AN: Here's the next installment. I'm still jizzing my pants over the new preview. Can hardly get my head on straight.

Thanks to the awesome seastarr08

Chapter 7: I Wanna Take You There

I lay still in the bed, watching the sky lighten outside the window, my heart hammering in my chest as the minutes ticked on. When I felt like the house was as silent as it could be, besides the heads of a few fangbangers, I whipped the covers off. Eric's blood made me feel invincible. I surged through the room, throwing on the button up shirt Eric brought me an hour and a half ago, along with car keys and a map of where I should go to find Bill.

Bill.

Was I a horrible person to want to let him rot down there for a few more days? The answer to that was, of course, yes.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling on the moccasins Eric had also brought. I had no idea where he had gotten it all, but the shirt was definitely a man's extra-extra large that reached past my knees. If I had a belt, I could have made a half presentable dress.

I took a foolish moment to look at my bare hand that had held Bill's ring for me for a few days. What was I thinking? What was Bill thinking? It'd been six weeks since I met him. My Gran had died five weeks ago. I wasn't thinking clearly – was this thing with Bill based off grief? No. I was attracted to him from the beginning, but...

Being with Alcide reminded me of a few things. One, I had only ever been with Bill. If I ever thought the two of us could make it, I'd have to know that he was it for me. Bill had a hundred and fifty years to see other fish in the sea, but I had just plunged in and saw one fish. One fish. And Bill, was like a shark, not even a fish. And I was like a guppy, who wouldn't live for very long – no, perhaps Bill was a sea-turtle, they lived very long lives...I let out a scream of frustration. What the hell was I thinking?

Two – how much did I really know about Bill? He hadn't told me about Lorena. He was obviously keeping some things from me, something that resulted in his kidnapping. He hid Jessica from me for as long as he could. He said that everything was all right after he staked Long Shadow, and that was far from the truth.

Of course, he did tell me when I had Eric's blood that it would make me more attracted to him and...

Suddenly, I felt like the world's biggest idiot. Something had been tugging at my memories, at my consciousness for a while now and it had taken me so long to realize it.

I had Bill's blood. The night after we met, there it was, in my system. He said my libido would increase, but he never said it made me feel sexually attracted to him. Unless he was lying. Unless it didn't make me feel anything and he was just trying to reassure me and himself that I wasn't actually attracted to Eric. When I thought back to it, I always had been. From the first time I saw Eric, I never hadn't felt sexually attracted to him. How could I not? So why was I so quick to believe Bill when he fed me lies in that hotel room in Dallas?

I needed a break. From men. From vampires. I had to get my head on straight. Things were happening too fast – this wasn't me.

I was going to get Bill out of here and then go back home and fix my house. Oh wait, Eric was seeing to that. I groaned.

Eric.

What in the heck was I going to do about him?

I pushed all thoughts of the thousand year old vampire out of my head, finding myself getting hot just thinking his name. I did not need a distraction right now.

I had to get Bill to keep peace between Eric and the Queen. I looked at the map to the basement and stuffed it in the breast pocket. I grabbed the keys and the stake. I had nowhere to really put them. I lifted the shirt and slipped the stake in the side of my panties. Keys. I stuffed it in my bra. Okay. I could do this.

I wandered into the hall, noticing the amount of doors leading to the front foyer. This place was massive and damn intimidating. It was an old house, the ceilings were high. Had I been here under different circumstances, I would have loved to have taken a proper tour. I crept along, trying to make sure the keys didn't jingle. I reached the top of the stairs that reminded me of Gone with the Wind. Eric practically re-enacted my favourite scene in film with me in his arms...

No. Bill.

I hated that I had to remind myself of my situation because I'd get distracted with thoughts of the Viking. I made my way down the stairs, prepared for a vampire to attack even in broad daylight. Everyone seemed to be asleep, the house was dead. Even the humans had retired for the day after a long night of orgies and weird stuff.

Where the heck was the basement? I tried to remember what Eric had drawn and I made my way further into the house down a long hall. I passed a staircase that seemed to lead underground and decided to take it. It swooped down like a spiral and I felt dizzy as I turned, descending. I got my footing and thought to pull out the stake, bracing it above my head. I slowly moved down further into the basement, my ears cautious of any sound. It was rather dark in the basement and my eyes took a moment to adjust.

Was Bill really down here? Who could be watching him during the day? I heard grunting coming from the end of the hall and reached a door. I opened it carefully, peeking in. Up against the wall was Bill, my vampire, chained. He was pale and had blood dripping from his ears, from everywhere, really. I forgot myself for a moment and rushed to his side, dropping to my knees.

"Bill, Bill, honey," I shook his shoulder and he slowly looked up at me. "Bill," I sighed.

"Sookie," he wheezed. I smiled, brushing back his dark hair.

"Russell said you might stop by for a visit." I whirled around to see Lorena leaning heavily against the door. She had a lazy smile on her face. I stood up, blocking Bill as best I could. The stake was in my hand, firm – I had to do this. I had to kill her. I let out a shaky breath. Kill if you have to. Whoever you have to. "Yes. We were expecting you, Sookie." I did not like the way she said my name. Almost as if she were mocking me.

