Chapter 37: Aching Heart

It turned out Quinn was stupider than she thought, he showed up at Sookie's one night when she was there. It was a brutal fight, the second Quinn arrived on Sookie's doorstep Bill was there, Quinn fought him in human form but finally he transformed and it was vampire vs. were-tiger, Madison had to hold Sookie back throughout the fight. It ended as soon as Eric showed up, he prized Quinn away from Bill and threw him across the ground, Quinn changed back and pulled his clothes back on, he was shouting abuse at Bill and Eric and pleading with Sookie to hear him out,

' What do I do Maddie?' Sookie looked at her pleadingly, and Madison considered her answer carefully,

' Do what will inevitably make you happy Sook' Sookie nodded and smiled at her friend,

' Quinn we're over, we're so over they need to come up with a new word to describe how over we are, we will never work'

' Sookie I'm not giving you up'

' Yes you are, I don't want you Quinn, I lost all my feelings for you when you and your family attacked my friends, you hurt me in an unimaginable way and I cant forgive you for that' he looked at Sookie pleadingly,

' I suggest you leave now, I've held back for months but now I don't have to, you are in my area and I don't recall you asking for permission to be here, if you come again I will kill you myself, have I made myself clear?' Eric said calmly, Quinn nodded and walked away down Sookie's driveway without glancing back.

Eric nodded at them all and walked away into the woods, Madison knew he was going to make sure Quinn and his family had left the area,

' Are you alright Sookie?' Bill asked his tone full of concern

' I'm fine, thank you for coming so quickly Bill'

' Anytime' Madison nudged Sookie in the back as he turned away

' Bill…'

' Yes Sookie'

' Would you stay here tonight, please in case they come back' Madison nodded vigorously behind Sookie,

' Of course I will Sookie' Madison smiled

' Well I better get going, Alcide will be over soon see you guys later' she walked away smirking as they said goodbye.

Madison sat on her porch, she didn't have a particular reason for sitting there just an urge to, as though something was pulling her there, and she had a pretty good idea what or who that was. Alcide wouldn't be here tonight, he was pricing up some work in Jackson so she was alone tonight, she had a feeling he knew this as he walked out of the trees at the back of her house a few seconds later. She hated to admit how good he looked walking across the lawn, he was wearing black trousers and a black v-neck, long sleeved top, he moved quickly and sat down next to her,

' Were you expecting me?' he said sitting down next to her,

' I had a hunch you'd turn up'

' Can we talk?'

' You're not gonna stop bugging me till we do so go ahead talk'

' I miss you'

' I thought we were going to talk, you said I had to know the whole story'

' You do, what happened between me and Prudence meant absolutely nothing to me, she was blackmailing me for weeks before…the incident'

' Blackmailing you over what?' she said sceptically

' You'

' Me?'

' Yes she found out what you are I don't know how, she's been threatening to go to other members of vampire royalty and sell you for the highest price, I know she already approached Russell Edgington as a threat'

' What did he say?'

' I visited him personally, he said he told her to get out of Mississippi and if she valued her life not to say a word to anyone else about you'

' Good old Russell'

' Indeed, I didn't know he'd managed to silence her, she came back to Shreveport saying she had an interested buyer, but if I slept with her she'd tell them it was a mistake and it would be over, she's been chasing me for decades'

' Is it supposed to make me feel better that you slept with someone else for me?'

' No but I want you to understand that I didn't want to do it'

' Understood, doesn't make me hate you any less'

' I didn't think it would, I betrayed you and I wont insult you by asking for your forgiveness' he stood up and began walking away,

' Why didn't you come after me?' she shouted after him, Eric turned slowly and raised his head so his eyes met hers,

' I thought you didn't want me to?'

' Of course I wanted you to, I wanted you to fight for us and tell me we could get past it but you didn't you just moved on' he frowned

' Madison I haven't moved on, I still feel the pain of losing you everyday, you know I do you feel it too' he stood right in front of her and ran his finger over her cheek, she closed her eyes at the familiar cold touch that sent shivers through her entire body, she managed to pull herself together and moved her face away from his touch,

' We can't do this, we're not together'

' Could we be together again?' she hesitated and bit her lip,

' I don't know Eric, I don't think I can ever forget what I saw or forgive you even if what you did was in a very weird way to help me' he nodded and sighed as his cell phone rang,

' This better be good Pam…what…. I'll be right there'

' Duty calls' she said giving him a small smile,

' Sadly yes, my clubs being raided'

' What, why?'

' Someone called the magister and told him were selling V, I'm sorry Maddie I have to go' she nodded

' Bye Eric'

' Goodbye min kärlek' he left quickly and she was left standing alone in the dark yard feeling more confused than ever.

Madison didn't feel like being alone, she drove over to Merlotte's and went through the back, Hoyt was sitting at a table with the little blonde thing he'd been coming in with recently, Madison had taken a dislike to her when she overheard her calling Madison a fang banger. Jessica was watching them closely and rolling her eyes every time summer laughed in her sickly way,

' Hey jess, how's your night going?'

' Bout as good as yours by the sound of it, you ok?'

' Yeah just been a bit eventful, anything interesting happen tonight?'

' Nah same shit different night, oh by the way that guy in the corners been waiting for you for the last hour' Madison turned around and saw Niall smiling at her warmly,

' Thanks jess' she crossed the bar and sat opposite Niall,

' Evening Niall, sorry to keep you waiting, I didn't know I was meeting you?'

' That's ok I knew you'd come, how is my Sookie?'

' I take it you've heard the latest then?'

' Yes, Bill's been very good at updating me'

' I'm sorry I haven't been contacting you much lately Niall'

' That's ok I heard from Eric's progeny Pam what happened, how are you?'

' I'm great I'm seeing someone else now'

' Really? Your heart still seems to be aching for him'

' It is not'

' I apologise I seem to have overstepped the mark, back to Sookie how is she?'

' I think she finally has closure on the Quinn situation, Bill's with her now'

' Good I don't want her being alone, I hear you were severely injured by Quinn's sister, I hope you are well?'

' Yes…Eric helped me' Niall nodded

' He cares deeply for you in a way I didn't think vampires could care'

' Bill cares for Sookie'

' Indeed, Madison I admit I have an ulterior motive for our meeting'

' Go ahead'

' Have you heard of Neave and Lochlan?'

' No should I have?'

' They are assassins, I believe they have been sent into this world to kill Sookie, Madison please promise me you will keep an eye on her?'

' Of course I will. Niall how dangerous are they?'

' Deadly'