Spellbound

Chapter 83

Please forgive me for the delays. I have been working nonstop. It's been pretty rough since the children have gotten out of school and needless to say, they won't stay out of trouble. I will do my best to have another chapter posted by the beginning of next week. I can't make any promises but I will do my very best. Thanks for sticking with me and the story. I hope that you enjoy.

The story is mine but the main characters are not mine.

Freyda blurred through the woods with the speed of light behind her. She needed to get to André. She knew that once Selene got Pam to Eric, she was definitely going to meet the true death. No one ever did anything to hurt Pam. Pam is the epitome of the perfect vampiric child. She does no wrong. Why? She's Eric's favorite, that's why. Pam has always been his favorite.

A slight chuckle escaped her.

Pam is his favorite. They both had a special place in Eric's hear; albeit it may not have been as special for her as it was for Pam but it was special just the same. At one time she mattered to him. That's what she liked to believe. He'd protected her. He'd always been there for her. He knew what she meant to Sal. He knew that Sal needed her. Even after all that she'd done to him, Sal needed and wanted her. And at one time, she needed him.

Sal was the most mysterious and amazing man she'd ever met in her life. He was handsome. His olive colored skin and wavy, dark hair made him irresistible. His coal black eyes were like pools of pure bliss. At one time, everything that she'd ever wanted was in those eyes. And when he'd told her his secret, the now known mystery, it didn't scare her away. When she found out that he's a vampire, it made him even more intriguing; his long life, his ability to be someone different whenever he wanted, his power and his vast wealth. She wanted it all. She wanted him … eternally.

"I want to spend the rest of eternity with you," she begged as they'd completed their second round of love making. "Please, turn me into a wonder of the night. Let me live forever with you."

Sal peppered her face with kisses. "My Freyda," he began. "I could never turn you. I could never kill what makes you the woman that I love. Your life is priceless. It is precious. It is what has drawn me to you. The life of a vampire, it is not for you."

Tears fell from the corners of her eyes. "You don't love me."

"Oh, my love," he said. "But I do. I love you more than I could possibly say. Have I not spent every waking moment at your side? Have I not given you almost everything that you've asked of me? I have never asked you for anything but I am asking you for this. Let me have you as you are."

Freyda believed him. She's always known that he loves her. She's never doubted it. She could feel it in every kiss, every touch. "Yes, you have given me everything and have asked for nothing in return but I want to give you my life. Let me spend all of eternity with you. I'll give you my life and you'll give me eternity. Let me walk under the stars of every night with you." She placed her hand lovingly on his cheek. "Let me love you eternally."

When he didn't answer her right away, she knew that he wouldn't give her what she wants. She knew that five years, ten years, or maybe even tonight, she would be no more than rotting flesh in a pine box. It angered her that the man that she loves would watch her grow old. It pained her to know that he'd forever look as if he's 33 years old and she'd look like his grandmother. When she looked into his eyes, she knew that regardless of what she said to him, he'd leave her once her body gave in to gravity and her red hair had long gone gray. Her wrinkled skin would turn him away. She knew that as soon as he found a younger and more beautiful woman, he'd leave her.

And she'd die alone.

She didn't want to die alone.

She didn't want to die.

She turned away from Sal. She didn't want him to see her crying anymore than he's already seen. Regardless of how many times he'd tell her no, she'd never truly understand why.

Sal wrapped Freyda in his arms. "My sweet girl, please don't feel sad. I'll always love you. No matter what happens, I will always love you. I'm not in love with your physical appearance," he said as he kissed the back of her head. "I love you; your heart, your smile, the feel of your warm skin. Don't be angry with me. Please," he begged as he pulled her closer into his body.

"I'm not angry," she whispered as she wiped the wayward tears from her face. She sighed as she settled into the idea that he is never going to give her what she wants; regardless of how often she asks. As to change the subject, she asked, "When does Eric return? He's been gone for quite some time … a lot longer than usual."

