I'm back...
I am so excited to finally say that I am continuing my Tempting Fate series, picking up where we left off!
Thank you to every single reviewer and follower of Tempting Fate and Fighting Kings since 2013. You have been sorely missed.
Welcome to every new reader and follower, please let me know what you think!
My passion for Melody and Eric has reignited. Please keep that flame going with your inspirational reviews, ideas and messages.
And to every person that has said this series is the best Eric/OC fanfiction out there, you honour me.
I do hope you enjoy. Stay with me, stay tempted!
"Please!"
Eric stiffened at her cries, practically vibrating with the need to get her out of there.
"Please let me go!"
He listened closely as Russell's lover dealt out the cards on the table, barely able to keep up this charade for much longer. Eric inwardly cringed as another scream came from down the hall and it took every ounce of hatred he had for the King of Mississippi to remain in his seat. His need for revenge overpowered any feelings he had for his human as he looked up at Talbot.
The vampire opposite him quirked an eyebrow as he continued dealing.
"You seem distracted?"
Eric huffed out a low laugh but before he could manage a reply, Talbot continued. "The little redhead is rather loud." Talbot sighed. "Not long now, I suppose."
And as if on cue, Melody's screams ceased abruptly and the fear Eric felt radiating off of her quietened. A sickening twist pulled inside of Eric but he remained seated. He resisted the urge to tear the vampire's head from his body as Talbot appeared pleased over the quiet, as if someone had simply turned down some overbearing music.
"Ah, there we are," Talbot smiled.
He threw a smirk as the flirtatious vampire. "Much better," Eric chuckled, appearing delighted that his time with the vampire would no longer be disturbed. Inside, Eric was struggling, searching for that thread that tied him to Melody. He could feel its pull, knowing she was still breathing but it did nothing to calm his want to get to her.
"Don't get too excited; Russell loves his play things, I doubt he'll join us soon."
Eric shook himself free of the human down the hall, careful to keep up appearances as he feigned interest in the lovers. "How long have you two been together?"
"Just shy of seven hundred years," Talbot mused before smirking at the Viking. "Although sometimes it feels like seven million!" The men chuckled together quietly.
He placed his card down and slowly dragged it towards Talbot's playing hand. "Well, I hope he knows how lucky he is." His fingers ghosted beside Russell's lover's hand.
Talbot's eyes lifted to meet Eric's, stirring with want.
"Oh believe me, he knows."
The blonde vampire held his gaze as he waited for the tension to grow and grow, reeling in the lover before him. His animalistic want radiated from his stare and was met by Talbot's own hidden smile, surely used to being craved and admired by others. He revelled in it. It was almost too easy for Eric. Until the king appeared from the corner of his eye, yet Eric kept his gaze, never hiding his false desire.
Watching his lover flirt with the tall vampire, Russell called back to his staff to bring the car around which he knew would capture his darling's attention.
"And where are you going now?"
"I have some business to which I must attend," Russell informed him, almost teasingly.
"Again?" Talbot's mood instantly soured.
Russell clasped his hands together and turned towards Eric. "Yes and I would like Mr Northman to accompany me."
Eric stood abruptly from his seat, showing his eagerness to be at the king's command. Talbot's eyes flickered quickly between the two, jealous of the attention moving so quickly from him to Russell.
"It would be my honour."
The tall vampire watched as Talbot stood and stepped towards Russell, anger fuming as he waved his arms about. "You never take me anywhere! You prefer to be in the company of sycophants!" Russell's lover brushed past him, his head high as he returned to his own quarters but Eric's own eyes were fixed on the king. He let some of his disdain and fury leave him, his face contorting as he watched Russell stare at his own happiness and Eric remembered his own being murdered a thousand years ago. But his smile returned like a stretched elastic band, snapping back into place as Russell turned back to him.
"Don't worry about him. He's in one of his moods. I'll be making up for that later." He shrugged slightly and watched Eric approach. "Never mind, we have more pressing matters at hand. We're off to see an old friend of yours." Russell smiled knowingly and wiggled his finger; an order to follow.
Eric did as he was bid, marching after the king. A guard beside the double door entrance was beckoned as the vampire reached the entrance to his library. Eric couldn't help it. He needed to see. He turned to peer inside as they slowly strolled past the room and his anger boiled uncontrollably.
