Chapter Fourteen:
You know what I don't like? Waking up somewhere completely different to where you fell asleep and for Pete's sake this is the second time today that it's happened. The sound of Sookie's faint shouts had woken me once more and I opened my eyes to find myself in a weird room. It was full of kegs, old amplifiers, boxes, the list could go on. I sat up and looked around and finally, I recognised it. Eric's Office. Only… full of more stuff… I arched a brow and stood up, running a hand through my knotted hair.
The door to exit the office opened and I jumped back seeing Eric walk through with a seriously angry Sookie storming in closely behind him. As soon as she saw me she gasped and wrapped her arms tightly around me. I smiled lightly, if but confusedly at first and then remembered why Sookie was so angry and let me tell you something, the fiery blonde was angry enough for the both of us. I pushed her back to arms length and asked if she was okay; she nodded, smiling weakly. This told me I looked like complete shit. The guilt I felt from her confirmed this fact.
I sat on the sofa and ran my hands through my hair whilst Eric explained to Sookie about needing her to go to Dallas to find the Sherriff of that area. Bill was still not happy about it at all and tried to talk her out of it.
I heard Sookie mention something about Five Thousand Dollars and my head shot up in shock. I never knew Sookie to ask something like that. When she mentioned about needing a driveway though, I nodded vigorously.
"She does need one. I hate driving there." I muttered loud enough for her to hear and she smiled at me before turning to Eric.
"Your human is getting cocky." Eric spoke calmly and I just lowered my head and continued to run a hand through my hair again. This wasn't really my conversation to be involved in and my hair looked kinked and wavy in the not deliberate way. Yuck.
The door opening and Lafayette being thrown in had my full attention completely almost automatically. I ran to him and checked him over in worry. This was not the Lafayette I met at the bar. He had hairs curling on his chest, beard and head with a few bite marks, one particularly nasty one just below his collar bone. He looked like total crap! The thing that caught my attention was bloody rag and wrapped tightly around his leg.
"What happened to you?" I gasped and felt Sookie crouch down next to me.
"Hooker, you don't even want to know." he croaked and my hands shot to my mouth feeling his pain and fear. Before I even had a chance to think about healing him, Sookie placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Hayley, not now." she whispered and I nodded, standing up and wrapping an arm around my waist. I took a few steps back and turned away, ignoring all chatter going on behind me. Finally I felt Sookie's hand on my shoulder again and I turned to face her.
"Come over later and we can talk through travel plans if you are still coming." she seemed hesitant in asking, but I nodded with a false smile. She didn't notice it, thank the lord.
"I'm not leaving you alone for a second thanks to last night." I kept my voice steady for her. She smiled and we shared a hug before she turned to leave; not before giving a final glare to Eric. Bill carried Lafayette out and closed the door behind him.
I ran a hand through my hair and turned to face Eric. He was leaning against his desk casually, arms crossed, but I swear there was a look of apprehension in his eyes.
"So the reason I could smell rust, blood and even fear was because you were torturing people in your basement, of your place of work no less!" I was being surprisingly calm. I suppose Sookie gave him enough of a tongue lashing and had enough anger for the both of us. I was honestly just tired and felt stupid by the fact I was surprised at this. Poor Lafayette.
Eric explained what Lafayette had done and how it was a huge offence to the vampires. I was pretty sure Darren would agree to all of this as well. He hated people who sold 'V'. I finally looked to Eric. Tight green v-neck T-shirt and slightly baggy blue jeans. Something that wasn't black. Impressive.
I sat down on the edge of the sofa and leaned my forehead into my hand as my elbow dug into my knee.
"It's still wrong…" I muttered closing my eyes. The image of Lafayette when he was thrown in by Pam flashed in my head and my eyes snapped open. I couldn't stand to see him like that.
"It is better treatment compared to others and you know this." he explained in a softer tone and I nodded, knowing this was very true.
"Do you let them go eventually?" I saw him nod in my peripheral vision.
"Yes, a quick glamouring and they are all set to go, unless we feel the need to use them." I could tell he was lying. It didn't take a frigging genius.
