All Hell Breaks Loose
Chapter 65: Sweet Escape
Eric had no idea how long they have been in the van or how long they been on the road. Sookie had told him they have been driving at least three hours before Eric and Bill woke up. That would put them at somewhere in Utah when he woke up and that meant they were closing in on Oregon soon.
"I wonder where we are," Sookie said. She was leaning against them. Eric didn't have to worry about her health while in the van. Their captors did go through the drive through for food and even asked Sookie if she preferred a burger or a chicken sandwich and after they had eaten the one called Victor held up the sandwich for her and drink and plopped the fries into her mouth.
"Should be entering Oregon," Eric said softly. "Are you afraid?"
"No. I'm just tired."
"You can sleep on me," Eric said.
"Not sure if I can sleep like this."
"Just have to try. I won't let any harm come to you while you rest."
"I will have to warn you," Sookie said. "I might flop around a lot until I get comfortable."
"Flop all you want." He kissed the top of her head.
She yawned and leaned back further against him. She was quiet and still for a few minutes before she rolled on her side. She then sat up and flopped on him again and slid down a few inches. It only took Eric a few minutes before he realized that she was trying to roll off the chains.
"What she doing?" The one wolf called Mac asked.
"Trying to sleep," Victor said. "Roll around like that."
"Moving more than my cousin," Mac said. "And he's got the jimmy legs."
"I heard it's now called restless leg syndrome."
"Whatever it's called he got it fierce."
"I thought you all tend to walk in circles three times before you lie down," Eric said. His left arm was completely free. He sat up a little more.
"Shut up and get your girlfriend to be quiet," Mac said before he stretched out. "I'm going to take a nap. Victor you keep watch."
"I'm also tired," Victor whined.
"Wake me up in a couple of hours then," Mac said. "Then you can have your turn."
Eric watched as Mac closed his eyes. Sookie continued to push the chains off him with her own body and he carefully adjusted himself without making much sound. He didn't have much to worry. Victor's eyelids were also growing heavier by the minute.
Finally the last of the chains were off his body. Eric kept his eyes on the enemy as he untied Sookie's bindings.
"When I count to three I'm going to break open the back," Eric whispered to her. "Stay close to me."
"I'm ready," Sookie said.
"One." He unzipped himself the rest of the way. "Two." He peeled the cloth off him. "Three." He sprang to the back and with a few kicks he had opened the back of the van.
"What the hell?" Victor shouted.
Sookie fired her fairy blasts at them as the vehicle came to a screeching hault.
"Now Sookie," Eric cried out as he grabbed her and jumped from the vehicle. The second his feet hit asphalt he bolted, or tried to bolt. Bill had tackled him and removed Sookie from his arms. "Unhand her."
Bill growled and punched at him, missing at the last second.
"Eric, run," Sookie said as she sent several of her blasts at the wolves that were about to pounce on him.
"Not without you," Eric said and tried to take her from Bill again.
"He won't harm me," Sookie said as a couple of wolves snatched her. "Run Eric. You can get help."
"I'm not going to leave you." He tried to reach for her again.
"He won't stop. He's only after me not you."
"Sookie."
"Run, if you love me then just run."
"I'm sorry," Eric said and before he raced off with one wolf trying to tackle him mid run. Eric twisted his neck and discarded him before he continued on his way.
Eric continued to run towards the direction of Astoria and paused when he came upon the welcome sign. He closed his eyes and shook his head. How could he have abandoned Sookie like that? How could he turn on the woman he loves? A part of his brain told him he was listening to logic and the fact that Sookie told him to run. The question now was where was he going to go?
Several growls behind him caused him to turn around to face a dozen wolves. There were few other creatures as well. There was a jaguar, cougar and a bear, shape shifters.
"So I wasn't able to escape from Russell," Eric sighed.
One of the wolves turned into his human form. "Did you say escape from Russell?"
"I did," Eric said and raised his hands.
"You know Ismene?"
"I do," Eric said.
"Are you from Bon Temps?"
"Shreveport to be exact, but I've been living in Bon Temps."
"I'm Tad," the werewolf said. "We are part of the resistance."
