Disclaimer: Charlaine Harris owns all.
Rated M for several reasons.
Chpt 9 Confluence
EPOV
I contained myself all the way back to Shreveport and Fangtasia, striding through bar without acknowledging anyone, the vampires at least knew to stay out of my way, a few of the vermin weren't so lucky. As soon as my office door closed behind me I lost it.
Thanks to the Great Revelation I sometimes have to confine my rage to inanimate objects.
Done wrecking my office I fling myself down the corridor and into the basement, taking a moment to get control again before I rip the chains off the silver coffin and flip open the lid.
The sting of pain and the smell of my burnt hands helps prevent me from ripping his throat out the moment I see him. I would dearly like to, I apportion some of the blame for this to him.
Merely weakened rather than injured by the close proximity of the silver, Compton sits up slowly.
Wordlessly I hand him a pack of donor blood from the cooler we keep down here, watching while he consumes it, he does not seem bothered about what I did to him.
"You have your wish Compton. The Queen is aware that I have claimed the telepath."
His eyes widen slightly.
"When you detained me I assumed you were going to turn us both over to the Queen." He says carefully. Is that disappointment I detect?
"Assume makes an ass out of u and of me, as the humans would say." Yes, this has definitely not turned out the way he was hoping and I can see an extended stay for him in this basement in the near future. "Get out of the coffin, Pam has another guest waiting to use it."
Slowly he climbs out, still weak.
"You need to feed." I observe. "Make sure it is neither from my human nor on these premises."
He glares at me and I grin back nonchalantly. I would dearly like to hurt and kill something at this point, Compton will do at a push.
"You will bring her here tomorrow night. You will tell her nothing about what has transpired but in the meantime her safety is your responsibility. I have already arranged day time security for her with the Shreveport Pack, you will not tell her of this either."
He nods, starting for the steps.
"And Compton. If you believe this gives you any kind of advantage over me you are sorely mistaken. Am I making myself clear?"
"Sheriff." He acknowledges as he disappears.
Yes, urge to kill definitely rising.
"Pam! Bring that fucking traitor down here!"
In moments she arrives, shoving a pudgy excuse for a vampire down the steps before her.
"Ah Eddie." I croon. "My little blood selling friend, you have no idea how pleased I am to see you this evening."
SPOV
The last three days have passed in a hazy blur of normality.
I sunbathed. Worked the lunch shift. Did my chores at home and let the TV turn my brain to mush before bed each night.
But something hasn't quite been right.
I am bored and I am lonely.
With the excitement of Dallas over, I'm starting to find the strangest things exciting it seems, I have had more time to think about Gran and miss her. It's a constant sadness and regret tugging at the back of my mind.
I haven't seen hide or hair of Bill and the guilt is nagging at me. I haven't treated him very well, I owe him an explanation and an apology but it's been two nights already, what if I've upset him so much he never wants to see me again? I know it's corny but though I don't think of him as my boyfriend anymore I still want us to be friends. Not that I'm entirely happy with him at the moment, boyfriend or no he's hiding something from me and I think he owes me the truth. I've bitten the bullet and dropped a note off at his house, apologising and suggesting that we talk, so the ball's in his court now.
I haven't seen Jason either, he's got himself a girlfriend and I'm guessing by his absence she can cook. Not that he's told me that, his best friend Hoyt told me when he came in for lunch yesterday.
Of course I have seen Sam and Tara, at work, Tara tends the bar at Merlotte's. She's over her anti vampire snit already so we're back to normal. Sam is a whole other story. He's barely spoken to me since I got back. I know why, he can smell Eric's blood in me and as far as he's concerned Eric is the devil incarnate, and on some days he wouldn't be far off the truth. I'd like to explain how I got Eric's blood and how it was a safer alternative than Stan's but I don't think it's my place to make the first move, it's not like I've done anything wrong.
Arlene, my fellow waitress and sometime friend is still struggling with the whole Rene business, not that anyone can blame her, to be on the edge of marrying someone and then find out they're a multiple murderer, that's gotta hurt. The trouble is Arlene doesn't suffer quietly, she takes her issues out on the people around her, so she isn't home to Mrs Nice at the moment. The rest of us know the signs but the new waitress, Holly, hasn't got used to her yet and is on the verge of quitting.
So that all explains the lonely.
The bored is more problematic. I've always loved my job and barely regretted how poorly I did at school. I know I'm not stupid, but being able to read minds, well, it made it hard to concentrate at school. But now, I'm starting to wonder if there's some kind of course I could do that would broaden my horizons. Maybe bookkeeping or something, I help Sam out with that from time to time. Or something with people? The more control I've gained over my disability the easier I've found it to be around people, and talking with the customers and messing with the staff at Merlotte's is the best part of my job. I feel sort of ungrateful, Sam's been nothing but supportive of me but is this really all my life can be? Fending off drunks at Merlotte's when they've had enough to forget I'm crazy and can only see my blonde hair and big boobs? Is it wrong to hope for something better than that?
