I own nothing to do with True Blood

I know I said I probably most likely wouldn't be updating until after Christmas but... I've found I can't stay away from too long. I just have so many ideas in my head, its hard.

I want to thank you all so so much for your awesome, encouraging reviews, alerts, and faves. Every single alert and review gets me so motivated to write more, I truly do appreciate it. I'm sorry for being so tardy with not responding to them, but each and every SINGLE one is cherished and read.

And, again, if you don't hear from me again before Christmas or the New Year... I hope you have a wonderful festive season shared with laughter, love, and happy memories.

Hope you enjoy, and I'm so sorry if it's horribly written. Feel free to let me know x

Chapter Nine

"Oh, Sookie," Gran cried loudly, the moment I entered the living room to find her sitting there balled up on the couch, shivering violently. "You've made it out alive!"

She climbed off the couch and ran to me, as fast as her old legs would go, and flung her arms around my shoulders, pulling me into her in a firm and strong embrace.

"Gran, I'm perfectly fine," I whispered into her shoulder, deeply touched. She wailed soundlessly into my hair. "Gran, please," I begged, in a soothingly soft tone. "I'm safe. Everything about me is right as rain!"

She gave me an even tighter hug at my words, clinging onto me for dear life. I didn't know how long I stood there, quiet as a cockroach, while she sobbed and embraced me in her tiny, age weakened arms.

Eventually, she gained enough courage to release me at arm's length. I noticed her give a weary inspection of every part of my face and body, like she was almost anticipating bruises or marks.

Gran's wrinkled face was completely wet and shining with tears, bless her heart.

But, once satisfied with the result of her inspection, she held her hands to cradle the sides of my face tenderly. She even brushed my hair back, and gazed deeply into my eyes. It took everything within me not to cry along with her. Even though I'd never felt better in my entire life, I think it was seeing her like this... so frantic and broken, that pulled achingly at my heart.

I lifted my hands to cover them over hers. It took me a moment to get over how dry and rough her skin felt.

"Ooh, my poor dear little Sookie. What would I do without her... I would never forgive myself if anything bad happened to her. Oh, and Jason, too. Poor dear Jason. What would their parents think... if I failed at my responsibility to raise their children... Oh my goodness-"

"Gran," I said forcefully, putting an end to her worries at once. "Stop talking like that! Stop thinking like that! You're doing great raising Jason and I! There is no need to worry like that, you silly, sweet old lady!"

Gran looked stunned for all of a minute, her mouth hanging open. I hadn't any idea why she was staring at me in such a way, like she'd just seen a ghost floating into the room.

"Sookie," she whispered, short of an amazed sigh. "How did you-?" She fell silent, looking into my eyes deeply. Like I was the most amazing girl on earth.

I laughed, feeling all sorts of jittery over her expression. "Gran, what're you talking about?"

Her mouth compressed into a tightly wrinkled line determinedly, while her hands tightened over my cheeks. "Oh, my. This can't be possible, can it? She can't possibly be the same as... Sookie, dear... Can you hear me?"

I could almost feel the color drain from my face, as everything slowly sunk in... at what she was trying to bring into light. My stomach clenched, and I felt sick all of a sudden. How was this possible? Could I... read what she's thinking, like some kind of freak of nature?

"Sookie, dear." Her words were all fuzzy and jumbled, but if I concentrated hard enough, I could make them out perfectly. Well, as perfectly as if her mouth was moving while she voiced out the words aloud. "Sookie, do not look so panicked, dear."

Was that what I looked like to her? Panicked? Well, heck. I was more than panicked. Hyperventilating. I felt as if I was hyperventilating right there and then.

It had to stop. This all had to stop right now!

"Gran, please stop," I sobbed, wrenching her hands down away from my face. She looked shocked out of her wits, her eyes welling over with more tears. I was dreaming. I just had to be! Fast as I possibly could, I spun around on my heel and ran up the creaking staircase to my room. "Just leave me the hell alone!" I called out to her frantically on the last step, "Goodnight!"

Spinning around, I slammed my door shut behind me, and threw my hands at my chest.

I could almost feel my heart thumping away, knocking against my ribcage.