Sal gave a hearty laugh. "He's gone out on one of his many adventures so there is no telling when he's going to return home."

"He's been so much more carefree since that sadistic piece of shit called a maker of his has been stopped," Freyda said. "I love to see him as happy as he's been. It's a joy to see life in his eyes again. It's been far too long." A genuine smile appeared in her eyes.

"Yes, he has," Sal said. "He has always had a strong verve for life. It's so much stronger now. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't find a lover of his own soon."

Remaining calm, she said, "I very seriously doubt it. Eric loves the bachelorhood too much to settle down. I don't ever see him settling down with one being. It's just not in him … not now."

She's always had a thing for Eric. She'd found him intriguing and mysterious. She knew nothing of him other than what Sal has told her. Eric has never shared with her. She knew that he was a passionate vampire because of the way he lives his life. She'd never known such passion. Come to think of it, she wouldn't have expected less from him. He is an amazing vampire. She could only imagine what he was like as a man but she knew that she never stood a chance with him. If he was anything at all, he's loyal. He would never betray Sal.

No matter how often she'd bat her baby greens at him, he'd only stare at her. The blinding smile of admiration would go unreturned. And when he'd see her walking through the mansion naked, he never showed an ounce of interest in her. No man had ever defied her charms. Every man has always wanted her. They'd fall her feet just to get a smile from her. They'd walk until their feet bled if she'd told them to. They all wanted her; all of them but Eric, that is.

And it irked her.

"Why do you ask of Eric?" Sal asked.

Freyda turned to face Sal and was smiling up at him. "Just wondering," she answered. "He's never been gone this long. I guess I've turned into a mother hen when it comes to him. I worry over him just as you do." She gave Sal a kiss. She shook her head and giggled as a thought popped into her mind. "I never thought that I'd see the day when I would be the pseudo mother to a very old vampire."

Sal laughed right along with her. "Don't worry over Eric. He's more than capable of taking care of himself. He will return to us in time."

"I guess you're right," she said as she hugged him to her. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. She was glad to hear that Eric wasn't on his way home. If he was, she never would've been able to put her plan into motion. She didn't want to do what she was about to do but she had no choice. Sal was no longer of any use to her. Since he has no intention of ever turning her, she needed to move on. It was time to let him go and since she could no longer have him, no one was going to have him.

She squeezed him one more time and said, "I love you, Sally."

"And I you, Freyda," he said as he began to kiss her with the same passion from earlier tonight.

That was the last time they'd made love while she was human.

Freyda put her plan in to kill him into play the next night. It was perfect. The marauders that helped her to capture and kill Appius' staff would help her to kill Sal. They could take whatever they wanted but they had to attack her as well but they were to leave her alive. They'd all agreed that the plan would go that way. Sal would be finally dead and she'd be alive. She would be able to move on to another vampire; hopefully Eric. He would come back to find her mourning over the death of her vampire lover. He'd see that she truly loved Sal and he'd then take her as his lover and over time, he'd turn her. He'd want to turn her because he would love her that much. They'd be together forever … eternal lovers.

Sadly, things didn't go as she'd planned.

The marauders turned on her. They attacked and tortured Sal instead of killing him quickly as she'd told them to. She'd screamed for them to stop but they wouldn't listen. She didn't want him to suffer but her pleas fell upon deaf ears. After doing all that they could to do to him, they turned on her … raping her, beating her, killing her slowly. They stabbed her until the blades of the knives had broken off inside of her limbs. Her screaming and fighting did her no good. She and Sal were going to die together.

Luckily, Eric returned home that night. He saw the destruction and the pending death. He stood over her and looked down. She was begging him with her eyes for him to save her. Instead, he stepped over her and went to Sal.

If it hadn't been for Sal, she'd be dead and in a pine box right now. He'd begged for Eric to turn her as he crawled across the floor to reach her.

Eric ignored him.

