I woke from my day rest dreading the night. I would have to go to Fangtasia tonight. I would have to deal with Victor Madden. What really bothered me about both of those things was that I had to leave Sookie. It was the latter of the two that disturbed me more than I had ever imagined.
Determined to spend as much of my time with her as possible, I took a very quick shower and quickly made my way upstairs. Sookie was waiting for me there at the top of the stairs. Her arms flung around my legs as she said, "Amelia said you would be up soon! The day was too long today!"
"You've only been up for two hours," Amelia said with a little laugh.
"I missed you in those two hours," Sookie told me while she gripped my legs tighter. If I had not been a vampire, she might have made me tumble backward down them. I took her up into my arms and she put her head on my shoulder while she wrapped her hands around my neck.
"I missed you too," I told her. "For many more than two hours."
"I drawed you a picture!" she told me excitedly. I started a little collection of pictures that she had drawn for me. They were something I planned to keep for a very long time.
"Really? Let me see it," I told her while I lowered her to the floor. She took off running leaving me to follow her while Amelia returned to the kitchen to finish making Sookie's dinner.
When I got to the living room where Sookie did her artwork, she had already collected the paper and was in the process of trying to shove it in my face. She almost succeeded, which was quite impressive with her smaller than usual stature.
"Look! Look!" she said as I took the paper from her hands and sat on the couch. She bounced on the seat next to me and again told me to look at the picture.
"I love it!" I told her while I looked it over. She had drawn a picture of us flying in the sky complete with stars and fangs. Granted, she had drawn my fangs longer than my face, but I appreciated her including them. I cherished her drawing the picture meant specially for me.
"Thank you, Sookie," I said.
"You are very welcome, Eric," she answered me just as Amelia called to tell her that her dinner was ready. She hopped off the couch, pulled me up with her, and led me into the kitchen. I was suddenly worried that it would be harder to leave her tonight than I originally believed.
We went into the kitchen and I sat her down on a chair after she washed her hands. "Sookie, I have to go to work tonight," I informed her.
Her face fell and she asked, "Do you have to leave now?"
"Very soon," I answered her. "I wish I could stay here with you."
"But you have to work. Just like Daddy had to work."
"Unfortunately, I do." She nodded, turned away, and asked Amelia what was for dinner. She was having chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and corn. No carrots in sight!
"Okay," she said in a tone much less enthusiastic than it was just minutes ago.
I turned her back toward me and this time, it was me who initiated the hug. "I hope you have a fun night, Sookie. Pam will be coming by later to play with you."
That brightened up her face a little, but not as much as I would have wished. I pressed a kiss to her forehead and told her I would check on her when I came in, and then I turned and left.
I made it to the front lawn and was just about to take off when I heard the front door open. I turned to see Sookie standing in the doorway. Amelia had her hand on Sookie's shoulder and she shrugged though I was unsure what provoked the gesture. I was just getting ready to ask what was wrong, but it was Sookie's voice that rang out through the night when she called, "Eric?"
I took one step toward the door and Sookie as I answered, "Yes, Sookie?"
I had almost forgotten about Victor and Felipe. I was ready to throw away any plans of going to Fangtasia that night. My entire reason was due to the little child who called out, "One last hug?" in a voice that sounded close to breaking.
I moved toward her before she finished saying the words. As soon as she saw me move toward her, she took off running toward me. I knelt down and for a moment, it appeared as if Sookie was the one who could fly as she landed in my arms. I pulled her up with me while I stood to my full height.
"I wanted one more hug," Sookie said into my neck, her voice not yet back to its full strength.
"I am so glad you did because I think I needed a million last hugs," I told her as I held her more tightly.
"So don't go," Sookie said, and I felt the start of her tears against my face.
The only thing, the absolute only thing that kept me firm in my plan to go to Fangtasia, was the safety of the person who had just asked me not to leave. Would protecting her be worth it if I had to break her heart to do so? I had to keep telling myself that if it kept her alive it was certainly worth it. If she was alive, then I would still have a chance to help her pick up the pieces.
I knelt back down crouching on the ground and put her on my knee. "There would be nothing more than I could want than to stay home with you, tonight and every night for the future."
"And we could color, and play games, and have a dance party!" she said excitedly.
She had me until she said dance party… I cannot imagine participating in a dance party. Then again, I had no idea who I was trying to kid, of course she had me with dance party too! This little being on my knee had me in so many ways, I was not certain she even understood that, in this form or her adult form.