Blinking back the tears that were threatening to escape, I switched off the light and pulled back my bedsheets, crawling into my warm, inviting bed. I threw myself headfirst into the fluffy pillows to muffle the frightened wail building up in my throat.

What is going on with me?

Can I really hear Gran's thoughts?

Eric Northman's blood. It had to be an after effect of the vampire blood, or the bond, whatever. There was just no other logical explanation for it. After all, somehow, I had forgotten to ask just how the numerous ways vampire blood can affect a human after they've ingested it into their system.

But, surely... that had to be it.

I was slowly beginning to wonder if I was going insane.

But, if there was one thing I was absolutely certain, it was that Gran would never be able to look at me in the same way ever again. I was turning into such a crazy freak of nature.

- -00000-

"Sook, some big-ass guy was asking around the school yard for you," Tara said, breaking me out of my tormented dwellings over what happened last night, while Gran was comforting me.

I found it instantly nice to have something else to direct my mind onto, rather than focusing on all the absurdities of the recent evening.

"What big-ass guy?" I asked, stunned. I hadn't the slightest idea what Tara was talking about. But, in some ways, I thought I knew.

Maybe the big-ass guy she had been hinting at was Eric? I got excited over that idea. I found myself itching to talk to him about everything. Somehow, I knew he'd have at least some understanding into what was happening to me. I felt like I was turning into a crazy version of Sookie Stackhouse, and the idea terrified me deeply.

But then, I realized after some thought sadly, that it would have been highly unlikely, considering he was a vamp and all. Surely, it couldn't have been him out in the daylight, though he was taller and bigger stanced than the usual residents of Bon Temps.

"I don't know what his deal was but he was fucking weird. He had on all these chains and leather, like the standard slummy motorbiker wears. He was asking if I knew where a Sookie Stackhouse was."

"He knew my name? Heavens."

"Well, I don't know, Sook," she shrugged. "He was one creepy ass motherfucker, though. Hope he wasn't looking for you because he wanted to get into your pants, or something..."

"Get into my pants?" I laughed, smiling at her. I knew I wasn't very convincing, because it was one of my nervous smiles and laughs. Since Tara knew me so well, she knew when I was forcing it.

"Girl, don't worry about it." She patted my arm. "If he comes for you again, I'll get the boys to kick his ass. Lafayette has been lookin' for a fight all year, especially since Jason refuses to go out with him!" She gave my hand a little squeeze and, after a moment's worth of reluctance, I returned it.

Lafayette was Tara's older cousin. He was Jason's age and I think he was about the only openly gay boy at school. He also hit on Jason quite a few times, which Jason got real weirded out about. But he was also one of the nicest people I'd met, along with Tara. He always seemed fiercely protective of us girls. It was nice.

"I told him I knew just the girl he was lookin' for," she went on, "And that you did go to this school, and that you were my very best friend. But I never told him anything else." Thanks a mighty lot, Tara.

Great, just what I needed.

For Tara to tell this big-ass creepy guy- in her books, anyhow- that I was in fact a student at Bon Temps High. Sure, Tara could be the ever faithful, loyal friend... but she could also be as brainless as an otter sometimes.

So, now this motorbiker guy knew I was definitely a senior student at the school. Now, what if he came back searching for me again and what if it wasn't for anything all that good? What if he was just like Eric Northman had said- one of those Weres or vampires coming to collect me to present as a gift to their King?

Tara groped my hand again, tearing me out of my restless thoughts.

"Don't worry, girl," she said again, which surely didn't reassure me one bit. Well, a little. But not a whole lot.

Either way, I put on another smile for her and, quickly, the subject was changed. She never spoke a word more about the man that was supposedly asking around for me.

The hours of school dragged on by. In one ear, I had Mr. Merlotte, my English teacher, reciting a poem passionately to the whole class while... in the other, behind Mr. Merlotte's back, I had Tara's cousin Lafayette ushering in my ear on how much Jason had gotten big over the year and how he'd like to do all these dirty, impure things to him while he cornered him in the gym showers, which made me awfully sick to my stomach.

Somehow it had managed to slip my mind earlier, but Lafayette was also one of the dirtiest boys I had ever met. He was never short on sick, pervy tales.

