A/N - True Blood and SVM characters belong to Mrs. Harris, Alan Ball and HBO. Original characters and story line are my own. I hope you are having as much fun with this story as I am. Thank you so much for all your support, reviews, comments and feedback!

Just a note about the Godric visions. I have no idea why AB is messing with Eric's head. I agree it makes no sense for Eric to have spared Russell. But I am not going to touch the possibilities with a ten foot pole in this particular story as to what the visions may be. Sure I could have re written the last portion of season three to get rid of it and make it easier on Eric, but what would be the challenge in that? I'd rather just charge forward with an Eric who will hopefully come out as a better vampire from dealing with the fall out. And lest we all forget, Sookie had the chance to finish off Russell herself, twice. She is not so innocent. She actually obeyed a direct command from Eric, how freakin rare is that :)

Chapter 16

Scene 1 - SPOV - Foolish

"Sookie, Quinn claims Russell is in Dallas?" Eric asked disbelief a heavy weight in his voice.

"Quinn didn't say anything," I explained again. "He said he knew a way to free me of your influence. He knows someone who can break our bond." I rushed to speak over Eric's response. "When I asked how that would do anything but potentially kill me. He said it would weaken you so your enemies could take you down. At the mention of enemies his head filled with dozens of faces, some I know, some I do not. Russell was featured many times, and the last image was his face followed immediately by a severely burned vamp being tended at the old church."

Eric shook his head, "I cannot believe Texas would allow a vamp such as Russell asylum." He looked me straight in the eyes, "I do not want you to go anywhere with Quinn until I can establish there is any truth to this story. Isabel will know if there is vampire activity in the area. Maybe not Russell, but she will know if the Church is being used as a nest now."

"Eric, if I don't go with Quinn we could lose our chance. I've got enough high octane blood in me now to light up the city. All you guys have to do is find me and then kill Russell." I said as persuasively as possible. I could feel he was going to be stubborn about this.

"No, this is too easy," Eric was adamant. "There is something which feels off about this whole thing."

"I agree with Eric, Sookie," Appius started to say but I held up my hand and tilted my head, trying to listen.

I stood up quickly and pulled on Eric's arm, "There is a vampire heading to the house, they just hit the property line from the south."

In moments the three of us were speeding back to the house where a distraught vampire waited for us.

"Sookie! Eric! Thank God," Jessica cried throwing herself into my arms. "Something awful has happened to Bill. I was watching a movie with Hoyt when this pain ripped through me. Hoyt says I've been out for hours." She turned to speak to Eric, "The place he used to be in my head, its empty and I cannot find him anywhere."

I looked beseechingly at Eric how were we going to explain this?

Eric gently pulled Jessica out of my arms and peered down at her with his hands still resting on her shoulders. "Jessica, I fear I have bad news. I should have found you and told you earlier. I am sorry Jessica, but your Maker is no more." At her look of confusion he clarified, "Bill faced his true death tonight."

Jessica appeared to be stunned for a moment, until a smile split her face in two. She started to laugh and tugged away from Eric to grab my hands and pull me into a dance. "I am free! No more yelling, no more being called worthless and a brat!" My weight was barely enough to hold her when she went to leap at Eric. She sobered immediately when three sets of fangs bore at her for her impulsive action. "Oops, sorry about that," she apologized.

Eric retracted his fangs and relaxed his defensive posture. "You are under my protection now. I have already spoken to Merlotte; you will begin working at Fangtasia with Pam on Tuesday. She will begin your instruction then, are we clear?"

"You are going to take care of me?" Jessica looked astounded. I stepped in before Eric said anything to ruin her happy mood.

"I think you've been sort of adopted," I ignored Eric's glare if he wanted to explain it any different he was more than welcome to interrupt me. "Bill wasn't doing right by you. It sounds like Eric intends to fix things. You really do need to spend more time with other vampires Jessica, there is so much about them you need to know, and Bill wasn't teaching you those things. Heck I bet I know more than you do and I am only human."

"What about Hoyt?" Jessica asked.

"You can stay with the human if you wish," Eric said. "I would suggest he take the time to speak to Sookie, to learn more about the risks of a human vampire relationship." Eric's mouth twitched into a wry smile.

"Sure, I'll talk to Hoyt if he wants too," I reiterated enthusiastically. "You're welcome here whenever you want Jessica." I disregarded the flash of warning in Eric's eyes and the amusement playing over Appius and Thalia's features. Bill was gone, there was no one who could command Jessica and I had a gut feeling the young vampire would not hurt me.

