Hello there – I know it's been a while, and I apologize. A few things have been going on, but now it's calmer and I can focus properly. Thank you to everyone who has continued to read, and add me to your favourites, sending me reviews and boosting the confidence I have in my little diddy.
As always, the characters do not belong to me in anyway- I am simply taking them for a ride. The honour goes to Charlaine Harris and I do not gain anything proprietary from this.
Chapter Five
The next two days passed without incident, as I waited in suspense for a hammer to drop in the form of a furious phone call from Eric that never came. I caught Pam giving me some side long glances, but for the most part keeping her distance. Thalia came the night after Pam and I went to Merlotte's but she never came inside, and I assumed that she liked me just about as much as she had when I was human. To Thalia, I was always like an insect that had little consequence to her – nothing much had changed. I had no idea what they would think of this burgeoning skill I was just beginning to understand. It was like I had the ability to be able to manipulate other's minds into doing what I wanted. And I could do it with vamps too. That was something, I wasn't going to be so careless in letting get known. It was bad enough that Sophie Ann's lackey Andre witnessed what happened between Jason and me.
I could barely stand to think how pissed off Eric was going to be at me. I knew he knew all about it, because after Pam and I drove back to the house that night, she called him. I didn't have to read her mind to know that he was majorly ticked off at me, and I felt the surge of anger through our bond and I avoided reading Pam's mind after that.
Instead, I threw myself into planning gardens around the house, ones that I could enjoy and looking into night activities, hoping against hope that this would be simply a transition into a new way of life. I already had learned that I did indeed have a certain clock that dictated when I would be thirsty, and I anticipated this well in advance so I wouldn't have any 'accidents'. The gardens occupied most of my time. There was a garden center in the Wal-Mart that was open alongside the store until late, and the things I couldn't get there were easily ordered on the internet. Pam balked when I asked her to take me to Wal-Mart, but she came inside, out of curiosity I think.
Looking around she nodded at the store itself and finally proclaimed it to be useful as long as one didn't purchase any item of clothing or shoes at it.
"You can get all of your needs under one roof. Convenient, I suppose it has its merits somewhat." She nodded again.
I rolled my eyes. "This is what I've been telling you Pam."
She glanced over at me and fingered the lid of a can of aerosol cheese spray that had been stacked on the end of an aisle. "Yes, I can see how one could not possibly get by without a nightly run to the Wal-Mart for processed food in a hairspray container."
Ok she had me there.
The workmen from Alcide had shown up on the day that Eric was due to return. Alcide himself had come to my house the night after I spoke to him, with a man who sat down with me discussed preliminary plans with regards to what I was looking for.
"If you create the entire thing out of cinder block Miss Stackhouse, it's going to look like a bunker." He looked at me thoughtfully. "I understand what it is you are looking for – but if we at least finish the outside of it with a siding, or a facade it will look less like that purpose and a lot more pleasing to the eye. We can probably try to match the wood siding on the house, so it blends more with the original structure. If you plant some flowers, maybe put in a bench or two, it would look very pleasant."
I agreed with him, and let him modify the addition a bit. I asked him a price on it, and felt my jaw drop as I realised that all of my remaining money would be gone and I would probably have to go to the bank for a small loan on the remainder. I weighed my options, and decided that even if I mortgaged the property for a very small amount to do this, it would be worth the investment as it was my house and I was intending to be in it for a very, very long time. I was now immortal after all. This was more than a lifetime commitment.
The workmen had worked during the day while I rested, and the gash in the red earth looked like it was bleeding, but I could see the forms for the foundation had been poured and were just hardening. I was impressed at how fast the men were working, and I made a mental note to mention that to Alcide.
I woke on the third night with apprehension in my heart. I knew Eric was coming home, and I knew that I was in for it. Pam left early on the evening, mentioning that she had to go check on Fangtasia. I puttered around in the kitchen, putting away dishes and wiping down the fronts of the cupboards. I felt him before I heard him, and then the back door closed with a soft click.
I didn't turn to him, and look at him because I was afraid of what I would see in his face. Eric simply walked up behind me and put his arms around my waist. He placed his face against the top of my head and just held me there for a bit.
"What am I going to do with you Sookie Stackhouse?" He sighed, and turned me around to face him.
I could barely meet his eyes and when I did he was looking down at me intently. I felt awful. He led me in the living room, where I had put on a fire. We sat down in front of it and held hands. I was silent, so he began.
"Your abilities have manifested themselves differently. All vampires have a certain amount of latent talent that might manifest itself more powerfully when they are changed. With some it can just be a certain attribute like ruthlessness, or leadership ability. With others, who have certain, shall we say embryonic aptitudes for special or unusual things; those might be revealed with much more clarity." He was silent for a moment. "I had hoped that you would continue to be a telepath lover, but this is much more. SO much more."
I nodded. "I know." I wanted to tell him everything, and suddenly I found myself doing just that.
