Title: the blood of Eve

Pairing: Caroline/Eric; One-sided Caroline/Bill; Pam/Tara

Rating: M

Warnings: Language, violence, and sexual situations

Author's note: Sorry it has taken so long to update. I would have updated last weekend but I've had an unbelievably heavy work load. Hope you enjoy! Sorry for any oocness.

Holy water cannot help you now

See I've had to burn your kingdom down

And no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out

I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out

Seven Devils, Florence and the Machine

II

His nostrils flared as a strange scent suddenly filled the air. He cocked his head to the side, listening intently as two people—a man and a woman—approached the Stackhouse property. If it weren't for the overwhelming aroma, a mixture of sweet lavender, lilies and…sunlight…he would have answered the door himself, instead of allowing Sookie to do it. The smell wasn't particularly fairy. No, it was something else entirely, he concluded as the blond assented to the Sheriff's request. The sweet tang was almost human, but—there was a peculiarity about it that drew him out of the room that had been his when he'd lost him memory temporarily.

He followed the fragrance, eyes narrowing on the petite frame of a woman he'd never had the pleasure of bedding before this meeting. His eyes trailed over her form as she peered down at the contents of Sookie's coffee table.

"Who are you?" He asked smoothly, altering her to his presence. Her head turned, soft blue orbs widening slightly as she took him in. Eric studied her intently, noting the incredible similarities she stared with the Stackhouse—blond hair, lushes curves that he wouldn't mind—he blinked as she extended a hand out for him in greeting.

"Caroline Forbes." Even her voice held a certain southern twang that was innocently alluring. His gaze fell to her hand for a moment before returning his attention to her angelic face. She wasn't a fairy, but she wasn't completely human. And there was no way she could have gotten into the house without an invitation. He'd been listening—Sookie hadn't granted one. So what was she? Her hand fell to her side, eyes falling to her feet at his lack of appliance to decorum.

He noted the sudden change in her heartbeat, the sound drumming erratically in his ears as she looked back up at him. There was a look of utter horror on her face, her eyes staring somewhere off behind him.

"Stop!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. His brows scrunched in confusion at the uproar and he raced forward to catch her as her body swayed, going completely limp in his arms.

"What the hell was that?" Sookie exclaimed, racing back into the living room. Her eyes widened at the sight of the unconscious woman as she moved to hover over his shoulder. A moment later Caroline came to, eyes fluttering open slowly. Eric could not ignore the tingle of warmth that enveloped him as he held the blond in his arms, making him feel almost alive with heat. He stared down into her confused countenance.

"Careful," Sookie cooed behind him in her softest voice. "You fainted."

The man stared down at—Caroline, she had said her name was—wonder what the fuck had just happened. Her lips quivered as she suddenly spoke up breathily.

"He's coming," She stammered, in an almost trance-like state, staring up at him intensely. "The man…the blood…he's coming."

His look of interest fell at her words, brows knotting in surprise. He peered over his shoulder; looking eyes with the woman seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. Whoever this woman was…she knew—or at least seemed to know…about a man that sounded eerily like Bill Compton. A man who'd only days ago devoured the blood of Lilith and been reborn. And if that was true, then how did she know? When he and Sookie had been the only ones there to see…

:}{}{}{}{:

Her eyes followed him as he paced the floor of the living room, uncharacteristically pensive expression on him face. She turned to stare at her house guest, sending the woman an empathetic smile before returning her attention to the man who seemed to be mulling things over. After hearing everything the blond had to tell them about the apparition that had…killed Eric, there was a sudden uneasiness at the remarkable likeness the man she described had to Bill. But—it couldn't be—she couldn't have seen—Sookie shook her head of the idea entirely. Vampires, sure they existed, Weres, no problem, even Witches she could believe. But, a being that could see things like what the woman had described…not a chance in hell.

At least, in her heart, she couldn't accept that truth just quite yet.

