Authors Note: Being an adult sucks. Working retail sucks. Being the person in charge of those who work retail SUCKS. I really am sorry. I wanted to post regularly, but life threw roadblocks in the form of a management shake-up, up coming inventory, and sanity draining associates.
FYI - I am sooooo sorry. Wine and writing may lead to some grammar issue.
He was on the verge of spilling blood.
Staring down at Adele Stackhouse broken body, he felt an unusual, and slightly annoying flare of emotion. It was not something he desired, but there was no ignoring the fact that seeing her like this made him want to do very bad things.
These stupid humans clung onto their beliefs that vampires were only monsters who walked upon the earth. When really, they were surrounded by breathing, evil, meat suits every single day of their miserable lives. Worse, their bleeding hearts couldn't comprehend that sometimes it was in everyone's best interest to put these creatures down. Instead, they protected these useless, dangerous individuals with stupid, reckless laws. Making absurd, pathetic excuses for their wicked, vile behavior.
Bad childhoods. Unloving parents. Poor incomes. As if any of those things excused the dark festering evil within these humans. Instead, they needed to open their eyes, and see that some humans were just plain evil.
Just like that pathetic excuse currently resting peacefully a few floors up.
Sure, he had blood on his hands, what kind of vampire would he be if he didn't? But he never played with his food.
Okay, maybe that wasn't true.
He really did enjoy playing with the scum of the earth. Relished in watching the worst of the worst fall apart at the seams while begging him for mercy.
But terrorizing humans for the fun of it? Just because he was stronger, and the top of the food change, didn't mean he had to leave a wake of destruction in his wake.
Only someone who was batshit crazy, had low self-esteem, or was plain evil got off on that. Godric had taught him this, and at the time his maker held little regard for human life. But he still had boundaries. Rules he instilled upon him and later, his sister Nora. Most rules were put in place for their protection.
They never preyed on children or the elderly. Humans tended to get emotional and reckless when children or old people started showing up dead. Going to war against the breathers was in no one's best interest, seeing how winning only meant they'd lose in the end. Less humans meant less blood, which meant vampires would then be pitted against one another for survival.
But mostly, Godric believed that preying on them made a vampire look weak, and weak usually led to a shortened lifespan.
Or, and undead span.
When he entered the Stackhouse kitchen, he'd barely arrived in time. Knife clenched in his grubby hand, that pathetic excuse of a human being was seconds away from driving it into Adele's chest. The flair of gratitude in the women's pale blue eyes floored him. Never in the last thousand year on this earth had anyone looked at him in such a way.
It happened again, when Everly begged him to spare the human's life. The depth of emotions he saw shining back at him in her baby blue eyes was confusing. She had trusted him to head her words. To see the logic in keeping the man alive. Fear and desperation for her grandmother. Then pure gratefulness when he listened to her and called for assistance.
He'd kept humans at arm's length since the great reveal. It was one thing to use them for financial gain. Or to scratch a particular itch. But both these things he did with emotional detachment. Both were just a means to an end.
But ever since that night when the two Stackhouse women came barging through the door, it seemed the lines were starting to blur.
And he didn't like it.
He simply needed leverage. A way to protect himself and Pam from the eventual shit storm Sophie Anne was about to reign down upon them, and everyone under her control. He could feel it in his bones that Bill Compton was part of whatever scheme Sophie Anne was cooking up.
And it seemed to have something to do with Sookie Stackhouse.
"Boss." Bobby's hesitant voice came from the doorway. "Pam said you were looking for me?"
Keeping his eyes trained on the rise and fall of Adele's chest, Eric wrapped his fingers around the bedrail. "I hope you have an explanation for not being at your post." His tone was hushed, not wanting to disturb the older woman.
Moving further into the room, Bobby's face showed his shame. "I was trying to get you more information on Evie Stackhouse. I honestly didn't think it was going to take as long as it did."
Frowning, Eric looked across the room to where Bobby was studying his shoes. Somewhere in the last twenty-four hours Evie had somehow become Everly to him. But it wasn't something he wanted to dwell upon. "Explain."
"One of the nurses took a liking to me." Rubbing the back of his neck, Bobby's cheeks turned pink.