"I know this is really rotten of me to say, I mean he's dead and all but I am just so happy!" Jessica wailed as she cried. I gathered her close and held her tight, her blood tears soaking into my shirt. I pushed her back lightly when I felt her calm down and wiped away her lingering tears with my thumbs. "Why don't you go on home to Hoyt honey? I am sure he is worried about you. You get all your questions together for Pam and finish things up at Merlotte's so you are ready to start work in a couple of days ok?"

"Ok Sookie, thank you." She whipped around and wrapped Eric in a hug before anyone could stop her. "Thank you so much Eric, I'll make you proud, you'll see!" and then she was off zipping through the trees at vampire speed.

Appius watched her run off indulgently, "She's a handful but I sense she has potential to be an excellent vampire. So few of the young one's these days do."

"She was a royal brat," Eric bluntly stated. "But once she had accepted what she is, she wanted to learn. She was a good student, unfortunately you know our laws, we cannot interfere between a Maker and their Child. She was his responsibility."

Appius nodded and said thoughtfully, "If Compton is an example of Maker's these days, perhaps the laws need to change. Why did he turn her if he did not wish to care for her?"

I blushed and answered first, "It was his punishment for staking a vampire who was trying to kill me. She was to be a replacement."

"Who ordered such nonsense?" Appius asked in surprise. Eric did not try to hide his snarky grin, "Why your predecessor of course, Magnus."

Appius muttered, "And they wonder why this part of the country is so troublesome." Appius shrugged his shoulders and glanced around to all of us, "It appears I will have to do more than just skim a few files to get a handle on this area. Who knows how many similar messes have been left behind?" He grimaced, "I do so despise paperwork."

I could not hold back my snicker at hearing Eric's words from another vampire.

"What is so funny lover?" Eric asked as he snaked his arms around me and stole a kiss.

I smiled up at him, my body already humming with desire. "Just hard to picture Appius behind a desk," I said while looking the vampire over. Tonight he was wearing a mesh tank top and cut offs with sandals, definitely an odd look for the middle of December. He really didn't care he screamed out 'Not Human' with his attire.

Appius and Thalia were talking quietly next to the porch swing. I stood up on my tip toes while urging Eric down to me for another kiss. I lost myself in the feel and taste of him. Every time we touched I craved more and more of him. He lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist, needing to be closer.

Thalia interrupted us, "Enough you two. Come Eric, there is much work yet tonight."

He let me go reluctantly, leaving me with a last kiss. "I will see you tomorrow at first dark Sookie"

"May your dreams be sweet," Thalia tossed over her shoulder with a wink before following after Appius and Eric who had disappeared down my drive way.

I lingered for a moment at the door, waiting until they left the range of my mental radar. It was another quirk of the evening. I had to struggle to keep my range only at my property line. I had a strong suspicion I could track them half way to Shreveport.

When I could no longer sense the vampires I locked the house down and changed into some comfortable clothing. I retreated to my room and sat in the middle of my bed with my legs crossed. I closed my eyes, found my center and concentrated until I was walking the corridors of my mind. I saw new doors where walls had stood before, raw and weeping with pain. I opened one door out of curiosity and found a room reminiscent of a control center. There were a lot of diagrams, knobs and switches I did not understand so I stepped back into familiar mental territory and closed the door behind me. I walked until I was in front of the room where the bond between Eric and I resided.

I frowned when I saw the damage, the walls had been torn asunder leaving a pile of mental debris. Eric must be blocking me right now to keep me from being over whelmed. I wondered how much damage his shields had taken. The bond itself was pulsing strong and clean with two tiny threads dancing along beside it, the new connections to Thalia and Appius. Thalia's thread flashed gold and bronze with Appius appearing a surprising spring green. Eric over shadowed them both in colors of ocean blue and turquoise.

I rebuilt the walls around the bond, making them several layers thick as well as adding a couple of mental traps, similar to what I remembered the witches trying. Anyone who tried to attack our bond through me would be in for a surprise. When I was finished, I walked around the room one more time. Something on the mental floor caused me to stumble and when I glanced down metaphysically, I found the remnants of a torn and twisted rope, burned in several spots. When I bent to pick it up, I felt it resonate to my touch. I knew at once what I held in my hand, all that was left of the connection by blood Bill and I once shared, destroyed like Jessica's Maker bond at the moment of his true death.

It struck me then when I looked from the rope in my hand to the two tiny threads which pulsed alongside the pipeline I knew as Eric in my mind. Bill was gone, there would be no more dreams, and no more urges to seek him out despite the true wishes of my mind and heart. The only regret I felt was we would never know what could have been without the manipulations and secrets. I opened a mental drawer and laid the broken rope inside, closing and locking it tight.

