em."
Shit. It felt like all the air went out of my lungs. "One of them?"
"Yeah. Like a panther-man. Can they... Do you think they can do that? Is it even possible? God, Sook, I don't wanna be some sort of man-panther. Tell me it can't happen."
I thought back to what Pam said, and though she wasn't certain, she had sort of implied that there was the possibility. Then I thought about what I'd seen in Jason's eyes earlier, the eery glow, and I knew I pretty much had my answer.
Damn, I really hated being the bearer of bad news. "You know, Jason, I think it might." I knew just who I could call about it, too.
A/N: Happy New year to all of you. I hope for a wonderful and healthy 2012 to each of you. Thanks so much for continuing to read and review.
KISSES!
