Chapter 3

Pam's movie choice for tonight was 'The Wizard of Oz'. Sookie had to laugh to herself. Blood thirsty vampires lounging around on a Sunday night watching munchkins, witches and a dopey scarecrow was pretty funny. She didn't dare laugh out loud though. She might not be able to stop. The laughter would surely turn to tears and then all Hell would break loose.

Sookie made herself a cup of hot chocolate and nuked a couple of True Bloods for her guests. She settled herself into her Grans old armchair. She felt more comfortable sitting by herself. Pam and Eric were sitting across from her on the couch. Pam had kicked off her shoes and stretched out her legs, laying her feet on Eric's lap, filling the gap they had left for Sookie. Pam had already started the movie. Dorothy was waking up after the tornado. She walked outside holding her little scrap of a dog. The world she saw outside was no longer black and white. It was a technicolour dreamworld. She hugged her dog close and said,"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!"

"You said it sister!" Sookie spoke out loud. Eric and Pam were both staring at her in bewilderment. Sookie felt her cheeks redden. Pam let loose with a string of giggles. When Eric squeezed Pams foot she went silent. They settled back into watching the movie in stifling silence. Glinda the Good Witch of the North was telling Dorothy to follow the Yellow Brick Road.

The three of them continued to watch the movie in silence. Then without warning or provocation Pam stood up and addressed Sookie.

"I must get back to Fangtasia, I have to finish the payroll. Good night Sookie". Pam turned to Eric and nodded, "Master". Pam picking up the empty bottles of TruBlood and placed them in the kitchen sink.

And with that, she was gone. Sookie and Eric alone in an empty house. Fucking vampires, Sookie thought. Fear fell over her like an old shawl. It wasn't that she was afraid of being alone with a vampire. She was afraid to be alone with this vampire. A few minutes of silence passed. The weight of Pams' sudden absence hung heavy in the air. The silence roared in her ears.

"Sookie?"

The sound of Eric's voice saying her name startled her. She looked away from the movie she wasn't really watching and faced him.

"Will you come and sit with me, please?" he said.

Like when she took his blood, she didn't have the mental fortitude to refuse him his request. "Damned blood bond" she thought. Eric watched her as she unfolded her legs and padded over to him, taking up the space Pam had left vacant. She moved to re-cross her legs when Eric encircled her ankles with his hands. Sookie looked at him, though she knew she shouldn't. His blue eyes peered into hers. She felt a twinge of pleasure low down and it began to spread to other parts."Oh boy"she thought, "I'm in trouble". Eric could feel her arousal through the bond. The faintest of smiles played on his lips. He thought that was a good sign. He placed her feet on his lap, removed her slippers and began stroking her ankles and the tops of her feet. Through the blood bond Sookie could only feel affection and comfort flowing from Eric. It made her relax, somewhat.

"May I massage your feet, Dear One?" he asked.

"Sure" popped out of her mouth before she had time to think of an excuse.

Eric began to massage the sole of her right foot, starting at the arch and working his way outwards. Sookie sighed deeply as his wonderful technique relaxed parts of her body she didn't know required it. She lay her head against the back of the couch and closed her eyes. Eric was enjoying this little task. He enjoyed touching her, even her feet. Especially her feet. He knew a foot massage could trigger reactions in other parts of the anatomy. He watched her face as he worked. He studied every curve, line and dimple. If only her eyes where open and she was looking at him. He had arranged Pams' sudden departure, not a slick move but a necessary one. He knew she had questions and he was ready to answer them. He didn't want her to feel controlled and manipulated anymore so he was going to wait for her to take the lead and ask the things she needed to know. He only hoped than having a hold of her foot was going to stop her from running from him. He sighed purposefully and Sookie opened her eyes. He might as well have coughed and said "Ahem" Sookie thought. Eric looked into his bonded eyes and sent all the reassurance and comfort that he could muster through their bond. She felt it and was instantly wary.

"Sookie"

She knew this was going to be another one of their 'talks' but she just couldn't rouse the strength to get away.

"Mmmm?" she murmured

"I know you have questions for me, Lover. Tonight, I have the answers to give." Eric wanted to blurt it all out, to make her listen and understand, but he wanted her to take the lead and be in control. He knew she needed it.

"Ask me anything and I swear to Freya, I will tell you the truth."

Sookie hadn't expected that. In truth it shocked her. She had expected Eric to tell her what he wanted her to know, which would vary greatly from the truth in her opinion. She felt a flush of resolve wash over her. Okay, she thought, if he is giving me the reins I'm gonna ride this horse right into town. There was a few minutes of silence while Sookie thought.

"Okay, did you arrange for Pam to leave when she did?"

"Yes"

The answer had been obvious but she wanted to hear it from him. She racked her brain thinking up another question that wasn't the one she really wanted to know.

"What were you doing on the 9th of September in the year 1590?" She thought she was being clever with the upper hand he had given her. But the look on his face said otherwise.

"Sookie" he said sternly. Eric stopped rubbing her right foot and laid it in his lap. He took up her left foot and began massaging again. He thought quietly for a few minutes. "I believe that was a Sunday so I would have been....mmmm, feeding, fighting and fucking." He glanced at her and enjoyed the momentary flush of red in her cheeks. "Satisfied?"

