A.N. It's judgement day !!
"Sam ?"
"Sookie ?" My boss's voice echoed over the phone. Instantly I got a warm fuzzy feeling inside.
"Hey, I was just wondering if maybe you wouldn't mind coming to Hotshot with me?" I held my breath, Sam didn't exactly have the highest opinion of the folks in Hotshot, but he had nothing against Calvin Norris.
" Yeah sure, I'll get someone to cover for me." He almost sounded happy at the prospect.
"But why do you need to go there ?" Hmmm, didn't last long.
" You know the whole Jason thing, it's his judgement day." I said trying to sound as neutral as possible. `
" Ah, yeah I'll pick you up at eleven thirty."
" How did you know it'd be at midnight ?" I asked, surely Calvin hadn't already spoke to him, had he ?
" Sook, I may not be completely in the shifter community but I've been to these things before." Oh that explained it.
" Okay, see you then." I was pleased he'd accompany me.
"Sure thing cher."
" Oh, and Sam ?" I paused,
"Yeah ?"
"Thanks for coming with me." He laughed, it made me smile. We put the phone down. I suddenly realised I needed to talk to Eric. It was just dark, to early for Fangtasia to be open but just late enough for him to have had a 'snack'. I chuckled to myself and picked up the phone again. I perched on the kitchen counter. It was nice to take the weight of for a minute or two. But before I could dial fangtasia I heard a knock at the door. I put the phone back on the hook. Who the hell could it be ? I plodded slowly over the battered red door. How nice it'd looked only a couple of days ago. I stretched up to look through the peephole, I'd decided I needed one after I'd had some rather unpleasant surprise visitors. Not that it could stop a were. But it could keep out a vampire. I blushed when I saw who it was. Eric. Speak of the devil. I undid the broken dead-bolt he was standing there the moon illuminating his perfect face. He really took my breath away.
" H-hi." I said, stammering. Oh god.
" Hello, Lover." Eric's suave voice drifted into my ears like a melody. " May I come in ?" He asked when I didn't move.
" Yeah, sure." I cursed my brother, how comes it was me who had to get attacked ? I looked positively disgusting.
" So lover, what's new ?" Okay he was actually trying to talk his way into my bed now. He was being so, delicious. Two can play at that game,
" Well, I was wondering where my diamond was." I trailed off raising an eyebrow. Yep that definelty shocked him.
" I was about to tell you about that, I thought you'd forgotten ?" He was practically sweating.
" Yeah, I found a letter from you to Jason, that kinda jogged my memory." I winked at him. Although I still had no clue what we'd done at his house I had a pretty good idea.
" Well, I've got your diamond." He smiled. Now it was my turn to look shocked.
" Seriously ?" I could hear the apprehension in my voice. He nodded. He got down on one knee and took my left hand.
" I did give a different ring to you on the night but when we got home I took it off you; far to simple for my taste." He winked. Oh god.
He got out a velvet box and opened it deftly with one hand. I stared wordlessly at the huge white gold diamond ring inside.
"Oh, Eric." I was crying. He took that as a yes and put the perfectly fitting ring on my finger. He stood up and kissed me. I was so blissfully happy at that moment I didn't worry about Sam or Bill or Jason. I was, for once, just thinking about me and Eric. He swung me up in his arms. I gasped at how fast he moved. He carried on kissing me until yet another knock at the door burst our bubble. I sighed, couldn't just carry on now. I checked myself in the mirror on the way to the door. I caught sight of the time, nope it wasn't Sam. Eric took my hand and I opened the door with my free one. It was Pam.
" Un, Hi." I said, I invited her in. She stepped in the door and her eyes immediately fell on the ring on my left, slightly bruised, hand.
" See you got it on her then." She said to Eric. As usual Pam was wearing a pastel coloured garment which this night happened to be a trouser suit.
" Your friend Amelia told me to come over to check on you." She said to me. Amelia had called fangtasia ? I nodded.
" She said she's gone to see her dad for two days and she's sorry about the timing." I sighed, Amelia always had her way.
" Okay, thanks for passing on the message." I smiled at Pam, it must've looked quite displeasing because she grimaced.
" So you two are getting hitched eh ?" She snaked her way past us into the lounge. We followed her.
" Yes." Eric said tiredly, evidently he'd never hear the end of this at work.
" So, what part do I play ?" Pam asked I think I picked up a hint of excitement in her voice.
" Bridesmaid." I said at the same time that Eric said, " Best man." I think Pam was a tad insulted by Eric's suggestion.
