Trouble Maker
A/N: Hey, everyone! Welcome to chapter thirty-six. I have finally had a visit from my muse, and expect to get writing with great fervor now. A few issues I'm having with some decisions since Shirley came back with full force, but no premeditated considerations. Thankfully, that's why she visits me. I have a great way of choosing between two ideas. It's called flipping a coin. So, Shirley and Fate have a dinner date, and we'll see what they come up with together!
-Andi
Chapter Thirty-Six: Bang, Bang
Eric and Sookie's long weekend at the Edgington estate was considerably uneventful after Bill had been recovered by his Maker.
Lorena had nodded thankfully to Eric for not ending her progeny, and promised that such an occurrence would never happen again. The vampiress even nodded to Sookie as she hoisted Bill's torso over her shoulder and left.
"It is a good thing that she acknowledged you," Eric said as he sat in the back seat of the car with Sookie while Rhames drove them back to Shreveport.
"It is? She looked really mad," Sookie squeaked.
Eric nodded, "Yes, but she recognizes your position as the Mate of an Enforcer. If she had ignored you, then, she might have been foolish enough in the future to exact revenge on me through you. However, it is apparent that she sees the mercy I bestowed as a gift, and feels indebted rather than vengeful."
Sookie shuddered at the thought of Bill's circumstances being a "mercy".
"What are we doing when we get home?" Sookie asked to change the subject.
"I will discuss with my Maker and Pam over the pending vacancy to the Louisiana crown, and make a call to Diedre about my intentions to give Final Death to Sophie-Ann," he told her. "Depending on the Council's requirements on such matters, that will determine when I am allowed to do as I see fit. Or, in the off chance that they have an objection despite my evidence, then I will negotiate other means of making an example out of Her Highness."
She did not think she wished to know what that meant, but Sookie still asked, "What other means?"
Eric shrugged, "Could be similar to what I did to Compton, only considerably worse."
Sookie's expression turned horrified, "How could you do worse to someone than what you did to Bill without killing them!?" she cried.
Glancing at her sideways, he asked, "Dear one, do you really wish to know?"
She shook her head emphatically, "Absolutely not!" Rhames had to resist chuckling at her reaction, "Just, promise me we are actually relaxing from now until the babies come."
"You did not find our trip relaxing?" Eric frowned, wondering how that could be.
Sookie looked at him as though he were dumb, "Really? You thought I could relax after you dismembering Bill, and then Lorena giving me the Ice Queen glare?"
The vampire grimaced marginally, "Ah, yes, I suppose neither of those would be something you could just put out of your mind."
Sookie shook her head amusedly, "Is that what you do? Just put things out of your mind willy-nilly?"
"I suppose. Most things I do not care enough about to dwell on. Of course, after I met you, I dwelled on many things. What you were doing, how to make you happy... those sorts of things," he told her.
"Awww, Darlin' that'sssssssss," Sookie grasped her belly and hissed.
"Are you all right?" Eric tried to keep the anxiety out of his voice.
"Yeah," Sookie caught her breath, "your kid just kicked me kinda hard," she admitted, rubbing her stomach tenderly.
"You scared me," Eric groaned, releasing the tension in his body. "We are still almost three weeks too early for Ludwig's soonest expected due date."
"Nope, definitely a kick. I've been feeling them for a couple weeks now. I know a kick when I feel one." She frowned and then looked down at her belly, "Speaking of which... Hey, whichever one of you is kicking the other one, knock it off," she snapped.
"You can tell such a thing?"
Sookie's face scrunched thoughtfully, "Well, not really. But I can feel them moving, but not hitting me, so I figure they're fighting," she laughed. Looking down at her belly, she frowned, "I don't think they'll be ready to come out in three weeks."
"Oh?"
"I'm no where near big enough. I mean, you can tell I'm pregnant, but I'm not nearly big enough to pop in three weeks," she poked at the globe of her abdomen.
"We will see what Ludwig has to say when we arrive home. She wished to make calculated estimates when we returned."
"That's true. How far from home are we?" Sookie asked.
Eric glanced at the mile marker on the highway as Matteo zipped down the road. "About another hour," he told her, nuzzling his head against the side of hers.
