Eric heard the laughter coming from the kitchen and sighed. He looked at Hoyt and Bill and tossed in a poker chip. One month had passed since Sawyer and him had reconciled and he was now staying at the house with her. They had finished fixing it up and in the master bedroom had installed metal binds allowing Eric to be there with her even during the day. He looked up when he heard the knock on the door. He put down his cards and asked himself again how Sawyer had been able to talk him into having a poker night with the guys. He even wanted to know how it was that she had even gotten Pam on her side.
"I'll get it. It is probably Sam," Eric said getting up.
"You know Eric, I still cannot believe that you are so...," Bill trailed off.
"So what?"
"The word whipped comes to mind."
Eric glared at Bill and then walked out of the living room and to the door. He pulled it open and smiled when he saw Arlene standing there with Terry. She looked at him and took a step back. She still wasn't comfortable with him. He stood back and smiled when he felt Sawyer wrap an arm around his waist and stand beside him. He kissed her head and looked at Arlene and Terry. Arlene seemed a little bit more relaxed now.
"About time you showed up. How can we plan your party without you?" Sawyer asked pulling Arlene in the house.
"Sorry, I couldn't decide what to wear," Arlene said looking at Eric.
"More like she was scared of Eric," Terry said.
"Terry!"
Sawyer smiled a little. She took Arlene's hand and led her to the kitchen where Sookie and Jessica were. She placed her hand on her stomach when she felt the babies kick again. She was five months along and she was counting down the days to her due date. She wanted to meet her babies. She took her seat again and smiled when Arlene sat beside Sookie. She sipped her iced tea and smiled at the three other women.
"Eric said we can use Fangtasia if we wanted. He said he would close it for the night," Sawyer said.
"I don't know about that," Arlene said looking at the table top.
"Oh, Fangtasia is awesome. You can turn the music so loud that you can't even hear yourself think," Jessica said smiling taking a sip of her Tru Blood.
"Sawyer does that here already," Sookie said looking at her friend.
"What? Is it my fault that it is the only thing that annoys Eric?"
"Yes, but then it annoys me. How can you even stand it that loud?"
"Earplugs," Sawyer and Jessica said at the same time. They both laughed.
"Arlene, there is nothing to be scared of. Eric is...Well, it is shocking but he has been domesticated by Sawyer," Sookie said.
"Sook, you make him sound like a dog or something," Jessica said.
"Well, if the shoe fits."
All four women erupted in laughter at that. Sawyer looked around the table and smiled at her friends. This was what she had wanted; friends who cared about her. This was her family. To her this was what a real family was all about. She could trust the women around the table with her along with the men in the other room. She knew that they would stand beside her and fight with her. She was glad that she had showed up in Bon Temps. It was her home now and she was never going to leave.
Sam wiped down the table and looked at Tara behind the bar finishing cleaning up. He knew that he was late to get over to Sawyer's for the poker game but it couldn't be helped. He needed to lock up. He was just glad that Tara had stayed to help him. He looked up when the door banged open and a group of men walked into the bar. Sam looked at the one leading them and stood up straighter. It was Sawyer's brother Finn. Sam looked at Tara and knew that she was reaching for the shotgun under the bar. He walked over to the six men hoping to get their attention away from Tara.
"What are you doing here?" Sam demanded.
"Well, we heard about the party happening at Sawyer's. Actually saw it. Can you believe that that fucking blood sucker is playing house with my baby sister? Doesn't it make sick to your stomach?" Finn asked walking forward showing Sam the knife he had in his hand.
"It's Sawyer's life and he makes her happy," Sam answered.
"Sure, he does. And then he is going to suck my sister dry or worse, turn her. No, she needs to remember that we are here and that we are watching her. She needs to remember that when she least expects it we are going to pounce and Eric Northman is going to be nothing more than a pile of tissue."
Tara grabbed the shotgun and cocked it pointing it at Finn. He didn't even turn and one of the other men grabbed it from her before she could pull the trigger. He slammed the butt in her face and pain exploded on Tara's jaw and her nose. She staggered back and leaned against the wall. She reached up and felt blood gushing from her nose. She looked up and suddenly two men had come around the bar and they wore smiles on their faces. One punched her in the stomach and she fell to her knees. They kept hitting her over and over and then mercifully everything went black.
Sam went to help Tara but Finn grabbed him and suddenly Sam felt a sharp burning pain in his side. He turned and saw Finn yank the knife out covered in blood. Sam fell to the floor and looked up at Finn. Finn smiled at him and kneeled down beside him.
"I want you to tell my sister, that this is just the beginning. There is going to be more pain in store for her if she insists on staying with Northman. Remember to tell her that," Finn said getting up and walking out of the bar the other men slowly following behind him.
