A/N: Reviews and feedback was of course amazing so thank you guys! This chapter was meant to go up a few days ago but work took over – ugh – so unfortunately you guys had to wait a little longer to read it. Hopefully it will be worth it. xxx

Disclaimer: I do not own True blood; I just borrowed the characters for a bit of fun!

Chapter Twenty-One
Decisions, Conclusions & Presumptuous Arrangements

Jason was completely out of his element as he watched his younger sister interact with a race that had the capability to kill every human within the room without exerting the barest of effort. It was obvious to him that they respected her as a human, a rarity amongst their kind, while Sookie returned that respect tenfold. He may not agree with it, but it was a relief that it would work in his favour.

After disrespecting and insulting one of the most important vampires within the room it was clear he would have no such like, especially combined with his involvement within consuming their blood for the purpose of sex.

Thinking back, it wasn't worth it in the slightest.

He shuddered at the reminder that it wasn't the human authorises he was dealing with.

Bon Temps police may not be fond of him, but at least their idea of punishment was to only throw him in jail for a few nights rather than either torturing him or draining his blood in some eye-for-a-eye crap.

He still found it surreal that his innocent little sister was so comfortable around such inhuman people.

Getting involved with Amy had seemed easy at the time. She was sweet and full of life but also had a dark, mysterious side that revolved around sex. It had intrigued him, the fact that their relationship had centred on intimacy and shagging the sole reason he had stuck around for so long even when he discovered that for all her experience she wasn't that good in the sack. It had guiltily been one of the main reasons he had been willing to try V in the first place, having had no urge to do so before. He liked the girl, but he had experienced better when it came to shagging under the sheets.

Looking back, it wasn't worth it in the slightest.

His nerves were shot. As he watched the youthful appearing vampire he now knew to be called Godric speaking quietly with his sister he couldn't help but wonder the bloke's actual age. Appearance wise he looked young, but even Jason wasn't dumb enough not to realise that he must have done something to earn so much respect from the other vampires within the room.

Insulting him had not been a good idea.

Impatiently, he tried to grab Sookies attention only to be annoyed when he went unnoticed. He wasn't used to being the third wheel in a group, not when he looked like he did. He was out of his element, nervous about being here and equally frustrated and it showed.

Where the fuck was this Eric bloke?

He had legs to spread!

Against his better judgement he couldn't help but try and hurry things along, "can we hurry this along?"

Silence.

"Jason!" Sookie scolded, her cheeks flushing unattractively Jason noted. "Mind your manners!"

Rolling his eyes, "you sound so much like Gran when you say that."

He didn't care, Sookie couldn't help but think. Her brother just seemed to wave off any responsibility that came his way without a second thought, his inexperience when it came to vampires shining through.

"Damn right I do! You need to sort yourself out, Jason!"

She winced at Godric's admission of "Eric will not be pleased." She knew Eric well enough by now that his maker wasn't exaggerating in the slightest.

Annoyed, Jason simply rolled his eyes before sloughing further into the chair he had been shoved into. Unless Eric was somehow the creepy Viking Hoyt had witnessed stiffing around his sister then he would be just fine.

The human authorities wouldn't let anything happen to him anyway. He had been in jail enough times that the officers remembered his face; it wasn't like he wouldn't be missed if he randomly stopped turning up at Merlotte's or at work. He had friends. People knew him.

"Where's Eric? I would have thought he would have arrived by now, or should we have called ahead?" Chow had already confirmed that he knew they were coming tonight.

Godric raised a delicate brow, an arm still wrapped around her waist as he looked at her with a fondness that had her blushing shyly. It didn't look as if he was about to remove it any time soon. She couldn't bring herself to pull away, even if she felt conflicted as she recalled the soft embrace she had spent in the arms of his childe not that long ago.

She had never slept so well afterwards.

Nice didn't even begin to describe the sensation of waking up fully rested and ready to start the day.

It was a shame her brother had to ruin it.

"He is on the phone with Felicia."

Sookies eyes lightened with recognition, "the vampire from the other night?" The name sounded familiar and while she really didn't want to get into it right now when she had more pressing matters concerning her brother to attempt to deal with, she couldn't help but ask about her well-being. "Is she alright?"

Godric's lips curved. "She is very much fine, in fact she is requesting to be transferred into his area on a trail bases."

