I own nothing to do with True Blood, and never will. I'm just a humbled fan :-)

I want to thank you all so much, it's always truly motivating and flattering whenever I read your responses to a new chapter. I truly do appeciate it and am completely stunned that you all actually like the story! I've got no confidence in my writing whatsoever, so it's truly the highest compliment.

Thank you all for motivating me! Your support is just... beyond words! :D Hoping you will like this one! xx Love you all! Thank you a million times, I wish I could send a clone of Alex Skarsgard out to you all/or Eric Northman/Bill Compton/Alcide/Godric, which ever you prefer lol! Sadly, it's not an option so I'll just have to keep sending my thanks hehe. x

Chapter Twenty-Three

While I knew inviting Hoyt over to Gran's was basically me asking for trouble, could you entirely blame me for at least making the attempt at having a normal, sociable human life? I just wanted all the madness to stop, just for one single second. And Hoyt certainly was a breath of fresh air at that moment in time.

I found myself surprisingly anxious, when we walked up the porch steps together. Hoyt was blissfully unaware of the nerves I felt, swinging his beefy arms and shoulders at his sides. Mostly, I was just worried he'd somehow magically come to the conclusion I had two vampires underneath the floorboards. It was unrealistic, at best, when soon as I swung open the fly screen door and unlocked the front, he was calling out eagerly to Gran.

I had completely dismissed the other predicament I had settled myself in for, which ought to have been glaringly obvious to me at the time. My Gran, Adele, was well-known for her endless hospitality to visitors and, when Hoyt stepped inside, expecting the same due welcome she always gave him when he visited around to see Jason, he was left immediately disappointed.

Because there was no Gran ushering him inside, or mothering him with gentle, fond pats on his cheeks with her wrinkled, frail hands like she usually did. Gran had always liked Hoyt, and she had always given him the welcome he deserved. But now, her absence was literally signalling everywhere around the house like a set of chimes, once he stood there uncertainly at the foot of her rug, if expectantly.

"Where's Granny?" he asked, sounding stunned out of his wits over her absence. He was looking horribly concerned, and I couldn't say it was without difficulty having to meet his eyes without at least some pang of guilt.

"I think we might have just missed her," I said, instantly playing for vague. I could tell he wasn't buying it all that well, to my dismay. He cocked his eyebrows at me. Hoyt knew Gran so well, that he was also aware it was a rare and unusual occurence for Gran to leave the house all that often.

"Really? She's stepped out?" Even his tone of voice gave him away. He wasn't buying into my lies one bit. He slipped off his faded red baseball cap, and turned it 'round and 'round in his hands anxiously, levelling a questioning gaze onto me.

He was looking at me so hard, it was almost as if he believed he could will the truth out of me. Luckily, I wasn't one to crack underneath pressure all that easily.

I decided to change subject, which was rightfully needed. "You want something to drink or eat, maybe?" I decided since Gran wasn't here to make his visit as accommodating as possible, I sure could make the attempt to be, no matter how futile it was.

"Sure, I guess." He sounded and looked just as nervous as I felt right about then.

I could feel him watching me suspiciously when I went into the kitchen. just being aware that it was the very same area she died in by a vampire attack, was enough to give me the chills. I wrenched open the buzzing refrigerator and, to my horror, what I found in there wasn't all that pleasant and nice for an already wary guest to take notice of. Since I'd been too busy to fully spring clean the house, half the food Gran brought contained inside the fridge was rotting. It smelt something awful, too.

"Hey, now." He voiced his suspicion next. His voice was a deep, frightened croak. "Something ain't right here. What are you hiding? Where is Granny, really?"

I was too tired to even pretend to misunderstand him.

"I think I liked you better, Hoyt, when we were just planning on hanging out here like two good friends. What's with the inquisition?" I sounded way too defensive and upset, as usual, and with that knowledge in front of my mind, I knew what I had to do then.

I couldn't contain it any longer. I had to tell somebody. But it just couldn't be Hoyt. That part wasn't right. There was someone else, closer, dearer, to both Gran and myself, that had to know.

It wouldn't be easy. But really, what ever in life is?