"Yes, we could have great fun. You see, my…" I hesitated while I tried to think of a word she might comprehend as well as one that would not have me speaking words that little Sookie should not hear. "Bosses," I said, having finally decided it was a safe word. "My bosses have been keeping me very busy these days."
"They don't want us to have any fun." If only she knew the truth of that statement! Though I was sure there were more diabolical plans afoot, I also knew that keeping me miserable seemed to be high on the priority list.
"No, they do not," I told her. I intended to stop there, but then thought to explain further. I decided to be as appropriately honest as I could with the little person still perched on my knee. "They can be very dangerous if they do not get what they want. It is important that I make them happy, that I play their games. If I do that, I can make sure that soon, very, very soon, my nights will belong to you."
She crinkled her nose and the look in her eyes was thoughtful, as if she was trying to think through something. I wondered if my words had triggered another memory for her. I still had no idea how that worked or if it would continue to occur. I did not know what I wanted to happen. I know I wanted Sookie back as an adult with all of her memories intact. What I was uncertain on the subject of was child Sookie having adult Sookie's memories. Little Sookie was taking everything in great strides, but all that Sookie had gone through was overwhelming enough for an adult, let alone a child.
I remembered holding Sookie while she processed all that had happened during her kidnapping. I remembered holding her and giving her any amount comfort I could. I remembered being so proud of every little step she took, whether it was simply getting out of bed those first days home or the first time she recalled something without having a flashback. I would do it again in a beat of her heart if she needed me, my only wish was that it did not occur during this incarnation of her childhood self to whom I might need to be offering such comfort.
"You have to listen to them," Sookie stated more than asked, which brought me out of my thoughts. "Your bosses, you have to," she reiterated, making it seem as if it was a very important rule. I suppose it was in most circumstances. In my vampire situation, it was not the most important rule.
"Yes, I do not want to, but I have to. I have to so I will be able to make sure that we are safe and be sure we have many nights to have fun in the future."
"Lots of fun?"
"The most fun you will ever have," I told her running my thumb across her cheek. "I will do everything I can to make sure that we can have lots of fun every night. That is all I want."
She looked at me and for a moment, her eyes were once again a great deal older in the face staring back into mine. She blinked, and then I was once more looking into the eyes of a child. "Okay," she told me before squeezing her arms around my neck one last time. She kissed my cheek before she skipped back to Amelia. She turned back toward me again after she reached the door and said, "Bye, Eric," and then waved. I waved back.
As I turned from the wave and started off into the sky, I was hit with sudden clarity. Out of the blue, I realized I was a fucking idiot! That little conversation was one I should have had with Sookie weeks ago! Months ago! That should have been the talk we had prior to me leaving her after that damn attack. It should have been something we discussed, a plan we could have worked out between us that might have both kept us safe and allowed us to see each other. We could have found an accord, a place where we were of the same mind. Instead I had left her for another time, keeping my distance, always so worried about her safety. In doing what I thought was right, I had pushed her away.
I could only hope I had not pushed her so far away that I would not be able to reach her to pull her back.
I walked into Fangtasia. My only saving grace was that Madden had yet to appear. I knew he would and I could not count out Felipe. Last I had heard he was back in Nevada, but the two of them seemed to enjoy taking me by surprise. I would not count out a visit from either. As a matter of fact, I expected a visit from Madden, specifically because I had escaped him last night. I would not be so fortunate for a second night.
My work for the Area had accumulated over the last few nights. Pam and I had been doing our best to keep up with it; we had no need to give Madden any more ammunition as it were. However, I still had to up the tithe I collected from the vampires in Area 5 in order to meet the increase of our contribution to Felipe from the state. It was something I was unhappy with and the vampires in my Area were making it known they were less than thrilled over it as well. It had only cost me two vampires thus far, everyone else trusted me to do all I could regarding it. Still, I knew more would leave and I would lose support, something I could ill afford at present.
I knew immediately when Victor Madden stepped into the hallway and started to walk into my office. He had a very specific gait seemingly to appear as if he was limping, but he was not. The instant I heard it, my Madden-free night ended.
Victor stormed into my office without as much as a tap to my door, baring his utter lack of respect for me. The fact that I remained seated once he appeared rather than stand reflected my utter lack of respect for him, thus we were off to a fabulous start for the evening.
"How are things with your wife?" he asked with a smirk on his face while he seated himself in the chair opposite my own.
