Dead and Dating

Disclaimer: I don't own the Southern Vampires. Sole copyright belongs to Charlaine Harris. I'm poor, please don't sue.

Rating: M

Okay. I've re-written chapter 17. It took a few hours but it's done. Some of you are still not going to be happy. I am still going to include the warning there is still violence of sexual and non-sexual nature! Please don't say you haven't been warned. I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to show their support for me. This is still a heard chapter to read, but I think it's a little easier than the original.

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The flight to Italy was relatively calm. Eric and I had made love numerous times in the private jet. Once dawn came Eric crawled into his coffin and I took a small nap. The next thing I knew we were in Italy. The pilot came around to open the door for me. I stepped outside, breathing in the fresh Italian air.

I knew something was wrong even before a large set of hands grabbed me around my waist and clamped my mouth shut. I started kicking and trying to scream but it was no use. I was being handcuffed and shoved into a dark blue car. Once inside I got a good look at my attacker. He was human but he was built like Eric. He was tall and muscular. But instead of blond hair and crystal blue eyes, he had black hair and dark brown eyes.

"What do you want with me?" I doubted he would tell me, but it wouldn't hurt to find out why I was in danger this time.

"You and your viking are coming to see Victor. He's going to make you pay for what your husband did to the Felipe."

I was surprised that a human knew so much about the vamp world, but I guess it was possible. Look at yours truly. I was trying not to look panicked. Eric was in his coffin and who knows what they were going to do with him. My mind went over all the awful things they could do. I shuddered when I thought of someone opening his coffin and leaving him in the sun. Tears came to my eyes and I was shaking with rage.

The thoughts continued until we pulled up to a rather normal looking house. I was roughly dragged from the car and pushed into the house. I didn't even get a chance to look around before being hauled down to the basement. My attacker pushed me up against a wall and chained my arms and waist to the wall. I struggled against him but it was useless. I was stuck, I just had to pray that Eric would pull through.

I hung my head and cried as I thought about Eric and all that we had been through. It seemed like whenever life was just getting better, something happened to make me realize that my life was not ever going to be quiet and happy. I thought of Niall's gift. A child of our own. How could we even dream such a thing when something like this was happening so often?. I cried the tears of loss. I knew that the timing would never be right, we would never have a child. I couldn't bring a child into the world knowing the danger that he or she would be placed in. I closed my eyes and imagined Eric as a father. He was tough, but I had seen his soft side. I knew he'd be a wonderful father. I imagined him pushing a little girl on a swing. Her hair lit up by the moonlight, her smile lit up by the joy of being pushed higher and higher on the swing. I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. I tried to shake the image of the little girl out of my head.

I must have fallen asleep, because I felt a sharp pain on the side of my face. I lifted my head to see Victor standing in front me. My cheek stung. He had slapped me and hard.

"My, my Sookie, marriage has done you well." He laughed and ran his fingers over my bright red cheek.

"What do you want?"

"Where is your viking."

"You know where he is, you have him."

"He wasn't on the plane. I will give you one chance to tell me where the hell he is before I get mean."

"I..don't..know." I said the words slowly and deliberately like I was talking to a child.

His eyes squinted in anger and he slapped me again. I didn't cry out, I refused to give him the satisfaction.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know." I truly didn't know, but it made me feel better to think that Eric may have escaped and may be planning to rescue me.

"You're either telling the truth, or you are a very good liar." He looked me up and down, his eyes resting on my breasts. Before I could scream he had ripped my shirt from me. His hands were on me and I shuddered, fighting back the urge to vomit. He just laughed.

"Not tonight my dear, I have to find your viking. But maybe another night, you'll be here a while." He smirked and walked back up the stairs. I heard him tell the large man who kidnapped me to starve me until he said otherwise.

I let my head hang down again. My feet hurt from standing and my shoulders were on fire from my hands being chained above my head. I couldn't keep the tears from falling. I tried to be strong but I couldn't. At some point I passed out.

~*~

Days had gone by since I was first taken. Every night I would get one glass of water, but no food. I was beaten nightly by Victor. He was convinced I knew where Eric was. I wouldn't have told him if I did. One night in a fit of rage he ripped the wedding and engagement rings from my fingers and flung them across the dark, damp basement. That almost undid me. I felt naked without them on.