"Hoyt, do you think you might be able to contact Jason? It's just... it's a real important family matter. Could you call him over? I don't know where to reach him, let alone how to contact him if he's with this Crystal girl right now."

Hoyt gave me a worried look, before he nodded his understanding. I think he well and truly realized then, just how dire the situation was. He left me alone standing there by the refrigerator while he went back out to his car to retrieve his cell phone. Even then, standing all by myself, I still wasn't sure how to prepare myself beforehand for the wrath that was bound to happen with Jason over the sad, unpleasant news of Gran's passing. It couldn't have come soon enough, though; Sooner or later, someone would have picked up on Gran being missing. Bon Temps was a small town. She had elderly friends, and she was a respected citizen. It only had to happen, and this way was what's right.

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I didn't know how to break the tragic news to Jason. I mean, whoever in their right mind would?

Fortunately, Hoyt had been able to reach Jason, and he left as quickly as he came. He gave me a brief, friendly kiss on the side of my cheek, and I was a bit sad it did absolutely nothing for me, aside from warm me and soothe me a little about what was bound to happen once Jason made his long-awaited arrival home to Gran's.

I guess even so much as attempting to date, like a normal human girl, was a downright failure for me. Hoyt was just too much of a dear friend, and a comfortable one at that. It was hard to see him in a new light, other than that stocky cutie that was my older brother's best friend. Shame, really.

I think Jason about sensed something was wrong the instance he stepped a single foot inside the house.

I was struck by how different his appearance was; Though he looked much the same in height and face, it was certain things about him. The marks on his neck, for one thing. I was positive they were bites. Not vampire bites, of course, because I knew Jason would have rather died than let a vampire so much as sink their fangs into him. But they looked more like love bites; weeping bruises. I guessed him and this Crystal girl hadn't wasted any valuable time in getting to know one another physically. I couldn't say I was surprised, since it was my older brother Jason.

Once we found a secure place to sit on Gran's sofa, it was then I blurted it out. Gran was dead. He sat there in shocked silence for a painfully long time, and I felt very nearly on the verge of breaking down and crying at all the expressions that crossed over his face in succession; First, shock. Then, disbelief. And then, alarmingly, a mixture of both anger and resentment for me. I knew I hadn't done the most smartest thing in not telling him soon as it had happened, but I had some good enough reasons.

For one, Jason was out of contact. He hadn't shown up to school today, and he'd been spending all his time with a girl named Crystal, which made him virtually unreachable. And, on the other hand, I'd had a heck of a lot to deal with myself; Things he wouldn't have ever believed a reality.

"How long ago did this happen, Sook?" Jason asked, after a dreadfully long moment of processing Gran's death through.

"I... I don't know." I sniffled loudly, keeping my eyes on my lap. Hell, I couldn't even stomach looking at him. It hurt too much. "A week ago, maybe. Two weeks, perhaps. I've lost count of time."

"You... you lost count of time, Sook?" His voice was far too loud, and I flinched just by the sound of it. "So much so that I had to hear it from Hoyt that she were missing by phone?" His voice was so hurt, so bleak. It made me feel all the more worse. But it was true; With everything that'd been going on in my life lately, I could hardly keep track of what week it was Gran died.

Surely, if he knew all that was happening- all the chaos my life had been thrust into- he would have found at least the kindness in his heart to find a smidgen of it to forgive me over my carelessness.

"Jason, I'm real sorry," I cried sadly.

"How the fuck did you manage to do that, huh? How can you... forget something like Gran's death? How could you... forget to tell your own brother, huh?" I could tell he was trying to keep the tears at bay, but his voice well and truly failed him. It cracked and broke. I wanted nothing more than to die. "What the hell gives you right to keep somethin' like this from me, huh, Sook? What's going through your mind? Is there even anything at all? Because I sure as hell would like to know!"

"Jason," I started, very slowly, trying to keep my tears contained myself. "You were gone. I hadn't heard from you all week. You never even so much as called in, and checked on us! How could I contact you, when you practically disappeared off the face of the planet the way you had, huh?" My thready weak voice had risen in defense for myself.

Not that I ought to have felt the need to defend myself and explain, because I knew, I was truly at fault here. Jason deserved to get angry, yell all the bad names in the book at me. Hell, I wouldn't even blame him if he so much as beat the crap outta me. I deserved every single thing he decided to lash out on me.

