Author's Note: Thanks to Vic Vega for reading and correcting my story.

Thirty-Eight

At The Hospital

The room was shrinking in.

Andy was standing with his arms bent as if he wanted to hit anybody at any minutes, the calm eyes of Sheriff Dearborne were hard and cold, meanwhile Arlene was standing with her hands on her hips.

It made the air heavier. Or was it only her own fear that any of them could go verbally attacking each other?

"You'd better tell us who that woman is, or I can't protect you, Sookie." Arlene said.

"I don't know much about her except that she came here to help her father as a translator. I don't think that she has anything to do with the murders. She wasn't here when the murders happened."

"Forget that statement, Sheriff." Arlene said. "And Sookie, keep your mouth shut. She is my client, now. Any question which has anything to do with the case has to be asked in my presence."

"You are here." Said Andy. "So this is her official statement."

"I don't do it." Sookie said. "I was at Northman's the whole time when Ginger was killed. You knew that, Andy!"

"No, I don't." Andy said. "You were just arriving, when I was there. Remember?"

Yes, I remember.

"So, where were you on 25th October?"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Arlene said. "You are not saying that Sookie is a suspect, are you?"

Andy opened his mouth, but when Sheriff Dearborne shot him with a very cold look, he closed it. "Arlene," the Sheriff said. "Based on the new circumstances, I must ask Sookie not to leave Bon Temps."

"You can't do that to me, Sheriff. My friend has been kidnapped. I must find him. It could be that I have to leave the town…"

"Out of the question!" Arlene cut her short. "You stay put, whether here at the hospital or at my place. I will put you in chains if I have to!"

"Then everything is clear." Sheriff Dearborne said. "Arlene, I hold you responsible for Sookie's whereabouts." Then he looked at her. "Sookie, it would be better for everybody if you call us as soon as you know how to contact your female friend because as of now, you are our main suspect."

Unbelievable! When I thought it wouldn't get any worse….I end up as the main suspect. I do need to change my job!

"We'll keep in touch, Sookie." Sheriff Dearborne touched the edge of his hat and walked away. Andy nodded and followed him.

"Are you out of your mind?" asked Arlene in a very low voice.

Sookie hated when Arlene used her low voice because it meant that she was really angry, especially when she curled up her lips and made them so small that it looked like as if she swallowed them.

"Arlene…"

"You didn't call, you didn't text, and you didn't even bother to tell anyone that you're okay! What we got was nothing else, but troubles! We had to sit at the edge of our chairs, waiting, maybe Her Highness would be WILLING to let us know she was still alive!"

Sookie cringed when she heard the word 'willing'. Arlene shouted that word out loud.

"Now you are a suspect of two murders. Do you know what awaits you? Twenty to life! Is that what you want? Who are you trying to protect, Sookie? Who is this woman? And who is this Eric Northman? As far as I know, Mrs. Northman doesn't have any children, let alone grandson."

"I am not protecting anybody, Arlene. I tell you the truth. Her name is Dušana-Aurora Davydova. She's from Russia, and she came here because Eric Northman invited her father. She didn't involve in those killings, it's not possible. She was still on the way when the killings happened."

"Let's just say that I believe you, so who is this Eric Northman?"

"He is ….Aude's husband."

"GREAT! Now you are not only a murder suspect, but you're also a homewrecker!"

"Well…it's complicated..."

"The hell it is!"

Braaaack!

Suddenly a loud noise was heard. Somebody must have hit something because after the first loud noise, then they heard noises of bottles and some metal things falling on the floor.

"What's going on, out there?" Arlene said and walked to the door, but only some steps away. A man and a woman, dressed up in nurse uniform entered the room.

"I am sorry for the loud noise." The man said. "We hit a chair."

"Is it the time for checking up already?" Arlene looked at her watch. "It's not 2 pm yet."