And the fact that she couldn't read the blond's mind…well that had sent out red flags the moment she laid eyes on her. Could they even trust her?

Eric paused mid-step, turning to stare down at Caroline, orbs gleaming under the florescent lighting of the room. There was something about the way he looked at her—an unmasked interest, that sent a wave of jealously crashing down on her. She knew that look. It was the one he had given her when they'd fist meet at Fangtasia. A look of heated interest.

"What do you know?" He inquired sharply, standing over her. He leaned down until they were nose to nose and he had the woman pressing further into the comfort of a worn sofa.

"I already told you," She bit back, lips quivering with each word at his suddenly close proximity. "And have you ever heard of personal space?"

Sookie snorted, recalling how the man had always seemed to hover around her when she was near, enjoying irritating her with his physical being. Well, that was before they'd fucked. Now it seemed he'd been unable to look at her with the light in his eyes that he'd once had. She blamed it on what happened while he was under the watch of the Authority. He'd hardened—more so than before. His eyes spoke o the horrors that had occurred behind those walls, things he did not even wish to speak of.

His gaze narrowed as he starred down at her. They were trying to lull her into telling him the truth, coaxing her with a false sense of security.

Caroline stared back up at him, raising a brow in bemusement. "That glamour shit doesn't work with me, sweetie."

He ran his tongue over his teeth, exposing a set of sharp fangs—a means to terrify her with the possibilities of pain they held. But she'd been scared for far too long, even running away from home to protect the people she loved from the inevitable evil that would come after her. But that evil was not that blond man that stood before her wearing a menacing glare.

It was in his eyes—the windows to the soul, she remembered her mother had called them. A deep sadness and…something else that was a bit harder to identify. She actually felt kind of bad for the man, who so obviously did not know what was to come. Only bits and pieces.

She sighed, running a hand through her blond locks before speaking up. "He—I don't know who he is. I know he was a vampire, but…I don't know what he is now. He was dead…and then he wasn't. To my knowledge vampires don't come back to life after they've…blown up."

"We don't." The man stated firmly, finally taking a step back, nose flaring.

"He keeps appearing, when I least want him to," Caroline added softly, letting her head fall slightly as she stared down at her hands, twiddling her thumbs in her lap. "He says these things that don't make sense."

"What sorts of things?" Sookie inquired, drawing the two's attention away from one another. Caroline shook her head as the memories and dreams came flooding back. So much blood…and death…it was almost too much to bear. But at the same time, there was a glimmer of enjoyment that seemed to peek out from the smallest, darkest part inside of her. And she shuddered at that notion.

"About how he is a god and that everyone will bow before him and fear him," Caroline murmured, not including the part about him waiting for her to come to him. Or the fact that he almost always initiated some form of contact between them in her dreams—some more sexual than others. It was sickening.

Eric's jaw twitched slightly at her admittance and they fell into silence yet again as a thoughtful expression crossed his face. It was a wonder Bill had not yet come for them, or Sookie—for that matter, seeing as how he now saw her as an abomination that needed to be wiped clean off of the face of the earth. But they were leaving tomorrow. It wasn't a coincidence that the woman had shown up on Sookie's doorstep. Or that she'd had a vision right in front of him that depicted what they'd seen only days ago.

There were two possibilities: the first was that Bill had sent her to earn their trust, then kill them in their sleep…or call for him to come do the job. And the second, and it sounded completely ridiculous, was that she was telling the truth. She had seen an apparition of Bill staking him…had been having dreams about the man. But then, he didn't know what that meant exactly and he didn't like being in the dark when it came to things of the numinous variety.

But for some reason, something was telling him to believe her. Trust in her. Some voice in the back of his head that sounded eerily like Godric.

A sigh escaped his lips as their eyes meet. Blue clashing with blue in a heated stare. If it were any other time he would have acted on the sudden impulse he felt to throttle the woman and take her against the nearest wall—her sweet aroma filling the air—but this was business. He had to maintain the safety of Sookie, and his life as well.

