Hey Everyone! I have another wonderful, amazing update for you. This one is a doozy.
First of all, a million thanks to everyone who read the last chapter and left a review and/or clicked favorite/follow. It is much appreciated. I have sent out responses to reviews, but not to all of them. I will follow up on answering those soon! Plus, thank you for the heart felt condolences regarding my father's fallen brother-in-arms. He was a good man. I have made the decision to incorporate more RL people that my dad worked with into this story for future chapters, including a certain German Shepard who was in the K-9 unit. Gonna be cool.
I hope you love this chapter as much as I loved writing it. I will save the rest for the bottom.
On with it! This is not Beta'd. :) Enjoy!
"You find anything?"
"No. You?"
"Nope."
Grunting, I pushed a box to the side, shining the beam from my flash light on the numbers stamped in the upper right corner. I let out a frustrated growl when the numbers I sought did not match the one on the box in front of me.
Jumping down off the stepladder I stood on, I bent over and grabbed it, scraping it along the cement floor. It made an awful screeching sound, my ears protesting to it like nails on a chalk board.
As a new row of boxes appeared on the shelves before me, I frowned, feeling frustrated by the task Hugh and I had taken on.
Forty eight hours after my reassignment to the case, we were no closer to finding any new information, much to the Lieutenant's displeasure. After spending two days driving around and visiting the crime scenes, going over the forensic findings and coroner reports, I decided we should take Whitley's advice and go back to root of this case.
Back before DNA analysis and forensic science, solving cases were not as easy as it was today. Granted, it still took a good amount of work, but it was a far cry from the struggle police work was before the art of crime scene investigation was introduced to solve cases.
Contrary to popular belief, solving a murder, a burglary, a sexual assault or any other crime took time. While I wish a case could be solved within an hour of starting it like in a television show, they sometimes took weeks or months. Or at times, they were never solved at all.
When a case was at a stand still and all avenues available were exhausted, it became labeled as a cold case. All evidence and records were stored away within the evidence lock up, just in case a future clue was found that could re-open the case and help solve it.
Fifty years after sitting as a cold case in the Shreveport and Bossier City evidence lock up, Hugh and I were on the hunt for the items collected back in '62. As easy as it sounded, we discovered at the start of our search that back in the 80's, a fire had broken out and destroyed half of the inventory in the large warehouse.
I had been instantly disheartened by learning this news, but the officer on duty at the check-in desk had assured us that the box we were looking for had survived and was located in the back with the rest of the cold cases.
Several hours later and covered in dust, I was about ready to throw in the towel. The air conditioning did not reach the back part of the warehouse where we were and I was tired of pushing boxes around to no avail.
Staring at the the shelves, it was truly shocking to see the amount of unsolved cases that were placed here throughout the years. Each box marked a crime unpunished, a family left questioning why the system had failed them and their loved ones.
Blowing a stray piece of hair out of my face, I climbed back onto the step ladder with renewed determination. I may be sweaty, dirty and hungry, but I was going to find that box.
Forty five minutes later, I found box number CC-443762 tucked behind a large plastic container on the last shelf of the row I was in. Rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, I double checked the numbers to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.
"Hugh!" I cried out, unable to hide my excitement. "I have it!"
The box wasn't any bigger than a shoe box, but it was quite heavy.
"Thank God you found it! I was afraid that I was perhaps stuck in a nightmare with endless rows of shelves looking for a box that didn't exist!" Hugh panted as he walked toward me from his row, his cheeks red from his exertions. His jacket and tie were missing and the first two buttons of his white shirt were undone.
"Me too," I chuckled, leading the way out of the row and toward a table where we could examine the contents of the box.
Having ditched my blazer hours ago, I sighed in relief as I felt a whisper of cool air blow over my heated skin. Placing the box on the table, I glanced at Hugh. "Would you like to do the honors?"
"Sure."
Reaching out, he lifted the lid. My nose twitched as I caught the scent of aged paper and that strange smell old photographs seem to have. Passing me the inventory list that was laying on top, Hugh began to empty the box.
The main bulk of the box were photos and the recordings of the murders; names, dates, locations and next of kin. The case was closed a year after the last murder, stating that due to the lack of any corroborating evidence, the investigating detectives were unable to move forward.