"Right…" I sighed and leaned my forehead in my hands. I felt like crap. "I'll try and get my visit with my mother done before Dallas; if I can't just leave me an address of the hotel plus room and I can teleport myself there."
I heard nothing so I assumed he nodded or frowned. Either way he knew he didn't have a choice in the matter at all. I needed my strength otherwise I'm bed ridden for days.
"Darren said you had a package arrive that would be more than useful," I made a noise of confirmation and shook my head, trying to clear it. "You have not recovered yet."
"Oh really captain obvious? What gave that away?" I spoke up this time and heard him laugh. Ugh, I didn't want to know right now. "I just need to go to bed, rest… and… Fudge, I need to see Sookie…" I was talking more to myself than to him. I didn't even know I was talking till I had actually said it.
Yawning I covered my mouth and tried to stand up. I failed. Lets just keep it at that because now Eric is carrying me to my car. Am I about to object? Nope. I would probably crash her and die. Maybe. Not sure. Weak. Tired. UGH!
So… Eric actually smells good (I know I keep saying it, but… he just keeps… smelling better). Want to know why this is annoying? Because I'm supposed to be angry with the both of us. Him because he is a stupid sexy vampire who tortures people in his work place's basement. Me? Well… Oh COME ON! It's obvious! I spend way too much time with him, start swearing away and this frigging genius has gone and got herself sexually and physically attracted to him. Yay! Go Hayley! End sarcasm here.
The drive home was vague. I'm guessing I fell asleep again. I felt myself being placed in my bed and the duvet placed delicately over me. Rolling over I groaned.
"Stupid supes…" I muttered. Just so you know, 'Supes' is Sookie's word for Supernatural Beings. It's a much quicker way to say it and… well we think it's cool.
"Hays, come on, you need to drink this." Darren? Oh my God, Yay! I missed you! Wait, I'm in my head still.
A small smile tugged at my lips as I opened my eyes to see him crouching by the bed, holding a Volvic bottle with a pop-cap. I furrowed my brows at this, but took it away. When I began to drink it, I knew what it was straight away and began gulping it down like I haven't drunk anything in forever.
"Whoa Hays, calm down, we haven't got many of those." I handed it back to him, feeling a lot more awake than earlier. In fact, I felt a lot better. It works fast. Really fast.
"Where did you get that?" I asked, sitting up, running a hand through my hair to try, yet again, to make it a bit more presentable.
"Your mum sent over a box of them. Saying she got worried when you cancelled on her. She said she was going to send them monthly. She knows what you're like and after I explained last night to her-"
"You told her about last night?" I groaned and lying back down, pulling the duvet over me. I felt Darren sit down on the bed, by my legs.
"I had to Hays. She called the house phone hoping for a talk. She said someone else answered your phone saying you were sleeping after a tiring night." he explained and I sighed. Who else could have answered my mobile!
"Fudging Northman… fudging no privacy!" I muttered and heard a laugh. It wasn't Darren. I shrieked, "What is he still doing here! UGH"
I pushed my hand out from under the duvet and felt the bottle being placed in it. Pulling my hand and bottle back under, I decided that I will stay under here. I will stay under this comfy duvet for the rest of my immortal life whilst Eric Northman was near. As long as I had this water, I'll be fine. I might make a fort out of it… Hmm… sounds like a plan.
"Hayley," Darren's voice was stern like a fathers and I scowled. Screw the fort I'm getting out of here to the one place neither man would dare disturb me when in there: The bathroom. My personal haven away from intruding vampires; well if they know what's bloody good for them.
"I need a shower." I muttered and pushed the duvet with me as I sat up. I was pouting and Darren was smiling weakly.
"That, you do need." I nodded and ran a hand through my messy hair and crawled to the other side of the bed. I noticed Eric leaning on the door frame to my room as I stood up. He was smirking. I am so not putting up with this… but… Damn it he drove me home and… he was so nice! He's not supposed to be nice! He's supposed to be a cocky arrogant douche bag. He still is one… but he's a nice cocky arrogant douche bag. Dick.
