A/N: Thanks everyone for all of the great reviews! Bill is in this chapter (while he's still in Mississippi) and I put it his POV in italics. Enjoy!~
Made – Chapter 2
Sookie was in pain.
There was so much blood.
Werewolves showed up at her house. How the hell did they get there? How did they know where she lived? Why were they there?
Bill wanted to leave. He had to. He was all the way in Mississippi, but that didn't matter. Sookie needed him. She was so close to unconsciousness. It wouldn't be long until it was dead, and then Eric would drain her dry. The blood of a fresh corpse was irresistible...
He stood up quickly. His fangs were down.
"Just where do you think you're going, Mr. Compton?" The king of Mississippi asked curiously, encircling his strong hand around Bill's arm to hold him back. "I thought I told you to put those away." He pointed at Bill's white fangs.
A great fury arose in Bill; he had no qualms with killing every last vampire here to get to Sookie, but it was incontrovertible that he would not be successful. These vampires were far too old and powerful. "Sook—I saw—nothing," Bill muttered. The less the king knew about Sookie's current situation, the better.
The wolf attacking Sookie was biting at her neck savagely. Her blood – his blood – was on the wolf's sharp yellow teeth and down its throat. Where was Eric? Why wasn't he killing the werewolf that is killing Sookie? She was going to die.
"Bill, what is the matter?" The king inquired exasperatedly.
"Do you require more food?" Talbot asked.
Sookie blacked out. There was nothing except for a slow heart beat. Dangerously slow.
Then something pierced Sookie's skin. Two small wounds from something sharp and familiar. Her veins were being drained of all their blood.
Eric Northman was a dead man.
Sookie was—
After giving he boy a small amount of his own blood, he removed Tommy's restraints and the glamor that he had over him. "Run along now, little boy." Eric made him forget that Tommy why he was here, that he even knew their faces, and without a second thought, the confused teenager stumbled out of the house.
"Do you think Bill is going to call?" Sookie asked finally. It was the first time she mentioned Bill to Eric since he turned her. She ached to hear Bill's voice again, feel his gentle touch on her face, and his strong arms around her waist. Where was he? Certainly he'd be showing up soon, right? He had to know she was in trouble, he had to have sensed how close she was to death...
Eric did not answer immediately. "I am not sure," he said flatly. "But I do – believe – that I know where Bill is."
Sookie felt a surge of insurmountable joy. If she still had a working heart, it would have skipped a beat. "What? Why didn't you say anything? Where is he?"
"I didn't say anything because you never asked," he told her simply, answering her first question. "And the werewolves all had the same markings that the other werewolves had – the ones you found dead in Bill's car. They also had an accent."
"Where from?" Sookie asked excitedly.
"Mississippi. Jackson, to be specific."
"Let's go." Sookie shot up.
Eric snorted and grabbed Sookie's arm before she made it to the door. "We can't just go to Jackson."
Sookie didn't take one more step toward the door, but she did look upset. "Why not?"
Eric wasn't quite sure how to tell Sookie why they couldn't just go to Jackson, Mississippi without telling her too much. Yes, she was a vampire now, but she was still so young and connected to the human world. If Eric was right in his assumptions about who was behind Bill's kidnapping, then they would have to be extremely careful about how they would get into Mississippi – assuming they'd actually be able to go in the first place. "Uh, it's difficult for vampires to move from one state to another," Eric lied, hoping that would suffice.
Sookie looked upset and desperate. "We can still go though, right? Eventually?"
"Hopefully," Eric said thoughtfully.
Sookie was quiet for several moments until she bolted towards the door, announcing, "I have to go to work!"
Eric's brows were arched and there was a small smile on his red lips. "Uh, no you don't."
"Uh, yes, I do. I am probably already late!" Sookie grasped the door handle.
Eric swatted her hand away. "It doesn't matter if you're late, Sookie. You can't work there anymore." His fangs weren't out, but his tone was final.
Sookie didn't get the hint, of course. "Why not?"
"Because," Eric started calmly. "You're a vampire now. A baby vampire, too, nonetheless. What do you think will happen if you are around a crowd of people and you can smell their blood?" Sookie looked confused, perhaps considering if she could actually smell the blood of every patron at Merlotte's. Eric knew she'd be able to. "You'll want their blood. You'll bite them and you won't be able to stop. Not when there is that much blood; not when you're so young."
She had a blank look on her face for several moments, then her lips pulled into a smile. "That's crazy talk! They're my friends. I won't want to feed off them!"
Eric was not as convinced as Sookie was. He knew better. He also knew that Sookie would not take no for an answer; maybe stopping by Merlotte's would prove to her that this was a world she was not ready for. Not yet. She needed a couple more weeks to get used to her new undead life.
He could not deny her. "We'll go by tomorrow evening after you've fed. You can call in and say you're sick for today." He looked over Sookie's considerably paler skin. "I daresay they'd believe you."