The black and white photos featured the five gentlemen who lost their lives. The missing hearts and gouge marks were the same as our three victims, but these photos seemed more macabre than the ones presented to me on Tuesday. Perhaps it was the black and white quality that added the extra mystery, but I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up as I studied the photographs.
"Sookie."
Hugh's voice was strained. Looking up, my eyes widened as I saw the plastic bag dangling from his fingertips. What looked to be a claw was encased inside.
"What-what is that?" I asked, cocking my head.
Reaching for the file report, Hugh scanned it quickly. "It is the only piece of evidence that was found from the five murders."
Quickly slipping on a pair of latex gloves provided from a dispenser sitting on the table, he opened the bag. Pulling the blackened item out and holding it under the light that hung low from the ceiling, we stared at it with puzzled expressions.
Two inches in length and slightly curved, it was indeed a claw.
"Is that a bear claw?" I asked, leaning closer to get a better look.
"No, this is not a bear claw. My father is a taxidermist and I grew up hunting wild animals. I know what a bear claw looks like. Besides, the only bears in Louisiana are to the east going into Mississippi and to the north, into Arkansas. This...I have never seen anything like this before."
Watching Hugh, I didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking. "Do you think this is supernatural?"
He looked torn between which response he wanted to give. The last three days had lacked in his impassioned speeches on his belief in the supernatural, which surprised me. Perhaps he felt that I was like everyone else and thought him silly. He was holding back and while I knew Alcide's warnings rang true, I wanted him to be himself.
"Hey," I said, gaining his attention, "You can be open with me. I won't think any less of your opinions, no matter how far fetched they seem to other people."
"Then yes, I do believe this came from a creature that is meticulous in the way it kills. This is the only thing they could find back in '62 and with our case, there has been no forensic evidence on the bodies. Zero, zip, zilch, nada. How is that even possible? There is always some form of trace evidence, no matter what. It just boggles the mind!"
"Consider me boggled," I said, staring at the claw. Slipping on a pair of gloves, Hugh handed me the claw. Holding the vile thing up to the light, I saw that it was translucent, with slight age striations that had darkened it to it's blackened color.
"There may have been no hope back in '62, but I know a certain forensic scientist who will be very interested in seeing this." I said, slowly placing the claw back into its plastic bag.
"Good idea," Hugh said, watching me. Looking at his watch, he whistled loudly. "Wow, it's already after six o'clock!" He paused for a moment. "Do-do you wanna go get some dinner? My treat."
Looking at my own watch, my eyes widened. "Oh Hugh, I'm gonna have to take a rain check on that offer!" I said, quickly gathering all the photos and reports.
"Hot date?" Hugh asked, trying hard to not sound overly curious.
Closing the lid on the box, I gathered my blazer and bag. Pulling the strap of my purse over my shoulder, I looked at Hugh and shook my head. "No, my Gran is hosting a thing tonight that I really want to be at. I'll be lucky if I get there in time."
After phoning Rasul and asking if he would speak with Gran's D.O.G.D, Gran had wasted no time in organizing a meeting when I told her he'd agreed. I was curious and excited to hear Rasul speak of his life. I wasn't expecting anything personal-because Vampires just did not do personal- but any information he gave would be welcome. It would certainly be educational to a degree, learning of the things that he had seen and done.
"Oh, well, you better get going then. I don't want to be the reason you're late to your Gran's shindig. I'll wrap up everything here." he said, holding up the bag with the claw. "And I'll drop this off for you too, so you don't have to make an extra stop. Who is your forensic guy?"
"His name is Diego Rivera. You sure you don't mind? It's not a problem to swing by the office on my way home," I said, taking a step toward the exit.
"No, you go on and have fun. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Thanks, Hugh. Have a good evening."
"You too, Sookie."
After driving home and taking a quick shower to wash away the grime that had collected over the day, I pulled on a pair of beige capri pants and paired it with a turquoise halter top. Quickly brushing my wet hair, I decided to leave it down and let it dry naturally.
Rushing into the kitchen, I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich which would have to sate my appetite for the moment. Gran and the rest of the descendant's usually brought food to each meeting, so I would fuel up the rest of the way once I got there.
Holding my sandwich in one hand, I slipped my gold sandals on with the other and grabbed my purse. Opening the door, I cursed under my breath as I noticed the sun setting to the west. I was going to be late. Locking up, I ran down the stairs like a mad woman and jumped in my car.
