A/N: This chapter is mainly all Eric and Payton. There is also a brief appearance of Bill and a scene with Lafayette and Marnie. Payton shows Eric some of her unique magic.
Chapter 10
I
As Eric rose the next night, Payton took a moment to subtly admire her handiwork. Black straight leg designer jeans paired with a pretty silk blend V-neck tee shirt in soft blue color. Even though the V-neck didn't reveal as much of his body as those wifebeaters did, Payton liked it better. And it clung in all the right places, she thought. She had to admit that she was already a fan of his old style of dressing. The only change she made was a little splash of color. She wondered if that appreciation for his bad boy look said something about her. She had enjoyed shopping for him. She had gotten him a sleek black leather jacket with a biker style design and she had found an adorable biker style sweatshirt. He was wearing black converse sneakers. She hadn't quite been so sure of his shoe size and stayed in the inexpensive range for now. Of course, it was really his dime, she thought. And spending his money hadn't been much of a hardship.
They hadn't had much time to talk when there was a knock on the front door. Holding a finger to her lips and giving him a stern look, Payton went to the front door. When she opened the door, she found a dark-haired vampire on her doorstep. He had blue eyes and he appeared to be under six feet in height. He was attractive and gave Payton a smile. He was dressed in an nice suit in a charcoal gray color.
"Good evening," he said.
"Hello," replied Payton.
"My name is William Compton and I'm Eric Northman's superior," he said.
"Oh, and that's supposed to mean something me, why?" replied Payton.
Bill smiled, "I see that you are acquainted with him."
"Much more than I want to be," replied Payton. "Why are you here?"
"It seems that Mr. Northman is missing. Now, I have had his Paris apartment and his plantation in Barbados searched and I haven't found a trace of him," said Bill.
"I'm still waiting to find out how this relates to me," replied Payton.
"Well, it's been made known to me that he expressed an interest in...getting to know you," said Bill.
"That interest wasn't reciprocated," replied Payton.
"I just want to know if he is here," asked Bill.
"You aren't listening to me," replied Payton. "Eric Northman and I are not friends or anything else. He is a arrogant, cruel vampire and the last place he would be is here with me."
"Do you mind if I just come inside and have a look around?" asked Bill.
"Yes, I do mind," replied Payton. "After my experience with Mr. Northman, I don't want anything to do with vampires."
Bill gave a brief smile and stared into Payton's eyes. He began to glamour her and Payton's eyes widened as she stared back. "I just need to know one thing from you. Is Eric Northman inside?"
"No," replied Payton.
Bill looked down and broke the contact. He looked back up and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you. Good evening."
He turned around and departed. Payton closed the door to find Eric next to her. She jumped and swatted at him.
"Don't do that!" she hissed.
She noticed that Eric's fangs were down and she found herself staring at them. Except for that brief moment last night, she had never seen them. Eric bared them and stared at the door.
"I don't like the way he was talking to you," he said. "And he tried to glamoured you."
"Excuse me, but you did the same thing," replied Payton.
"I did?" said Eric.
Payton did a brief eye-roll and Eric looked chagrined. He said, "I can't help it if I don't remember these things."
Eric then studied Payton and asked, "Why doesn't glamouring work on you?"
There was an intense glint in his eyes that made Payton slightly nervous, "I have protection spells over myself that would prevent that."
Eric seemed to accept that reason and then said, "You are known to vampires. Either through my interest or the witch stuff that is going on. That puts you in danger. I feel responsible and I'm asking you to let me protect you."
"Just exactly are you getting at?" replied Payton.
"I'm asking you to be mine," said Eric.
"We have already been over this issue," replied Payton.
"Not that I remember," said Eric. "All I know is what you tell me. And you told me that I didn't ask before, that I tried to force you into being with me. I'm asking you, now."
Eric touched a strand of her hair, "I remember enough to know how vampires think of humans. You are vulnerable and I only want to protect you like you are protecting me."
"I realize that you mean this as an honor, but I can't agree to that," said Payton.
"There aren't any strings," said Eric. "I will, of course, look out for you. But, without an agreement between us, you won't be safe from other vampires."
"You seem to have overlooked the current situation," replied Payton. "You aren't exactly yourself right now. Aren't you just as vulnerable as me?"
Eric smiled, "I am not weak, even in this state. At least, consider what I have said before you refuse it."
Payton found that she just wanted to skip this discussion for right now. She also found that the idea of being around him wasn't as terrible as it used to be. But, she reminded herself, she really wasn't dealing with the real Eric. What happened when he returned?
