I'm spending the week dog-sitting at my brother's cottage, right on the ocean. The breeze is almost cool on the deck, despite the heat wave, and I am greatly enjoying the quiet and solitude. My muse seems impressed by the whole thing. The callus on my pinkie is even coming back! (The charging port on my phone rests on it when I write. I do all my writing on my phone.) Hopefully, I'll get some more written before Saturday afternoon, when I head back to reality. Maybe even the last little bit of a new chapter of Night Shift.

Chapter 29

Eric paced around his hotel room. He was so anxious to leave. To find her. It was killing him that he had to wait until after sunset.

And what was he going to do when he found her? He didn't know where she was or who she was with or what kind of danger he was up against. And, once he had her back, he needed to somehow protect her from another beating by the King. Or at least delay the inevitable. Nobody would be able to find her but him. Maybe they could run.

She was still heading North, moving fast, but that was all he knew. Her blood was calling to him but it would be hours before he could answer. If she kept going, she could be nearly anywhere by then.

She was already far enough away that he could barely feel her. The signal was weak. It could lead him in her direction, but nothing more. He ground his teeth. Finally, he lay down. He hated the niggle of doubt. The what ifs. But he was sure she hadn't run away from him. She wouldn't. He knew she loved him, as he loved her. And she wouldn't risk his safety, or her own. Someone had taken her. Someone who looked just like him.

For the first time in years, it took him a few minutes to slip into his rest. When he rose late that afternoon, the bond was broken. She was gone.

Sookie was freaking out on the inside. The fairy vampire had just implied he was going to turn her. It had been her biggest fear since Bill Compton had taken her — and her virginity — more than three years prior.

Worse, the people this vampire had turned were either finally dead or really screwed up. Bubba and the meth head vampire were both a mess, in different ways. She didn't want to end up drinking cat blood and denying her own name or becoming a tobacco-chewing paranoid psychopath.

Maybe finally dying would be for the best.

She had to get away but she had nowhere to go and no way to get there. She had no idea where she was. Eric was at rest and wouldn't be able to save her for hours. She hoped she had that long.

The vampire smiled at her.

"Don't be afraid, Sookie. You will get used to this life of death. All vampires do, eventually. And they learn to enjoy it very much. Even the ones without kind makers, like me."

Somehow, that didn't make her feel even one bit better.

He continued.

"You're already so very special. You're a telepath, yes?"

She nodded.

"Anything else?"

She shrugged.

"I guess I can hypnotize people. It helps me to read their minds better."

"So wonderful. I know you will rise with many gifts, like I did. I'm sure you will make a magnificent vampire."

It occurred to her that if she kept him talking, maybe it would stall him enough for Eric to rise. They had traveled a very long way. She didn't know the time but the sky seemed to have darkened. Then again, it was hard to tell in the gloom.

"What are your gifts?"

He smiled, pleased she was engaging in conversation.

"I can be anyone I please. It allows me to see and hear things. Secret things. Private things. I am an excellent spy. I can go places I wouldn't be welcome. I hide in plain sight. I get in vampires' ears. And sometimes I can influence them to do things I want them to do. Things they wouldn't do on their own, especially when I'm disguised as someone they trust. I can fly. And, to my knowledge, I'm the only vampire who can withstand the sun. Your sunshiny scent makes me wonder if you won't be the same. We would be able to travel together in the daylight. Anywhere we wanted to go."

Sookie took a deep, shaky breath. As much as she wanted to delay the hopefully-not-inevitable, she didn't want to talk about her impending death.

"You said you saw me on my knees in front of the King… You were there that night? The night of the last beating?"

"Yes. I do regret I was unable to stop Felipe from hurting you. Unfortunately, not every vampire is susceptible to my influence. Felipe is very strong-willed, I'm afraid."

"Were you one of the ones who raped me?"

He hesitated. "Yes. I was disguised as one of Felipe's advisors. I sent him away for the night and assumed his identity. I needed to get closer to you."

Sookie nodded. Somehow, she'd known.

He continued.

"I had to taste your blood. To be sure of your heritage. I couldn't bite you, of course, but I could touch it. You were covered in it. And it was easy to taste it after that. You, my dear, are delicious."

It reminded Sookie of how she'd taken Eric's blood that first time, licking it from her hand after she'd smeared it on the car window. After this vampire's child had taken her from her man. She looked away.

He said, "I do apologize. I was as gentle as I could be with the King watching. I never wanted to hurt my future child."

