Sorry for the delay folks, I have tons of excuses I could give, but basically, I have neglected this story a little.
As always, I do not own any of the characters.
Previously…
As I walked home, I started to resent Alcide's reaction to Debbie's death, I mean he saw the whole thing, he saw her attack me, but still he blamed me for everything. I reflected how bad I was for my boyfriend's exes. My death count was rising in number and species. To date I had killed one human, one vampire, one Were and I didn't feel bad for any of them, they all deserved it. I noted how much my beliefs had changed since Bill came into my life, I was becoming a terrible Christian.
I was dead tired; all I wanted to do was take a hot shower and a long long nap. And as soon as I got home, that is exactly what I did. I knew the shit would hit the fan when the vampires rose, so I took advantage of the time I was given.
Chapter 15- SPOV
The sun had only set for thirty minutes before the vampires came knocking. Specifically Pam came knocking, well more like pounding. Somehow her sudden appearance at my door did not surprise me.
"Good Evening Pam." I said cheerfully. I actually expected Godric, maybe even Eric, but Pam was kind of a surprise.
"Oh Sookie, you are just so much trouble. " Pam replied as if my existence bored her.
"Yeah Yeah I know, but you all love me anyways." I replied trying to make light of the fact that I really was a lot of trouble, especially for Eric.
"Don't be so sure. I have orders to take the telepath to Fangtasia. That would be you, so let's go breather." That Pam, as much as she deadpanned, I knew that she secretly loved me. I kept her life interesting.
I went with Pam without incident, knowing that Eric was the one who sent her to protect me and I really didn't want do anything to compromise Eric's plan, although it would've been nice if he told me what exactly that entailed.
Pam and I drove mostly in silence the entire way to Fangtasia, well except for her silly questioning of my sex life with Bill.
"So how does Eric compare to Bill?" she asked, knowing that there really was no comparison. She knew that first hand. Then it occurred to me that both Pam and I had slept with Eric and Bill. That realization was a little weird.
I opted not to acknowledge her trivial question, but she didn't relent in her taunting of me.
"You know Sookie, I could teach you a few tricks that would drive my maker absolutely wild. See what you do is you take your pointer and middle fingers and you…" I cut her off before she could finish giving me her unwelcomed Dr. Ruth sex tips.
"PAM! Please, I don't need any pointers, thank you very much." I sometimes think that Pam lives to gibe people.
"Oh you are no fun at all." Pam retorted bitterly.
As we pulled into Fangtasia, there were no cars in the parking lot. Pam explained it was because they were closed on Mondays. Without any humans or vampires, the place just looked kind of creepy, maybe that was part of the allure, I don't know.
As soon as we parked, Pam escorted me in through the employee entrance. There was no one there, so it felt a little strange. Pam looked at me like she had something up her sleeve, and I could swear I saw regret in her eyes.
Before I could question her, she picked me up and slung me over her shoulders.
"I am sorry to have to do this, but master's orders, you know the deal." And she really did look regretful.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked as she carried me down to the nasty basement. She didn't answer because it was obvious where she was taking me. I didn't however; expect her to chain me by the neck to some god-awful medieval contraption.
"What the fuck Pam?" I yelled questioningly. I couldn't for the life of me understand why Eric would order her to chain me up like some pitbull.
"Sookie, do you trust Eric?" She asked as if I should just sit back and take this kind of treatment.
"I did, until this little stunt." I seethed through gritted teeth. The damp cold floor of the Fangtasia basement was the last place I thought I would end up tonight. I was willing to play by Eric's rules, but keeping me locked in the basement really made me question my decisions.
"Make yourself comfortable." Pam stated flatly as she made her way back up the stairs. As soon as the door shut behind her, I became more than irate.
"PAM!" I yelled desperately. I didn't understand the need to hold me hostage, it wasn't like I was unwilling to come or even stay at Fangtasia. I never showed any resistance. And in that moment, I lost all trust in Eric and his intentions where I was concerned. I became convinced that he truly was just using me as a means to an end.
I don't know how long I sat on the filthy cold basement floor, minutes, maybe hours, it actually felt more like days. I was hurt by Eric, and I wanted to go home. Leaving me alone in my own thoughts was probably not a good idea. While in the filthy basement, I decided that I was going to forsake all vampires as soon as I gained my freedom.
I was also pissed that I slept with Eric. He was probably just using me for sex as well as his revenge ticket. I was in deep thought when I heard muffled voices coming from the club. Then the door to the basement flung open and Godric appeared at the top of the stairs.
He looked upon me pitifully, I didn't want his pity, I just wanted to get the hell out of this dingy shithole. Godric descended the stairs at an inhuman pace pitting himself inches from my face.