"I thought she was already settled here," she thought aloud, confused. "That it was one of the reasons why he was so desperate to help her."

"She was checking out the area, a friend of hers, Indira, suggested a change of scenery and leadership. After you learned of both her disappearance and danger it was Eric's responsibility to see to her safety considering she had already informed him of her plans to stay a few months."

Oh.

"So had she not told him straight away that she was in his area?"

"He would have still felt obligated; however, had the situation gone wrong it would have been viewed poorly on Felicia's actions rather than Eric's."

Sookie guessed that made sense. It was hard to protect vampires under his authority if he wasn't aware that they had relocated to settle within his area, whether it was permanent or not.

Speak of the devil; Sookie was just about to enquire further about Felicia's health when Eric's towering presence made an appearance, his expression twisted into something unpleasant after catching sight of her pathetic excuse for a brother.

"Eric!" She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek in the hopes it would help ease the tension. It was almost suffocating. "This is my brother, Jason."

Eric grunted.

"This is Eric!" Jason hissed, seemingly forgetting that both vampires in the room could hear him perfectly no matter how quiet he whispered. He hadn't expected such an intimidating sheriff, not after meeting the youthfully appearing vampire first. Clearly he had been manipulated into a fake sense of security.

Sookie sighed, turning to face Eric apologetically. "I apologise in advance for anything he says."

"Hey!" Jason's protest was cut short as he startled violently.

"Shut your mouth, boy!"

For once, Sookie was relieved that Jason was doing as he was told.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't rip you apart right here and now and save myself the trouble of putting up with your bullshit!"

Colour ran from his face as Jason couldn't help but become transfixed at the long fangs on display. He didn't have much experience when it came to vampires, but he had a feeling that the short time he spent in Eddie's company was nothing compared to this other vampire. Eddie screamed nervousness; Eric didn't seem to have a nervous bone in his body. In fact he looked out for blood.

He had no doubt that this was the vampire who Hoyt had warned him about, the one who even other vampires feared to get on the bad side of.

He swallowed.

"Uh…"

Looking to Sookie for help he shot her a pleading look. For all the shit he gave her for hanging around with the undead, he really needed her help right now. When Hoyt had mentioned this particular vampire by appearance it had never crossed his mind that this was the vampire he would be personally dealing with.

He was struggling not to piss himself out of fear.

He watched with relief as Sookie took sympathy on him. He wasn't naïve enough not to realise that she was the only one that was keeping him alive at this point.

He watched her walk over to Eric with a determined expression, her lips moving against Eric's ear as she spoke quietly enough that he couldn't pick up a single word of it. Whatever she was nattering on about he couldn't help but be thankful for, especially when Eric's threatening fangs retracted back into place while Sookie continued to murmur words he couldn't hear.

With a grunt Eric relented with a "fine," before flashing over to his office chair.

Huh?

Did that mean he could leave here both alive and unharmed?

"Sookie?"

Sighing, Sookie made her way over to her brother with a roll of her eyes. He couldn't help but feel guilty as he took in her exhausted expression, he knew today was meant to be her day off. It was one of the reasons he had chosen this morning to go check up on her. "Call a cab, get them to pick you up, I have to stay for a while."

His blood ran cold as multiple scenarios ran through his head, none of them good. Nervously he glanced in Eric's direction, a look of disgust on his face.

"Oh my gosh! No, I'm not going to sleep with him!" Sookie flushed multiple shades of red after catching sight of her brother's expression. "Do you really think I would sell myself in order to save your arse?"

Jason stared at her, relived but admittedly a little pissed. "Yeah, I do. You're my sister-"

"And your my older brother, Jason!" she spat. "I shouldn't be the one trying to make sure you keep your life, the fact you took part in someone dying – to be honest it makes me sick."

Anger flared within him at her words, "I didn't kill…uh…"

"His name was Eddie!" Sookie wanted to pull her hair out in frustration as she paced in front of her brother. "You know what; maybe it would do you some good to take your punishment like a man for once in your life."

"Please," he rolled his eyes. "I know you well enough now that your church values wouldn't allow you to see any harm come to me, Sooks. We're family."

Sookies shoulders slumped in defeat at that, knowing he was right. However much anger she felt towards him she couldn't help but need to protect him. He was her brother, they were blood…

Feeling an arm slip around her shoulders she turned to face a solid chest covered in soft linen, barely managing to resist the urge to bury her face into the soft looking fabric. It was expensive; she didn't need a fashion background to detect good quality cloth.

