"Here, here. Lay him here." Pam directed in Swedish as she led Vidar to the bed. He brought the body of Eric, who was swathed in a thick, black plastic cover, and laid him carefully on the mattress. "How long has he been …" She couldn't finish her sentence.

"He flared up almost the same time we saw him," Vidar replied callously.

"Kris, give Vidar their money," she said as she sat down beside Eric. "Then escort his sorry ass out."

Pam had never seen a vampire burned by sunlight before, so she had no clue as to what she'd find. After the door closed and Kris joined her by the bed, she took an unnecessary breath and pulled the corner of the sheet from his head slowly. Chunks of his blistered, blackened skin that had come in contact with the sheet tore away, along with clumps of fried hair. His lips were bright red and severely swollen; flesh hung from his bottom lip grotesquely; his chin seemingly hanging by a thread to the bone.

"I'm sorry, Eric. I'm sorry," Pam whined as a single tear fell from the corner of her eye.

Reaching his neck she pulled again, and that time more burnt skin and a cream-colored sludge was ripped apart from his neck to his navel. Pam closed her eyes briefly, and Kris gasped, her hands covering her mouth in terror.

"Kris," Pam said as she stood. "I need you now."

"Is … is he alive?"

Pam only shook her head. "I don't know. Lay with him. See if he'll feed."

Kris's eyes flew open as she defiantly put her hands on her hips. "You are kidding me, right?! I am not lying with that—"

"That, as you put it, is Eric Northman. He is the reason why I brought you, remember?"

Lowering her voice, she said calmly, "I wasn't expecting him to look as … bad as he does."

Pam approached Kris and put her hand on her shoulder gently. "Neither did I, but putting him underground is my last option; you are the first. Please, Kris, I don't know how much time he has … if he has any at all."

The tone in Pam's voice convinced her she had to go through with it. "I don't understand how you glamour humans, but could you? I mean just so I don't freak out? But don't take my memory."

Pam nodded and looked into her eyes deeply. A moment later, a serene Kris lay on her side facing the body of Eric. "Give me your hand."

Kris turned her body and stretched out her right arm. Pam took her wrist and bit into it quickly. Kris gasped at the intense pain as the fang pierced her skin at the vein. "Sorry. It's better if it's done fast. Fist your hand." Blood immediately began to trickle down her forearm. "Put your wrist over his mouth," she instructed then went to the other side of the bed and sat down beside him.

With no fear or apprehension, Kris pressed her open wound against Eric's lips as she laid her head on the pillow and waited for him to begin drinking. He didn't. She looked at Pam concerned. "He's not … Why isn't he … oh, hmmphg," she moaned as his lips brushed the wound, his cold tongue lapped at the blood, and he began to suckle.

"He's feeding?" Pam asked.

The glamouring effect wore off quickly, but as she had gotten the worst part over with she settled down. "Yes, but shouldn't he be … He isn't taking as much."

"Flex your hand, get the blood flowing more."

She did a few times then moaned as he took longer draws of her blood; he growled from the back of his throat. "Ah, there, now it's … ow, hmm," she gasped, her mouth hanging open, her eyes closed in seemingly ecstasy.

"Good, Eric. Feed. Keep it up," Pam whispered. "Take as much as you need." Her body lightly unwound with relief, and she smiled faintly.

Kris groaned and grunted as her blood drained from her, and she began to get lightheaded. Her eyes flew open, although she had trouble keeping them open. "Pam," she mumbled weakly. "How much … I'm getting nauseas … wait, he's stopped. Is he done?"

She stood over him, regarding his face. "Yes. He's asleep," Pam replied.

Kris removed her hand and lay on her back fighting the urge to pass out. Pam was at her side in a flash, punctured her own thumb and smeared it over Kris's wrist. With her forefinger she pinched her thumb to let a single drop drip into Kris's mouth. She moaned softly as the blood coursed through her system quickly from her rapid heartbeat.

"Wow. I feel … it's gone." She sat up and kicked her feet over the bed. "You never did explain why you couldn't have given him your own blood."

"Because he needs human blood. It heals more effectively. And where do you think you are going?"

Kris looked up at her. "To bed. Don't you want to be with him?"

She shook her head. "No. You need to be near him when he wakes. He'll need to feed often. I'm bringing the couch over by the bed and sleep on that."

"I have to … hell. Only for you, Pam. You look exhausted, if vampires can even look exhausted. It has been a long night for the both … three of us. We all need sleep."

Lying back down beside Eric, she was willing to feed him when he needed while Pam slept. She would do whatever she could to help. But lying next to the charred, smelling body of Eric might have been asking too much.

"Kris, thank you," Pam said as she brought the couch to the bedside and sat down, though she remained on alert. "I'll buy you that Rav4 you wanted."

"No, that was so last year. Now I want a Cadillac SUV," she replied then yawned hard and wide.

"Don't start with me, KrisLyn. You'll end up with a moped."

"Ohh, my full name. I'm skeered."

"Now it's a tricycle."

Kris tried to laugh but she was too wiped out, regardless if she had V-blood. "Point taken. Nite, Pamela Louise."

The last thing Kris heard was, "Make that a skateboard."