31

It's My Job

Hello, everyone. I hope that life has been treating you kindly because it has been kicking my ass from here to Tallahassee. As always, I want to thank y'all for reading, reviewing, alerting, and making this story and its author a favorite. Thank y'all for hanging around and waiting for each chapter. Y'all are freaking awesome! I hope that y'all enjoy this chapter and I will do my best to have the next chapter posted up a bit sooner than I did this one but my job keeps me busy and it's hard for me to work on the story when you're on call and short staffed. Bear with me and I will keep you entertained.

Well, here we go …

I stared straight ahead as Dawn continued to fight against me. I knew what was going to happen next if Eric doesn't get what he needs from her. I tried to put the torture off for as long as I could but she wouldn't let me. When I tried to read her, she would be defiant. Her thoughts would be combative and angry. She called me every derogatory name that she could think of. She even tried attacking me a couple of times. She fought against the restraints as she lunged at me. She bit and kicked at me. She was determined to cause me some type of bodily harm. She was just as determined to not tell me anything. I sighed as I stood from the chair that was in front of her. I looked at Dawn and shook my head. "You don't realize what you've done," I said to her. "They're going to kill you. You know that. You do know what self-preservation is, don't you? You're not going to leave this room alive. Why do you want to die here?"

Dawn inhaled deeply and closed her eyes as she refused to answer my questions. In her mind, I could see images of her childhood. I could see her in the backyard of her home with two little girls and dog. A small dog that she called Dennis. She was running around and playing. She looked like she was having the most fun. There were images of what I assume are her grandparents. There were images of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. There were Easter egg hunts. There were Sunday school classes and sermons. There were birthday parties and sleepovers. She finally opened her eyes and looked at me. "I know," she whispered. "Since I'm going to die anyway, why should I say anything? What good will it do me? Will it keep them from killing me?" She chuckled while shaking her head. "I don't think so. So, whatever you want to know, or whatever you think I know, you'll have to find it out for yourselves. In other words, fuck you all." That time, she outright laughed.

What could I say? She was right. No matter what she did or said, she was going to die. And then it hit me. I had this bright idea. This amazingly, fantastic idea. "Maybe Eric or Salome can glamor you. They can glamor away everything that you've done and send you away so that the other vampires can never find you. You'd be safe. You could give us what you know and you'll be safe." I looked at Eric with just an ounce of hope in my heart.

"You're so naïve," Dawn said. "They'd hunt me down. They would find me and I would die. You don't know anything about the vampires, do you? You are so new to the world of the vampire. There are no second chances here. That never happens. I'm going to die." She laughed at me. "You should've stayed where you were."

I ignored her and looked to Eric. I'd hoped that he'd think that my idea was a good one. He didn't.

He shook his head no. "I will not do that."

I didn't have to look at Salome.

Salome laughed. "Not a fucking chance."

I guess my idea wasn't so bright and amazingly, fantastic after all.

Soon my eyes were following the two Weres that snatched Dawn up from her chair and took her to the middle of the room. Another Were moved my interrogation chair to the other side of the room. I took that moment to look around the room. I was surrounded by supes. There were Weres and vampires in each of the seats that surrounded the circle. Well, except for one empty seat. That seat was mine. Instead of sitting, I remained standing as I watched while Dawn was stripped of her clothing. She was dragged to the center of the circle and her wrists were soon covered in these tight metal cuffs. She winced as they closed them around her thin arms. Her mind was still filled with the joys of her former life, her childhood. She looked at me one more time before closing her eyes. She didn't want me to see the fear in her eyes but it did no good. Her fear soon filled her mind. I pitied her. I wanted to help her but she wouldn't let me. There was nothing that I could do.

Eric looked at me and motioned for me to return to my seat. "Sookie," he said. "It's time."

Every supe in the room was watching me as I walked to my seat. They were wondering if I was going to faint once the torturing started or if I was going to run out of the room screaming. They all believed me to be a human with a weak constitution. I was going to show them all. They don't know Sookie Stackhouse. I'm far from being weak. I've had some weak moments in my life but I've always bounced back and I always will. I reached my seat and sat between Jake and Alcide. Once I was seated, Jake bumped my shoulder with his. "If you can't handle it," he said. "Look away. As I told you, this is the stuff that nightmares are made of. Just look away."