"Didn't you like me before, just a little?" asked Eric. "I don't see how you would help me now, if that weren't true."
"I...I admit that you have some sort of weird charm," replied Payton. "I've never seen someone who was so at home in his own skin. There is a freedom in just being what you are and accepting it."
Payton paused and said, "Maybe, there was that entire bad boy thing going on. Even good girls have a weakness for bad boys. Forbidden fruit and all."
"Hmm, so I was a bad boy?" asked Eric, raising his eyebrows.
"That's putting it mildly," replied Payton.
He gave a little smile, "Do you miss the old me, a little?"
"No, I don't," replied Payton. "I like nice boys."
Eric continued to gaze at her and Payton dropped her eyes, afraid that he would find the truth there.
"Did you have to call me arrogant and cruel?" asked Eric after a few moments.
"The truth hurts sometimes," replied Payton.
"I can't really be blamed for something that I don't remember," said Eric. "And, I know that you have forgiven me."
"How do you know that I'm not lulling you into a false sense of security and plotting my revenge?" replied Payton.
"Well, that sounds wicked. I'll have to keep my eye on you, then," replied Eric with a smile.
"You can try," said Payton.
"Were you always so saucy or is this something new?" asked Eric. "Whichever it is, I like it."
II
Payton sat across from Eric in the living room. She wanted to talk about more important things at the moment than the discussion about becoming Eric Northman's...whatever. Just what would she be, his girlfriend, his pet? There was the more pressing matter of trying to fix what was wrong with him.
"I decided not to visit the witch that spelled you today," said Payton.
A slight look of relief washed over Eric's face and he said, "I'm glad that you decided to listen to me."
"Well, it would look a little strange turning up on her doorstep," replied Payton. "And, there is another way to find out things about her."
Eric raised his eyebrows, "How?"
"Spying," replied Payton. "Using magic."
Payton got up and brought out a scrying mirror from a drawer. Eric seemed to detect that the mirror was framed in silver and he eyed it with caution. They do have weaknesses, thought Payton. Just not very many. It's what made them so frightening, sometimes. Well, the fact that they fed on human blood also had something to do with that fear, she thought.
"I'm sorry," said Payton. "I'll try to keep it well away from you."
Eric leaned back into the seat cushions and looked at her curiously. Payton sat the mirror on the coffee table and got comfortable on the floor. She arranged the mirror so that she gazed at it on an angle. It was backed with a black coating so the reflective surface was dark.
"Do I do anything?" asked Eric.
"No, just be silent," replied Payton. She gazed at him and gave him a little smile and added, "Showtime."
Payton focused her mind and stared into the depths of the mirror and cast her spell.
"I call upon the force to see
Those things that hidden from me
Let this mirror reflect back
Only the truth, not fiction but fact
Marnie, I ask the mirror to illuminate
She who has cast a spell of ill will and hate
The power to foretell was gifted by blood and promise
Given to my family, bestowed by the Dragon's kiss."
Payton waved her hand above the mirror and a fog appeared in the depths of the mirror. A gray mist swirled over the surface. It moved and flowed as if it were a living thing and, as Payton watched, she began to see shapes appear as the mist began to dissipate. Revealed in the mirror, Payton could see a rather normal looking living room. There were beige sofas and beige walls and even the carpet was beige. Rather boring, she thought. A woman dressed in a skirt very much like the ones that Daphne wore walked into the mirror's gaze. She appeared to be in her late forties and was a rather mousy looking woman. She hardly seemed like the type to have frightened off a vampire. But, looks could be deceiving. It was then that someone else came into view and Payton lifted her eyebrows. Now, she had not expected to find him there. On the fringes stood two other people. A pretty black woman and a cute man. Payton suspected that they were Lafayette's friends rather than Marnie's. In her mind, she heard the words that they spoke to each other. Sometimes the words came across and sometimes they didn't, thought Payton. And sometimes the mirror showed things that the weaver of the spell didn't ask to see. But, tonight, the mirror had chosen to grant her request.
"You need to figure out exactly what you did to that vampire and offer to reverse the spell," said Lafayette.
"I don't understand why I should do that. He is the one who attacked me," replied Marnie.
"That vampire is Eric Northman who is freakin old and powerful and shit," said Lafayette.
"He wasn't more powerful than the spirit who came to our rescue," replied Marnie.
"Rescue? Are you crazy?" demanded Lafayette. "Now, the vampires will be coming after you and after all of us."
"The spirit can help us," replied Marnie. "She can protect us."
"Do you even realize how crazy that sounds?" demanded Lafayette. "There ain't no protection against vampires. You need to make this right."
