DO NOT SKIP THIS!
Hey everyone! The end of Season 2! I'm so happy that I've made it this far! Please let me know what you think of this one. I'm going to take a little bit of a break before starting Season 3. I need to rewatch the season and I don't have a whole lot of time. I work in retail and the holidays are always so hectic. And with two kids as a single mom, it's stressful. But I promise you that I'm not giving up on this and I will get back to it. Happy readying!
Chapter 23: Beyond Here Lies Nothin'
We landed in the parking lot of Merlottes and when I was put on my feet, I turned to see Bill standing in front of Sam as he sat on his trailer steps. Sam had a rifle in his lap, and he stood up to greet us. He motioned for us to go wait in the bar while he went to check on Coby and Lisa. I nodded and led Eric and Bill inside to wait. Bryson and Aberdeen both turned to me and greeted me with hugs. They greeted Bill the same way but stared at Eric in suspicion.
"Bryson Ranger and Aberdeen Von Stein, they are one of my Alphas and Betas in my pack," I introduced them to Eric. He nodded to them in greeting while they both looked warry. "I would like for you to meet Eric Northman, my mate. We have already completed the bond."
They were both surprised, but they bowed briefly to him non the less. Bill looked confused while Eric seemed to be a little uncomfortable. As they straightened, I turned to Bill to explain. "As the mate to the Queen, he is considered their King."
Bill looked shocked and glanced at Eric with uncertainty. At that moment, Sam walked in with Farren behind him, and they stood in the dining room part opposite where my pack members and I stood with the two vampires by the bar. "All right, they're asleep in the trailer," Sam told us. "Lisa was so worried about her mom she was afraid to go to bed."
"If you'd let me glamour them, they would have been asleep in seconds," Bill countered, before he got straight to the point. "You've heard there is a maenad in our midst."
"Yeah, I'm familiar," Sam acknowledged.
"Are you aware she's here because of you?" Bill questioned.
"Something like that," Sam seemed to not want to admit it. Eric growled and tried to step forward, but I stepped in front of him to stop him. Sam jumped and got into a defensive stance. "What's your problem?"
"Thea was almost killed because of that maenad," Eric hissed harshly at him, trying to move around me and raising his voice. "That same maenad that is after you tried to kill her because of you."
"Calm down grá mo chroi (my beloved)," I soothed putting my hands on his chest to keep him back. "He didn't know that she was coming here. Sam wouldn't wish harm on any of his friends." Eric looked down at me with an unreadable look and I caressed his face with my left hand. "I'm right here Eric. I'm okay."
Eric took my left hand in his and held it against his chest. "What does he mean that you nearly died?" Sam asked, breaking the moment.
I turned to him as Eric still kept a hold of my hand. "Maryann attacked Sookie and I before we left for Dallas," I explained to him. "She managed to scratch my back, and the poison that she uses was slowing down my healing. I would have died if Eric hadn't had someone to help get the poison out of my system."
Sam ran a hand down his face in exasperation. Bill stepped in at that moment placing his hand on my shoulder. "We need you, Sookie needs you, to make this right," he told Sam.
"If I thought it was as easy as giving myself up to Maryann, I'd have done it by now," Sam argued. "And what's to say she's gonna stop at me? Killers don't just suddenly stop killing. You and Eric ought to know that."
A small growl came from me when he said that about Eric and Bill. Eric squeezed my hand as Bill also lightly squeezed my shoulder. "And standing by idly is not an option either," Bill countered. "You must come with us."
"No, I'm not sure I wanna be doing that," Sam said shaking his head and taking a step back.
Bill vamped in front of him and got in his face. "I'm not sure I'm giving you a choice," he snarled.
I heard Bill's fangs click down as he snarled, and I left Eric's side to walk up to them. Pulling Bill's arm, I made him back up. "Calm down Bill," I soothed and then I turned to Sam. "Sam, we need you to be able to stop Maryann. We need you to trust us."
"I don't really trust vampires," Sam countered.
"Then just trust me," I told him, and he looked at me skeptically. I sighed. "I trust them both Sam. They wouldn't betray that. I need you to trust that I wouldn't let you die."
Sam looked between the three of us before he sighed heavily. He nodded and I nodded back. I then turned to Bill. "Now, what did you learn?"
Bill then began to tell us what he had learned from the Queen of Louisiana.