"I will," I whispered.

Alcide leaned in and said, "It won't be a bad thing if you do. You know that, right? It's okay if you don't watch."

"I know."

Eric looked at me. Though the bond was filled with support, he wanted to let me know what my option was. "You don't have to stay. You've done your job. It will not be held against you if you leave." He was concerned about me; more than I believe he should've been but it was nice to know that he cares. "This not required of you."

I wanted to scream at them and tell them that I can handle this. I'm not some poor southern belle that needs her hand held and back patted. I can do this. I am a Stackhouse … and a Brigant for goodness sakes. I have Adele Hale-Stackhouse's and Fintan Brigant's blood running through my veins. I'm going to be just fine. "I'm okay," I assured him. "I can do this. Don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere. We're leaving together."

He nodded at me as he stood before Dawn.

"How sweet?" Salome replied. She stuck her finger in her mouth as if she was throwing up. "Can we get this show on the road? Our king is waiting for another update."

Eric glared at his superior. "Quiet, Salome."

"You got it." She crossed her legs and blew me a kiss.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Ridiculous," I whispered.

"That's Salome," Jake said.

"Enough," Eric bellowed.

The room was quiet once again.

Returning his gaze to our prisoner, Eric said, "Look at me."

Dawn did as she was told.

"You have been asked what your purpose was in all this but you have refused to answer," he said. "My woman has tried reading your mind but you seem to be able to keep her from knowing what you know. Why is that, Dawn? Why can't she read your mind?"

Her eyes were filled with hate as she looked at him. "Because I don't know why I'm here!" she yelled. She then began to laugh. "You're supposed to be so fucking smart, Eric, you figure it out. I don't like being chained to a chair or hanging from a fucking ceiling. I don't want this. If I could remember why I did what I did, I'd tell you." Licking her lips, she looked at him and said, "I'll tell you what. You figure out why I can't remember what my job for Maxwell was or why I'm here and then let me know what you've learned. You've tried glamoring me and you got nothing from me." Using her head to point at Salome, she said, "That dirty bitch even tried and she got nothing. Your telepath tried reading my fucking mind and nothing. I don't know." Tears fell from the corners of her eyes. "I don't know why I can't remember."

And just like that, I could see.

"She's lying," I said.

Eric looked back at me over his shoulder. "What do you see?"

I continued to watch Dawn while I talked. "I don't know how she's working against your glamor or keeping me out of her head but she knows why Pam was taken. She was there during the planning." I looked at Eric and said, "They've been planning this for years. I can see it. She's with Maxwell … and … and Malcom?" I wasn't quite sure of who's face I was seeing. "I can't see his face clearly but it looks like Malcom. I see the lady that gave me the directions that night we met Malcom and Liam. They're all talking. I can't see the faces of the others but she's with them. They're letting her help plan. It was her idea to work for Pam. She'd give them weekly updates. They're in a huge room with … with black walls … maybe, dark red … blood red? I can't tell where they are." There was sudden blackness in her mind. She'd blocked me out. I don't know how she did it but she blocked me out. I looked at Eric. "I can't see anything else. It's all black. She's shut me out again."

Dawn glared at me. I was no longer blocked out of her mind. She wanted me to see what she wants to do to me. She wanted me to know how much she hates me. She smiled at me as she showed me an image that terrified me to my core. Eric had a stake shoved into his chest and he'd exploded all over me. My screams were all that I could hear. "Do you like what you see?" she asked as she smiled. "Stay out of my fucking head!"

I returned the smile. Though my heart was pounding in my chest, I never let her know it. "It's never going to happen. I promise you that."

Eric was watching me. His curiosity flowed through me. I looked at him and shook my head no. "Not here."

He nodded slightly as he studied me.

