Trigger warning: attempted rape. Abuse. And possibly a few more. The next few chapters are going to be tough for poor Sookie.
* Flashback*
"Just a little further." Eric whispered in her ear as he led Sookie blindfolded through the woods. She knew she was in the wood because every now and then a twig would brush against her. They'd been dating a little over a year and Eric had a surprise planned for her tonight. He wouldn't say a word about what it was. He just told her to wear long pants and a lightweight jacket. It was early October so nights were chilly and starting to get longer. Sookie had worn a pair of jeans with a pair of cowboy boots and a pretty lilac sweater. She had a black raincoat unzipped. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Eric had been adamant about what he had planned being a surprise. He had turned down a dirt road and made her close her eyes. Then he had parked the car and went around to let her out. He blindfolded her and pulled her close to his chest so she wouldn't fall. After a short five minute walk Eric stopped and took the blindfold off. "Open your eyes." He whispered directly in her ear, sending chills down her spine. He hugged her to his chest from behind and bending down to kiss that spot where her shoulder met her neck. It took Sookie a minute to figure out what Eric was trying to show her in the dark.
"Oh my God! Eric it's beautiful!" She cried out as she turned around and threw her arms around his neck. She turned back around and looked at the solid white horse in front of her. "She's yours." He told her. Sookie didn't waste anymore time. She ran over to the pin and Eric undid the latch so she could go in. Sookie walked over to the beautiful creature.
"Her name is Luna. She's was rescued from a breeder after it was determined she couldn't breed. She's maybe a couple of years old. The people that rescued her went bankrupt and couldn't afford to keep her. They were Weres. When I saw her I knew she'd be perfect for you." Sookie reached out and touched the soft hair on the beautiful animal. Tears began to run down her cheeks. "Do you want to ride her?" He asked. She shook her head yes. Eric saddled the horse very easily and reached down and pulled her up in front of him. They spent the next three hours riding the beautiful animal. Sookie had the time of her life. She hadn't rode a horse since she was six years old and her granddaddy had taken her. She loved Luna. After they were done riding Sookie had thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Thank you so much!" She said happily once they had Luna back in the stable for the night. He kissed her again and laughed when her stomach started to growl.
"Come on let get you something to eat." He said leading her back to his car. He helped her in the car and went around to the drivers seat.
"What would you like for dinner?" He asked once they were back on the road. "Do you have your phone?" She asked. Eric reached down into the pocket of the car and handed her his phone.
"Let's just go home, I'll order a pizza." Eric drove them home while Sookie ordered her pizza. The delivery guy was there by the time they got home. Eric paid for her pizza and took it in the house and sat it down on the counter. "Thank you." She said coming out of the bathroom and wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Go eat." He said when her stomach growled again. Sookie laughed and went into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of pizza.
Eric watched her from the other room throw her head up to catch cheese that was sliding off her pizza. That was the moment he knew he was in love with her. Sookie Stackhouse was different than any other woman he'd been with. She didn't go out of her way to try to impress him. He loved the way she looked when she was excited and it made Eric want to try harder to surprise her. She truly was his soulmate.
*End Flashback*
Sookie had just ordered room service when she heard a knock at the door. She probably wouldn't of answered it otherwise.
"Mrs, Northman? I'm Hugo . Isabel sent me. I am hers. I'd like to speak with you about something." Every hair on the back of her neck stood up. She said nothing.
"Please Mrs. Northman, we received a call after Mr. Northman left. I was in the room last night when Isabel and Mr. Northman were talking. The fellowship has the Sheriff. They are holding him in the basement below the church. They will assassinate him before the sun sets tonight. We don't have time to wait for anyone to wake up." Sookie looked at him shocked and grabbed him by the arm. The phone called played back in his mind. He was telling her the truth. His only thought was pleasing Isabel.
"Why do you care so much?" Sookie asked still holding on to his arm.
'Isabel, love Isabel, only want to please Isabel.' He thought. "It would hurt Isabel a great deal to lose such a close friend." She shook her head in acknowledgment. 'It would destroy Eric if he lost Godric. And Godric had been such a good friend to her always.'
"Give me a minute to get dressed. And I'll be out." Sookie said slamming the door in his face and falling against it with a heavy sigh. If she got out of this without getting hurt, Eric was going to be furious with her.
