PART FOUR

What about Murray?

.

Sookie gasped audibly. Standing in front of her was an ethereal man; a fairy. He wasn't as tall as Preston, but he was still taller than her. Sookie had never seen him before. Claude's words to her only a day or so earlier echoed in the back of her mind. Inside her chest, her heart pulsated at an alarming rate.

"Well, well," cockily sneered the fairy in front of her, his pale blue eyes fixed solidly on Sookie. Her eyes darted behind the fairy, quickly looking for an escape route.

"What do you want?" Sookie's voice trembled. Whoever the fairy was, her touch piece was screaming to her danger, danger. "If you're here for Preston, he's inside. I can go get him," she rambled on.

"I don't think so," the fairy snickered taking a step closer to Sookie, "He's still in Faery."

"You're wrong." Sookie took a step back.

"I'm going to enjoy making you shriek." A menacing smile spread across his unearthly face, revealing perfectly sharp white teeth. He reached for Sookie. "No!" she screamed. Panic slammed into her consciousness. Terror raged through her veins. Sookie flailed her arms wildly.

All it took was one uncoordinated step; she fell.

Air rushed out of her lungs as she hit the ground, landing half inside the shed and half outside it. "Get away from me," Sookie cried out, wildly kicking her legs to dissuade him from grabbing hold of her. He took several steps back to avoid her kicks. Twisting, she looked to gain some leverage to rush to her feet. She was too slow.

In a flash the fairy crushed her body under his weight.

"Get off," she chocked. The force of Sookie's unsuccessful scream scarped the back of her throat. With dust on her lips, Sookie kicked her legs violently.

"Oh," the fairy moaned. "I'm really going to enjoy this." He pressed his hips into the soft mounds of Sookie's scantily clad bottom.

"No," she shrieked. "Preston!" she screamed; her voice hoarse. Sookie was confident that he would come. She just needed to buy herself some time.

Cruel fingers clamped around her thighs, bruising them. With more force than was necessary he forcefully jerked Sookie's thighs apart, forcing her bottom to come up at just the right angle.

Desperately she clawed for something to use as a weapon; anything to buy her a few seconds for Preston to get to her. For once, her self-preservation had reared its powerful head. The horror that had clouded her mind, cleared. It took only a second. Instantly Sookie's eyes caught the sight of a crate under the work table. Blindly, her hand reached into the crate. The raw wood snagged at the ribbon wrapped around her wrist. Her fingers found something cool with weight.

Suddenly sharp teeth buried themselves into her bare shoulder.

A high pitched piercing scream filled Sookie's property. It was a sound that created no known word. It was a primal sound. A shrill cry that alerted any who were near of danger.

Preston jolted to his feet.

His chest heaved; his heart pumping, shooting adrenalin like rocket fuel through his veins.

Still screaming, instinctively Sookie's hand jerked up out of the crate; continued its movement above her head, striking the fairy on the top of his head with a horseshoe.

A sharp painful screech rushed out from the fairies lungs.

One moment he was on top of Sookie forcing himself on her. The next, he was pulling away from her. "You human bitch," snarled the fairy, his hands clutching hesitantly the sides of his head.

Like a small animal, free from the fairy's weight, Sookie scratched at the hardened ground for any friction; moving on her own strength; dirt digging into her knees. She was on her feet. And without hesitation Sookie darted past the fairy.

Her desperate attempt to escape failed.

The fairy reached out with one hand, gripping Sookie's ankle. Before she could register what happened, she was face down on the ground again. Contorting her body, Sookie twisted herself and kicked at the fairy's hand; struggling to break free.

With her back against the house, she couldn't see the porch screen fly open.

A streak flashed across the lawn.

Preston suddenly appeared over the fairy. With one hand clamped around the fairy's throat, his other fist landed blow after wild blow. Flesh and bone battling echoed in the space around them.

Wide eyed, Sookie's gaze froze on Preston.

Despite the fairy underneath Preston's grip going limp, he didn't stop. Sookie watched him land one punch after another. Each second felt like an eternity. Exhausted, Preston straightened, taking a few unsteady steps back. The fairy in his hand dropped like a wet noodle onto the grass.

From her position on the ground, Sookie's gaze trailed over Preston's body. His bare chest twitched from exertion. Every muscle in Preston's body, from his abdomen to his chest and neck, shoulders and down into his forearms glistened under the late morning sun. The knuckles of his hitting hand were torn and bleeding.

