Author's Note: I know I kept a lot of you waiting for this new chapter. I know it's short, but I promise to have the next and final chapter up within the week. It will be concerning the "deal" between Bill and Eric mentioned at the end of Book 2. I'm very sorry for my delinquency. Thanks for bearing with me. –Evey Edge.
There are few pleasures of my immortal existence that I prefer to flying. Nothing felt more liberating than escaping than mundane burdens of gravity and fully embracing the night. Far above the stench and noise of humanity, I could almost imagine myself in the time when I was newly made, many centuries past.
I had spent the earlier part of the evening dividing my time between my duties as Sheriff and my duties as a bar owner. After finishing with subject supplications and managerial chores I couldn't bring myself to do a rotation in the bar. The thought of having to grace one of the feeble-minded vermin with my attentions was too much for me tonight. The night beckoned and I had answered.
Perhaps I would hunt. I could use my elevation to stalk my unknown prey, as a hawk stalks a rabbit, then swoop down and claim my prize. One could only take so much of feeding on fangbangers after all, and hopefully adding a little variety to my diet would cure me of my growing restlessness. It wouldn't be exactly the same as when I'd hunted as a new vampire, my food would survive this time, but it would be a change from my routine.
Lost in my thoughts, I had somehow drifted toward Shrevport's hospital.. Perhaps it had been my thoughts of stalking desirable quarry that drew me here. Perhaps it had been an unconscious desire to see how my gift was received. Whatever it was, it seemed a shame to pass without paying a call.
Scanning the room through the windows was no trouble with my superior eyesight, although I did see enough to make me abundantly grateful I would never have to stay in one of these facilities. I found Sookie Stackhouse on the third floor.
I saw my flower arrangement, and two others, a potted plant with a red ribbon, and an arrangement of pink flowers displayed around the room. Of the three, mine was by far the most attractive and expensive. I wondered who had sent the two others.
Sookie was not alone in the room. Bill, it appeared, had finally made it back from New Orleans, rather belatedly in my opinion. Sookie was as Bubba had put it "hurt real bad". Her nose was broken, her face and throat bruised. From her rigid posture in the bed I would guess there was damage to her ribs as well. The "sumbitch Rene" had made it quite obvious he didn't need extend his already brief stay on this earth. I'd need to be discreet about his removal, and be more indirectly involved that I'd like, but the human had done damage to my property. He would pay.
I watched as Bill and Sookie conversed. They didn't look very amorous. Bill's face, never the most expressive, shifted between disapproving, and proud. Sookie wore a strained smile. Perhaps Bill's monumental failure to protect her had caused their bond to splinter. I moved closer to the window to hear the conversation within the room. Sookie lips were moving. I strained to hear her whisper.
"Don't kill Rene." No, I couldn't possible have heard that right. Human woman always demanded to be avenged for offenses done to them, both great and small. The few women whose beds I frequented with semi-regularity over the centuries had made these kind of requests, asking me to handle troublesome ex-lovers, bosses, landlords, etc. I'd dealt with such petitions as the mood struck me, sometimes delegating the task to an underling, sometimes ending the association with the human on the spot. Never did I ever hear a woman ask to have her wronger spared.
"I may have already done the job. He's in intensive care. But even if he lives there's been enough murder. Let the law do it. I don't want any more witch hunts coming after you. I want us to have peace." This was not a normal woman. There she lay, bruised, battered, nearly murdered and she asks for her would-be-killer to be spared. She does so to protect the vampire who has so abysmally failed in protecting her. None of this makes the smallest bit of sense.
Sookie took Bill's hand and held it to her abused check. Bill's face softened in a way I had never seen and he slowly pulled Sookie toward him in a gentle embrace.
"I won't kill him." I believed him. He was really going to acquiesce to Sookie's request, despite that fact it ran contrary to his vampiric instincts. It was both incredible and pathetic.
"Sweetheart, I missed you." Sweetheart. She had called Bill "sweetheart". Somehow it wasn't the same as when Ginger calls me "sweetie". Any term of endearment on the fangbanger's lips was repellent, but this was…different. Perhaps it wouldn't be unendurable to called a term of affection by one such as Sookie, provided the pet name was never used within the hearing of others, particularly Pam.
"I wonder how quickly you can heal without me help?" Interesting. Bill must have offered Sookie his blood, and she refused. Squeamish perhaps? I wouldn't have imagined her to have a weak stomach, but why else wouldn't she seek such immediate relief from her injuries.
"Oh, I'll try to hurry. I bet I'll even surprise the doctor as is." Did she mean because of Long Shadow's blood? He hardly gave her enough to significantly affect her recovery. That is, unless she'd had vampire blood before…I would ponder that at a later time.
Bill appeared to be momentarily distracted by some movement in the hall and Sookie was staring out at the moon. I flew right up to the glass, close enough for her weak human eyes to see me. I grinned at her surprise at finding me hovering outside her window.
I considered landing and stopping in for an official visit, but decided against it. With Bill there the encounter could easily turn combative, and such struggles are best had away from human eyes. It was enough for her to know I had been here, that I had not forgotten about her and that I had no intention of going anywhere.
As I flew away I decided I would need to convey to Bill this same message. When I returned to Fangtasia I would have Pam issue Compton an official summons. For now I would return to my original plan for the outing. Let the hunt begin.