Chapter 9

I must have been dabbing a wet piece of tissue on my arm for about 45 minutes. Giving up on trying to fix the injury in a vampire's bathroom, I ended up grabbing a dark towel from a small linen closet and tying it in around the wound. I decided to leave the bathroom.

The room of vampires were still and silent, staring at Godric in wonder. Sookie stood in the middle of the group as Bill led a woman in a red dress out of the home. The waitress' blonde hair looked bouncier than ever, and she looked perky and preppy in her white jacket and jumpsuit. Walking up to her, I pulled to her to the side towards the fireplace, "Sookie, what the fuck happened tonight?"

Her eyes were the size of saucers as she looked me up and down, "Brooke! You're alright!" How could someone be so nice, but also be a thorn in my side? Her small arms grasped me tightly. I hugged back with my good arm. Looking down as we separated, I could understand what the fuss was about. Blonde, beautiful, kind, and able to hear human thoughts. Who could resist?

"Yeah, but everything's a little fuzzy. How did we get out of there?" my fingers traced the large bump and adjoining cut on the back of my head from the hit I received earlier. Sookie explained how Jason, Bill and Godric ended up sparing the lives of The Fellowship and how they brought us back to Godric's house in Dallas.

About to ask another question, my focus was taken by a wild-eyed man my age who just entered the living room. "If I could have your attention. I am Luke McDonald, and I have a message for you from Reverend Steve Newlin," he announced as he opened his coat to reveal the silver chains and explosives that wrapped his abdomen. As the madman pushed the button between his fingers, my first instinct was to help and step in front of Sookie to protect her from the blast.

A white light burst in front of my eyes, stopping my vision entirely. A heavy ringing reverberated in my ears as I felt my body fall back on top of Sookie's to the floor. I couldn't breathe. My entire body burned and my chest felt heavy. Through the ringing I could hear Sookie's screams from beneath me.

My body didn't ache but burned as it was moved to let Sookie escape from underneath me. "Brooke?" Her southern accent fought through the ringing, "Brooke you need to breathe for me honey," although she sounded calm I could feel the true fear she felt in my own gut. The scorching of my skin got worse, and my eyesight no better. I tried to speak but without any air it was impossible. With a heavy head, I tried to shut it all out and go to sleep, but Sookie yelling into my ear wouldn't let me.

Suddenly she got farther away, and my head was picked up by a cool hand. "Brooke, I need you to drink," Eric's deep voice felt like butter to my ears compared to the ringing and Sookie's yelling, "You have silver shrapnel and burns all over Brooke, you need to drink now," I tried to shake my head. I didn't want to be connected to a vampire. Least of all Eric, he'll know when I think he's a dick. He growled in protest, "Brooke, you will drink now," He roared by my face as cold liquid pressed against my charred lips. My body started to go numb.

"If you do not drink my blood Brooke, you will die," Eric stated calmly. Fine. Opening my mouth, I let his blood slide down my throat. At first I couldn't taste it as it flowed freely. But slowly, as my senses came back I could taste its coppery nature in its smooth texture. I started to suck it from his wrist. As soon as I began to enjoy the experience, it was over. Eric pulled his arm away from my face, leaving my breathing heavy.

My eyes opened to the destruction of Godric's beautiful house. Blood and body parts hung from the broken ceiling and ash covered walls, and laid strewn across the living room floor. Picking my head up from Eric's lap, I could see the silver bits getting pushed out from his wounded chest. Without looking, my hand found his and gave it a light squeeze for thanks. Although I was sure I was covered in blood, finally, I wasn't covered in cuts and bruises. Even my injury from the stake earlier was nothing but a small pink patch of fresh skin on my arm.

"Go to the Hotel Carmella. They have been alerted and have set up security," Godric's formal calling to the room got vampires all around us moving.

Sookie left with her arm around Bill, and I waited to leave with Eric. As we walked over the soot and debris I couldn't look him in the eye. We were connected now. As much as I hated the idea of Eric knowing my thoughts and feelings, I guess I would rather have a weird vampire blood linking than be dead. "So do I have my own room? Or are we about to be roommates?" A smirk adorned his red chapped lips. Picking me up bridal style, Eric started to run us over to the hotel with the rest of the vampires.


Eric really hadn't gotten me my own room. Sure it was a suite, and we each had our own bed and bedroom areas, but I couldn't believe he didn't get me my own room.

The heat and the steam of the shower pelted my back in the most luxurious manor. Using the hotel soap, I washed the blood, dirt and sweat from my recently healed skin. Finishing my shower, I pulled a white fluffy towel from the pile, and wrapped it around myself.

Wiping away at the mirror, I made a small circle to see my face. Looking into the glass for the second time tonight, I couldn't help but smile. Seeing my skin unscratched and clean of blood was refreshing. Throwing my hair into a wet messy bun, I appreciated how good the heat of the steam left over from the shower felt. In the foggy mirror I could see a figure moving towards me from the entrance of the bathroom.

Although his features was blurry in the glass in front of me, I could tell it was him. From his height, his bright blonde hair, and toned chest, I could recognize him in a heartbeat. Strong pale arms wrapped around my towel covered chest as the rest of his body pressed against my back pulling me towards him. "How could you take a shower without me?" His playful voice made me giggle as his lips barely scraped along my ear.