The argument continued on between Lafayette and Marnie and Payton gazed around at the other things that she could see in the mirror. As her eyes roved back over the room, she saw a figure sitting on the sofa that had not been sitting there before. No one else in the room seemed to be aware of her presence. And that fact caused a shiver of fear to travel down Payton's spine. The figure was a young woman in a sack cloth type of shapeless dress. It looked like something from a much older time. The woman had long dark hair and she watched the argument between Lafayette and Marnie with an intense study. She was probably feeding off the volatile emotions that were being emitted from both Lafayette and Marnie. A small half-smile graced her lips. This was the true person who had cast the spell on Eric, thought Payton. It had not been Marnie, but a spirit who had possessed her. Spirits who held onto this plane sometimes did so because they were confused and sometimes could not comprehend that they were dead. But, this spirit did not look confused, thought Payton. She watched the proceedings around her with intelligence and intent. If she knew how to cast spells, then she must have been a witch in her life. Payton could think of few examples where the spirit of a dead and powerful witch would be a good thing. Suddenly, the spirit's head turned away from Lafayette and Marnie and began to look around the room. With a soft gasp, Payton turned over the mirror and broke the spell.
"Close this link
As fast as I blink
Hide all trace
And conceal my face."
Payton steadied her breathing and looked over at Eric. He stared at her intently.
"Did you see anything?" he asked.
"Yes," replied Payton. "It wasn't Marnie who cast the spell on you. She was possessed by a spirit."
"So, Marnie doesn't know what she did?" asked Eric.
"No, she can't reverse it and I don't think that spirit is too willing either," said Payton.
Eric didn't say anything and Payton added, "I can still look through my things here and see if I can find a better spell than the one that I already tried on you."
Payton got up and took off from her neck a necklace. It had an obsidian crystal and it hung on a black cord. She stepped to Eric and hesitated before him. When he bowed his head, she placed it around his neck.
"I have imbued this with a protection spell, never take it off," said Payton. "I think that this spirit is not done."
Eric passed his fingers over the crystal and looked at Payton, "You have an idea of what is going on, don't you?"
"Marnie must be a medium. She's like a conduit to the other side," said Payton. "The danger in that is if you don't know what you are doing, then you can get a spirit who refuses to let go. Marnie is inviting this spirit to utilize her. My instincts tell me that this spirit is dangerous."
Eric seemed lost in thought and Payton didn't interrupt. "I would like to call Pam and make sure that she stays away from this Marnie," said Eric. "I don't remember who Pam is, but if I am her maker then I have a responsibility to protect her."
"Of course," said Payton.
Payton took the phone and called Fangtasia since she didn't want Eric's voice to be heard by anyone except for Pam. When Pam came on the line, Payton gave the phone to Eric. Payton got up and left the room and only came back inside when she could no longer hear Eric's voice.
"Is Marnie being a medium the only reason that this spirit is drawn to her?" asked Eric.
"No, she has a coven of helpers as well," replied Payton. "Their energy can magnify her own and allow her to cast more powerful spells."
"I always thought that witches needed a coven to practice their magic," said Eric. "Yet, you are alone."
"My magic is different, I guess," replied Payton.
"How?" asked Eric.
"It just is," replied Payton. "Maybe, I'm not a team player."
"Selfish," said Eric with a smile.
"Now, you can't be finding out all my faults," replied Payton with a smile. "You're supposed to think that I'm perfect and powerful enough to make you quiver in fear."
"Can you show me some of this magic?" asked Eric.
"You mean like magic or parlor tricks?" asked Payton.
"It's either that or television," replied Eric.
"Well, when you put it like that, how can I possibly refuse?" said Payton.
Payton sat down and seemed to concentrate.
"I call upon the power to glamour
Eric Northman has given a clamor
Alter my form for him to see
And show him a different me."
Payton lifted her hands to her head and touched the top of her hair. She passed them down over her tresses and the hair turned to a pale blonde in their wake. She closed her eyes and opened them and her blue eyes turned green. She gave Eric a smirk.
"I thought that you might prefer blondes," she said.
"I don't discriminate," replied Eric with a smile.
Eric reached out a hand and touched her now blonde hair, "How are you doing this?"
"I can't be giving out secrets to the uninitiated," replied Payton.
Payton smiled and shook her head. As her hair shook to and fro and with every toss, it seemed to shake off the blonde color. In a few shakes, her hair had returned to it's natural hue and Eric noticed that her eyes were once again blue.
"Are you suitably impressed or do you want more?" asked Payton.
"More," replied Eric. "I always want more."
