He filled his lungs with gulps of the stale air trying to calm down enough to think but as he listened to his heart slow he heard her, it was Sookie and he could hear her crying and begging her voice filled with pain.
Sookie woke the next morning her body stiff and bruised, she had no idea how she had survived the events of last night the abuse went on for hours as he beat and raped her over and over again. She had lost consciousness a few times do to the concussion he had given her earlier in the evening but the pain that shot through her body each time he entered her jolted her back into the hell she was living. Her mind drifted back to Eric as she curled herself in the covers refusing to get out of bed, where could he be keeping him she thought as the tears trickled down her cheeks burning the scratches and welts on her face.
"Eric, I have to stay for Eric" she whispered to herself under her breath, they had only been together for a few days and already he had showed her more kindness and love than any man she had ever been with she couldn't run it wasn't an option. Working up the courage she sat up and slid off the side of the bed careful not to jar her tender body, an hour ago someone couldn't have paid her to get out of bed as she lay perfectly still wishing that last night was a nightmare but the stickiness between her thighs told her it was real. Her stomach turned as sharp images of him smiling and telling her he loved her this morning flashed through her mind and she could feel the chunks sliding up in her throat, her skin grew cold and she knew she was going to be sick and she needed nothing more than to wash away the smell of Alcide that lingered on her.
Her feet barely touched the floor when the phone rang piercing through her head and making her jump, pain shot through her as she crumpled into a ball on the floor beside the bed her teeth clenched and her arms wrapped tight around her body trying to hug away the pain. "Who is it" she managed without screaming into the phone for help "Damn who peed in your Cheerios" Tara laughed poking fun at Sookie's lack of manners, "what's up Tara" she hissed trying to stifle the pain in her voice but hoping her friend would pick up on it and realize she was fucked and needed help bad.
"Hey girl I was just calling to see what you been up to, I haven't heard from you since you cancelled dinner so what's going on?" Sookie wanted to tell her friend the truth she really did but she knew in her heart that Tara wasn't enough to stop Alcide he was determined to keep her and has already made it obvious that he would harm others to do just that, "nothing much just been feeling a little under the weather" instantly guilt flooded over her for lying to her friend "what did you catch something from Eric" Tara giggled as she spoke but the mere mention of his name sent tears streaming down her face and her breath caught in her throat.
"Tell me the details girl I'm dying after all you blew me off to go out to dinner with him, Andy told me her saw you guys walk into a restaurant together in town when he was having dinner with his sister Portia". Sookie barely heard anything Tara said after Eric's name it was his name that sent a sharp pain through her heart shattering it to pieces "details?" she mumbled trying to catch her breath, "yeah details Andy told me he saw you two kissing so how was it is Eric a good kisser?" Sookie's mind was still fuzzy but she was sure Tara just told her sheriff Andy saw her and Eric at dinner and if he saw them kiss then he must have seen Alcide interrupt them so why would he act like I wasn't at all possible that Alcide was responsible for demolishing her house later that night.
Sookie rushed Tara off the phone agreeing to meet with her for lunch at the end of the week and promising plenty of details, she knew she needed to think to come up with a plan now that it was looking like Alcide had gotten to everyone including the town sheriff. The sound of pots and pans rattling around in the kitchen stopped her in her tracks for a moment she was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she actually forgot about Alcide and his son who were somewhere in the house, Sookie rushed into the bathroom hurrying to take a much needed shower and assess the damage from the night before.
Her heart sank when she faced turned to face the bathroom mirror not only had the bruise around her eye seem darker but it had a few friends, Sookie didn't remember Alcide choking her or hitting her the night before but the finger bruises around her neck and the cuts along her lip and chin told her otherwise. Tears rolled down her face as she stood stiff looking into her own eyes and wondering how the hell she ended up right back here after all this time she pulled her clothes off slowly realizing the pain she was about to endure once she stepped into the shower, her skin burned under the mist of hot water that flowed down her body her muscles jerking as she washed the tender spot between her thighs but the real damage was in another place a place where she would never had allowed a man to go.
Blood ran down the backs of her legs filling the shower floor with bright red water her fingers examined the area finding it swollen and torn it was disgusting to her to think of how much Alcide had enjoyed what he had done to her, she remembered his face as he told he told her he loved her and walked out of the bedroom this morning as if they had made love. Once her body was clean and the water was clear of any signs of blood Sookie pulled on her robe and sat at her dressing table trying to figure out how to cover as much of the damage as she could, the smell of bacon and eggs filled the air as she pulled on a long sleeve blue top and a pair of sweat Pants deciding it was as close to dressed as she was going to get in her condition and she walked toward the kitchen.