"You knew where I was, though, didn't you, huh? I was at Hoyt's. I was staying at Hoyt's. So, why the hell didn't you call me when this happened, rather instead of keeping the whole thing to yourself? I deserved to know soon as it happened, didn't I?"

I nodded silently, about the only thing I could manage. I felt tears trickle down my cheeks, and roll down my wobbly chin.

"So, how'd it happen?"

"It's a little complicated, and even then, you wouldn't believe me," I said numbly.

"Try me." His voice was forceful, and irritated. "Fuckin' try me. I have the right to know what happened to Gran, Sook! Spill!"

"All right, I'll try," I breathed, trying to control my airways. I sat there for a moment, trying to regulate my breathing miserably. Even then, I could not so much as look at Jason's face. I was mostly frightened of what I'd see there. "Well, you know how there was a vampire that moved in next door? You remember that, right?"

There was a haunting silence on Jason's end for several minutes. I knew his brain was clinking into gear, processing the words slowly. "Yeah, I remember Gran mentioning about it. So?"

"So, I stepped out of the house for a little while. And, when I got back inside... there were two vampires in here. One, was Mr. Compton from next door."

"And the bloodsuckers killed her, huh? Is that it?" Anger spilled into his words, and I was shaking so badly.

I started crying, and crying hard. Mostly for Gran. Especially Jason. Not for myself. I couldn't care right about now what happened to myself. "I'm afraid so." My voice was a mere breathy whisper, but Jason heard it clear enough.

"Fucking heartless bloodsuckers," he spat out between gritted teeth. "If I had my way, I'd slaughter every one of 'em! First, this Mr. Compton. Then all the rest!"

"Jason," I whispered sternly. "You really think Gran would be pleased to hear you speak that way? To talk with so much hate?"

"Oh, Sook. Stop being so fucking naïve!" He was yelling at me, and all I could do, was sit and sob, and willingly accept whatever harsh words Jason flung out at me. Because I deserved it. I deserved it all.

If only I wasn't a... Faerie. If only my blood wasn't so appealing to Russell Edgington. It certainly would have spared my Gran's life, and all the heart-break over the loss of her. But realistically, I couldn't change it, no matter how hard I wished on it. The damage had already been done, beyond repair. Gran was dead, all because of me. All because of my... blood.

"You think Gran gives a flying fuck that I'm voicing out in the open my opinion of bloodsuckers now, do you? Because she's dead, Sookie! Fangers killed her, and I'm positive, she sure as hell sees that a crime fit for all the bad language in the book! You know what she said to me several weeks ago, Sook? You wanna hear what she said about you?"

No. I don't think I can much take it. "Yes."

"She said that you were the best thing that ever happened to her, you know that? She said you were a miracle! A miracle? Can you believe that?" He scoffed out loud. "Because I sure as hell ain't see why you'd be considered a miracle, especially now when you deliberately decided not to tell your own brother that she's passed away and drifted into the white, peaceful light of heaven! And yet, there you sit defending all those psycho bloodsucking scum-eaters, even when you knew that they were the ones responsible for Gran's death? Yeah, some miracle you are, Sook."

Jason saying that was like being unsuspectingly smacked in the face by a branch. It stung and burned.

Just when I thought I couldn't cry anymore, and that I was far too drained mentally and physically, he managed to set it all successfully back into motion again. I was shaking so hard in the seat, violently sick and disappointed with myself, that I felt my whole body vibrating and my tear-wet vision went all blurred and shaky.

"So, Compton's the big-ass vampire we came along on our walk that time, Sookie?" Jason asked, his voice controlled and steady, but a lot more malicious. I knew what he was hinting at then, and I wouldn't have ever put it past Jason. Jason was capable of mighty violent things whenever he felt his heart was truly in it. And this was especially one of those times. "He lives next door? Have you seen him 'round recently?"

"Jason, the vampire we saw on our walk wasn't Mr. Compton," I tried to explain as evenly as possible. "His name is Eric, and he's... he's..." He's what? Protecting me from a vampire King who wants my Faerie blood? Keeping me safe? Hidden underneath the floorboards and sleeping off the late daylight hours right as we speak, 'till he can rise safely?