The next night Victor violated me in ways that I knew would haunt me forever. I had thrown up several times after the assault. He seemed to find it hilariously funny and left me without any clothes on. His obviously goal was humiliation. He thought that he'd break me. But I couldn't tell him what I didn't know. I prayed that night. I prayed to God to save me, to save Eric, to save my friends.

A few more days passed. Every night being exactly the same. Exactly a week after I had been brought in, Victor came downstairs in a terrible rage. He beat me so hard I passed out. When I woke up he beat me until I passed out again. I never cried. I refused to let him see my cry. I knew that it was making it worse, but I wouldn't give him that power. It continued for hours. I felt like I was going to die. Later that night Victor was about to violate me again, I suddenly felt calm, even happy. Eric! I tried to hide the surprise on my face when I opened my eyes and noticed Pam standing behind Victor with a stake. Without making a sound she swung it down on him. His eyes popped open in surprise, then it was over. He was on the ground. I burst into tears. Pam searched his pockets and found the keys to the chains. She unlocked them and when the last chain was removed from my hand I fell to the ground. Pam leaned down and gently picked me up, just like she had on my wedding night.

"Eric?" I barely squeaked out the words, my throat was raw from lack of water.

"He's upstairs making sure there is no one else in the house. He had to take out that human that kidnapped you."

I just nodded and laid my head against her.

~*~

I must have passed out on Pam, because the next time I opened my eyes I was in a huge hotel suite. Eric was sitting next to me holding my hand. I squinted my eyes until everything came into focus. Eric noticed me moving and turned to look at me. He looked heart broken. His eyes were filled with sadness. He reached over and ran his hand along my side. Thankfully he had put me in a nightgown. I didn't want to feel exposed anymore. I lifted my hand to touch his face and noticed my rings were back on my fingers.

"You found them." It was all I could manage to say. Eric held my hand and kissed my palms gently.

"I found them when I cleaned up the basement. I didn't want anyone to find out what happened. If it is found out that Pam killed Victor, she will have to face the same tribunal I did. I had to make sure that wouldn't happen. Everyone will just think that Victor disappeared. Since his home is in Nevada and not Italy, that makes it easier." I was glad that he had thought of that. I couldn't stand the thought of Pam being tortured because she saved me.

The memory from the week before came flooding back to me. I broke down. I sobbed uncontrollably, I couldn't get the memories out of my head. Eric's arms came around me and he leaned his head against mine.

"I know it's hard Sookie, but you have to tell me what happened."

"Eric, I don't think you want to know everything."

"Yes, I do, leave nothing out."

I sighed and sat up in the bed, I was still pretty sore. Eric had obviously given me his blood to help me heal but my injuries were pretty severe. I reached out to hug Eric close. I told him everything. When I got to my rape I choked up. With Eric holding me, stroking my hair, I found the strength to tell him what happened. I felt his rage, he wished he had staked Victor himself. When I was done my story I looked up to him, his eyes were filled with a mix of rage, love, pity, and self-hatred.

"There was nothing you could have done to save me. How would you know that Victor would follow you to Italy to get revenge?" I stroked his jaw and enjoyed being able to touch him again. "How did you get away?"

"When the pilot seen the man take you, he knew he wouldn't be able to save you, so he got me to a safe place until I woke. I called Pam and Bill to come help me look for you. I'm sorry it took so long." He started to tear up. I placed a finger on his lips.

"You saved me, I'm alive. That is all that matters." He forced a smile and gently patted the back of my hand.

"You have a visitor." At that moment I heard a knock on the door. I was afraid I knew who it was. "You have to clear the air with him."

I sighed and motioned for him to go open the door. He followed my direction. Letting Bill in, and excusing himself for a moment. I knew he was right on the other side of the door, but that was okay.

"Bill, thank you for helping Eric find me."

"I couldn't say no even if I'd wanted to." He seemed sad. "Did you get my gift?" Well, he was certainly being to the point.

"Yes, and I can't accept it. I love Eric, he is my husband. We will always be friends Bill. But I want to be with Eric."

"Why? He obviously isn't taking care of you."

I started to get mad. However, I was determined not to fight with him.

"Eric had no way of knowing what would happen. I love him and if you want to be in my life at all, you will have to get used to that." I looked up at Bill, he reeled back like he'd been slapped.

