47

You Die or You Die

Good day, everyone! I'm back with another chapter and as always, I apologize for making you wait. My job and my change of career has been keeping me busy. I want to assure everyone that I will not abandon this story. Only one thing will keep from finishing, and I don't plan on doing that anytime soon.

As always, thank you all for reading, reviewing, making this story a favorite, and alerting. And thank you so much for making me a favorite author. I adore you all. Oh, and to the reviewer that asked how Pam knew where Sookie lived, she helped Sookie move in and decorate the place. She wanted to buy expensive furniture, but Sookie wouldn't let her. Anyway, we're going to Eric, Thalia, Maxwell Lee and his human to see what's going on with them. As always, enjoy. And don't hesitate to let me know what you think!

"Eric, you're a cruel motherfucker! A fucking monster! This is why you'll lose everything that matters to you ... that you love! Your fucking telepath and your sister!" Maxwell Lee growled. "You don't have to do this to her! She is an innocent! She has absolutely nothing to do with this! Don't do this to her!" He fought hard against the silver chains. "It's me you want! Not her!"

I stared down at Maxwell Lee as his blooded tears stained his face. If he believed that his begging and threats were going to change anything, he was sorely mistaken. I felt nothing for him or his human. The woman's tears of fear did nothing to quell my need for revenge against my enemy. If anything, they spurned me on. With no emotion in my voice or on my face, I said to my enemy, "I don't want to kill her. Taking her, in the beginning, was not an option. When the idea was discussed, it was something that I did not want to do. It has never been my intention to hurt her or anyone else. I didn't want to do this. You gave me no choice. This is a decision that you made for me. You speak of innocents, but you never cared about Pam. She's an innocent. You speak of causing harm to Sookie. She's an innocent. You can't blame me for what you've done, Maxwell Lee. You set the stage for this. Again, you did this." I pointed at his human and said, "She would not be here if not for you and your actions. If you were any type of vampire, if you truly love her, you wouldn't have put her in this situation. You would have taken your grievances out on me instead of taking my sister away from me. If you had done so, this fight would not have involved your human. She would be enjoying her little banquet with her peers, but alas, she is here naked and hanging from the ceiling because of you. She is here because you are a fucking coward and you prey on those younger than you … when they no longer have their weapons in their hand. You did this."

The mumbles of his human caught my attention. When I turned to look at her, her eyes were begging me to let her go. She was fighting against the chains, and she was losing. "Please!" she said in a muffled voice.

Smiling, I said to her, "I can't understand you."

Kendra chuckled.

"Should I?" Thalia asked.

I nodded.

Thalia removed the gag from the human's mouth. She licked her lips several times before speaking. "Please let me go,' she begged. "I don't know what he's done or why he's done it, but I had nothing to do with it." Tears streaked her beautiful face. "I won't tell anyone. You don't have to kill me. You can glamor me. You can send me away. You can send me away, and I'll never look at another vampire for as long as I live. You don't have to do this to me. You don't have to kill me. Please let me go. Please, just let me go home." Her sobs became louder. "I don't want to die."

I stood in front of the human and stared at her. I shook my head no. "I know that you had nothing to do with this," I assured her. "And I'm sure that you don't want to die. Who does?"

Thalia and Kendra answered simultaneously. "Not me."

"Neither do I," I agreed. "Woman, you should know that I never wanted this to happen. I wouldn't want this to be done to someone that I love, but Maxwell Lee has someone that belongs with me. I want her back, and you are supposed to be what brings her back to me." I glanced over my shoulder and pointed at Maxwell before returning my attention to the human. "He supposedly loves you. Tonight, we will see if he truly does. Setting you free will be up to him. If he gives me what I want, I will let you go. I will glamor everything that happened this night from your mind. I will make sure that no harm will ever come to you again but until he does as I've asked of him, you will remain my prisoner." I took a step closer to her. "If I don't get what is mine, you will die tonight … right along with your vampire. This I promise you."

The human closed her eyes and winced. She glanced at me with pleading eyes as she begged her lover to do what's right. "Please, Maxie. Give him what he wants. I want to go home." Her sobbing and begging became even more desperate as she continued to beg for her life. "You can't let me die for something you've done, Maxie. Please, do what's right and let me go! If you've ever loved me; if you love me still, you'll give him what he wants! Please!"