My mind went completely blank. I just didn't know what to say about Eric, or where to even start. Especially when he's not exactly being his good old, self-reliant personality again.

"He's what, Sookie?" Jason prodded harshly. "He's fucking what? I swear to God, if I even so much as come across that big fanger too, I'll kill him just for the sake of being a fanger!"

"Jason, you're not a naturally violent person," I said, as slowly and quietly as possible, as to calm and quieten him down a bit from his restless and vengeful mood. "You know that Gran raised us better than that, and she'd never want you to talk in such a way. And, besides... you know you could never be able to live with yourself, if you ever did something hurtful to anyone, the living undead or otherwise." At least, I sure as hell hoped not.

Only with the way Jason was looking, slouched over the sofa and gnashing his teeth together with such a bleak and vacant look in his eyes, I guessed then that a person could be capable of anything whenever being pushed to extremes the way they were.

I certainly could see as much potential living within myself; what with my flashlight fingers that had crackled to life out of my fingers whenever I so much as had gotten angry at Eric provoking me or making me upset before, when he was his truthful, uncursed self.

"What does it matter whether I'm a naturally violent person, or not?" He said furiously. "I still could do it. Hell, if a vampire so much as walked through that front door right at this moment in time, I'd do it within a heartbeat and I'd feel nothing but contentment that I'd be one step closer to getting payback over Gran's death!"

"Still, you're all talk, Jason," I muttered, mostly to appease myself.

My eyes flickered down without my consent to the floorboards. Somewhere, underneath there several meters, both Eric and Godric were sleeping. I sure hoped neither one of them could so-happen to hear Jason talking so foul the way he was. But having seen Eric before on the next morning of Gran's death, how he'd fell asleep so soundly, like a man dead-to-the-world, I was almost willing to bet they were too far-gone to even listen in on such a thing.

Hopefully, anyhow.

"Lover?"

Well, really, I did pray- or hope- too soon.

His voice came from out in the kitchen surprisingly, and he sounded fretful, like he was scared for his life or something. Which couldn't have been possibly all the more reasonable, at this point in time. Jason jumped very nearly a millimeter off the couch, and his head whipped 'round towards the sound of Eric's deep and throaty voice. I saw the way Jason's fingers twitched, and I had the unpleasant wonderings of whether he was going to bolt upstairs and grab Gran's old dusty shotgun that she kept safely hidden away in the back of her closet.

"Sook?" Jason breathed nervously, giving me a questioning look. "Who else is here in Gran's house? And why the fuck are they calling you lover of all things?"

I closed my eyes, more than just a little frightened and dismayed that Eric had chosen the exact inconvenient moment to make his resurface into my life. Some timing Eric had. Not what I needed, at all. Especially not with Jason all angry and unpredictable the way he was.

"Eric," I called back to him sharply from where ever he was, and I was super surprised at how my voice sounded. It sounded as if I was growling almost, like I was very nearly a vampire myself. "Stay right where you are, all right? I'll be with you in just a second!"

"Lover, I hurt."

Oh, damn it, Eric. Why do you have to be so cute, like this? Seriously!

"You have a boyfriend now, Sook?" Jason asked, shocked. "Anybody I know?"

"Lover?" Eric came 'round the corner into the living room, and he looked just as worse as I'd expected. The corner of his mouth was smeared in the day-old blood that I'm pretty sure belonged to my Uncle, and he looked about as unintentionally threatening as any vampire his size and height could easily be mistaken for. At least the fangs were put away and his demeanour was anything but hostile; His large hands were clutched over his chest and his face was creased, like he was in deep pain. "Why am I hurting?"

Frankly, Eric looked like a living, talking zombie, and Jason sure as hell was observant enough to pick up on it.

It occurred to me belatedly that it was dark outside. Jason and I must have been in too much heated conversation to take notice.

Jason gave Eric a very rude and daunting once-over, before casting me a shocked look. "Sookie, you do realize that's the very same vampire we saw outside that time on our walk, right?" He whispered stiffly, as if he believed whispering would help Eric from overhearing us despite his sensitive hearing. "What's he doing in Gran's house?"

