Chapter 5

Sookie

The sun was setting. With every inch that the last traces of the light faded, the more trouble I knew I was in. I had been hopeful when I had driven off from what had been my prison. I had hours of sunlight, and the car had almost a full tank. That would at least allow me to find someone, anyone. A person who owned a home that would keep the vampires out and give me time to call for help.

But hours ticked by and all I saw was road. My surroundings hadn't changed much, I was still surrounded on both sides by trees, and I had only turned twice. The first turn was onto an actual bitumen road. I hadn't thought much about which direction to go at the time, I'd figured either way would lead me to someone, but I saw nothing until I came to another road. There were no signs and no other cars and so I took another chance.

Now, the sun is gone, my stomach is growling for food, and I somehow know that Bill knows I'm missing. He would be angry, I have no doubt, and he was leaving to hunt me down. I put my foot down harder on the gas and clenched the steering wheel. I just needed to find someone.

From the hours Bill had spent away from the house I had assumed that a town was nearby. Lorena hadn't spent every evening in the house so there was probably a location where she stayed on the days Bill chased her off. The thought had crossed my mind to turn around to back track and try going in the other direction, but I didn't have time for that. It would take me back towards Bill and I needed the opposite.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I needed to concentrate. I would drive until the car ran out of gas. I wouldn't stop, unless I found a house I knew would give me a chance to hide inside. I had considered finding the local sheriff, but community buildings wouldn't keep a vampire out, I needed to find somewhere residential and then have the police come to me. If I did drive until the car died, I could only hope that it was during the day, giving me more time to hobble down the road to hopefully find something.

The road suddenly changed after what seemed like a long time. The dark stretch became illuminated by a bright streetlight. It was hovering over a sign that read, 'Welcome to Walker Creek.'

A wave of relief hit me. Finally, a chance that I will find someone.

I flew past the welcome sign and soon found another streetlight, and then another. All the way until I came to a crossroads. I took a calming breath as I spotted a large u-shaped drive with a long house at the end. I pulled into the drive and tried to tell myself I would be fine. I killed the engine and jumped out, not caring enough to grab the keys before rushing to the front door.

I lifted my hand and knocked loudly before taking a step back. From inside I heard someone murmur something before footsteps approached the door.

Who the hell is knocking at this time? Better not be Johnny. I'll kick his ass. The voice in my mind startled me. I hadn't heard a human thought it weeks it was jarring.

The door was opened by a young girl, a teenager. Dressed in her pyjama's and eating an ice cream, her eyes widened as she took me in.

"Shit, what happened to you?" she said. Woman looks like she's been used as a boxing bad.

I chuckled and put my hand out to steady myself against the doorframe. "Could I use your phone?" I asked.

The girl licked the traces of ice cream from her lip and nodded. "I'll have to ask my…"

I didn't catch the rest of her words as my body suddenly felt light. The aches and pains that were running through disappeared and everything went black.

Bill

Tracking a Sookie was harder than I remembered. Previously, when I had tracked humans using my blood, I'd always had a clear indication of where they were. But it seemed with Sookie, it was different.

Sookie had been quick to reveal how different she truly was when I had first met her. She wasn't just any other ordinary human, she was telepathic. I often wondered where the gift had come from, for it seemed strange that a human had such a gift when her family tree showed nothing else of promise. I had contemplated the idea that Sookie may have been adopted by her parents, but according to all her records, she was a Stackhouse.

Was it possible for a human to suddenly develop some type of gift with no family history of magic? I had no idea. My experience with witches and demons was minimal. My research had provided little information, and I wasn't willing to ask another about Sookie, I needed to keep her safe.

But after leaving the house and finding Sookie's location difficult to ascertain, I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to her talent than just telepathy. Were there other magical abilities inside that had yet to emerge? Or perhaps it was something like how she was immune to being glamoured? It was very unclear, and extremely frustrating.

I wasn't going to let it stop me. I needed to find her and return her home, where she was safe.

Lorena had followed me out of the house and through the trees. Sookie had left a trace on scent as she had travelled, but it was faint as she had moved by car. There were several places she could have headed; I just needed to find her before she found another human.

Eric

Most vampires were good at hiding their kills. In the years since my kind had revealed themselves, the removal of dead humans became more critical than ever. We couldn't allow any victims to be discovered by human authorities and risk the chaos that would unfold from it.