Maxwell glared at me. "You'd better hope that I never get out of this chair. I'm going to fucking kill you!" Though he was strapped down with silver, he continue to fight. He didn't seem to mind that the silver was eating deeper and deeper into his skin. "Holly has nothing to do with this! You don't have to hurt her, Eric! You can let her go and do whatever you want to me!"

"Eric," the human said to me.

I turned to face her.

"Let me see his face," she said. "I need to Maxie's face."

"As you wish." I stepped to the side so that the human could see who has put her in this predicament. When she looked at him, she began begging for his help … for him to do what he should so that she could go home. "Maxie," the human said. "Why would you do this? Let him have his sister. If you love me as you say you do, you will give him what he wants." She began to smile. "We are supposed to spend the rest of my life together. We're supposed to be happy. Don't you want us to be happy? Please, don't let me die. You can't let me die." Her smile slowly faded from view as she said, "I love you, and you love me, right? You love me."

I watched Maxwell as he listened to the words of his woman. I looked for the love that I could hear in her pleading voice. I looked for the compassion that he is to have for the woman that means so much to him. I looked for the selflessness that he should have for his woman. I looked for all the things that I would have for my woman. That I have for Sookie. My woman.

Maxwell Lee longingly looked at his human. "I do love you, Holly. If I thought for one second that he would let you, I would tell him whatever he wants to know. I'd gladly hand over his sister, and you would walk out of here without any fears, but he won't do that. I want to spend the rest of your life with you. I want to travel the world with you. I want to share the wonders of the world with you, and I want to love you for always but that will never happen. He won't allow it." He then glared at me. "You can end this, Eric," he said. "You can let her go."

At first, I felt joy at hearing them express their undying love to one another. I actually believed that Maxwell loves her and wants to show his woman the world. I actually believed that he wanted to spend the rest of her life with her. I liked knowing that it would never happen. I wanted her to see that her vampire's only concern is himself and no one else. She was something for him to do until boredom set in. And then I saw it. He had no intentions of saving her life. He wanted me to kill her. If he was going to die, he wanted her to die with him. Her life and love meant nothing to him. If he couldn't have her, no one could have her. Just like is dear wife. And sadly, she saw it too.

"You don't love me," she whispered.

A flash of surprise crossed his face for a brief second. It's as if he couldn't believe she saw it. "Don't say that, my dearest! Don't even think it! I do love you," he said. "You mean so much to me. You are everything. Remember those nights when we shared and laughed. The many nights that we made love and held onto each other. Never doubt my love for you. I do love you."

The woman smiled. "I remember those nights fondly, and I also remember how you always promised to keep me safe and out of harm's way. You promised that you would never let anything happen to me." She glared at him; the tears still glistening in her eyes. "Well, here I am. Hanging from a ceiling ... naked. If you love me, will stand by your word and keep me safe." Her voice was suddenly stronger as she spoke. "I don't need your useless words, Vampire. Prove it. If you do love me, you'll give him what he wants. Please, Maxwell." She body was no longer limp and weak. She was determined. "I don't want to die."

I studied the woman and was mightily impressed. She's much stronger than I believed her to be.

"She's right," Thalia stated. "If you love her, prove it. Tell her the truth or give Eric what he wants, but you won't do that. That's not who you are. You're weak and incapable. You are who you are, aren't you, Maxwell?" She stared angrily at Maxwell. "You would willingly let her die for your sins ... for your cowardice. The 'joyful' times that you spent with the human; they mean nothing to you, but they meant everything to her." She looked at the human. "This is the vampire that loves you."

The woman's tears fell steadily from her eyes.

Maxwell remained silent as his human turned the tables on him ... as Thalia helped the human see Maxwell for what he is. As I helped her see what he is. He had nothing to say. She could finally see him for what he is, and he knew it. There was only one thing left for me to do.

Smiling at Maxwell Lee, I said, "Earlier when you spoke, I have to admit, you're right. It is my decision." I walked over to the woman and undid her chains. She rubbed her wrists as she stared at me. I walked to the chair and handed her the clothes that were folded in the seat. "I have made a mistake. I never should've taken you. I should've known that he would use you as a pawn. That's what he's done to me. He cares for no one."

