Chapter 5

Isabel brought her human Hugo over to meet Sookie. I was amused when she stated that Hugo was hers. I watched Sookie extend her slender hand.

"I thought, maybe you going in alone was a bad idea so I will have my human go in with you" Isabel said as she absently ran her hand up and down Hugo's arm. I gritted my teeth angrily. Had wanted Sookie go in alone, so if anything happened to her, I would be the one to rescue her. As I slid my gaze over to her, she was looking at me. I smiled and wandered over to her. I stopped until I was right beside her. Her eyes had watched me as I came closer. I had pretended not to notice, but I had noticed.

"Eric?" her voice cut through my thoughts. "Hugo is now coming with me to the church. I'm kinda relieved he is."

I turned towards her, quickly running my eyes over her body then back to her face.

"Good, then you will go back to the church tomorrow." She nodded and before I could think better of it, I smiled wickedly at her as I leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Be careful Sookie. I'd hate to have anything happen to that beautiful skin before I get to see all of it again." She jerked away from me her eyes blazing with…ah there it was. Fury. The feeling had been lust at first, but she remembered where she was and masked the lust with anger. I raised an eye brow at her reaction. It was too late. I saw the lust. I slid my hands into my pockets and leered at her as I walked off to leave.

By the time I got back to the hotel, I was irritated because I was hungry. I wanted Sookie's blood, but that was being wasted on the likes of Bill Compton. I would have to settle for a donor.

The woman I had chosen was extremely annoying. She even had to gall to call me baby. I wanted to put her head through the wall.

"Are you not having a good time?" she asked timidly.

I looked at her with a wry smile. "There's no fun in feeding on the willing."

She furrowed her brows in thought. "I could try and not like it." She leaned her neck back and I shrugged and began feeding on her again. Her half hearted protests and struggled were not helping either. I lifted my eyes to see the person I'd been hoping to see. I none to gently removed my fangs from the woman's neck and handed her some money. She took the hint and left. I stretched my body out along the couch which was quite large to accommodate my great height.

I watched as my guest sat down across from me.

"Its good to see you again Lorena."

Her too red lips pulled back in a sneer. "For a vampire, you're a terrible liar." I grinned at her as a stretched my muscles out. I didn't have to, but it felt good. "Why am I here Mr. Northman?" She inquired in a bored voice.

I turned my head towards her. This plan that I had come up with, had been rolling around in my head for quite some time. "Bill has something I want and he's in the way." I replied laying my arms on either side of me on top of the couch.

Lorena gaped at me in disbelief. "You want his human?" she said in a mocking tone.

Want, when it came to Sookie wasn't exactly the word I would use. Desire, covet, need? I scoffed at myself mentally. I certainly desired her. But did I need her? She was valuable to me, but needing her with me? My rational mind kicked in. Yes I needed her. I needed her gift, thus needing her with me coincided with my desire of her.

"Make no mistake, the girl is special." I grimaced. "Bill loves her."

Lorena's voice turned angry. "I haven't seen Bill Compton in over seventy years. What makes you think I hold any sway over him?" I pulled myself into a sitting position.

"You're his maker. You are stronger than he is. Use that to your advantage" I loved my cunning side. It was why I was still alive.

That night Isabel and I stood on a hill over looking The Fellowship of the Sun church.

"You've got to be kidding me. That is the fellowship of the sun? All they are is little boys with crossbows."

Isabel looked at me wryly. "Yes, but they are not to be underestimated."

I folded my arms behind my back. "They've been in there way too long. Can you feel anything from Hugo?"

Isabel cocked her head to the side. "Nothing at the moment. There was something earlier but it passed, he's fine now." I wondered about Sookie in there. That had been a time when I wished I could feel her. It would help me fine Godric sooner.

"Tell me, how do you find human companionship?" I watched her as a warm smile crossed her face.

"It's exciting really, everything is urgent." I turned towards her with an eye brow raised. My curiosity got the better of me.

"How do you feel about Hugo getting older, weaker?"

Isabel laughed softly. "It's like a science project." I scoffed under my breath.

"Yes, they don't seem to keep well." I felt her eyes on me.

"Tell me, how does Bill Compton feel about your interest in Sookie?" For a second, her question caught me of guard. The only answer was to lie to keep myself seeming distanced from her, but in part I was here because of her.

"I am not interested in Sookie, and further more, I care less about how Bill Compton feels." I replied smoothly.

"Of course." Isabel said with a small smile in my direction. I could tell from the tone of her voice, she didn't believe me for a second. Was I that transparent? I had made considerable efforts to keep my pursuit of her between her and I. No doubt by bringing Lorena in would cause Bill to become more suspicious and react more defiantly towards me.

"Don't look at me like that." I murmured softly. I suspected by now Bill was getting more and more agitated the longer Sookie was gone. I also hoped that Bill had his hands full with Lorena. The vampire in me roared with frustration at the decisions I had been making. Why did I care so much about a human who could care less about me? But, the part of me that was still a man knew the answer. Mine. The woman was mine. I had branded her as my own. I knew she wanted me, and by all rights she should be mine. My thoughts carried me back to when I had initially told Bill I needed to take Sookie to Dallas with me. I scoffed when Bill said he wouldn't allow it. I had given him a calm response.

I was only asking you permission out of respect. If I want her I can simply take her.

I should have taken her from him after that night. The night she gave herself to me. I grimaced as I felt my cock harden. It would have saved me a lot of trouble.

Isabel and I headed back to the hotel. Stan was getting on my nerves. I was already feeling frayed around the edges. I none to gently shoved him against the wall with my forearm.

"How do I know you didn't give Godric to the fellowship, so you could become Sheriff?" He blanched as much as a vampire can, which told me he hadn't given Godric to them.

"I would never risk Godric to become sheriff." I released him and stepped away.

"Do what you need to, I no longer care." I said bitterly.

"We will rescue him Eric." Isabel stated firmly. I didn't bother acknowledging her. I entered my room and shut the door in her face. I wiped my eyes and my hand came away bloodied. I couldn't remember the last time I cried.

I slept fitfully that day. I couldn't stop thinking about Godric possibly dying in there and I being powerless to stop it. I was irritated with my unbalanced emotional state. Between Godric being taken and my newly discovered feelings for Sookie, there was no way of knowing how I would react if someone tried to talk to me.

Sookie drove me to distraction, and right now was not a good time for me to be distracted. What I needed to focus on was rescuing Godric.