Now it seemed Caroline might be of some importance if she was having visions of Compton. Something that may come in handy in the future that could help end their newly risen Billith problem.

"Sookie, we're leaving tonight. Go pack." He said, head snapping in the blond's direction. The woman nodded, sliding out of her seat and sauntering out of the room to do as he said.

Caroline suppressed a shudder as his eyes flickered to her momentarily, assessing something internally before coming to a decision. "You're coming with us."

For a moment, the blond was stunned speechless, uncertain she had heard the man correctly.

"Excuse me?" She got out in an even tone, crossing her arms over her chest.

His mouth contracted into a tight lipped smile. There was something about the way he looked at her that almost made it hard to breath. No one had ever had this effect on her before.

" . .us." He said slowly, as if that had been the issue. She scoffed; scowl etching its way onto her face as he crouched down until they were eyelevel again.

"If you want to live, you'll listen and do as I say." With that he stood to his full height, trotting out of the room with a graceful gait that seemed to be habitual to vampires.

"Fuck you," She exclaimed, knowing full well that he could still hear her. Silence was her only reply.

"This cannot be fuckin' happening." She grumbled, running a hand down her face, realizing the trouble she'd seemed to stumble upon. Fate was none too kind to her. And she knew it would only get worse from here on out. If she managed to survive that long.

:}{}{}{}{:

When Sookie returned from packing she lead the blond into her bedroom, offering her a quick shower before they headed out on the road that night. It was the one good thing that seemed to come out of this night from hell. Caroline accepted graciously, giving the woman a smile before closing the bathroom door behind her and allowing a pool of warm water to wash over her.

Her hand grazed the small cut that marred her temple, one of the only indications of the accident she had been in that night. An accident that almost paralleled the one that had taken Elena's life. Her body quivered at the memory.

She grabbed the loofah Sookie had leant her, lathering it with one of the body washes that littered the woman's shower caddie—it smelt of dandelions. She smiled at the scent, running the sponge down the length of her arms, across her chest and down the flat expanse of her stomach. It was strange how one simple shower could turn her night around—or at least, momentarily. She let out a wistful sigh, the foamy white suds trickling down her body to her feet.

Her mind drifted to the man that was only a few rooms away. There was something about him that was alluring…the soft hue of light that surrounded him being an indication of his true nature. She could not deny—the man was walking sex.

Caroline ran a hand through her mess of blond hair, dipping her head under the spray of water until her damp hair began to fall about her face in thick clusters. This must be what heaven is like, she thought, a halfhearted smile playing at her lips. The steady stream of droplets gently beating across her skin…the heady steam clearing her head…it was all very relaxing.

And like a sudden cloud moving in, ready to rain on her parade, a hand appeared, clutching an end of the shower curtain concealing her and tugging it aside.

The blond gasped at the unexpected gust of cold that chased off the warmth that had once been a comfort to her body.

"What the hell?" She growled out at the man now standing before her, towel in hand. He simply stared back at her with a stoic expression that rivaled Stefan's. His eyes starred pointedly at his face, something few men had been able to do in her naked presence.

"We're leaving in ten minutes." He informed her smoothly, extending the towel out for her, which she quickly did; wrapping it around her frame and sending him a scowl.

Before she could voice a string of profanities that would make Damon—the foulest mouth she ever heard—cringe, the mountain of a man turned gracefully on the heel of his shoe, leaving her to her own devices.

Caroline stepped out of the shower, effectively cutting off the flow of water and wandering into the room designated as Sookie's. It appeared the woman had laid out a change of clothes for her. There were a pair of yellow pastel colored shorts, a delicate looking white v-neck tank top, a floral cardigan that reminded her something she'd worn in high school with its intricate color scheme of pink, white and green, and a pair of cream colored ballet fats.

The blond worked her way into the clothes, body growing stiff—an effect from her accident that night, she grumbled in thought. When she was done she wandered silently out of the room, finding the two blonds that had so graciously decided to take her with them on their little trip in the kitchen talking in hushed voices. When she entered the room they went silent, turning their heads toward her. Sookie offered a gentle smile.