Her face was turned towards him, her delicate rosy cheek pressed to the carpet with her red hair thrown around her, covering much of the damage Russell had done to her face. She lay there in the middle of the library, so small and fragile, unconscious. He could see where her top was ripped and burnt, her arm dangling over her chest but with the smell of burnt flesh still tingeing the air.
Eric kept up his appearance but ground his teeth so hard they might shatter. His fingers twitched with the want to close into fists and throw themselves at Russell. He could barely tear his eyes from her; she had never looked so small and lifeless. Even as she floated so effortlessly in the bath at the Hotel Carmilla he felt what was left of her strength, her resolve. He barely felt anything now.
He watched her, aching to go to her, for a lifetime yet it was but a moment in reality. He started to pass the library and for just a few seconds, he took her in her damaged body and then she was gone from his sight as he followed Russell towards the front door.
Russell regarded the library where Eric's human was left. "Carlos, take care of that mess, will you?"
Eric's eyes fixed on the king as they started towards his car. He plastered a false smile on his face. He would not stop until he had destroyed Russell's happiness. He owed him an even bigger debt than before.
The very first thought that came into my head, as odd as it seemed, was mother fucker, my mouth is dry! I tried to open my mouth wide to call for help and in that instant, I heard a torturous yelp, as if someone had ran over a puppy. It took me a moment to register the pain and that the noise had come from me.
I could barely open my eyes. My face felt like it was hanging, barely holding on to my body, constantly throbbing and aching. My thoughts went running towards the memory of my family, the crash. Oh god, no. I couldn't be here again.
The lights were too harsh. I recognised items from the room I was thrown into by that vampire guard, Rico. I squinted with one eye but things waved before me, dancing as I could barely hold myself conscious. One eye was fused shut and if I moved my head, the throbbing would worsen. If I opened my mouth, I would scream again.
Everything was silent as I rested on something comfortable whilst my whole body screamed at me over just how uncomfortable I truly was. If I moved, I'd feel pain so I remained still, choosing to close my eyes over staring at a ridiculously expensive chandelier hanging from the ceiling as it dawned on me; I was still at Russell Edgington's home. And I was alive, if barely.
It was bright and the lights were off. The day was here which meant Eric was not. Did he know? Did he know whether I was alive or not? Did he even care?
What had he said? He wanted something. He was going to get something that he'd wanted since before he was turned. He was doing everything he could to keep me alive. I resisted the urge to snort and cause myself more pain. Eric's track record of keeping me alive wasn't exactly working out well. But I believed him.
A fury sat inside of me: bitterness and anger over Yvetta, letting Russell hurt me, his complete disregard for the safety of my friends.
My friends! Sookie. Bill. If my body could, I would have cried in that moment. Who knew what happened to them.
But I believed him. Eric was many things; manipulative, sneaky and calculating. But he was also loyal. And not just to Godric. I saw that loyalty to me. In that moment last night, when he held me, promised me that he wouldn't leave here without me, I had never believed in anything or anyone more.
Who knew how long I had been lying here. For hours the room was silent and the only noise I could make was a small squeak if I accidentally shifted. I just about decided to drift off, away from the pain when I heard movement. Thudding, footsteps, carefully making their way towards my door.
I had no way to defend myself. Perhaps my only chance was to play dead; by the way I felt, I certainly would look it.
The door creaked open and I held myself still.
"Mel," a rough voice called towards me, almost thankful in its tone upon finding me. I frowned and instantly regretted moving as I tried to place the voice. More footsteps and I could tell the body was hovering over me.
"Jesus, what have they done to you..." The harsh accent sounded furious and as I opened my one good eye, I watched Alcide Herveaux's gaze roaming over my broken body, sadness taking hold of his deep, brown eyes.
My lips parted but all I could manage was a raspy whisper. "Alcide..."
His brain clicked back into action. "I got you, Mel." As if unsure of where to start, Alcide slowly started to slide his arms under my body. As he carefully lifted me, I cringed, my head lolling and throbbing until he pulled me close to his chest where I rested the good side of my face. "You're gonna be ok."