"Okay, I'm going to take a nap then," Sookie yawned before arching her back and getting cozy against him.
"Sleep well, Sookie," Eric whispered, but kept his lips away from her ear. He had stopped taunting her over the past weeks over her sensitivity in regards to her ears, and instead saved the torments during their times in the bedroom.
In no time, his Bonded was out like a light, and Eric melted into the seat as she drifted away.
"How's she holding up over everything that happened this weekend?" Matteo asked gently from the driver's seat.
Eric contemplated the question for a moment before replying honestly, "Assuming that she has not been keeping anything from me, I would say that she is doing considerably well. Of course, with the strain of the pregnancy and her nerves over the impending arrival of our children, I cannot say if she is affected by what I did to Compton the other night. We spoke of it, and her feelings over the matter. She seemed to accept what she had to."
Matteo nodded to himself as he told the vampire, "Well, if she didn't turn to water, I'd say she's doing fine." Eric chuckled at that.
"Since her and Ludwig found a level on which to cooperate, Sookie has been remarkably easy going. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts."
Thinking about this, Matteo found it rather impressive that Sookie had managed to keep her calm after what Eric had done to Bill. The Were had seen the end result himself, and the picture did not leave an easy feeling in his stomach. Considering he had been to war and worked security for over a decade, it was terrifying to think that his boss was capable of doing things that could turn his stomach.
"Whatever you are thinking about," Eric began coldly, "stop it now. You are upsetting Sookie's dreams." The vampire could hear the acceleration of Sookie's breath, and feel her anxiety abruptly increase as her body jerked with the beginnings of a nightmare.
"What?" Matteo snapped out of his musings at his boss's command.
"Your thoughts are influencing Sookie's dreams," the vampire stated plainly. "I do not believe in coincidences, and her end of the Bond became very distressed at our conversation. I can only guess that you are thinking things that unnerve her."
"Sorry," Matteo mumbled.
"Consider the extent of my retribution abilities once you have left for the evening," Eric suggested.
"Yes, Sir."
The remainder of the ride was made in silence. It was a precarious situation for Matteo, and Eric was relieved when they pulled up to the house.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Matteo told a barely awake Sookie.
"Okay, night, Matteo. Drive home safely," Sookie yawned as she waved tiredly.
Not a minute after Eric set their suitcase down, there was an ever familiar *POP* that alerted to the presence of Dr. Ludwig.
"Good evening, Little Girl," Ludwig greeted. "Vampire." She nodded at Eric who gave the same acknowledgment. The doctor barely glanced at Sookie before sighing, "No, you are nowhere near as far along as I thought you would be by now. If you were having the babies this month, you would be considerably larger." Sookie nodded in agreement at the assessment. "Well, let me see." Ludwig came over and placed her hand on Sookie's belly. "Hmm," she mumbled thoughtfully, "I would say your progress is pretty spot on for a seven month gestation. I will examin you in a few weeks, to double check, but I will bump my estimated due date to mid to late December."
"Wow, I gained a couple of months from your original estimation!" Sookie looked at her belly in surprise.
"I can only go by the evidence. Just looking at you, I would only call that a five month belly for a woman carrying twins. After sensing the children's vitality, I know that they are no where near ready either."
"But they're healthy, right?" Sookie asked worriedly.
Ludwig let loose an uncharacteristic smile, "Quite healthy, Little Girl. Nice, strong bodies already."
Sookie sighed with relief at that, "Thank goodness."
"I will see you in three weeks unless you give me cause to come sooner." Ludwig nodded as goodbye before the loud *POP* took her from the house.
"Well, that was better than expected," Eric was smiling. "It seems we have more time to prepare for the growth of our family."
Sookie smiled at the thought. "Yeah, and our new house will be done by the end of November!" she reminded. "If the babies really don't come until late December, then I'll have time to get their nursery ready!"
"The prospect seems to have calmed your nerves considerably."
Sookie nodded in agreement. "It really has. Just last month, I thought I would hyperventilate at the thought I could have our babies in just a few, short weeks! If Ludwig's right, I might have gained a couple months to really prepare myself mentally. Not to mention, it's nice that my body's not going to just change at the drop of a hat again. It's been a nice, sedate pace in comparison to the transfusions."
