Okay, I think this chapter will show you I am coming out of my angsty phase a touch. Thanks for all the support and reviews. They mean the world to me and I love hearing from you guys.

Chapter 15: In These Arms –Swell Season

Sookie

After Annabelle had left, she realized that her one date with Quinn would be letting him down, telling him she wasn't ready and that she couldn't be with him as he was associated with Bill.

She got dressed, but didn't put much effort into her attire. She wore a lacy white dress, with a thin brown leather belt. She also had a light pink jacket to go over the dress since it was still a little chilly and her brown leather cowboy boots. She looked good, but clearly not trying to impress him.

Lafayette came in and said, "You think you plain, but girl you's is gorgeous without tryin'. You sure you don' want me to come wit you just in case he takes it bad?"

She shook her head. "Thanks, but I am goin' to go to dinner with him, but explain that although I appreciate the offer, I can't continue seein' him. It doesn' matter if he takes it bad or not. It's just the way it is."

He nodded and they both looked suddenly toward a car pulling up downstairs. Sookie and Lafayette walked downstairs just as he came up on the porch and rang the doorbell.

She turned to Lafayette and said softly, "I will be home soon, have the icecream good and melty, will ya?"

He nodded and smiled softly to her, kissing her forehead.

She looked at him as she opened the door and he asked, "Ready?"

She nodded, not knowing what was in store for her that night.

Eric

Eric was working on his throne. He had his laptop balanced on the arm of his throne as he scrolled through his long list of emails. He selected the ones that he would be addressing tonight, marking them as important.

Eric looked up from his computer and saw Jessica dancing in the middle of the floor. He almost cringed as he saw her internal struggle over feeding and being a "mainstreamer". Hell, Eric had become more mainstream than Jessica and he guessed Bill now as well.

Pam had been talking to the redhead more and more lately and Eric was happy that she had a project to occupy her time with. Speaking of Pam, she was stalking toward the throne and gave him a look that clearly said she needed to speak with him in private. He also detected…worry, in her blood.

Eric gave a slight nod and stood, drawing the eyes of the entire bar to him. He smirked as he strut through the crowd, but growled loudly when one of the regulars touched him. He had fucked her. In fact, this was the one Sookie had walked in on him with.

He flung her hand off of him and turned slowly, "I am not yours to touch. Do it again, and I will throw you out of this club and ban you."

She looked grief-stricken, but he turned and walked away feeling no remorse. He went to his office where Pam was leaning against his desk.

"I have received a couple of not so good tidbits of information from our fire crotched friend out there," she said.

Eric waited for her to continue and folded his arms.

"Sookie is attending the Summit."

Eric immediately felt dread, followed by fury. "Who decided this?"

Pam remained silent, giving Eric the answer he needed. Bill was really dumb enough to put her in harm's way like this? Didn't Bill understand that by doing this, he was bringing more attention to her? Fucking idiot. Eric assumed it was an attempt to sway her back to him.

But Sookie wasn't his and she had made it abundantly clear she wanted nothing to do with him. He would need to be watchful over her during the summit without seeming to protective. They were representatives of the same state.

"The other news?"

"The were guarding Sookie had been discovered by Sookie herself. And she is dating him now."

Eric saw red and he advanced on Pam, "if you are fucking with me, I will hurt you."

She put her hands up in a sign of surrender. "I wouldn't do that knowing what I know. I swear. Jessica said Bill's staff had heard them arguing about it and then they had gossiped about it with Jessica."

Eric felt anger, fury, rage, disbelief, but most of all an incredible amount of hurt. He closed his eys and moved to his desk, sitting down heavily in his chair. At this moment he felt all one thousand of his years and he wished he had perished that many years ago with his family.

She had chosen yet another over him. Was he really so terrible? So unthinkable?

He had loved her. He had respected her. He belonged to her. He cradled his head in his hands, but all he saw was a faceless man with his Sookie. The image taunted him and he asked, "Who is the were?"

"John Quinn, the tiger."

Eric's head snapped up. Of all the fucking weres in the world, it had to be fucking Quinn. Eric would not abide this. He knew of Quinn and his past. But more importantly, he knew how Quinn was rumored to operate. And he didn't like it one bit anywhere near Sookie.

He stood and paced his office silently, wondering how he should approach this. "You heard this from Bill who has done nothing to dissuade the were from her. He is king. He has power over him, especially since he is on loan from the Mississippi vampires. Why would he allow this?" he wondered alound to himself.

Pam knew he was musing aloud, working out what was going on. "Perhaps Bill has set himself as a new potential hero again. He will use Quinn as a way to harm Sookie somehow and then fling himself between her and this 'fake danger' he has constructed. Wouldn't be the first time," she suggested.

Suddenly Pam and Eric looked at each other and knew this was what was in store for Sookie tonight. Bill was desperate to get his blood back inside of Sookie, especially before this Summit.