It didn't really surprise him that a nurse found Bobby attractive, it was one of the reason's he'd taken him on as his Day Man. Nearly thirty, Bobby was fresh from the military, and possessed a boy next door kind of quality, that hid the darkness he kept buried inside him. He was efficient, was trained to follow orders, and up until today, had never failed to complete a task.
It was the only reason he was still employed. "And how did this lead to you leaving Everly unprotected?"
Tugging on his ear, a clear sign that he was embarrassed, Bobby shifted slightly before sighing. "At first, she was just really chatty. I used the excuse you gave me, that I was there to make sure her ex didn't drop by and bother her. Which apparently was the wrong thing to say, because she knew Evie, and was shocked that she had broken up with her boyfriend."
Fucking small towns. "None of this explains why were weren't at your post."
Now Bobby looked pained. "I couldn't get her to shut up. She started telling me everything, and I mean everything about the Stackhouse's."
Okay, now they were getting somewhere. "Apparently, Jason dicked her over senior year. So, she had nothing good to say about him. Sookie seemed nice, but there was something off about her, and is apparently the town's resident fruitcake. But then . . ."
"Yes." Feeling he was finally getting somewhere after weeks of being in the dark, Eric pushed Bobby to keep going.
Shifting uncomfortably, Bobby gulped and looked down at the folder clenched in his hands. "She said." Licking at his bottom lip, Bobby sighed. "Everly had been a sweet kid."
He felt his body tense, not liking the look in Bobby's eyes.
"But it seemed when she got to High School she changed. Became withdrawn, avoided crowds, and started to spiral." Growing quiet, he moved forward and handed over the folder. "Her freshman year, she overdosed on her medication and was locked up on a suicide watch."
Blinking down at the folder before snatching it out of Bobby's trembling hand, Eric frowned. Attempted suicide didn't exactly track with the image he'd painted of the tiny blonde. "So how did you end up with her medical file?"
Bobby's face turned beat red, as he tugged at the collar around his neck. "Well, she kept flirting with me, and I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. I mean, we've been trying to get information on the Stackhouse's for weeks now, and we've only managed to get town gossip. And even then, we didn't find out about this."
"At first she acted insulted that I would even ask." Looking awkwardly at his shoes, Bobby shifted from foot to foot. "But then I laid it on real thick, saying that I'd been assigned to keep Evie safe, due to the threat against her family. That any information would help. Honestly, I didn't think it would work, after she stormed away. But an hour later she came back and told me to meet her in a closet."
Sweat started to bead on his forehead, and Erick nearly laughed at the man's obvious discomfort. "That's why I wasn't at my post. She . . . uh . . . wanted an exchange for the information."
Raising his brow at this, Eric felt his ire lessen. Not by much, but enough that Bobby may still be employed for the foreseeable future. "Explain this exchange." Bobby's blush deepened and his desire to shed blood was lessening. "In detail."
Gulping, fidgeting, and looking as though he wanted the earth to swallow him whole, Bobby opened his mouth, before snapping it shut.
Where Bobby skilled in arm to arm combat, a trained snipper, was able to use his unique skill set to convince people into changing their minds – even when they vehemently didn't want to, while efficiently handling his day to day business with ease. Bobby was painfully lacking when it came to the opposite sex. It was rather embarrassing to witness, but also very amusing.
"She, uh wanted. . ."
"Yes." Eric purred, chuckling under his breath. This was possibly the best form of punishment for his employee. He needed to file that away for the future.
"Sex." Bobby barked, his complexion nearing purple.
Still amused, Eric shook his head and looked down at the file in his hands. If there was ever an excusable excuse, Bobby nailed it. It irked him he hadn't considered getting the Stackhouse medical files before. His gut feeling said there was something off about the family, and what better way to find out?
"What about the rest of the family?" Finally feeling as though they were getting somewhere, Eric flipped open the cover of the file.
"She's getting me Jason and Adele's files." Still looking uneasy, Bobby sighed.
"And Sookie Stackhouse?"
"She doesn't have one."
The wheels inside Eric's head came to a screeching halt. "How is that possible?"
Looking as though he wasn't going to pass out, Bobby stood a little taller. "Bonnie said - ."
Snapping his head up, Eric frowned. "Who's Bonnie?"
"The nurse." A frown pulled on the other man's lips. "The hospital only has files on patients who've been here. And Sookie Stackhouse has never been a patient here. Her family doctor would have those."