"Agreed."
3
"Thanks for taking me out," Sookie sighed as she strolled along the sidewalk with Matteo.
"No problem, Hon," Matteo smiled back at her. "You don't get out enough during the day."
"You're really worried about me being out in the open," she stated, not asked.
"Yeah. The more pregnant you look, the more worried I get. Especially since the Council made the announcement." Matteo kept his gaze on a town car that was rolling past. He noted the driver's lazy speed, and it made his suspicions grown until he saw an elderly man looking every which direction, as though lost.
"Excuse me," the elderly man called as his window rolled down, "can you tell me how to get back to 220?"
Sookie smiled kindly, leaning around Matteo. She quickly gave him directions, including a few landmarks to help him on his way. As the man drove off, he waved thankfully.
"Paranoid, much?" Sookie teased Matteo as she waved to the departing man.
"A lulling car is a good sign of a drive by. Especially one that intends to be fatal," Matteo warned her.
Sookie smiled sadly to herself, "Yeah, I suppose you're right."
"But that's why I'm here. To think about that stuff. You just keep doing what you do, Hon. I'll watch out for the baddies. You're meant to deliver people from fear, from what I've gathered, not be made afraid of everything."
"True!" she laughed and then yelped with a little jump.
"What's wrong?" Matteo asked urgently, smelling blood. He looked at her worriedly, but Sookie just laughed.
"I think I just got stung by a bee!" she tittered amusedly, reaching behind her back uncomfortably to swat her hand. "Why didn't you protect me on that one!?" she teased.
"Are you allergic?" Matteo went to look at her back, but she flicked her hand at him.
"I'm fine. Just surprised me is all- OUCH!" She clutched at her lower back, "Why am I getting stung all the sudden!?"
"Come on, let's get back to the car." Matteo took her elbow and dragged her down an alley to make a quick short cut to their vehicle. He had a first aid kit with sting ointment in the glovebox.
As they were walking towards the car, Matteo noticed a peculiar scent in the air. Gunpowder.
He looked around for any casings left behind that might have left the odor lingering, but found none. This bothered him all the time he lead Sookie to her car. She was rolling her shoulder uncomfortably even as he pushed her into the passenger's seat.
"You're being really urgent. What's wrong?"
Matteo shook his head. "Something's not right."
"It's just a couple of bee stings!" Sookie laughed. "I don't even swell up when I get stung. It's no big deal!" She waved off his concerns.
"It's not that," Matteo shook his head as he climbed into the driver's seat and steered them towards Sookie's house. He glanced at the glovebox as he pointed and said, "There's sting ointment in there."
"I can't reach where I got stung while I'm sitting in a car," she confessed, "but don't worry. It's just an itching burn. I barely even notice it."
Sookie leaned back in her seat and nearly jumped at the sudden pain that erupted from her stings, "Dang! Pressure on them hurts, though!"
"I'm pulling over-"
"We're only five minutes from the house! Let's just get there, and you can put some ointment on me. I just won't lean back," she told him.
"Sookie-"
"I promise, I'm fine."
Matteo kept glancing at the woman out of the side of his eyes, but continued on the path to the house. When he arrived, the guard grabbed the first aid kit from the glovebox, and took it inside with them.
"Okay, pull that hair aside, Rapunzel," Matteo teased her about the insane length of her hair. Sookie rolled her eyes at the joke, but pulled the drape of hair over her shoulder. "Sookie, stay outta my head." Matteo said suddenly, and Sookie had to resist her instincts to listen to his thoughts. "Go sit down in the kitchen a minute." Without another word to her, Matteo pulled out his phone and called Ludwig.
"Are the stings that bad?" Sookie called to him from the kitchen.
"Ludwig," Matteo breathed into the phone, "you need to come to the house right now."
"What happened?" Ludwig demanded.
"I can't say. You just have to come."
Ludwig was in the house instantly, her narrowed eyes seeking out her fairy patient. "What did you do, Little Girl?" she snapped, spying Sookie in the kitchen.
"I got stung by some bees-"
"Sookie, sit down," Matteo hissed.