She walked back to the bed where Eric was sleeping and gently leaned down to kiss him before standing up and going to get dressed. She didn't have anything suitable to wear to church so she'd have to stop and get something. She pulled on her sweat pants and Eric's wife beater, exhaling deeply as she slid it over her head. It smelled like him. She pulled a sweatshirt on over the tank top and made sure she had a room key and her purse with her debit card and cell phone. She grabbed Eric's wallet off the dresser and took out 100 in cash and sat it back where he left it. She grabbed a piece of the hotel stationery and wrote Eric a note.
'Something happened, after everyone went down for the day. Hugo, Isabel's human came to the room they got a phone call about where Godric is. We had to make a decision. It was life or death. Please understand, I would do anything for you the same way you would me. I love you with all my heart. And Godric may be your maker but he's my friend too. Oh I took 100 cash out your wallet. You know me never any cash. Oh and Hugo is with me. I'm not trying to go by myself. I love you. Love Sookie.'
She put the note on her pillow where he would see it and quietly slipped out of the room. Hugo was waiting for her in a chair outside the door.
"Ready?" Sookie asked. He stood up and they left the hotel. He led her to his car and she got in. "I need to make a stop, I don't have a thing churchy." He nodded and pulled into a department store across from the hotel.
"So what's the plan? How are we going to rescue a 2000 year old vampire in broad daylight?" Sookie asked
"We're going to go to the church and pretend we are engaged and see the church for a wedding venue." Sookie laughed.
"Well you know I just got married on TV. They might recognize me. That was Eric's concern." Hugo grabbed a bag from the backseat. It had a long brown wig. "Okay." She said taking a big breath to try to calm her nerves. Sookie ran in the department store to the old ladies section and grabbed the first dress she saw that looked like she was a virgin going to a baptist church on Sunday morning and paid for the dress and changed in the dressing room on her way out of the store. She decided to put the wig on in the dressing room to save time in case she couldn't get it right in the car. The dark color actually looked better than she thought. The wig went down to her mid back and was layered around her face and had long bangs. She checked her makeup and was in and out of the store in less than ten minutes.
They pulled up to the church in about twenty minutes and she carefully slipped her wedding rings off and put them in the zip part of her wallet and asked Hugo to lock them in the glove box of his car. He tossed her a box. Sookie opened it and placed the new ring on her finger. Hugo walked around and opened her door to help her out. They were met by Sarah Newlin in the parking lot. Sookie saw through her fake bubbly act instantly.
"Hi I'm Holly Simpson and this is my fiancée Rufus." We're interested in getting married in your church." Sookie said trying to sound just as happy as Sarah.
"Well it's a pleasure to meet you come on with me and I'll show you around. Steve is in a meeting but I'm sure he'd love to meet you before you leave." Sarah said.
For the next 45 minutes they got a tour of the church. Sookie put on her best anti vampire face and used all of her southern charm and what she had heard from other people's minds to convince Sarah Newlin she hated vampires. Finally they headed to Steve Newlin's office. He was on the phone when they got there. "Hi honey this is Holly and Rufus they want to use the church to get married in the spring."
"Thank you Sarah. It's so nice to meet you. I'm Steve." He said he was just as fake as Sarah.
"My buddy Gabe is going to join us." The reverend Steve Newlin was the biggest hypocrite Sookie had ever met. It was all she could do to extend her hand as he reached for hers to shake it.
'To bad you will have to die too.' Sookie heard him think as he gave her a huge smile.
" I think we've seen enough. I'll get in touch with our wedding planner and have him arrange the date."
Sookie said turning to leave before she got sick. "Oh I want to show you one more thing in the basement." Sookie looked alarmed at Hugo.
"I insist." Steve said opening the door to the basement. Sookie started to back away. "Gabe help me out." Steve yelled grabbing Sookie by her arms. "Get down there you whore of Satan. She's so strong. Damn V addict. " Steve yelled as Gabe grabbed her by her arms and Steve grabbed her feet. They took her and Hugo to a cell they had built in the basement. They threw her in and she landed on her arm and heard a loud popping sound. She screamed in intense pain and grabbed her elbow with her good hand. Her elbow was dislocated and one of the bones in her arm was poking out where the elbow was supposed to be.
