Chapter Ten
Sookie answered the phone knowing it would be Amelia. Bill had left and was hopefully on his way home as the sun was coming out. She loved the sun for more than the tanning it gave her white skin. It was her only protection for the time being against Bill and other vampires. At least she could leave her house. Until sundown. Then she was sure Bill would be back. But so would Eric and that gave her a more peaceful feeling than the sun.
"Hello?" she said.
"My lover it's me."
Her heart skipped a beat and she felt butterflies in her stomach. He always had that effect on her. She was happy to hear his voice as well as surprised but she was still so angry with him, even though her heart didn't want to be.
"I was expecting Amelia " she said coldly.
He heard the hurt in her voice at what had happened between them but he also felt her happiness through the bond.
"I was calling to see if Bill was gone. I felt your fear a little while ago and then Amelia called me to tell me Bill was there. What happened? "
She was a little disappointed that he was only calling about Bill. She thought it would be about the argument they had earlier.
"There is something wrong with Bill. He is acting very strange. When he was here I felt as though he was struggling with himself."
"Struggling about what exactly?"
Sookie hesitated. She did not want Bill harmed but she knew if she did not say everything then she would be in hurt by Bill. She knew without a doubt that he could be lethal.
"He was struggling over me Eric. He wanted to hurt me, but at the same time he wanted to keep me safe."
Eric was silent but she felt his fury. "Sookie why did you let him in?"
"I let him in because we are friends and normally I would have felt safe. I let him in because maybe I wanted some company after you left, to take my mind off you!"
He growled in frustration. This was not going the way he wanted it to. It never did with her.
"Sookie I did not mean that this was your fault, I only wanted to know why he was there. You could not have known the state he was in. I will deal with him tonight. In the meantime I don't want you to be alone. Amelia is on her way over with Octavia and they will protect the house with a spell."
She was too tired to argue. "Fine."
He was over a thousand years old and knew when a woman said fine, she was never fine.
"My lover I want to talk with you about what happened earlier between us but I am running out of time." His body was starting to feel heavy with sleep, the sun was up but he could talk a few more minutes before he succumbed.
She wasn't sure how she felt about everything, maybe she needed a clean break from him for a little while? Her heart ached at the thought of not seeing him anymore.
" I don't think it's a good idea Eric. Maybe we need to be apart for a while."
"My lover that is the last thing we need, remember we are bonded. You will start to feel ill by tomorrow as you have not had my blood. I will see you tomorrow. Please be safe until then, stay with Amelia. Promise me Sookie."
She heard the urgency in his voice and knew he needed to sleep. He would fight it to keep talking to her and that would make him weak.
"Okay Eric I promise I will stay with Amelia and I will see you tomorrow."
He smiled at her reluctance and knew how hard it was for her to accept him when she was clearly still so hurt and angry.
"Until tonight then my beautiful lover."
She shivered at the sexiness of his voice. The effect it had on her was almost unbearable. It would be a long day.
She heard a knock at the door and knew it was Amelia.
"Who is it?"
"It's Amelia and Octavia Sookie"
Sookie opened the door and let them in. Her flushed cheeks did not go unnoticed by her best friend. She seemed frazzled by more than just Bill. Only Eric could make Sookie look like that. She was going to love the surprise he had planned for her. She had learned about it from Pam and was excited for her best friend.
"And what have you been doing Sookie?" Amelia asked with a smile.
"I was on the phone with Eric." Then she noticed how Amelia was looking at her.
" There's nothing to be embarrassed about Sookie, phone sex is great for a relationship."
"Amelia! I wasn't...we weren't...Oh forget it."
Amelia loved to tease Sookie about Eric, but in truth she was happy that they were trying to work things out. It was about time.
Octavia had been in the doorway and came in. She looked very serious.
"Sookie who has been here?"
Sookie looked at Ocatavia, puzzled. " Eric was here earlier and then Bill. That's it".
"There was something more here than vampires Sookie, something powerful and evil."
"Is it fae? Sookie asked. Niall had warned her that the fae could be evil as well as good.
" No, not fae, something else entirely."
Amelia looked at Sookie who usually was able to feel things others didn't. " Sookie have you felt anything lately that was a little odd?"
She was about to say no when she remembered the feeling she had when Bill was here.
" I did feel something, but I thought it was Bill trying to glamor me. Which is strange because he knows I can't be. That is when he changed, after I felt that spark of power."
" Sookie, you must tell me exactly what happened," said Octavia.
She recounted the evening to both of them starting with what happened at Merlottes, how Bill had helped her then but that he seemed fine. Her argument with Eric, waking to find Bill outside. She told them the conversation she had with Bill, her call with Ameila, how she helped her get Bill out. It seemed like every other night in her life since she learned of the supernatural world.
" Octavia what do you think the problem is?"
Octavia had a feeling she knew what was happening but wanted to talk to Eric first.
" Sookie I think first we need to put a protective spell on this house. We need to have a meeting with Niall, and Eric. Bill has to be taken care of first so that no harm comes to anyone else."
"Amelia let's get to work, Sookie you get some rest."
Octavia did not want to worry Sookie but there was something at work here that was affecting the vampires. If it could affect the vampires in such a way then it could affect other supes as well. She needed to talk with Eric to see if he felt any desire to hurt Sookie. She was sure he would be immune to whatever got a hold of Bill.
Sookie was his bonded and it was his duty to see her safe.
Octavia and Amelia set to the task. Sookie was quiet as her friends went to work their magic. She knew there was something going on with her as well. She had felt a few powerful sparks of energy when she was arguing with Eric. Were they evil? They didn't seem to feel that way to her. Was she changing somehow? She wasn't sure but she knew she wouldn't say anything just yet. She needed to talk with Eric about it all. They would figure this out together tonight. She was tired and decided to take Octavia's advice. She sat on the couch and curled up with her favorite blanket and closed her eyes.
Outside as they worked and conjured a spell Amelia was wondering about everything. There was something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She felt an odd sensation of familiarity.
She had a feeling that whatever was happening was from someone or something that had been here before. She hoped the spell to protect the house would be enough. Octavia had decided just in case they would cast one on Sookie as well.
Whatever this thing was, it was angry.
