Chapter 3
Tara POV
Tara watched as the doctor spoke to Jason in the hall, her heart aching as she saw the playful inner light that had always seemed to animate him slowly disappear. Afterward, he made his way to Sookie's bed looking defeated, and pulled the chair he'd abandoned before even closer to her side. He stared down into his sister's unconscious face.
"I'm right here Sook, and I'll stay right here 'til the end. I won't let you die alone like Momma and Daddy and Gran did. I swear I'll be right here holding your hand, we'll face whatever comes together okay? Tara had loved Jason for as long as she could remember, he'd always been so strong and protective, but she had never loved him like she did at those words. He really was a good man, even if he sometimes got mixed up, and did stupid things. Tara wondered how Jason would go on without any family left. Sookie, Jason, and Gran had pulled together after all the loss they had experienced into the most loving and connected family she'd ever seen, and it was so unfair that death had decided to break even that apart as well. Jason had gone quiet, his face scrunched up like he was attempting to do complicated math equations, and Tara's mouth twitched into a whisper of a smile.
"Something bugging you Jason?" She asked wondering what he could be thinking about so hard.
"You said you kicked that bastard vamp out into the sun? You think that asshole's dead then?" Tara had been asking herself the same thing ever since it happened.
"I don't know, it was so weird he wasn't even smokin' or nothing. I'd always thought it'd be like whoosh, an inferno." She rubbed her hand on the back of her neck. "But there wasn't anything else around for miles, no shelter, so I mean even though we didn't get to see it, he had to of burned up right?"
"Wrong." Said a voice from the doorway. Everyone turned to see who was intruding in on their conversation. An older man stood framed in the doorway, with the craziest white hair Tara had ever seen. It stuck up every which way in a half electrocuted, half wind blown style. His clothes were equally just as odd, as he was currently garbed in a gray pinstripe three piece suit, that looked like it came straight out of the early 1900's. A matching pocket watch and an old fashioned silver handled walking stick gripped in his left hand, completed the eccentric ensemble. Tara didn't know who this crazy man was, but she wanted to know what right he thought he had in interrupting such a private time. Tara, who had never been known for her tactfulness, burst from where she was seated geared up and ready to light into his inconsiderate ass.
"Just who the hell do you think you are coming in here like this? Can't you see that this is not the time for your fuckin' crazy." Tara was in her zone, with all the anger and hurt she'd been feeling fueling her, she was just reaching her stride. She took a breath preparing to continue when his hand lifted, and she could a see ball of the purest white light hovering in his palm. She stumbled back a few steps in shock. "What the. . ."
"You, little human, should watch who you speak to that way. You have no idea who or more importantly what I am." Tara's head darted around the room her eyes racing to meet each of her friend's, to see if they had any idea what was happening. Everyone seemed to be just as astonished as she was however, so she turned her eyes back focusing on the pulsing orb. The strange man/thing tilted his head considering, bouncing the light up and catching it in his palm like, it was indeed, an actual ball. "However, as it seems you were only attempting to protect the sanctity of my granddaughter's sick room. . ." His sentence trailed off, and he extinguished the light, pulling it back from where ever it had came. "I suppose I will allow the insult to pass. But know if you ever speak to me in such a manner again, I will not be so forgiving." Jason remained where he was stationed next to his sister, but had angled his body in front of hers keeping himself between her and the odd man.
"Umm excuse me Mr. . ."
"Niall" He supplied seemingly amused.
"Mr. Niall,"
"No, not Mr. Niall, Niall is my given name." Jason's face again scrunched up, this was all just too much for his limited thinking. Tara bristled as the man/thing chuckled. She reined herself in however, adjusting her words and tone before explaining.
"He means his first name Jason." Jason's eyes lit with understanding.
"Why didn't he just say that then? Anyways Niall, my names Jason, Jason Stackhouse, and this here's my sister Sookie. And uh. . . I don't mean no disrespect or nothin' but our Granddaddy's name was Earl. So maybe, and again I mean no disrespect, but maybe you've got us mixed up with someone else." The odd man started laughing outright at Jason's polite rambling.
"I assure you, I am not confused. I can smell my blood in you both, and how did you word it?" He snickered. "Ah yes, your Granddaddy Earl, was my son." Jason looked a little green, his disgust evident as he said.
"You mean to say my great gran and you? She cheated on my great granddaddy?"
"Lucky, for you she did. Otherwise, you would not be here. The man you believed to be your great grandfather contracted some human disease as a child, which had left him unable to have children." Tara watched as the wheels turned in Jason's mind, and she cruelly shot Lafayette a knowing smile. He rallied though, thank the Lord, he sure was firing on all cylinders today.
"So you're our great granddaddy. Hey! Is that why Sookie's so. . . um different?" Niall looked a bit annoyed by this.
"Your sister is the very embodiment of our kind, but I suppose to a human" he said as though the word left a bad taste in his mouth "she might seem that way. Your sister's spark is very strong, she's been showing her true nature for some time now, even though she still has a small while until she fully matures."
"I'm sorry to interrupt" Tara said contritely "but you said your kind, what uh. . . what is that exactly?" Niall looked her over appraisingly. She must have passed his test because he finally answered.
"We are fae." As though no other explanation should be needed.
"You mean like fairies?" Tara asked, trying to wrap her mind around it.
"Hell no I ain't no fairy!" Jason shouted from his post in front of Sookie. Tara sighed, before glancing at Lafayette, exasperated at Jason's narrow-mindedness.