Her belly was full of blood and she was dressed in her Merlotte's uniform. "I'm ready to go," Sookie announced, grabbing her small purse. "Shall we take your car or mine?"
Eric looked out the window at Sookie's pathetic yellow vehicle. "Uh, we will be taking my car."
It wasn't a long drive until they arrived at Merlotte's. The restaurant was already packed full of Bon Temps residents that came looking for a drink and a burger after work.
Sookie's nose erupted with a glorious scent. Her eyes closed lightly and she had a sweet look on her face. "What's that smell?"
Eric smirked. "The blood of humans. Perhaps thirty of them, or more."
If Sookie was still alive, she probably would have flushed a rosy pink. Her mind went hazy; she had just ate, but at the mere smell of so much blood, her mouth watered for its taste again. Sookie swallowed thickly. "Ready to go in?"
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Eric asked softly. Had Sookie not had keener senses now, she probably wouldn't have heard him, even if she did have a good amount of vampire blood in her when she was a human.
"This is my job, and those are my friends in there. I'll just have to keep that in mind."
"The smell will be stronger once we're inside."
Sookie nodded weakly and got out of Eric's car. Eric followed closely after her.
When Sookie opened the door, she was completely overwhelmed with the smell of the patrons at Merlotte's; their blood smelled delicious and thick. Their thoughts did not even flood her mind, because all she could think of was the sweet red fluid that ran through their veins.
"Sookie!" Arlene said excitedly, bouncing over to them with a tray under her arm. "Oh, Sookie! Are you still sick? You look pale as a ghost!" She placed a hand on Sookie's cheek. "And you're cold as ice!"
When Arlene touched her, Sookie could almost taste her blood on her tongue. "Um, yeah, Arlene. I'm not really feeling... like myself."
"Aw, darling! Well, I'm glad you're here! We've been so busy!" Arlene hurried back to her tables.
"That wasn't so bad," Sookie whispered to Eric.
"That was nothing," Eric told her pointedly as he followed her to the backroom.
Sookie turned and gave Eric a curious look. "What are you doing?"
"I am going to have to follow you around tonight," Eric said as he pulled his black knit shirt over his head and grabbed a white t-shirt with Merlotte's logo printed on the front. "To make sure that you don't kill someone accidentally." Eric pulled the shirt over his head and tucked it into his tight black pants. "You could say that I am a new waiter here and that you're training me." Eric laughed lightly. Sookie, his trainer, when he was the one who was actually training her about how to be a vampire.
"Oh, well, I guess that could work." Eric wouldn't have taken no for an answer, anyway.
The two of them walked from the backroom together and into the restaurant. Sookie had to admit that Eric looked pretty silly in a Merlotte's uniform; they never had a male waiter. The shirt was absurdly strained across his broad chest.
"Might want to stop thinking about my chest and get your mind on how to not kill everyone here," Eric told her with a grin.
Sookie narrowed her eyes at her Maker.
When she approached her new table of four, she was overwhelmed with their smell. Her mouth was wet with anticipation and her eyes drifted lazily in their sockets. Her fangs came down with a small click and she stepped closer to the confused looking son.
Eric grabbed her arm to pull her back. "Sookie, you need to focus," he told her softly. She nodded and tried not to think of how exquisite their blood smelled. After much effort, her fangs retracted. "Welcome to Merlotte's, y'all. This here is Eric," Sookie placed her arm on his as she introduced him. "He's training to be a waiter, so he's going to be following me around tonight. Do y'all know what you want for dinner?"
After Sookie finished writing down their order, the two of them walked back to the kitchen. Sookie handed the slip of paper to Terry, who smelled thick, strong, and manly. She could see the veins in his arms, neck, and temples of his forehead pulsing. Sookie wanted to run her tongue over him and penetrate his skin with her fangs.
"Hey, Sook!" Lafayette called from behind her. "Damn, you musta been real sick, honeycomb. You lost that pretty tan." He smelled good, too. Different than Terry, less manly and warlike, but more smooth and sweet. Sookie imagined his blood running down her throat like hot chocolate on a cold winter night; soothing and satisfying.
"Hi, Lafayette," she finally manged.
Eric could sense that she was losing her control. "Let's get back to those tables, Sookie."
Lafayette hadn't noticed that Eric was there until he spoke. He backed up slowly and had a panicked look on his face, but he didn't cower in fear. "Is you really working here now?"
"Just for tonight," Eric said reassuringly. Lafayette breathed a sigh of relief and started chopping up a head of lettuce. "Come on, Sookie." Eric led the way to the backroom. Once he closed the door behind them, he turned to face Sookie. "We should leave."
"I didn't bite anyone!" Sookie protested.
Eric sighed. She didn't bite anyone yet. "Yeah, but your fangs have come down twice already and we've only been here a few minutes."
"No, only once with that table of four!"
"They're down now." Eric said, looking at her new fangs.
Sookie brought her cold hand up to her mouth and pressed her fingertips against her teeth. "I didn't even realize that they were," she explained as her fangs retracted.
