The Rest and More

I apologize for the delay in posting but my job has been quite hectic lately but I give you my word, I will not stop writing this story until it is done. As always, thank each of you for reading, reviewing, making this story a favorite, and alerting for each chapter. I hope that y'all enjoy it. The story idea is mine but the characters belong to Charlaine Harris.

Eric came into his office an hour later, freshly showered and smelling intoxicatingly sinful. "I see that you've showered. It must have been quite bloody." I swallowed as I briefly closed my eyes and exhaled. "Is he dead?" I asked as he sat next to me. "Or is he still alive?"

"Not yet," he answered. "Thalia is still having her way with him." He stared at the side of my face. "Are you upset about it?"

"No," I answered truthfully. "What's happening to him is his own doing. He had choices. Eric, while we were questioning him, I noticed that something went through you … panic or fear. What happened? When you shivered … what happened? Was it Pam?"

"It was."

I nodded as I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. "I figured as much." I braced myself before asking my next question. "Is she still here? In this world? Alive?" I glanced to the left of me and waited for his response.

"She is but she's not afraid. She's petrified."

I turned to face him head on. "What do you mean?"

He looked into my eyes. "Something has happened to her or something has terrified her to the point of pure fear. And once again," he began. "I'm not there to help her. She needs me and I'm not there. There's nothing that I can do to get to her when she needs me the most."

I frowned as I turned face him head on. "But there is and we're doing it. You're doing all that you can. We have your friends and the king of Louisiana is helping us. We are going to beat them at their game, Eric. You know this just as well as I do. We're going to get her back and your world will be perfect again." I bumped his shoulder. "You do believe me, don't you?"

He smiled. "I do." A look soon appeared on his face.

"What?"

"I'm going to tell you the rest of the story." He was soon leaning against his desk with his arms crossed over his chest. "When I found her, she was surrounded by men and she was fighting." That revelation brought a smile to his face. "She'd given those men busted eyes and lips. Scratches to their faces. Balls had been busted … literally busted. The fronts of their pants were covered in blood. She'd cut into their flesh. My sister was fighting for her life." A dark cloud soon replaced the smile. "As bad as they looked, she looked even worse. I killed them all."

I didn't realize that my mouth was hanging open until I began to speak. "Did she feel safe once they were dead?"

He shook his head no. "She blamed me."

Finding Pam

Eric handed the man the money. "You're sure she's in there."

The man nodded as he tucked the envelope of money into his inside coat pocket. "She's in there. She never leaves that house without him in tow." He began to shake his head no. "He never leaves her alone. She's worth too much for him to let her go out alone."

Eric's face became even harder. "Worth?"

The man shoved his hands in his pockets. "He sells her."

Eric stomped away from the man walked towards the house.

"Go around back!" the man yelled as Eric faded from view. "They're in the basement!"

And that's what he did. When Eric went inside, he could hear men cheering. He could hear his sister yelling out at them. When he had her in his sights, she was surrounded by men … tears streaming over her bruised and battered face. Though they were bloodied and beaten, they were still stalking towards her. Except for the ones with the busted balls. They were already on the floor writhing in pain and filled with humiliation. If the scene hadn't sickened him, he would have laughed at them. He would've given his sister her well-deserved praise but there was no time for that.

After he'd killed them, Pam had a look of pure relief on her face. She, too, almost laughed at the fate of the now dead animals. The look didn't last for long. She glared at her brother as she looked up at him. When he reached for her, she slapped his hand away. "Where have you been?"

Placing his hand back to his side, he replied, "Looking for you."

She shook her head no. "If you were looking for me, you would have found me." Her eyes were soon filled with rage. "If you'd been looking for me, you would know that I was being passed around to every man in every village we've been in. You'd have heard about the girl that has been sold to the highest bidder a hundred times over." She glared at her brother. "You weren't looking for me or you would have found me."

Still holding his sister's gaze, Eric answered, "When I would find where you were, you would be gone." He took a step towards his sister. "I have been looking for you for years. I never stopped. You are my sister, Pamela."

She didn't speak. She only stared. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that he'd never stopped looking for her but, how could she? The man that she'd believed loved her had sold her. Her father. He'd told her that her mom and Eric agreed with sending her away. There was no room for her in their lives anymore. He made her believe that their time as a family was all a lie. They were playing games with her. They never loved her. He never loved her. She told him that Eric would come for her. He laughed at her. After so much time had passed, she believed him. And why not? He'd always been cruel for sport. He's never loved anyone but himself. He enjoyed watching her cry and beg him to take her back home. He enjoyed all the sadistic things he'd done to his family. There was no doubt that he enjoyed telling her that no one was coming. He was right. No one came for her. Her brother, her hero, the man that always kept her protected, had abandoned her. Why should she believe Eric now? It's been six fucking years.