Salome took her phone out of her purse and began talking. I knew that she was speaking with Bill about me. She winked at me as she talked. Have I mentioned how much I really hate her? If I haven't, I do. I really hate her. I glared at her as I turned away. I turned around just as Jannalynne rolled a gurney to the center of the room. She's one of the Colonel's female Weres and she's vicious and cruel. From what I've heard tonight from Jake, she's worse than the male Weres. And I believe it. She looks creepy. She looked even creepier when she removed the white sheet that was covering the tools that were going to be used to torture Dawn. The smile on her face was gleeful. She looked like a fat kid that has been told that she can eat her entire birthday cake by herself … with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

"I can help you," she said to Eric as she threw the sheet to floor. "I don't have anything else to do." She shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't had any demerits this month and I haven't attacked any shifters or vampires. I haven't killed anyone in your area. Not one person or supe. I have been on my best behavior. I told you that I'd behave." She batted her eyes at him and grinned. "Let me have a little fun, Eric. I don't ask for much. Let me have some of this." She pointed at Dawn as she picked up a shiny, silver object that I'd never seen before tonight. The light that bounced off the blade made Jannalynne look even deadlier as she stroked it.

"This bitch is nuts," Alcide said.

Jake laughed. "Always has been. It's a trait that seems to travel through their bloodline. The whole lot of 'em is fucking nuts if you ask me. Have you met her mother?" He shuddered at the thought.

"If she's crazy, why would you talk about her? She can hear you both. She could kill you," I whispered.

Jake fanned her off. "She's a fucking nut. She's not stupid."

Jannalynne looked at me and winked. "I agree with Sookie."

"See?" Alcide stated as he shook his head. "Told ya."

"So, can I do it?" she begged Eric.

Eric lifted Dawn's head just a bit so that he could see her eyes "Are you going to talk?" he asked.

"Fuck you," she growled.

"Do what you want," he said to the Were. "Make it last."

"I'd planned on it." Jannalynne seemed surprised that Eric or anyone else would think that it was going to be quick.

Dawn's head was bowed as she wished that it would be a quick death but she knew otherwise. She knew that she was going to suffer. She'd been warned that if she was caught, she was going to pay with her life. She thought that she could handle it. She was trying to be brave but she was terrified. She'd hoped that Maxwell would come and save her. She'd believed that he loved her. She'd believed that she wouldn't be hanging from the ceiling butt ass naked waiting to die. She'd hoped that he'd send some humans to break her out before the vamps had risen for the night. She wanted each Were in the building to die. She wanted every vampire in the room to meet the sun or meet the end of a very sharp stake. She didn't care which. She just wanted them dead … especially Eric. What he's done to Maxwell is unforgiveable. He needs to pay with his life.

Jannalynne was about to make her first slice and I stopped her. "Wait!" I yelled. "Wait." I jumped up from my seat and went to stand in front of Dawn. "What has Eric done to Maxwell? Why should he have to pay with his life for what he's done to Maxwell?"

She lifted her head just a bit; her hair hanging menacingly around her face. "Fuck you too."

"Is he really worth your life?" I asked her. "You've been waiting all day long for him to send someone to save you or for him to save you." I shook my head no. "He's not coming. He doesn't care about you. He's never cared about you. If he did, you wouldn't be here."

She looked at me through hooded eyes. "And you think that he cares about you?" She used her head to point at Eric. "He doesn't give a shit about you. You're something that he can fuck and use until he's done with you. He's going to drink your blood and then get rid of you when he no longer needs you. That's what they do. That's what they all do." She then laughed. "Maybe not. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it'll be different for you. You have that mind reading thing going on, Mind Reader. He might keep you. He can use you for more than blood and sex. You have the potential to make him a lot of money." She looked at Eric and smiled. "Isn't that right, Eric?"

He said nothing to her.

I answered for him. "Not Eric," I said. I reached out and pushed Dawn's hair over her shoulders. I wanted to see her face. "He's not like that with me. He may have been that way with the others but not with me." I stroked her cheek and I lifted her chin so that I could look in her eyes. "You were a fool. You allowed Maxwell to use you. You let this happen. You sold yourself to the lowest bidder and this is what you got. This isn't Eric's fault or mine or anyone else's. It's not even Maxwell's fault. You did this. If you'd believed that you deserved better, you would have gotten better."