"Listen carefully little one, you must trust us." Godric instructed carefully and hopefully.
"Right." I replied sarcastically. As far as I was concerned, I didn't trust any of them, certainly not the kind of blind trust that they wanted anyway.
"This is very serious Sookie. We must hurry before he becomes suspicious." Godric said hurriedly. And he unlocked my neck chain and picked me up throwing me over his shoulders like Pam had done earlier.
I protested against his manhandling of me. I kicked and punched his back, but of course that did little damage. In fact I think I heard him snigger at me. Bastards.
Before I could get a grip on the situation, Godric unceremoniously threw me down on one of the chairs in the center of the bar. I looked around, and to my horror, I was surrounded by Vampires. Eric, Pam, Godric, Russell even Bill had the gall to show his pale face.
"Eric, what the fuck!" I spewed angrily as Godric began to tie me to the chair that he so ungraciously put me in.
"Shut up!" Eric yelled back and tears began to pool in the corners of my eyes. I knew that I was being used as a pawn, but to what extent, I was uncertain.
No one seemed to want to look me in the eyes. Funny, I thought that's what humans did to vampires. I still had no clue as to what time of day it was, but it must have been daylight or at least getting close because all of the vampires were starting to get the bleeds.
"Fairies." Russell began in his smooth southern drawl. "are said to be delicious." He continued as he circled my tied up form. He even had the nerve to run his creepy cold fingers over my neck. "Now Mrs. Stackhouse, how is it that you have been bouncing around undetected for 25 years?" he asked rhetorically. I looked to Eric who was completely stoic. Godric wouldn't even look at me and Pam just looked regretful. I didn't even want to look at Bill, as far as I was concerned, I had done my duty and saved his pitiful ass, I owed him nothing.
"How can I be assured that this will work?" Russell asked Eric in all matter of seriousness.
"I can attest to it personally." Godric replied. I had no clue as to what they were talking about.
"Ah, a testimonial from the surreptitious Godric." Russell said sarcastically.
"It will work, and you will be the most powerful being on the planet." Eric tried to convince Russell.
"Well obviously Mr. Northman, I will need some assurances. You understand. You will go first." Russell demanded. I was still pissed that they were plotting right in front of my face, and I had no idea of what.
"Um excuse me, but what the hell are y'all talkin' about?" I asked of no one in particular.
Eric just looked at me sadly, but unapologetically. "Fairy blood allows vampires to walk in the sun without the danger of being scorched." Eric finished coldly.
"That's just nuts! My blood is not some kinda supernatural sunscreen!" I yelled out of fear that these nut jobs actually believed that and would drain me dry.
"It's true Sookie. I have experienced it myself." Godric assured me. But somehow I didn't believe him, nor did I trust him or any of them.
"Yes, well let's get started shall we." Godric said.
"Do let's." Russell said anticipatorily. The fear began rising from deep within me. As Godric and Russell approached me with their fangs bared, I was certain that I was going to be drained.
"No! AHH!" I screamed, the pain was overwhelming as Russell brutally tore into my wrist without any cause or concern. Godric's bite was not as painful, but sill hurt like a bitch as he tore into my neck.
Godric seemed to only take a minimal amount from me, but Russell was greedy.
"Word of caution," Eric started calmly "If you drain her dry, there will be none left." He finished. And with his recommendation, Russell pulled one more sip and finished drinking from me. Of course he didn't bother to seal my wounds.
"My vision was blurry, but I was conscious. I watched as Godric walked out of the front door. It was broad daylight outside. Pam, Eric, Russell and Bill watched the security monitors. Pam and Eric looked more scared than I could ever think possible, while Russell just looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
My head started to wobble and I could feel my consciousness slipping away. I couldn't fight it anymore, and my head hit the table pretty hard. And I was out like a light.
When I came to one of the first things I noticed was the taste of blood surrounding my mouth. Eric's blood to be exact. That pissed me off.
I also noticed that Godric was still outside with Russell. I could see them both lying on the ground surrounded by ash and smoke.
"Why is Godric doin' this?" I asked to no one in particular.
"To save us and exact revenge on my behalf." Eric replied stoically and I noticed that he had crimson tears streaking his face.
"I can't just let him burn like that!" I yelled. My first thought was to run out there and drag him back inside, but he looked like he was bound somehow to Russell. If I unchained them, Russell could potentially attack me.
I ran behind the bar, and pulled off the wooden tap to the beer keg. I figured I could use it as a makeshift stake. I pulled it off with strength that I should not have and ran right out the door without a second thought.
Godric looked bad, I mean really bad. His face was almost completely singed off. Russell looked worse. A few more minutes out here and he would be a giant ashtray.
"Drag me the fuck inside!" Russell screamed at me demandingly.