Sookie huffed before sitting down carefully at the kitchen table. Matteo and Ludwig stepped behind her, and Matteo pulled her hair from her back. The gasp that came from Ludwig's lips made Sookie crane her neck to throw an aggravated glare at them.
"These are-"
"Yes."
"WHAT!?" Sookie demanded.
"Sookie," Ludwig said breathlessly, "you've been shot."
"What are you talking about?" she laughed, thinking they were making a horrible joke.
"You've been shot twice in the back," Ludwig repeated.
Sookie yanked her Gran's wedding ring from her finger and set it on the table. She could feel her panic rising quickly, and she did not want to risk turning to water and losing her ring again.
"The high density muscle tissue of the Earth Clan kept the bullets from penetrating very deep, but I will need to make some incisions to remove them cleanly," Ludwig explained.
Sookie sniffled a bit as she nodded in understanding. She could hear Matteo thinking about his concern for her, and how his worst fears were being realized.
"I'm sorry," Sookie whispered tearily as she heard Ludwig working through her bag for the appropriate tools for extracting the bullets.
"I don't believe you shot yourself in the back, Sookie. What are you apologizing for?"
"I'm the one who wanted to go for a walk out in the open, and-"
"You are fine, Sookie," Ludwig assured her. "It will not even scar after all the blood you've taken from the Viking."
"I put my children in danger-"
"You went for a walk," Matteo grounded out. "This is not your fault."
Ludwig made quick work of extracting the two rounds, throwing them in a plastic bag for Matteo. The Were took the bag, and eyed the bullets menacingly. He would stay with Sookie until Eric rose, but after that, he would be hunting out the sniper's "hide". He would find who had done this, and he would get answers for Sookie, Eric, and himself.
Sookie sniffled herself into a fitful nap after her wounds were patched, but Matteo and Ludwig did not leave her side in the event that she manged to subconsciously stress herself out. Neither wished for the fairy to dissolve into water again without their immediate knowledge.
Once dusk approached, Eric was in the den almost instantly. He looked at the doctor and guard with alarm, having felt Sookie's despair, even as she slept.
"Your Bonded was shot today. She took two sniper rounds to the back, but she was uninjured physically," Ludwig told him before he could ask anything.
Eric's eyes widened in shock, and he looked down at the sleeping woman. Agony filled him, and it was so intense that Sookie started from her nap, tears already spilling from her eyes. Sobbingly, she tried to tell him what had happened, but it was left up to Matteo to make sense of her wails.
After all had been explained, Matteo excused himself to begin hunting the sniper. Ludwig remained with the Bonded couple, only to be interrupted by Eric's phone ringing.
"Master," Eric answered the phone.
"Eric, what is happening? Between you and Sookie, I do not even know where to begin with my concerns!" Godric's voice sounded near panic, and Eric frowned at the realization that Godric could feel Sookie through himself. He admonished himself internally for only just coming to understand it.
"Sookie was shot by a sniper this afternoon. She is physically undamaged," Eric assured shortly, "but I need to be with her. Do not worry."
"Call if you need for anything." Godric hung up without another word, and Eric turned to Sookie.
"I'm s-"
"So help me, Little Girl, if you apologize one more time for getting shot, I will put you on anti-psychotics because you are being completely insane!" Ludwig barked. "You have done absolutely nothing wrong to warrant being shot at. You cannot apologize for living, or bringing new life into the world!" Sookie's lips sealed seamlessly at her doctor's explosion of irritation. "Now," Ludwig's tone softened considerably, "I know you will hate my suggestion, but perhaps for the sake of your mentality, you should try and stay out of the public eye until after the birth of your children. I know that sounds extreme, but-"
"I'll do it," Sookie interrupted without hesitation. "I'll crawl under a rock until they come. Nothin' is worth them getting hurt. Oh, God, what am I gonna do when they come? At least this crazy, dense muscle I've got protected us all this time. What about when they're not in me anymore?" Sookie's breaths came in short, little pants as she stroked her belly anxiously. "I just want them to stay safe in here forever. I don't want them to come out. I don't want them to get hurt. I can't-"
"Sookie!" Eric snapped, breaking her brimming hysteria. "They will be fine. Do you think I would allow anything to happen to my children?"