*Queen of the Wolves*
I walked with Sam, Bill and Eric towards the Stackhouse home. We saw almost the whole town dancing around on the front lawn with a giant vine statue on the lawn. It was covered with flowers and, from what I could smell, rotting meat. It made my nose scrunch up and a growl left my lips at the sight of vines crawling up the sides and porch of the house as well as the sight of Zander tied up and sitting next to the statue. "How dare she do this to my Gran's home," I growled.
Eric placed his hand on my lower back, rubbing circles to sooth me. "You must remain calm älskad (beloved)," he whispered in my ear.
I turned my head to look at him in slight surprise at what he called me. We had only been mated for a few days, but those three words weren't something that could be said so casually or instantly, even with the bond. I called him my beloved without thinking about it, but I realized that that was how I felt. I was falling hard for Eric Northman. But him saying that to me was something that I wouldn't have guessed with his personality. I knew that he didn't have those kind of feelings for humans, but I wasn't sure how he felt about me with me being a wolf.
Looking back to the lawn, I looked past the partying town members to the opposite tree line. I could see Bryson and Farren along with Aberdeen standing at the ready. I looked to the left side and saw Isleen and Ciro standing as well. And on the right was Felix, Sebastian and Rhory.
I had managed to gather the rest of the pack to the bar and tell them the plan. It was decided that Georgette with her second and third command, Ruth and Dorothea, Octavia, Almora and Drystan would stay behind to watch over Lisa and Coby as well as make sure Georgette was protected. Georgette was annoyed that she couldn't come to help her husband but with her being pregnant, we couldn't risk it. Leo, Belladonna, Nikola and Danica were still in Dallas. The others were coming to make sure that nothing escapes the property.
Turning to Sam, I gave him a questioning look. "Are you ready for this?"
Sam sighed. "Not entirely. But if it kills this bitch, then so be it."
We all nodded before getting into position. Bill had a hold of Sam, making it look like he was forcing him into the crowd. I trailed behind them without Eric for once. He reluctantly agreed not to come out unless absolutely needed. I watched as Jason and Andy, both with black eyes, ran into the house after spotting us. Not a moment after that, a few of the women came out of the front door.
Arlene and Jane Bodenhouse came out first with flower baskets. Tara followed after them with an egg in her hands that had trails of blood on it. Lafayette followed holding a bull mask up in his hands. Then Jason walked out holding Sookie in front of him as she struggled to get free. Lastly, Maryann stood on the porch and looked out at the crowd with a smile on her face, Andy standing behind her to hold the train of the dress. I had to hold back a feral growl at the sight of her in my grandmother's wedding dress.
When Bill saw Maryann, he pushed Sam forward. "Maenad!" he called.
Everyone turned to look at him and Sookie looked shocked and betrayed. "Bill! Teddy! What the hell are you doing?"
"We have your sacrifice," I declared, holding back the disgust that I felt at calling Sam that.
"Oh, my sweet vessel," Maryann cooed as she saw Sam.
"We offer him in exchange for Sookie," Bill bargained.
"No!" Sookie shouted. "She'll kill him!"
"She's not gonna stop with me," Sam said angrily, trying to sell the image that he was being held against his will.
"Taker her to the dead man and wolf," Maryann ordered Jason. "She's served her purpose."
Jason began to walk Sookie over to Bill and I and she struggled against his hold. "Bill, Teddy, you can't let her kill Sam!"
"Sorry," Bill apologized as he pushed Sam forward and grabbed Sookie. "This is the only way."
"Get your fucking hands off me!" Sam shouted struggling against the men holding him.
Sookie got out of Bill's hold and went to pull Sam back to her. "Sam!" she called, and I grabbed Sookie. I had to keep my mental barriers up so she wouldn't read my mind just yet. Using my strength, I pulled her back and pushed her into Bill's arms, where he locked his arms around her. "Let go of me!"
"Get her out of here!" Sam shouted at us. "I won't have her watch me die."
Maryann walked over to Sam and caressed his cheek in her hand. "I will always be grateful to you."
"This isn't for you," Sam spat at her.
Maryann commanded the men to take him, and Sam continued to shout for him to be let go. My heart was pounding in my ears causing a roaring sound in them. I knew what the plan was, but it didn't make it any easier.
"This is what your vampire source told you to do?" Sookie hissed at Bill, struggling in his grip. "To give up Sam?"
