WAKING
Sarah slid into the seat opposite Jake. She dropped her apron on the table, leaning on her elbows for a moment, watching him absently pick at the sticker on his bottle of beer, though he had barely touched it, seeming to prefer seething.
'I'm sorry he scared you,' she said, forcing her fingers to lock together so she would stop fiddling with her Claddagh ring nervously.
'I insisted on going,' he said, a stupid smile coming over his lips.
'He could have warned you though, and he knows it.' She glanced over to Bill and Eric at bar. Eric had settled into the seat only a little while ago, having already taken the leader of the werewolves that had attacked to the basement of Fangtasia, ready to be…questioned.
Later.
'Trust me, I'm going to beat the crap out of him when we get home,' she said before she turned her glare to him. 'But I should beat the crap out of you as well for being so rude to him when he was just doing as you'd asked and trying to get to me as quickly as possible. I know you didn't like being put up in the tree, but if you'd even tried to get closer, I would have toasted your ass.'
He stopped picking at the sticker, finally looking up, his matching gaze meeting hers. 'I was worried about you, okay?'
'And I was worried about you. I can defend myself against the werewolves thanks to the help Eric has given me to master my abilities. What can you do? Throw a stick at them?'
'It might get one in the eye,' he muttered.
'Yeah, before it tears your throat out.'
'Fine! I get it. Can you stop making me feel so bloody useless?'
'I never said you were useless.'
'You implied it.'
'Just like you implied I was a fang banger.'
He pursed his lips. 'I'm sorry. I regret even thinking it. I couldn't sleep last night.'
'Good,' she muttered, but it was said with only half of the anger she'd intended. 'I'm sorry I suggested that you're useless. I'd still be stuck with that possessive bastard Danny if you hadn't clocked him one when he tried to take me from that club on your birthday.'
He reached across the table, taking her hand. He brought it to his cheek, closing his eyes. 'I miss you so much Sarah,' he said and she felt her eyes burn with the beginnings of tears. 'I hate being so far away when we're all that's left of our family.'
'Don't you dare even think about moving back here, okay? You're working now, singing and shaking it on Broadway just like you've wanted to do for as long as I can remember,' she said, fighting the tightness in her throat. 'You even said you met a girl, Nicole. Are you still seeing her?'
His cheeks flushed. 'It's two months next week,' he admitted sheepishly.
'Then you better stay exactly where you are. You'll always have a place to stay when you come here, either with Jason or Bill and Sookie or with me and Eric, but for now, be a star and live your dream,' she said, reaching across the table to place a hand on his cheek. 'Promise me you'll do that. Promise me.'
He nodded.
'Say it.'
'I promise.'
She smiled. 'That's my brother.'
Her hand dropped back to the table and he took it, grip firm on both of her hands as he looked to the table for a moment, composing himself. He ran his thumb over her knuckles, starting when he felt a band one of her fingers. He looked to it, then to her, eyes widening.
'He got you a Claddagh ring as well?' he asked, remembering feeling a ring on the same finger of Eric's hand when he'd grabbed his wrist.
'Actually, I got them,' she admitted, defiant. 'Mum always said when you found someone that you love more than any other–'
'You should show them by wearing this commitment ring with the heart facing you,' he finished, a smile lighting his lips. 'He really does care for you.'
'I know.'
Her smile faltered a little. 'What do you mean by as well?'
He froze for a moment before he brought her hand up, placing a quick kiss on her knuckles before he slid from the booth seat, heading to the bar. She wanted to call after him, ask him what he meant by as well, but instead she just watched him place a gentle hand on Eric's shoulder, only having to wait a moment before Eric turned to him. They just stood for a moment, staring at each other before Jake offered his hand.
Eric glanced to it, seemingly stunned by the gesture before he met Jake's gaze, grasping his hand firmly – but gently, not wanting to break any bones – to shake it, something of an understanding passing between them.
It would be a long road to friendship, but at least they were on it.
Sarah stood, ducking out past the kitchen to grab her handbag. She slung it over her shoulder, tucking her apron inside as she walked out. She offered a quick wave to Lafayette as he washed up. Sookie grabbed her arm as she walked past, stopping her to pull her into a hug.
'You still haven't told me how it went last night,' she whispered, hopefully low enough that Eric and Bill wouldn't hear.
'I thought you would have been picking it out of my mind all night,' Sarah muttered, cheeks flushing. 'I haven't been able to think about anything else.'
Sookie pulled back. 'That's exactly why I've been keeping out of your thoughts. After the first flash I got when you walked in for your shift, I figured it was only going to get naughtier.'
Sarah's blush darkened.
'So, did he like your little trail of clues?'