She pulled herself away from me but didn't look away. "You don't know but you'll see soon enough. The allure of having something so powerful, so intriguing to want you is an ego booster. It makes you feel as if you're on top of the world. It was a grand feeling to be with Maxwell. It didn't last long but it was good while it lasted. Soon, you will feel the same way. And you will be in my position." She then cocked an eyebrow. "Maybe not in this position … hanging from a ceiling with your tits and ass out but you'll be here. You'll see. Something better will come along and it'll be bye-bye Mind Reader."

I stared into her eyes just a bit longer. "You know that's not true and it hurts you to know that I'll never be in your position. Your words are meant to make you feel better. Did they work?"

She didn't answer me.

I was sad for her. And I let her know it. "I don't want you to die. I wish that you could live to be an old woman. I would wish that you would have the chance to sit on your front porch with your husband … watching your grandchildren as they run through the yard under the sprinklers during the summer. Just like you used to do when you were a little girl. You and your sisters had a great life. It didn't have to end."

She dropped her head and there it was. She's not like Malcom. She's not as heartless as she'd like me to believe. She began to cry. Images of her grandparents played in her mind. Their smiles. Their laughter. Their hugs and kisses. She misses her grandparents. She lost everything when she lost them.

"They didn't want to die," I assured her. "I can tell by the way you remember them. They would've never left you and your sisters alone like that … not on purpose. You and your sisters were the best parts of their lives. I can tell because of your thoughts. Your childhood was a great one. It reminds me of what I have with my grandparents."

She shook her head no. "I'm not talking," she commented. "You can say what you want and I'm not talking. I gave my word and I stand by it. He may not be here to save me but I will not betray him. I love him. I did what I did because I wanted to." She sighed. "We all have jobs to do and my job was to get into Pam's inner circle and that's what I did. I will take the punishment that awaits me."

She was going break. It was inevitable. I could see it but I said nothing about it. I sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that. If he was deserving of your loyalty, I'd understand your defiance and he's not but there's nothing else that I can do or say to help you." It was a question that I couldn't bear to ask because I already knew the answer.

"Go sit down, Sookie," Eric said. "There's nothing else for you to do."

And from that moment on, I tried keeping my eyes trained on my legs. Occasionally, I'd glance up; quickly regretting my decision. Knowing that Eric was with me is what kept me in my seat. I could feel Eric's hands as they rested on my shoulders. He was doing his best to send calm through the bond but it wasn't working. Dawn's screams were so loud. They were so loud. I tried being strong. I tried not to let what was happening to Dawn get to me but I couldn't help it. I didn't think that there'd be so much blood. It pooled around the tips of toes. It even dripped from the ends of her hair. I could swear that every part of her was bleeding. Either it was all in my mind or I could actually hear it but I swear, I could hear the tiniest droplets of blood hitting the floor. When I'd close my eyes to escape what was in front of me, the image of her helplessly hanging from the ceiling filled my mind.

After questioning her, I wanted to leave the room but I didn't. I stayed. I stayed to prove to Eric that I could do it. I have to be here. It's my job. I wanted him to know that I'm capable of doing this job. I am made for this world, remember? The more she screamed, the more I began to question if it was true. With my head still bowed, I glanced around the room at the Weres and vampires that surrounded me. They relished in Dawn's pain. They watched. They howled. They were rejoicing because an enemy was about to fall. But not me. I took a quick look in Dawn's direction and wished that I hadn't. I couldn't feel the same joy that they were feeling. I couldn't cheer Jannalynne on as she punished Dawn. A tear rolled down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away.

Jake noticed but said nothing.

I get it now.

I get why Eric and Thalia tried to talk me out of coming. I get why they were concerned about how this was going to affect me. "I get it now," I whispered.

Eric leaned down in my ear and whispered, "I'm sorry."

I reached up and placed my hand on his.

He gave my shoulder and final squeeze before walking to stand next to Jannalynne. "Enough," he said.

I squeezed my eyes closed and counted as far up as I could before looking at what the female Were had done to Dawn. Jannalynne's beautiful face was sprayed with blood. Her clothes were no longer clean. The oversized instrument that was used on Dawn was covered with blood and flesh. I could tell by the look on her face that she'd enjoyed what she'd done. She began to lick blood from her lips as she put the bloodied instrument back onto the gurney.