I just walked into the bathroom, blanking him to the best of my ability, and shut the door.
"I don't even want to know what happened, but if you stay and allow her to cool down, I'm sure you two can talk about Dallas." Darren spoke to Eric and I just sighed and pressed my forehead to the door before stripping down and jumping in the hot shower…
When I finally stepped out of the shower, towel wrapped around my body, I felt normal again. After drinking the water and soothing my muscles under the hot shower, I was ready to take on anything again. I was just calm… and happy now. Completely content. I still wanted to visit my mother though. I had been feeling very much different lately and I guess coming here has opened my eyes and with the recent events, made my personality change a little bit.
I hated the fact that I have been saying and even thinking more foul language than normal. Man, even the fact that I have been able to say the foul language is shocking enough. I mean… I normally can't do it! Even if I try! So why have I been able to say it now? Is it because I haven't visited my father in a while? Is it the influence of being up there that actually restricts me from swearing? .
Sighing I blow dried my hair and pulled it round into a side loose French plait making sure my fringe was straight. I grabbed my clothes and walked out before sighing. Why am I not surprised? Eric was lounging on my bed again, reading one of Darren's books. I didn't see the title, and nor did I care. It was one that had a dull colour on the front with simple writing. Probably something I wouldn't even be near understanding… Maybe it's one of those Russian translated books? I remember Darren saying it's a good read before I would just laugh saying to stop insulting my unintelligent brain…
I walked past Eric into my wardrobe and pulled out a pair of panties and a night dress. I quickly pulled those on. The night dress was pink, came to mid-thigh and had a t-shirt like top. It only showed off my legs and because I was heading straight to bed, it shouldn't matter. At all.
As I walked back out, Eric closed his book.
"I was hoping you have calmed down enough to talk." He spoke as I sat in bed and wrapped the duvet over my legs and waist.
"Depends on what the subject is." I grabbed a bottle of water, knowing it would be the diluted Blessed water, and took a sip before leaning my head back on the headrest. Diluted blessed water was exactly how it sounded. Like a squash, but water. I know, it's weird, but there was a certain… taste to Blessed water. It was probably one of the most refreshing drinks to a human and sometimes, a human was lucky to come across it at least once or twice in their life.
"Dallas." I nodded, closing my eyes, trying to keep a calm head. It was surprisingly easy.
"Well, I need to contact Sookie in a bit about plane times and where we will all be staying and to you know, see how Lafayette is doing," I wrapped my spare arm round my stomach, "I'll be visiting him to tend to his injuries tomorrow. Darren will kill me if I do go tonight. I'm sure of that."
"Darren won't be the only one trying to stop you." he replied and I smiled at the fact he said 'try'.
"So you know that the both of you won't stop me?" I sat up and turned to face him. He had his body turned to face mine. I wasn't sure on what to make on the green shirt, but it could be because I'm used to him in black… One thing was for sure… the sleeves hugged his broad shoulders nicely.
Eric smiled and nodded.
"You are a stubborn person once your mind is set." I shrugged, drinking some more water.
"You barely know me to know this fact." I retorted.
"I know you enough to know that you are stubborn. You fought sleep so much last night after healing Sookie. You looked about ready to pass out as soon as her back was healed." he actually looked genuinely worried there. I was a little taken back at this.
"So how bad was my walking and driving to the car?" I asked and he smirked.
"Surprisingly sober." I laughed and nodded.
"Why are you so involved in finding the Sheriff of Area nine?" he frowned and sat straight, staring at the wall in front.
"He is a friend of mine." his tone advised me to not push him further. It was a sensitive subject then?
"Okay then… I'm most likely going to find out more there though." He smirked and nodded,
"If you are with Sookie, you'll most likely find trouble with her." I bit my lip, hiding the smile. He was right about that. Sookie did find the trouble. Especially from the tales she told me, but the trouble was sometimes because of her good heart and that caused my own heart to swell with happiness for the blonde.