'I think he had a bit of a love/hate relationship with it, but overall I think he was stunned that someone had gone to so much effort,' she said, glancing to him, seeing a smile play across his lips as he listened to a Bill. 'It felt good.'
'Making him happy or the wild sex you two had after?'
Sarah thumped her in the arm with her bag, drawing the gazes of them men for a moment. 'Making him happy,' she said through clenched teeth. 'My god, what sort of affect am I having on you? I think I dirtied your mind.'
'It's not such a bad thing.'
'You're supposed to be a sweet southern girl, not a sex kitten!'
She flipped her blonde hair, her ponytail spilling over her shoulder. 'Why Sarah, how could you think I'm anything but a sweet southern girl?' She winked before she disappeared around the corner, leaving Sarah gaping after her, no come back coming to her. She snapped her jaw shut with a smile, shaking her head as she went to the bar. She hung her arms around Eric's neck, her chin on his shoulder as she waited for Bill to finish what he was saying to Jake.
'Time to go?' he asked quietly, hand absently reaching for hers.
'Well, no one else is going to be coming in tonight, so Sam said we could call it a night,' she said, placing a kiss on his neck, feeling a little shiver roll down his spine.
He stood up, flinging her into his arms before she could utter a squeak. She gasped as his strong arms came to hook beneath her knees and back, her hand clutching at his shoulders. He grinned at her before glancing to Bill and Jake. He gave a nod to Bill before he turned to Jake, offering a thank you before he strode to the door, giving Sarah the desire to scratch her head in confusion.
When she felt his lips on her neck, she decided that her confusion could wait until later.
'Can we please make it home this time,' she said, breathless as his fangs grazed her skin.
'I'm not sure I can wait any longer,' he admitted, feeling the familiar, beautiful ache of his fangs as they begged to be buried deep in her creamy skin.
'I know you're still riled from the fight, and god knows I love it when you are, but I really don't want Jake to have any chance of seeing or even hearing us,' she said, knowing that the only reason she didn't alert all of Fangtasia and the surrounding area to the pleasure that Eric gave her was because the walls of their bedroom and indeed the rest of the house were soundproofed.
She'd demanded that. Just because he enjoyed the sound of her pleasure didn't mean she wanted to share it with the rest of the world.
He growled low in his throat before gripping her tighter to his body, shooting into the air. It rushed past them, cold and biting, but she didn't really feel it as she snuggled closer into his chest, tucking her arms beneath his jacket.
When they finally touched down just outside of the iron gate her knees shook a little, but for an entirely different reason. He unlocked the heavy bolt before he swung one side open, holding it for her to pass, his eyes plastered on her creamy skin.
He paused when he heard a swish of air, absently reaching up to catch a stone, likely thrown up by the car that had passed. When it sizzled on his skin, he cursed.
A van skidded to a halt in front of them, a silver chain appearing around his neck from behind. He cursed himself, knowing that he should have been paying attention, should have smelt the bastards.
'In the house,' he choked as the chain pulled tighter, more wrapping around his wrists as a knee slammed into his spine. He fought against the bonds but they seemed to burrow into his skin, burning more and more with every second.
'Fat chance,' she said before she shot forward, landing a solid fist on the chain holder's nose, spinning to kick an approaching werewolf in the chest. In they human forms they were strong, but Sarah was quick, using her abilities to make her faster.
She reached for the chain around his neck, grasping it to pull it free, but a hand clamped onto her ankle. She tried to kick back but was wrenched to the ground, a feral snarl ripping from Eric's throat. He surged to his feet, fighting the need to crumple under the silver, but more hands reached to restrain him.
'Sarah…' he pleaded, helpless but to watch as she pushed herself from the ground. 'Fire.'
'What if–'
'Save yourself.'
She narrowed her glare at the suggestion, knowing that there as no way the bastard werewolves would be taking him, but still she stepped back, drawing a few away from Eric as ice coated her fingers, her hands folding into fists as it covered her skin like a boxing glove. She felt none of the cold that the werewolves did when she slammed her harden fist into their cheek, the bite of the ice adding to the pain of a broken jaw as one werewolf fell. Another launched forward and she sucker punched him, lifting him from the ground.
The car that had driven past before had come back, a group filing out to rush her. She fought, sending a rush of water over them followed by a ball of flame that turned the moisture to steam, searing their flesh, but they overwhelmed her, one wrapping their arms around her to tackle her. She reached for their arm but felt strong hands take her wrists, drawing them behind her back.
She nearly, smiled. Obviously they didn't know that she could–
Eric released a cry as blindfold fell over her eyes.
Next update: Friday 17th of September.