Maryann then began her ritual. As she spoke Greek, the crowd echoed her in an effort to call forth Dionysus. Tara brought forth the egg she had in her hands and placed it in the statue. Maryann then told the tale of Dionysus, about how he was reborn. I thought that she was taking all of that far too literally for her ritual. Sam was then brought in, tied to a makeshift stretcher. Maryann was speaking quietly to Sam as the crowd jeered and called out for him to be sacrificed.
"Sam!" Sookie called out again. "Use your gift!"
"Sookie, use yours," Bill whispered to her, and she looked at him confused.
One of the men came forward with a knife in his hands and stabbed Sam's chest. Sookie cried out for Sam while my heart clenched at the sight. I knew that it was all apart of the plan, and I couldn't let Sookie into my head yet to make sure her reaction was genuine. Bill let go of Sookie and she immediately ran over to Sam's side. "I'm sorry," she cried. "I'm so, so sorry."
'Sookie,' I called in her mind when I heard Sam's heartbeat slow down. She spun around to stare at me in shock as I ran over to her side. 'We have to destroy all of this. Help me.'
Sookie immediately went up to the statue, took the egg out and smashed the egg on the ground. "The egg!" Tara cried out. "You killed our sacred egg!"
"It's not sacred!" Sookie shouted back as she threw off the wreath she had on her head. "None of it's sacred! It's evil!"
She turned around as I ran up to the statue and began to help me in pushing the statue. Even with my strength, it wasn't moving. Suddenly, I felt something build within me. There was a warmth in my hands and suddenly the statue fell over. Once it hit the ground, I paused to look at my hands. I turned to Sookie to see the shocked look on her face and staring at her hands.
'You too?' I asked in her head. She turned to me and nodded slowly.
The moment was shattered when Maryann came storming over to us with a thunderous expression. "How dare you spoil my offering?!" she shouted at us and then turned to the statue on the ground before looking up at the sky. She spoke with sorrow in her tone "Lord Dionysus, forgive me!" She then turned around to the gathered crowd, her expression furious. "Allow me to sacrifice all of them for you."
It then looked like she was vibrating before everyone suddenly grabbed their heads and began to scream in pain. Sookie ran over and knelt next to Tara, while I came to stand behind her. I glanced around and found Isleen and Ciro returning to their positions with Zander behind them. The plan was for them to get Sam away from the crowd so Bill could give him blood to heal him and free Zander.
"Stop it!" Sookie shouted at Maryann, bring me back to the situation. "You're hurting them!"
Maryann then stopped vibrating and she snarled at Sookie and I. "You brought this upon everyone," she growled in a distorted voice. She then bent to shove her hands in the ground.
When she stood up, her hands had changed, and she now had three long fingers with long claws on them. I grabbed Sookie and made her stand. I shoved her behind me. "Run!"
She didn't have to be told twice and ran down the path toward the graveyard. I took off after her as Maryann gave chase. Halfway down the path, Sookie tripped on the skirt of the dress she was wearing and fell. I tried to pick her up to keep running, but Maryann was already standing over us. Suddenly, I heard the sound of the wind, and a shadow came over the both of us. I looked up to see the back of Eric.
Apparently, with Eric appearing it was to throw off Maryanne and she paused. But it was enough as there was a loud roaring sound and we all turned to the sound to see a large white bull walking towards us. As it came into the light of the streetlamp, Maryann looked at the bull in awe. "My Lord?" she questioned. The bull roared again, and her hands returned to normal. "My husband."
She walked towards the bull slowly in awe and reached out to him, running a hand up his muzzle. "Oh, you've come," she said in near tears. "I am here, my love."
Eric pulled me into his arms after I helped Sookie stand as we watched Maryann put her arms out. "We're together at last," she said in a watery voice. "Come to me."
The bull then shoved one of it's horns into her chest. "My God," she gasped in confusion, but she didn't fight back. "I am the one to be sacrificed." She shouted out in pain. "I am the vessel. I am happy to die. I'm yours." The bull then turned into Sam as he pulled his hand out of her chest. His arm was covered in black blood as he pulled out her heart. Maryann looked shocked as she gasped. "Was there no God?" she whispered in a sad tone.
Sam didn't answer her but squeezed her heart with a squelch. Her body turned black and shriveled up, falling to the ground. Sookie left my side to run to Sam. She pulled him into a hug as she nearly teared up. "He killed you," she whispered.
"Almost," Sam told her in a breathless tone as he hugged her back with his clean arm. Then they turned around to reveal Bill walking slowly holding his wrist and looking paler than normal.