Flicking his gaze up to where Bobby stood, Eric let the silence fill the room.
"You'll have her files by tomorrow night." Bobby said with confidence.
Letting his gaze fall back onto the file in his hands, Eric held back a smirk. The first page had a faded picture of as of a young Everly. A blonder, freckled, scowling Everly. Lifting the picture, his eyes scanned the page. It seemed her first visit was for a broken arm, after a fall from a tree.
Going to the next page, Everly was back again when she tripped down the stairs and had a concussion.
Next page showed another visit, that same year, for a second degree burn.
A sprained ankle.
Another concussion. It was an absolute miracle Everly wasn't a drooling mess. Her clumsiness seemed to be an ongoing issue. Flipping the next page his brows pinched.
Anxiety attack. Age thirteen. Flip.
Anxiety attack. Age thirteen. Flip.
Anxiety attack. Age fourteen. Flip.
Overdose. Age fifteen.
His eyes rapidly scanned the page.
Patient, age fifteen, arrived unresponsive. Blood panels show high level of benzodiazepines. Witnesses state patient was highly agitated before incident. Possible intentional overdose. Admitting patient for mental health care.
Narrowing his eyes at the words on the page, his eyes rescanned the doctor's notes. His lips pinched. Nothing he'd seen in Everly so far had indicated that the small blonde had mental health issues. If anything, this file only supported his thoughts that Sookie wasn't the only Stackhouse with a rare gift.
Closing the file, with a frown on his face, he looked down at the cover. He was going to need to do a little more digging. Godric may have some insight. Also, a call to Dr. Ludwig wasn't out of the question.
"Did the nurse have anything else to say?"
Bobby frowned, then gave a sharp nod. "There are levels of medication in her blood that shouldn't be there. She could've been discharged early today, but the doctor was concerned she was having a relapse and wanted to keep her for observation. Said she may be here for another day or two."
Well, that wasn't going to happen. If there was one thing in this entire mess, he was certain of, Everly Stackhouse was not suicidal. Nor was she an addict.
A thought occurred to him.
"Who visited her today?"
Pulling a note pad from his back pocket, Bobby read from the list. "Tara Thornberry stayed most of the day. Sookie stopped by this morning, stayed for ten minutes. Lafyette Reynolds came by around noon. His stay was also short, under five minutes. Sookie stopped by again, right before visiting hours ended, when Miss Thornberry left."
One name stuck out. Pursing his lips together Eric tilted his head to the side. "Lafyette Reynolds."
"Tara Thornberry's cousin." Bobby read from his notes. "He works construction with Jason Stackhouse during the day and is a cook at Merlotte's at night.
"He's also a small time drug dealer." Eric hummed under his breath, as his gaze dropped down on Adele's slumbering form. If little Everly was taking medication that wasn't subscribed to her, she would have to get it somewhere. From the information they'd gathered, the Stackhouse's had ties with Tara and Layfette. "Bobby, I have one last task for you tonight."
"Anything sir." Standing up straight, Bobby lifted head, his features set in determination.
Ωβπ
Stepping off the elevator, Erics eyes scanned the waiting area, and a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. The seats directly around Pam were empty, as the few inhabitants chose to occupy the furthest spots away from the annoyed blonde.
Her eyes snapped up from the magazine she held in clenched hands. The look of pure disgust and loathing flared over her face.
Tipping his head toward the curtain where Everly was tucked behind, he smirked when Pam let out a loud huff.
From behind the desk, one of the nurse's eyes snapped up and she cleared her throat. "Sir, its past visiting hours."
Without breaking stride, Eric continued moving to his target, ignoring the nurse's warning of contacting security. He wasn't planning on staying long. Just long enough to see with his own eyes that Everly was indeed fine, while also letting her know she was still in his debt.
Meaning she still was in debt to him and would need to be holding up her end of the bargain.
Last night's events may have given her the wrong impression. Sometimes that happened when tragic events occurred between two people, it was only natural. But he wasn't in the position to allow any form of bonds to be created, especially with a human.
Last night's shenanigans had put him on not only Queen Sophie Anne's radar, but fucking Nan's as well. If Everly hadn't stopped him from tearing that murderous piece of scum to pieces, his pert adorable butt would be in hot water with those two feral bitches.
