Chapter 12: Freak Show

"Bill, I'm terribly sorry to inconvenience you again…but I need your help getting Leo back to Shreveport."

Outside the car window was a painted green mush; the scenery flew past so quickly that it seemed to diffuse itself into a leafy conglomerate. Bill gripped the wheel with a sort of quiet intensity, not evening giving a backwards glance at Leo, now wrapped in a blood soaked quilt, and Fern holding onto him in the back seat. Sookie had been left at home- and it was just as well according to Bill, because she had experienced one too many adventures from the time she had come to know vampires. They were certainly not getting to Shreveport in the amount of time it had taken Fern to get to Bon Temps…but not drinking for more than a few days was starting to drain her of energy.

"Might I inquire as to how exactly you are going to convince Eric Northman to become Leo's second maker?" Bill's question forced Fern to look away from the scene outside and actually start thinking about the impending task ahead.

"I really don't know how this going to work. I owe Eric more favors than he could ever owe me. But I need to save this human. He has been my responsibility from the moment I asked him to join me in death…we are fated to be together."

Fern considered the words second maker in her head and wondered if Eric was up to taking another progeny. From what she had heard, it certainly took a lot of will power and devotion to mold a proper vampire; time and will power that Eric Northman already put in to Fangtasia and his underground v selling business. Besides, wasn't Leo hers? Who knew what Eric would do once Leo was his. The thought would have made her shudder, if not for the sickening glow of the Fangtasia sign crawling into view. A quick glance over to the shuddering, blanketed mound and Fern dually noted that her argument would not only have to be incredibly convincing, but incredibly fast.

Bill careened into the Fangtasia parking lot, taking special care not to run over any startled vamp-wannabes.

"I won't be going in, Eric and I haven't been mixing well lately", he said gruffly.

Gingerly, Fern cradled what-was-once-Leo in her arms, shoved the car door open, and walked quickly across the crowded sidewalk. The site of a young girl carrying something revolting under a blood-stained quilt did not go unnoticed. Several people waiting in line to enter the club gawked with their mouths practically swinging on their hinges, emitting sharp murmurs of "the fuck is that?" There was no point in going in the side door; Fern knew exactly where Eric would be. Ignoring the eyes of everyone in line on her, she shoved past a fat couple and into the pulsating club.

"Eric," Fern yelled out as loud as she possibly could, hoping he would notice her through all the flashing lights and masses of people, "I need your help! Please!"

The club went silent. A pole dancer stopped almost mid-twirl to stare. Somewhere, someone said "Oh my god." Fern looked down, and realized that the quilt had one way or another detached itself from Leo, and he hadn't exactly gotten any…prettier since she last saw him. His entire body was now without skin, and he twitched his head around sporadically-giving everyone at Fangtasia a good look with his eyes that were slightly hanging out of their sockets. It was only a few seconds before people started screaming and running past Fern out of the exit. Eric Northman stood from his chair and was instantaneously standing in front of them, his fangs bared in anger.

"Get that thing out of my bar right now. What the fuck were you thinking bringing someone you've skinned into a place packed with humans?" he growled. A dancer ran by him, half tripping over her high heels and screaming to high heaven.

"This isn't someone I've attacked, this is my progeny! When he awakened from the grave he became like this! Please, he needs your blood!" Fern shouted back.

Suddenly, Eric became less enraged. He retracted his fangs and looked with bewilderment down at the body in Fern's arms.

"You're not joking…then this isn't a vampire, it's something else entirely…"

"Please, Eric he's in pain!"

"And why should I help you? I'll be dealing with the police coming in here and questioning me for months! I owe you nothing!"

Blood started to stream down Fern's face, she had not cried for as long as she could remember. "Please do this for me, it's been so long…so long since I've loved anyone as much as him" she whispered.

In a snarl of resilience, Eric ripped into his own arm and placed it above Leo's open mouth. He let the blood trickle in slowly, taking special care not to speed the process up.

"Fern, you do realize what you've made me do, don't you?"

Sorry for the lack of updates recently, I've been busy with school and such. So hopefully I'll get done with the next chapter by the end of this weekend. Again-let me know if I should change the rating to "Mature" or not...