Payton looked on the coffee table and picked up a decorative bird. It was made of brass and colorful crystals. It was a hummingbird and it fit in the palm of her hand. Payton raised it close to her face and stared at it. She took a breath and blew it over the jeweled bird.
"I give you the will to take flight
Rise and fly, but obey my might."
As they watched, the bird started to give a few spasms of movement. Its filigree wings began to beat and it's head moved and it's little jewel eyes seemed to stare at Payton. Suddenly, it flitted out of her hand and began to fly across the room. Like a bumble bee, it zipped to and fro. It moved and hovered before Eric's face. It's metal wings seemed to tinkle as it fluttered around the room. At last, Payton held out her hand and the little bird flew back to her. It landed on her hand and Payton passed a finger down it's breast.
"Return back as you were and again go to sleep
Beautiful little jewel, be silent now, with nary a peep."
The little bejeweled bird froze in place and Payton sat it back on the coffee table. She looked up at Eric and smiled.
"It's just a sleight of hand and smoke and mirrors," she said.
"But, you gave it life," replied Eric.
"It was never alive to begin with," said Payton.
For the first time, Eric got an inkling of her true power. He didn't know if she would answer the question honestly, but he asked it anyway.
"Could you bring back something from the dead?" he asked.
Payton looked down and said, "The veil between the living and the dead is not meant to be torn. What is dead should stay that way."
"And what about me?" asked Eric. "Am I not dead?"
Payton lifted her eyes and gazed into Eric's, "There is a magic that gives you life. I cannot see the wrong in it."
Eric caressed her and Payton held his eyes, "My eyes are full of other things."
Eric began to lean into her, but Payton eased away and said, "Don't I make you afraid?"
"I don't feel that you would harm me," replied Eric.
"I did put a spell on you," she said.
"Maybe, you have bewitched me," replied Eric.
Eric brushed his lips against hers and Payton forgot about everything else except for what was happening right now. Tentatively, she reached out a hand to his cheek and kissed him back. But, her doubts came back, along with her common sense, she thought. She drew away and tried to get up, but Eric grasped her arm and held her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that," said Payton.
"Yes, you did," replied Eric.
Payton attempted to remove her arm, but his grip was immovable. When she stopped, Eric relaxed his grip and it became a caress.
"Don't be afraid, it's only a kiss," he said. "Surely, you've been kissed before."
Payton chose that moment to escape and she stood up and faced him, "No, it's more complicated than that. You aren't yourself and I am responsible for you."
"So, are you afraid that you're taking advantage of me?" asked Eric.
"That statement sounds ridiculous," admitted Payton.
"If I can't be taken advantage of, then why worry about it?" asked Eric.
"That isn't the point," replied Payton.
"Well, what is?" asked Eric.
"You know, you can be just as frustrating in this form as you were before," said Payton.
Eric got up and moved closer to her. An irrational part of her, told her to run. A part of her didn't want to listen to him anymore because he was starting to make sense. He stood close to her and studied her.
"I'm only frustrating because I can get under your skin and press all your buttons," he said.
"Maybe, that's true," replied Payton.
Eric smiled and said, "The only reason that I can cause such a response is because you have feelings for me."
"I feel a degree of friendship for you," replied Payton.
"Is that all?" asked Eric. "All your reactions tell a different story. Your heartbeat, breathing and even the complex chemistry of your scent changes when I'm close to you."
"How...how do you know that?" demanded Payton.
"I'm a vampire," replied Eric. "I still know what I am. Vampires are skilled at sensing the reactions of humans."
"That's because we are your prey," said Payton.
Eric smiled, "That's true. But, we are the only predators that can form an attachment to our prey and care about them. Even love them."
"How much can the lion love a lamb?" asked Payton.
"You are hardly a lamb," replied Eric. "You are not some defenseless human that I could dominate, if I was into that sort of thing. I think that you could hold your own."
"Such praise," said Payton.
"Yes, it is," replied Eric. "I respect strength and courage. You have both."
Payton bit her lips and said, "You aren't making this easy."
"Vampires aren't easy to handle," said Eric with a smile. "Haven't you learned that by now?"
A/N: Now, Eric and Payton are having some pretty deep conversations here. Not, just fluff. My Eric is not like the amnesia Eric in season 4. He hasn't changed very far from his old self. He's still strong, determined and potentially dangerous. And he isn't helpless, even if he might be able to be less self-guarded about himself.
Does Payton also have the power of necromancy? If everyone hasn't been able to guess, I've been writing these spells myself. But, I don't think Payton's power comes from these spoken words.