The tears in her eyes spilled over. Despite everything, she no longer wanted to die. Even more than that, she hated the idea of being turned. Her brain was screaming at her to get up and run. She knew it would be completely useless.

"Shh, Sookie. I will be a good maker. Fair. More than fair. Indulgent. I will treat you with care and respect. I will never hurt you. I wasn't able to harm my first two children, no matter how they turned out."

And then one of them had stolen her from Eric with plans to keep her captive in a hole underground. She wished this vampire had finally killed his child after all. The monster who had taken her and hurt her and scared her half to death. And the kidnapping had precipitated the beating.

It had also precipitated the bond. The bond that had kept her safe, at least for a few days. But even that hadn't protected her. And wouldn't, she was sure. Part of her was still clinging to the hope Eric would find her in time. The rest knew it was hopeless.

Sookie swallowed.

"The vampire. Your child. He told me his maker was dead. That he'd killed him."

"As far as he knew, that was what happened. I made sure of it. I couldn't have him tracking me down."

"Why not?"

He smiled at her again.

"No more questions. It's time."

Her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest and crawl up into her throat. She was terrified. Her eyes darted around, looking for somewhere to run. Some way to escape this fate. There was nothing.

"Please. Please don't. I can't. You can't do this to me. Please. I don't want to die."

His smile was gentle.

"It's time for you to become mine."

She'd given up the ruse of belonging to the King. In a very small voice, she said, "I'm Eric's."

His fangs looked long and deadly when he struck.

It was still an hour before sunset and he was stuck in the hotel room. He was enraged. He was devastated. He was in denial. He needed to see her for himself. He was afraid Felipe would be switching his ire from Sookie to him. His phone rang and he was glad for the distraction. He opened it but didn't speak. There was a pause.

"Eric. What's the matter?"

Pam sounded concerned. She knew him very well. He sighed and said, "Sookie is gone. She was taken by someone who looked exactly like me. The bond has been broken. She is dead."

"Oh, Eric."

Pam had never seen Eric as happy — or as distressed — as she had when she'd been back in Vegas, no matter how carefree and vibrant and… alive… he had been over the years.

"Who was responsible?"

"I don't know."

He knew he had to push through this pain. Felipe would be on the warpath when he found out and Eric had to get his head back in the game, no matter how much he wanted to scream and kill and avenge. Soon… If he survived that long.

He needed to change the subject.

"When will you be here?"

"The Anubis flight leaves Shreveport just past eight. We should arrive around nine-thirty, thanks to the time difference."

Good. He needed his child by his side.

"Have you spoken to Victor?"

"Yes. He claims he left Nevada immediately after you kicked his ass. That Felipe sent him away until things blew over. He said he knew nothing about any of it. Bill Compton and the girls all say he'd been there at the cabin for days."

Eric paused. There was someone who looked — and sounded — just like him. Maybe there was someone who looked and sounded just like Victor and the King, as well. Someone who'd called Eric and Felipe to keep them both occupied while whoever-he-was had stolen Sookie. Someone who had glamoured Emily to think Felipe DeCastro will pay at Sookie again and again and again.

None of it made any sense. All he knew for sure was that Sookie was gone and he would make the imposter pay.

He shook his head and sighed.

"Unfortunately, Victor is likely correct, about all of it."

It was her turn to pause.

"Excuse me?"

He almost smiled at that.

"Call me when you land. I'll meet you at the airport, if I'm able. I will fill you in then. Do you think Victor will run?"

"No. Victor is ready to plead his case to the King. Felipe is sending someone to meet the plane and take him into custody."

Eric would love to see Victor punished to within an inch of his death. Unfortunately, Felipe would likely recognize the truth in what Victor told him and set him free.

Eric hoped he himself was so lucky. He knew Sookie wouldn't have been and that made him furious. At least she would never have to endure a beating like that again. He wondered if she'd suffered. He hoped her death had been quick and painless. She'd deserved to go peacefully. She'd had too much pain already.

He took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. He couldn't spend the night moping, wrapped up in grief, no matter how devastated he was. He knew he had to face the King and he needed to be ready by sunset.

"I will see you soon."

" Eric, I am so sorry."

"I know."

He closed his phone. He was glad she was coming. She was one hell of a fighter and he trusted her implicitly. She also knew him very well and would support him through anything. She would not think him weak. She wouldn't judge. And, if she did, it would be from a place of concern.

He laid out his suit and then stepped into the shower and let the hot water beat against his shoulders. He turned around and rinsed the blood from his cheeks. Pink water swirled around the drain. He tried not to notice.