"I'll never get used to that." And without another word he stood up and stormed out. He almost knocked Eric down when he flung the door open. Eric looked at me sympathetically.

"Didn't go well?"

"Did you expect it to?"

"I guess not."

"Just come hold me please."

Eric came over and stretched out in bed next to me.

"You gave us a scare. When Pam brought you upstairs..." He didn't continue. He lifted up my nightgown. I knew I looked bad. Even with his blood flowing through me, I had taken a bad beating. His fingertips traced my ribs.

"You're so thin. You need to eat. Let me order you something." He didn't wait for a response, he got up and was calling down to room service. I heard him order steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

He came back to sit with me while we waited. He took in my body. I was still black and blue. When he looked down and seen the state of my pelvis he cried. He slid my nightgown back down and laid his head on my stomach. I ran my fingers through his hair. I didn't want to say anything to ruin the feeling of him being so close to me again. When I had been chained up, when I was being beaten, it was the thought of Eric's touch that kept me from giving in. Victor told me he would kill me if I just asked. It was Eric that kept me alive that week. I held onto him tight, I couldn't stand the thought of letting him leave my sight.

I was jolted out of my thoughts by a knock on the door. Eric reluctantly stood and went to retrieve my dinner. He sat the tray on the small table in our suite and came over to me. He lifted under my arms and helped me sit up. It hurt, but it felt nice to stretch a bit. He brought my food over and sat next to me on the bed. He very carefully cut up my steak for me. I reached for the fork and he pushed my hand away.

"Please, let me take care of you." His eyes were pleading. I nodded and allowed him to feed me. It was the best thing I had ever tasted. I hadn't even realized how starving I was until I felt the steak hit my tongue. I let out a tiny groan of pleasure. It didn't take me long to completely clear my plate. Once I had eaten, I felt a lot better. I very carefully managed to stand up. Eric was right there with me, but I wanted to try to walk on my own. I was sore, my pelvis flared with pain with every step, but I made it to the bathroom to take care of my needs. That wasn't without it's own pain. I wondered if I'd ever feel okay again. I looked in the mirror. My face was black and blue. I hadn't noticed that my hair was clean. Eric must have gotten me into the bath when we got back to the hotel. I just didn't remember it. I stared at my own reflection, my eyes looked different, like they had been hardened by all that happened to me. I knew the emotional scars would last, even if the physical ones didn't.

I eventually pulled myself away from the mirror and walked out into our suite. I managed to find a clock on the nightstand. It was only 12pm. The whole time I'd been awake I'd thought that it was the same night that Eric had rescued me. In reality I must have slept 24 hours.

Eric was sitting on the bed, running his hands through his hair. I hobbled over to the bed and sat next to him.

"You should have some more of my blood, you need to heal." He held up his wrist and I nodded. He bit down and placed it in front of me. Normally taking his blood would have made me feel sick, but his blood tasted sweet. Maybe it was the blood bond, or the marriage, or my desperate need to connect with him, but I was enjoying the taste of him. After a few minutes I reluctantly pushed his wrist away.

"I think that's good for now." I risked smiling at him. I wasn't sure what to expect. He leaned forward and lightly kissed my lips.

"I love the way you smile." He whispered the words so low I could barely hear him. He traced his fingertips over my lips.

"By tomorrow night you should be feeling better. We will enjoy our honeymoon without any further distractions. Bill and Pam have left to head back to Shreveport. One night this week we will meet with the King of Milan. I want us to have a good time and try to forget all of this." He made a sweeping gesture with his hand. I knew it would be hard, if not impossible to forget what had happened. But I had to try, I couldn't hold onto the anger forever.

Eric laid me back down on the bed and curled up next to me. He very gently put his arms around me. I snuggled my head against his chest. "You kept me alive." I whispered into his chest.

"What do you mean?"

"Victor, he wanted me to beg for death, he said he'd kill me if I would just ask. Every time I thought I was going to break, I thought about you, about us, about our future." I kissed his chest and nuzzled my head closer.

"I'm sorry he tortured you to get to me. I tried to get to you as fast as I could."

"Shhh. Just hold me." I wrapped my arms around him and drifted off into a deep sleep.

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Okay, I wanted to thank everyone for their support. I know this is still a difficult chapter to read, but hopefully some of you find it a little better.