"Do you have any clues as to what would have taken him though?" I asked and Eric shrugged.
"That's why you and Ms. Stackhouse will be accompanying me to Dallas."
I nodded before pausing, "My empathy doesn't work on vampires by the way…" I pointed out and he smiled.
"I am aware."
"You do know I am still angry as well right?" he nodded and half turned his face to look at me.
"I'm sure that anger will fade though. You have the tendency to forgive easily." he smirked at my furrowed brows and pursed lips.
My face soon straightened out as I thought about last night and today. I had been so out of it and useless. What's worse is that Sookie knew all of this. She knew I just needed rest and just handled it all. I'm older than her and yet she just mothered both me and Lafayette as much as she could. I have to say though, when she gets angry, her eyes actually sparkle with the said emotion. I…Well, even though she has her telepathy, I don't think she's all human. Maybe one twelfth of something, or maybe even a smaller fraction, but either way, Sookie Stackhouse had to be that little bit supernatural…
"I need to call Sookie." I said and pulled out my phone and dialed her number.
During the conversation, Eric had stayed quiet, only frowning each and every time Sookie said something bad about him or obviously something he was not keen on. He actually leaned over to snatch the phone off of me when Bill said he was taking Jessica(I was on loud speaker, on their end, so they both could talk with me). We spoke about the plane and the travel. It was Anubis Air. I travelled with them plenty of times with Darren, we did try to get the night time flights though. Sookie explained that the food and drink, of the set meals, during our flight would be free and that it was a day time flight, arriving in Dallas at the evening where we would be picked up as soon as we got off of the plane.
I asked about Lafayette and Sookie explained to me that he was insistent that he was fine and got it sorted. As far as he was concerned, he spent the last two weeks getting his chest waxed drinking margaritas and missing my mojito's. Eric smirk turned into a full on grin after I had glared at him seeing the smirk. I wanted to slap him so much, but I'm pretty sure Sookie had that part done.
Our conversation had soon drifted onto Jessica and how Bill and Sookie found her straddling Hoyt Fortenberry, just kissing. Bill was not happy at all. I just grinned and laughed saying how cute it sounded! Hoyt was a lovely young lad and if he had gotten this far with Jessica, knowing she was a vampire and she hadn't done anything yet, then it was definitely something for Bill to allow to a certain extent. I had to cover Eric's mouth when he was about to laugh about it. Sookie didn't hear a thing thank the lord.
She then explained to me about Tara moving in. Sookie and Tara had been friends since children and Tara was currently living with some social worker or something. I was thrilled for Sookie and gave her my best wishes. I might get Tara a moving in house warming gift… Sookie had laughed when I told her about gifts and said helping her pack away her Gran's stuff might be useful.
"Whelp, Darren explained that rest was needed and if the Limo is picking you up at five then it won't be much longer till it gets to me and I need to pack." I finally said after an hour of talking with the blonde,
"I know, I hate that it's short notice too, but we were able to get Lafayette out. Are you sure you'll be able to see him in time?" I sighed and leaned my head back.
"If I get up early then yes. I have no idea what to pack, and lord knows me, I'll pack a lot. What sort of things will I need? I know I'm not going dancing, but I'm going to want to look nice for the evening." Sookie's laugh made me smile.
"Just dress clothes you would wear naturally, but wear something nice for the plane journey."she explained to me her outfit in mind. It was yellow and white and completely summery. I laughed.
"Sookie, you'll be a ray of sunshine in the evening. Be careful around Bill now won't you?" her giggle caused me to grin and we said our goodbyes. I hung up and placed my phone on the side, grin still on my face,
"You two can talk for hours." Eric stated and I muffled a short giggle with a nod as I curled up under the duvet.
"I call that girl power," I smiled, not really feeling very tired, but more physically exhausted, "And I'll need my sleep if I am going to make time to visit Lafayette tomorrow." I tried to glare at him, but failed when he laid down on his side to face me. His hair wasn't as gelled and fell slightly into his face, but not like it did before… Because it was shorter, it looked kinda sexy. Unfortunately.