I told him about how when I was human, after the attack from the red head Bill had hired – Eric's blood had created the bond. He nodded, knowing all this. I told him that this was the first time I had heard the vampires in such a strong way.
"So yes, like I was saying – the skills were latently manifesting themselves in your human state."
I nodded again. "It was always stronger with you though Eric and I figured that was because of the blood bond. And you know that when I woke, we were able to hear each other's thoughts. But Pam can't hear mine, so it must be just due to the blood exchange."
"But can you hear Pam lover?" I nodded again and Eric smiled with satisfaction. "This isn't terrible lover, not by a long shot."
"But then the other night, with Jason. When Pam and I went to Merlotte's and he slapped me," Eric's face grew stormy at this, but I continued. "I got really angry, and I basically told him that he was a dog and that he owed every woman he'd ever been with an apology. I was really mad at him. He ended up doing exactly as I said, and he left the bar, but he stopped and apologized to at least two girls that I know he really messed with." I stopped. "And Andre was there. And he saw it all."
Eric nodded. "I know. Pam told me." He looked thoughtful, and drifted away for a few minutes. I waited for it. "Has this ever happened with anyone else?" I hesitated and shook my head.
"Has it happened with a vampire Sookie?"
I faltered, but I nodded. Eric closed his eyes and grimaced. "Fuck... So when did this happen? Was it Pam?"
"No it was Chow." And I described to him what had happened at the bar, when he had tried to provoke me into a reaction. Eric's storm clouds came out again, and I put a hand on his arm. "I didn't mean to do it, and it really shocked me. And after I did it, Chow bled."
"Well Sookie, basically the best way I can figure to describe it, is that you've learned how to glamour big time. It usually just means to wipe a memory, or to make the human obey an order – nothing complex really, certainly not like happened with Jason. I don't know the extent of it in humans, but the fact that you can glamour a vampire is very dangerous for you if anyone found out." He paused again. "Have you tried it with a were yet?" I shook my head that I had not.
He held my hand and we sat in silence. I wondered if he would make love to me tonight, but I could see he had other plans when he stood up. He pulled me along with him. "I need to go to Fangtasia tonight lover. I need to be able to be in the place where I hear the most. With Andre seeing such a visibly different display of your glamour has already reached the queen's ears."
"She won't bother me again though would she Eric? I mean technically she's the one that put me in this position in the first place. If she hadn't sent Bill..." He looked at me incredulously.
"Sophie Ann cares about Sophie Ann Sookie. If she sees you as a means to better her situation, then she will command the usage of it. I need to be close to my people while I figure out a strategy." He looked at me intently. "You can't use these powers you know, not until we know what we should do."
I knew that and I nodded feeling the force of his command as my master, and I squirmed in resentment of it. Eric whipped out his cell phone, and spoke into it briefly in another language, and then snapped it shut again.
"Come. I'd just as soon fly, as take your car, if you don't mind." I rolled my eyes, but we went outside and he grasped me about the waist and took off into the night sky. I filled my eyes with the sights below us, and as always enjoyed the intimacy of being so close to him.
We landed at Fangtasia shortly thereafter, and we walked in the back door. Pam was waiting in his office and she greeted Eric and nodded at me.
"Anything yet?" Eric asked her, taking a seat at his desk. I moved over to the couch.
"Not a word Eric. Their silence leads me to think that they are biding their time. They aren't sure what to do with the information."
He nodded. "They may be biting off more than they can chew with this one." Pam looked at me sceptically, but kept her mouth shut. "It might be time to contact Brigant." I perked at the mention of Niall, but then became alarmed. If Eric was contemplating contacting my faery great grandfather, there might be some issues. First and foremost, that I was a vampire and Niall might not be pleased with that.
"He knows Sookie. I contacted him after the deed had been done. It was only right. He wasn't pleased, but considering that the alternative was your final death, he understood that it was necessary."
I felt so helpless just sitting there, watching Eric make decisions around me – and having nothing to do with any of it. Was I a pawn? If so, what was my role?
"Pam can you please get the waitress to bring Sookie a blood?" Pam, understanding that she was being summarily dismissed left the room. Eric walked over to me and ran his hand down the side of my face. He grasped my hands and drew me to my feet. "It will be fine you know." He smiled at me.
"I can try," I said ruefully.
He placed his lips on mine, and immediately my body began to respond. This man was like a drug to me, and my body needed a fix and needed it now. His hands roamed and I began to counter his hands with some grasping of my own. Soon we were both clutching at each other, with our clothing in disarray. He looked at the clock, and sighed disentangling himself from me.