"Because you were too focused on Terry and Lafayette's blood," Eric explained, pulling the Merlotte's shirt up off his body. "Grab your purse. We have to go."
"What are you doing here?" Sam was standing in the doorway of the backroom, glaring at Eric with his brows furrowed. Sookie turned around to face Sam. His eyes fell on her – he noticed that the skin around her eyes looked raw and her complexion was considerably paler. Sam's face turned deep red with anger. "What the fuck did you do to her?" Sam tried to shove Eric forcibly up against the wall, but Eric didn't go very far.
Eric's fangs came down. Sookie's were already out. "I saved her life," he said thickly.
"You killed her!" Sam spat, attempting to punch Eric, but he was too fast. What Sam punched instead tore skin off his knuckles. His hand was bleeding freely.
His blood was fresh and savory; Sookie had yet to smell anyone sweeter. She did not linger on his scent, but instead she tossed her body quickly in Sam's direction. Her mouth was open, and her fangs were ready to pierce Sam's skin.
A strong arm, far stronger than her, pushed her back against the furthest wall. "Sookie, leave. Now." Eric ordered, and Sookie felt a bind tighten around her. She couldn't move any closer to Sam, at least not without causing herself tremendous pain from disobeying her Maker. Sookie did not even look at Sam's frightened face before she ran out of the room and then out of Merlotte's – possibly for good.
Eric was right; she couldn't work here anymore.
"Can we pick up some Tru Bloods?" Sookie asked. The two of them were speeding away from Merlotte's in Eric's car. Not being able to feed off so many humans left Sookie feeling terribly unsatisfied.
Eric glanced at Sookie with a mild look of disgust. "Why would we do that when we can find a human for you to feed from?"
Sookie sighed heavily. Admittedly, she ached for fresh human blood, but nearly attacking Sam – her boss and friend – put her off the idea of the idea of feeding on a human for at least tonight. That young boy she fed on yesterday was someone's son – maybe someone's brother. "After what happened at Merlotte's, I don't feel up to feeding off a human. Besides, you let Tommy go."
"He can be easily found," he told Sookie smoothly.
Her mind flooded with temptation to taste Tommy's blood again. Sookie could almost taste him in her mouth. Finally, coming out of her trance, she shook her head weakly.
Eric pulled over to the side of the road. "Sookie." Her name was a caress on his lips. "I know you didn't want this, but being a vampire is your reality now. Mainstreaming is not exactly a life that I have chosen for myself, and as your Maker, it's not a life I would have chosen for you." He placed his cold hand on Sookie's porcelain thigh and squeezed gently. "I know you're having a hard time adjusting. Feeding off humans doesn't make you a monster; it keeps you alive. No one's asking you to become a murderer. I'll make sure you don't, anyway." He finished with a wink.
Sookie smiled. It had never occurred to her how good of a Maker Eric could be; that he'd take care of her, teach her, and keep her. She thought she would only get that with Bill.
And just as she thought of Bill, her phone rang –
Bill's name was flashing on the small screen.
Sookie was out of the car quickly, flipped her phone open, and pressed it to her ear. "Bill?"
"Sookie." His voice was low and flat.
It made her ache with despair that she was so excited to finally hear his voice while he sounded like she was the last person that he wanted to talk to. "Uh – are you – are you okay? Where are you?"
Bill didn't answer her questions. "What happened the other night?"
Sookie didn't have to ask what night Bill was speaking of. "Some werewolves came to my house and attacked Eric and me."
"Then what happened?" Sookie could hear – could almost feel – the anger in Bill's voice at the mere mention of Eric's name.
"Well, I almost died." Her temper was rising. Why wasn't he saying that he loved her, or that he missed her, or that he'd be back soon?
"And that's when you let Eric turn you?"
Sookie exploded. "I didn't let Eric turn me! I blacked out! I would have died had he not. Would you prefer that than me be like you?"
"You know how I feel about Eric. And now, he's your Maker."
"Yeah, well if you were actually here to protect me, then maybe my Maker could have been you!" Angry tears of blood escaped Sookie's eyes, staining her cheeks a deep red.
After a long pause, Bill finally said, "I have to go."
"When will I hear from you again?" Sookie pleaded, hating how her voice quivered from the knot in the back of her throat.
Another long pause. "You won't. You are no longer of concern to me."
Then there was nothing; he hung up.
Sookie did not immediately remove the phone from her ear; she could not believe the conversation they just shared, the things Bill said. She stared out into the empty field on the side of the road, wondering how she could lose the only man she ever loved so easily, and how he could bare to say such things to her after just proposing to her a couple of days earlier. The crisp night air licked her cheeks, and she wiped away her bloody tears hastily.
She opened the door of Eric's red corvette and flung herself into the passenger's seat. "Nevermind about that Tru Blood, Eric. I want real food."
A/N: I really loved what Bill said in the preview of the new episode (the whole "you are no longer of concern to me") so I had to use it. Totally not my line!