Instead, he had to listen to Sophie Anne's rage induced demands that he stayed away from Bon Temps and more importantly the Stackhouse's. Which only made Bill's involvement even more suspect. There was something going on. Some sort of off the rails plan their unhinged Queen had put in place, and he sure as hell wasn't going to allow her desperation to backfire onto his existence.
Nan on the other hand was enraged over the potential backlash, and possible bad PR. At least she wasn't a complete lunatic and was able to see the silver lining. She'd been angry that he hadn't called her to give her a head start on damage control. Nan might be a cunt, but she looked at things pragmatically, and that was something he could respect.
Flicking the curtain back, he paused when crystal blue eyes snapped in his direction. Her lips curved down in a frown, as her brow rose in question.
"I expected you to be asleep." Letting the curtain fall behind him, he shoved his hands into his front pockets, while taking in her fatigued features. Even with all the chemicals the hospital used to clean, he could still get a slight whiff of her scent.
She stared at him for a moment, before letting her gaze move back to the ceiling above her. "I can't."
He had a hard time believing that. Her features screamed exhaustion. Dark circles rimmed her blood shot eyes, while her eyes lids fought a losing battle. "Why is that?"
Nibbling on her lower lip, Everly sighed. "No particular reason."
"I stopped by your grandmother's room." This caught her attention, as her gaze flew in his direction.
"How is she?" Pushing herself up, the horrible johnny slipped off one of her shoulders. "Sookie said she was in stable condition. But that was hours ago, and no one will tell me anything."
"She was fine. Heartbeat sounded strong." Tilting his head to the side, he frowned as he considered his next words. Last night he'd offered his blood to save Adele Stackhouse's life. Even though he'd tried to convince himself he'd done it to further indebt the Stackhouse women to him, he knew deep in his dark little heart nothing good would come from her death, or her grandchildren she would leave behind.
"If you want, I can still give her my blood." He offered again.
A flicker of emotion moved over her face, until is died a silent death.
"Don't you think it'd be a little weird for her to miraculously recover?" Looking as though she hated herself for having to refuse, Everly dropped back down against the mattress. "Bill said something about no one knowing about how your blood could heal."
Well, fuck him sideways, that was a shock to his system. For once in his miserable existence Bill Compton actually told the truth. Now he wondered what else good ole Bill shared with Sookie Stackhouse and why.
Now with the pleasantries out of the way, Eric got to the real reason for his visit. "I hear you Rene is a few floors up."
Her pert little nose crinkled at his words; her hands balled at her side. "Please don't remind me. Doesn't help with my insomnia."
"I've taken precautions so nothing will happen to you or your Mormor." Trying to sound reassuring, Eric gauged her reaction. Which sadly was none. "Nothing will happen to either of you."
"Thank you." She barely whispered the words, but he could hear the gratitude in her tone. A lone tear escaped from her eye and slowly moved down until to hit her hairline.
Tired of her staring up at the ceiling, he let out a sigh and moved around her bed to the empty chair. Settling himself into the uncomfortable plastic he remained silent until she looked his way. But after a few minutes the stubborn little girl didn't move a muscle.
He watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath. Studied the way her tiny hands clenched onto the sheets. But her gaze stayed focused on the ceiling tiles, and for reasons he couldn't explain, it irked him.
A lot.
"Our arrangement needs a little fine tuning." His tone was a little sharper than he'd intended. But he hated being ignored. Hated that Everly Stackhouse didn't deem him enough of a threat to keep an eye on him. "Last night was the second time your idiot brother was in my presence acting like a fool on V."
A frown drew at the corner of her lips.
"And what did I do?" Leaning back, he steepled his finger.
"Nothing." Finally, she speaks.
"Incorrect." Sitting forward, he was tempted to place his finger under her chin and turn her attention toward him. But he wasn't going to let her silent defiance get to him. "I glamoured him and his loony woman to behave and go home. I kept my word not to harm him. Now I need your word to find me some useful information on Bill Compton."
The small space fell into silence again, as Everly stared up at the ceiling. With a heavy sigh, she turned her face toward him. "Sookie and Bill are back together again."
He knew this but was pleased she was starting to see her position here. "Now was that so hard?"
Her jaw clenched at his mocking tone. But the fire shining in her eyes quickly faded. "You do understand I'm pretty much useless to you, right?"
