CHAPTER SEVEN
I slowly blinked my eyes open and immediately regretted it. The sun that streamed in from the window was far too bright for my eyes and I rolled over so I was facing the wood panelled wall of Jason's spare bedroom with a moan of pain. Last night was definately punishing me now. I heard the door open with a creak that sounded much too loud to my sensitive ears. I carefully opened one eye and saw Tara kneel down beside me and set a tray on the beside table. On it was a glass of water and two aspirin's.
She helped me sit up and I groaned as nausia rushed over me in a crushing wave. "Remind me never to go drinkin' with Jason again."
"Here, this will help." Tara placed the aspirin in the palm of my hand and handed me the water as I shoved them in my mouth. I took a long sip of the water to wash down the pain killers and then I lay back down against the pillows with a groan. "You really can't hold your alcohol can you?" Tara chuckled and I frowned up at her.
"I don't drink... like ever."
"I know." She said and she grabbed the tray. "Come grab something to eat when the headache eases a bit. Food helps with the hangover."
It took a few minutes but I slowly sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I stood and cried out in pain as I collapsed on the bed at the pain from my ankle and I remembered tripping in Jason's driveway and twisting my ankle. I gazed down at my foot and I felt my eyes widen at my ankle. It was twice the size it normally was and was clearly bruised. It was blue, erring on the side of black. Tara came in, worry etched on her face.
"What?" She asked and I pointed at my foot. She winced when she saw it and helped me up. "Yeah, you had one nasty fall." She said.
"Wait! Was Eric really there or did I dream that?"
"No he was there. He put you to bed when you fell asleep on him. I swear to God Sook, this seems to be becoming a thing for you. You gotta stop falling asleep on the man. It's so last year." She added with a wink.
"Last night I passed out from the all the alcohol you fed me not to mention the stress from what happened yesterday in Shreveport. As for the other time... he was massaging me and I had been through a lot."
"He was massaging you? In the bath?"
"It's not like that!" I hissed and Tara laughed as she sat me on Jason's couch and propped my leg up. Tara went to the freezer and grabbed a bag of peas that she carefully wrapped around my battered ankle. I hissed both at the pain and the cold. Tara glanced at me and smiled. "Why didn't he heal me?" I mused out loud.
"Because you asked him not to." Tara said.
"I did?" Tara nodded. "I don't even remember that." I looked at the clock and my blood ran cold. "I'm goin' to be late for work."
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that Sook. Sam saw you last night and he called this morning to say he's given you the day off to recover."
"Oh, I feel just awful." I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. "I feel so bad for Sam."
"Yeah especially as he still loves you." Tara replied as she handed me a plate of food.
"He does not." I said and Tara sat next to me.
"Ah, yeah he does. I think Bill might still love you too... and then there's Alcide." She continued and I glared at Tara as I popped some breakfast in my mouth.
"That's not fair." I said and Tara laughed.
"Don't worry they all know they don't stand a chance. Well I mean Sam and Alcide know but I reckon Bill hasn't got the idea."
"I don't care about Bill!" I snapped.
"Good cos nobody likes him." Tara agreed.
"I need to go home." I said. "I haven't been home in almost a week and I am sick to death of livin' at Jason's. I mean I love my brother but I need my space, you know?" I asked and Tara nodded.
"I'll drive you." I ate my breakfast, packed my bag and got into Tara's car. On the way through town Tara stopped at a drug store and bought me an ankle brace. I put it on and it took some getting used to the pressure. After a while I adjusted and I couldn't feel it anymore. We pulled up my drive and my eyes went wide. "What the fuck!" Tara said and I felt my mouth go dry. That could not be what Eric meant to send me as my gift. Tara looked at me and I looked at her. "What the hell is that?" Tara asked.
"An apology gift." I said and Tara laughed.
"Hell does he have any rich, sexy friends I could hook up with?" She asked and I looked at her knowingly.
"Probably but you could bet your life they'd all be vampires." I replied and Tara gulped. I got out of Tara's car and hobbled to the shiny, fire engine red car that was parked in my driveway. The interior was white leather and the dashboard and steering wheel were polished wood. It was the most expensive car I had ever laid eyes on. I walked around the car, slowly, watching out for any rocks or overgrown roots that could cause my ankle any more pain, and studied it.