'If I survive this Eric is going to kill me.' Sookie thought.
Gabe threw Hugo in the cell behind her and Steve closed the door and locked it. They were both gone before Sookie could roll over.
Back at the hotel*
Eric woke up from his day rest. He rolled over looking for Sookie. Something was wrong. She was terrified. Then just as suddenly as he felt her she was gone. Completely. He couldn't even feel her in the bond anymore. Eric sat up and looked at her pillow. He found her note. He picked up his phone and called Sookie then Isabel. Both phones went straight to voicemail. It was still two hours before the sun would set.
"It's Northman, call me, we have a problem." Eric growled into Isabel's voicemail. He hung the phone up and resisted the urge to throw it against the wall. Eric had no other choice but to wait. He feared the worst. He couldn't think of anything that would close down the bond other than her death. He refused to believe that until he had her in his arms. He fell back against the pillow and waited for the sun to set.
Sookie wrapped her arm as best as she could with an old sheet she found. She felt sick to her stomach. She had even thought she was going to throw up when they'd first locked them in there.
"Godric!" She yelled. She knew he was down there. She felt his void when she got close to the basement and she'd heard Steve Newlin and Gabe think of him. A strong wave of nausea knocked her to her knees. She hunched over and grabbed her stomach.
"Hey you ok?" Hugo asked stepping forward. He bent down and touched Sookie on the shoulder.
Hugo helped her up but when he touched her she saw a flash of betrayal.
"Hugo what did you do?" She cried grabbing him by the shirt collar with her good arm. I'll pay you 10,000 for delivering the girl.' Sookie pulled away from him. "Don't touch me! How could you? Do you even realize what you've done? Sookie began to cry clutching her stomach. 'How can you be so stupid? You're a mind reader.' Hugo glared at her like she was stupid. "I was pissed off. Isabel refused to turn me again!"
"So you felt it would be a better idea to turn me over to a vampire hating church that wants me for God knows what? Please Hugo, I feel sick. I need to get out of this church." she yelled as tears ran down her cheeks. "What excuses does Eric give you? Why he won't turn you? I heard the vampires talking no one else even knows you're here. Eric told Isabel he didn't want anyone else to know about you because you've been having issues with safety? So why not just turn you and make you more durable? You know why? I think he's embarrassed by you. You make him look weak!" Sookie glared at him. "You don't know what you're talking about. Eric loves me. We're bonded. I feel what he feels the same way he feels me. And not that it's any of your concern but he wants me to live as much of a human life as possible. We're just waiting a few years." Hugo laughed. "You're dumber than you look if you think that. He's trying to see if he'll get sick of you first." Sookie had to turn away. "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know me and you certainly don't know Eric!" She yelled. She turned around just in time to see Gabe walk angrily down the stairs.
"You Stackhouses think you're slick? You think you can humiliate us and get away with it?" Gabe yelled as he unlocked the door and slapped Hugo so hard he fell back into a shelf. Sookie waited until he was busy beating up Hugo and ran past him out the locker. She normally would of felt bad about leaving him behind but Hugo was the reason she was in this mess. She made it as far as half way up the stairs before Gabe grabbed her by her ankle and pulled her back down hard, slamming her on the cement of the basement floor. He pulled a knife out of his pocket and held it to her throat. He grabbed her hurt arm and turned it at an unnatural angle and punched her in the stomach and stabbed her in the shoulder. Sookie screamed and swung her knee up catching him between the legs. He grabbed her by her hair and punched her in the face twice before he stabbed her again this time in her side. "Go on baby scream now. Scream for me like you do that big fat vampire cock. You ever had a real man?" He pushed her dress up. She screamed and tried to hit him but it was no use. Sookie thought of Eric and wished herself out of the basement. She felt it start to work. She was going to teleport. But then she was slammed right back into her body. It hurt like she was hitting a concrete floor at a 100 miles an hour. Gabe kissed from her neck down to her waist as his hands began to rip her dress open even wider. The buttons were flying everywhere. He grabbed her breasts through the tank top she was still wearing of Eric's. Tears ran down her cheeks.