"Because I needed some 'me' time," I answered without letting the smile fall off my face.

While still holding me against him, his free hand let his fingers dance along the edge of my hotel towel. In rebellion, I grinded my hips against his jean clad ones lightly. He let out a small chuckle as he pressed his lips against my neck. "My little Brooke, what are you trying to do?" As the steam started to dissipate from the air, the mirror became clearer allowing me to see both of us visibly in the reflection. Shirtless, his pale, strong chest made me look much tanner and miniscule in comparison. I could see the muscles in his arms clench as I once again pressed myself against him.

Reaching my arms up behind me, around his neck and into his hair caused the towel to fall to the ground. His fangs clicked as he started to kiss down my neck. Turning me around with his vampire speed made me to let out a small yelp. My hands and naked body were flush against Eric Northman. "This is where I wanted you from the moment I saw you in that human restaurant," his deep voiced whisper caused me to shiver.

"Then why didn't you take me?"

I could feel his smile press against my collarbone. "Because I wanted you to admit that you find me irresistible. That your dismissiveness is just an act. I want to hear you say you'll give me every part of you that I want," his voice sounded hungry. For what, I wasn't sure. And I was excited to find out.

"Well what can I get?" my voice was breathy as I tried to focus on my words instead of the feeling of his soft lips on my warm skin.

Bringing his head up from my chest he hovered over me, "Everything." Finally his mouth met mine as his fingers traced my jaw bone. Soft and caring, yet passionate and heated. First our kisses were quick and needy, but they changed to long explorations of each other. At first I was nervous of his fangs getting in the way, but as we continued to kiss I let my tongue trace them slowly. I never knew how much I could love a sound as much as Eric Northman letting out a soft moan. Cupping my ass, Eric picked me up and wrapped my legs around him so he could lean me onto the sink. Pressed against him tightly, I could feel his excitement straining through his pants. I came up for air as he once again let his lips and fangs do work on my neck. Looking up, my hold on Eric dropped as I saw the dark swirling figure in the doorway of the bathroom. Eric didn't notice and continued to bite at my shoulders. My vision suddenly had a dark essence around it.

Zander Blackwood stared at me in the embrace of a vampire. His red lips let out a single word that floated through the room to my ears, "Soon."

My eyes opened all at once instead of a calming flutter. My heart raced, but from what I wasn't sure. I knew the consequences of drinking vampire blood. But I'd never experienced it before, and it rattled me. This wasn't just any sex dream, this was vivid to the point where I could still feel where his fangs traced the hollows of my neck. Jumping off the bed and grabbing my fluffy hotel robe, I started towards our conjoined living room. I needed to get out of this hotel room before seeing Eric in person.

Apparently that wasn't an option, as Eric sat awake on the couch. He sat slouched into myself. It looked as if years of trying to hide his height gave him comfort in hunching his shoulders. I knew he heard me enter, but he continued to stare at the opposite wall of the sitting room. Tying my robe a little tighter, I made my way to sit next to him. He still didn't look at me, or move to make conversation.

I looked at the wall with him.

"There will be a meeting in this room in an hour or so," Eric's voice was quiet but sturdy. I nodded in response.

Another heady silence hovered around us. Turning towards the Viking, I couldn't stop myself from reaching for his hands, which held each other on top of his dark jeans. His blue eyes turned to me under a furrowed brow. I sighed before speaking, "Thank you for saving me. Even though you were probably pissed at me for embarrassing you in front of your vampire friends. No, Associates? Comrades?" I trailed off for a few seconds, "Anyway, I know you didn't have to do that, and I appreciate it," I finished and went to get up.

His large hand flipped and grabbed mine before I had the chance. "I brought you here for a reason," he said in his soft baritone voice. Suddenly, listening to Eric wasn't just mandatory, it was soothing. He continued, "I needed to be able to watch over you. I wanted to make sure that ex-boyfriend of yours didn't get his fucking hands on you," he closed his eyes briefly, gathering his thoughts. "But I couldn't even keep you safe from humans. I let them keep you caged like an animal, and I didn't even question your behavior," finally he looked at me. Finally I could see the darkness of his eyes. The slight furrow of his brows and frown in his lips read shame his shame to me.

Before I could reply he continued, "I ignored your disappearance to find out her power. And still you almost died trying to save her," his confused eyes didn't leave my resilient ones, "I do not understand you Brooke Cotter. I treated you like I treat other humans."

Reaching up to his face slowly, my pointer finger resting gently on his frowning lips. My turn. "Eric, you either want to help me, employ me, and protect me. Or you don't," my voice was hard and angry. "You don't get to sometimes protect me when it's convenient for you. I sat in that fucking basement waiting for you, because you said I was under your protection. Whatever the fuck Sookie Stackhouse is to you, shouldn't affect whether or not you save me when you promise you will. She has Bill, Eric. The way she bat her pretty eyelashes at you at The Fellowship? Was for her own benefit. You saved her, because you thought you had a chance. She played you like a fucking fiddle. Do you know where she is now Eric? She's in bed with Bill Compton," I started to stand up, taking my hand away from Eric as his had gone limp with shock. His blue eyes wide at my anger and bluntness, "And as for saving Sookie Stackhouse? She is a friend of mine. But I also learned from my mom, that you should always protect the weakest person in the room."


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