"Um yeah, I guess" She was feeling flustered now she knew Eric wasn't messing about. Question and answer time was here. She pulled her foot from Erics' grasp. "I need a glass of water, do you want another blood?" She got up and headed to the kitchen, not waiting for him to answer. Eric got up and followed her into the kitchen. Sookie was standing over the sink drinking down a tall glass of water when she saw Eric leaning against the door jam watching her intently. She finished the glass, refilled it and began drinking it as slowly as possible. Eric shifted his weight to emphasize his impatience.

"There you go, being as evasive as ever." he muttered, Sookie stopped drinking and put the glass down on the bench. She did not like hearing the truth. Eric folded his arms across his chest and took a step forward into the kitchen. "This relationship is going to be rather onesided if you refuse to speak to me, Lover." Her pulse began to quicken as her irritation grew.

"If you don't like it, you know where the door is" she stated flatly, nodding in the direction of the front door.

"You would like that wouldn't you? It is easier to push people away before they get a chance to hurt you, isn't it?

"You bastard, I.. .you have no idea...."she stopped, choked with anger, frustration and hurt.

"Tsk tsk, what would your Grandmother say about that sort of language."he said, waggling a finger at her.

"Fuck you" she said, her face flooding with heat.

"Is that a question or a promise?" he quipped. He needed to keep the ball rolling.

"Go to Hell, Eric!" Her hands were shaking now and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"That's no way to speak to your husband, Sookie."

Eric grinned at her as he turned and made to walk out of the kitchen. Panic struck her as she thought he might actually walk out the door and leave her. Sookie thought to herself that at times like this it was either 'get sad and cry'or 'get angry and throw things'. She chose the latter. Sookie grabbed an empty bottle of TruBlood from the sink and threw it at Eric's head. As it flew through the air, she screamed at him.

"Go on, leave me then! Better now, than when I'm old and ugly! You've probably already found some fangbanger to take my place" she was livid.

He heard the bottle coming and allowed it to narrowly miss him. It hit the mantlepiece in the sitting room and shattered. He turned to face her as she threw the second empty bottle. He caught it at arms length. How could I ever replace you, he thought.

"You have a strong arm Sookie, and great aim I might add. I admire that in a wife." He chuckled to himself. Sookie screamed in frustration. Hot molten anger welled up inside her and she let rip.

"Why are you doing this to me? What do you want from me Eric?" The words poured out of her in an unending sentence. She was near raving madness. "I have nothing left so why do you want me still? I don't want to be your pawn or your possession anymore. You dragged me into all your vampire shit and there is no way I can ever hope to escape it."

Eric stood still taking it all in stride. He knew she had to let it out on someone. He let her continue.

"This is my life. This isn't a fairytale or a TV show, I won't be saved at the last minute by Lassie!. You say you care for me and you want to protect me but I will always be in danger. Some vampire, supe or religious nut will always be after me. You can't always protect me Eric, no one can! Since Bill walked into my life I've been beaten up, shot, staked, tortured...." Sookie stopped short. She shuddered when remembering the pain of her flesh being torn my the fairies. She continued but in a whisper.

"I wish I'd never met any of you." Sookie looked away from Eric. His silent acceptance infuriated her further. "And you, I wish I'd never stopped on that road to help you."

She felt hot tears well up in her eyes. She didn't dare look at him. She was ashamed of herself because she knew it wasn't true. She couldn't lie to herself anymore. Sookie turned to Eric. His eyes were wide and filled with anger. He was still holding the empty bottle Sookie had thrown at him. His hand tightened around it and it burst into a million sparkling pieces. He hadn't expected to feel so hurt and angered by her words. His fury was blinding him. He heard Sookie gasp and say something. She was pulling on his arm and he let her place him on the edge of the kitchen table. Sookie rifled through the kitchen draws for a cloth and tweezers. When she looked back at him, his huge shoulders were hunched over and he was cradling his injured hand. His eyes where misted with blood.

"Eric!" Sookie pulled him out of his own thoughts. "I need to pull the shards out"

The kitchen was quiet while Sookie nursed Erics' palm. He watched her silently, following her every movement. She felt the last of the anger and pain ebb out of her. She felt like a chasm had been filled and some semblance of normality had returned to her. Her mind was focused, she was no longer living in her memories but looking to the road that lay ahead. Eric could feel it too. Where he had felt only dispassion, he now felt acceptance, and a longing. Sookie knew she had hurt her bonded with her harsh words. A thought crossed her mind and she chuckled to herself.

"Do I amuse you, Sookie?" She stopped dodging his glace and looked him straight on.

"I just remembered something from when I was a little girl. There was this saying, a rhyme my Gran taught me. Whenever Jason called me a name I would ball and go running to Gran. She would tell me 'sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you'. I guess you're the exception." Sookie looked away from him.

"I guess so" he said. Sookie cleaned the blood from his hand as his wounds closed. She cupped his huge hand in hers as she wiped his palm gently. When she was finished, she placed her hand in his palm. She held his hand for a long moment. When their eyes met they looked at each other, waiting for the right moment to look away, but it didn't come. They both felt it at the same time, something similar to a warm ocean breeze flooded the bond. Sookie took a breath.

"Eric?"

"Yes?"

"Where were you?"

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Hope y'all enjoyed that chapter. I wanted to make it longer but I felt it would have been unnecessary padding.