Sookie ran towards him and caught him in her arms as he fell. I walked forward to give Sam a hug before he went to get his clothes. Eric walked up behind me as I knelt down next to Sookie and Bill. "Is she gone?" Bill whispered.
"I think so," Sookie responded hopefully.
"Is Sam all right?" Bill asked and I tried to keep the surprise off my face that he was worried about Sam. "He had to drink more of me then I expected."
"He's okay," I reassured him.
Bill nodded to me then turned to Sookie to explain. "I promised Sam that I would heal him," he told her in a begging tone. "We knew no other way of destroying her."
"I understand," Sookie reassured him as she held him closer.
"I'm sorry if we worried you," Bill apologized. "I so badly wished that you could hear my thoughts."
"And I couldn't let you into mine Sook," I told her, and she looked up at me. "You're reaction had to be genuine, or she would have known something was wrong. I'm sorry."
Sookie reached across Bill to pat my cheek. "I understand Teddy." I smiled at her reassurance and we both turned to Sam as he walked up to us. "Sam, you were willing to die for us."
"Bill and Teddy kind of promised he wouldn't let that happen," he tried to shrug off. "But if things didn't work out, I guess I… I was ready."
"Holy fuck," I heard behind us. I turned to see my pack, Jason and a freaked-out Tara walking towards us. "We got her?"
Sookie and I nodded while Jason and Tara looked warily at Eric. The rest of my pack were told about Eric and I. As I had expected, some of them were resistant to the idea of him being their King. Isleen, Ciro and a few others were all for it though. Tara came up to Sookie and she wrapped her arms around her, Tara still staring at Eric's arm that was wrapped around my waist.
"You remember anything?" Sookie asked her and Tara just shook her head no.
I turned to my pack. "Felix and Ciro, burn and bury the body to make sure she's gone," I commanded. "I don't care where. The rest of you, help everyone get home. Jason, you too."
Jason looked offended by the command. "Ain't you gonna tell me what happened?"
"Not now," Sookie hissed at him. Jason sighed as he followed the rest of the pack back to the front lawn. Sookie petted Tara's hair in a soothing manner. "It's all over now."
"Sookie, why do I have this sick feeling that it's not?" Tara asked her.
"We had better go help them," I suggested. Everyone nodded and walked toward the house, while I turned to Eric. He pulled me flush against him. "I know that it's almost dawn. And unfortunately, everyone might not be as welcoming to you."
"Your probably right," he relented with a light frown, leaning down to put his forehead on mine. "I do hope that you will come back to the club tonight. We have a few things to discuss."
"I'll be sure to come back then," I smiled at him. Eric placed his lips to mine in a passionate kiss. I held his jacket in my hands to keep him to me so he wouldn't run off and didn't stop kissing him until I ran out of breath. We pulled back from each other, and Eric smiled down at me.
"You're making it very hard to not leave you," he whispered to me, and I let out a breathless chuckle. He placed a gentle kiss to my forehead before stepping away from me. "I'll see you later tonight."
And then he was gone. I sighed lightly to myself. I was going to have to get used to being away from him during the day. I still had my job at Merlottes and my role as Queen to my pack. There were too many things that needed my attention. I turned around and walked back to the front yard in order to help with getting people home.
*Queen of the Wolves*
The next day, I found myself serving people back at Merlottes. It felt like forever that I had been working as a waitress, but it had only been almost a week. It turned out that Farren still wanted to work at Merlottes, considering Daphne was gone now. I had spoked to Farren about everything that happened since I wasn't here. It turns out that Daphne had been working for Maryann and she had been just trying to get to Sam. I also found out that the mate bond showed itself to Farren and it led to Sam Merlotte.
I wasn't entirely surprised by this. I had always thought that they would be good for each other. However, Farren, being the stubborn wolf she is, didn't want to tell him out of fear that he would reject her and the bond. Especially since they didn't know each other very well. They had become friends the past few days and she was scared to lose that.
Farren and Bryson were twins that were bitten by an Alpha when a pack killed their parents when they were teenagers. The pack had been dealt with when I had found out that the pack was using their special abilities to their advantage. I made them Alphas after inviting them to join my personal pack as they both had displayed very powerful personalities and had refused to be broken by their former Alpha.
They both had lost so much and had been treated like shit most of their lives. While both were equally stubborn, Farren was more guarded around her heart than anything else. I could understand her fear, as I had a similar reaction when I found out Eric was my mate. I was just wondering what it would take for her to say something.
