BURN

Sarah broke thorough her cover as soon as the last werewolf disappeared through the door. The one who'd been holding it in his human form looked straight to her as she ran toward him, a snarl lifting his lips as he transformed. He was covered in a thick russet coat, jaws snapping as he sprinted for her with those eerie glowing eyes.

'Here wolfy, wolfy,' she taunted under her breath, skidding to a halt. She waited, knew that the werewolf would believe she'd chickened out.

That confidence would be his downfall.

As he neared she cracked her knuckles at her sides, readying to coat her hands in flames, but as the russet werewolf leapt for her throat a white blur shot past her, a howl sounding as Alcide took the beast to the ground, tearing through it's thick fur and flesh, ignoring the howls that ripped from its throat and the claws that scratched desperately at his skin until he released the weakening werewolf as it fought to its last moments.

Sarah folded her arms over her chest, narrowing her gaze as Alcide transformed, wiping blood from his lips and spitting it from his mouth. He looked to her, stalking forward. 'He could have killed you,' he snapped, glaring down at her.

He gasped as he was thrown backward, skidding unceremoniously across the grass on his back before he rolled to a stop. He pulled himself from the grass, still glaring. 'You shouldn't act so rashly. Eric would–'

'Be disappointed to know that I didn't burn the bastard.'

'Your powers aren't that–' His sentence ended on a cry as he was thrown with another gust of air, this time slamming into the wall beside the door. He leant there for a moment before he stood.

'My powers are fine. Why the hell do you think Sookie and I have been fighting off groups of them? They haven't been successful in catching us. Only a couple of hours ago, Sookie, Sam and I took on a group of thirty and neither of us received even a scratch.' She brought her hand up, watching as grass and dirt coiled tight around his limbs, lifting him from his perch against the wall. He pulled against the bonds, eyes wide when he couldn't break them as she stepped closer, a ball of flame swirling in her hands. She stopped just before him, a gust of air tossing her hair, menacing as fire burned in her gaze. 'It's been a long time since I last saw you, Alcide. Believe me, you have no idea of what I can do now, so stop trying to protect me and watch your own back, because if you get hurt in this I will never forgive myself.'

He dropped to his feet, unsteady for a moment before he stretched tall. She saw the anger in his gaze but knew that he understood, because within it she saw a depth of protectiveness that was rivalled only by three people; Eric, Jake and Sookie.

He pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in a tight embrace that nearly crushed her, but she was thankful for it.

'If you two are done with your little tiff, I suggest that we go save Eric now,' Pam said, still trying to feign a nonchalance that she obviously didn't feel. She kicked the other door, still closed, sending it flying from its hinges before she stepped inside. She paused. 'I can't fight off that many werewolves on my own.'

Sarah stepped up beside Pam. She held out her hand, steeling her gaze as she took a breath. 'Ready to burn some tails?' Her palm lit with red flame, flickering. Pam stared at it for a moment then glanced to Sarah, questions in her eyes. 'It can't hurt you, not unless I make it.'

Pam reached out, hesitating for only a moment before her hand slipped into Sarah's fiery grasp. She gave a quick nod and Sarah smiled before they began their decent.

The door groaned under the weight of the bodies that were being thrown at it, the metal twisting with the force. Eric watched it, flexing his fingers, eagre to rip through every beast until it rained blood. He would force them to transform from their wolf forms, force them to tell him exactly what he wanted.

God help them if he didn't get his ring.

'What do you plan on doing?' Steve asked. Eric looked to him, seeing the anger and defiance in the Reverend's gaze. 'You're beyond out-numbered. There is an entire pack at our disposal, as well as humans in the higher levels who are trained to deal with monsters like you.'

Eric snarled, seeing the Reverend flinch at the sound. 'You think that any force on earth is going to stop me from finding that ring?' he asked, stalking toward the cowering man and his unconscious wife, watching as he tried to shuffle back. Eric kept one ear trained on the door, listening for the moment when the werewolves were about to break through.

'You're only so strong. Your maker fell to–'

'My maker had hoped to make peace with you. He didn't realise how unreasonable you were, how crazed, how very much like Hitler you have become in your quest to rid this world of vampires and anything that you believe isn't worthy of life, but here's something very important that you need to know,' Eric said, baring down on the Reverend, 'Godric was two thousand years old. He wanted to die. I am one thousand years old and, thanks to Sarah, I have a new lease of life, but I still have the same vengeance streak that I carried for one thousand years after Russel Edgington slaughtered my entire family. I loved my maker, but I am not him. You were a factor that led to his suicide, you kidnapped Sookie Stackhouse, you planned multiple attacks on her and Sarah, you kidnapped me and you allowed the werewolves to take my Claddagh ring, the one thing that may have kept the sliver of remaining humanity in my mind alive when it came to your punishment.' He crouched, reaching out in a flash to take Steve's neck in a crushing grasp. 'What the fuck do you think I plan on doing?'