"Look at me," Eric said to Dawn. "Who is your master?"

She couldn't even raise her head.

Jannalynne stood beside the girl and jerked her head back. "Who is your master?" she asked as she rubbed her cheek against Dawn's.

I winced when I saw her face. Her face was still intact. It was the sadness and pain in her eyes that broke my heart.

Dawn's eyes were barely opened. She struggled to keep them open. Her body had gone limp. She did the best she could to muster up the energy to make a smile. She looked at Eric and said, "You (swallow) figure (swallow) it (swallow) out (swallow), Asshole." She tried laughing but it came out as a whimpering groan.

Salome clapped her hands and laughed. "This is just delicious! She's dying and she's still defiant. I love it! I wish that I'd gotten to her before Maxwell ruined her." She looked at me and nodded. "She would be my greatest accomplishment."

Idiot.

"Again," Eric ordered Jannalynne.

Jannalynne's body shivered with anticipation. "Gladly."

And then Dawn looked at me.

"Stop!" I said. "Please, stop."

Everything and everyone in the room went quiet.

I looked at Jake and asked, "Will you get me a wet rag? A cold one?"

He stood up and did as I asked.

I stood from my seat and walked to where Dawn was hanging. I removed clumps of her hair from her shoulders. I tried to ignore the gaping wounds on her arms. I tried to ignore the smell of her burning flesh. The flesh that Jannalynne tried to burn close so that the girl wouldn't bleed to death. I reached above her to undo the cuffs that were wrapped around her wrists but I'm too short. I couldn't reach them. I turned to Jannalynne and asked, "Will you get her down? I can't reach it."

Jannalynne crossed her bloody arms over her even bloodier shirt. "I will not. This isn't over. We haven't gotten what we want from her. This isn't supposed to be over yet. Eric told me that I could take my time and I'm not done."

I looked at Eric. "Please."

He silently did as I asked.

Salome was mad. "You can't take her down, Eric. Why are you letting your pet tell you what to do? I may like the human but Dawn is to be punished for what she has done. She helped kidnap your child." She realized that Eric was going to ignore her so turned her anger on me. "What the fuck are you doing, Sookie? How dare you stop these festivities. You're supposed to just read her mind. You have no control here. You are nothing more than an employee. Who do you …?"

Eric may not have said anything but I was. I don't owe her an ounce of respect. "Shut the hell up, Salome," I said as I wrapped my arms around Dawn's waist. "Who invited you anyway?"

Everything and everyone in the room was quiet. Everyone but Alcide. He was snickering.

"I'm the second to the king, you little bitch," she said. "I don't need Eric's or your permission to be here. So, there." She gave me the finger as she crossed her legs and leaned back in her seat.

I rolled my eyes. "What is this … kindergarten?"

Salome's eyes widen. "What did you just call me? Did you call me a name in German? Is that what you did?" She looked at the Weres that surrounded her and asked, "What is a kindergarten?"

The Weres looked at each other and laughed.

She glared at me. "You wait until I find out what a kindergarten is. I will make you fucking pay for embarrassing me. I'm a regent. I deserve your respect and you should honor me. Kindergarten." She continued to mumble about a word she clearly didn't know the meaning to.

I didn't bother to answer her.

Alcide was still giggling.

Glaring at her, Eric said, "Sit down, Salome or leave."

She looked as if she wanted to say more but she did as Eric ordered. She pointed from her eyes to mine and said, "I see you, Sookie Stackhouse."

There was nothing else that I could do but ignore Salome. I had a job to do. With Eric's help, Dawn and I were soon sitting on the floor. Well, I was sitting as her head rested on my lap. Jake was standing over me with the cold rag. "Here ya go, Sookie."

I looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks, Jake."

"Welcome," he said as he handed it to me. He returned to his seat but wouldn't take his eyes off me.

I began to clean the blood from Dawn's hairline. The blood was dripping over her face. She looked completely different than she did earlier this evening. Her brown eyes didn't hold an ounce of defiance. They were almost dead and held no light. I began to rock her as I talked. "You don't have to talk. You don't even have to send me any thoughts. You can just lie here and rest. I know that you're tired. You've been through a lot tonight." I looked up at Eric as I said, "You can't keep me out of your mind anymore."