Sookie wasn't sure how many times she was going to have to tell Eric to run. Every time Eric tried to grab her Bill would fight him and snatch her back and the tug of war was making Eric an easy target for the other werewolves. If he escaped he could find a way to rescue her and Bill. She could not hate him. This was clearly not Bill thinking.
"Shit fuck," Mac said as tied Sookie's wrists again. "We lost the other one." He glared at Victor. "This is all your fault."
"I had no idea what they were planning," Victor said.
"Quit your whining," Mac said. "You are riding shotgun. Cliff will ride back with us."
"Why do I gotta?" Cliff asked. "It's uncomfortable back there without all the seats."
"Why the fuck am I surrounded by whiners?" Mac asked and rubbed his head. "Get this bitch and this vamp-bot back inside."
Sookie felt herself picked up and thrown into the van. She tried not to feel any fear, knowing that Eric would sense it and she cannot have him running back to save her because she felt afraid.
"This son of a bitch won't even fight back," Cliff said as he and Mac threw Bill back inside.
"Keep them separated," Mac said and pulled the sleeping bag that had contained Eric over to Sookie. "Sleep on this bitch, probably even more comfortable than sleeping on a vampire." He pursed his lips. "You slept with that one that ran?"
"None of your business," Sookie said.
"Knew it," Mac said and grinned. The sleazy tint of his grin made Sookie want to take several showers. "The one thing I wonder about having sex with a vampire is it like sticking a Popsicle up your hooch?"
"Gross," Sookie gasped. "You are disgusting."
"Dude," Cliff said and shook his head. "Seriously."
"Sorry man," Mac said and gave him a pat on the head.
Sookie sighed and lied down. She closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep.
Eric had no idea where he was going or if he could trust these wolves and shifters. He had no where else to turn and he decided to follow them until he knew for certain what the situation was. He did want to know where they heck they were going.
"Where are you taking me?" Eric asked.
"Where the rest of us are waiting," Tad answered.
"Why should I trust you?" Eric asked. He wasn't certain but it seemed like they were nearing a stadium of some sort.
"You have to trust somebody," Tad said. "I know you have no reason to trust us. You have just recently escaped his clutches and I know you can only have our word, but we are on the same side."
"That doesn't reassure me," Eric told him as they walked inside. The stadium was filled with various people. They were seated in the stands and there were several standing in the center.
The ones standing in the center were engaged in an odd activity. They all had their hands linked, eyes closed and were repeating the same phrase over and over. Eric could see other people lighting candles and using fans to blow away the smoke.
"You are wondering what they are doing?" Tad asked. "Because that would be my question if I just came here."
"They are performing a spell," Eric stated the obvious.
"Cloaking spell removal," Tad said. "Some of those witches are werewolves and a few are shifters and a few others are nephilim."
"I see," Eric said and looked up at the stands. No one seemed to be paying attention to him at first. He did see someone stand up and after looking at his direction they bolted down the stairs and up to him.
"Eric," Pam said when she stopped.
"Did you get my message?" Eric asked.
"I did," Pam said. She didn't even notice that Chow had caught up with her. "My flight had just arrived an hour ago. Several other vampires from Shreveport have arrived with me."
"Well you are the sheriff," Eric said as he cradled her chin. "You have done well."
"Thank you," Pam said and perked up.
"I know you were worried about me. You don't have to admit it."
"Pam," Hailey cried out from across the field. She was climbing down the steps as fast as she could and was followed by three others. Eric could easily see red hair and knew it was Jessica. "Pam wait for us."
"Hailey watched over me while we were in the air," Pam explained.
"I see," Eric said and turned to Tad. "I can see you were honest."
Tad shrugged. "I'd probably wouldn't have been fully trusting either if the circumstances were reversed."
"Pam," Hailey continued to shout. "Why the heck did you…" She trailed off when she saw Eric. "Oh my God! Eric, you're all right."
"Eric," Jessica gasped and embraced him.
"I'm glad to see you are okay," Steve said.
"Where is Sookie?" Jason asked.
"She wasn't able to get away," Eric said softly and felt himself a wash with guilt.
"What?" Jason asked as his eyes narrowed with rage.
"You just left her?" Steve asked.
"She told me to run," Eric said. "There was no way the three of us could-" he did not finish. Jason struck him in the jaw with his fist as hard as the human could punch.