Eric's P.O.V
The night before was horrible Eric couldn't block the sounds of Sookie being tortured over and over again, she begged and pleaded for Alcide to stop and he hated the pain in her voice the pain he had sworn to protect her form the pain he knew he was responsible for. Eric knew if it wasn't for him Sookie would have ran from Alcide she would have fought him harder and she wouldn't have had to suffer, Eric cried each time he heard her screams fade and return a few minutes later knowing full and well that it was her losing consciousness from the pain each time.
Eric pulled at the ropes letting them cut deep into the already torn skin he needed to find a way out and he needed to kill Alcide when he found it, when the screaming stopped for good Eric panicked not knowing if Alcide had killed her or just beaten her into a coma he couldn't stand not knowing if she was ok. His head hung low feeling defeated he heard footsteps above him, Eric knew someone was coming for him and he was pretty sure they weren't there to save him he kept his head down and his eyes closed trying to look like he was still out of it.
A few more noises above him and a light shinned down into the room as a man dressed in all black climbed down a narrow ladder, the man was too small to be Alcide that much he was sure of but he still couldn't imagine who would want to help him kidnap a stranger so he could rape and beat his ex-wife. The man pulled the door shut behind him making the room dark again before he walked over and stood in front of Eric "wake up you piece of shit" Eric didn't move but he didn't have to, a sharp pain shot through the right side of his face making his eyes shoot open "there you are Northman" the man chuckled in Eric's face as he cocked his fist back and slammed it into his ribs.
Eric's breath caught in his throat as the man punched him again and again "did you like the sound of your bitch screaming" the man laughed again kicking the chair Eric was tied to over on its side, "he will kill her, the nasty slut deserves it too you know" Eric mind was fuzzy but he finally recognized the strange man's voice "what's the matter Bill still mad she never wanted you" Eric snapped back gasping between breaths. Bill froze hovering over Eric his chest aching at the thought of what Alcide was doing with Sookie "I don't want that whore I never did everything I did I did for Alcide and still he chases her around like a sad puppy", Eric's body he couldn't believe his ears how could he not have seen it before.
All through high school Bill had followed Alcide around doing any and everything he asked him to even watching Sookie and keeping her company while he ran around behind he ran around behind her back, "she was stupid to come back here we were happy raising Earl together life was good he almost loved me until that blonde bitch had to come back into town" Bill said kicking Eric in the face. Blood filled Eric's mouth as his lips swelled "you ass hole untie me and try that" he grit his teeth as he spoke spraying blood in Bills direction, there was no way Bill would untie him they both knew who would win that fight but Eric couldn't help but push his buttons Bill had always gotten under his skin and now to know he was teaming up with Alcide hoping to get her out of the picture it just pissed him off more.
Sookie walked into the kitchen shocked to see the tall thin boy standing at the stove making breakfast, he didn't turn to face her as she entered the room instead he continued to cook as she sat down at the table set for two "he's not here" Earl said in a small voice with a southern accent, "oh" Sookie replied not sure what else to say "I don't know where he went" still the boy didn't turn to face her. Sookie offered to help but he quietly shook his head no and continued cooking "so do you lie it in Bon Temps" Sookie was trying to make conversation and seeing that she met the young man less than a day ago and knew nothing about him she had no clue what to ask.
"No I hate it here and I hate Bill" the boy turned to face her putting two scoops of eggs on her plate before she looked up at him "oh my gosh are you ok" she jumped up from her seat wrapping her arms around him wishing away the bruises that covered his face. Earl flinched away from her arms making her heart ache more to take away his pain "what did he do to you" she whispered as if the sound of her voice would cause him more pain, "it's ok I'm fine" the boy put on a brave smile and went back to serving breakfast as Sookie took her seat.
"If you hate Bill so much why do you spend summers with him?" Earl didn't say anything as he sat across from her and started eating his face blank of emotions Sookie could see that Alcide had broken his spirit long ago like he had done to her, "he made us listen" Sookie eyes snapped up looking him in the face "listen to what?" she questioned calmly "he made us listen to what he did to you me and Bill he told us to stand by the door and listen but I couldn't I walked away and when he left the room and I wasn't there he punished me", Sookie's heart sank not only had he tortured and raped her but he was forcing his son to listen to it all and when he refused he beat him for not wanting to hear her scream in pain.
Sookie looked away from the boy not wanting him to see the tears in her eyes when she saw Bill walking out of her shed with what she could have sworn was blood on his hands, she jumped from the table pulling the back door open and calling for him "what are you doing Bill Compton, why are you in my shed" he continued to walk quickly to the trees that separated his house form hers as he yelled over his shoulder " just borrowing your mower." Sookie covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from saying what she was thinking, she didn't own a lawn mower her gran had never bought one she always said it was a good way for a young man to earn an honest dollar so she would hire whatever young boy that offered and pay them to do it.
Sookie's stomach turned as she stood staring at the shed remembering the red on Bills hands that looked like blood!