"Well, don't you look much better?" She said kindly, lips curved into a hundred-watt grin. "I pack you some more of my clothes…for the trip."

Caroline nodded, unable to think of anything to say that wouldn't offend someone. Sookie was being so nice and she didn't want to be the bitch that upset the girl simply because the vampire decided they were going to take her with them. As if that made any sense to her at all.

"Thank you." She murmured softly, pushing a loose blond lock behind her ear, not missing the glint that flicker in Eric's eyes as he watched her silently. She could not tell what it was…anger, annoyance, desire…he was a hard man to read.

Caroline turned, ready to retreat out of the room when his voice filled her head.

"They can't protect you! No one can. Not from me…"

A cold finger grazed the base of her neck, earning a shudder in response. She could feel his presence at her back…smell the habitual stench of blood in the air—a scent that had not been there before.

"What do you want?" Her lips quivered as his hand dipped down, fingers digging into the flesh of her hip and pulling her flush against him. She knew he was naked. He always was in her dreams and the instances he appeared to her while she was awake.

She cringed as he ran his tongue down the side of her face, leaving a trail of moist flesh to contend with the sudden breeze surrounding them.

"I want to rip that beating heart out of your pretty little chest." He said in sing-song, fingers drumming over the spot where her heart lay, beating erratically. "I want to bathe in your blood."

His lips brushed across her ear as he added in a low voice, "And I want to torment you till the point of insanity until I have you begging for me to end your miserable life."

Caroline felt herself falling, through darkness and time, unsure of what had happened after. Her eyes popped open as the sound of music filled her ears. She pushed herself up, realizing she was moving—or well, the car she was in was. At the wheel sat Sookie, who was silently crowing to the music, eyes trained straight ahead at the road.

"Oh, good, you're up." The woman exclaimed, peering at her through the rear view mirror. Caroline felt a familiar throbbing at her temple. She nodded in response, noting that Eric was sitting in the passenger side, staring out the window.

"Wher—" Before she could voice her inquisition about where it was they were going the car pulled along the edge of the road, headlights flickering off.

The blond looked between the two, wondering what she had gotten herself into. They sat in silence for a moment, the only sound coming from up ahead. It was another car—this one bigger, reminding her of one of the service vans meant for companies like landscaping or catering. The car came to a stop only a few feet away, headlights flickering once, twice, three times. Eric pushed his door open, moving to open Caroline's too. She peered up at him as she climbed out of the back, confusion evidently etched on her face. She didn't look away from him as Sookie appeared at her side, handing over her packed bag before wandering over to the second car.

Caroline didn't move as the man reached a hand out, readjusting the strap of her moderately sized duffle; didn't flinch as he placed a hand at the small of her back, guiding her over to the others

"Who the fuck is this?" A woman—Pam, Eric had muttered under his breath, asked, annoyance laced in her words as she stared down at the blond.

"Pamela." Was all the man had to say to get her to shut up. A dejected look crossed her face before quickly disappearing.

"Where's Jason?" Sookie inquired, looking from the older blond, to the darker woman, to the brunette who wore a worried expression.

"He went ahead of us with Jess," The darker woman informed her, as it seemed no one else had been readying to relay that information. Sookie nodded.

"She smells…different." The brunette spoke up suddenly, eyeing Caroline with interest. There was a gleam of hunger in her eyes that was unmistakable. "Can I have this one?"

A low growl vibrated from Eric's throat as he narrowed his eyes at the woman. "No, Nora. This one is mine."

His?

The woman—Nora—huffed dejectedly, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting like a child who had not been granted the new toy that they'd wished to play with. And Caroline was that toy. She couldn't tell if Eric's interference was quite a good thing, yet. But if being his meant that she was protected from a vampire wanting to taste her, well then she'd just have to live with it.

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