Chapter 11

SHORT RECAP: Brooke has moved to Bon Temps, with a large secret following her. After finding out that her ex-boyfriend, Zander, has followed her and her nightmares to her new location she struggles to balance her new friendships, past, and forced job at a vampire bar. We last saw Brooke comforting Eric after he lost his maker.

My eyes fluttered open, the lush hotel room felt unfamiliar and empty. Chest heavy, I peered down. Short blonde hair filled my vision. With his face curled towards me, I studied the blank curvature of his face through my sleepy, blurry eyes. His pale skin held no wrinkles and no expression, keeping true to the lifeless quality vampires had during the daytime. Soft blonde hair met the edge of his forehead, and longer strands danced along his eyebrows. A smooth forehead showed none of the manipulation and deceit it usually held. He had a strong brow, one that shadowed slightly over his hidden sea-toned eyes. I noticed a light covering of slight stubble that covered most of his high cheek bones, which touched the tips of his long eyelashes. My bony hand reached out and trailed down his perfectly straight nose that didn't let in nor out any air. He didn't need to breathe while he rested. Keeping a light touch, I allowed my thumb to continue to trace his strong jaw until it pressed slightly on his red pillowy bottom lip. I followed the edges of his full lips, trying to memorize the softness and shape. His eyes seemed to rush side to side behind his eyelids as I started to run my fingers through his soft locks.

Strong hands that had been wrapped around my waist tensed just before he used his arms to pull me closer to him. The handsome face I had been so fascinated by turned away from me, as he let out a soft groan. Without moving, I let my eyes shut once again.

Waking up the second time felt like a shock went through my body. I noticed immediately that there was no foreign weight on top of me. Reaching my hand out timidly, my fingers grazed nothing but the hotel bed sheets. When the sleep dissipated from my vision I turned, checking the alarm clock on the bedside table which showed that I had slept the day away. After the last few nights, I knew that my body should be sore from all of the fighting and explosions, but nothing ached or creaked as I got off of the tall bed.

His silent form sulked in a heap on the main room's white couch. Head in his hands, it was clear he was still having a hard time after last night. I mean, understandably, but seeing him as this emotional man was a strange change from his normal manipulative and ruthless demeanor.

"Eric, I need to go home," I traversed the room and was close to him in a short few steps. He looked up slowly, the red lines down his face were still present from the night before.

He simply shook his head at me. Not breaking eye contact, he grabbed his cell phone from the table in front of him and passed it to me. There glaring at me was a text from Sookie Stackhouse, warning Eric to keep me away from Bon Temps due to 'All sorts of fuckery'.

I put Eric's phone down and continued to stand in the living room. "We have matters to discuss," Eric stated, causing me confusion.

"What matters could we possibly 'have to discuss?'"

A small smirk came to his lips. Not his normal snarky one, but a different kind. As if he held his humor in something other than judgement. "This fellow who has been staking claim on you, I want a better explanation."

Well, this wasn't how I thought my day would go.

Sighing lightly, I sat on the rug in front of the clean glass table in the middle of the room. "I told you," I stared down at my fingers, "He's Zander, and he's my ex-boyfriend…" my voice trailed off weakly.

"I got that part, but what is he, and what does he want?"

Continuing to avoid eye contact I answered, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. And he wants me. When we started dating he was normal. I swear. Charming, good looking, sweet when he wanted to be. But then, he changed, I guess. Getting into fist fights over men looking at me, staying up all night reading these weird books, talking to the dark."

Eric had gotten up and started standing over me as I spoke. "He can threaten you through your dreams, what the fuck is he Brooke?" Finally looking up at him, I knew I couldn't turn away. If he didn't still have the tear stains on his face, I would have never believed that Eric Northman had any other emotion except for anger. "You know how there's different myths about the different fallen angels? Like, Lillith being the mother of all vampires, and being the source of it all?"

The blonde giant nodded above me.

"Well, apparently there are other myths about different beings. There's no real word for what he is but he explained it by calling it 'dad'." Eric's head tilted slightly. I bit my lip before saying the name out loud, "Azazel. He's the demon lieutenant of hell. That's what he's known for. Destruction, killing, and devastation? Zander swore that all he was came from Azazel…"

Eric let out a small laugh, causing me to frown. "You're telling me you dated a child of Azazel, and didn't know it until he decided to come after you?" His voice was playful and fun. Not the time Northman.

"Honestly Eric? All we did for a while was party, do drugs and fuck for months. So, no I didn't know," my voice growled. It was out in the open. My past, and he thought it was funny.

He continued to laugh, "You? Brooke, no offense, but 'party girl' doesn't really seem like your MO."

I stood. I could feel the anger boiling over into regret for opening up.

"Fuck you Eric", Until my mom got sick, I was never home. After graduating high school I skipped college ignoring every track scholarship offered to me. I didn't see the point. So instead, I was out every night and nursing a hangover every day. I was a trust fund baby who didn't need to plan her future, so I found the nearest bad boy and gallivanted off into the night, every night. Until the day that it all went to shit. When my mother was diagnosed and Zander figured out that I had backed out of the carefree life we were living. He turned possessive and cold, threatening me in cryptic ways I didn't understand. Promising I was going to meet his maker instead of mine. "You me as much as I know you. Which is none. You asked, so I told you."

Looking down at my tense form, Eric sighed backing away for a minute to get his own space. I hadn't even realize I had pressed myself against him in frustration when trying to explain myself. But my skin cried to me about the loss of his contact. "Alright," he started, "let's say I believe this mythical man wants you. Why?"

My arms crossed defensively, "Because although powerful and evil, Zander is just a normal man Eric Northman," I smirked as I turned away towards my room before looking at him over my shoulder, "he wants what he can't have." Without another word I turned away from the confrontation and the lingering questions and events to go into my room, and change out of my black dress from yesterday. A few minutes later I heard the shower.