"Maybe, Jason, if you hadn't been so preoccupied with this new Crystal girl you've been dating and actually visited home, you would have learned a thing or two," I murmured back, equally as stiff.

"Hey, how you know about Crystal?" He shot back, surprised.

"Hoyt told me today, all right?" I shrugged, and shifted on the sofa to keep a close eye on Eric.

"Should I get go get the shot-gun?" he asked, coiled and ready.

"No, you oaf. Eric's been protecting me."

"Oh, really? Protecting you from what?" He asked, his voice quaking with doubt. "How we know he never killed Gran?" God, he sure liked to pretend Eric couldn't hear anything.

"Because, Jason. It was Mr. Compton."

"Huh? And he's not Mr. Compton?"

"He's Eric," I groaned out loudly, miffed. Poor Jason. I couldn't exactly blame him for being so clueless; After all, I'd left him in the dark. But with good reason.

"I cannot believe you! He's the same old thing that killed Gran!"

Before it even registered and with such anger, Jason went to slither closer across the sofa to get to me. His hand was in the air, fisted, elbow raised, and I was so positive he was going to slap me, with no doubts about it. I closed my eyes, almost surrendering and expecting it because really, it was half the amount of what I deserved, only surprisingly, it never came. Rather instead, I was being winded off the sofa, landing painfully square on my knees, and when I reopened my eyes, I found Eric standing in my place, his fangs out, and with the old, dried blood smeared all over him he looked scary as hell. Especially that chilly look in his blue eyes for Jason.

"Eric, no!" I warned from my place down on the floor. "Don't you dare kill him! Put the fangs away, please! He's my brother!"

"All she said, is true. I am protecting her and while I may not quite understand what from or even why, I do not tolerate half-hearted threats being directed at those extremely precious to me."

I was going to cry again, only not just out of fear for my older brother's well-being and safety but, because... for some reason, I felt particularly moved by Eric's declaration...even if he was a different Eric, and once the curse was broken he'd forget it all ever happened.

"So, unless the notion of getting your wrists broken like a twig at the mercy of my hands appeals something to you, I suggest you keep your hands to yourself at all times. No one is allowed to hurt my lover. Do you understand, human?"

Eric's threat was one not to be taken lightly, and Jason learned as much. He was staring up at Eric with wide-eyed fear in his eyes, and he swallowed loudly. "All right, okay," he managed in a strong but unsteady tone, "I'll back off, I swear." And Jason certainly did, thankfully. Last thing I wanted, was for Jason to get seriously hurt. Or Eric, for that matter.

So, sucking up his pride, Jason did the most surprising thing imaginable in wrapping his arms around my waist and embracing me, tight. We were siblings, and we'd have to try to get through all this together, as much as we possibly could.

I knew it had been just his reasonable anger getting the better of him. I couldn't blame him for reacting that way one bit, anyhow.

What hurt me the most, was that after our hug and just how I'd been so dim-witted to believe things might have a chance at looking brighter for us, he went and sent it all collapsing into ashes. He took one hard, disgusted look at Eric, told me with cutting words that if I was going to openly associate with bloodsuckers in Gran's house, then as far as he was concerned, he had no little sister anymore. He strode out of the hallway, slammed the front door shut, and all I could manage to feel, was a numbed-up jolt of shock entering my system.

I think I about got it then. Not only did he slam the door on me, but he was also slamming the figurative door on me out of his life.

Never had the world ever felt such a cold and lonely place to exist in then.

But to my utmost surprise, Eric took the moment to show me I was not as alone as I'd thought. When I fell to my knees hard against the floor and cried my little heart out for what felt like the millionth time, wrapping my arms around my empty-feeling chest, he decided to join me by plopping down onto his knees beside me. Reaching out, he took my hand and guided it over to his chest, where I think his heart might have been underneath his shirt. And when I stole a glance up at him, I was startled to find he had blood rolling down his cheeks and gathering around his eyes.

What he said to me before, as the real Eric, instantly come to mind and gave it a new meaning:

You hurt, I hurt. You bleed, I bleed.

He held me again, exactly like he had the night Gran was found to be dead, and I never knew it to be possible, but I think him hugging me almost made the world less of a dim place again.