Sal kissed and caressed her over and over again as he apologized for not turning her when she'd asked him to. He wanted to turn her then but he was too weak and Eric couldn't have that. He went out and found a couple of humans for Sal to feed from so that he could slowly regained a little of his strength. More blood would be needed over time in order for him to heal completely.

After drinking from his last human, Sal asked Eric to turn her. "Please turn her for me," he said. "I couldn't bear to go on without her."

He tried his best to talk Sal out of wanting her to be with him for eternity but Sal wouldn't listen. And because he wouldn't listen and because Eric loves him, he turned her. She could see the disgust in his eyes as he fed her his blood. She could tell that he knew what she'd done but she didn't care. She was getting what she wanted. She looked him in his eyes as she fed from his wrist. He knew then what she'd done.

After she'd risen on the sixth night, Eric was sitting by her grave waiting on her. She'd assumed that she would've woken up with him. She'd always heard that the maker and child were to rise together. They were to make love and feed together on that first night.

When she was completely out of her grave, Eric looked at her and said, "As your maker, I command you to remain where you are."

Being Freyda, she tried to move and realized that she couldn't move at all. She'd opened her mouth to speak.

Eric raised his hand and said, "As your maker, I command you to speak only when you are spoken to."

Her mouth clamped shut quickly.

He walked over to her and stopped right in front of her. He looked down at her and said, "I know what you've done and I know why you are what you are. You are not worthy of the blood. You don't deserve to have the gift of eternal life bestowed upon you. You should be a rotted corpse deep in the ground. You deserve that. That should be your fate." He dropped fang on her as he looked at her.

Freyda dropped her eyes from shame. He was right. She didn't deserve the gift of eternal life. She was wrong for what she'd done but none of it mattered anymore. She'd gotten what she'd wanted and there was no going back. She held her face up to Eric's and smiled.

"You did this on purpose," Eric stated in a matter of fact tone.

"I would never hurt Sal," she proclaimed.

"Liar," he hissed.

Freyda's dead eyes went even deader. In a whispered voice, she said, "Prove it."

Eric backhanded her.

Her head turned violently to the left. She held her head down for a brief moment before looking at him. She was smiling. She had other things on her mind. "Ohhh. I hope the slap was foreplay. Aren't you going to fuck me now?"

He'd never been so disgusted in his life. "Never," he spat at her. "I wouldn't fuck you with my worst enemy's cock."

She laughed. "In time, Master," she said. "You'll fall in line. They always do."

"As your maker, I command you to tell me the truth about what happened the night that Sal was attacked. I command you to tell me of your plan to kill Sal," Eric ordered. The look of surprise on her face pleased him. He could tell that she never expected to be asked that question.

Before she could answer, Sal emerged from the bushes. "Don't," he said to Eric. "It is not necessary to find out."

Eric couldn't believe what he'd heard. He turned to face Sal as he didn't try to hide the disappointment that filled him. The vampire that he's loved and respected for most of his vampiric existence, the vampire that couldn't stand on his own or do the things for himself that he's always done because of some low rent piece of ass wanted him to be finally dead, was telling him that he didn't want to know what his lover had done to him.

"What?" Eric was astonished by Sal's response.

"It's not necessary to know," Sal repeated. "Dwelling on the past will only hinder our futures."

"You must know," Eric said.

Sal shook his head. "I mustn't."

Eric looked at Freyda and she was smiling. He dropped fang on her. "I am your maker and because I owe Sal, I will respect his wishes but you will fall in line. You will do everything that is asked of you without recourse. You will be the embodiment of the perfect vampire when I'm done with you and you will pay for all of your wrongdoings. Step out of line once and you will meet your end. You understand me."

She knew that he wasn't playing around with her. She knew that he'd meant every word that he'd said and she was going to do everything that he told her to do. She was going to follow his every rule. She'd never step out of line. She would make him proud. She'd bide her time until he decided to release her.

"Yes, Master," she said as she bowed to him. "I will do whatever you say."