As Sheriff, I had strict guidelines set down by the Authority on what to do if a vampire was leaving a messy trail. First and foremost, dispose of the vampire, leaving no trace. Second, ensure the clean up of their mess. This second step was where vampires like Remy came into play.

Remy was a French vampire that had been turned during the French Revolution in 1789. He had grown up living with the rats as a human and in turn, as a vampire, preferred an isolated existence where he didn't need to deal with society—vampire or human—often. He made his living by working for multiple states, doing the job that few others wanted. Body removal, disposal and clean up.

So, after my call with Pam, he was the first person I thought of. Most vampires who were left with a dead body had to dispose of it themselves. These bodies were normally located. Remy spent a lot of time collecting bodies that had been found and disposing of them properly, meaning if Lorena and Bill had been leaving a trail, Remy may have attended to some of their victims.

It was fortunate enough for me, that Remy happened to be in Arkansas. He had a home he kept on the outskirts of a town called Bradley, which wasn't too far from Taylor. The house itself was simple, a small single story with a neat garden and large overhanging trees. The house was surrounded by a brick wall with a very firm 'Private Property sign' at the front gate. What made me smirk was the handwritten addition; 'Trespassers will be bitten.'

I walked up to the front door and knocked.

Remy was quick to answer, as he was expecting me. He bowed his head. "Sheriff Northman, been some time." He pulled the door open and gestured for me to enter.

"Remy," I greeted.

Remy closed the door behind me before crossing the room and opening another door. "I have a few corpses that fit your guys eating habits."

I nodded and followed him through the door and downstairs.

While the house above ground was normal, below it, Remy had a very clean and sterile set up for his work. One would see it as his own personal morgue.

Remy walked over to one table and unzipped a body bag, inside was a woman.

"Female victim, early twenties. Has ten different bite marks, varying in location. I found her half dug up on the east side of Lake Erling, completely on accident. Cause of death was exsanguination."

The woman was pretty. Alive, she would have drawn human and vampire eyes alike. She had a violent bite on her throat, clear signs of tearing as the vampire fed.

"There is also evidence that the vampire responsible fucked her corpse after she was dead," added Remy.

I sneered in disgust. "She is the only one?"

He shook his head. He pointed to the next table. "Female. Early twenties as well. Seventeen bite marks. She was roughed up more violently that the first. Her cause of death was asphyxiation. She also suffered from breaks to her humerus, clavicle and pelvis. She was also found by Lake Erling; except she was located by a couple on the lake. Seems like the vampire tried to weigh the body down but wasn't thorough enough."

Remy moved around the two females and over to the morgue refrigerator. He pulled open one of the lower slots and pulled out a tray.

"Male victim," he said, "late twenties. Ten bite marks. His rectum is torn. Died due to exsanguination. He was found less than ten metres from the first girl."

I frowned. "Can you identify any of them?"

He nodded. "All three are from Lafayette County. Victims one and three were both last seen in Lewisville. Victim two was last seen in Gin City."

"It is interesting that this female wasn't drained," I said, moving to take a better look at the second woman.

"I figured he lost interest once she was dead and didn't bother. This dick isn't killing for food. It's fun."

Unlike the first woman, the second one was blonde. Her skin, even after death, held the appearance of a woman who spent lots of time in the sun. With her nose and her cheeks, she looked like Sookie. I opened my jacket and pulled out my picture of Miss Sookie Stackhouse.

"Do you have a photo of victim two when she was alive?" I asked.

Remy walked over to a desk in the corner and opened a file. He pulled out a photo and held it out to me. Holding the two side by side, you could see clear similarities in bond structure.

"This girl, she another victim?" he asked.

"I believe she is alive. Taken by a vampire who became enamoured by her. The girl has friends who are threatening to cause trouble if she isn't located."

Remy hummed. "If I should come across her, I will let you know."

"I appreciate it. Could you also provide me the exact location these bodies were located. I'd like to have a look for myself."

Remy nodded and started looking through his desk.

The dead humans reminded me of what I has seen once before from Compton and Lorena. They always enjoyed playing with and then killing the humans they would lure away. Dead prostitutes in San Francisco. A trail of bodies in Chicago. And then for some reason, Compton changed his tune. But it seemed like it wasn't a permanent one.

