Time frame: Years after "From Dead to Worse"
This is a companion piece following "Family", "Bowling for Vampires" and "Leather Underwear" Please read the end of Family or you will be extremely confused.
Disclaimer: I don't have any claim on any characters in the Sookie Universe. Please don't sue me. The other characters are my own creation and just wanted to play with them for a while.
A/N: Okay, I'm stepping back from the romance right now, don't kill me. I just know if I continued with this you would have 10 chapters of dating and Ally would be nowhere near making a decision. Plus the possibility of her having sex with both men over the course of this bothered me.
There will be more tender moments coming, I assure you. Just not right now. So here we go.
Brief profanity and implied sexual assault in this chapter.
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Chapter 14
"You know what must be done?" he asks.
"Yes I do."
"Then go."
He leans back in his chair and looks up at the ceiling. He has his own motivations for this. Allison McCallen is a huge asset. If things continue on their present course she could be lost to them. Then again she may make the choice that he'd hoped she would. The choice that will keep her with them. He could not afford to leave things to chance. Everything must play out according to his design or all would be lost.
He is not without sentiment though. A part of him realizes that he would truly miss her company. She was strong and wise beyond her years, yet so very endearing. He felt almost parental towards her. When he found out about her being violated he wanted to punish the human. He would have made that pathetic creature wish for death by the time he finished. He knew how to inflict pain and has used his skills well in the past to achieve his goals. But Ally was Bill's woman. He had first claim to vengeance. He was young and impulsive though and killed him too quickly. Sigh. These things are all a part of youth. He will grow out of it soon enough. He had to.
She was a mystery. He knew she had come from a different time stream. The fact that she retained any recollection of the previous reality meant that she was very powerful indeed. What other abilities does she possess?
No matter. All would be revealed in due course.
Getting out of his chair, the Viking walked out of his office.
The wheels have been set into motion.
Ally must not choose Cole.
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Clancy paced back and forth behind the bar. Ally was coming to work tonight. He wanted to offer his support but what could he say to her? He hadn't a clue. Should he just say he was sorry for her ordeal? He had no one to ask for advice on the subject. Maybe he'll ask Pam. She is her friend. She might know what's appropriate.
He cursed himself for not being there. Since the performance, he always made sure to check on her every evening before heading home. That evening, he knew that she wasn't going to be alone so he figured she'd be safe. He was wrong.
He paused before knocking on the office door. Maybe he shouldn't talk to Pam. She'd be sure to tell Master Eric. He had a feeling Master Eric would not understand his relationship with Ally. He did not wish to bed her, nor did he wish to feed off of her. What was she to him?
Simple. She was the person he could talk to without judgment. He felt good around her. He felt happy. He felt worthwhile. She was kind to him and made him laugh. The only word that he could think of when he thought about Ally was "friend".
Yes, she was his friend. His only friend.
And he had failed her.
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He'd been watching the blond telepath for the past four weeks now. Each time he stepped into that house of death, Fangtasia, he would test his conditioning by narrowing his proximity to her. Last night he was even bold enough to brush up against her and she read nothing. Perfect.
Pity though, that she would waste that body on a piece of dead flesh. He certainly wouldn't mind showing her what a real man felt like between her legs. She had a huge rack too. He would love to suck on those for a while. He was getting hard just thinking about it. Maybe he'll give her a few good fucks after this was over. She's probably good and kinky. I mean if you're doing a vampire, you'd probably do anything.
He smiled as he made his way to the bar.
Tonight the vampires are going to pay for upsetting the Fellowship- and it's going to be fun.
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"Okay, you promised me details. Now spill." said Sookie smiling. Eric had to go to Fangtasia early today so I volunteered to pick her up.
"He looked so handsome, Sookie." I beamed. "We had dinner at Amante's and took a moon-lit stroll by the river." I sighed dreamily. "It was perfect."
"Well, did he kiss you?"
"Sookie!"
"Well did he or didn't he?"
"I'm not going to talk about that with you. He's your ex-lover for Pete's sake!"
She narrowed her eyes at me. "Hmmm. Oh yeah. He kissed you alright. He kissed you but good."
I rolled my eyes at her trying to suppress the grin that was forming.
"Are we done now?"
"You're blushing."
"Oh brother."
