Spellbound
I apologize for the delay but I was updating my other story. As usual, I would like to thank you all for your reviews, alerts, and favorites of my stories. The story and side characters belong to me. Selene belongs to Mr. Cox and the SVM characters belong to CH.
Enjoy
Selene watched Sookie as she sat at the bar and watched the patrons dance and enjoy their night of fun. She didn't even seem too disappointed in the fact that Claudette and her mystery date had mysteriously vanished. So instead of moping about, she and Chow talked. They talked as old friends do; animatedly and full of laughter. Whatever she said to him must have been the funniest thing he'd ever heard because he'd doubled over from laughter. Selene has never seen a vampire laugh as he was.
When Chow was able to contain himself, he would lean in and say something to Sookie; making sure that he didn't touch her in any kind of way. Soon after he would finish speaking, she would laugh just as hard. They truly seemed to be enjoying each other's company. Selene was so deep in her observation of the princess and the vampire that she didn't notice Sookie staring at her. She barely noticed Sookie beckoning over to where she and Chow were sitting.
Selene blurred her way to where they were. She expected to be reprimanded for not being on her 'A' game. The fae are notorious for expecting perfection from everyone and that means everyone. They think that they are perfect so they naturally assume that everyone else has to be. Selene braced herself for the tongue lashing that she was about to get. Once again, she didn't get what she was waiting for.
"Are you enjoying the night?" Sookie asked her.
"Yes, ma'am," Selene responded. "I have the reports on the iron bars and the doorman. Neave and Lochlan arrived earlier with the updates for you and the master."
"That's good to hear," Sookie answered.
"They left about ten minutes ago. I can give you the information now or I can wait and tell you and Eric together. Whichever is best for you," she added.
She almost smirked because she just knew that she couldn't be wrong about Sookie three times in one night. She is just like the rest of fae. She is going to want to know now everything that Neave and Lochlan have learned. Fuck Eric; Sookie is going get all of the information that she can get and then she going to tell him when she wants him to know. She's a faery. That's what they do.
Sookie looked at the vampire and smiled. "Eric's going to love hearing that. As soon as his meeting is over, you can go on in there and tell him any and all of the information that you have. If it's important, I'm sure that my husband will let me know what's going on. Thank you for your prompt attention to the matter."
Fuck; Selene couldn't believe what she was hearing. Is everything that she'd ever learned about the fae nothing more than lies; especially the faery princess? She is notoriously known for being headstrong and for this incessant need of being in control. She's never been one to relinquish her will to anyone but tonight Sookie has done just that. What the fuck is going on with this faery? Why is she so different than the rest? By goodness, Selene was determined that she was going to find out.
"Seriously?" she asked. "You don't want to know? You were hurt tonight by someone else's neglect. I'm sure that you have questions, concerns. You could've succumbed to the iron poisoning."
Sookie sincerely didn't want to know. She smiled at Selene and said, "But I didn't. I truly don't want to know. I have complete faith in my husband. I trust him with my life. Until I find out otherwise, I trust you with our lives. If he trusts you enough to guard our lives then I have nothing to worry about. I know that you can more than handle whatever comes our way."
Chow stood tall and proud as he basked in Sookie's compliment. Selene's bottom was soon on a bar stool. She could no more surprises. Everything that she'd ever believed about the fae was no more than faery tales. She must have had a funny look on her face because Sookie laughed at the vampire.
"I'm not all bad," Sookie said. "I would never do anything to hurt Eric. I wouldn't do anything to put him in harm's way. I love him." She smiled at Selene as she continued to talk. "I don't like your distrust of me but I do understand you and I'm not angry but you've formed a not so flattering opinion of me. You haven't given me much of a chance."
"I … I …," Selene stuttered.
Sookie laughed. "I've heard your every thought. You've been projecting at me all night long, Selene. How could you not expect me to know what you think of me?"
Selene only stared.
"But there is something that you need to know," Sookie said as she looked at Selene. She wasn't smiling this time.
"Loving me does not make him weak," Sookie said. "It makes him stronger. It makes him a better man, a more confident and honorable man. He's a man that he can be proud to be. He's the man that I love and trust me, Selene. I will let nothing happen to him. He's my life."
Selene looked at her and said, "I didn't mean to … I don't …."
"It's okay," Sookie interrupted. "It's fine. Even though Eric and I have made a quite a few changes in our world, many supes find it hard to trust the fae. The wars are over but the skepticism is still there. It's more than understandable. I don't fault you but I can ask that you give me a chance."
"I just thought … I just don't … it is hard for me to …." Selene tried stringing her words together but she couldn't seem to form a sentence. For the first time since being a vampire, she was stunned beyond words.