"Preston?" Sookie's expression was tense with concern for him. Preston's gaze found her. She was bleeding. Immediately he reached for Sookie, scooping her up into his arms; her own wrapping around his neck. "My thingamabob," she whispered. In her struggle with the fairy, she'd lost her makeshift bracelet.

"What?" Preston continued walking toward the house unsure if there were more fairies or not.

"Nothing."

"You're bleeding."

"You are too," she pointed out. Looking over Preston's shoulder, she saw the fairy unconscious on her lawn. "What are you going to do with him?"

"He won't be waking up any time too soon," he assured her, taking the steps up the back porch. The screen door barely dangled on one last stubborn screw. "I'll fix your door."

"It's okay," Sookie breathed into his neck. A screen door was the least of her worries. They had an unconscious fairy in her yard. One who just tried to rape and kill her.

Stepping into the kitchen, Preston sat Sookie on the counter next to the sink where he could take a better look at her injury. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked inspecting the bite. "Fuckin' fairy," he growled. "Here," he handed Sookie a dish towel. With another towel he held it against her back just beneath her shoulder.

"Ouch," Sookie squeaked.

"Sorry," Preston's face tensed. With the faucet nozzle, Preston flushed Sookie's wound. Sitting it back in place, he wadded up clean paper towels and pressed them onto her wound. "Hold this firmly," he instructed her.

"It stings." Preston nodded. Moving away from Sookie, he began rummaging through the cabinets, pulling out ordinary looking kitchen ingredients and tools. He moved fast, but just slow enough for Sookie to make out his movements.

"Where are you going?" her voice was on the verge of panic as Preston went to leave.

"To the flower garden," he answered Sookie. Outside, his eyes quickly scanned Sookie's flower bed searching for something that resembled a weed. Within seconds he found what he was looking for.

The moment he stepped through the doorway, Sookie's gaze followed him, noting the weed in his hand. Attentively she watched him wash it. Never leaving her spot on the counter she was mesmerized by what he was doing. In several minutes he had created a paste. "What is that for?" Sookie nervously asked as Preston applied it to her wound.

"It's a paste of hydrastis canadensis." She had no idea what that was.

"What's it for?" she asked.

"It'll help fight off any infection."

"Oh," Sookie breathed.

"Do you have a first aid kit?"

"In the hall closet," she answered. With fairy speed Preston disappeared and reappeared in less than two breaths. Carefully, he covered the paste with one of the large gauze pads and taped it securely in place.

"How do you feel?" his eyes locked onto Sookie's gaze.

"Ok," she smiled. The adrenalin had subsided leaving her feeling a bit shaky and weak, but overall she was strangely calm. She wasn't sure if it was because she'd experienced a lot worse hanging out with vampires. Regardless, she was sure it had something to do with her having Preston with her. Even though she was shaken a bit, she felt more secure than ever; even with a crazy fairy knocked out on her lawn.

Preston kissed her gently on her forehead. "I got to you as soon as I could," he explained. "I know," whispered Sookie. "I knew you would come." Preston reached for the cup of tea that had been steeping while he darted around the kitchen and handed it to Sookie. "Drink this," he instructed her. With a raised brow she took the cup. It was one of Amelia's non-brand teas he'd pulled out. Under any other circumstances she would have never taken it, but Sookie was confident that Preston wouldn't be giving her anything that would make her grow or loose body parts.

"You'll need to drink this three times a day," he explained.

"I won't start growing hair in strange places?" Sookie drank the tea in several huge gulps. Herbal Witch teas were not her thing.

"It'll help you heal," Preston smiled. "Were there others besides the one?" Sookie followed Preston's gaze. Through the kitchen window, she saw her attacker. The fairy was still out cold.

"No," she shook her head.

"Your touch piece?" Preston asked glancing around the kitchen.

"My what?"

"Touch piece," he said still looking around. "I made it for you."

"Oh, my thingamabob," her eyes lit with understanding. "I lost it when I was trying to fight him off." She could see clearly from Preston's expression he wasn't too happy; not with the fact that she lost it, but how she had lost it. "I think it's in the shed."

"What did it tell you?"

"Tell me?" Sookie paused to concentrate on his meaning. "Danger," she remembered thinking that word several moments before the fairy appeared out of thin air.

"Did it tell you how many of them there were?"

"N…" she had to pause. When he had just asked before if there were more, she was confident in her answer. It was like she knew, but how? Was it her touch piece that had told her? "He was the only one."