When I got to the bar, Clancy met me at the entrance and walked me to the office. They had renovated the storage room so that I could have my own private space to work. It was actually pretty nice. I painted the walls a buttery yellow color, added a couple leather back chairs, a heavy pine desk and some plants to make it more cozy. Once the smell of cleaning products dissipated it was my home away from home.
Clancy was still standing there at the doorway when I put down my purse.
"Is everything okay, Clancy?" I asked taking his hands in mine.
"I am...sorry for what happened to you." he said slowly.
I took in a breath. For a while there I had forgotten. Now the memories flooded back in along with the pain.
"Thank you Clancy." was all I could say. I could feel the tears start to build.
"You are sad."
"Yes, but I'll be okay."
"What can I do to help?"
"Maybe a hug would be nice."
No sooner did the words leave my lips, was I surrounded in a comforting embrace. He held me not speaking as I let the tears flow all over his shirt.
"Ally, when you get a chance, Eric needs this week's security report printed out..." Pam said as she popped her head in.
Clancy let me go gently and handed me a handkerchief from his back pocket. He gave me a quick nod and I soft smile. When he walked out he paused long enough to give Pam an irritated look.
She raised an eyebrow at me. "What was that all about?"
"Oh Pam. He was just being nice." I sniffed dabbing my face with the hanky. I looked at the embroidered material. It looked pristine but seemed very old. Clancy, huh. Who knew?
"Interesting. Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine. Bad memories just won't stay buried I guess." I gave myself a good mental shake and sat down at my desk. Pam stared at me for a moment. Without another word she walked around, gave me kiss on top of my head and left.
I busied myself for the next couple of hours working on the website and printing reports.
By the time I looked up it was already 9 o'clock. I walked out to the bar to chat with Sookie. She was sitting next to Eric, but when she saw me, she got up and took a seat next to me on one of the stools. There was this guy who was watching her that gave me the creeps. But Eric paid him no mind and Eric notices everything. I looked away.
"Sookie, what's the deal with that guy along the far wall?" I leaned over like I was looking at something on my shoe.
"What guy?"
"Around 5'10", stocky, blue pin striped shirt, standing next to a tall blond guy with a tattoo on his neck."
She closed her eyes and concentrated. "I don't hear anything."
"Well that's good."
"No, Ally. His mind is muffled like he's blocking me somehow. This isn't good." she glanced at Eric and he casually but swiftly came to her side.
"What is it Sookie?"
"Third guy from the left against the back wall, Eric. Something's wrong." He nodded.
I turned around to see Cole and Bill walking in. I walked towards them and gave them both a hug. "There's trouble." I whispered. They both snapped to attention and looked around.
"Cole, Sookie can't get a bead on this guy. He's been trained to block out thoughts. Do you mind trying?"
"Of course, Ally. Point him out to me." I looked at Bill and he gave me a slight nod in understanding.
Cole pulled me onto the dance floor and held me close. I described the guy to him and we docked ourselves around ten feet away. I pretended to laugh at a joke while I gripped his hand to strengthen him. I noticed Bill was now standing next to Eric and they were looking at each other in silent communication.
Cole stiffened. "Oh god, Ally. They've got stakes stashed all around the bar. It's going to be a massacre."
"How many?"
"Twenty of them are scattered all around us."
"Shit. When?"
His eyes darted back and forth then looked down at me. "Now."
"Vampires- Watch out!" I screamed as one of the guys lunged at me. I threw him against the wall with my mind as one of the vamps pounced on him. We were surrounded by screaming and hissing as all hell broke loose.
Cole and I looked at each other and nodded. He homed in on the next guy and I grabbed a bottle and smacked him as hard as I could over the head with it. Pam was holding her own in the corner and Eric and Bill were on either side of Sookie who kicked one of the assailants in the groin.
Cole punched another guy in the jaw and took off to help Pam. That's when I saw them.
Two men were crouched behind separate tables that had been flipped to the side as a short of shield. They had pistol crossbows and they were aiming both of them at Eric. Before, I could utter a sound they shot. To my relief, Eric swiftly blocked one but as he turned around, he gasped.
There was a hush as the great Viking vampire, Eric Northman, dropped to ground.
It was a wooden arrow.
...And it had pierced his heart.
TBC: Hold off on the torches until you read the next chapter. Okay?