Many thanks to smittens for jumping in to help me beta this chapter while murgatroid is having a wonderful vacation. Smittens made a great suggestion that really improved the chapter and I think you really made the scene complete, so lots hugs and kisses to you.
Hope I can get the next chapter up sooner than it took for this one and get into the thick of the story. Can't wait to see all your reactions then :)
Later.
Surprisingly, Eric owns a Prius.
We dropped by his house in Shreveport to switch cars and now we're cruising down the 71 in a very sensible car. Not what I exactly had in mind for an elopement.
"I don't see why it's so farfetched to you that vampires would be environmentally conscious- no, we're more than that. We're environmentally fervent. Why wouldn't we be? We plan to inhabit this earth a lot longer than any human." He's been on this subject ever since we left the house. I've realized that Eric can get quite chatty when he's nervous. This is a phenomenon I don't think I've ever witnessed before he came back as Oberon. I suspect that it's more than just his sudden onset of environmental protectionism that we're driving in a heavily tinted car Sedan with no sun roof as opposed to the Vette.
Hiding behind ink black aviators (I didn't even know they made them that dark) he refuses to drive during the day. Operating under the excuse that the daylight messes up with his depth perception or some BS of the like, explains why I'm the one behind the wheel while he's prattling on about vampire involvement in the green movement. "If only we were organized enough as a group in the early part of the century, the world would be very different today." Eric lamented as he looked out the window and stared off into the distance.
"Who do you mean by 'we'?" I asked
"We, as vampires for one, and all the other supernatural beings that had an interest in the sustainability of the planet. The Fay for instance were trying as hard as we were to get the green movement going."
"My great grandfather sponsored the green movement!"
"Tried to anyway. We were really caught off guard by the developments of the last century. Steam engines, automobiles, electricity, telephones, airplanes were just leaps made by humankind that gave them abilities beyond our imagination. When you've lived as long as some of us had it's very hard to adapt to changes and we were just caught off guard by how quickly things were changing and what it all means. I remember it was the Summit of 1959, that some of the newer more technologically adept vampires held a seminar on the destructiveness of nuclear warfare and how powerful humans have become. Just in case that didn't get our attention, they also warned us that even if the humans didn't destroy the planet with a flick of a switch, they also alluded to the fact that increasing use of fossil fuels were rising temperatures of planet and the dangers of global warming."
"1959? What took you guys so long?"
"It's one thing to be motivated and another to get things moving. Remember we were all living underground back then and many of the powerful vamps were from the old world and still believed we could just slaughter humans if things get out of hand. They can't even fathom how advanced humans have become in common warfare, let alone atom bombs and eventually nuclear technology. It was another decade before we were organized enough to form a committee dedicated to try to help humans towards a more sustainable future. By then we realized that many of the patents were already bought up."
"Bought up? By whom?"
"Large corporations, conglomerates and super companies that are a bunch of acronyms who have a vested interest in keeping the profit margin up and maintaining the status quo."
"You mean there are special interest groups out there that are buying up technology that could make the world a better place but choosing not to? For money? That sounds a bit like Internet conspiracy to me."
"Why is it so hard to believe Lover? Oil and motor car companies have a vested interest in keeping the green movement at bay. Imagine if we got hold of the technology for the electric car, there would be no need for gas stations anywhere in the world. The price of oil would plummet and where would these companies be? What would motor companies who had spent millions of dollars on research and development on cars that were suddenly redundant? If they had the control over the technology they can pace the change and see to it they position themselves to be the profit makers in the next generation of change. It makes perfect sense. GM alone filed 1,300 patents on green technology last year. Where did you think it all spawned came from?"
"So how did you figure Niall was also involved? I can hardly imagine him being on a panel of green vampires."
"You're right," Eric said as he smiled at my chide about green vampires. We knew that Brie Pharmaceuticals belonged to Niall. The company name came up in a few of the projects we were looking into. I assume he's been encountering the same problems we were."
I'll have to ask Claude about this next time I saw him. I haven't seen him since before Claudine died. I'm hoping it won't be awkward. Since we never had a funeral or anything like that for her. Or they did and didn't ask me to come. I feel a bit rejected at the thought but I can understand that too, she did die because of me.