Driving faster then I normally do, I made the forty minute drive to Bon Temps within twenty-nine minutes. The meeting was set to start at nine o'clock and as I pulled into the packed parking lot of the Tabernacle Holiness Church, I became annoyed that the time I gained on the drive over was lost in trying to find a place to park.
The D.O.G.D was not such a large group and by the looks of it, half the town came here tonight to hear Rasul speak. My suspicions were confirmed as I opened the door to the church to see all the pews were filled to bursting. The people who were unlucky in finding a seat stood along the walls and gathered in the back. So much for getting something to eat.
As I maneuvered my way through the crowd, I heard Gran's voice call out.
"Sookie, Sookie honey, over here!"
Gran was sitting in the front row of the church. Following her waving hand, I made my way over to her.
"I saved you a seat," she said happily, patting the free space next to her. Gran was in one of her better dresses, which reminded me of the outfits CoCo Chanel wore. She was beautiful. "Quite the turn out, huh? I was afraid that you weren't going to make it in time."
"Me too," I said, dropping into the seat and looking around. While the doors were always open to the public to attend a D.O.G.D. meeting, many thought them boring and old fashioned. Apparently when a Vampire was thrown into the mix, the D.O.G.D. became the local hot spot.
The two front rows of pews were occupied by the descendants, while the rest were filled with the curious and gossip seeking citizens of Bon Temps. I wondered if the amount of people in attendance would bother Rasul. Dropping my shields, I concentrated on blocking everyone as I zeroed in on the black void that was to the back of the church.
"I better go tell him that we're ready," Gran said, her face glowing with excitement.
"Gran," I said worriedly, reaching a hand out to stop her. "You should tell him that there are a lot more people here than originally anticipated."
Gran patted my hand in reassurance and disappeared through a side door that led to the back of the church.
A few minutes later-in which time was spent listening to Maxine Fortenberry fretting about a Vampire entering our beloved church and her fear that he would drain us all dry- Gran came back out and took her place on the small stage at the front of the church. Waving her hands, everyone slowly quieted as Gran drew everyone's attention.
Gran smiled in greeting. "Well, hello there! I would like to welcome y'all to our Descendants of the Glorious Dead meeting. We have a very special visitor with us here tonight and I must ask that y'all behave yourselves. Any offensive questions or rudeness will result in a one way ticket out the door." Gran's fierce brown eyes roamed over the crowd and I had to smile. Noone would ever say that Adele Stackhouse was a timid little old lady. "Now, please put your hands together in welcoming our guest, Eric Northman!"
Over the roaring sound of clapping hands, I wasn't sure if I heard the name correctly until the Vampire in question came walking out of the back hallway and up onto the stage.
He was dressed similarly to what he had worn the last time I saw him; black T-shirt, black pants and black boots. That must be his signature color. His chosen accessory for the evening was a massive sword strapped to his back. I eyed the weapon nervously as he stood next to Gran, who stared at the blonde Vampire with stars in her eyes.
What was he doing here? Where was Rasul? I was so confused and disturbed by his sudden appearance that my shields fell, a cacophony of thoughts hitting me at once.
...Oh my Lord, I didn't realize a Vampire could look like that...
...has alot of nerve coming here to our church like this...
...maybe it wasn't such a good idea coming here tonight. Sitting here like pigs for the slaughter...
Gritting my teeth, I finally got my shields to hold. Gran came bustling toward me in the time it took me to get myself under control and she sat down, taking my hand in hers.
"Gran," I hissed, leaning toward her ear, "What happened to Rasul?"
She leaned back and looked at me in question. "What do you mean? He called me last night and told me that something important came up and he would send someone to speak in his stead. He said that you knew of the changes."
"What? I didn't know anything-" I began, but was interrupted by Eric's deep, booming voice.
"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen," he spoke, his voice carrying to every corner of the church as the applause died down. "It gives me great," here, he looked at me and winked, "pleasure to be here."
My eyes widened at his flirtatious gesture and I sank further into the pew, unable to look away from Eric's commanding presence up on the stage. He paced the length of the wooden platform, the aged oak creaking slightly under his boots.
He glanced at me again and just like Sunday night, I could feel the attraction that existed between us flare to life. I sank my fingernails into the palm of my hand, trying to dig myself out of my head and pay attention to what he was saying.