"You shouldn't Gel your hair so much. It looks better like this." I ran my hand through his surprisingly soft hair, ignoring the fact that he smirked and released a quiet laugh.
"Giving me hair advice again?" it was light hearted and full of amusement. I smiled and nodded returning my hand under the duvet.
"Of course. Why did you cut it so short anyway?" he paused, thinking about his reason and I rolled my eyes, "Just tell me the truth."
"I got blood in it." I pressed my lips together whilst refraining from smiling.
"Doesn't blood just wash out easily?" I asked, trying to sound normal. I wanted to laugh.
"I was getting highlights done. Pam wasn't happy when blood got mixed with the dye." Oh that did it. He sounded like a child and was even pouting like one. I started with a muffled laughter before I burst out in giggles, wrapping my arms around my stomach.
I suddenly stopped, groaned and pulled myself under the duvet to hide away from him. This wasn't right. This wasn't right at all!
"I should be annoyed at you! Jerk," I muttered and he laughed pulled the duvet away from my head. I blew a raspberry and buried myself deeper under the duvet. He growled at this, but something told me it was a playful one. I curled myself in a ball and cocooned myself with the duvet with my back poking out.
I felt arms dig into the duvet and around my waist and pull me round. I am guessing I was on top of him with my back to his chest now. I had squealed and giggled in the movement and felt his laughter. I struggled in his hold to try and grab the duvet squealing 'This isn't fair! You're not helping yourself at all!'
Finally he released me and I rolled over onto the mattress, grabbing the duvet and throwing it over myself completely. I heard him sigh and I crawled a bit out. I was lying on my stomach, holding myself up with my arms; the duvet resting about mid-back on me.
I turned to him and noticed he was under the duvet now. When did that happen?
"You don't have to be annoyed at Me." he stated and rolled onto his side. I looked away and bit my lip.
"Yes I do. Even though your methods are a lot kinder compared to other Sheriffs, it's still one of my friends trying to make a living." He sighed and rolled onto his back.
"I wasn't about to let him keep going and continuing with it." I rolled onto my side and curled up a little bit, twirling a loose strand of hair in thought.
"But… didn't you say that the vampire was willing? Lafayette would use his sex appeal to get the V and I don't think Lafayette didn't care something for the vampire…" he turned his head to face me and shrugged.
"And Eddie ended up dead because he was giving his blood away willingly." he had arched a brow to challenge me and I took it.
"But it wasn't Lafayette who killed him. Maybe if you bring in the person or people who did," he smirked
"Are you saying I bring in Jason Stackhouse?" he asked in amusement and my brows shot to my forehead.
"Not to torture! Heavens no! Eric stop interrupting me! Gosh you can be so annoying." he laughed and then motioned with his hand for me to continue, "I can use my empathy to find out further because… well, now you mentioned that it was Jason, you can't force Sookie to come in because she'll be more difficult for you to try and get to help if more situations like Dallas happen.
"And besides, I don't think Jason would have killed…Eddie? Right. He's not exactly the brightest bulb in the box and I certainly don't think he could kill anyone. I didn't get a hint of that from his heart. He's a good person, just confused. I think he was being influenced." Eric nodded at this and looked at my ceiling.
"I suppose you are right," he thought a few seconds, "Very Well, I will bring the Stackhouse boy in for ques-"
"No tying up in the basement and no… mean-ness!" I didn't know what word to use and he chuckled before turning to face him.
"I don't normally compromise, but it seems both you and Sookie have achieved the impossible." he grinned and I laughed and tucked the loose strand behind my ear.
"Because we are useful to you and you need to keep us happy." I grinned when he laughed and nodded.
"It appears I do need to keep the both of you at least marginally happy." I nodded with a smile and I got comfy, ready to fall asleep for what could be the seventh time in the past two nights.
"You're not used to having to do this, are you?" I asked and he rolled to his side to face me.
"I don't believe I am. In all the years of my life, I would like to think I am not easily surprised and yet recently, I am finding lots of surprises." he smiled and I nodded, biting the inside of my cheek in thought.