"I don't really have time tonight, there is so much to do..." He trailed off, and I must have looked disappointed, because he paused. I took that pause as a sign of weakness, and turned towards the door. He made as if to stop me, but I stopped him myself as I made it clear why I went to the door. I turned the lock with an audible click. I kept my back to him, but began unbuttoning the shirt I was wearing. I pulled it over my shoulders, and dropped it on the floor, my bra followed quickly after it. I undid my jeans and slid it down over my hips to reveal the purple lace underwear I had purposely worn for Eric this night. I reached up and pulled out the ponytail I was wearing, and shook my hair over my shoulders, trailing down my back and covering the tops of my breasts in the front. I stayed with my back to him and just when I thought I couldn't stand it and was going to start getting dressed, he was on me, his broad chest pressing against my back his hands grasping mine and pressing them up against the door.
With his knee his nudged my legs apart, and used his hands to move my panties aside and I heard the soft snick of his zipper going down. He moved my hair and kissed the inside of my neck, using his fangs to scrape lightly across my skin. I shivered. I felt his member probe the folds of my cleft, and he found my opening and pushed himself up inside of me from behind. He continued to hold my hands up against the door, as he thrust himself over and over. I moaned in pleasure, and I felt him begin to speed up. He was having me so hard against the door, that anyone on the other side would have thought that someone was trying to bust out. With a flash, he withdrew from me and whipped me around to face him. He grasped me under my ass and lifted me to him, now facing him and impaled me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he pressed my back against the wall beside his desk now. I felt the wood panelling imprint itself into my back, but I didn't care. I pushed against him, and we rode each other like we were mad. I felt him hammer himself home again and again, and I moaned his name, as he buried his face in the small of my neck and spoke.
"I love you so much lover. O lover."
With a smooth motion, he had me off the wall and on the couch across the room. I was really enjoying this vampire speed thing. It was fluid. His control over me continued to make itself evident as he withdrew from me, and went down on me, using his tongue and fingers to probe me and make me writhe in pleasure. I was moaning in distinct pleasure and I called his name a dozen times during the course of his lovemaking, and he looked up at me pleased. I came again, riding the crested wave of pleasure with a low scream.
"Omigod Eric, please don't stop lover." He moved back up my body.
He positioned himself over top of me again, and thrust himself inside of me once more, prolonging the peak of my climax by bringing me to another one almost immediately. He continued to thrust himself into me with such force that I felt the couch moving across the floor. He held my hands over my head and I looked into his face looking down at me so intensely. His eyes were burning as he continued to fuck me. The thrusts became more intense and I feared my head would explode if I didn't come soon. He was in control, my arms were locked and I knew suddenly that I was going to have him, as he had me. Eric was looking down at me, and his frenzied pounding sped up even more if possibly. He released my hands, and bent down to my neck. I sensed the end was near for him, and I knew it was for me as well. As he began to release himself within me, he let out a primal howl and bit into my neck. I turned my head to allow him more access, but I also turned my head to his neck and I bit into him as well. He moaned in lust, and I felt it through our bond. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he convulsed inside of me, and I had my own conclusion as I drank from my lover. We were wrapped around each other, as the trembling subsided, and we withdrew our fangs from flesh.
"My god Sookie, where did you learn that?" He looked at me incredulously.
"The internet." He laughed and stood up, grabbing a towel from the ensuite bathroom and tossing it over to me. "Actually Eric, I'll shower if you don't mind." He nodded in agreement, and gave me another kiss.
"I guess I needed that more than I thought." I could see he was already focusing on the things he needed to do, so I went into the washroom and took a brief shower. There was an assortment of cosmetics and hair products in the medicine cabinet, and there was a small closet in the office, that I took advantage of. Someone had left a woman's tank top with Fangtasia scrolled across it, in the closet, and I tried it on. It was a good fit, and I decided to wear it. With the button down I had been wearing earlier, it worked well with the jeans. I blow dried my hair and slapped on some lipstick.
Eric looked up at me with appreciation. "I love advertising across those breasts. How could you not notice?"
"It worked for Hooters, Eric." He laughed. "So what, can I go out in the bar? Or should I stay in here all night with you?"
"Honestly Sookie – I would prefer you just stay with me. If I go out in the bar, come with me – but until we know what we are up against, and better yet – if there are any more powers that may manifest themselves, let's play it safe." He opened a drawer to his desk, and pulled out a book. "Here, something to read that I picked up a few days ago. It's the latest craze on the book market."
He handed me a book that was about some girl who had a tattoo, and I read the dust jacket. Sounded good to me, so I curled up on the couch with it. One night wouldn't kill me, but I must admit we were going to have to let me live at some point.
Pam knocked at the door and I realized that we hadn't unlocked it. I reached over and did so and she came ambling in, making a big production of examining the door, front and back.
"I wasn't sure if I was going to have to call a carpenter to fix the door, I thought that you guys were going to come through it." She leered at me and if I could have blushed I would have. "Maybe next time you could keep it down, the whole bar heard you both."
Eric ignored her, but I was embarrassed and intent on fighting back.
"Sorry Pam, it must be getting difficult for you to attract prospects at your age." I raised a finger thoughtfully to my chin. "Don't you owe Eric some money?"