Sam laid there and held his side. He felt the blood seeping though his fingers and knew that he needed help. He started crawling to get to the phone but felt everything dimming. He knew he wasn't going to make it. He thought that he was probably going to die here in his bar.
Bill dropped his cards on the table and looked at Eric. Eric looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Bill gently nodded his head to the side and Eric sighed. He pushed his chair away and looked at Terry and Hoyt.
"We will be right back. Please excuse us," Eric said as they walked into the entrance way.
"I believe that something is wrong with Sam. I need to go check it out," Bill said.
"I will come with you."
"I can do this alone."
"Yes, and Sawyer's brother and mother are still running wild around here. It may be them behind this."
"And how is Sawyer going to take you leaving without telling her?"
"I don't know Bill, how is Sookie going to take you doing the same?"
Eric and Bill stood there and stared at each other. They both then sighed and turned to make their way to the kitchen. They both tried to walk though the doorway but they both couldn't fit. Eric glared at Bill and Bill glared at him. Eric rolled his eyes and stepped back allowing Bill to walk through the door first. Eric followed and smiled when he saw Sawyer sitting at the table laughing with the other women. She looked so alive and happy. He walked over and leaned down kissing her neck softly.
"Hey, how is the poker game going?" she asked turning to look at him.
"It is on hold for the moment. Bill and I are going to run out for a few minutes," Eric said.
"Is something wrong?" Sookie asked looking at Bill.
"No, we just need to check on something. It won't take us long," Bill smiled at Sookie.
"Eric, you aren't lying or keeping anything from me are you?"
Sawyer looked into Eric's pale blue eyes and waited. She could this sinking feeling that he wasn't telling her something. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips softly. She kissed him back then pulled away and placed a hand on his cheek. She looked into his eyes and sighed.
"Be careful, ma coeur," she whispered.
"For you always, min karlek," Eric answered kissing her again.
Sawyer nodded and watched as he turned and left Bill following him. She turned and looked at Sookie and Sookie nodded. Her friend got up and walked to the fridge and opened the standing freezer beside it. She pulled out the container of fudge chocolate ice cream. She then grabbed three spoons and walked back to the table.
"What did Eric call you?" Arlene asked softly.
"He called me my love," Sawyer said smiling.
"And you called him your heart," Jessica said proud that the French lessons with Sawyer were paying off.
"That I did. It doesn't however change the fact that him and Bill are lying about what is going on."
"You know it's moments like this that I wish I could read vampires," Sookie said eating some ice cream.
"Oh, Sook, at moments like this I wish you could too. Stupid men thinking they are protecting us."
"What is with that? They think that once you are with them you stop being your own person and having your own thoughts," Arlene added.
"Oh, I know. But it is even worse with vampires. Sookeh, you are mine," Sookie said dropping her voice to imitate Bill.
"I never got that. I don't go around saying that Hoyt is mine and no one seems to mind. Why do Eric and Bill have to go around claiming you two like possessions?" Jessica asked.
"Because they are men and have dicks," Sawyer said.
Terry and Hoyt walked to the door of the kitchen. However, when they heard the conversation that was going on, they turned and went back into the living room to play more poker. Neither wanted to be in the kitchen and have four women, two of them hormonal, blame them for the faults of all men. They decided it would be safer in the living room until the vampires came back.
Eric and Bill arrived at Merlotte's. They stood outside and could smell the blood already. They both rushed into the bar and saw Sam laying there in a small pool of blood. Bill went over to his side and slapped him hard on the face. Sam came around and Bill bit his wrist and offered the blood to Sam without saying a word. Eric smelled the air and smelt more blood. He walked around the bar and saw Tara laying there unmoving. He kneeled by her side and felt her pulse. It was weak and he knew that she needed medical attention. He got up and turned and looked at Bill.
"She needs a hospital. Her pulse is too weak," Eric said.
"Then call them. The number is 911 or is that too hard for you to understand?" Bill snapped.
"Do not snap at me. I did not cause this and neither did Sawyer. I will not have you blaming her for something she could not control."
Bill pulled his arm away from Sam and turned to glare at Eric. Eric just turned his back and picked up the phone calling the ambulance. Bill looked at Sam and saw the other man nod telling him that the wound was healing. Bill knew that this was probably the work of Sawyer's brother. He wanted to be angry and hate her for bringing these people and this danger into Sookie's life but he couldn't. He knew how much Sookie cared about Sawyer and he knew that she would stand by Sawyer. He sighed and stood up. He looked at Eric and knew that he would be helping the other vampire. He may not like Eric and he thought that they didn't have anything in common but he would help him track Finn down. He would do it because he understood Eric's need to protect the woman he loved. Bill was feeling it too.