Sookie reeled on him, her eyes wide with furry. He saw her mouth open, but no sound came out. The thought, You can't even protect ME during the day! flooded her mind, but she said nothing. Instead, she stood, mouth gaping open, eyes round as saucers.
She was angry, scared and near hysterical, but even in such a state, Sookie could not say such a terrifying thing to her Bonded.
Rather than risk speaking, Sookie snapped her jaw shut, and leaned her forehead into Eric's chest. His arms wrapped around her carefully, stroking the back of her neck as he stood stone still. Sookie had not needed to speak the words she had thought. He had felt her Anger and Disbelief when he said he would keep them safe.
With all that he was, all that he was capable of, he had been ignorant to think that he could keep Sookie from harm. He felt helpless and weak in that moment, and try as hard as he could, nothing he did kept that feeling from Sookie. She knew. Sookie knew that he was worthless towards their security.
The woman's arms wrapped tightly around Eric's waist, and she sobbed against his chest. "We can do this," she whispered around her soft sniffles. "With my transfusions... Maybe the transfusions did to them what they did to me. Maybe they'll have my musculature to protect them from things like this." It was a beautiful lie to tell herself. Fantastical hopes that could quell a fraction of her worry. She told it to herself and him with the prayer of distracting her Bonded from the cruel truth he had just come to learn.
"Sookie," Eric murmured after a while, "I am going to call Godric to stay with you. I am going to meet up with Rhames and help him with leads on who shot you."
"Eric," Sookie whimpered, "I'm sorry, don't go-"
"This is not about... About... I have to do something." He changed the course of his words, deciding not to bring to light what she had wanted to say, or how his own realizations had made him feel. "I have to find out who did this."
Sookie nodded against his chest, and pulled away, brushing stray tears from her eyes, "You be safe, okay?"
"Always." He kissed the crown of her head before taking out his cell phone and dialing Godric. The eldest of the bloodline agreed to be there shortly, and arrived so quickly that Sookie wondered if he had forgone a car and just ran there.
"Be safe, Child," Godric called to Eric as the vampire left.
"Hi, Godric." Sookie waved miserably at her Bonded's Maker.
"Evening, Sookie." Godric nodded at her, walking into the kitchen where the woman stood next to her persistent doctor.
"If she needs anything or any of her powers start kicking in: call me," Ludwig instructed before exiting the house in her usual manner.
"I hurt Eric's feelings," Sookie whispered once it was just her and Godric.
"That is quite the feat."
"I made him feel like he can't protect me or the babies."
Godric's expression turned solemn. "Yes, I suppose that would do the trick. Do you believe that?"
Sookie looked at him with dreadful guilt in her eyes. "Yes." Her whisper was rough and strained.
"Let us go sit down and have a chat." Godric gestured to the living room, and Sookie followed him gravely. Once they were seated, Godric said, "There are things in this world that cannot be protected against, Little Sookie. A long distance attempt on your life is one of those things."
"I know."
"Your telepathy was of no use in that situation, either. Even if the attack had been at night, there is no telling if Eric could have discerned the sound of a sniper round any better than Rhames could have."
"I know," she choked.
"But you are not the weak, fragile human that you were a few months ago, Sookie. This is why those transfusions were necessary. To protect you from all of the things Eric cannot. His duty. MY duty, and Pam's... The three of us were not united under you and the Council to protect your body any more. We are here to help you grow into the queen you can become. Our jobs are not to be your bodyguards any longer, but to be your council. Eventually, you will have councils in all realms of the supernatural since it is your duty to unite us all. You will have vampires, Weres, humans, fairies... All of us will be brought together by you."
"Okay." She did an admirable job of not sniffling.
"I know that you are overwhelmed. You are fearful for your children. You are trying to fathom the undertaking you have committed yourself to. It can feel crippling, I know, but the Pantheon believes in you. The council believes in you. And you know that Eric, Pam, and I believe in you too."
"Okay." Her lip was trembling as more tears spilled from her eyes.
"So, let us do what we need to do. Rhames is by you in the day if anything serious happens. This was not so bad, though, right? You barely even felt it!" He tried to laugh and lighten the mood.
"It's not the pain, or the fear of death," she mumbled. "I'm more terrified than anything because... Because people want me dead. The last time someone wanted me dead, I killed them. I don't want to kill anyone again!" She cupped her face in her hands and sobbed openly.