" So many offers, so little time." Pam sighed batting her eyelashes, she was sat in the armchair opposite us. " Who else are you having as bridesmaids?" She asked me.
"Well, I'd quite like Tara to be my maid of honour seeing as she's married and you and Amelia to be my bridesmaids. But if you say no I'll have Holly and Danielle from work." Pam considered that for a second.
" And Eric, who are your other options ?" She asked.
" Well, if you my child, decline this offer I'll ask Sam, maybe." So no other options from Eric.
" Sorry Sook, the mans hopeless." She shrugged her shoulders. I nodded, pretending to look sad.
" Eric, Jason's at Hotshot, they're judging him tonight." I said after a silent moment.
" Ah, Do you want me to come." He looked into my eyes, forgetting Pam for a second. I shrugged and bit my lip.
" I asked Sam to accompany me because I didn't think you'd be here." I said trying to be innocent. Eric nodded knowingly. He looked at Pam.
"Well, if you come as well it might not seem so strange, not that it could seeing as we're engaged now." Eric switched his gaze to me proudly. I blushed.
Outside I heard another car pull up, Sam, I felt the confusion in his mind. I heard him walk up to my door. Eric was opening it before he could knock and I could get up. Luckily I was dressed and kind of presentable.
"Welcome." I heard Eric say coldly. Sam must've nodded because he walked in behind Eric. I smiled at Sam as he walked in.
" Hello." I said, bracing myself.
" We are going to be attending this 'function' with you, Pam and I will take her car and follow you, we all agree that Sookie could do with some more protection in her present state." Eric was a very good public speaker but his words did nothing for Sam who looked like he'd just been slapped in the face. I followed his eyes, he had seen my diamond. Ah.
"Well, shall we go ?" Sam said to me, ice in his voice. I nodded shyly. Eric got my cranberry coat and my bag and helped me put them on. He kissed me again before we got into our separate cars. I noticed that Eric's car gave us a wide berth as we drove into town.
" So, you're engaged." Sam said venomously. I nodded, barely breathing. Despite the fact that he knew I was already semi-married.
" To a vampire." He said, I'd never heard him say the word like that.
" Sam, I do love him." It was the poorest excuse in the book.
" I'm sure you do, but we've got close haven't we, that time in my office, we've got real close, I could protect you as well Sookie." He was almost begging me now. He knew I wouldn't change my mind.
" I was going to ask you to give me away." I could read his mind, ' what about Jason' he was thinking.
" Sookie, although I wish it was my ring you're wearing I'll give you away." I was so glad. But there wasn't any time left. We'd arrived at Calvin's. I thanked Sam and slowly got out of the car. Eric was there. He helped me out and held me ringed hand as we walked round to the back of the house. All the family was there. Jason was sat on a podium at the front. He looked like death, he saw Eric and I walk in. He spotted the ring on my hand and he looked like a little lost boy. But I didn't warm to him at all, he'd betrayed me. Calvin came up to me, he was looking very sombre.
" Sookie, I am glad you are here." He said nodding respectfully to Eric and Pam and shaking hands with Sam.
" I hope I will be." I said optimistically.
" Well, there are refreshments inside if you need them, I'm sorry my friends we have no provisions for your kind, please accept our humblest apologies, we were not expecting you." Eric nodded. I assumed Pam did the same. Eric and I wandered of to the outside of the circle. There were seats. I sat with Eric next to me. We were silent. Calvin came out from the house, everyone was seated. I held my breath. Pam was standing at the back. She could reach us quickly enough if need be. Sam was sat with one of the prettier Norris girls. I smiled briefly at him. He seemed quite pleased with his catch. Calvin cleared his throat and all the whispering stopped.
" We are here, as a family, to judge this man," he motioned towards Jason. " He attacked his sister, his only living relative, in cold blood. He took V and betrayed the honour of not only the pack but also of the newly publicised shifter community." In a less formal tone he continued. " Lets make this quick, the penalty for attempted murder is of course death, we have spoke with Jason and he did not deny the charges." Those around me nodded, Eric's grip tightened. "Those in favour of Jason raise your hand." No one. " Those against." Everyone one. Calvin's eyes darted to me. "Case closed." Calvin proclaimed.
" If you'll follow us into the woods." Calvin retreated from the podium. I was knocked breathless, death ? I followed the crowd, with my vampire in tow, like a ghost. I must've looked like one too because the crowd parted. I floated to the front of the assembly. Jason was on his knees. He was panicking. Jason was about to die. Calvin held an axe. He pulled it up. Eric was behind me. Jason looked at me, Calvin looked at me, The axe began to fall. " NO !"….