I knew this day would come, where my past would be emitted. But I didn't think it would be seen as a joke. And little did I know that soon, Eric wouldn't see it as a joke either.

Before Eric could emerge from his room, I settled to go down into the hotel bar. With its overplayed dark theme, I flopped into the plush seat of a blood orange couch in the middle of the room. With sickly sweet drink in hand, I sat quietly and happily. No yelling. No Sookie drama. No cliché vampire bar… well…the other cliché vampire bar… Taking another sip of my drink, I knew it was only a matter of time before my peace was ruined. Keeping my drink in one hand, I thoughtlessly wiped nonexistent lint off my dark jeans as I scoped out the crowd. A majority of the vampires sat coolly by themselves or with a human companion for the night. Feeling predator gazes on me, I realized quickly that I was the only human all alone.

"What game are you trying to play?" Eric's smooth tone reached my ear from behind the couch. I couldn't help the shit-eating grin that bestowed itself on my face.

Turning slightly to see his fixed gaze I replied, "A game? What do you mean?" The airy quality to my sarcasm ended as I let out a short ugly chuckle. He made his way around to sit next to me.

Pointing to my drink he asked what I was drinking. Without letting me answer, the Viking took the Manhattan right out of my hand and daintily took a sip. I mentally took a picture of this scene. Nodding softly, he handed it back to me.

"It that what you used to drink as a party girl?" There was no malice or cruelty to his voice. Maybe mean Eric got washed away in the shower.

With a smirk at the corner of my mouth I answered truthfully, "No. I would drink a bottle of Grey Goose to avoid lag," his eyes widened slightly, "unless there was a keg, then I would stick to drugs to avoid the calories."

Eric sat silently, clearly surprised I answered the way I did. Did I go too far? Is there a way that I could scare a vampire away from me with nothing but my past drinking habits? This man saw me 'a bottle of Jack' deep, how is this a surprising fact?

Choosing not to clear the air, I instead took another sip of my drink, reaching the bottom of the glass. Thinking about getting up and getting another, I declined my own offer and put the glass aside for now. Turning my frame towards Eric, I waited for him to start another conversation.

He stayed silent.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," my voice came out as a whisper.

"You didn't."

Raising an eyebrow, I silently studied his stoic look as he sat unmoving.

"Well, did Sookie tell you what was going on in Bon Temps?" How to Make Small Talk with a Vampire You Just Drank Blood From: 101 would really come in handy right now.

He shook his head.

"…Well… are we you going to find out so we can see if we need to help her?" I really didn't want to do that.

He shrugged his shoulders.

Letting out a sigh of frustration, I went to stand up. If he wasn't going to talk to me, there was no point of me avoiding the bar.

A hand latched onto my arm. "Please stay."

I sat down without questioning it.

"Eric…?"

"Why did you try to save me at the church? And try to save Sookie during the bomb? And stay with me last night?" Eric asked in quick succession.

That was a lot of questions.

"Um, what?" I couldn't wrap my head around the questions themselves, none the less the answers to them.

"What did you help me and Sookie when we were treating you so poorly?"

"Why wouldn't I? Was I supposed to expect you to treat me any other way?"

His brow lowered, "Yes."

Feeling my body relax back into my realistically red seat I answered, "I don't know. I like Sookie, a lot. Sure, she loves the attention you give her, but, why wouldn't she?" He smirked. I ignored it, "You're probably her biggest fear and fantasy rolled into one." I stood sick of talking about Sookie for the 800th time on this trip, "And, she's too distracted. I saved her because she's too distracted by the glitz and the glam of you and Bill, to save herself. So I helped her instead of saving myself. I hope the three of you don't think it'll always be that way.

Before I could take my leave to the bar, Eric grabbed my hand once again.

"So, I am also just a pathetic case for you to solve?" His face read anger but his tone sounded hurt.

"No," I removed my hand from his, "You promised to help me…and employ me. And maybe Northman, you've been growing on me. But I'm not going to be take for granted. That's for damn sure."

He was standing before I could blink. His suddenly movement was seen and observed by, what felt like, every vampire in the hotel. "I will keep you safe Brooke. I promise. And, I do not take you for granted." Looking up at his intense gaze I realized that it wasn't anger that brewed in his blue eyes. It was passion. A passion to be right. A passion to be seen. A passion for something now that his maker was gone. "I will show you that."

I'm sure he could feel my accelerated heart beat as he spoke. Trying to nod, I was forced to stop as his hand held on to the back of my neck. Leaning it back into his palm I was perfectly angled towards his face. I know I was expecting a formal handshake next, but his lips meeting mine still surprised me.

They weren't cold. It wasn't the feeling of eating an ice cube, as I'd guessed it to be. I leaned forward into his embrace reach my fingers up to spread themselves in the same hair they were in during the daylight. His tongue traced my lower lip and I let out a soft sigh as his hand pulled on my hip, giving him the opportunity to deepen the kiss. His plush lips pressed against mine for just a second more before playfully tugged on my bottom lip with his teeth, and stepping back.

I walked away without looking at him. I could feel my heart in my throat and my entire body on edge.

Between Godric leaving him within the last 36 hours, and his Sookie conquest that last few days, there was no trusting what Eric had just done. Just that it had felt better than it should have.

Hello…. I'm super sorry.

I know I can't promise to have a schedule with updates because I literally work an extra two hours every day at a job I hate so… When I get home I mostly drink wine and take bubble baths.

Please review, I could 100% use an editor because I just don't have the time to do it…

But all in all, really, I'm super sorry! Hope everything is good with you guys!

I ONLY OWN THE OCs.