Because she didn't step away from him, Eric smiled at her. "I'm here to take you home with me. You're going to be with me now. I'm going to take care of you and no one will ever hurt you again."

Her small hand gripped the knife that she'd been holding. "Take care of me?" she asked mockingly, her voice trembling as she spoke. "Take care of me? I've been here for years waiting for you to find me. To take me home but you never came. Appius told me that you wouldn't come and you didn't come. You and mother abandoned me to this life and you want me to believe that you're going to take care of me?" Soon, the tremble was gone and her back had straightened. "I needed you then. I don't need you now."

"Pamela!" a voice bellowed from behind them.

Her body slumped back down to nothing. "I'm here." The tremble had returned to her voice.

Eric turned to see the man that had misused his beloved sister in the worst ways. He was the man that participated in taking her away from the people that love her the most. The man that he'd been aching to kill snice learning of his identity.

With a frown on his face, he looked at Eric. "Who the fuck are you and what have you done?" He looked at the dead bodies that were strewn at Eric's feet. "They wanted time with her and you have killed them! You've killed them and they didn't even pay me! You owe me their fee!"

"I owe you death," Eric answered. He gripped the man's head in between his hands and squeezed until there was nothing left. With the man's skull and brains still on hands, he turned to Pam and said, "We never abandoned you. We have always been looking for you. I have never lied to you, Pamela, and would not lie to you now."

She wondered how her brother crushed the man's head with his bare hands but said nothing. She was just glad he was dead and she was glad that her brother found her. And, she believed him. She cried as she stared at her brother. "Where have you been?"

"I'm so sorry."

She stepped into her brother's arms and held onto him for dear life. She cried as the years of abuse came to an end. She was finally free. She was finally going to get to go home. "I knew that he was lying! I knew it!"

He kissed the top her head as he kept his hands at his sides. He couldn't get blood and brains on his sister. "I've been to every village that you'd been to. Each time I'd get close, you'd be gone. I've spent the last few years looking for you. I promised mother that I'd find you and that I'd take care of you." He closed his eyes and whispered, "I've found you."

She was soon out of his arms and smiling up at him. "Mother is with you?"

Eric slowly shook his head no.

Pam knew then that their mother was dead. She could see it in Eric's eyes. She didn't want to believe it. She wanted to see her and tell her that she's sorry for being angry with her all these years. She wanted to tell her that she's sorry for believing Appius' lies. She then shook her head no. Eric could be mistaken since he's been looking for her. He wouldn't know how she's doing if he's been travelling. Her mother could be at home waiting for their return. "Is she at home?"

"She is not."

She had to believe it now but she couldn't say those words. She couldn't let those words pass her lips. "Where is she?" she whispered.

"She is gone."

Hearing those words hurt her more than she could have ever imagined. Pam's agonizing screams filled the air. Her mother did love her and did want her to come home. Her mother, after Eric, was her most favorite person and now, she's gone. Her head hung low as she asked, "Did she suffer?"

Eric remained quiet. He didn't want to tell her what happened to their mother. He couldn't bear to tell her that she'd suffered in death just as she had in life. He wanted Pam to keep the happy memories of their mother; the singing, the dancing, the baking and the laughter. He wanted his sister to remember the sweet, soothing tones of their mother's voice when she told them stories of the Valkyrie and of Valhalla. The melodic tones of her laughter. He did what he'd never done before when it came to Pam. He lied to her. Smiling, he said, "She did not."

Pam stared up at her brother and sighed. She didn't believe him but she never let on. "You came for me." Without warning, she placed her hands on his face. "You saved me."

He nodded. "I'm going to take you home and I'm going to take care of you. You will always be with me."

A slow realization hit her. She removed her hands from his face and looked at them before returning her gaze to him. "You're so cold."

"Yes."

She reached out and touched the back of his hand. "I remember touching grandmother's hand when she died of fever. She was cold … like you." She swallowed deeply and asked, "Are you dead? Are you a vampire?"

"Yes."

She continued to stare at her brother as she cried for him. The most unimaginable things began to go through her mind. She knew how cruel Appius could be. She'd seen his cruelty, his viciousness. After being sold, she'd been at the receiving end of it. She knew firsthand of the evil things he'd done to her … to her brother. The torture that their father put Eric through had finally killed him. She could only imagine the pain that he'd felt as he lay dying. She felt pity for a moment but it soon faded away and was replaced with gratefulness. She was grateful to the vampire that brought her brother back to this life. It's because of him or her that he could find her. She reached out and caressed her brother's cheek. "It doesn't matter." She smiled through tears. "You found me."