"Jason he doesn't mean you're. . ." Niall cut her off with a dismissive wave of his hand at her.
"He's right he does not have the spark, he has a few of our abilities, but he would not be considered a fairy."
"Damn right!" Jason grumbled stupidly. Tara rubbed her forehead tiredly. I can definitely see the family resemblance. She thought ruefully.
"That's all wonderful, really, but why is it that you're just showing up now? Sookie's lyin' there dyin', and now's the time you just happen to pop up?" Lafayette said finally stepping into the conversation. Tara felt like shrinking back at Niall's withering glare, but Lafayette squared his shoulders, and returned it with one of his own.
"Do not question my devotion to my blood. I have stayed in the shadows of their life to keep them hidden, and thereby safe from my enemies."
"So Sookie's in danger from them too? Fuck!" Jason swore ripping at his hair in agitation. "How the fuck am I supposed to keep her safe from fuckin' vamps and fairies, huh?"
"My enemies are still unaware of your and Sookie's existence. Unfortunately, I was a little remiss in anticipating the draw Sookie would have to vampires. I was only made aware that there was an issue a short while ago, when a vampire got into our realm, and slaughtered one of my tribe. I immediately made my way to my fallen kin, but it was to late. She perished and has gone to the Summerlands." Tara was surprised to hear the genuine grief in his voice as he talked.
"Bill?" She prodded gently, feeling more empathy for Niall than she would have believed possible. He jerked his head once affirmatively.
"I believe so. As I said earlier I can sense my blood, the monster that killed Claudette, had, had a dangerous amount of Sookie's. That is how he was permitted into Faery. If this Bill is the one that nearly drained my granddaughter, then they are one and the same."
"Did ya kill him?" Jason asked angrily.
"Sadly I wasn't able. I pursued him, but he disappeared back to this realm. After the threat to my kind was gone, I followed the link in our blood to find Sookie. I had not felt her pass, but I knew she was fading. I will track him down and take vengeance, but saving Sookie was of more immediate importance."
"You can heal her?" Tara couldn't tamp down the hope exploding through her, and a few stray tears of relief formed in her eyes.
"I can. You love my granddaughter truly, it fills me with joy that she has such a good friend." Niall placed his hand on her shoulder, and gave her a happy smile. Tara knew that this man was not one to carelessly toss around such sentiments, and she felt pride in being the recipient of such a compliment. Niall crossed the room with a regal sort of grace, and stopped in front of Jason. "You must allow me access to her my son." Jason held his ground, but after a moment or two of silent debate he moved only enough for Niall to squeeze in beside him, as Jason refused to let go of his sister's hand. Niall looked at him questioningly at this, but Jason held firm.
"I promised to not let go no matter what."
"It is possible that you are more fae than I thought." Niall stated proudly, before he turned his attention to Sookie. His face was all seriousness, his eyes scrutinizing thoroughly. "This vampire, Bill, has he given Sookie a large quantity of his blood?" Jason shrugged his shoulders.
"I know he gave her some to heal her after she was attacked by Rene'. Tara?"
"From what she's told me that was just one of many. Shit Jason, he gave her his blood the night after they met, and I can think of one or two other times she told me about as well." Tara answered feeling like she was breaking her friends confidence.
"He was getting her under his sway, she's been acting very unlike herself lately?" Lafayette who'd moved to the other side of the bed spoke up.
"Like night and day."
"What do you mean sway? Cause I know Sookie can't be glamored by them." Tara asked while moving up to the other side of the bed with Lafayette.
"As fae we are immune to their glamor, but if they get enough of their blood into our bodies we become a kind of willing slave to them. They can control our emotions almost entirely, imagine as a vampire, having a never ending supply of the sweetest blood you've ever tasted that's only too happy to share it. This doesn't happen often however, firstly because we have moved ourselves away from this realm, but also because, not many vampires have the control to stop themselves from draining the fae."
"So you're saying that even if you do heal her she'll just go runnin' back to Bill." Tara was horrified. It would all be for nothing, and she'd still wind up with her friend dead.
"Not at all, as I said it is rare, but not unheard of. We have a way of reversing this, in fact he's already done the most difficult part for me." Niall moved his finger tips up to Sookie's temples. He gathered his light around himself until he was lit up like a beacon. Slowly and steadily it began to stream into Sookie's body. The entire room remained still, fascinated at the sight before their eyes. They waited with baited breath as Sookie's body started to glow just as brightly. Niall kept up the constant stream of light for quite awhile before he allowed the flow to gently tapper off. They all watched Sookie with rapt attention, waiting to see if she would awake. Niall on the other hand was patting at his pockets, and inspecting the room. Obviously not finding whatever it was he was looking for he glanced down at the I.V. dangling from Sookie's arm. "What is this? What does it do?"
"It puts the medicine that's in that bag into Sookie's blood." Tara replied, while gesturing to the fluid bag attached to the I.V. pole, unsure whether she was feeling more disappointed or confused.
"I suppose this will have to do then. He took one end of his walking stick in each hand and pulled it apart deftly, the end coming away to reveal a deadly looking silver dagger. He pulled the tube from the fluid bag holding it up momentarily, before slicing into his wrist with the dagger and inserting the tube into the wound. This time all eyes were on the tube as they watched the clear fluid replaced with Niall's dark red blood. This time the response from Sookie was obvious, as the blood fully reached the other side and began to flow into her body, her entire form jerked violently on the bed.