Plus, he'd always had a crush on Jason since Lord knows how long and had been pestering him ever since the two started at Bon Temps High. Although Jason was clearly as straight as a nail- the incessant rumours of him hooking up with the whole cheerleading team was a sure-fire sign of that- Lafayette somehow had gotten the notion into his head that he was bound to convert Jason to his gay lifestyle sooner or later.

It was downright, crazy madness all around.

As soon as the bell rang for end of the day, it was like a refreshing signal from the Lord himself to present me the chance of escaping and steering clear of Lafayette's nasty talk.

I gathered my bag and without a further word or glance behind me at him, I hastily ran out of the building, desperate to start on my way home.

Only, something was very... wrong. I had a bad feeling inside my stomach, churning my insides and guts around, like my stomach was a washing machine.

Soon as I passed the gates, this big badly painted blue pickup truck came into view across the road. My eyes found the owner as soon as I'd sought the truck out, and this freakishly tall, dark-haired man was pacing back and forth by his truck restlessly, while he shouted a few nasty words on the cell phone he was holding up to his ear.

"Listen, I haven't seen her yet," he was yelling. He threw his free hand into the air frantically. "Look, once I find her, I'll let her know! Just cool your jets, all right?" A pause. "Listen, I know! I know, Eric!"

At the name that had just exploded out of his mouth, I felt as if I had been doused with cold water.

Was he- ?

No, he couldn't be talking to Eric Northman. Not possible, Sookie!

After all, there are plenty of guys named Eric in Bon Temps. It's most likely a coincidence. But then, again, this is too darn fishy for my liking!

His dark eyes were squinted in frustration, as he slammed his cell phone shut. In another instance, he was slapping his hand onto the hood of his truck with a loud, mighty thud. He sure was angry. Whoever this Eric was, he sure had pushed all this big man's wrong buttons this afternoon...

Then, his eyes slowly scanned the sea of students that were exiting the school building. But then, they fell slowly onto me.

For a moment, suspiciously, I couldn't help wondering whether I had imagined it or not, but his eyes seemed to widen a little bit as they fell onto me. I couldn't imagine why he was staring at me like that.

Then, he started at me. I was completely helpless, frozen and standing right there, unable to tear myself away. Maybe, deep down inside, I just knew it was me he was looking for, I just couldn't admit it to myself early enough.

Tara was indeed right.

He was huge. Big-ass.

Not huger than this Eric in height, of course. But still huge, nonetheless.

And, he was also wearing the whole motorbiker-leather getup. Tight leather pants, with a strange silver skull belt buckle, a loose-fitting leather jacket, with what looked like a lumberjack's red plaid shirt tucked underneath. His hair was closely cropped, black, short and tousled with thick curls.

His eyes were a soft mahogany brown. Nice eyes, now that he didn't look nastily angry. Kind eyes. Not at all what I expected from the big-ass biker that was apparently looking for me to take me to the King- or so I had thought, soon as Tara had mentioned the man.

He shifted a pair of massive biker boots against the asphalt in discomfort underneath my probing gaze. "Uh, you Sookie Stackhouse?" Boy, was his voice deep and gruff.

"Yes, I am Sookie Stackhouse. Why, what are you lookin' for me for?"

"That's the thing," he grumbled reluctantly, with a tight grimace. "Eric Northman sent me."

At the mention of his name, I felt my breathing spike up a notch. "He did? Now, why on earth did he do that?"

He moved his massive hands up to his face to rub at his eyes wearily. Seems like it was something he wasn't all that keen talking about. "I owed him a favor. Turns out, the favor he had in mind was to babysit you during the day."

"Babysit me?" I all but screamed bitterly. That word would just not sit with me, and I wouldn't be taking it lightly. Not in a million years. I laughed, "How did he get the crazy idea inside his head that I needed to be babysitted? I am a fifteen year old girl, thank you very much! I believe I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

This big biker looked all sorry, which was a good thing. He ought to have felt mighty sorry for agreeing to do whatever it was this Eric said. It was so degrading of him. I couldn't believe he would even try to do such a thing like this, getting another man to keep a close eye on me during the daylight hours.