The car had some kind of animal in gold on the hood, it was a sort of jungle cat and looked like it was streaking the desert plains or getting ready to pounce. On the driver's seat was a piece of cardboard (the same expensive kind that had been attached to my new fridge) and written in fancy black script was a message. Time for an upgrade, hope you like my apology.
I walked away from the car and grabbed the rail of the porch steps, taking my time to slowly climb up the stairs, trying not to wince at the pain in my foot. I really had to make sure I didn't let Jason and Tara get me drunk again. I took my keys out of my handbag and unlocked the front door. I walked into the kitchen and shook my head at the car key sitting on the kitchen table. I hated how Eric could now come and go as he pleased in my home. If it weren't for the fact that this house was all I ever knew and all my memories were in this house then I would take Sam up on his offer and move into one of his rentals.
I picked up the keys and toyed with them as I looked out the kitchen window to the car. It seemed out of place in the old gravel drive, surrounded by trees, beside the old farmhouse. I tossed the keys on the table and sat in one of the chairs. Tara walked in through the back door. "Oh, man Sook, he's really carryin' a big one for you." I looked up at her and sighed.
"I know."
"Why are you so scared of him. What the hell does he have to do to prove to you that he loves you? Can't you see how much you mean to him? He takes care of you, respects your wishes, lavishes gifts on you and saves your damn life... more than once. What the hell more do you want from him? You kiss him and beg werewolves not to hurt him so what's holdin' you back?"
I got up and limped to the living room, dropping onto the couch with a groan and rested my foot on one of the cushions. Tara followed me into the living room and put her hands on her hips. "Oh no, Sook, you ain't walking out of this conversation." I flicked on the new plasma screen tv, even though it was Eric's I had decided I liked it and when (if) I bought back this place from him I was going to keep it. "Why won't you answer the questions?"
"I can't Tara, I just can't." I felt tears in my eyes. "I won't do this. Yes I know I kiss him, it's true that I worried for his safety when he was fighting with Alcide and yes I know he takes care of me. But you don't know Eric the way I do. He's still scary as hell. What he's done recently doesn't change what he did before that. He used me for personal gain, he put me in dangerous situations, he locked me in the basement of Fangtasia and he feed off me in front of Russell."
"He already apologised for that and he tried to explain to you that it was the only way to get Russell out into the sun."
"I was there, remember. I heard him."
"So... what's really the problem?" I opened my mouth to answer when I heard a creak on the porch. Tara raised her eyebrows and I sat up, nervous. I looked around for some kind of weapon, you could never be too careful right? I could only find a book and a letter opener, not much in the way of protection but it was better than nothing. I grabbed the letter opener and I hobbled to the front door. I eased it open, hiding the letter opener behind the door. I sighed and felt instant relief when Alcide was standing on my porch, ready to ring the bell.
"Man you're looking for a fucking fight." Tara chuckled as she settled on the armchair.
"I'm so glad to see you, Alcide." I said as I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him. He hugged me back for a few moments and then held me at arms length.
"Why are you limping?" He asked kindly and I smiled sheepishly.
"A drunken injury." I replied and he shook his head, lifting the corner of his lip into a smile.
"I see."
"I have decided that I am not going to let Jason and Tara get me drunk again. That's a promise." He looked at Tara who regarded him in amusement.
"You needed to take a load off." Tara chuckled.
"Come in." I finally remembered my manners and stepped aside to allow him inside. He stepped into the house and I noticed his nostrils flare as he smelt the room. Alcide looked at me and shifted his weight, uncomfortably.
"The whole place smells like vampire." He said and I scratched the back of my head.
"Eric bought the place." I admitted, sadly. Alcide put a hand on my shoulder.
"I'm sorry." Then I thought of something and looked at Alcide, cocking my head. "How come you didn't smell him when you picked me up for the date?"
Alcide smiled lopsidedly. "He wasn't sleeping here then." I felt a fury bubble up inside me at Alcide's words. I saw Tara sit upright on the armchair and look around nervously. I felt my hands shake from my anger.
"I... He..." I couldn't seem to formulate words. I closed my eyes and sucked a deep breath into my lungs. I counted backwards from ten and tried to ease the feelings of anger. I opened my eyes and turned back to Alcide. "He's... sleeping..." I managed to stutter and Alcide ran a hand through his mane of dark hair, looking uncomfortable.
"Yes." He said and I nodded once.