"Good," breathed Preston. "I need you to help me." Sookie nodded. With his hands on her waist, he helped Sookie to her feet. Her breath fluttered inside her chest. Despite almost being killed, her body thankful to be alive was still responsive to having Preston, barely dressed, being so close.

"Later." Preston nuzzled the side of her neck where she was most sensitive. "I promise."

"O...k," Sookie was breathless.

"Why are you wearing only underwear?" he asked admiring all her skin fully knowing it wasn't underwear. Sookie giggled. Despite her struggle with the fairy, her suit was still intact.

"I was going to sunbath when that fairy showed up," she explained taking Preston's hand as he led her out of the house.

"And you didn't wake me up to watch?" he mockingly shook his head in disbelief.

"What are we going to do?" she asked nervously as they approached the unconscious and bleeding fairy.

"Iron," said Preston, his eyes darting to the iron burn on the fairy's head. "Can you show me?" Sookie's expression was searching for what he meant.

"You mean the horseshoe?"

"Is it iron?" asked Preston. Sookie took a second.

"Yeah," she answered nodding.

"Show me the horseshoe." Keeping herself as far away from the unconscious fairy on the ground, she went into the shed and came out with one horseshoe in each hand.

"I hit him with one of these," she held them up. Preston reached out for one. "No," Sookie pulled her hands behind her.

"It's ok," he assured her. "I have my gloves on." Sookie hesitated, knowing that when they were at his home, he didn't wear them. With everything that had happened, she couldn't remember if he had his gloves on or not. She generally could tell by the texture of the gloves whether he was wearing them or not.

"Sookie." His voice confident. "It's ok, really."

"Are you sure?"

"Look." Carefully, he lifted the edge of one of his gloves. Satisfied, Sookie nodded and handed him a horseshoe. Gingerly, Preston took it, studying it. After a few quick seconds he glanced up. "Do you have a hammer?"

"Yeah," Sookie stepped back into the shed. Moments later she stepped out with a sledge hammer. "Will this work?"

"Perfect," said Preston. "I'll need two more horseshoes," he told Sookie. As she entered the shed again, Preston made his way to the unconscious fairy. He recognized him as Murray, Breandan's lieutenant.

Bending over to retrieve a few more horseshoes, Sookie found her touch piece. With a smile, she picked it up with her free hand.

Kneeling next to Murray, Preston took the horseshoes, positioning the arch above Murray's wrists, and with the sledge hammer, he drove the ends of the horseshoe into the ground. It took only a few minutes to get the job done. Confident that the fairy wouldn't be going anywhere, Preston and Sookie went back inside.

She followed Preston into her bedroom. He made a beeline to her dresser where his cell phone was sitting, and took a seat in the chair she kept next to it. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she watched him as he began to speak in his foreign language. Sookie had no idea what he was saying, but it sounded exotic. That was when she noticed his torn knuckles. Standing, she went to her bathroom to retrieve a wet wash cloth.

Preston was speaking to Reece, Niall's assistant letting him know what had happened.

"And she is not injured?" asked Reece.

"He bit her, but she will heal."

"I'll let Niall know immediately," said Reece. "Does Murray live?"

"Yes," Preston replied, still continuing in their native language.

"Very good," Reece smiled. "Niall will want to question him. Keep the young Miss inside. I think she has seen enough for one day. I'll send a team to retrieve him."

"I want to be there for the interrogation," said Preston.

"Have you found Dermott?"

"Let me worry about that."

"Very well." With those last words, Reece ended the connection. Preston closed his phone and sat it down on the dresser next to where he was sitting. His eyes quickly found Sookie as she came toward him with a wet cloth. He was so in love with her that it practically hurt for him to breathe.

Kneeling in front of him, Sookie took his hand and gently dabbed at the cuts. It was pointless since his body was probably already starting to heal, but it made her feel better, so she kept at it.

"I'm ok," he breathed. Exhaustion weighed heavily on his shoulders. He had only precious hours left with Sookie before he would have to leave. The reality that tonight would possibly be the last time he would ever see her loomed at the edges of his consciousness.

As he watched her, so beautiful and so giving, his greatest fear threatened to break him. He had never fooled himself. He knew if he hadn't walked into Merlotte's that day, she would have never asked about him, much less seek him out. And knowing this terrified him.

Would Sookie, even after the time they had shared, come to him on her own accord?

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