He moved as quickly as he could from the room without rustling me too much in my bruised state. The ceiling started to move at a steady pace. I watched Alcide's determined eyes glance around, analysing and cautious.
"How did you find me?" I croaked.
"Got your scent," he whispered and gently quietened me, but not without a warm glance down at my face. "Hush now."
Upon his orders, I quietened down, holding my tongue over any pain. Alcide was trying his best to hold me tightly, stopping my head from moving too much and I was grateful for it. I closed my eyes, listening to Alcide's panting. We were outside suddenly, the sun warming my eyelids and I breathed in the fresh air.
I could hear a vehicle pull up and opened my eyes, hearing before seeing Tara as she ran towards me.
"Oh my god, Mel," she gasped. "They got you too."
"I'm fine," I mumbled.
Alcide cut us off. "We gotta go. Where's Sook?"
"In the back with Bill. He ain't gonna make it."
We were moving again towards a van. Alcide pushed me inside beside the driver's seat and I couldn't help the groan of pain as I sat up straight. Something warm trickled against my tummy and that's when I remembered the burns. The pull of my skin disturbed the burn along my stomach as it started to bleed. The skin around the burn was hot red and unhealthy.
Tara climbed in beside me and slammed the door.
"We got company!"
Alcide hit the gas. I propped myself up, pressing my hands against the dashboard to keep from hurting myself further. Over the roar of the engine, howls echoed around the grounds. I peered over Alcide's mirror to spot a couple of wolves chasing after us and fast!
A grey wolf was gaining on us and without a second thought, Alcide veered the van to the left, running over one of his own kind. The screech that came from the wolf was deafening.
For a while we drove in silence and in that time, my body became no less rigid that it did when I'd gotten in the van. Alcide glanced over at me now and then.
"You can relax now, Mel."
"Can I?" I was full of doubt. My voice was barely above a whisper. "What those vampires are capable of-"
"Don't," Tara started. She looked at her fiddling hands, covered in blood. Whose, I did not know. "I don't need reminding."
Without hesitation, I gripped her hand in mine as she held back the tears. Her lip trembled and I knew that this woman, the strong, confident woman I first met back in Sam's bar, had been through hell and back. She squeezed my hand back and looked at me, glancing over the marks all over my body. She took in my face, black and blue and her fight came back for just a moment.
"I will kill that fucker-"
"It wasn't him," I croaked, then more to myself. "He wasn't there."
I had very little strength left in me. The lull of driving and the hum of the engine sent me to sleep until suddenly, I heard Tara screaming. I bolted forward, alone in the front of the van until the back slammed shut and Alcide practically slept into the driver's seat.
"What happened?"
"We need to get her to a hospital," Alcide grunted.
I panicked. "Who?"
"Sookie!" He yelled back, starting the car up and leaving dust in his tracks. His hand slammed the wheel in anger. "Fucker drained her."
In the wing mirror, I got a glimpse of Bill, getting smaller and smaller as Alcide drove as fast as he could. He was covered head to toe in blood. I felt sick. And then it hit me. It was daylight...
After a second, he was out of sight and we were getting closer to the hospital. I sat in silent shock. How could Bill have done this to Sookie? She came to rescue him, save him! She's saved me!
We got to the hospital and rushed Sookie inside. Tara carried her as if she weighed no more than a child, getting her onto the bed the nurses wheeled out. And just like that, she was gone from our sights. I felt hands on me, gripping my shoulders and I took comfort in leaning into Alcide's warm chest. I pressed my cheek against him and hissed.
He moved me away from him and I already missed the warmth.
"We gotta get someone to take a look at ya," he murmured before grabbing a nurse's attention.
"I'm fine." The strain on my voice was almost intolerable.
He shook his head. "You wouldn't be saying that if you could see yourself, Mel."
I had no energy to refuse. With an order to update me on anything regarding Sookie, I left Alcide and Tara, steered away by an annoyingly concerned nurse. I assured her too that I was alright but once they got me on a bed and fetched the doctor to take a look at me, it was if all the pain returned as they listed off my injuries.
A fractured jaw. Courtesy of Russell's foot meeting my face, knocking me unconscious. I had bruising all along one side of my face, swelling my eye shut. The burns I knew about but I could barely breathe as they were cleaned and bandaged. The tears soon stopped as they left me to rest and the moment the nurses vacated my room, I was out like a light.