She held her clothes close to her chest as she watched me. "You're letting me go?"

Maxwell looked from Holly to me. His face held no emotion but in his eyes, I could see everything. My enemy was surprised at my sudden turnaround.

I nodded. "Yes, I am letting you go," I answered as I stared in her eyes. "Once Thalia has glamored tonight's events from your mind, you're free to go. Free to go to your banquet. Free to dance the night away. Free to find a man or a vampire that's going to love you the way that you deserve. Free to forget everything that happened here tonight. Free to forget that you ever knew Maxwell Lee. Free to be free." I glanced as Thalia over my shoulder and asked, "Am I right?"

Thalia reluctantly nodded. She didn't want to let the human go, but she knew that we had no other choice. "Yeah. He's right."

I nodded. "Right."

I placed my hand on Holly's shoulder. "Follow Thalia. She'll lead you to a room to get yourself together. You'll be out of here soon."

"Thank you," Holly whispered.

Thalia looked at Maxwell Lee and noticed the look of surprise on his face. She eyed him with disgust. "You don't deserve to have the blood flowing through your veins. You have always been unworthy." She nodded curtly at Holly. "Come with me, Human," she ordered. "You are safe. If my sheriff says that you have nothing to fear, you have nothing to fear. We will take good care of you." She looked at me and asked, "Should I compensate her?"

"Yes," I answered. "Greatly. Enough to allow her to travel and leave this area. Enough to begin a new life. Pick a safe destination for her."

Thalia nodded. "Done."

"Thank you," Holly whispered. She dropped her head before doing as Thalia said. In that moment, I knew that she had to hear him say it. She realized that Maxwell Lee's only concern was for Maxwell Lee. She glanced at him and asked, "You weren't going to help me were you? You were going to let me die?"

Maxwell didn't answer her. He showed the human not an ounce of remorse.

"I need to hear you say it," she whispered.

Maxwell Lee remained quiet.

"He was not," I answered and to her last question, I only nodded.

"Is he really French?" she asked. "Is his name really ….?"

"Not anymore," Thalia replied. "He hasn't used that name in years. He used the name so that he couldn't be found. He's a fucking coward."

"I'm so stupid," she said as she shook her head. "I'm so fucking stupid."

"You're not," Thalia assured her. "You just trusted the wrong vampire."

A small smile appeared on her face when she said thank you. It didn't stay there very long. She swallowed and closed her eyes before speaking again. "Were you really going to kill me?"

Kendra decided to speak. "We were."

Holly's eyes widened. She stared at me with those wide eyes and said, "Thank you for not killing me."

"Forgive me for taking you," I replied.

She closed her eyes and sighed and shook her head no. Looking at me, she said, "I won't, but it doesn't matter because in less than, what 15 mins? I won't remember anything that you've done but none of it matters. It's done." She shrugged her shoulders. "I glad that no one wants to kill me. I just want to go home."

"I still want to kill you," Kendra announced. "But it's not my choice." She pointed at the cuffs still hanging from the ceiling. "If it were up to me, you would still be hanging there … naked." The vampire smiled as her fangs made a slow appearance.

"Thank you and goodbye," Holly said as she hurriedly left the room.

Thalia laughed. "All that you've asked, Sheriff, will be done. I will return soon."

"We'll be waiting, " I assured her.

Thalia and Holly were soon gone.

"As for you," I said as I looked at Maxwell Lee. "You won't be so lucky."

Kendra giggled. "No. Luckily, your luck has run out."

Maxwell looked at me and smiled. "I'm surprised that you let her go." He shrugged his shoulders. "I thought you would have killed her. At least maimed her … taken a couple of fingers or four. Thinking that it would hurt me. Making me tell you what you want to know. I guess it is true. You are weak when it comes to the ladies."

"Only when it comes to one," I assured him.

Maxwell's smile seemed to broaden. "Which one?" he asked. He looked up at me through hooded eyes. "I'm almost certain you're not speaking of Pam. I've heard about the way you've been with the telepath. From what I've been told, you seem to be taken with her. You don't let her go anywhere without the Weres following her around … sitting outside her home." He used his head to point at Kendra. "I even hear that Thalia's children have taken to babysitting her. As powerful as they are, you're using them to guard a human." He side-eyed Kendra as to gage her reaction. "Aren't you insulted to be used to guard a fucking human?"