"Then that will be our jobs too." Godric was smirking now, understanding of her real fear helped that smile grow.
"But I don't want anybody to die."
"I know, Little Sookie, but sometimes evil has to be stamped out so that peace can flourish."
"Who am I to judge the capacity of someone's good and evil?" Sookie asked.
Godric contemplated her a moment before saying, "You are the one the Pantheon and Council chose. Perhaps the soul that grew up in that body was prepared for this."
"It doesn't feel like it."
"Maybe not now, but someday it will. Your soul is not who you are, it is who you are capable of being. It all depends on aspirations. You aspire to be stronger, to become the ruler we all know you can be, and one day it will happen."
"God, I thought I was done with all of this doubt and fear," Sookie laughed at herself around crying induced hiccups.
"That might have been a bit optimistic of you. You are no where near prepared for what you agreed to do, but no one expects you to be at this point. After, let's say, two or three hundred years, this behavior would be quite unwarranted. Right now? In this time, place, and circumstance? You are handling it fine." Godric leaned back in his seat before continuing, "I do have a suggestion, one I know we have all made." Sookie looked at him expectantly. "Stop trying to be the queen right now. Focus on being a mother to those children you are carrying. Focus on bringing them into the world, loving, raising, and teaching them. For now, that is all any of us expect you to do. Ignore the threats on your life. Protect them during the day with that body Ludwig made near indestructible. Only worry about that."
Sookie let out a long, shuddering breath. "Okay."
3
Rhames growled in frustration.
"What is it?" Eric asked, still scoping out the spot the guard had identified as the sniper's hide.
"I know this scent!" He threw a fistful of dirt to the ground. "I know that I know it! I just can't remember where! It's like, an afterthought. Something I smelled somewhere when I wasn't tracking."
"You said it's a Were?" Eric asked.
"Yeah, not a full blood though. This is a Liken, someone who was bit, not born a Were," Rhames explained.
"So, none of the Shreveport Pack."
"No, they don't have any Likens." Matteo shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm gonna take a sample to Sam. He's a Shifter, so he might know if there are any Likens. They tend to go rogue like Shifters if they weren't given the bite for breeding."
"I will come with you," Eric told him, and Rhames paused with nervousness. "You object to my going?"
"Well, you know, Sam kinda has a thing for Sookie. You sure your being there won't cause some fireworks?" the guard asked.
"It probably will, but Merlotte will be more concerned for Sookie's safety than his dislike of me. I want answers, Rhames. I will not allow Merlotte's unrequited love to stand between me and what I need to know."
The Were nodded in understanding as the men made their way back to the car. Eric had flown to meet up with the guard, and now they were driving to Bon Temps like hell's fire were at their heels.
"It's weird though, you know..." Matteo was contemplative as he drove, "Likens don't usually know the Supe news. They are completely out of the loop. I'm having a hard time believing that she was shot because she's having your vampire babies."
"The news has been out a while now, Rhames. I have my doubts that any of the supernatural community are unaware. Even Likens," Eric argued.
"I don't have doubts, though. I've met Likens who didn't even know about the Great Reveal until after it happened."
"That was announced almost ten years before we came out!" Eric was completely taken by surprise.
"Exactly." Rhames gazed out at the road ahead of him as he continued, "Likens are outcasts. Very few are welcomed into a Pack, and those are only the ones who agreed to be bitten so that they could produce Were children with their Mate. We honor those who make the sacrifice willingly, but if this Liken was bit to be cursed, they would not be welcomed into a Pack. That's pretty common all over. Not just down South."
"Hmm..." Eric became thoughtful for a long moment. "What other reason could a Liken have for going after Sookie, though? She has done nothing to antagonize the supernatural community other than being pregnant by me. If it is true, and this Liken does not know about the circumstances of her pregnancy, why would it attack her?"
"I have no idea. I'm just saying it might have nothing to do with the kids," Rhames said.
In a rather short amount of time, the duo was pulling up to Merlotte's Bar and Grill. They walked through the parking lot, determination written upon their identical features. When the door swung open, their presence created a tension so thick that the locals gaped openly.