"I have to believe the concerns of my Area and our King's states were of greater significance than those of my wife."
"You wife will be listening to almost every human in our King's states in the very near future. With that in mind, I should be very concerned with the wellbeing of your wife. And your marriage," he added as though it was an afterthought, but I recognized it for the clear threat it was.
"My wife is fine," I told him, and hoped that the sooner I acknowledged his inane questions the sooner we could change the subject. I did not lie to him; Sookie was fine when I left her and judging from the bond, she was still fine with Amelia.
Victor nodded at my words, but stayed quiet. I was not going to add any more to my explanation and when I saw that he had no immediate plans to elaborate, I returned to my paperwork, virtually ignoring him. I had more important things to do than to play bullshit with Madden.
Unfortunately, if that was the game he chose to play at any point that night, I would be forced to play along, but at that moment, I took solace in my boring, tedious paperwork.
It was only after I began going over the accountant's bank reports for Fangtasia that Madden unfortunately opened his mouth again. "Will you be able to make your contribution for this month?"
"I have never missed one," I answered while I confirmed it with Fangtasia's profits for the quarter that I would be able to reimburse some of my vampires' tithes.
"That did not answer my question," Victor replied, his tone causing me to look up from my paperwork.
"It should," I told him. "I have never missed a payment, and I have no plans on doing so presently and disappointing the new regime," I continued. That part was not a lie; I just did not want to give either Victor or Felipe a legitimate reason to pursue me. They were doing quite fine without one. To my sheer disdain, once Victor started talking, he did not stop. I answered question after question about finances, my finances, the finances of my businesses, the finances of the Area, and the average finances of the vampires living in the Area. Naturally, the information I gave him was rather meaningless. I did not blatantly lie, but I most certainly did not tell the complete truth. To do so would have been a badly mistaken act.
I did my best to avoid those.
After the finance conversation, Madden insisted on going out into the club area and observe, well, the club. I would have thought any of his previous visits when he saw the club in action might have been enough, but evidently not for Victor. He had to be thorough.
Me? I wanted to break one of my own chairs and shove a piece of wood into his unbeating heart. In fact, it was something that I wanted so badly, I had visions of doing just that as we walked to the bar area. By the time Victor informed me that per his count 'our' patrons were waiting thirteen seconds too long for a drink, my visions of what I wanted to do to Victor had only become more gruesome. He might have lost a few appendages before I shoved the broken piece of chair into his chest.
"You would not be trying to sneak Ms. Stackhouse out of Felipe's territories, would you?" Victor asked. If that was their fear, then they were worrying over nothing. Sookie would not be going anywhere unless I was going with her!
"No," I responded simply and sincerely.
"I would think your wife would frequent your business, especially if it was where you spent the majority of your time of late."
"I have been here because my duties as Sherriff required it," I told him.
"Yet your wife has not been."
"Where my wife happens to be is no concern of yours."
"It is if it affects her ability to use her talent for the Kingdom."
"Would there happen to be any truth to your inclination?"
"Where has she been, Eric? She has not made an appearance here, I have not seen her, and her scent is fading. You are no longer angry about having to send her messages that you have not been able to see her."
"Again, the presence of my wife and the status of our relationship remains no concern of yours. I have been maintaining my responsibilities. I have not been made aware of any specific plans for the use of Sookie's abilities," I told him. I left out the fact that even with specific plans she would not be doing anything they requested.
He might have left it there. He could have been satisfied enough at that moment to let it go for the rest of the night. I had no doubt he would raise the topic again tomorrow or that he might even perhaps make up a task he would require her to do, and I might have been able to get through the rest of the night not having to discuss Sookie.
However, right at that same time, someone pushed through the line entering the club. The anger poured off of him and filled the room. Even the humans realized something was off and stopped whatever they were doing. They turned to face the cause of that anger as he stormed directly over to me. Once he stood before me he took a swing, one that I was able to block. Still, it did not dissuade him from trying again with his other fist. That one connected lightly with my chin before I could move out of his reach. I pushed him backward and he glared at me.
Merlotte was furious and I had a very good idea as to why. It also became quite clear that my night had just become more than a great deal complicated.
"Where's Sookie?" he demanded, yelling at me. "What have you done with her?"
I looked from Merlotte to Victor. The vampire suddenly looked quite pleased. I knew that did not bode well for me or for Sookie.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. We will see just what added complications Sam brings to the table in the next chapter. Much thanks to MsBuffy for working on this one with me!