She was smiling. "The telepath is quite pleasant. Very friendly and accepting of our kind. She's the first human I've ever encountered that doesn't want anything from us. She doesn't want our blood. She doesn't want to be afraid of us, and she's not. She's respectful and completely delightful. She doesn't see us as we truly are. She's different and because of that, I don't mind watching her, babysitting her as you so eloquently put it. So, your supposed insults are not working."

Maxwell shrugged his shoulders. "She is a friendly one, pleasant … and you are right. She is different. Tell me," he began as he eyed me. "While you are feeding from her, are you fucking her yet? I heard that she's a virgin. I hear that the scent of her virginity is quite intoxicating." He shook his head. "If she were mine …"

"She'd be unsatisfied," I continued. "Like your dear wife was," I said.

Maxwell's arrogance and self-assurance quickly faded from view. He angrily glared at me.

His anger spurned me on. "She was the best cocksucker in the South of France. She swallowed every drop that I shot off in her warm, sweet mouth. And that pussy," I said. "She was always so wet … so ready. It wrapped perfectly around my cock every night … every part of her. I fucked her in ways you wouldn't believe, Maxwell. She was always ready to be fucked properly. But you wouldn't know that," I added. "She didn't want you anymore; isn't that right, Kendra?"

Kendra giggled with delight. "She did not. I think it was because he has a little cock." She glanced down between his legs and nodded. "A very little cock." She pointed and said, "I can't even see a print in his pants." She picked up a pair of pinking shears and stood before him. "Maybe if I cut it off, it will grow back larger." She looked at me and asked, "What do you think?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Give it a try and see what happens."

Maxwell's screams filled the dark silence of the room.

A few minutes later, Maxwell was missing a small cock and his usually large balls. He was missing his fangs. His cheeks had been sliced open. He was also missing a few parts to his limbs. He had arms but only up to the elbows. He had legs but only up to the knees. The stumps had been cauterized and the fun was just beginning. We were about to sew the vampire's eyes closed. With gloved hands, Kendra was threading the silver strands through the eye of the extremely large and extremely dull silver needle.

When Kendra leaned towards him with the needle aimed at his eyes, Maxwell said, "Do what you must. I'm not going to cave. I'm not going to tell you anything. You'll never see Pam again if I can help it."

I didn't speak on any of what he said. I knew that we'd make him talk, and I knew just what to do. I nodded my head to Kendra to let her know that it was okay to begin sewing Maxwell's eyes closed. She sewed with expert precision. The stitches were close together. No spaces could be seen. The double stitching was unnoticeable. Once his right eye was sewn shut, Kendra stood back and admired her handy work. She nodded. 'If his left eye were sewn shut, one would believe he was sleeping." She glanced at me over her shoulder. "What do you think?"

"Perfect," I answered. "Absolutely perfect."

"I wonder if the left one will be just as perfect." She leaned over the vampire and began sewing his left eye closed.

Once his eyes were sewn closed, I asked him, "Are you ready to talk?"

"Fuck you," he said.

I laughed. "Maybe some other time, but we can do something else."

Kendra rolled the IV bags of silver to the side of Maxwell. She hummed as she studied the needles before jabbing them in Maxwell's arms, legs and neck. His fighting against her did nothing to quell her amusement and happiness. She'd smile and stick the needle deeper into his arm. She glanced at me over her shoulder and said, "I want to make sure that none of the silver leaks out." She winked at me, and her smile widened. In her right hand, she held the pump in her hand.

I stared at the vampiress and then the pump and asked, "Why the pump?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Isn't it obvious?" She squeezed the pump and the silver flowed quickly to and through Maxwell's veins. "I get to control what happens." She squeezed the pump several times and giggled.

Maxwell began struggling against the pain to no avail. As his skin color began to change, it began blister and burn from the inside out. His muffled screams were music to my ears. He struggled against the silver IV and the pain. Bloody tears were flowing through the stitches in his eyes. His muffled cries began to get louder. His struggling was more profound. His tears flowed in a steady stream.

"Stop," I said to Kendra.

The pump was no longer pumping.

"Tell me what I want to know."

He shook his head no. "I'm not telling you shit."