"It's daylight," I said. "You aren't as powerful as you normally are. I have a chance."

She laughed coldly. "I am a vampire. You're just a foolish girl. You cannot win. Although, I do like the symbolism – you and me fighting over a man we both love."

Did I love Bill? Now wasn't really the time to ponder that. I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat. Lorena gave me one last look before her fangs came down and she pounced on me. I let out a scream of surprise. This was different from when she attacked me at Godric's. For one thing, she was significantly weaker, due to the sun. I pushed her off with all my strength and she moved, falling over. You returned and he wasn't there, Eric had said to me at Fangtasia.

"He wasn't thinking about you when he kissed me!" Lorena shouted at me. I punched her as hard as I could in the face, blood oozing out of her nose. "Or when he made love to me!" I let out a scream of frustration and wrapped my hands around her neck, trying to strangle her. There was no point, she was a vampire. She couldn't breathe. I hope you find what you're looking for. Oh, I did. Lorena knocked my hand and the stake flew across the room. I got off her body and lunged for it, when I felt a hand on my ankle. My chin smashed into the ground painfully. I whimpered and Lorena dragged me back toward her. I heard the rattling of chains as Bill moved about.

"Lorena!" Bill said weakly.

I kicked my leg out and it was free of her grasp and I looked back to get a good idea where her face was and kicked as hard as I could. She let go of my other ankle and fell back. I crawled quickly to the stake and grabbed it just before she pulled me back at her again. I turned around just as she pulled me closer so she could bite. Her eyes were full of blood lust when I sat up, leaned forward and plunged the stake into her heart.

Lorena let out a shattering scream. Bill shouted. I crawled away from her as fast as I could as her body shuddered and just like Long Shadow, she burst. I was covered in sticky blood and mutilated body parts. I cried out dragging myself from her as best I could, but my lower half was drenched and my upper half was splattered.

Is she not Bill's? Russell's voice reverberated in my head.

I let out a shaky breath and looked over at Bill. He was strained against the chains, his face staring in horror at Lorena's depleted form. I didn't have time to think about emotions. I got up quickly, my body quivering and I walked over to Bill, who was also splattered in Lorena's blood.

"Quick," I murmured, trying to figure out how to undo the chains. Thankfully, I saw the keys hanging on the wall. How cruel. He was so close, and yet so far away. I scrambled to my feet and tugged them down, working on his lock. He was free and let out a gasp. I put my arm under his and helped him up. "Lean on me," I ordered. He did so and soon we were teetering down the hall.

I couldn't just take Bill outside in the sun. I cursed and leaned him against the wall opening the door to my right. It led to the garage, just like Eric's map said. I pulled him back onto me and we went through. Wow, there were a lot of fancy cars in here. Eric left a large blanket on the ground to my right, also in his instructions and I threw it over Bill, trying to cover the major areas. We walked through, the lights turning on at the presence of a person. I jumped, a little. Great. My heart was hammering in my chest so hard. I was terrified that I would get caught. I opened up the door that helped me reach outside.

Bill hissed in my ear, even though he was covered up. The Lincoln Eric had told me about before he had died for the day was right there in front. I let Bill rest against the trunk while I dove into my bra to retrieve the keys. I unlocked the trunk and then pushed Bill inside. He was slow and stiff. I shut it , hoping he'd be okay in there before I went to the driver's side, hopping in. My body relaxed slightly. I started the car and headed up the drive, to the gate. I took deep breaths, trying to relax as the Weres stopped me.

"How-de-do, I'm Sookie Stackhouse," I gave them a big grin and they looked a bit perplexed. Perhaps they had never seen a woman leave Russell's mansion before.

"Miss...Stackhouse. Why are you leaving?"

Eric had left me specific instructions. He apparently knew the Weres and I was supposed to mention his name in some threatening way. "I have to get back home right away. I shouldn't stay here a minute. I have much to report back to my boss, Eric Northman. Him and Russell are forming an...alliance." I whispered the last bit and gave them a wink. I saw them stiffen at the mention of the sheriff of Area 5 and they waved me on through.

I still couldn't calm down as I drove back to Alcide's. Thank God he had an underground parking garage. An hour later after getting lost and having to stop at a gas station for directions, I was pulling into the garage. I pulled up and let out a sigh of relief. I wondered if there were any holes that might have harmed Bill while driving in the early morning light so I got out of the car and opened the trunk conspicuously. He seemed all right. He was in the blanket.

And then I was pushed into the trunk.

I heard the flat-foot falls of someone running away. I pushed at the roof of the trunk, but it was no use. Here I was in a car with a vampire, trapped. He was starving.

The small moments of relief were shattered when I realized I had no idea where my cell phone was and that I had to wait until sundown. I moaned at my situation. I wanted to cry so bad, but I had to remain level-headed. First, I pushed Bill as far from me as possible, although I knew that would do no good.

The only person I could think to who would push me into a trunk was Alcide's girlfriend, Debbie Pelt. The psycho bitch. What the hell did Alcide see in her? He was such a nice guy, who protected me – except last night when he ran off. I had a small crush on him and that wasn't smart. Not when I was sort-of-engaged to Bill and having sex with Eric...

