Chapter 50

Hide and Seek, Northman Style

I was blurring from street to street, looking for what I thought might be a good place to hide from the Viking. Where in the hell DO you hide from a vampire? You'd think I'd know since I'm one myself now. But to be honest, I wasn't a hundred percent tee-totally sure what I was. I knew I was fast, strong, could hear vamp minds now, had the ability to fly. SHIT! Why the hell hadn't I thought of that before? Surely I would have known by now if Eric could fly, right? Okay, so how do I do this? It wasn't a conscious effort before, it had just happened. Concentrate, concentrate. I let out a little yelp of victory when I felt myself lift off. I couldn't help it, I had to quote one of my all-time favorite Disney movies.

"To infinity and beyond!" I was giggling like a preschooler and swooping in and out of the treetops.

I can hear you, alskarinna, not very wise of you. I do not think you're frightened enough of me and I am beginning to feel disrespected.

I could sense he was close. I could smell him. Oh, hell. I felt his fangs on my neck before I ever saw him. He didn't bite but his wickedly sharp little hole punchers stayed on my neck as a warning. I guess he had the gift of levitation after all.

This was far too easy. I should drain you now, insolent little child.

Drain me? Would he do that to me? Would this man that I loved actually drain me? I'd heard about how long it takes for vamps to rebuild their supply, sometimes they never fully recovered at all.

I will give you one more chance to redeem yourself, Sookie. Prove to me that you are worthy of being called vampire. RUN!

His fangs were gone and I took his command to heart. I really didn't think he was playing with me. I thought he was truly pissed and this was the side of him that he had warned me about. I'd been so sure that because we were in love, I wouldn't have to see this side of him. I couldn't read his mind to find out his true intent, so I was assuming that he meant what he said. I was getting the fuck up out of here.

He kept sending me little taunting thought messages, letting me know that I wasn't trying hard enough, I was still too easy to track.

I can smell you, alskarinna, that will be your undoing. You can block your thoughts from me but how will you ever hide your delicious smell? I crave you and I shall have you. It is just a matter of when.

If my heart had still been a working muscle, it would be pounding out of my chest right now. I felt terror that saturated me down to my bones. I really didn't know what his intentions were. I looked below me and saw the old Bon Temps cemetery below me. I was close to my house and I didn't even realize it. I was close to Bill's house too. I had an idea and I thought it might just work.

I landed on Bill's front porch and reached underneath the welcome mat to retrieve the key he had hidden there. I let myself inside. I knew I would be able to enter his home, he wouldn't have thought to rescind Eric's invitation, he'd planned on him being finally dead. I'd figured out at this point that the reason I couldn't enter my own home was because I had ingested so much of Eric's blood by then that my revoking his invitation had effectively barred me from entering as well.

I went straight to the small bedroom that Bill had made into his home office. He had become so enamored with technology, he had just about every type of equipment known to humankind. I knew what I was looking for and I knew where to find it. Bill had been so anal retentive, everything had a particular place and it had to go back there. I opened the top desk drawer and pulled the little silver digital voice recorder out. I slid the little power switch and saw the red light come on. Fan-fucking-tastic.

I slid slowly back out the front door, every sense on high alert. I couldn't smell Eric and it had been a while since he had broadcast anything to me mentally. It took me only seconds to blur through the cemetery and to the window of my living room. I pushed the record button.

"I, Sookie Stackhouse, being the rightful owner of this home and property, invite you, Sookie Stackhouse inside."

I used a stick to push the unlocked window open, hit the play button and tossed it inside. I could hear the playback of my voice as I blurred to the front door. I turned the handle and swung the door open, glad that it hadn't been locked since I was here last.

Here goes nothing.

I stepped inside my house for the first time in what felt like forever. I savored the little victory for a brief second and inhaled deeply. It still smelled so strongly of Gran in here. I missed her so much. I spoke out loud to no one in particular.

"I wish I could talk to her just one more time."

Nothing could have ever prepared me what happened next.

I heard a loud popping noise and then Gran was standing before me. I stared open mouthed. It was definitely Gran but she was see-through.

"What you standing there with your mouth open for, Sookie? Ain't you never seen a ghost before girl?"

"Well, no Gran, actually I haven't. I didn't know they existed."

"Is it so hard to believe that there's such a thing? You've seen strange things, vampires, were tigers, who knows what's next. And you called me after all."

"I called you?"

"Well, wished for me. There are some things that I might have been remiss in not telling you while I was earthbound, Sookie. But I hope you know, I thought I was protecting you."

I wanted to hold her hand but it didn't seem possible since I could see through her.

'Why didn't you talk to me before, Gran? I've been so lost since you died."

"I know child, I've seen the big mess you've gotten yourself into with these vampires."

I hoped Gran hadn't seen everything I'd done since she was murdered. Talk about embarrassing!

"But I think you've chosen yourself the best one of the bunch. He's a strong one, and he really loves you it seems. Not like that half-witted Bill, if I weren't dead I would've wrung his neck my darn self!" The look on her face was her best attempt at rage but it then turned to concern. "Sookie, I can't stay here, I want to tell you so much but all I can say is there is a lot more about your family history that you don't know. There is a reason that you aren't like anyone EVER before you. It makes you special but it also puts you in great danger since it's been, well, enhanced I guess, by the fact that Eric turned you. The one thing I can tell you is this; you wished for me to be here, and I appeared. Think about it, Sookie. And by the way, That's how to beat Mr. Tall, Blond and Surly at his little game."

Gran winked at me, the saucy old bird, and then she was gone as quickly as she appeared. I was absolutely bumfuzzled by what had just happened here. Did I really just stand in my living room and have a conversation with my deader-than-Hoffa grandmother?

Sookie, come out and play. I know you are in there, I can smell you. I found you, time to come out and settle up with your master.

And what if I don't? You can't come in after me, I revoked your invitation. I wish I could've seen the smug look he was surely wearing leave his pretty face after I said that.

Well, I might just have to set fire to your house, Sookie. That kinda made me lose my smug look right fast.

You wouldn't do it.

Are you so sure about that, min alskarinna? No I damn sure wasn't. Shit! I had to think of something really quick. What the hell had Gran meant about my wishing and her appearing.

NO FUDGING WAY! Did she mean to tell me that I could make wishes happen? I could wish my way into winning? Well that didn't hardly seem fair, it's not like Eric had magical wish making abilities. Think THINK! Okay, so I wanted to be somewhat fair about this, not just wish myself the winner and be done with it, there was no sport in that. But I sure as hell didn't want my house set on fire so he could smoke me out. That was a little extreme. So I needed to level the playing field, make it was fair to both of us.

"I wish that Eric couldn't track me by my smell anymore."

I heard him mentally sound out something that I figured was closely related to a big old 'What the FUCK?'. Jumping Jehoshaphat, it worked!

Where did you go, you clever little devil. The words might look cute to ya'll but you didn't hear the tone in which he thought them. I almost pissed myself. Okay, now what the hell was I gonna do? And for that matter, the sun would be coming up real soon, we had to find some sanctuary. I knew that Eric wouldn't back down or call off the game. I needed to lure him somewhere where he could "win" and then we could settle in for the day. But on top of all that, I had to make sure that I didn't let him know what I was doing so he didn't get his pride all hurt. Damn, sleeping with a vampire was less complicated before I became one myself. I thought this shit was supposed to be easier.

As if my wires weren't frayed enough, he started a freakin' countdown to arson.

10, 9, 8, 7

Well, I guess there really is only one choice left. My womanly wiles and charms might end up saving me, but first I think I'm gonna hit him with a full frontal assault. Hoo-rah!