A/N: It's very important to remember that Freyda's dungeons are warded with magic that blocks bonds. Also, I know I jump around with the timeline a lot, but to be clear Eric did not find Sookie until after she had been in the dungeons for a little while.
Chapter 36:
PPOV
The hits had kept on coming. How much fucking more could I fucking take?
First my child and then my maker.
I had dialed Eric's number what felt like thousands of times upon rising, but he did not answer. No one did. I knew that Brandt was not finally dead because I could feel his distress through our bond, which further compounded my own. It had irritated me more than a little that he would ignore a call from me. We were all in crisis, our whole family. Even if he was aggrieved at my previous behavior towards him, he should have answered my call – I was done acting childish by hating him; we needed to be there for each other.
I frantically dialed my sister, "Karin, he's gone," I said in a somewhat questioning tone. I wanted her to tell me that something was wrong with me. Something was fucking with my bonds. But deep down, I knew that none of those things would be true.
"Yes, I no longer feel him. He was missing from my mind when I rose."
"I'm going to fucking kill the Queen. This is her fault. All her fucking fault."
This had to be the fault of that bitch Freyda. Someone must have snuck in during the day to dispatch him – so that she would be vulnerable - no one could beat him in combat. Eric was finally dead because of her. I hoped her enemies wouldn't get to her before I did; I wanted her to die an extremely painful death by my hand.
"Pam, come home. Let us not discuss things such as this by phone."
My sister was always the most practical of Eric's children. Eric's children. Our father, brother, son.
"Yes, I'll be home soon."
I could barely release the words from my throat; they came out in choking sobs as bloody tears streamed down my face. Being with family would do me good. Delivering the final death to Queen Freyda would be even better. But Karin was right, speaking of regicide by phone was not wise.
Thalia had agreed when I asked her to return with me to Louisiana. I had been shocked that she admitted openly the grief she was in – Sookie's loss had devastated her. She said Europe would always remind her of her time with Sookie at her side. She believed that returning to the states would allow her a chance to heal.
Thalia was much deeper than anyone gave her credit for.
Brandt POV
I was pulled out of my day death by the most disturbing feeling I had ever felt. Emptiness.
Eric had explained the bond to me, but I had yet to master it. It had always been hard to pinpoint who was who in my mind. Sometimes I had felt my one of sisters but mistakenly thought it was my maker. Eric said that was normal for a newer vampire.
But there was no question now. What I didn't feel was my maker's bond. He was gone, which could only mean one thing – he was finally dead and I was alone. And still in the dark.
My eyes had not come back in yet. Eric had said it would take time, and a lot of blood. It was harder to come by the amount of blood needed since we were holed up in Eric's rooms. Everything he had, he gave to me. Now I feared that I should've fought him on that – it had obviously weakened him enough that someone was able to kill him.
I couldn't stay in the room; I wouldn't be able to survive.
I stumbled out of the room, trying to use my heightened sense of hearing to help me navigate the castle. I had to get out. I knew that Freyda only tolerated my presence to appease Eric – and I was sure that with no Eric, there would be no Brandt also. Once I was outside, I would call Karin. She would come get me, or at least send someone for me. And Pam...she and I would have to find some common ground.
Issues or not, we were still family, and all each other had.
"Should've stayed in your room, baby vamp. Big mistake."
Those were the last words I heard before I felt something large and heavy slam into my head, effectively knocking me out.
PPOV
Blood was splattered everywhere, and human body parts. Fucking Weres. My favorite pair of heels was ruined.
Werewolves always shifted back into their human form when dead. So gross. At least vampires had the good sense to burst into a pool of blood – much less clean-up to be done.
As Thalia and I had readied ourselves to travel back to Louisiana, we had been attacked by a pack of werewolves. They had been sent to abduct me, and I could smell that they were the Weres who had killed my precious Sookie.
I had tortured them in every way I could think, and when I ran out of ideas, Thalia chimed in with some of her own. I could learn so much from her. It had been satisfying, and eye-opening. While they had tried to hold out, keep from singing like canaries, flaying them alive – and strategically removing body parts – had proven to be a great motivator.
The Weres had not killed Susan. They kept calling her Susan. And I knew instantly who had sent them – I mean, they also told me because I was very good at extracting information with a blade – Freyda had ordered them to seize my child. What a jealous, stupid bitch. I no longer gave any fucks about whether or not ripping her head off would cause me problems, or my own final death.
But I had nothing to worry about.
I was off to Oklahoma with a song in my heart to kill a queen. A queen who had caused the final death of my maker. A queen who had sent werewolves to kidnap me. A queen who had committed a blood offense against me by ending my child.
A queen who I was well within my rights to rip to shreds.