"Can I get you any refills?" I asked to two patrons and they both shook their heads at me. "Well, let me know if you need anything."
I walked towards to the bar to see Lafayette speaking to Sookie about something. Once he stopped talking, she said something and then handed him her ticket. Sookie walked past him towards the bar. I laughed a little getting Lafayette's attention. "Everything okay Chocolate Thunder?"
"I'm okay," he waved off my concern. "But I must admit that I feel for you. Are you all right?"
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "What on earth are you talking about? I'm just fine. Why would you feel for me?"
"You, Sookie and Sam," he told me as if it explained it all. "The three of you all remember what really happened. You have to bare the burden of that. I feel for you, even though I'm just glad that it's not me."
I laughed a little at him. "Well, I'm glad that you don't remember. It's not something you would want to. But right now, we need your sexy ass in the kitchen working."
Lafayette smirked at me before sauntering into the kitchen. I smiled, glad to have him back to his normal self and walked behind the bar to get myself a drink. A little bit later a woman comes in with two packages in her hands. She walks to the back where Sookie and Sam are speaking and gives her one of the packages. The woman said that her name was Autumn from Maison Maribel in Ruston. It was a fancy dress boutique that was out of our price range.
After handing one of the packages to Sookie, she walked around to the bar where I stood with Tara. "Theodora Stackhouse?" she inquired with a smile. I looked at her strange, nodding slowly. She held out the other package in her hands. "This is for you. And may I say, you have an admirer with fabulous taste."
I took the package carefully and I felt unsure. "Thank you, I guess," I muttered.
"Have a great day," she said cheerfully before walking away and out the door.
I just stared at the box that sat in the bag between my fingers. My first thought was Eric, but what would Eric give me from a boutique. I knew that he was rich, but that was not why I cared for him. He was brutal to others but only when it was needed. However, on the flipside to that, he could be incredibly sweet and affectionate. I was starting to love both sides of him because I knew that he wouldn't ever turn that brutality towards me.
"Well, what is it?" Tara inquired, knocking me out of my thoughts about my tall blonde vampire. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Come on. Open it."
I went around to the back as Lafayette came out of the kitchen and Tara followed me. I put the box on the table before taking off the top. There was pink tissue paper, but it didn't hide the deep red that was underneath. I moved the tissue paper and pulled out a deep red high low dress with off the shoulder sleeves and was topped with white lace neckline. At the bottom of the box there was an envelope on top of a pair of platform, peep top pumps with see through white lace.
I was in awe of the dress and the shoes. No one had ever gotten me anything like this. Tara picked up the back envelope and opened it, pulling out the card inside. I folded the dress back in the box and took the card from her.
I was hoping that you would wear this tonight for me while we talk. Please do this for me. You always look beautiful in red.
-Always yours Eric
A giddy smile made its way onto my face as I read the card in his handwriting. He had even put it in Swedish. I felt my cheeks heating up as Lafayette came over to read over my shoulder. I quickly closed the card and put it back in the box. I tried to busy myself with putting the lid on the box and putting it back in the bag. I turned around only to see Tara and Lafayette staring at me expectantly.
"So White Lightning," Lafayette started as he crossed his arms. "Who is the guy and why didn't we know you were seeing anyone?"
I sighed, knowing that the both of them wouldn't let me go until they got their answers. "Promise me that you won't get mad or interrupt me until I get done explaining," I pleaded.
They both shared a look with each other before turning back to me. Tara mirrored her cousin's stance by crossing her arms across her chest. "We can try," she said. "As long as your honest with us."
I threw my arms up in exasperation. "I guess that's the best that I'm gonna get out of you," I conceded in a quiet tone. "It's Eric."
"Eric!" Lafayette echoed in shock, raising his voice slightly. I quickly tried to shush him, but he shrugged me off. Tara looked between us in confusion, and Lafayette went to explain to her. "That blonde vampire that came into the bar with Bill. The tall one."
"Your dating a vampire as well?" Tara asked incredulously with a frown. "What is with you Stackhouses?"
"Will you both be quiet," I hissed at them. "It's not as simple as that."
"Then what is it?" Lafayette asked. "Because I'm not about to let you get yourself killed White Lightning."