"As I understand it, there are many history buffs in the audience tonight." Many of the descendants perked up at his words, nodding their heads enthusiastically. He gave a charming smile, his teeth almost blindingly white. "For those who have not guessed, I am Vampire." He stood proudly, his eyes scanning every face, looking for a negative reaction. I would wager that most of the crowd were afraid to make any sudden movements, let alone say anything offensive to the large Vampire.
"I come from a time in history when my people were known as víkingr, or as you call us today, Vikings." Whispers broke out among eveyone and I felt myself sit up straighter, astonished by his declaration. He must be very old, considering that the Viking era ended almost a thousand years ago.
"Did you ride dragons?!" cried out a child's voice. Turning, I could see that the question came from Arlene's small son, Coby. Arlene immediately shushed him, pulling him back towards her.
"Dragons?" Eric asked, seemingly amused and perplexed at the same time.
"Yeah, like in How to Train Your Dragon. Hiccup rides a Night Fury!" Coby shouted and everyone chuckled at his enthusiasm.
"Ah, I understand now. No, we did not ride dragons. We rode a Drakkar, a Longship, and traveled by sea. Dragons did not live with us, but we did believe them to live under the waves in the ocean. Jǫrmungandr, the sea serpent, was the largest. He was rumored to be so large, he could surround the earth and grasp his own tail in his mouth."
Eric received the appropriate ooh's and aah's from the children spattered throughout the church. Leaning forward, I smiled wistfully as I listened to Eric talk, his voice hypnotic and calming.
He regaled us with stories of voyages at sea, how the Vikings used the stars as their guide and how a journey could take months as they tested how far they could travel before they fell off the edge of the earth. Many a Viking knew that once they set sail to go on a raid, there was a good chance that they might never return to the shores of their home.
Eric spoke of the Norse gods, how in todays time his religion was categorized as Pagan, but the Viking era started shortly after the Dark Ages began, way before Christianity was brought to the Vikings part of the world.
"Do you believe in God?" asked Horace Weller, one of the descendants who sat on the other side of Gran.
Eric's blue eyes fixated on the aged gentleman. "Do you mean the God that you come here every Sunday to worship?" he asked, gesturing to the high ceilings and the crucifix on the wall behind him.
At Horace's nod, Eric looked pensive. "I have studied Christianity at length, for I wanted to understand the teachings that were embraced as the religion spread through the centuries. But to answer your question, no, I do not believe in your God." Mutterings were heard through the rows of pews, several people obviously scandilzed by his statement.
Expecting this, Eric came to a stand still by the cross and put his hand on the bottom part. The old wives tale that Vampires fled in fear of the sacred symbol entered my mind as I curiously watched him, entranced.
"I believe what I believe, as do you. Is it so important that they differ from each other?"
It was such a simple answer, yet it held so much meaning. The muttering stopped shortly after that.
Eric continued to talk about other things, touching shortly on the historical events that he witnessed. When asked if he had been in America during the Civil War, he shook his head. He came to America at the turn of the twentieth century. Any disappointment that was felt was surely replaced by the treasure trove of first hand information he gave of the other battles he'd seen.
"What is that on your back?" The question came from Coby, one of two children still awake and paying close attention to Eric.
Reaching his left arm up, Eric gripped the hilt of the giant sword and lifted it effortlessly from the scabbard on his back. Everyone's eyes widened, my own included, as we watched him swing the sword through the air, the metal singing through the air with quick slashes.
"This," he said, holding the weapon in front of him, "was my father's sword. He won this during a raid on the northern shores of Scotland." The sword was long and looked to quite heavy. Eric wielded it with one hand as though it was weightless, but I was pretty sure it was a two-handed weapon and one would need a considerable amount of strength to even pick it up.
"Can I hold your sword!?" Coby cried out, running away from Arlene before she could snatch him back.
"Coby! Get back here!" Arlene cried out, jumping out of her seat.
Eric watched the child carefully, lowering his arm and placing the point of the sword on the floor near his feet. He watched as Arlene tried to pull Coby back, her fear of the Viking Vampire clearly written on her face.
"You do not have anything to fear from me," Eric said, gesturing toward Coby. "Come, little one. Let me show you how a warrior holds his sword.