"There's a changing schedule, Ma'am." The woman said. She came closer to Sookie. That woman had a very strange haircut. Her hair was red, and it's standing like a Mohawk's. On its tip was black. When she checked the liquid food tube, Sookie noticed that she had long black pointed fingernails. Were nurses allowed to have such fingernails?

That woman looked at Sookie and gave her a very strange smile; a smile of a very satisfied person, but at the same times also a devilish one.

"I will leave, then, you know…I don't want to disturb anybody." Arlene said.

Sookie knew it wasn't the real reason. Arlene couldn't stand to see needles and blood.

However, before she could step away, the man closed the door. "Nobody leaves this room."

"Hey, what's going on here?! Sec…" Before Arlene could continue her sentence, right before her eyes, those people slowly changed…physically. Their clothes were torn apart as their bodies were getting bigger…and hairy. Their faces were like being pulled by an invisible hand to the front, which made them longer and longer, until their shapes were changing into …animal's snout, wolf's snout to be exact. Their teeth were longer and bigger, and from their mouths, slime dropped. Their ears were also getting longer and longer.

Arlene's face was pale. She was standing on her spot, petrified. Sookie tried to free herself from all the tube and cables that were plugged into her body. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably meanwhile her eyes were staring at those two people who were now a huge brown red wolf and a huge fox with black tipped tail. The fox which had attacked her in the woods.

Bum. Bum. Bum.

Somebody knocked the door. "Arlene…"

Sookie heard Terry's voice. Like having a new energy, Sookie screamed on the top of her lungs. "Terry, help!!! There are wolves, Terry!!! Help!!!"

Bum!!

The door was opened at the same time the weres were going to jump on Sookie and Arlene. Terry rushed in. He snatched a chair on his way, and like a mad man, he charged both weres.

Sookie heard how the weres howled, snared and growled and how Terry growled and yelled. She also heard the sound of chair and table being thrown and or something fell on them. Arlene who finally had 'woken' up was leaning on the wall and making herself flat on it. Her face was as pale as before and her eyes stared at the fight wildly.

"Hey yeah…" Terry shouted, in his hands was the werewolf. He swung him as if he was swinging a twig, and boom! He threw the were against the wall, and bum! That were fell to the ground and didn't move any more. Terry turned around to the werefox. That bitch was walking backward, and she was going to run when a wolf entered the room and jumped on her.

Sookie couldn't see what's happening. She could only hear the sounds of two dogs fighting, and it made the hair on the back of her neck standing. Their sounds were deep, but loud and if a sound could kill, then it would be that kind of sound.

A loud and long wailing and the sound of bones tearing dog were heard before Sookie saw the body of the werefox flew across the room and hit the wall beside Arlene.

"Aaaargh!!!" Arlene screamed on the top of her lungs, after that she fell to the ground, unconscious.

The werewolf returned to his human form. A broad shoulder man with very curly hair. His dark brown skin was gleaming from the sweat. He was naked.

"I know I wasn't crazy." Terry said. "I know what I saw."

"You are not crazy, Bellefleur." That werewolf said. "I need a towel." He said.

Terry opened the cupboard and threw a towel at him.

"Thank you." He said and wrapped it round his waist.

"Arlene…she's…" Sookie said.

"She is under shock, Sook." Terry said. He bowed down to check Arlene. "She's okay, she is just unconscious." He straightened his body. "You have to leave the hospital, Sook. ASAP."

"How?"

"Leave it to me." The black werewolf said. He went outside, and then went inside again with his cloth and trousers. He took out his cell phone, and dialled a number. "It's me. We have to execute Plan B."

Plan B?

"What is going on? And who are you?" Sookie asked.

"I am Simon Black." He said. "I am one of your day guards. We believe that somebody is trying to kill you to get Eric. We tried the best we could to protect you, but it seems somebody knew that you are here. This attack won't be their last effort to get you. You won't be safe if you continue staying here."