Sookie screamed and head butted him as hard as she could. He sat up and grabbed his head and lost his balance and Sookie kicked him as hard as she could in his groin, he fell back hitting his head on the corner of a cabinet. Sookie pulled herself to her feet but the pain shooting up her body was so intense that she fell right back down, grabbing her stomach with her good arm. She was in so much pain and she was very light headed from all the blood loss. She knew she didn't have much longer. She had to control her fear and the pain. She couldn't let Eric feel it and try to come storming in here and get captured too. Sookie used her good arm, ignoring the pain she was in, to scoot passed Gabe. Her only option was finding Godric. Sookie felt sicker the further she drug herself in the basement. Hot tears began to run down her cheeks.
"Eric I'm sorry honey." She whimpered to herself. She hid behind some boxes in the back of a closet until she could figure out her next move. She felt a void in the basement and started making her way toward it, hoping it was Godric. When she saw him he was completely gray and wrapped in silver. He had a needle in his arm and it looked like they were pumping him with silver. Sookie bit her lip and used the wall to stand up. "Oh Godric." She cried pulling the IV from his arm. She ripped the silver off of him. "Godric wake up please!" She begged quietly he was her only hope at this point and he needed blood. She leaned over him and pushed her shoulder wound to his mouth so it would bleed into his mouth. It took him a few minutes but he finally opened his eyes and pushed her away. She fell backwards and grunted hitting her head on the wall. She was dizzy and felt like she was going to pass out any minute and she was so very cold. She pulled herself back up fighting sleep.
"Sookie?" He asked sitting up. He quickly stood up and helped her to her feet and sat her on the table.
"What happened?"
"Isabel called and told us you were missing. We got here from Capri last night. After Eric went to sleep this morning Hugo came to the hotel room and told me someone called after everyone went to sleep. We were the only ones Godric, I thought they were going to kill you. It was a trap to get me here." "You're hurt badly." He said looking at her the blood pouring from her stomach. "They threw me in the basement. I broke my arm. One of them tried to rape me. He stabbed me. I threw him off and he hit his head. I think I killed him. I don't think my powers are working down here and I feel really sick." "Sookie I need you to breathe. Nice big deep breaths. I summoned Eric, he'll be here soon. He's very close. I'm still to weak to protect you. This is an old building. It's probably built with a lot of iron. Fairies are allergic to iron. That's probably why your powers aren't working. Just stay calm. Eric is close. And try to control your breathing." About the time the words left his mouth Eric was standing before them. Sookie began to cry seeing the anger in his eyes. He dropped to his knees and bowed before Godric.
"Eric, Get your wife out of here without shedding any blood. Do not kill any humans." Eric's eyes traveled up Sookie's body as he stood up. He growled and reached for her and gently pulled her against him.
"Eric I'm sorry. Please don't be mad." She cried wrapping her good arm around his waist. His fangs dropped and he bit his hand and pressed it to her lips. "Drink Lover, please, before you bleed out. Your blood is everywhere." He said running his fingers through the tangles in her hair. She cried out as he pulled his hand away and lifted her in his arms. He looked down at her. "Sookie?" He simply asked taking in her appearance. "I'm ok, but I think I killed him." She explained once she realized Eric needed to know she hadn't been raped. "Good. I don't have to break Godric's command." Eric said kissing the top of her head. "Please don't be mad with me. He told me they were going to kill Godric today and we didn't have time to wait. It was a set up. Hugo joined The Fellowship of The Sun and told them who I was. He heard you talking to Isabel." Sookie said resting her head on his shoulder as he carried her out of the basement. Sookie sobbed against his chest. Eric leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I'm not mad at you even though you promised me you would stay in the hotel. You risked your life to save my maker. I love you Sookie Northman." Eric carried her up the stairs.
"Is Godric coming?" Sookie asked. "Shortly. I can't believe you managed to rescue a 2000 year old vampire by yourself." Once they got out of the basement Sookie knew she was going to throw up. The thoughts hit her like a tidal wave. Eric sat her down at the door as she got sick. He held her hair back and rubbed small circles on her thigh. She could hear every voice in the building. Once her stomach was empty of any remaining food she looked at Eric frantically and grabbed her head. He pulled her against him gently and draped his leather coat over her shoulders. "It's alright. Try not to scream. I don't know if I can get you out without killing anyone if you do." Sookie laid against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. Touching him drowned out the voices. He lifted her effortlessly and carried her towards the exit.