"I can smell it again," Rhames rumbled under his breath.
"As can I," Eric agreed.
"What are you two doing here?" Sam demanded with a hiss as he came across the bar.
Lowering his voice further, Eric said, "Sookie was shot this afternoon. She is fine," he added at Sam's distressed look. "She barely even noticed. It was done by a sniper. Rhames found the sniper's hide, and we brought a sample to see if you knew the scent. However, its pungent stench permeates the air here."
"The sniper's in my bar?" Sam demanded.
"So it would seem."
As Eric spoke to Sam, Rhames was already walking around the bar, sniffing their air discretely. Eventually he came towards the hallway where the bathrooms, Sam's office, and one of the kitchen doors was. He followed the scent into the kitchen and found Lafayette flipping burgers.
"Laf?" Rhames said in disbelief.
The cook turned, a grin breaking the concentration on his brow, "What up, Pup? Haven't heard from you in a while." He placed a hand on his his hip and a playful scowl on his lips. Rhames said nothing, but stormed over to the cook, breathing him in with great intent. "Mmm, I like me a man who comes for what he wants."
"Shut up," Rhames snapped.
"Ooh, and forceful," Lafayette purred.
"Who have you been working with back here?" the guard demanded.
"Huh? Oh, Sweety? She's out having a smoke. Why?" Lafayette's coy expression turned puzzled.
"She shot Sookie this afternoon."
"Bitch did what!?" Lafayette yelled, throwing down his flipper, and storming out of the kitchen to confront his coworker.
"Laf, stop!" Rhames charged after him. "She's a Liken!"
"A what? Oh, that bastardized wolf thing. Yeah, I know. Still gonna break her scrawny ass, though!" The two men tore through the back door, startling the woman who was just stubbing out her cigarette. "Bitch, you shot my friend!?" Lafayette demanded.
Sweety raised a sculpted eyebrow at the other cook. "Depends. Was your friend another flee biting bitch that thinks being a Were gives her the right to torment others with its curse?"
Both the cook and guard froze at the question. "What are you talking about?" Rhames asked. "Sookie's not a Were."
"The fuck she's not! I smelled it on her the day she showed up here!" Sweety shouted.
"I'm a Were!" Rhames bellowed. "You smelled me on her!"
Sweety growled in her throat at that, "Well, she got what she deserved, or she would have if I actually hit her. Two shots, and I missed."
Rhames realized that to a shooter, their victim not falling would be a sign that they had missed. Sweety could not have fathomed that Sookie's supernatural body had protected her.
"You dumb bitch, you said Sooks was shot! Scare the life outta me!" Laf turned on Matteo, but saw Sweety trying to slink away. "Mother fucker, don't you even try and move." He grabbed the back of her apron and dragged her down to the ground. "Hit her or not, you fuckin' don't mess with Sooks!"
"What in the hell is goin' on out here!?" Sam bellowed as he came running out of the bar in time to see Lafayette pummeling his fist into the other cook's face. Eric was behind him and growled when he recognized the scent of the Liken who had shot his Bonded.
"I don't fuckin' know, but she's the only one I know I should be beating the shit out of!" Lafayette continued to strike the woman until Sam pulled him off. After Lafayette was taken a few feet away, he turned on Matteo and demanded, "Now, was Sooks shot or not?"
"She was shot," Matteo murmured, "but she's not hurt. She went through some stuff, and her body's really tough now. She's fine, but she was shot."
"So," everyone went completely still as Eric finally began to speak, "this is the creature who shot my Bonded."
The hair on Sam's arms stood on end at the tone of the vampire's voice. A nauseating shiver was running down his spine at the ice bath that was Eric Northman's tone.
"Best I can glean, Boss," Matteo began to explain, "she smelled me on Sookie and mistook her for a Were. I'm gonna guess she was bitten by a Were against her will, and is trying to kill as many of us as possible. Sookie got caught in the crosshairs of a vendetta."
Eric nodded in understanding, though his angered eyes never left Sweety's bruised face. "You should know, Liken, that harnessing supernatural abilities is not something that comes easily. Especially for one attempting to reign them in alone. You suddenly had the ability to scent the air, and recognize different supernaturals. However, you did not consider the more subtle nuances of such an ability. Like the possibility that scents linger," Eric growled the last part.