Eric no longer cared about the blood and brain matter that covered his hands. They held each other for what felt like seconds and the security of being with other would have carried on if Eric hadn't heard the voices of unwanted guests. Lifting Pam in his arms, he carried her out of the dungeon and into the night. With very little warning, he said, "Wrap your arms around my neck."

She'd barely done what he'd ordered and they were soon soaring through the night air. She buried her face in her brother's chest and smiled. "I'm free."

"I made her my child a couple of months later," he said as he returned to the couch and sat next to me.

"Why not that night?" I asked. "Why not turn her that night?"

He shook his head no as he rested his elbows on his knees. "I couldn't do that. She needed to think about it. I wanted to make sure that it was something that she'd want to do. Don't get me wrong. She wasn't angry. Not anymore. She loves me and she trusts me. I knew that she wanted this life but I couldn't do it. Not so soon." He glanced at me and said, "I had to give her the choice."

"Were you afraid that she'd want you to let her go?"

"I was," he admitted. "She had every reason to believe that no one was looking for her … that I wasn't looking for her. So, yes. I expected her to want to leave. She didn't know what would be in store for her. She believed that she'd never come home."

"But she did and you saved her," I replied. I leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You saved her, Eric."

He sighed. "Too late."

"No," I said. "It wasn't too late. You brought her home and you gave her a life that anyone would be lucky to have. You've done all that you can, Eric. You're an amazing person."

He outright laughed. "Vampire. I am no person, Sookie."

"Pshaw," I said. "I know some humans that are vampires. They'll suck the very life out of ya. I grew up around some of 'em. So, when I say that you're an amazing person, I mean it. You may not see it but there's good in you, at least I think so. I see it."

He looked at me and said, "You're an amazing creature, Sookie Stackhouse." He reached out and caressed my cheek. "What is it about you? Why are you so accepting … so open? You're too good for this world, human and supernatural alike."

"It's the essential spark," I answered. I didn't know until that moment but that must be it. "That's what I was going to tell you the night we visited the king. My grandpa says there's this light in me that no other fae has. He said that it makes me attractive to others in the supernatural world. According to him, it has nothing to do with my looks. I guess it's how I see the world. I believe that there's good in almost everyone and everything. I help people see that it's not all bad. Some people. Gran thinks that I get it from her and I agree. I can't wait for you to meet her."

"I can't wait to meet her," he said. "Essential spark. I can see that. You're everything beautiful in this ugly world. I'm glad that we found each other."

"Me too." I dropped my head as a blush began to creep up my face.

He gently lifted my face to his and began kissing me. I know. Not the most romantic moment but it happened. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as the kiss deepened. His fingers trailed down my neck and over my shoulder. His lips were soon nibbling at my ear. "Please," I whispered as I held onto him.

He lay me back on the couch and hovered over me as he smiled. His kisses were light and so soft that I almost didn't feel them. His arm was wrapped around my waist, diminishing whatever space there was between us to nothing. His erection was pressed against me as he smiled against my cheek. "Please, what, Sookie? What do you want?" He spread my legs with his body and began to grind against me. "Do you want this?"

A wave of need washed over me. I'd never felt anything so intense. My legs became weak and I was lying underneath him! My heart was pounding in my chest. His soft, warm lips tasted my neck. "Yes," I moaned.

"My sweet Sookie," he whispered in my ear. His hands were soon cupping my breasts. His thumbs stroked my nipples. The sensation was almost painful it felt so good. "I can smell your arousal, Sookie. Your lust has filled the bond." He pressed himself harder against me. "Can you feel mine?"

I nodded as I began to grind against him.

"How does it feel?"

"So good," I whimpered.

He lifted me slightly from the couch and pressed harder against me. "Look at me, Lover."

I did as he ordered.

"Tell me that you want this."

I licked my lips and stared into the eyes of the man that going to take my virginity, the man that was going to spoil me for all others. "I want this. I want you until I can think of nothing else. Every part of me wants you touching me, making love to me. I want you inside of me, making me beg for more. I want to watch you lose yourself while we're making love. I want you to be ruined for any other person." Wrapping my legs around him, I asked, "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Yes."

He leaned down to kiss me but I turned my head. He looked down at me and waited for me to speak. He didn't have to wait long. "Swear to me that you will never tire of me. That you'll be mine and mine alone for as long as I can have you. No one will ever come between us. That our life as one starts tonight. Swear to me."

His arms tightened around me. He stared deep into my eyes as he spoke. "I will bring you to my side, Sookie Stackhouse. Everything that I am is yours. Everything that I have is yours. Every vampire who owes me fealty will honor you. Every vampire, every Were, shifter, witch, and warlock will see you as my woman … my lover … my equal. You will be respected and accepted by all who encounter you. You will always be mine."

I kissed him ferociously. A primal growl escaped him as his mouth took more of mine. That one kiss told me that after tonight, there'd be no going back.