Arlene reluctantly let Coby go, but she hovered nearby and watched as Eric knelt by her small son and allowed him control to the hilt of the sword. Wrapping his small hands around the leather bound pommel, he strained to lift the sword, his face turning red from the effort.
Eric wrapped his hand around Coby's and together, they lifted the sword. Coby's face shined with accomplishment as Eric supported the sword from the bottom, allowing the child to believe that he was holding the weapon on his own.
After showing Coby a few techniques in sword wielding, Coby ran back to his mother, loudly shouting "Did you see me, Mom!? Did you!? I held a real Viking sword!"
Arlene let out a shaky breath as she received her son safely in her arms and she nodded at Eric.
As Eric began to answer a few more questions, I stared at him with new eyes. While I had little time to think about him over the last few days due to my reassignment, I was able to reminisce about him at odd moments. Who was this enigmatic Vampire? My first impression of Eric ran the gamut from captivating and overwhelming, to straight out fear, but tonight, he was the complete opposite with his charm and patience. My impression of this man was all over the place and each time I reached out for a thought to describe him, it escaped like smoke through my fingers.
I'm not a vain person and I would never presume to think that Eric's appearance here tonight was because of me, but after the strangeness of our previous encounter, how could I not think otherwise? And if I was the reason he came here tonight, what exactly did he want from me?
It was roughly ten forty when the meeting came to an end. The applause that erupted was loud and appreciative as the citizens of Bon Temps gazed at the bowing Vampire, who gave a dazzling smile as many of the descendants in the front row approached him to shake his hand.
I stood up and watched as Eric shook each hand presented to him, inclining his head regally as he accepted many of the heartfelt thanks sent his way.
"Oh, Sookie, he is just marvellous!" Gran said, her face aglow with child like excitement. "He certainly has a way about him, doesn't he? And he is so handsome, don't you think?"
I coughed slightly, glancing awkwardly toward Eric. He was staring at me expectantly. Gran obviously did not know about Vampires excellent sense of hearing.
"Yes, it was very...enlightening," I responded, avoiding the last question all together. Eric sent a smirk my way.
As Gran headed toward Eric, I stepped away from the pews and moved around the groups of people who remained to chat about the meeting. Leaning against the wall near the open door that led to the back of the church, I pulled my phone out. There were no missed phone calls or text messages. So much for Rasul letting me know of the changes for the evening.
Looking back toward Eric, I froze as he excused himself from the descendants and began to make his way in my direction. The hilt of his sword glinted from his back as he moved around those who separated us.
Stopping in front of me, his blue eyes captured mine immediately.
"Hello, Sookie."
Standing up straight, I felt a shiver run down my spine as he said my name.
"Hello, Mr. Northman."
"Please, call me Eric. I think we can drop the formalities."
My heart pounded with deepening anxiety. Being formal allowed me to keep him at arm's length. I knew he was a dangerous individual hiding behind a thin veil of humanity and getting too personal would let him step over a boundary that I wasn't sure I wanted him to cross.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, stepping closer.
"No," I shook my head, trying to keep eye contact. Taking a deep breath, I decided to take the bull by the horns. "Nothing's wrong...Eric."
His smile was slow and sensual, and I found myself following the curve of his lips. It was positively sinful. His smile pulled me in and I swayed slightly toward him. The rest of the world faded away as we continued to study one another. We became ensconced in our own little bubble where time and space had little meaning, and if not for the loud laughter that startled me back to awareness, I would have been perfectly happy to have kept my solitude with Eric.
"So," I said, latching onto the first thing that came to mind, "a Viking, huh?"
Eric seemed to snap back to reality, as well. He blinked at my question. "Yes. Yes, I am."
"You are full of surprises, aren't you?"
"When I choose to be, yes. Did you not enjoy yourself this evening?"
"Of course I did. You made my grandmother very happy."
"And you, Sookie? Did I make you happy?"
I swallowed. Hard. "Eric, why are you here tonight? As much as I would like to think you are working to improve the relationship between Vampires and humans, something tells me that is not the case. What happened to Rasul? And don't act like you don't know who I am talking about."
Eric reached out and touched the length of hair that rested over my shoulder. I watched in fascination as he rubbed the blonde strands between his thumb and forefinger. He was silent as he became engrossed with the lock of hair wrapping around his fingers.