Alcide was by my side when I woke up, running his thumb over mine as he held my hand. I blinked the sleep out of my one good eye, grasping his hand tightly.
"Sookie?"
My mind raced a million times an hour, imagining the worst. The sight of Bill covered in blood, the scream Tara gave out seeing her friend, the fear in Alcide's eyes throughout the drive to the hospital. I couldn't stand it if I lost my friend too. After everything, everyone... It would be too much pain for anyone to take.
Alcide sighed, "She's going to be alright, Mel."
I breathed a sigh of relief and tears pricked my eyes once more. Alcide carried on.
"It was a close call. The amount of blood she lost... Doc said that she didn't have a blood type."
I frowned as best I could. "Everybody has a blood type?"
Alcide explained it all. How her body rejected each blood transfusion. How Jason and her loved ones gathered around her, in case the worst happens.
"She's not woken up yet." Alcide showed his pain, gripping my hand so tightly that it almost hurt. I let go and threw my covers aside.
"I have to see her," I insisted.
Alcide touched my shoulders gently. "No. You have to rest."
I glared up at the tall man. "I have very few people left in this world that I care about, Alcide Herveaux. My family are gone. My friends back home don't even write. The only real friend I have is lying on her death bed. She has been there for me." I croaked, swallowing the lump trapped in my throat. "It's my turn to be there for her."
I shrugged past him, pausing as I caught a glance of myself in the window. To Alcide, I mustn't have looked even slightly threatening. To a werewolf, I looked like a kitten. To anyone else, I looked like I could collapse at any second. Looking frail in my hospital gown, my face was purple and my arms were covered in bandages. But there was a determination in me that would keep me going for a long time.
"Mel," Alcide called me back and I turned. His handsome face regarded me softly, a small smile on his lips. "She ain't the only friend you got."
I softened at his words. My exhaustion caught up with me and my boldness deflated. I nodded, smiling as best I could round the pain before leaving Alcide. The hospital wasn't huge but I got lost too many times to count. With my one good eye, I searched for intensive care.
My feet were cold against the tiles as I trod down the hallway, peering into windows and doorways, searching for the sunlight, yellow hair. What I found was worse.
Turning out of the doorway ahead was Bill.
I froze until he caught my eye. That familiar, sickening twist in my stomach pulled as I regarded the dangerous man I had considered my friend. Blood trickled from his tear ducts and shame clouded his face. Cautiously, I took a few steps towards him. Distrust kept me at a distance.
We were silent for a good while. My fearful expression soon turned into an accusing glare, to which he bowed his head in further regret. I was glad for his excelled hearing as my voice came out as a rasp.
"Why?"
It was simple. Demanding. I was still in utter disbelief.
He had no defence but one. "I was starving. I had no control."
I bit my tongue, stopping myself from unleashing hell on him. "How is she?"
Bill looked up towards me with sheer happiness sparkling in his eyes, mixed with complete despair and heartbreak. "She will live."
I wanted to demand that he stay away from her. That he never set eyes on her again. But I couldn't, I was a hypocrite. Sometimes we can't help but be drawn to who we love, no matter how bad for us they are. Sometimes we're just too human for our own good.
The state of the vampire almost made me pity him. He looked as he did this morning as his reflection grew smaller and smaller in the wing mirror; deflated and disgusted with himself. I narrowed my eyes at the vampire, remembering the heat of the sun on his pale, bloodied skin. "How are you still alive, Bill?"
He watched me hesitantly, uncaring that his bloody tears dripped onto his clothes. He stepped towards me, regarded me as a friend would and murmured, "Goodbye Melody."
I watched him go. When he was out of the door, I released a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding since he stepped closer to me. I turned back to Sookie's room and practically ran inside.
Alive. She was alive. Her sudden shock at my appearance brought on new floods of tears. I ran towards my friend and she moved her arms to take me in. I lay on the bed, holding her as her sobs wracked her body for the next hour. We spoke very little, there was time for that last once her tears had stopped. I felt my own tears slip from my eyes. Grieving for my family, for my heartbroken friend and for any resemblance of normality I had in my life.