"There are plenty more of these surprises coming your way then. You can never see everything even when you're as old as you." I smiled and shifted to lie on my side. I pulled the duvet up to lean on my elbows.
"I suppose not and with someone like you, I feel the surprises will keep coming." he smiled and I grinned lazily, biting the corner of my bottom lip.
"I think we have already established that I am a surprising person." he nodded, averting his eyes as he remembered the conversation before looking at me with a smile on his face.
"I believe you are right." I smiled and closed my eyes forcing myself to go to sleep.
"Thank you by the way." I spoke just above a whispered and opened my eyes to see him arch a brow, "For last night and then driving me home tonight." he smiled and nodded.
"I thought you may prefer your bed rather than the sofa in my office." he smiled and I laughed and nodded.
"To be fair, it's a nice sofa. I noticed something else. You got a lot more stuff in there…" I grinned when he looked away. I swear, if he was human, he would have blushed, "Also, why is there southern comfort and Tabasco sauce on your desk?" I arched my brow playfully at him
He grinned now.
"You'll be surprised, there are many uses for them." the glint in his eyes made me laugh and hide my head in my pillow, he half quoted me on the Tabasco sauce. He wasn't the only one who was full of surprises then. When I looked up, I had to move my head back. Eric was lying on his side, at the edge of the pillow, with a hand near his face, watching me intently.
"So… remember when I said I felt uncomfortable sometimes?" I spoke quietly and he arched a brow, nodding for me to explain, "This is what I mean." I smiled, releasing a silent laugh when he arched a brow in confusion.
I fluffed my pillow a bit and slightly hugged it under my head; I noticed he had done the same. He took my wrist and began rubbing his thumb in a circular motion across my pulse. My brows furrowed in confusion and I looked to what he was doing.
"Why are you doing that at that particular area?" I asked and he grinned, sensing a little bit of my fear.
"I like hearing and feeling your steady heartbeat." he explained softly, "It's… relaxing."
I arched a brow, a small hint of amusement on my face, all fear vanishing, before I nodded slowly. It was a surprisingly… human yet completely vampiric thing for him to be doing. It was also strangely relaxing for me…
"You keep showing these different sides of yourself to me… Why?" I asked making him pause what he was doing. I could tell he was debating on what to tell me by the way his eyes had slightly glazed over.
"I want you to be comfortable around me." he raised my hand to his lips for the simplest of touches before placing it back on the bed to resume rubbing circles on my pulse point. I smiled softly seeing his own small genuine smile. I don't know what to make of him, but I liked this sweet side to him…
"I am comfortable enough to have you lying on my bed with me and stroking my wrist." I told him truthfully, making him chuckle and nod.
"You are still cautious around me though. You hold yourself back instead of giving into your desires." that made me freeze up. I pulled my wrist back and tucked it under my pillow. Averting my eyes I heard him sigh.
"I still have my life to live; I need to be cautious of my actions if I wish to make sure I survive the next few years." I explained and he took my wrist gently from under the pillow.
"Very well, I will respect your wishes. For now." I laughed and nodded, getting myself comfortable, letting him caress my wrist.
"'For now… Sure." I smiled and we spoke about some of my journeys with Darren. He even spoke about how his life changed when he opened the bar. Mainly about how much easier it was to get a day man and have his homes built without the need to glamour as much. It made me laugh at the fact that he found glamouring all the time to be tiring.
I know I ended up feeling tired sometime that evening and at some point, I had been curled to him as he rubbed his hand along my back to help me drift off to sleep. Bad point about a hybrid drinking blessed water: It was like drinking caffeine. It completely healed me so I didn't feel hungry or lethargic.
I think I had been in his arms when I finally nodded off. This was strangely comforting considering it wasn't Darren's arms, but it was still nice to fall asleep in someone's arms. It was relaxing, secure and just completely… right…
Hayley,
We should really talk about these dreams you have been having.
I like hearing you whisper my name.
Eric.
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