Author's Note: I am so very sorry for the very late update. I am trapped between the world of Celtic and Bon Temps. There's almost nothing that I could do, except follow the call of my heart most desires: Druids and Trees. (Lame excuse). Anyway, I'll try to listen to Sookie's scream this time...well, that can't be that hard, since she screamed most of the time through Season 3 (sorry, can't help it).

I want to thank my friend, Bontempsbeau, who helps me with the correction this time. Even during his battle against this and that, he still has time to read my story. Thank you so very much, my friend.


Chapter Forty-Nine

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

The Warlock looked pale and was shivering. Some dried blood could be seen around his mouth. It was black and had an odor that smelled bad to Sookie's nose. James sat on the edge of the bed and held his hand. Sookie was shocked to see how skinny those fingers were and how long the nails were. Not only that the nails were black and pointed, like the nails of a wolf.

The Witches had invited James, Eric, Sookie and the leaders of the werewolf clans to enter the warlock's house. He was too weak to come to the circle of stones. He had lost a lot of blood. Nevertheless, he wanted to speak with all of them.

"Young man," the Warlock smiled. His eyes were small, but shone brightly. "I have underestimated you. You have a strong feeling to commit to something that you believe in. That's a good start to be a werewolf."

Sookie was not sure if she liked to hear that, but it seemed it was good enough for James and the other werewolves, who were in the room. James smiled and the other werewolves looked at each other, nodded. Only Eric was expressionless as ever and suddenly on the back of her head, his voice was heard. He has defeated you, Old Man. Sookie gasped. She could hear his thoughts! It hadn't been a random voice; it had been him, talking in his head! A strange feeling crawled on her skin. His voice sounded as if it was spoken in a hollow room. It was echoing and distant. Eric looked back at her. The flickering lights in his eyes told her, he knew. He took her hand and said, not now.

James' voice took her attention back. "Was it you, who came to my dream, pretending to be the people whom I love?"

"I am sorry if it caused you any pain, but it was necessary."

"Necessary?" Sookie couldn't stop herself. "You almost killed him!"

"Forgive me, Sookie," the Warlock looked at her. The lines on his face looked deeper as he said, "I told you, you have a powerful son. He himself has to learn and to know his borders." He touched James' face. "He has a good teacher."

Somehow Sookie had a feeling, the Warlock wasn't speaking about her.

"What will you do to him now?"

"He is free now. He can either stay here with me, or leave the Square Stones. I accept him as my student if he's willing to learn from me."

A sound of murmurs filled the room. The warlock never has any student, one said. I don't like this, the other said. He is different. He's too dangerous. He's too young. He is our savior.

James looked at her. "I would like to go home, Mom." His eyes looked red. He continued in his head, tonight, if it's possible.

Sookie wanted to go home tonight too, if it was possible; but she knew, it wasn't. She hadn't walked each step of the way; nevertheless, she had seen how the werewolves looked like as they reached the top had told her clear enough, the road to go down wasn't easy. "We go tomorrow at day break."

xxxxx

Under the silver light of the moon, which was heading to the East, Sookie held Eric tight. Her body shook from fear that had overtaken her since the meeting was over. She couldn't and didn't want to imagine what might happen to James after tonight. In her fear and anxiety, she blamed herself for letting everybody make decisions for her and James.

Eric's hair touched her cheek softly as the wind blew. "I have to go soon, lover," he whispered.

"I am afraid, Eric."

"Look at me, Sookie."

Sookie loosened her hold and looked up. Eric's cold blue eyes seemed to be colder. "You are a strong woman, Sookie, even when you don't realize it. James is more your son than mine; whatever power and persistence he has, they come from you. He has my looks, but his personality is all yours. If he could defeat that old witch, so can you. Nothing, nothing that ever walks on this country will ever defeat you or your son. Not even me."

"That's a big word, Eric. I don't know if I am."

"I know you are."

"You trust me too much. You don't even know me."

"You have been waiting for me for fifteen years, just like you said you would. You didn't know that I wasn't dead, but you did it, nevertheless. It shows to me clearly what you are, that you are strong and trustworthy and that you love me. I know you much more than you think." He caressed her face tenderly. "You have your whole life to get to know me and I will stay the same, physically and mentally. You don't have to be afraid that you won't recognize me, lover, because I am what I am since I can remember."

A warm feeling overtook her. Yes, he was. He was what he was since the day they first knew each other. God, how she missed Bon Temps! She wanted to be there, now, at their home, consummating their time and togetherness. "I want to go home, Eric. I want to go to our house in the middle of the wood and forget this whole mess."

"We will, Lover." Eric kissed her forehead. "Stay close to Alcide. He's the only one whom you can trust among them."

"Alcide is angry with me. I didn't tell him that James can read vampire minds."

"I'll have some words with him. Don't worry, he might be angry, but it won't be long. He loves both of you. I'll put some reasons in that thick head."

It was either Eric knew Alcide too well, or he had put some reasons in Alcide's mind, whatever it was, Sookie found Alcide laying beside her in the early morning. Like other werewolves, he made noises like a dog in his sleep. She had been wakened up abruptly by the sound and the touch on her arm. James was sitting beside her. His face was twisted from not enough sleep and sadness. "Victoria is gone," he said. At first she had thought that Luna had taken Duke with her, but then she saw the dog laying beside James with its head on the ground.