"Why? They got Eric already! Why are they trying to kill me?"

"I have no idea. What I know, we have to protect you. I am sorry that I came too late. They attacked my partner, and I was patrolling at the hallway when it happened."

"Eehh.." Arlene was awake.

"Arlene…"

Arlene screamed. "Wolves…I saw…."then she looked at Sookie. "Are you…did you…"

"Yes, Arlene. I saw the wolves too."

Arlene took a deep breath and then she looked at Simon. "You! What are you doing here, and why are you naked?"

"You know him, Arlene?"

"Yes. He's the one who informed me about you, when Sam found you around the wood."

"I am guarding Sookie, Ms. Fowler." He said.

"Terry…please tell me I am not crazy."

"You are not crazy, Arlene."

"This is not good." She said. "This is not good. And…what will we do with those…things!" she pointed out the bodies on the floor.

"We wait for the reinforcement." Simon said.

The reinforcement came in the form of four men. They put the body in the body bags and then onto the carriage. One of them released her from the tubes and carefully put her on a wheelchair.

"Go," Simon said. "Jack and I will clean this place up."

They left the room and walked as normal as possible. They gave Terry a white jacket to cover his cloth, which was bloody. Arlene put her sunglasses and walked with her chin raised. She held Sookie's hand tightly, so tight that it hurts.

"It will be alright." Sookie heard Arlene murmuring. "It will be alright. Easy-peasy."

They got out of the hospital almost without a problem. Nobody paid attention to four men dressed up in the nurse uniform, pushing carts with body bags on it, and a patient. It's a daily scene, that people saw at the hospital. On the parking lot, a van was waiting for them. Two of the men lifted Sookie's wheelchair and asked Terry and Arlene to go in with her. Then they closed the door.

"Where are they taking us?" Sookie asked.

The glass barrier between them and the front seat was lowered. A strange face came up. "We are going to Herveaux's. You will be safe there."

Slowly the van left the parking lot.

Somehow, Sookie had a feeling that things would be far away from being safe, and she's right in the middle of it.

The house of Herveaux was a big building around the haven. It was surrounded by high chain fences and everywhere was camera surveillance. Men were walking around on the ground. They didn't wear any weapon, but somehow Sookie knew, they didn't need any. Their claws and teeth were more dangerous than any weapon she could think of.

Sookie, Arlene and Terry were brought in a really large room, they called 'guest room'. The floor was made of laminated wood, which made pictures of stars, surrounded by wall panels which were also made from laminated wood. On its walls were some photos hanging. Except Alcide and Jackson Herveaux, Sookie didn't recognized the others.

From the left door, Jackson Herveaux walked in. "Sookie, I am glad you are here." He said, and shook her hand. "I am Jackson Herveaux," he introduced himself to Arlene and Terry.

"Arlene Fowler."

"Terry Bellefleur."

"Mr. Herveaux, please tell us what's going on?" Sookie asked.

"Let's sit." He said, asking Arlene and Terry to sit. "It's all begun as I heard that Northman had sent Compton to look for the potion." He said after Terry and Arlene sat down. "My son asked me if I had ever heard such a potion, and I said yes. But it was only a legend, a myth, about a witch from Bon Temps, who was so powerful and had many knowledge because she was – as the legend said, the beloved witch of a faery king who lived in the woods of Bon Temps. They said, she was also his lover, who carried the son of the faery king. Some said, it wasn't actually his son because at that time, she had taken a human lover.

Nobody was sure about it. Only one thing was certain, this witch was sentenced to death at the witch hunting time, by burning her alive. Many of her followers and her human lover died with her. Some said, that human lover was a Satan worshiper. According to some witnesses during the church trial, he had brought some young women to his house from time to time to be sacrificed. Of course, he didn't sacrifice those women. And there was no Satan that he worshiped, it was for his friend who was also his employer, who was none other than Eric Northman."