"He's my mate," I told them, and they both looked completely shocked. I had told them about the significance of mates. A wolf's mate is the other half of their souls. The mate bond was sacred to all wolves and was not to be messed with. The mate bond may be instant or over time like it was with Eric and I. "I'm sorry that you don't approve, but it's not by my choice. And he's been nothing but respectful and caring since he found out. He already tied himself to me by completing the bond."
Tara's jaw dropped while Lafayette got a look that I didn't quite understand. It was between concerned and shocked freak out. Tara seemed to get herself together and uncrossed her arms. "I normally would say that if he hurts you then he would deal with me," she started. "But I know that you wouldn't let him get away with hurting you anyway."
I nodded to her with a smile on my face. "Of course, and Zander also claimed to have first crack at him." She nodded and we both looked to Lafayette. He still looked like he was going to freak out. "LaLa, are you all right?"
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Can I talk to you in private?"
I looked at him confused and concerned. Tara stepped in before leaving. "I'll cover you."
Lafayette took my arm and pulled me out the back. He didn't let me go until we were a good distance away from the bar. Lafayette let go of my arm and started to pace in front of me. I waited for him to speak, but he seemed to deep within his thoughts. Reaching out, I stopped him by grabbing his arm. "LaLa, you're scaring me," I begged. "What's going on? What has you so scared?" Lafayette looked into my worried green eyes and sighed. "You are my best friend Lafayette. Are you mad at the fact he's my mate? Because it's not something that I can control."
He shook his head. "No sweetness, I'm not mad at that. I know that you can't control that, and if he makes you happy, then that's all that matters."
My concern rose at that. "Then what is it? Because you're really starting to scare me."
"I know that he can be brutal and scary," Lafayette started. "I just want to make sure that you're not going to get hurt, especially with what happened to me."
Shaking my head, I took his hand. "Chocolate Thunder, if it was any other Sheriff – and I have met quite a few – you would be dead now." He looked startled, so I began to explain. "The whole two weeks that you were gone, Eric was visiting me to gain my trust and get to know me. I had told him what you meant to me, that you're my best friend and that you're one of the only ones that are able to keep me calm. He knew what you mean to me, so he didn't kill you.
"With that being said, what aren't you telling me? Sookie told me about the trauma attacks. Is that what this is?"
Lafayette shook his head no. "Eric is forcing me to sell V," he blurted out. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I looked to the side in a blank stare to try and get myself together from the shock. He grabbed my shoulders to make me look at him. "I didn't want to tell you, but since he's your mate, you deserve to know."
"Did he give you a reason?" I asked.
"No," Lafayette replied in frustration. "Pam came to me while you were gone and said that Eric wanted me to sell the V. She didn't give a reason as to why."
I took a moment to get my thoughts together. "If there's one thing that I've learned about Eric, is that he never does anything without a reason," I finally said. "There had to be a reason behind making you do this."
"Are you sure?" he asked skeptically. "Most vampires do things based on instinct."
I shook my head at that. "Eric is a thousand years old," I reminded him. "He has more restraint than other vampires."
"I'll take your word for it," Lafayette muttered.
I put the bag in my hand down on the ground before pulling him into a tight hug. "I'm going to talk to him tonight," I informed him. "We have other things that we have to go over about the bond that we didn't have time for. I'll find out why he's making you do this."
Lafayette nodded against my shoulder as he tightened his hold on me. We pulled back and smiled at each other before going back inside to finish working.
*Queen of the Wolves*
I was at Sookie's house getting ready before heading to Fangtasia. I had put on the dress, and it fit perfectly. A part of me wondered how he knew my size, especially my shoe size, as the shoes fit perfectly as well. I put my hair in a half ponytail and wavy, while my makeup was a smokey eye with a light pink lip. I grabbed the matching clutch that had a thin white gold chain, putting my phone and keys inside.
Walking down the stairs, I found Sookie standing there in a beautiful lavender dress with thin straps and her hair was up in a bun. She wore silver strappy heels and had on light makeup. She stood there with Bill, who had on a sharp black suit. They both looked up at me and Sookie's eyes widened. "Where did you get that dress?" she asked in awe.
I blushed slightly. "Eric got it for me," I muttered.
"You look beautiful in that color Teddy," Sookie complimented with a wide smile.
Bill looked unsure at me, and I raised an eyebrow at him. He coughed unnecessarily and gave me a soft smile. "You do look beautiful Theodora," he complimented.
I curtsied jokily with a smile as they chuckled at me. "Thank you both," I said while chuckling. "Well, I better get going. Don't want to keep Eric waiting. Have a wonderful night you two."