We pulled into the gas station up ahead to fill up.
Eric got out while I sat and looked at the dress I bought when we rushed into Tara's Togs this morning, hanging by the side window in the rearview mirror. I knew Tara had a check up this morning otherwise I would've gone dress hunting in Shreveport to avoid any questions. It's not anything fancy, just an ash white colored silk cocktail dress with spaghetti straps and a nice rose like knot at the front. Perfect for a quickie wedding. The shop girl whose name I forgot, that Tara hired to cover for her while she'll be on maternity leave eyed at me suspiciously. Oh well, all will be revealed upon our return anyway.
When I got out to pay for the gas I turned and asked if Eric wanted a slushee as I was going inside to get some coffee. Eric had taken an immense liking to slushees; he loved it when he got a brain freeze.
"Only if they have cola and raspberry." Ah, they're his favorite flavors to mix.
When I returned to the car, coffee in one hand and slushee in another, Eric came back with the most annoyed expression on his face.
"Hand me the keys, I'm driving."
"What brought this on? I thought the sunlight messed with your depth perception or whatever."
"I'll be okay."
Hmmm… he must be really annoyed.
Eric banged about readjusting the seats and mirrors before he sped off at full speed down the highway. I placed the slushee by the cup holder on his side and he managed to mutter a 'thanks' under his breath.
What gives? We're supposed to be running off and get married! I have no illusions that it's any kind of fairytale (it's a shotgun wedding after all). But having him rumbling around in a bad mood will put me in a bad mood sooner or later too. Just when I was pondering that thought, I heard Eric hissing, with his palm on his temple.
"Brain freeze."
I couldn't help but giggle at him. I'm not used to Eric being adorable.
"Now can you tell me what went wrong back there?"
Eric paused, tightened his jaw and said "The human condition is a disgusting existence."
"As in…what sense?" I'm totally miffed at this point
"Human excretion is the most disgusting and form of disposal. Especially when it has to be collected at a designated place! It's absolutely putrid!"
"Did you mean you hated the men's room at the gas station?"
Eric gave a stiff nod before he shuddered even at the flashback of his experience.
I bit my tongue and tried not to laugh. I didn't want to belittle his bad experience of public restrooms. "Yeah, they are notoriously terrible." I paused to see his reaction – none whatsoever. Wow, it really bothered him.
"I try to go whenever I can at the cleaner bathrooms, so I'm not stuck at one of those wretched off road ones. Well you're a guy, you can just go in a bush when no-one's looking right?"
"I will not stoop so low as to defecate in a public area. I'm not that kind of person."
Alrighty! I would have never thought a Viking would have trouble peeing in the wind etcetera. I guess centuries of being in the vampire aristocracy would wipe any uncouth behavior out. The only thing I can think of saying is. "We'll get to Texarkana soon, then we're heading off to search Oberon's apartment in Dallas right?"
Eric nodded again and leaned back, as if just driving helps him relax. I decided not to disturb his mood.
We had made the unilateral decision to tidy up Oberon's affairs as much as we could so as we're not surprised like we were with him being on parole. It's better to take the bull by the horns sort of scenario. We did decide to get married first, because it made more sense to stop by Texarkana before Dallas. It's the practical thing to do.
We were on East Third St., when Eric zoomed by the city hall.
"Hey! You went right passed it!"
"Well isn't someone eager to be Mrs. Northman!" Eric turned and touched my chin. "I thought you would like to freshen up before we do the deed."
Woops. I did need to change and hopefully doll up a bit. I giggled at my momentary lapse into over zealousness.
Eric laughed with me and we pulled into a driveway a couple blocks away from the city hall.
"What's this?" I asked as we pulled into what looked like someone's very grand and very stately home.
"It's a bed and breakfast. I found it on the Internet. It felt more appropriate than what the hotels had to offer here."
"It's awful fussy for a stopover." I frowned. I know Eric is used to a certain amount of luxury, but I'm really not used to some of the excessiveness.
Eric took my hand, kissed the top of head and led me to the door. The B&B was pretty as a picture, with tall two story Corinthian columns holding up the exterior verandah, I felt like I was walking back in time onto a wealthy plantation.