Chow leaned down to whisper in Sookie's ear; again, careful not touch her. "Selene's the first stuttering vamp I've ever met."
He and Sookie filled the already loud bar with laughter. Selene sat stone-faced. She didn't like being ridiculed and she wasn't going to fall for the charms of the faery princess. It wasn't real. It's all a part of the contract. This was how she's supposed to act in public. She's manipulated all supes into trusting her and in believing in her. That friendly smile, that sweet scent; it was a ploy to get them all to fall for her charms and her outstanding wit. Selene could feel Sookie looking at her. It was almost as if she heard every single she was thinking.
Sookie smiled. "Would you like a blood or have you already had a donor? I hear that they have the best donors here."
"No, ma'am; I've already sampled one of their donors. Thank you."
"Eric loves their bottled …."
Sookie cut the sentence short. It was about to happen. The vision that she had in the private room was about to come to pass. She stood up from her seat and walked towards something or someone that hadn't appeared just yet. Selene and Chow strained to see what she was seeing but they couldn't. They flanked on either side of her and followed her as she walked in the direction of the unseen. When they reached the table that Sookie saw in her vision, she stopped walking. The vampires followed suit. A human girl walked into the bar and Sookie could see that she was up to no good.
"Mistress," Chow said. "We can handle her. You mustn't trouble yourself. Eric said to keep you safe." Chow's fangs dropped into place and he was ready to kill the girl without as much as a second thought.
Sookie placed her hand on his covered arm and said, "I can do this. She means me no harm. She's here to kill vampires."
Every vampire that was on the dance floor turned in the direction of the girl and Sookie. Their fangs had descended and they were ready to kill.
"Stand down," Sookie said calmly and in a voice that only they could hear.
They did as she ordered but they stayed in their defensive mode.
The girl stopped in front of the table that Sookie and her vampires stood beside.
"Hi," Sookie said. "You looked uncomfortable when you walked in so I decided to come over and introduce myself. My name is Sookie. You must not be used to being around a lot of vampires. They're as friendly as any group of vampires I've ever met." She placed her hand on Selene's shoulder when she said that.
The girl's wild eyes were even wilder when Sookie spoke to her. The girl was there for revenge. She wanted to make a vampire come to her; feed from her. As a matter of fact, she wanted to get as many vampires as she could to feed from her. She was going to kill them all. They'd killed her mama and she was going to kill them. Who knew that shooting heroin had an adverse effect on vampires? She'd only found out by accident; an accident that she was glad that happened. She enjoyed seeing them in an unpleasant state. It pleased her to know that the heroin made them so weak that it was easy to stake them.
She then looked at Sookie. Her blood ran cold and her heart almost stopped. She heard me. I know that she heard me. Look at her eyes.
"How are you, Kira?"
Kira's wild eyes widened. "How do you know my name?"
"I make it my business to know everyone that means harm to my kinsmen, to my friends."
"You're a vampire?" Kira asked in a whispered voice.
Sookie laughed. "I am not. I am married to one but I am no vampire. Let me introduce you to my friends." Pointing to her left and then to her right, she said, "This is Chow and this here is Selene. They are vampires and as I said before, they are my friends. As a matter of fact, most of the beings in here are vampires and they are my kinsmen. There a couple of shifters and Weres here but more vampires. And I will not let you cause harm to them."
Kira's heart was thumping and her pulse was racing. "How did you know …? I didn't say …. You ain't supposed to know. I ain't told anybody."
"You didn't have to," Sookie said with a smile. "I can see what's going on with you. I don't have to tell you that now do I? You already know."
Kira nodded.
"You're hurting." Sookie looked at Selene and said, "Her pain is so ugly that it's festering inside of her. Can't you smell? It stinks of misery and years of abuse. It smells worse than her fear." She turned her attentions back to Kira and offered the girl her hand.
Without hesitation, Kira took it. When she did, a glow enveloped them both.
Chow smiled.
Selene gasped. She was in awe of the faery princess.
"Sit with me," Sookie said.
"Okay," Kira answered. The girl was mesmerized.
Sookie and Kira sat at the table while Chow and Selene stood guard. Sookie began talking. "He didn't kill your mama. A human killed her because she was in love with a vampire. But you don't need me to tell you this because you already know. You've always known. You saw it when it happened."
Kira started crying. "It's still his fault. If she hadn't fallen in love with him, my daddy wouldn't have killed her and he wouldn't be in prison and I wouldn't be alone. I ain't got anybody no more. If she didn't love him, she would still be with me. It is his fault she left us." Kira dropped her head and sobbed loudly. Sookie felt sorry for the girl. She wouldn't normally do what she was about to do for a human but she had to.