He threw the Reverend back as he heard a distant howl. The first werewolf crashed through the door, leaping straight for him only to be caught by his snout. Eric wasted no time in snapping the werewolf's neck, throwing it to a corner in time to catch the next. He tossed each body aside, revelling in the blood that soon coated his hands and mouth as he tore at their flesh. They were getting smarter though, attacking in groups, some tearing at his skin while he was killing those who went for the kill. It was draining him and each knew it, knew that the more blood he lost to their hungry mouths, the weaker his already strained body became.

Just kill as many as you can. Keep them from Sarah.

He growled, tearing into a werewolf's throat, cutting off any cries that it might have released before it was thrown on the progressively growing heap in the corner. He heard a scream behind him and knew that the Reverend's wife had woken from her unconsciousness, was watching as he tore at the werewolves that were becoming crazed at the taste of his blood and frenzied by the fight. The room was filled with the stench of anger and death, the concrete walls small enough to contain the fight to a few at a time without potentially harming the people that the werewolves had become loyal to, but big enough that there was room for Eric to move in.

He reached out, gripping the metal table that he'd been bound to. He swung it in a wide arch, hearing bones crunch as it collided with werewolves, sweeping away all of the ones that had surrounded him and sending them crashing into the wolves, some unconscious, some dead, while others limped groggily to their feet.

'You're all disgraces to your race,' Eric snarled, slamming a werewolf into the solid floor, hearing more of those beautiful cracking sounds. 'The werewolves have always been worthless mongrels, a stain on the existence of beings that have evolved beyond humans. You're all just wannabe shape shifters that lack the ability to use another form.'

He caught a werewolf by the tail as it missed him, sailing past in mid-air. He swung it, hearing it yelp in pain as he crashed it into the continuing stream of werewolves that flowed through the door, stalling them for a moment.

'I mean, you may as well just be dogs. Domesticated and whipped,' he continued, knowing that the words angered them further. 'At least then you might have some use in this world, even if it is just so that I could enjoy castrating each and every one of you so that no more of you feral bastards can be born.'

Eric growled low in his throat as teeth sank deep into his side, tearing at his flesh. He reached down, gripping the thick black fur of the wolf that had attacked. He lashed out at the others that came for him, growling low as the beast locked on, snarling as it drained some of his blood. Eric saw the crazed look in its eyes as he attempted to pull from the beasts grip, ripping some of his flesh from his body.

He swung a fist, knocking a werewolf back but another came, latching onto his knee until his leg nearly buckled. He cried out as he tore the black wolf off, taking a chunk of his side with it as he snapped its neck. He felt blood gush down his side before the wound struggled to close, slowly knitting back together. He was losing too much blood after being drained so far, could feel the burn of hunger growing until he wanted to double over in pain. He reached for the werewolf at his knee, prying its jaws apart before he broke them, tossing it across the room and into the wall.

'How much longer do you think you can fight?' Steve Newlin called, the taunt back in his voice now that werewolves were doing his dirty work for him. 'You're weak.'

Eric growled, throwing the next werewolf at the Newlins. They ducked to avoid the body, both the Reverend and his wife screaming, distracted for a moment while Eric continued to fight off the werewolves. Sharp teeth sank into both of his thighs this time and he struggled to stand, teeth gritted as he reached to tear the beasts off his body. Another took the opportunity provided to him, leaping to latch onto Eric's shoulder with a crushing bite. Eric cried out, dropping to his knees as more bit into his flesh. He threw as many as he could off with strength alone, but he could see blood slowly pooling around him from his many wounds, struggling to heal as more were torn every second he remained on the floor.

Not yet.

He sank his teeth into the closest werewolf, ripping out half of its neck. It fell but another followed and as they lapped at his blood, he felt his limbs fighting the weight that was descending over them.

Sarah.

He let out a roar of pain, knowing that he would soon meet the true death without just seeing her again. He'd never again hear her laugh or see her smiles. Comfort her when she cried or sooth her when she was anger. Never hold her in his arms as she slept soundly against his side or spend the night loving her body.

He'd never get to ask for her hand…

He prepared for the werewolves to finally take his jugular, but instead of the number of teeth imbedded in his skin increasing, he felt the werewolves release him. He collapsed to the floor, the weight of his body more than he'd felt in hundreds of years. He forced his gaze up, looking at the werewolves that were standing around him…

…facing the door?

He forced himself to his knees, arms nearly shaking as he stared at the doorway that the werewolves were focused on. He heard footsteps and watched as the werewolves' fur rustled with a breeze, all of them glancing to the others in the pack before fixing on the entrance, a bright light filling the dark corridor, brighter and brighter as the footsteps became louder, blinding to his eyes in his weakened state. He closed them against the brightness, wondering what else the Newlins had in store for him, apart from the werewolves.