Just when I thought he wouldn't answer, he spoke. "Rasul told me of your request for him to come here tonight. I told him that I would come instead and forbade him to contact you of the changes for the evening."
Frowning up at Eric, I re-played his words in my head. "You forbade him? Why? And who are you to forbid him to do something?"
"I wanted to see you, and as you said, I'm full of surprises. And I wanted my coming here to be one. Does it not please you to see me?"
Surprisingly, I could feel the answer to his question bubble up from within me. Yes, I was happy that he was here. But I would not tell him that. Until I knew what his motives were, I needed to tread carefully. He gave an amazing amount of information tonight, but none of it was truly about him. The only insight that I'd gained was when he talked about his father's sword.
And that was when it hit me.
Rasul told me of your request for him to come here tonight. I told him that I would come instead and forbade him to contact you of the changes for the evening.
Perhaps that was not the only bit of personal information he'd given away. As far as I knew, Rasul only answered to one Vampire...
"You," I said, my eyes brightening at solving the mystery that had alluded me for months. I stared at him triumphantly. "You're Rasul's boss!"
At my words, Eric pulled back and quickly glanced around us, his blue eyes scanning the church. Plenty of people left once the meeting was at an end, but there were still quite a few loitering about. It was obvious that he did not want anyone overhearing secret Vampire business.
Gently grabbing my upper arm in his hand, Eric tugged me toward the empty hallway beyond the open door we stood by. My feet moved faster than normal to keep up with his long strides, and once we were at the end of the hall, he let go of my arm. He stepped in close to me, forcing me to flatten myself against the wall.
He stepped closer still and breathed deeply. He lowered his head, his face drawing closer to me. Shutting my eyes, my breath hitched as I listened to him inhale again, taking my scent deep into his lungs.
"Eric," I murmured, trying to battle the fog that was settling over my mind. "What is it that you want from me?"
My eyes flew open as I felt him shift and I watched as he placed his hands against the wall on either side of me, effectively caging me in with his arms. He stared down at me, his face unreadable.
"I want you to be mine."
My face became an open book as I felt my mind go into overdrive. Role playing with Rasul when other Vampires were around was fine, for his imaginary claim on me kept unwanted advances away and played as a safety net. But this was not pretend. This was real and I felt confusion bloom as to why he wanted me when so many others were clamouring for the position.
Luckily, I was saved from answering as a voice echoed down the hallway.
"Sookie?"
Eric reluctantly lowered his arm as we both looked over to see Gran standing in the doorway.
"Gran, is everything okay?"
She stared at Eric and I for a long moment, then smiled. "Pastor Harris needs to lock up now. Would you mind driving me home, honey? Maxine already left with Hoyt and this old woman hears her bed calling."
"Of course," I said, grabbing hold of the escape given to me. I needed time to think about Eric's request. "Mr. Northman," I said, turning to look at him. I did not want to seem too personal in front of Gran. "It was a pleasure. Thank you for this evening."
I held my hand out to him, which he immediately took. He gave me a shrewd look, which I interpreted as his way of silently telling me that our conversation was far from over. Lifting my hand to his mouth, he surprised me by softly kissing the back of my knuckles, lingering over the soft skin.
"You are quite welcome." he said, huskily.
I saw a flash of fang as he released my hand. My entire arm was tingling, the sensation stemming from where his lips had touched. It was the most romantic gesture ever shown to me.
Bidding Pastor Harris good night, Eric walked Gran and I out to my car. After thanking him once again for taking the time to give us such a wonderful history lesson, we took our leave. Unable to help myself, I stared at him in the rear view mirror as we drove away. Even after he disappeared from sight, I could still see him standing there, his slight glow dispelling the shadows that danced around him.
"Oh, what a lovely evening. I can't recall the last time I enjoyed myself so much." Gran spoke tiredly from beside me, her eyes already closed. "Mr. Northman certainly had his eye on you tonight."
Chancing a quick glance at Gran, I saw her eyes were still shut. "Did he?"
"Oh, yes indeed. He was staring at you the entire time he talked. I think he was telling his story solely for you. He is smitten with you." Gran finely cracked her eye open, watching as I gripped the steering wheel and guided the car down Humming Bird Lane.
My face felt hot as I tried to ignore Gran's words. Eric Northman smitten with me? The word itself was so old fashioned, but described the situation perfectly.