"Eric," Sam whispered worriedly, "don't be going at this too sudden-"
"Did you know what she was?" Eric snapped.
Sam looked insulted, "Of course I knew what she was. I hired her because I figured she might need some help adjusting. Didn't know she was a serial sniper, of course." He mumbled the last part of his statement. "But, Sooks is okay, you don't-"
"She shot my wife, Shifter. I own her life now," Eric growled. "That is something else you did not consider, Liken," he snarled. "The ramifications of taking on the supernatural community." Eric leaned down enough to grab Sweety by her hair, and began dragging her into the woods.
"Eric!" Sam chased after him as Sweety began to shriek, "Eric stop! You can't-"
"I will." Eric snapped. "Sookie has been through... Is going through enough! Then a high and mighty bitch like this comes along and fills her with terror! I will delight greatly in killing her, and a pup like you cannot stop me."
The Shifter froze as the vampire stormed deeper into the woods. He continued standing at the edge of the treeline for nearly twenty minutes before hearing a blood curdling scream in the far distance. The hairs on the back of Sam's neck stood at attention this time at the cry, and it took all of his will power to compose himself before Eric emerged from the woods.
"Dealer," Eric eyes snapped on Lafayette, "you will be finishing your shift alone tonight."
The cook swallowed hard at the venom in Eric's voice, but nodded without comment. Matteo was standing beside him, and placed a warm hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm, reassuring squeeze.
"Is that the Liken's car?" Eric asked of Sam, making the bar owner nod. "I will be taking it. Rhames, see yourself home as you wish. I will be returning to Sookie shortly. You are dismissed for the evening." The three men had to stop themselves from gawking as Eric went to Sweety's car, looked about for a moment, and then picked up the entire vehicle over his head before taking off into the sky with it.
"Bitch can fly with a car," Lafayette mumbled, sitting down hard on a nearby crate that had once transported beer.
"He is very old. I doubt it weighs much to him," Matteo told him.
"He just killed Sweety, and you guys are focused on the car?" Sam snapped.
"She shot Sookie, what did you think Eric was going to do to her?" Matteo snarked right back.
"Sweety was maliciously bitten and cursed by a Were three years ago. You think she wouldn't hold a grudge?" Sam argued. "I'm not saying she was right to go around shooting people, but-"
"But nothing, Sam." Lafayette rose from the crate sharply. "She coulda just as easily gone and shot you. If she couldn't even tell the difference between having the Were smell on Sookie versus being a Were, what do you think she was thinking when she smelled Shifter on you?" The cook threw his arms into the air with exasperation, "Only reason your ass was safe was 'cause even bitches need jobs."
Sam's shoulders slumped noticeably. "I feel responsible," the bartender finally admitted. "I knew Sweety was having a hard time adjusting, and it's my fault for not helping her temper her rage. She needed consoling, and I just let her build that anger up."
Matteo sighed at the other two-natured man. "Listen, Merlotte. Shifters always have it worse than the rest of us. Judging by how much anger you have over your heritage, I'm going to guess that your parents weren't around to bring you into it smoothly. It's a rough life for all of us, but even harder for the pups that get left behind. I'm sorry that you have all that anger in you, and maybe you and I should get together. I know I'm a Were and you're a Shifter, but the next full moon, how about we run together? Or just any night you feel you need it, okay?"
Sam looked at the bodyguard in surprise, "Why?"
Matteo shrugged, "Because Sookie cares about you, and I care about her. She's a sweetheart, and she wants her friends happy. Maybe if you can be happy with who you are, you can find someone to be happy with you."
"I..." Sam shook his head, his mouth creasing into a frown.
Before the Shifter could reject the offer, Lafayette snapped, "Just accept the offer, Sam. You may think you're a lone wolf, but even a lone wolf wants some company sometimes. He ain't askin' to live with you. He's asking to be your friend."
"The Shreveport Pack is really only as cordial as they must be," Matteo admitted. "I could use more amiable company, too."
Sam let out a long sigh, "I usually run Sunday nights. The bar closes early that night."
Matteo smiled. "I'll see you Sunday night."
TBC
A/N: PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!