When flames swept over the room he dropped low, hearing howls all around him as he pressed a cheek to the floor to get as far below the searing heat as possible, the smell of burning fur and flesh filling his nose. The footsteps stopped and he dared himself to look up, to hope.

'Sarah…'

She stared at him with blazing eyes, flames dancing in her gaze and covering her arms as she looked over the charred werewolves. Her gaze flickered around the room before finally settling on him, the flame dulling a little. 'Eric.'

Her gaze shot to the Newlins, huddled at the back wall as they clutched each other. He watched as a snarl set over her features, the fire in her gaze roaring back to life. She stepped over the werewolves with predatory grace that had Eric smirking. She stopped beside him as he sat up. She doused the flames that coated her arms so that she could run her fingers through his hair before tracing his cheek, holding his head against her hip in a protective gesture as she faced the Newlins. 'Reverend Newlin, Mrs Newlin. I hope you're explanation as to why you kidnapped my boyfriend is very entertaining,' she said and Eric could feel the anger rolling off of her, 'because I am at the end of my patience.'

Sarah Newlin shrieked that awful, shrill cry as Sarah brought her hand up. 'You best come with me.'

They were picked up in a gust of air, forced to their feet and pushed forward. They stumbled past her and Eric, moving toward the door. She saw their steps quicken as Steve grasped his wife's hand, knew they were about to make a break for it when Pam appeared at the door, leaning there casually.

'Well, isn't this just a wonderful surprise,' she said, this time smiling a genuine smile as the Newlin's skidded to a halt, eyes flickering between Pam and Alcide as he stood beside her, arms folded over his broad chest.

'Seems that the two of you bit off more than you could chew.'

'Take them upstairs and into the house. I feel they need to answer a few questions,' Sarah said.

Pam and Alcide grabbed the struggling Newlin's and forced them from the room, jostling them as they pushed them toward the stairs.

Sarah dropped to her knees, taking Eric's face in her hands before dragging him to her lips. His arms instantly wrapped around her, moulding her body to his as he ravaged her.

'I'm so sorry I wasn't quicker,' she said, breathless.

'It was reckless. You could have been hurt,' he growled against her lips.

'I don't care,' she said, pulling away, holding his gaze. 'I had to come get you.'

'And what if they'd managed to capture you as well?'

'Then at least I'd be with you.'

He opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. He just stared before reaching up as if compelled, tracing her cheek with the back of his fingers. He drew her into his arms again, crushing her – gently – to him as he claimed her lips again.

He broke away reluctantly, the ache in his fangs becoming unbearable. His eyes were instantly drawn to her neck, his lips parting. 'Sarah, we need to go upstairs,' he said, voice rough. He leant closer even as he fought it. 'I need blood.'

He growled as she stretched her neck, fingers brushing through his hair. 'Then feed from me.'

'I'm weak,' he said, still leaning closer. He was reaching up to hold her neck before he could stop himself. 'I might not be able to stop.'

'I'll stop you,' she said, shivering as his lips grazed her skin.

He groaned as he sank his fangs into her tender flesh, her blood like silk as it flowed over his tongue. He clutched her body to his as she straddled him, the warmth of her body tingling over every inch of his skin as he drew on her neck, feeling her nails scrape against his scalp. He felt some of the weight leave his limbs, felt the hunger inside him shifting to a dull ache and knew that he should stop before he took too much, but with every luscious mouthful he only drew more.

He heard her heartbeat spike and felt it against his tongue, tempting him further.

He snarled as his back was forced to the ground, arms spread as the weight of the air around him pushed him down. He snarled and couldn't stop himself as he snapped, desperate for more even as the last of his sanity that was not desperate for the blood screamed for him to stop. Slowly though, the desperation ebbed and he felt silky hands gently stroking the skin of his abdomen, soothing in their movements.

'See,' she said when he brought his pale gaze to hers. 'I stopped you.'

She let him sit up slowly, her hand stroking his jaw as he brought his finger to his lip. She stopped him before he could slice the tip with his fang. 'Conserve your strength,' she said, taking his hand in hers to kiss his palm.

'But the bite–'

'I don't care,' she said. 'I'd rather wear it with pride.'

He claimed her lips again before they both stood and headed for the door, his arm around her shoulders. 'Shall we go have a…conversation with the Newlins?'

He smirked and went to kiss the top of her head, but froze.

'What is it?'

He tilted his head before he swung her into his arms, sprinting up the stairs. 'More trouble.'

'What do you mean?'

'Pam, Alcide and the Newlins aren't the only ones in the house.'

Next update: Tuesday the 28th of September.