Thanks to vampires I already have one potential career path ahead of me and I really enjoyed what I did in Dallas. Well, right up until the kidnap and almost rape part. And there's a bit of me that's really curious about what I can do with my little disability. But, and it's a big but. Vampires are dangerous, possibly more so to me than most. I don't want to lose my freedom, or my life, and I don't want to be whored around for my telepathy. But if there was a way to do it on my terms and without too much risk? I could certainly earn a living at it. My fee from Dallas will keep me going for a good three months and I can only guess what Bill and Eric's cut was. That annoys me, I'm all for someone getting commission for finding me work so I don't begrudge Eric for whatever he got, but why the hell should Bill get money for playing at me being his human? Problem is I don't see a way to branch out on my own, wouldn't I need to be properly somebody's human in order to be protected? The idea of the human vampire bonds Niall described fairly makes my skin crawl but since it wouldn't affect me the same way would it actually be so bad? How would I be able to get one to do it without them realising it wasn't working properly? Because I sure as hell don't trust any of them with my secrets. No, bad idea entirely, even if I can't be controlled I can still be abused, best not to serve myself up on a plate.
Unfortunately, I realise, since I'm already 'out there' in the vampire world the damage may already be done. With no vampire claiming me, at some point it could turn into open season on Sookie Stackhouse. I've already bought the silver bullets, they were expensive, but I can feel another conversation with Niall coming on.
So. Lonely, bored and a little bit scared.
Nice.
…..
I'm barely out of the shower and dressed again when there's a knock at the door.
It's dark.
"Sookie."
It's Bill.
We gaze at each other in uncomfortable silence.
"I know you want to talk." He says finally. "And I do too. But Eric has summoned us to Fangtasia."
"What does he want now?" I sigh. I was hoping to avoid Eric for a while, what with being an unwelcome witness to his pain and all.
"I have no idea, I imagine he has another job for you."
"Do I need to get dressed up?" I ask, gesturing to my jeans and simple t-shirt.
"You look beautiful as you are." He replies gallantly and we both smile.
"Wait here, while I get my purse and lock up."
He nods and turns to settle himself on the porch steps. I don't know why but I'm hesitant to invite him in again just yet.
I grab my purse and a jacket in case it's late when we're done and allow him to help me into his car. It's much nicer than mine.
The drive passes in strained silence but as we pull up in the parking lot at Fangtasia he turns to me, an unhappy expression on his face.
"Sookie. I want you to know I am sorry, for everything."
"Bill, don't apologise, we need to talk . . . ." Not here, not now, let me get Eric out of the way first, please.
He smiles sadly.
"Will you have dinner with me when we are done with Eric?"
"I'd love to."
His smile's still sad as we exit the car and bypass the enormous queue outside the door.
Pam's there.
"Ah." She drawls. "Trouble and his little human accomplice. My Master is waiting for you. It is not really my place to warn you, but he is in a vile mood."
Then she grins evilly and sweeps her hand toward the door.
"Go on in."
No surprises so far. The bar is packed, the dance floor heaving with bodies, an adoring crowd a respectful distance from Eric's throne.
I slip my shields down, nothing but the usual Fangbanger dross.
Eric does indeed look to be in a vile mood and as soon as his eyes alight on us I would say it plummets to even darker depths. And we're not the only ones who've noticed.
Wow. I wonder what they did? He's pissed.
That's it I came I saw, I'm going for a burger and then home, that vamp looks like he's about to kill someone and it ain't gonna be me . . . .
Maybe he don't want her after all, he don't look very pleased to see her this time. If only he'd show some interest in me.
Sookie! I'd fetch her a gin and tonic but the way the Master's glaring at her maybe she won't be staying long . . . .
Eric unfolds himself from his throne and strides toward his office, Bill and I follow dutifully.
When we arrive at my human pace he's already sat behind his desk, tapping away at his laptop.
"Sookie, sit. Compton, leave."
And unbelievably he does, without uttering a word of protest or even looking at me, so much for wanting to keep me safe.
The door closes behind him with an ominous click.
"I believe I told you to sit." After nearly a full minute Eric raises his icy blue eyes to mine.
"I am not a dog."
He sighs with elaborate patience.
"Please, Ms Stackhouse, SIT down."
I drop into the nearest chair, knees almost giving out in the process. The Fangbanger was right, he is pissed. What did I do this time, kick his puppy?
He returns his attention to the laptop.
Silence.
"I have claimed you." He says suddenly, without looking up.
"Excuse me? No you haven't." Oops, problems with the brain to mouth filter again.
Now he looks up, eyes boring into mine. I look away first, of course.
"Compton has explained ownership to you then?" He asks.
"Something like that." Still not looking at him.
Silence.
Eventually I have to look at him, the walls just aren't that captivating. He has beautiful eyes, they're like oceans and you could lose yourself in them, if you didn't know what's lurking beneath . . . .
"Then you will know that in order for my claim to have merit I must bond with you?"
This conversation is going in an interesting direction, however I don't want to give anything else away and I have a reputation for being difficult.
"That's a very tempting offer Eric, but no. I am a person not a possession and certainly not your possession."
He smiles like the predator he is and closes the laptop.
Careful Sookie, don't push him too far.
"In order to be protected you need to be owned by a vampire with power."
"Aw, Eric, you want to protect me? That's sweet."
He slams his hand down on the desk, sending the items on the top leaping into the air. The wood cracks in protest.
Okay. I'll be good now.
"What I want has no influence on this. I would rather have nothing to do with you at all."
"Then why?"
"I will not explain myself to you."
"You'll have to tell me something if you expect me to exchange blood with you." I lift my chin defiantly.
"You seem to be under the misapprehension that I will be giving you a choice."