"Look at me, Kira," Sookie ordered.
"What?" she answered as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Selene and Chow looked at Sookie too. Vampires began moving in slowly; no longer angry but intrigued. They wanted to know what the princess was about to do to the human.
"I can help you. Do you want me to help you?"
"Yeah," she whimpered.
Sookie's eyes brightened as she took over the girl's mind. "I will take away your pain because in the end, it will save you. Do you want to be saved?"
Kira nodded.
"Good girl," Sookie said. "You will no longer blame vampires for the death of your mama. You will come to terms with what your father has done. Vampires can be your friend as long as you are a friend to them. They're no different than humans in that aspect. Do you understand?"
Kira's posture changed. Her eyes brightened a little and a smile almost appeared on her face. She willingly gave more of her will to Sookie.
"The human that killed your beloved mama is dead. The vampire that loved your mama sneaked into the prison and killed him. Her vampire lover killed your daddy because he, in turn, loved your mama. You will forever hold onto what he did for your mama. The fact that she loved a vampire will no longer be used as a reason to hate them. You will use it a reason to revere them. That is the only logical thing for you to do, is it not?"
"Yes," Kira answered.
Sookie squeezed Kira's hand tighter. "Chow will you give Kira all of the money in your wallet?"
Chow pulled his wallet out and gave Kira a wad of hundreds that would have choked an elephant. He handed the money to Sookie and she took it. She let him know that Eric would pay him back tonight.
He shook his head no. "Take it. Give it to her. It's okay."
Sookie placed the money in front of the girl and said, "Take this money and you leave town tonight. You will never return to this city again. If you do, you will surely die and I will not be here to stop it next time."
"I won't come back … ever."
"Put the money in your purse and when you leave, don't look back." Still holding the girl's hand, Sookie stood up and addressed every vampire in Bloody Goodness. "This human will not be touched tonight. She will leave and will never return. If she does, she will suffer the consequences but tonight, she is free. Is that not fair?"
Yeses filled the air in the room.
"Thank you all so much. Please, return to your dancing and fun."
The vampires began socializing just as they had before Kira entered the bar. Sookie returned her attention back to the girl and helped her to stand.
"Leave," Sookie ordered the girl. But before she released Kira's hand, she pulled the girl into her body. Sookie's eye darkened and her glow faded to black. Kira was terrified. "Listen to me and listen to me good. If you return to this city, you won't have to worry about the vampires. I will hunt you down and kill you myself. As I said before, my husband is a vampire so you'd better heed my warning, little girl. I don't make threats and I promise you that the next time you see me, you won't be smiling."
Kira began shaking and crying.
"I'm giving you a chance to live past tonight," Sookie whispered. "You'd better take it."
"Okay," she whispered.
"Remember my face and my words, human. Don't fear the vampires; fear me," Sookie concluded. She released the girl's hand and the fear remained on her face and in her eyes as she stared at Sookie. It filled her to her very spirit; just as Sookie wanted.
Kira reached for the money and crammed it into her purse and ran. Sookie watched her as she left. She knew that the girl was never coming back. When she turned to smile at Chow and Selene, she saw Eric standing in the doorway of the VIP lounge watching her. She sent him a burst of love as he bowed to her. Soon he would be making his way to her. With the simple lift of her hand, she stopped him. He stood in the doorway and waited. He followed Sookie's eyes and stared at the two vampires that were standing with her.
Though Chow had seen her take over an entire room before, he remained in awe of Sookie. This was Selene's first time and it was evident. The normally emotionless vampire's face was filled with emotion; so many that it was hard to pinpoint which was the most prevalent.
Sookie smiled at the vampires but it didn't reach her eyes. Just as she told Eric earlier, she was no longer in the mood for dancing and celebrating with their friends. The use of her powers had drained her.
"Are you okay, mistress?" Chow asked. He didn't let her answer. "Let me take you to the master."
Sookie was about to say okay but Selene cut her off; her eyes still on Sookie. "No. Make sure that the girl leaves and that no one causes her harm. I'll take our mistress to the master. I'll keep her safe. I'll do everything in my power to keep her safe."
Chow was angry but said nothing and did what his superior ordered him.
"Thanks, Selene." Sookie's voice was barely above a whisper.
As Selene guided Sookie back to the private room, she realized what was so special about the faery princess. She didn't think that she was better than the vampires. She didn't think that she was better than anyone. She saw all supes as her kinsmen and she treated them as if they were. She could now see why Eric and his vampires were so enthralled with her. She was amazing. She was selfless and she was kind. She then realized that she would give her very life in order to keep Sookie safe.
She'd fallen for the faery princess' charms.