"Again," I ordered Kendra.

She pumped the silver in his veins as his muffled screams became louder ... longer.

I raised my hand.

Kendra stopped.

"Are you ready to speak?"

Maxwell nodded slowly.

"Cut the stitches from his mouth."

Kendra nodded. She cut one stitch and quickly jerked the thread from his lips; taking part of his lips with it.

Maxwell screamed out in pain.

"Sorry," she said with a hint of sarcasm.

Ignoring the vampiress, I ordered Maxwell to speak. "Tell me what you know."

Since his eyes were still sewn shut, he followed the sound of my voice. He began speaking but not of what I wanted and needed to hear. "I've always admired you, Eric. You are a vampire of great patience." He sniggered. "I have a feeling that you would keep me here for months torturing me until you got what you wanted." He raised his head slightly. "Am I right?"

"You are right."

"Yeah," he whispered. "From what I know of you, those that have crossed you have been tortured by you for years." He nodded slowly. "And they deserved it. I know that I'm no exception."

"You are not," I confirmed.

Maxwell chuckled before speaking. "Your sister was taken in the hopes of controlling you," he began. "You're needed to help take over the great state of Louisiana. Because you are trusted by the king, you could get him on the inside. The king doesn't trust him. He needs you to bring him in." Maxwell tried to swallow but because he was missing parts of his face, it appeared to be a pretty hard feat. "Once Bill was killed, Pam was going to remain with the new king to keep you in line. To keep you doing what he needed you to do." He 'looked' up at the ceiling. "I wanted to kill you because of my wife, but I didn't have any say so." He smiled broadly. "To see you die would have been a dream come true for me." He 'looked' at me and said, "I hate you. I respect you as a leader, but I hate you. I wanted you dead."

"But that won't happen," I assured him. "You and those working with you will not get the chance to see me dead. I give you my word."

"I know that now," he admitted. "Pam said that we wouldn't beat you. She was right."

"Who is your employer?" I asked him.

"Victor Madden," he answered, and he answered to quickly. "Victor wants power and if he can become king he will have the power and with that power comes the telepath. He wants her."

There was no need in replying to that statement because that was not going to happen.

"We hired her mother to help us." He began to laugh. "That bitch is nuts. I've never known for a mother to hate her child as much as she hates Sookie. You know," he began as he shifted in his seat. "I asked her why she hated the girl so much, and she couldn't even answer the question. She hates the girl so much that it was her idea to hire Quinn to take her."

Kendra frowned. "How does she know of Quinn's history?"

Maxwell laughed. "She's been fucking him for years ... Victor, I mean."

This time, I frowned. "So, they know who she is ... what she is?"

Maxwell cocked an eyebrow. "Do you mean that she's a telepath?" He nodded yes. "They all know. Is there there more to her than we realized?"

I didn't answer.

"What has Victor promised her to make her turn on her daughter?" Kendra asked.

"Eternity," Maxwell answered. "Now, answer me. Is she more?"

"It doesn't matter," I answered. "You'll be dead soon."

"She is," he whispered. "I knew it. She's more."

I leaned forward and said, "My sister. Where is she?"

"She's at my maker's warehouse," he said. "It's on Akridge Street … 900 South."

Kendra turned to look at me. "That's close to Fangtasia." She returned her attention back to Maxwell. "Why so close?"

"So that we could keep an eye on Eric," he replied. "It was Long Shadow's idea. After he learned about the telepath, he believed that we should've waited and taken the human instead." He chuckled. "I believe he was right." Maxwell then did something that I did not expect. He forced his eyes open, ripping the lids from his face. The skin fell onto his lap. "As soon as we get the chance, I promise you, we will take her. She will no longer belong to you. You will lose her soon, Northman. Your human will belong to another."

"Kendra," I said as I pointed at Maxwell. "Continue."

"Gladly." The vampiress went back to torturing my enemy.

I pulled out my cell phone and called Jake. He answered on the first ring. "What's up?"

"Go to 900 South Akridge Street. That's where they're holding Pam. Scope out the building. Take backup with you. I need to hear back from you in fifteen minutes. No later."

"You got it," Jake said as he hung up.

I called Salome. She answered and she spoke before I got a chance to say anything. "Get here now, Eric. Pam is here and something isn't right."