"Trust me, I had my outright disputations on taking up the offer," he said gravely. "But, I was in no place to refuse. I owe him a lot of favors... and this seemed the only one he needed my assistance with. Now, I have no idea whatsoever on how to take care of a fifteen year old girl, by the way," he added, looking like a frightened little mouse, as his eyes raked over me. "So, please... will you take it easy on me?"

After one hysterical moment of digesting what he was asking of me, I nodded slowly.

I had to smile at just how foreign this whole thing seemed to be to him. Clearly, he was terrified of kids or anything close to the sort. He didn't have children of his own, I could tell. Maybe that's what made him so uneasy.

"Well, I'm a fifteen year old girl," I said. "It's not like you have to change diapers or anything."

He breathed out a deep sigh of relief, puffing out his cheeks. "Thank goodness for that," he laughed, quietly.

"You haven't spent much time around high school kids my age, have you?" It was a fairly easy assumption to make. And, it seemed I was right.

"Never." He regarded me with wide eyes. "Don't even like kids, no offense."

I laughed, I just couldn't help it. "No offense taken." But then, as it slowly sunk in again why he was here, my laughter died and my smile faded. "So, you're here as a favor for Eric Northman to look after me during the daylight hours?"

"'Afraid I am." He stared at me for a quiet moment, without even the slightest hint of a friendly smile. "Oh, and... just so you know, I don't take this lightly. I'll need to know where you are at all times. No exceptions."

I felt a stubborn frown deepening on my face.

This was not what I had been expecting, as far as where my life was heading. At all. My plans weren't so far as finishing high school, then getting a job waitressing, or somewhere easy where the pay was decent. Not once had I invisioned my life changing so dramatically... that it would somehow be overtaken by vampires and all of that crazy stuff.

And now, here I had this massive rough-looking man who I was expected to take in, and accept he was looking out for me at all times. Now, apparently, I had to report to him every move I made. Now... this was how my life was meant to be, with this man always there, hovering in the background to keep me safe.

This was now how my life would pan out, not at all like normal teenage girls, who were all about hooking up with boys and heading off to parties in the evenings and getting shit-faced. And, now I was faced with an ever bigger predicament. Of course, he said he was here on favor by Eric but... how did I know I could really trust him?

All people eventually turn on those they were meant to be most loyal of. Gran told me it's just the way the world worked. How did I know he wouldn't end up doing the same thing in the end?

Really, I didn't know. And I couldn't. But, I suppose... I had to put trust in him, just like I had Eric Northman.

And, besides he wasn't nearly as threatening as Eric had come across at the start and it turned out, in actuality, he was here to protect me! Not hurt me or bite me or any of that nasty vampire stuff but... to protect me!

While it still didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, I had learned to put trust into that.

I had to give this biker man the benefit of the doubt, and so I would.

"By the way, what's your name?" I asked. "I mean, if you're gonna be hanging around me a whole lot, I at least need to know what you go by."

He smiled, for about the first time since talking with me.

It was a nice smile, and he had nice teeth. Plus, there was not an ounce of fangness in sight. What a major relief. "Alcide," he said shyly, and held out one of those big-ass hands for me to shake. Weird name and burly build aside, I knew then he was a friendly, kind-hearted man.

"Nice to meet you, Alcide," I said, with a forced smile. I took his hand, and shook it.

"Can't believe I agreed to this... looking after a little teenage girl. What's his interest in her, anyway? Oh God, wait until Debbie hears about this. I won't hear the end of it... And, fucking great, soon she'll be kicking me out and I'll be sleeping nights on the couch again. Fun times..."

I winced, then drew my hand away. I could feel myself hyperventilating again. But, luckily, I managed to calm down the soon I had ceased hand contact with him. I realized then, that he was looking down at me expectantly. He probably got to thinking I was such a nutty girl.

I gathered my thoughts, focusing on my task at hand, "Sookie, Sookie Stackhouse. But then, you already know that, of course." I gave out a little nervous laugh, and he did, too.

"Well, of course I do, Sookie Stackhouse."

I think I liked this Alcide all ready, if whatever I heard was anything to go by. I didn't even know what that was. As soon as I simply shook his hand, it was like all his thoughts were flowing out, exactly like it had been last night with Gran. Fuzzy, but clear to understand nonetheless.

I really needed to get myself into contact with Eric Northman. And fast.