There were two human men guarding the exit. Sookie looked frantically at Eric. He sat her down carefully and stepped just out of sight where she could still hear him.
"What's going on y'all?" Eric said in a fake southern accent. "There's a vamper on the loose. We're getting every one out the church for the lock-in. Where's your stake man?"
"I forgot it why don't you give me yours?" Sookie listened while he glamoured the men not to see them at all. Once he had their stakes he came back for her. He lifted her back in his arms. And walked past the two men. When they got to the exit there were a group of men carrying weapons storming towards them.
"Eric, that way through the sanctuary." Sookie whimpered in his ear. Eric took off that way. Once they were in there they heard the door slam behind them.
"Well. well. We were hoping to fry a vampire tonight but you freed him. But lucky for us any vampire will do. And you delivered us another one." Eric sat her down gently on a church pew and stood protectively in front of her as men with weapons entered the room.
"I'll trade you my life in exchange for Sookie and Godric." Sookie screamed. "Eric no!" She began to cry. He looked down at her and wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. "Trust me. I'll be fine." He whispered touching her cheek. He bent down and kissed her softly. Eric let the men take him. She screamed as two men silvered him and drug him to the alter where they had sat up a table. Eric was chained to a table he had already started to smoke. Sookie watched crying as ten more members of the fellowship of the sun suddenly stormed in the room. Among them was Sookie's brother Jason.
"Jason?" Sookie gasped.
"Sookie? Come on man! This is between me and you. Why is my sister here?" Jason yelled. "Sister?" Steve asked dumbfounded
Steve looked from Jason to Sookie. Sookie took the opportunity while Steve was distracted to move towards Eric.
"Chain her to him, if she wants him so bad. Let the sinner burn too." Steve yelled. Two male members of the Fellowship grabbed Sookie by her arms and began dragging her towards Eric. They threw her against the table and we're grabbing the chains.
"Get your hands off my sister!" Jason yelled pulling out his gun and aiming it at Steve as the vampires of Area 9 stormed the church. One of them grabbed one of the fellowship members and threw him against the wall.
"Enough!" The men let her go and stood staring at Godric very scared. With good reason, Godric was very scary at that moment and she was glad they were on the same side.
"What has this woman done to you?" Godric asked and Sookie grabbed the chains and tore them off Eric. Sookie fell against his chest. Eric jumped up and wrapped Sookie protectively in his arms. She buried her head in his chest.
" How many of you are willing to kill an innocent woman for this man's madness? Leave now and no one has to die. You can walk away right now and no harm will come to any of you." One of the vampires spoke up. "But sir, after what they've done to you? How can we just walk away." Godric looked at him. "Because I said so." Godric said. The people dropped their weapons and began to leave out one door while the vampires went the other way. Until only Steve Newlin, Jason, Godric, Eric and Sookie were left. Steve was cornered. He grabbed a gun from the back of his pants and pulled the trigger before any of the vampires were able to stop him. The bullet hit Sookie in the stomach. She fell limp against Eric. Her blood socking the front of his shirt. He caught her in his arms. He gently laid her down and brushed her hair away from her face.
"Stay with me Sookie." He pleaded as she began to cough up blood. Eric ripped the jacket open and lifted the black wife beater she was wearing to look at the wound. It had exited through her back.
"Lover, you'll be fine." Eric promised holding the material over the wound to try to keep her from bleeding out. She was losing a lot of blood very quickly. He bit into his wrist and held it over her mouth. He kissed the top of her head when she started drinking. Jason dropped his gun and ran over to them. "Is she ok?" Jason asked as Eric gave her blood until the gun shot wound disappeared. "She'll be fine." Eric said motioning for Jason to take his spot. Eric stood up and his fangs snapped down. He had Steve Newlin by the throat before anyone could see what happened. He lifted him in the air and grabbed his hand with the gun. He squeezed his hand until it broke and Steve dropped the gun. "Eric, take Sookie and go." Godric ordered. "He shot her. She could have died!" Eric argued. "Eric don't make me use a maker's command." Eric snarled at him and caught his eye. "You're pathetic Steve Newlin, you're nothing but a coward that's pissed himself." Eric threw him down against the wall and turned around and went back to Sookie. He took her from Jason and pulled her tightly in his arms and picked her up and carried her out of the church into the night.