We were greeted by a rotund and friendly couple who owned the B&B called Fred and Ginger. I kid you not. They were quite jovial about their pairing and even told us a short version of how they met at a church dance and knew they were meant for each other before they knew each other's names. They reminded me of a children's picture book I saw that depicted the lives of Santa and Mrs. Claus the rest of the year when it wasn't Christmas.
Fred took our bags and led me up the stairs to our room while Eric said he'll wait for me in the dining room before we head off to city hall. The room just took my breath away. Lush bottle green velvet curtains held up by brass curtain rods framed the large windows overlooking the front yard. The walls and bed spread matched perfectly with the oak canopy bed and an ensuite bathroom that had a clawed bathtub! Everything; the desk, the chairs, including the chaise by window all looked antique. I feel like Scarlett when she's preparing for a party in Tara. I giggled and remembered when I made the same reference to Eric when we were on Russell's compound. It seemed like a lifetime ago when I felt dubious about Eric. As I sat down by the dressing table, I can't help but reflect upon how far we've come and how close I came to losing him.
After applying some light base and natural shades of blush and eye shadow (nothing screams 'ho' more than too much make up with a white dress), I decided to pop my camera in my clutch so we could ask someone to take a picture or the two of us when we're signing the certificate. I bounced down the stairs and Ginger told me Eric was waiting for me. I thanked her and headed straight towards the dining area.
It was dark and quiet and no-one was there, which made sense since the area was only used for breakfast. But where was Eric? I looked past the French doors and saw him standing there next to Fred in his summer suit. He was wearing an off white lavender tie with pansy purple stripes that I picked out and he had a pale pink carnation with purple stripes on his lapel. Eric had always paid attention to details.
What surprised me when I stepped over the threshold was the man who greeted me with the friendliest smile. Dressed in a black robe and a white stole, there's no mistaking that he's a pastor. "How did you-" I started and stopped myself. Eric wasn't a vampire anymore and leaders of any religion wouldn't have a problem marrying us now. Ginger handed me a bouquet of flowers from behind as I took another step towards Eric.
The afternoon sun shone its golden rays into the small garden with the effect that could've been one of Monet's paintings. Full in its summer bloom, I'm surrounded by the scent of roses and the pale violet and whites of alyssums with splashes of pink from the dianthus. I spotted some yellow columbines in the bushes and some other plants as well, but I'm paying them too much attention. The most wonderful thing is right in front of me.
I must've been grinning like an idiot as I paced towards the small clematis covered canopy and Fred was clicking away with his camera.
I was on cloud nine as the pastor recited the ceremony, but when he said "Oberon Matthews wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony?" I was taken aback.
I'm marrying a stranger.
There's no denying it. This being standing in front of me is not the vampire I love. He's not a vampire. Oberon looks like Eric but his body is different. Everything about him physically is different. If I changed the engine, the tires and rims and the whole interior of my Impala, is it still an Impala?
My downward spiral into a dark philosophical dilemma was interrupted when Eric took my hands into his, catching my attention with the intense azure of his gaze and said "I, take thee, Sookie Jane Stackhouse, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for the rest of my existence."
My heart skipped a beat. Yes, for the rest of our existence, because Eric had proven, that even death couldn't keep us apart. I looked up at his face as the well of emotion from my heart tickled my sinuses with the overwhelming heat of the love I felt for him. Eric's eyes softened as he suddenly pulled me into an embrace and his lips were on mine. And… it was as simple as that. All questions answered, all fears put to rest, all doubts removed. What I felt was not merely passion, but a tenderness and a love so strong that my body hummed with satisfaction of being complete at last. Something so pure and intense should be toxic, except nothing bad could happen as long as I'm with Eric. As long as we're together. This is where I belong.
We were interrupted by the pastor clearing his throat. I giggled as I pushed Eric away. His smiled brightly and apologized for jumping the gun. The rest of the vows were said without a hitch, even when I did have to call him Oberon.
Fred and Ginger left us alone after they witnessed our marriage certificate and was sweet enough to bake us a heart shaped cake with pink icing. It was so thoughtful. We appreciated it so much that we took it to our room. Taking the time to eat it off each other.