What the hell was I doing?

First, I was going to do my best to survive into the night.

I banged and made as much noise as I could for a while before giving up.

Waiting in a trunk for a few hours, careful with my breathing so I could save up all the oxygen I could. I think at some point I must have passed out. I woke as Bill began to stir. I gasped, remembering Eric saying he'd try and reach me as fast as he could when the sun set. Oh please.

"Bill," I said. "Please, stay calm. It's just me. Can you get us out of here?"

He moved again, grunting.

"Bill?"

And just like that, he was on me, dragging my body under his, and biting into my neck. I cried out, as he tore at my underwear, sucking my blood, and ripping the flesh on my neck. I'd never been bitten, without it being sexual, and it hurt worse than anything I could remember. I screamed and struggled as much as I could. Feeding was often associated with sex. Pain rippled between my legs when he was inside me, all the way up my abdomen and to my neck where he was sucking my blood. He ripped his mouth from my neck and bit into the other side, seemingly annoyed with my drained veins on that side

He bit in several other places, while he thrust into me, ruthlessly. The lack of blood and oxygen and panic, caused me to begin to lose consciousness. When I vaguely saw, through my blurry vision, tears, was the trunk being opened and instantly, Bill was thrown off me. I saw Eric, or I thought it was him, and then everything went black.

I opened my eyes to see the blank, white walls of the hospital. There was beeping, and I looked over to see a machine ticking by my head slowly. I looked around and the room was empty. My throat hurt as I tried to call out. I saw the button near my head and pushed it, confused as to what had just happened.

The last thing I remembered was sex with Eric.

"Eric," escaped my lips. Throaty, hoarse. Tears fell from my eyes without my consent, lost in a whirl of panic and disorientation. "Bill?"

I clammed up at the thought of my boyfriend. A flash of the two of us in the trunk had me reeling. Betrayal. Pain. Disbelief. That must have been a dream. I closed my eyes tight. A nurse walked in.

"Sweetheart, I'm glad to see you're awake."

"Where am I?" I asked.

"You were brought to the LSU hospital here in Shreveport." My eyes shot open as I looked at her in shock.

"I was in Jackson."

She smiled nicely, brushing back my hair. "Take deep breaths, sweetie. Your boyfriend wanted you back home."

What? "Who...who brought me in?" I asked warily. What the hell happened?

"He...went down for the day, but the sun is about to set," she smiled slightly. "He's definitely a looker." She winked at me. God.

'A looker' was open to interpretation. Bill? Alcide? Eric?

I tried to keep a level head. I could not fall apart now. Maybe the old me would, but...what could I do? If what my memories were telling me were right, I had a lot to consider. "What's wrong with me?"

"You suffered from severe blood loss...your memories will come back soon," she gave me a sad, pitying smile. To a girl who was now a...rape victim? I wanted to get the hell out of here. I was so close to Bon Temps...I wanted to go home.

I gripped at the blankets. I wasn't sure how long I sat there, my eyes closed, squeezing the bed as tight as I could until I heard a velvety voice call my name. I looked up and saw Eric, all in black, dressed just like he had when he rescued me from the Fellowship of the Sun. He looked so out of place in the void of a hospital. His hand was on my bed , but he looked hesitant.

"How did you get me here?" My voice cracked and hurt.

"We needed to leave Jackson as quick as possible. A lot of...things will occur at once and shortly." I nodded, not sure what to do with that.

"I want to go home."

He looked over his shoulder out of the room. "I don't know...I could threaten them to release you."

I shook my head. "I'm fine now. The blood is back. I'm good."

He smiled slightly. "You underestimated yourself, Sookie," he said seriously. "And look what you did. You protected yourself from Lorena. She is gone. You survived. I knew you could do it."

I couldn't protect myself from my blood-thirsty boyfriend. Yes, I survived, but with a price. I felt empty and hollow.

I heard Eric make a sigh, such an odd response from a thousand year old Viking. He brought the chair close to my side and sat down slowly. He grabbed my hand and I let him. His eyes were fixed on mine, he brought his lips to my knuckles.

"I have some things to tell you. It probably isn't the best time..."

"I don't want to hear it," I whispered. He looked a bit shocked, not expecting that. "Not now. Talk to me when I'm...better."

"Sookie, some of it can't wait." He looked upset by this. I stared back at him, feeling nothing on my face.

"Are you safe?" I asked.

He sat up straight. "What do you mean?"

"From the Queen. Bill's back, right?"

"Yes," he said slowly. "He's in New Orleans now. I should be there soon as well. There will probably be a trial..."

I didn't want to know anymore. It was too much all at once. "You should go."

He brought my hand up to his mouth, his cool lips against my skin. "You will have to come with me, Sookie. I'm sorry." I could tell, just by his expression that he wished I didn't have to and that meant a lot to me.

"Am I in trouble?" I asked, shakily.

He shook his head, his lips dragging, leaving heat where he touched, and despite his temperature and my cold heart at the moment, Eric started a fire. "No, I am."