Eric was standing impossibly taller as he took in the meaning of my words.

I shifted our bodies so that Dawn was resting comfortably in my lap. "Why did Maxwell have to kill the Weres?" I knew why. She needed to say it.

"They were there."

Colonel Flood howled loudly for his fallen pack members.

I began to wipe the blood from Dawn's forehead. "He's a king, isn't he?"

She slowly nodded her head.

Eric's fangs snapped into place. Salome was back on her phone. She was whispering as she watched me.

"Is it William Compton?" I asked.

"No, it is not!" Salome proclaimed. She held her phone down at her side. "He has already told you that he is not involved. He may be the occasional asshole with a fucked-up attitude but he would not betray his subjects. He has offered to fucking help find Eric's irritating progeny and you dare to accuse him? Bill's an asshole but he's no kidnapper." She returned to her call and said, "Sorry, Bill."

"I wasn't speaking to you," I replied. "Was it William Compton?"

Dawn shook her head no.

Shoot. Doesn't mean a thing. She could just not know that he's involved. He's still on my suspect list.

"Have you shared blood with him?"

Dawn nodded her head yes.

"You've shared blood with the king?"

"Yes."

"He can feel what's happening to you," I whispered. The impact of my words hit me hard. If this ever happens to me, even now, Eric will feel every ounce of pain. "He knows what's happening to you."

She looked me in my eyes. "Yes."

"Has he been in Louisiana?"

"No."

"Someone is helping him?"

"Spies," she whispered.

"Are there any spies here with us tonight?"

She swallowed and shook her head no.

"Can you show them to me?"

Flashes of faces played through her mind. They were going by so quickly that it was hard for me to keep up. I wanted to ask her to show me again but she was getting weaker. She wasn't going to last too much longer. "Maxwell," I began. "Why does he hate Eric?"

"Paris," she whispered.

"Paris?" I asked as I glanced up at Eric. "What happened in Paris?"

She wouldn't say … she couldn't say. She just looked at me. "You don't have to talk. I understand."

She sighed.

"Did something happen in Paris between Eric and Maxwell?"

She nodded. Pain.

I wasn't sure what she meant by that. "Your pain or Maxwell's pain?"

She winced.

I held her closer to me. "Do you remember the day the cop came to Pam's house and you were there with the pale man?"

She nodded.

"Who is he?"

Barry Horowitz. He's like you.

"A telepath?" I asked. "Is that how he's like me?" I looked up at Eric and my eyes were filled with wonder. Another telepath. "Are you saying that he's a mind reader?"

She nodded.

"Did he teach you how to block me out?"

Yeah.

"Did a vampire tell them about me … Long Shadow?"

Not sure.

"Barry, he works for a vampire?"

Again, she nodded.

"Is his master the vampire king?"

She closed her eyes and her mind went black.

I hated to keep pressing her but I needed to know. It's my job. "You can't keep protecting him," I said. "You don't have to protect him anymore. You're dying, Dawn, and he knows it. He can feel it. He has felt everything that you've been through tonight and he's done nothing to save you. He doesn't care. Tell me his name. He doesn't deserve your loyalty."

Her eyes were pleading with me. I don't want to die.

"I know," I whispered. "I don't want you to."

She reached up for my hand. I'm sorry.

I quickly wiped at my eyes before the tears could fall. "It's okay. I understand. You did what you had to do." I smiled down at her as I held her hand in mine.

Bon Temps.

I nodded. "Quinn?"

She nodded.

"My mom? She told them about me."

She nodded again. She's helping them.

Again, I nodded. "I know. Do you know why she's helping them … what she's getting out of this?"

She shook her head no. Bon Temps, she repeated.

I glanced up at Eric. "What do you mean? Is something else going on in Bon Temps?"

She winced.

I gently squeezed her hand. I needed an answer to my question but she was done. She couldn't do anymore. "We don't have to talk anymore. Thank you for what you've given us. I'm sorry that you had to suffer."

I'm sorry. She placed her hand to her chest and inhaled deeply. She began to cry. It's okay. It's your job. Her hand fell to her side as she exhaled one last time.