They said the same to me as I walked outside and got in my car. I drove to Shreveport and eventually pulled into a parking spot outside Fangtasia. Walking inside, the bouncer motioned me inside and didn't even bother to check my ID. I stopped at the bar to get a bourbon, knowing that for this talk I was going to need it. As I waited for my drink, a male vampire came up to lean against the bar next to me.
"Now, what is a beautiful woman such as yourself doing all by yourself?" he asked me, looking me over. His eyes settled on my neck before looking over to my eyes. "You looking for some fun?"
I gave him a bland look. "Not interested. How about you move onto someone else who is desperate?"
When my drink was placed in front of me, I didn't get the chance to grab it as the vampire grabbed a hold of my wrist and pulled me closer. I turned a cold glare at him, and he just smirked. "Why have someone willingly when I can have someone who will fight back?"
I smirked at him before raising my knee sharply and flipped the hold he hand on my wrist. I bent his arm to the side, and he growled at me as his fangs clicked down. Suddenly, Eric was beside me, and glaring down at the vampire in front of me. I turned to look at him and smiled at him. "Hello dear," I purred and the vampire in my hold stiffened. I let him go to face Eric. "I do hope that I didn't make a disturbance."
"Not at all darling," Eric responded while turning to look at me and wrapped an arm around my waist to pull me closer to him. "It was actually very refreshing to have you defend yourself in my club."
He then planted a fierce, claiming kiss to my lips and I responded immediately with a light moan, my hand coming up to cup his cheek. Eric pulled back and my eyes opened to see him giving me a neutral look, but his eyes were steely blue. His eyes then turned to ice as he slid his gaze over to the vampire that was in front of us. "If you ever touch what is mine again, I'll rip you to shreds," he growled at him, his fangs dropping down. "Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Sheriff," he said reluctantly.
"Good," Eric said before glaring again at him. "Now, get out."
Eric then lifted my feet off the floor and vamped us to his office. I heard the door close and the click of the lock before finding myself sitting on the edge of the Eric's desk. He kissed me again, a hungry kiss this time. Pulling away from my lips, he placed long kisses down my neck causing me to let out a moan. I lost my train of thought under his mouth. "You look gorgeous in red," he whispered in my ear.
"Eric," I said breathlessly. "We need to talk."
"Can we talk later?" he asked, trailing his hand up my thigh.
"We still need to talk about the bond," I tried as my body arched into him.
"Later," he repeated nibbling on my pulse point.
I pushed his shoulders so I could look into his eyes. "We need to talk about you making Lafayette sell V."
Eric's eyes widened and his expression dropped. "How do you know about that?"
"Lafayette told me," I told him honestly. Eric tried to pull away, but I wrapped my legs around his waist and cupped his face in my hands. "I know that you'd never do anything without a reason Eric. I want to talk, and you tell me your reasons before I blow up at you. Please talk to me."
Eric let out a sigh. "Sophie-Anne is making me sell vampire blood in order to keep the IRS from coming after her. She's broke and wants money."
I looked shocked. "Eric, you don't need to listen to her. You are my mate and therefore protected from the Queen and the Magister. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do."
"And what about Pam?" he countered. "Even if I could tell her no, she could still turn me in, and they could go after Pam for my crimes. I promised that I would always protect her, and I couldn't leave her to defend herself."
I looked into his eyes, seeing that he was genuinely worried about his progeny. "Where's your copy of the agreement?"
Eric looked confused before reaching behind me and before bringing it forward, holding it up to me. I let go of his face but kept him close with my legs still around him. Flipping to the second page, I quickly found what I was looking for. Eric had straightened up and I held the papers out to him. "The fourth paragraph down."
He took the paper with a confused look in his eyes, before looking down and reading the fourth paragraph. His eyes slowly widened before his eyes snapped to mine. I gave him a soft smile while he looked at me in disbelief. "Is this real?" he asked for clarification.
"Very real," I told him. "I saw how devoted Pam was to you and how loyal you were to Godric, so I made that a condition. If the wolf's mate has a progeny, then all they need to do is declare loyalty like their maker and they are under my protection as well."
Eric just looked at me and I watched his eyes turn into steel before he crashed his lips with mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck as I responded. He rocked his hips into mine and I felt the bulge his jeans. Every other thought left my mind. The only thing on my mind was being with my Viking mate.