Sal then reached out to her and offered her his hand. "Come with me, my sweet girl. Let me teach you to feed."

She willingly took Sal's hand as she stared at Eric. She was going to prove to him that she deserved to be a vampire and he would soon want to make love to her.

She was wrong.

He didn't take her as his lover the way that he did Pam. She would follow him as he stalked Pam. She could see in his eyes that he wanted her and she knew that he was going to have her. She would've killed Pam before Eric could turn her if she'd gotten the chance but he never left her alone. He did things with Pam that he'd never done with her. He made love to her. She stayed with him in his home. He's never invited Freyda to his home. When she and Sal would visit him after he'd released her, he would meet them at restaurants or hotels. When he would go to Faery and meet with the royal family, he didn't take her. He took Pam. She wasn't even invited to the wedding. She was an embarrassment to him. She was a stain on the Northman name.

No matter what she's done for him, she can never atone for what she tried to do to Sal. Even when she was the perfect child, it wasn't good enough. He never tried to hide the fact that he loathed her. It was even worse for her when he'd learned what she'd planned to do to Claudette.

A few nights after Lucian's death, Eric called her to him and she'd never ignored Eric's call. That was one time she'd wished that she had. He'd chained her from the rafters and he'd punished her within an inch of her life.

"I should have her kill you," Eric said as he sat back in his chair and watched while she was being tortured.

Freyda assumed that he was speaking of Thalia. She would have been more than willing to kill Freyda. After all, she'd been sleeping with Sal for quite some time now. She could kill Freyda and be rid of the competition. But no surprise to her, she was wrong.

"Claudette should be allowed to kill you for what you've done," he said. "If not for Sal, you would've died along side your now dead lover."

Freyda wanted to tell him that she'd done it for him. She'd seen how miserable he'd been in his marriage with the faery. Regardless of what Pam said, he wasn't in love with the faery princess. They didn't owe her fealty. They didn't owe her anything. What they needed to do was get rid of her so that their master would be free once again. She'd had an entire plan devised. She had a rogue vampire stashed away and he was going to take the blame for killing Claudette. No one would've known she'd been poisoned. Just like all faeries, the evidence of the dead body would've been swept away with the morning breeze. The rogue vampire, one of her many lovers, was ready to say that he'd drained the faery. He would've been put to death and her master would've been free.

The lash of the silver stranded whip brought her back to the present. She winced as the pain coursed through her body.

As he rested his ankle upon his knee and leaned back in his chair, Eric glared at her. "Because of you, I could've lost everything tonight," he snarled. "And because of Sal, only because of Sal, you're still alive."

Bloody tears streaked her pale white face. She looked up at him and whispered, "Forgive me, Master."

Eric stood slowly from his chair and walked to where Freyda was dangling. He used his point finger to tuck a few strands her hair behind her ear. He lifted her face to his and smiled at her.

Her heart filled with joy. He forgave her. She returned his smile as she leaned into his touch.

He then leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Never will I forgive you."

He removed her hand her face and she let her eyes fall back to the floor. "You've never loved me, have you?"

"No," he answered. Looking at Thalia over Freyda's shoulder, he said, "For the next few nights, do with her as you wish. Just don't kill her," he mumbled. Those last four words left a look of disgust on his face.

Thalia looked at him and smiled. "May I ask you a question?"

"Please," he answered.

"What do you mean by 'few'?"

Smiling at the diminutive vampire, he said, "Few. You decide how many a few is."

Thalia bowed deeply to Eric. "Thank you."

Freyda remembered the look on his face and the plethora of emotions that flooded the bond as he left the dungeon; disgust, hatred, and malice. She knew then that he'd never love her. She screamed out in agony and it had nothing to do with her punishment. That was when she realized that she truly held no special place in Eric's heart and that she's never mattered to him. He'd only ever protected her because of Sal … only because of Sal. And because she was nothing, she was going to leave him with nothing.