Pulling up behind the farmhouse, I helped Gran into the house. Turning on the lights in the kitchen, I held her hand as I guided her into her bedroom. Giving her a kiss and a promise to call on Saturday, I locked the house up tight and drove home.
It was nearing midnight when I finally pulled up in front of my apartment. I was dead tired, but my mind was still a whir of activity as I went over the events of the night. I knew that I would have to face Eric's wish for me to be his, but it would have to wait for another time. I had to work in the morning, and after such a stimulating evening, I would be lucky to find sleep tonight.
Opening the door to my apartment, I closed it with a heavy sigh and tossed my keys onto the table in the entry way. Dropping my purse on the floor, I leaned over and undid the clasp holding my sandals together.
Walking through the dark living room and into the kitchen, I grabbed an apple. My stomach was growling at me and it would have to do for now. Biting into the red flesh of the apple and taking a sizable bite, I placed it on to the counter and struggled with the knot behind my neck, trying to undo my halter top.
...God damn whore. Never would I have thought Sookie Stackhouse would sink so low to get involved with Vampires. She deserves everything that is coming to her...
I froze with my hands behind my neck, my eyes straining in the darkness. I had just lowered my shields and the thought came flooding into my radar. My neighbours never came in so clear, so that left only one alternative.
Reaching out, I felt a brain signal throbbing with hate and malice. The location of the brain signal was coming from the front of my apartment, in the entry way closet. Slowly lowering my arms, I tried to get the surge of panic that flowed over me under control. The closet was diagonal to where I was standing in the kitchen.
I needed my gun. I couldn't be sure if whoever was in the closet could see me, and if they did, reaching for the phone may be seen as a tip off to their presence. I needed to act casual. My nearest gun was the one in my purse. So, with hardened determination, I slowly began to walk to my purse.
As I neared the entryway, the brain signal spiked with alarm, and unable to help myself, I looked over my shoulder. It was at that moment the closet door burst open and a dark figure came hurtling out, flying straight at me.
O.o uh-oh. Sorry for the cliffie, but it was time for one!
So, first off-I hope you enjoyed Eric's presentation to the D.O.G.D. We all know that it was originally Bill who did this, but since I hate him and this is my story and I'm going to write it the way I want, Bill can go stuff it. Some may regard this as a OC move on Eric's part, and while you are right, I felt that perhaps our Viking wouldn't mind doing it as long as he kept it impersonal and spoke more of his culture, instead of himself directly. I have read MANY Sookie FF stories and I never read a tale where Eric stood in the role at the D.O.G.D. meeting. I find it a nice change and further throws this story into the AU.
For any curious of the sword that Eric carries, it is a Claymore. It is a large, two-handed weapon wielded by native Scots. The Vikings did raid Northern Scotland quite a bit and this sword will become VERY important in the future. (Insert evil laugh here!)
I wanted to keep the Viking lesson informative but not over do it. We will be revisiting the Viking culture again in a future update. (Again, insert evil laugh!) Plus, I blame Google for any historical facts I dinked up. Sorry.
Many who reviewed for the last chapter guessed the Maenad as the big, bad ugly. After much deliberation, I'm going to scrap the Maenad from my story. It has been overdone and to be honest, I'm tired of her. I will be using another creature who rips hearts out and eats them for dinner. It is going to be total awesomeness and I can't wait to write that when I get to that point. Plus, there will be no orgies. Sorry. :P
Another tip- I don't know if any have noticed, but with every update that I do, I change the avatar pic for the story. Depending on what happens, the pic may give some insight on what is going to happen in the loaded chapter. I find it fun to look for Amber Heard pictures that display the angst/fear/gooey-eyedness that happens in the current chapter. It's just a little Easter egg for you.
And lastly, the How to Train your Dragon quotes and references in this chapter is a nod to my daughter. She LOVES Vikings as well, but only the ones who live on Berk. Give her time. She may love some Viking Vampire when she's grown up. I hope you liked the chapter name for this one. On a closing note, here is a little diddy from the How to Train your Dragon saga...
I got my axe and I got my mace, and I love my wife with the ugly face, I'm a Viking through and through!
Well I got my club and I got my rope, and I smell like a yak cause I don't use soap, I'm a Viking through and through!
(P.S. Vikings DID have good hygiene!)