Starting to feel exhausted I stepped up to the bond and gave in to temptation, I lightly breathed on the new threads and watched them vibrate then reached out a hand and touched the pipeline to Eric, stroking it like a cat. I felt the shudder that echoed back and smiled with glee. He was not the only one who could pull the strings in our relationship.

I turned away with regret, slowly traveling back to my center and exiting the pathways of my mind. When I opened my eyes a deep weariness fell upon me, followed by a tingle of anticipation which I quickly stifled. I would need to take care for the rest of the night. Eric must never know I planned to disregard his request to wait. Ok, so he actually ordered. It did not matter how he phrased it, for tomorrow I would leave with Quinn and head to Dallas. Russell needed to be found and killed so Eric and I could be free.

Scene 2 - EPOV - Stubborn

Pam joined us in the office when we returned to Fangtasia.

"What has you so smug Eric?" she asked the moment she saw me.

I smiled at the memory, "Sookie said she belonged to me, in front of witnesses."

Pam just rolled her eyes, "So Compton's dead and you are hanging the brat around my neck?"

"You can handle her, she starts Tuesday. Set her up as a waitress," I said dismissively. Pam was loyal but lazy any extra responsibility made her grumble and whine.

"Anything else oh mighty one?" she snarked forgetting we were not alone. I sent her a reprimand and smiled grimly at her response. "Get me everything you have found on John Quinn. I want it yesterday."

"Yes Master," she replied zipping out the office door.

"Thalia I would like you and Indira to return to where Russell was buried," I said. "I want the two of you to scour it for anything we may have missed, but this time pay particular attention to any possible vampire residue."

"As you wish Eric," she said. "We will leave immediately." She headed for the office door before gasping to a halt. Appius shivered and a strange smile bloomed on his face.

I was about to comment when the most delicious pleasure flooded my body. I felt like my body was being stroked by hundreds of fingers in all the right places. I could not hold back the moan of delight or the reaction of my body. I sprawled in my chair feeling like I had spent hours having the most scrumptious sex.

Appius and Thalia looked at each other and laughed, before Appius teased me. "Your telepath learns quickly."

I only grunted in reply. I was too busy reaching mentally for my bonded only to smack into the barrier she raised between us. The tinkle of her mental laughter left to echo through my head.

When I opened my eyes Appius was the only one left in the office.

"What did you think you were doing in the glade tonight?" I asked the question which had been weighing on my mind. "You thought to break the bond between me and Sookie?"

Appius rose to his feet and began to pace. "I admit I took a chance. I wanted to see how strong the ties between the two of you were."

"You had no right," I snarled. "How much blood did you give her, it was more than the drop needed for your age, even I could feel that."

He hesitated before answering and I could feel the anger I had buried surge, "How much Appius."

"A thimble full," he admitted almost with I suspected shame. I was astounded Sookie hadn't been driven insane. I knew her shields had broken, but the knowledge she had recovered enough to rebuild them while possibly experiencing god like abilities was humbling.

"I felt she could touch the stars if she only reached," he whispered. "No matter you say she has no wish to be vampire. In that case she will not reach the full potential of her abilities which only a vampire of our age could attain," he dismissed.

"Your age, I am still but a barn in diapers compared to you," I stated wryly. "Her mental abilities will still increase, due to the intake of your blood."

"Yes," he responded. "And I am confident Sookie not mourn her brief glimpse into infinity. She does not crave the power, a rarity indeed."

"I fear she would give away her abilities if she could. She has only discovered in the last few months the positive aspects of her gift. A part of her still believes it a disability." I wished at times I could have discovered a younger Sookie before she had been cruelly treated by the humans around her. Yet would involvement in the supernatural have been any better for her?

Dawn was growing near we needed to move on to other things. "You have weakened the trust between us Appius. Do not make the mistake of coming between me and Sookie again." I warned him.

"If anyone could find a way to end me, it would be you Viking, I know that," he laughed. 'Unless of course I found a way to recreate hallucinations of Godric."

I snarled, I would never be allowed to forget such shame.

He sobered instantly, "Tell me why you sent Thalia back to the site."

"I think Dallas is a ruse. Why would Russell go there? His Mississippi compound is still defensible. I do trust Sookie read what she said she did from the tiger's mind. But she forgets a mind can be manipulated, just as she has manipulated her friends before. It should have taken longer to win Quinn's assistance."

"I agree caution is recommended. I will leave for Dallas and meet with Isabel, together we will investigate this church," Appius said. "I am the better choice Eric. I can travel at will as Magister. You would need permission," he reprimanded when I tried to object. "If Russell is there I will end him," he said with finality.

Appius walked to the door, "Deal with your responsibilities here Eric. Find out what this Quinn and your vampire Chow are up too. I will contact you with what I learn."