No Pam

No Sookie

Just as the memories faded, she reached André's compound. She couldn't go in to him just yet. She needed to make sure that it was safe for her so she flew up to his third floor window and looked in. And there he was. He was with Bill's maker and she was holding what had to have been the evidence of her and Bill's misdeeds.

"I'm going before the council," Lorena said, her southern drawl as sweet and as lazy as always. "I'm requesting her death and it will at my hands. I want her life."

André sat down at his desk and stared up at Lorena. "You'll have to stand in line," he said. "Shiloh put in a request months ago. Northman called tonight to say that pretty soon, Freyda will no longer be with us and as we all know, the maker has first dibs when it comes to punishing their child."

Freyda blanched at those words.

"She killed my child!" Lorena screamed.

"So?" he said. "I'm sorry but you have no rights to her life."

"Bill is dead because of her!" she yelled.

André laughed. "What proof do you have? None," he answered as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. "The only proof that you have is that your child would have died an eventual death because of his roguish ways. He threatened the life of a member of the council. He wanted the Northman's wife as his own. So, he and Freyda plotted together and now because he is dead, you are responsible."

Lorena's eyes widened. "How the fuck do you mean?"

"Speak out of turn again and I'll break your fucking neck, underling," André spat at her.

She bowed her head and said, "Forgive me."

He smiled because he liked to see his underlings bow down to him. "Because you are his maker and because you are responsible for his actions, someone has to take his place before the council members. You were to teach him his place and you failed." Pointing at the folder that she was holding, André said, "You were to kill him once you'd discovered his plan to destroy the sacred marriage between the vampire and the fae but you did not. You have broken the laws of our people as well, yet you stand before me and request the blood of another? What nerve you have, Lorena," he said.

She stood at André's desk and stared at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe what was happening. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to get her revenge. She didn't expect to be reprimanded for something that her child had done. "You'll do nothing to avenge the death of my child?" she asked.

"Nothing," André answered with a smiled.

"After all that he has done for you?" she asked. "You will turn your back on him without a care? He was loyal to you, André. He did the things for you that you were too cowardly to do on your own."

He flew over his desk and grabbed her by her neck and forced her against the wall. "I will kill you."

"Do it," she said as bloody tears fell from her eyes. "I have lost everything tonight. I have nothing left of this world. End my misery and let me go."

André looked into her eyes and realized that she meant it. He released the hold that he had on her neck and stood back and stared at her. He knows the pain of a maker losing a child. He'd lost his lover many centuries ago and he'd never imagined his life without him. He could see that Lorena felt the same way about Bill Compton.

Looking at her, he said, "You'll get over it. You're a vampire. Our lovers and vampire children die. It's a part of who and what we are. I made it and so shall you." He turned his back on her and said, "Get the fuck out of my office and never return."

Lorena left his office and she didn't look back.

As soon as Lorena was gone, Freyda knocked on André's window. He chuckled when he looked up to see her floating there. He walked over to the window. He undid the latch and left the window open. She knew not to come in until he'd invited her in. So she hovered outside until he'd give her the okay.

"Come on in," he said once he sat down at his desk.

She crawled in through the window and walked to André's desk. "He called you and said that wants to kill me?"

"Yes," he answered. "And he has every right to want to kill you. You've betrayed him. You tried to kill his most favorite child."

Pain filled her face.

He knew that it would hurt her when he said it. That's why he'd said it.

"What am I to do?" she asked him.

He laughed. "Run," André said as he laughed. "You deserve to die for what you've done. And you know that he will take great pleasure in killing you."

"Why are you so pleased at this, André? I believed you to be my friend."

He really began to laugh then. "What gave you that idea? Is it because we fucked? That meant nothing. You were merely something to do when I had nothing better to do."

Freyda's fangs ran down. "Fuck you, André."

He laughed. "Don't blame me because you're going to die. It's your fault."