"Could you excuse me?" I asked and both Alcide and Tara nodded. I half walked, half hobbled up the stairs to my bedroom. I frowned at the new cupboard in my room and cocked my head. I walked up to the cupboard and lightly ran my hand along the wood. The patterns were intricate and looked exotic, like chinese. "I admit that I like this." I said with a smile. "I think I'll keep this." I opened the doors and frowned. It wasn't a cupboard at all. Inside it was metal and there was a steel ladder. I followed the ladder down a hole and leant forward to peer down the precipice. I couldn't see the bottom but it was black and I knew instantly what it was.
I snarled down the hole, not knowing whether Eric would hear me or not, and not even caring. I slammed the doors shut and hobbled downstairs. Did Eric think it was a joke putting his hidey hole in my bedroom? What the hell was going on in his mind. I had had enough. I made up my mind and I picked up my phone from my bag and I called Merlotte's. It was Terry who answered.
"Hey Terry is Sam in?"
"Yeah, I'll just get him." I noticed Tara and Alcide come and stand in the kitchen, Tara leaned against the back of one of the kitchen chairs and Alcide leaned against the wall of the archway from the kitchen to the front entry of the house. A moment later Sam came on the phone.
"Sookie?"
"Hey Sam... Uh you know how you said I could stay in one of your rentals for as long as I needed?" I asked. I saw Tara raise her head and look at me like I had lost my mind and Alcide stepped away from the wall and unfolded his arms. I could almost picture Sam's face when he answered.
"Yeah?"
"Is it still available?" I asked and Tara shook her head, clicking her tongue.
"Ah.. yeah it is. But Sook... Are you sure?"
"I just need some space that's mine and where certain individuals can't go without my permission."
I heard Sam sigh. "Sure. You can come and get the key as soon as your ready."
"Thanks Sam." I hung up and put my phone back in my handbag. Tara glared at me.
"You're a fucking idiot you know that?" Tara snapped and I gave her a shocked look.
"Tara!"
"No, I'm sorry Sook. You are a fucking idiot. The man has bent over backward to prove to you that he's a good guy."
"The man is sleeping in a hidey hole in my bedroom." I snapped back at her.
"Who the fuck cares? Maybe he has decided to sleep here because its quicker and easier to save you, God knows you get into trouble often enough."
"Ok, you did not just say that to me."
"I don't understand it. I don't know what else you want from him. Aside from the whole vampire thing he is exactly the kind of man that every woman wants lavishing attention on her. Fucks sakes Sook, he bought you a FUCKING CAR!"
"He bought my house and is now sleeping in it! I don't know about you but in my books that is not acceptable! I need my own house... it's not like we're married!" I snapped. Our voices were rising as we spoke but I didn't care. "Since when did you become the spokesperson for vampire's anyway." I snapped.
"Oh my God Sookie... Maybe he should be with someone who would appreciate him more!"
"What? Someone like you?" I yelled.
"What the fuck! HE LOVES YOU! I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU EXPECT FROM HIM!" Alcide chose this moment to step in. He placed a hand on my shoulder and looked at Tara.
"Come on now. You two just need a break from it all. Sookie why don't you grab a bag of clothes and I'll take you to get the key from Sam. Tara maybe you should go home and take a breather." Tara glared at me for a moment and then she shook her head.
"Whatever! Shit." She stomped out the house and a moment later I heard her engine start and the obvious sound of tyres crunching on the gravel as Tara tore away from the house.
"Thankyou." I said to Alcide and he nodded.
"Sure. Come on lets get some things together." He gently took my arm and helped me up the stairs to my room. I grabbed a small travel bag and opened my drawers to get my clothes.
"Alcide?" I asked after a few minutes of packing. Alcide was looking at my broken window with his back to me.
"Mmm?"
"Do you think I'm doing the right thing? About moving out and Eric I mean?" Alcide turned to face me and sighed.
"I think... love is a difficult thing. I don't think it discriminates. I think we can't help who we love."
"Do you think I should trust him?"
Alcide stepped up to me and sighed. "I think as far as vampires go... Eric is ok. I've worked for him and done favours for him for a long time Sookie. He's a vampire and vampires are by nature cruel. Eric seems to care about you, in whatever strange capacity it is that he feels.
"I probably shouldn't say this... but I think if you were to fall for a vampire then Eric would be the one that I would suggest. I hate vampires and I wish that he hadn't ruined our evening the other night but I do know he feels strongly for you. He also has never lied to you."
"Why does everyone like him?" I asked and Alcide laughed.
"I wouldn't go that far."