"Watch your fuckin' language!" I yelled as I rammed the stake as hard as I could into his heart.
As soon as I pushed the stake in, Russell exploded into a pile of ancient goo. Of course that nasty crap got all over me too. Being around vampires increased my wardrobe expenses exponentially.
"Sookie, why are you doing this?" Godric asked sorrowfully.
I pulled Godric back through the front door by his shoulders as I answered his question.
"I don't have an answer at the moment, maybe I'm just insane." I responded angrily. I was pissed at all of them for using me like that. I was doubly pissed because they plotted this all behind my back.
"He needs human blood to heal." Eric said looking at me expectantly. Of course they would just expect me to open my wrist for them even after almost draining me dry.
I conceded to his unspoken demand and held out my wrist to for him bite me. Thankfully, Godric only needed a few sips to heal, being as old as he was.
"Sookie." Eric started, but I cut him off before he could say anything else. I was royally pissed and I didn't want to hear his bullshit lies anymore.
"No, Eric. Do. Not. Speak. To. Me." I chided him. He obeyed my wishes for once in his undead life hanging his head in apology and regret.
"We need to go to ground." Eric said to Godric, Pam and Bill. I still hadn't figured out why Bill was even there.
"Sookie, you can take my car and drive home if you wish." Eric offered.
"No thanks, I'll just hail a cab." I knew I was being difficult, but I didn't really care.
"Oh and by the way, I rescind the invitation to all vampires present." I finished petulantly. Eric seemed shocked at my declaration, but I couldn't give a rodent's ass.
I picked up my purse and walked out the door knowing that none of them could or would chase after me in the sunlight. I walked a good distance away from that hell hole and dialed a cab company.
An hour and $68.50 later, I finally made it home. It was about 3 p.m by that time and I was filthy, hungry, thirsty and sleepy not in that order.
When I woke later in the evening, it was completely dark, and I knew it was only a matter of time, for the second night in a row, that the vampires would come a' knockin'.
As sure as the sky is blue, my doorbell started ringing. I didn't care what vampire in particular it was, I didn't want to see any of them.
"Sookie, we need to talk." Eric started.
"No, we don't I rescinded your invitation, now get the fuck of my porch and outta my life." I spewed angrily.
"Sookie! Wait! You need to understand. I did it to save you!" he explained desperately.
"No Eric! You used me as a pawn to exact your revenge!" I retorted. "All that shit you said to me at his mansion…You lied to me! You used me! I regret every minute of that night Eric Northman! You got what you wanted from me, now leave me the hell alone!" I screamed at him in exasperation.
And it hit me that I had allowed myself to feel, once again, for a vampire that only used me for his own purposes. How naïve could I be? I started sobbing at the realization that every man I had slept with only did so out of their own selfish desires. None of them actually gave a damn about me. I was alone.
"Just leave me alone!" I sobbed angrily and slammed the door in his face.
I ran back up to my room, threw myself on my bed and wallowed in my own self-pity. I looked up from my bed at the picture of my gran and I sitting happily in the sun, and I felt completely empty. I needed to be close to gran, I needed her guidance, her love. She was the only one who gave her love to me unconditionally.
I picked myself off my bed and ran out to her grave. When I made it, I fell to my knees in abject sorrow.
"Gran, I am so lost. I opened my heart, but they only wanted to use me." I sobbed. "I am so alone." I mourned.
"You are not alone Sookie." Said the most angelic voice. I recognized that voice from the dream I had before going to Jackson. It's the voice of my guardian angel who tried to warn me about going to Mississippi. I turned my head to see the face of the beautiful woman who graced my dreams. She held out her hand to me offering solace and refuge from the troubles of my life.
She was surrounded by other beautiful beings that seemed to glow brighter than the sun itself. I held my hand out in agreement as I slowly marched towards her.
"Sookie! No! Do not go to her!" I heard the pleas of a distant voice that I recognized as Godric. He sounded almost desperate.
"Sookie! Please! Please! Not again! This cannot happen again! I can't lose you! They'll never let you go!" his pleas were wrought with pain and despair. I wondered what he meant by not again? But I ignored his pleas. Claudine felt like home to me, warm, comfortable, and she offered the type of love that I wasn't getting elsewhere.
Ignoring Godric's cries, I walked towards her until our hands met. I felt a tingling, warm sensation, but it also felt like the life was being sucked out of my body. The feeling only lasted a few seconds, and when I opened my eyes, I saw the most magical wondrous place I could have ever imagined.
Everything seemed to glow this hazy shade of gold, almost like the tint on those really old photos. The sun shone brightly, but not overwhelmingly bright. Everything was lush and green and beautiful. It was like a perennial Spring, and for the first time since gran's passing, I felt like I was at home.