"I am so disappointed in you, Jason" she sighed in defeat.

Despite himself Jason felt guilty. His little sister was attempting not to cry in front of him and it hit a sore spot. He was the one who was meant to be protecting her, not the other way around. He hated to think what his parents would think of him if they were still alive to see just how much he was neglecting his little sister. They may not have been as close to Sookie as they were with him due to her freaky disability, but they still loved her.

She had been their child after all.

"Thank you," he didn't know what else to say.

Breathing out through her nose Sookie shrugged, not turning around all the while internally hating herself for not being strong enough to allow her brother to face up to his own consequences. Sooner or later she wasn't going to be around when he upset the wrong person, vampire or human, and that thought scared her more than she liked to admit.

It was one of the reasons why she didn't protest when Eric grabbed her bother by the scruff of her neck. To be honest she just wanted him out of her sight.

Protesting, Eric ignored the pathetic human who had caused his lover to feel distress as he dragged the pathetic blood-bag through his club. He wanted to do nothing more than break a few bones, tear a few limbs, but he knew it would only put more of a rift between him and Sookie. That was not his intention, not when she seemed to be finally coming around.

His lips quirked briefly at the thought of her sprawled naked on his sheets, Godric biting at her throat while his tongue worked wonders on her soft core.

He could be patient, he had no doubt it would be worth it.

Predictably, the crowd broke apart after catching site of them. It would spark business for his club, his grip on the back of Jason's neck tightening enough to draw out a sharp yelp. It wasn't nearly as satisfying enough.

"He doesn't come back in," he informed his underlining as he carelessly tossed the jock to the floor.

Chow nodded. "Yes Sir. And Sookie?"

"Sookie is fine." It looked like his little spirited telepath had gained herself some fans. "Pamela will return in two hours, you can resume your usual duty with the vermin upon her arrival."

Eager to return back to his lover, Eric shot the excited crowd a look of distaste which only seemed to excite them further before disappearing back into the club. He had made too much progress with the blonde to throw it away now.

"Your brother is disrespectful," Godric broke the silence. After meeting Sookie's family it was surreal that they had grown up together, Sookie everything that her brother wasn't.

"I know," she visibly winced, knowing it was the truth. "I am really sorry about his attitude; he's always been a bit on the reckless side."

Godric hummed in agreement, "that I could see. You will not be able to fight all of his battles, little one."

"I know…"

"Someday he will piss off the wrong vampire and it will cost him dearly. His involvement in the death of a vampire combined with consuming V will not simply disappear. Neither I nor Eric can let it slide. The consequences have merely been lessoned but not forgotten. You cannot always be there to protect him, Sookie."

She hated to admit he was right.

She was on her way back into the club, her shields still firmly in please, when she caught sight of Pam in mid-sneer. Shaking her head, Sookie couldn't help but smile. "Ah, Sookie!" She purred, "did I miss all the drama?"

Even as she rolled her eyes she couldn't help but be thankful for the distraction. If there was one thing Pam wasn't it was boring.

"I would hardly call it drama, Pam."

Throwing her head back she cackled; literally cackled. "Ah, you are such a delight, Sookie." Flashing her fangs briefly at a human who invaded her personal space, Pam hissed in anger. "Offering your freedom in exchange for your brother's life, I would hardly call that a fair trade. I've met your bother."

Rolling her eyes, Sookie shook her head enough for her ponytail to swing, tickling the back of her neck. "I would hardly call offering up my gift on a regular basis to be offering up my freedom, Pam."

"So naïve," Pam chuckled darkly.

Not rising to the bait Sookie slipped into her usual booth, hating the disgusted and unimpressed looks she was on the receiving end. She sighed, not really in the mood to deal with the whole club hating on her simply because she was close with the owners when the night had barely begun.

It wasn't until Chow made his way over to her, fruity cocktail in hand; informing her that Tara and her friend were back, that she felt herself tense. Not only had she been subjected to dealing with Lafayette's dishonestly and her brothers' actions, but now she was faced with the physical evidence that both Tara and Arlene had been lying to her for however knows how long. Witnessing them staring at Eric with hunger, however, had her feeling jealously she would rather not experience.

Perhaps now was the time to get her questions answered.

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