"What is it?" Alcide woke up and rubbed his eyes.

"Luna is gone," she said.

"Don't worry, James. She'll return. She returned once, she'll return again."

"I hope so and better with a good explanation." James' voice sound as if he was going to cry. "If she doesn't come back, I will never forgive her for the rest of my life!"

Around noon, they climbed down the hill. The Warlock gave James a simple necklace, made from leather and a piece of black wood as the medallion. Now two necklaces were around his neck, the old one was from Colin. "Take care of yourself, James. Come any time you want. The door of my house is always open for you."

James nodded. "Thank you."

Their cell phones rang as soon as they reached the inn. Modern life attacked them without any mercy. Sookie sat as far as possible from anybody with mobile phones. She couldn't stand to hear the sound of their beep-beep or the ring tones. Moreover, she couldn't stand listening to their thoughts screaming loudly at her.

Alcide came to her. "We have to go as soon as possible to the Haven."

"Why?"

"Somebody is looking for Eric. Somebody named Haru. My father said that Haru has very important information that he only will share with Eric."

Haru...that name rang a bell.

"You know him?"

"No, but I heard that name before."

"Pam asked Sam to take care of him. She doesn't want other vampires to have any contact with him. It looks like Haru is somebody important in vampire world."

"Alcide...I am sorry that I didn't tell you about James."

"Forget it, Sookie. I am the one who has to apologize. You do whatever is necessary to protect him and I think you do pretty well so far."

She smiled. Ah, Alcide. He's always very supportive and kind. "Thank you."

Alcide smiled and then looked at James, who was talking with other members of The Grey Hound. "He has to go to school in two or three weeks. Will you let him stay in Bon Temps or will you send him to Beaumont? I heard Colin's niece is a nice girl and he seems to like her."

"Let him decide, Alcide. It's his first love, it will hurt him badly, but he will survive. Don't push him; otherwise he will have crazy thought of searching for Luna. Then, we will have a real problem."

"You're right. He has a crazy son of a bitch as a father," he flashed his dangerous grin. "We will never know what he will do next."

"You know exactly what he will do next, Alcide, if he's through and through like his father." Sookie looked at James and couldn't help to picture him as Eric and his crazy idea about making himself human for a day, for Aude. "He will ignore any advice and does whatever it takes to get what he wants."

Alcide laughed. "You don't forgive him for what he had done for Aude, do you?"

"No."

"He might be crazy, Sookie. But he loves you. He married you in his crazy way, doesn't he? If I killed you now, he would die too. He is a lucky bastard that I love you too."

Alcide didn't keep a secret anymore about his feeling toward her. Sookie felt uncomfortable about it, but she didn't intend to tell him that.

Xxxxx

The lights, the sound and the dirty smell in the air told Sookie that they were already in Shreveport. The ships blew their horns to announce their coming or leaving, the car drivers yelled at each other, either with the horns or their mouths, as soon as they thought something went wrong, and the orange yellowish color of street lamps brightened their surroundings for nothing. The lights that came from the houses and cars were bright enough to light the street; they didn't need any other lamps to do the job.

Lafayette held her tight. "I am dead worried about you," he said. His swollen eyes and uncombed hair made him look older. "Is Jim all right?"

"Yes, but he will need some rest."

"I'll make sure that he stays in his room, Hon. Don't you worry." Then, he went to James, who just went out of the car. "Jimmy!" his voice rang in the air. "Dear Lord, what is that around your neck?"

Lafayette and his passion for fashion! Surely he would get the story that he wanted from James by paying attention to the small things.

Sam took her hand and gave a sign to Alcide to follow him. "You have to take Haru away from here, Sookie. The news that Haru is here in Shreveport spreads faster than fire. It's not safe anymore to keep him here."

"Who is he?"

Sam looked at her and said in his head, he's the creator of True Blood.

Now she knew why the name was familiar for her. Eric had mentioned his name once, talking about contacting somebody in Japan and asking him about the new True Blood.

"Is there any place safe where we can talk about it?"

"Why not here?" asked Alcide.

"I don't question your loyalty to Northman, Alcide. But since when other werewolves care about vampires?"

"It isn't only about vampires, Sam. It's about werewolves too." Alcide told Sam short and fast about what they had fought in the woods of Square Stones. "There's something about the new True Blood that affects everybody. It's no longer vampire matter only."

"Amelia said the same thing too."

Amelia? Hmm, it seemed everything was normal again between them. "If you don't want to talk about it here, where do you want to have it?"

"Northman Mansion." Sam looked at her. "Vampires and werewolves are afraid of Eric. Besides, he's a sheriff; his rank must mean something in the vampire world."

"And he has his son…"

"Leave James out of this, Alcide. He has enough." Sookie cut him off. "It'd make me feel better if he doesn't know anything about all of this."

"Sorry, Sook. You're right." Alcide looked at Sam. "When will you want us to go?"

"Tonight. It has to be done tonight. I fear, Alcide, it won't be easy for any of us to keep that man alive."

xxxxx