Pam and I spent the rest of the evening pouring over the research she had compiled on Quinn. I was missing something; it was a constant nag at the back of my mind.

"Show me again all the properties he has invested in recently," I demanded flipping through the dossiers Pam provided. She had copies of photos, blue prints and deeds of each property. She also had financial and clientele history.

"It's here," I snarled. "I just do not fucking see it," I threw one of the folders across the room.

"Eric, go home," Pam admonished. "We can look over these again tomorrow with fresh eyes."

"Come," I snapped. "We are going to look at one of these warehouses." I grabbed my jacket and she followed me with her lip curled in disgust.

We did discover the building being used by a couple of drainers and took pleasure in doling out their punishment, but frustration was still riding high on my shoulder when I gave in to the pull of dawn.

The unspeakable feeling of the blood bond being stretched to the point of breaking tore me from my days slumber. I called out her name as I tried to rise from my bed, but it was still too early even for me to be about. I heard my phone ring as I lost the fight against the sun. When I truly rose for the night, still an hour before dusk, I had my phone in my hand immediately.

There was a message from the shifter, blinking urgently and the words he spoke chilled my undead heart. Sookie had not listened; she had gone with the Tiger despite my fears. I cursed the stubbornness which still rose at the worst of times. I hit redial and called Merlotte.

"Meet at Fangtasia in two hours," I barked at him. I called the others next, Appius, Thalia and Pam. Appius was still in Dallas; Thalia would be at the meeting with Sam. I told Pam to head to Sookie's house to see if she had left anything behind.

When Sam was escorted into my office it took all my will not to rip his head from his pathetic shoulders.

"I am sorry Eric," he started to whine. "I don't know how I lost her. I was right there in the car with them. Quinn drove them into the parking lot, Frannie helped Sookie out of the car, and then the three of them walked in the door. I was only a moment behind, just the time it took to shift from spider to fly. When I got inside Sookie was gone, Quinn and his sister was there talking to a thin guy with long hair. I searched the whole building but I couldn't even smell her. The scent ended just inside the door."

"Tell me of the conversation between the three of you," I demanded.

"Didn't Sookie tell you?" he asked with a frown.

"We were interrupted," I explained. "I heard enough that I was suspicious of the Tigers motives and warned Sookie to stay away from him until we could investigate."

"So Sookie did what she always does and dove into the water without checking for boulders," Sam said disgust rubbing the tense muscles at the back of his neck, then launched into a recap of their discussion.

"He fondled her and you did nothing?" I exclaimed in surprise when Sam mentioned Quinn laying hands on her.

"I thought the plan was for her to get ... close... to him," he mumbled.

"And his reaction when you mentioned me hunting for her?"

"He said it was not a problem, you would not be able to track her where they were going. But that does not make sense, can't you feel her?"

"She is gone," I said simply ignoring the coil of fear twisting in my gut.

Sam's eyes grew round with worry, "What the fuck Eric?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, "Pam follow Sam to where he last saw the Tiger. Track him but do nothing until Thalia and Indira join you, then bring him to me. I care not what you do with his sister"

"As you wish," Pam responded her face hard and cold. Merlotte had better watch his step this eve, for my Child might just end him for me.

Thalia arrived shortly after and looked at me with curiosity, "The bond is not broken?" she asked. I knew the she would have felt the severing of her own connection.

"No, it is still strong. She is just not there."

"Alive then."

"Yes," I responded. "Did you find it?"

"As you suspected. You know we cannot positively confirm," she warned me cautiously.

"I know," I agreed. "Go, catch up with Pam and bring me the tiger."

"Yes Master."

I waited for Appius' call. His connection to Sookie had also been damaged; he claimed it felt like a knot was between them. I asked what he had found and explained the discovery Thalia had made.

"There was indeed a vampire nest at the church," Appius admitted. "But the vampires there were using it as a place of torture for their own. There was no sign of Russell or anyone else connected to him. Isabel was thankful for the information and will take great pleasure in cleaning the filthy place out."

When we were finished comparing notes he asked, "You know where she is?"

"Yes, I will tell you when you arrive."

"Eric?"

I knew the question he was trying to ask. How could I answer the impossible? "She is strong willed. She will not break and when we have her back, we will destroy them all."

I hung up the phone and picked up the folder lying open on my desk. It was one of the property dossiers we had gone through the previous night. I examined the photo in front of me, a simple club logo scribed in neon. My finger traced over and over the tiny winged fanciful figure dangling from the letter 'G' which was part of the name. "It was hidden in plain sight all along," I whispered before crushing the photo of the strip club in Monroe known as Hooligan's in my fist.