The words rubbed him wrong. "Explain."
"I don't live in Bon Temps." Everly muttered. "I barely have a normal relationship with my sister. We can go weeks, if not months without talking. If it weren't for Gran, we would be total strangers who spend summers together. Don't get me wrong, Sook's my sister and I would go down swinging for her, but we're more used to being pissed at each other than confiding our deep dark secrets."
"All siblings fight." Eric smirked.
Her frown only grew, making her brows pinch. "I'll keep up my end of the bargain, I just want to make sure you understand I'm not really in the position to give you much."
"Now that is out of the way." Pulling the file out from where he'd tucked it into the back of his pants, he set it on his lap. "Let's talk about this."
Her eyes moved to the file in his grasp and looked confused. "What is it?"
It was his turn to frown. "Your medical file."
Her pale complexion deteriorated, as her gaze snapped to the file. "How-."
"Let's skip the dramatics." Waving off what was probably going to be an epic melt down on how he'd violated her rights to privacy, Eric glared across the small space at her. "My question is do I need to be worried that this added responsibility is going to have you make a very bad decision?"
Color slowly crept up her neck. Her previously apathetic display was slowly being replaced with a flare of anger. "I will only say this once. I don't give a flying monkey's butt what that file says. I did not try to kill myself."
By the time she spit those words out, she had pushed herself up, as her chest heaved in anger. Her heartrate might be erratic, but it was only because she was pissed and on the defense. He studied her eyes and could see the truth screaming back at him. Everly Stackhouse was not, and never had been, suicidal.
"So, the medication?" Not letting her know that he believed her, he kept pushing. He was onto something; he could feel it deep in his bones. He had a few ideas, but nothing concrete.
"I have anxiety." The lie slipped from her lips. He could hear the stutter of her heartbeat. Smell the shift of her unique scent.
"Lie." Dropping the file to the floor, he moved quicker than she could blink, and had loomed over her. "Try again, and this time remember I know when you aren't telling me the truth."
"You want to know the truth." Everly growled like a small angry kitten, her entire body shook with rage. "The truth is, it's none of your fucking business. I owe you for not punishing my dumbass brother. I also owe you for last night. But you and your big dick energy bullshit can back the fuck off when it comes to me."
Pressing forward until their noses were nearly touching, Eric struggled to ignore the challenge she just threw down. Every fiber of his being was burning to make her submit. But the glint in her eyes told him she was expecting a fight. Expected him to push back. If he wanted to win this little war, he would need to do the unexpected.
Forcing himself to put some space between them he returned to the chair. "Consider this me backing my big dick energy the fuck back."
From where he was sitting, he could see that she was still trembling. He'd pushed a button, and it had blown up in his face. Making a silent not to himself to have Bobby dig deeper into the incident. Plastering a fake smile upon his lips, he waited a moment so she could get her emotions under control.
"Is there anything else?" The words were forced through her clenched teeth.
"Nothing that can't wait." Gathering the file up off the floor he moved toward the curtain. "But the next time we talk, just remember you could've just answered the question, so the consequences are on you."
He moved, ignoring her stunned expression and right through the curtain. Pam was waiting for him on the other side, a smirk on her painted lips.
"That went well." Giddiness glimmered from her eyes. "I thought you said she was going to be compliant. That she was, and I believe your exact words were, putty in your hands."
"She tends to get a backbone at the most inconvenient times." Gritting his teeth, looking back over his shoulder to the curtain hiding her from his view, he had half a mind to go back there and – no, he had other more creative ways of making her fall in line.
Turning his attention back to her, he clenched and unclenched his hands. "Make sure she isn't bothered tonight. She needs sleep."
"You weren't serious about me staying here for the night?" Gapping at him, a shudder went through Pam's body.
"The man who tried to kill her Mormor and would've then attacked her is only a few floors up." His patience had been drained, so he kept his reply short and sweet. "I have plans for Evie Stackhouse, that don't include her getting killed."
And just like that, she went back to simply being Evie Stackhouse. Walking past her, Eric moved toward the elevator, silently compiling a list of things he needed to accomplish before going to ground for the day.
"You might want to use the stairs." Pam's peeved word had him pause for a moment. "I doubt your ego and your big dick energy can fit inside the elevator."