Freyda wanted to cry. She wanted to give in to defeat but she has never been a quitter. She stood her ground and glared at her new enemy. "Do you think that I will die alone? Do you believe Bill to be the only one to have proof of the wrongdoings of others? Who do you think gave him the idea?" She smiled evilly at André. "We will die together, André. The only difference is that I will die with my head held high. Everyone has always known me to be out for me. I have never hid my selfish ways but you on the other hand, will die in shame. You hold a position of power. You are supposed to be our leader and you are the most underhanded of us all. You knew of my plan to kill the faery Claudette. You killed Claudia; the keeper of the Fae princess. You knew of the plans that I had for Eric and Sookie but what did you? Nothing," she said. "You. Did. Nothing."

André couldn't believe what he was hearing. She was to cowering at his feet. She was to fear him and he was going to make sure that she did but before he could reach her, she was on the opposite side of the room.

She was laughing, "Do you not know who my maker is?" She shook her head at him. "It's more than obvious that you don't know. He's taught me well."

He stood there and looked at her.

"You will help me get out of this, André and you will do it willingly," she said. "If I go down, you go down. I promise."

Before he could react, she flew out of the window and had vanished into the night.

He looked out into the night and he knew that he had no choice but to kill her and it was going to have to be soon. As he closed the window, a fly buzzed past his head and out into the night.

The fly flew to the next town and landed by his car. Pretty soon, he shifted back into a human. Standing naked outside of his car, he opened the door and reached for his cell phone.

"She just left André's," he said into the phone.

"Where is she going?"

"Martine is following her now," the shifter said. "I'll call you as soon as he calls me."

"Don't let her out of your sight. I want her alive."

"You have my word," the shifter said. "You will learn of everything when we meet."

Eric ended the call without saying another word. He was going to meet with Claudette tomorrow night and he was going to tell her the truth about Lucian. He was going to tell her everything that he knew. He didn't want to keep any secrets from her. She is family and she has a right to the truth. He made one last call before calling it a night.

"I'm so glad that you've finally decided to return my call," Claudette said when she answered the phone. "I'm so sorry to hear about Pam. Will you let her know that I will be there to see her tomorrow night?"

"I will tell her," he replied.

"Is she okay?" Claudette asked.

He smiled as concern filled the faery's voice. "She is well, thank you. Claudette, I need to see you tomorrow night. It is of the utmost importance."

"Sure," she replied. "Is Sookie okay?" A sudden wave of concern filled her. "Is it the baby?" she whispered.

Eric shook his head no. "There is nothing wrong with them. They are fine. What about you? Are you well?" He knows what family means to the faery and to have her sister up and leave without so much as a hint has to be tearing her very soul apart.

And it was.

Since she couldn't answer him truthfully, she decided not to answer him at all. She couldn't … not right now. She'd break and she couldn't do that so she remained quiet.

Eric more than knew what the silence meant. "If you need anything, we are here for you."

"I appreciate that," she said. "Why do you need to see me?"

He inhaled unnecessarily before speaking. "It's about Lucian."

They hadn't spoken of him since that night.

"Where?" she asked.

"1855 Poverty Lane," he said.

"Ritzy neighborhood," she said. "I wanted to buy a house there at one time but Lucian didn't want to move there. He said that the neighborhood wasn't safe enough. I never knew why he thought that." As an afterthought, she said, "I never got to ask him why."

Eric knew why. "Be there at first dark," he said.

"Okay," she said. "Eric?"

"Yes."

"Will this affect our relationship?" she whispered. "I really hope not because I love you. You are my family. I don't want to lose you too," she added. "I couldn't bear it."

"I don't want to lose you either," he said. "You are my family and you are my friend."

Claudette smiled at the phone. "I'll meet you there at first dark. Goodnight, Eric."

"Goodnight," he said.

As he ended the call, he really hoped that she'd find it in her heart to forgive him for something that he had no control over but he could hide it from her no longer. She deserves the truth and she deserves her revenge. And he was going to make sure that she gets both.