Eric stormed out of Fangtasia and took to the sky, flying at his fastest. It was ten. Normal humans were well into their dates at this time. Dinner? Some kind of activity? And then…

Eric flew as fast as he ever had, using great amounts of his own energy.

Below he saw Pam running below him. The fact that she was running with him meant she was worried for him.

He landed in Sookie's yard and immediately smelled Quinn on her land. Suddenly he was tackled and he quickly threw his opponent to the ground, putting his foot roughly against his attacker's throat. But it was Bubba.

"Why did you attack me, Bubba?" he growled out.

"I was told to stop any type of threat to Miss Sookie. You are mighty threatenin' Sheriff."

Eric relaxed. "I intend her no harm. In fact, I am here to protect her. Where is she?"

"She left around eight with a gentleman caller. I know the man some, he was a guard for Miss Sookie during the day, but don' follow orders real well Sheriff."

Eric nodded. "Do you know where they went? Do you know where the King is?"

Bubba nodded and said he would take him to where he knew Sookie had headed. From there they could track her through scent. "The king had made arrangements for the evening and asked to be unescorted for the night."

Eric's fangs clicked in place as rage coursed through his veins. "I am sure he did," he said lowly.

Pam suddenly was next to Eric and they wasted no time in urging Bubba to lead the way. "They went this was Sheriff."

Eric quickly picked up the trail and followed it quickly. It led to a restaurant off the highway. Sookie might not have known this place. It certainly wouldn't be a place he would take her for a romantic date.

He asked the staff if they had seen her and they said they had, but that the couple had left a little over a half hour ago. Eric felt dread and fear flood his veins and he raced outside searching for a new trail. Suddenly Pam called out, "Found it," and Eric took off after her.

Suddenly Eric picked up another's scent. Bill Fucking Compton.

Eric growled dangerously and he pushed his own muscles to the limit to locate Sookie. What he heard next made him almost completely paralyze in fear. Almost. Sookie was shrieking and crying out.

Eric spotted the location and saw Sookie struggling to get out of the car, her door open, but Quinn had her trapped under his hulking frame. She was crying and struggling and he could see the terror on her face.

Before he knew it, he had ripped the door off the car and pulled Quinn off of Sookie. Bubba grabbed Quinn roughly from Eric, who immediately turned his attention on Sookie. He grabbed her up and looked her over.

She was knocked up he saw, with a swollen lip and a cut on her cheekbone. But he also saw evidence that Sookie had fought back. No surprise there, he thought as he looked over his warrior, relief surging over him like a tidal wave.

Suddenly Pam came from the other side of the field with Bill struggling in her iron lock. She had apparently taken him off his guard. Way off his guard. His pants were undone and his cock was still out.

"Look what I found our dirty boy up to," she sneered.

Sookie pushed Eric off of her and walked up to Bill, slapping him hard across the face. "You did this," she seethed slapping him again. "I felt your signature the entire time there, you fucking pig. I screamed out for help, but you got off on the struggle you sick, twisted fuck!"

She slapped him repeatedly, "YOU ARE FUCKING PATHETIC! YOU WILL STOOP TO ANY LEVEL! YOU KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE! I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!" she screamed out, tears running down her face as she began bruising her hand against Bill's unaffected face. She was shaking violently and Eric pulled her off of Bill.

She turned to Eric, her eyes still wild with the combination of her rage and her terror. She suddenly broke and she collapsed into Eric. He picked her up and cradled her sobbing form in his arms. He said to Pam in Swedish, "Låt honom gå, han är kung, trots allt, och har immunitet. Sedan ringa Ludwig att ha hennekomma till Sookies omedelbart. Hon vet hur man gör. " (Let him go, he is king, after all, and has immunity. Then call Ludwig to have her come to Sookie's immediately. She will know what to do.)

Pam nodded and released him, but kicked him in the balls. "She is right, you really are pathetic," she whispered.

Bill stood, a mixture of both embarrassment and rage on his face as he buttoned and zipped his pants and took off in the direction of Bon Temps.

Eric then turned to Bubba, who looked after Bill with a look of anger and disbelief, and said "Bubba, will you take Mr. Quinn to Fangtasia and ask Felicia, one of the bartenders to secure him. He will not be harming our Miss Sookie anymore."

Bubba nodded enthusiastically and his fangs snicked into place as he tucked the enormous Quinn easily under his arm like a football and ran off in the direction of the bar.

Eric felt Sookie clinging to his shirt, still crying weakly and said gently, "Sookie, I am going to put you on your feet for only a moment. Alright?" He slowly set her on her feet and faster than she could realize he had his coat wrapped snugly around her and she was back in his arms.

He then took flight back to her home.

So? Am I slowly, but surely, redeeming myself here?