"Hold on," Arlene cut the story. "Eric Northman…the Eric Northman…the husband of Aude Northman…your boyfriend?"

"Didn't Sookie tell you, Mrs. Fowler?" Jackson looked at Sookie. "I am sorry, Sookie, but we don't have time anymore to be discreet." He smiled at Arlene. "Mrs. Fowler, Eric Northman is not a human. He's a vampire."

"I beg your pardon?"

"He is a vampire."

Arlene's face was twisted between 'wanting to laugh' and 'are you out of your mind' expression. She looked around, as if she wanted to make sure that there were no hidden cameras, somewhere. Meanwhile Terry looked calmer and calmer. His eyes, which normally had a dreamy look, were focused. He didn't look like Terry, whom Sookie used to know, but the new Terry – or maybe the old Terry before the Fallujah incident. Sookie wasn't quite sure how to describe it. But one thing for sure, he looked alert and confident. Maybe he thought, after all these years, finally, there are people who know that I am not crazy, and believe in me.

"Some legends said that this man didn't die, but he was turned into vampire, some said he died."

"Which one you believe, Jackson?"

"I believe he was turned into a vampire."

"By Eric?"

"No. Eric would be able to control him, if he was the one. I believe he was turned by somebody else, by someone who was stronger than Eric."

"Who?"

"I don't know. But Godric must have known it."

"I don't follow this." Arlene shook her head, as if by doing it she could have undone the story. "You are pulling my legs."

"Unfortunately not, Mrs. Fowler. This vampire is a dangerous one and he had Northman's weakness in his hand."

"Eric has weaknesses?" Sookie wondered what they were.

"Yes. If what I heard is true…they said, Northman cried when he heard that his friend was turned into a vampire. His friend had made him promised, in any circumstances, if he had to die, then he wanted Northman to kill him. He didn't want to be turned into a vampire. Northman felt like he had failed him."

It must have been hard for Eric. As far as she knew him, loyalty and keeping promises meant a lot for him. That Viking perhaps didn't know the meaning of love, but he treated loyalty and promises as the most valuable things in the world.

"What are we going to do, now?" Sookie asked.

"We wait for the sunset."

"Yeah, right. Vampires can't stand the sunlight, right?" Arlene said in a very cynical voice and a smile on her face, but when she saw how serious Jackson and Terry were, that smile disappeared. "You are fucking serious. I need a drink, a strong one!"

"You don't have to worry, Arlene." Terry said. "I will protect you."

"That's very sweet of you, Terry. Thank you."

A man entered the room, Sookie recognized him as one of the men who helped Simon cleaning up the hospital room. He bowed to Jackson's ears and whispered something. After that, he straightened up his body.

"Sookie, I think I have a bit of bad news for you."

What could possibly be worse than this?

"We finally found out the identity of the weres who attacked you."

"I heard that they were the Rogue."

"Not exactly. They were the members of the Black Claws clan from Mississippi Banks."

"What are you waiting for, then?" Arlene asked. "Just move your ass and drag them here!"

"It's not that simple, Mrs. Fowler. It's outside my authority."

"Outside your authority? Well, let me tell you something, mister. The government of The United States of America granted me with authority to put charges upon anybody's ass who committed a federal crime, anywhere on the USA ground. They would wish that they had never been born, as soon as I finished with them!"

"I believe you, Mrs. Fowler." Jackson Herveaux touched her hand. Even when there was a smile on his face, Sookie saw something else that could jump out from that smile on any minute, a pair of long tusks, which could rip off any flesh. "But this matter needs more than just Government's Law Enforcement Officers' attention." He emphasized the word 'government' as if he wanted to avoid using the word 'human'. "And believe me, Mrs. Fowler, it's better to wait than to fall into a trap. At least with Northman's people on our side, the situation will be on our favour. In the meantime, Sookie can have some rest. If my prediction and the information that I received are correct, we all need all the power that we have to survive the next days."

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