With the locations of the bodies, I left Remy behind to finish his job. If I needed any information on the bodies, his detailed reports would have everything. I took off, headed straight for the first location on the east side of Lake Erling.

The woman's body half buried. The man's had still been covered but not far from her. Both had died hours apart and had been buried for the same amount of time.

I landed on the banks of the lake and took in the silence. There wasn't a soul in sight and not a single human in my range. It was a good place to bury a body, they just hadn't dug deep enough.

The ground from where Remy had removed the bodies was still disturbed and allowed me to assess their surroundings easily. The ground was overgrown and any signs of any sort of trace, physical or scent was gone. All I could smell or see were traces of the animals that inhabited the trees.

I sighed with annoyance but continued to move through the brush as my phone rang. I was surprised by the caller.

"Adewale, what can I do for you?"

"I have information regarding your missing human."

"Interesting." Curiosity coursed through me.

"I received a call just now from the Sheriff in Taylor. He has advised that a young woman has claimed to have been abducted by a vampire. It seems she has managed to escape and seek help from a local in Walker Creek," he explained.

"Do you have any description of either the woman or the vampire? Or a name?"

"Nothing yet. The Sheriff is going to speak with her tomorrow morning to have a full report. He wanted to ensure that he had assistance with the vampire if it manages to track the girl down."

"Would you allow me to step in for this case? If it is the one I'm looking for, I can save you the trip."

Adewale murmured something on the other end making me frown. He then said, "I will allow it. If it is a dead-end for you, inform me and I will send my right hand to take over. If it is, I ask that you return to me before you return to your own area."

I would understand if he had simply asked for me to keep him updated. I didn't understand why he would need for me to return to him. It would be a waste of time to drag the girl and the vampire, if I had both, back to El Dorado before returning to Shreveport.

"Any particular reason why?" I asked.

"While you have been sent to find the girl, if your vampire has committed this crime in my territory, it is my place to punish him."

"The vampire committed the crime in Louisiana, not Arkansas."

"And you're currently standing in Arkansas."

I liked to consider myself a level-headed vampire. Most vampires respected my authority and my age, but when they didn't, it was a nuisance to have to remind them of where exactly they stood. The difference with Adewale was his own role. Technically, we had equal levels of power, and while I was older, I was in his territory.

"I mean no disrespect to you, Eric. I wish to question the vampire myself. If you wish to drag him back to Shreveport after, you may do so. But I must ensure that my area is kept secure," explained Adewale.

It was an understandable request. "Very well."

I disconnected the call and opened my maps to get the location of the Sheriff Station in Taylor. I would make a visit before locating a secure place to die for the day, while also sorting out how to approach Miss Stackhouse.

I wasn't naive to think she would come easily. After her experience with Compton, trusting another vampire would be a difficult thing to do. And while I had no desire to traumatise the woman further, if I had to drag her back kicking and screaming, I would.

Sookie

Nightmares were a common thing from my childhood. When I was four, I was terrified of the dark. I would wake up in the pitch black and start screaming for my mum because I feared the monsters that lived in the dark. When I was seven, I woke up after seeing dreams of my parents dying, over and over again. A few years after that, it was a mixture of my parents dying and my fears that my great uncle would come back, even after Gran assured me, I was safe. And it seemed my pattern was to continue.

I woke up screaming. Blood and pain flashed through my mind as I shot up in a bed. My heart thumped loudly in my ears and against my chest as I took a deep breath to try to calm myself down. My body trembled as I took in the strange surroundings of a furnished bedroom that was warm and bright.

The door to the bedroom opened and a woman stuck her head in. She looked like the older version of the teenager that had opened the door. A set of dark curls framed her face, her a warm olive hue, and her eyes were a soft green colour. She gave me a sympathetic smile as she stepped inside with a tray in her hands.

Poor girl. She somehow looks worse.

My stomach growled as the smell of eggs and bacon filled my nose.

"I bought you something to eat," said the woman. Doesn't look like she's had a decent meal in weeks.

I opened my mouth to reply, intending to thank her and ask who she was, but a sob is what came out. I lifted my hand to cover my mouth as sobs started to wrack my body and tears welled in my eyes.

The woman put the tray down and sat beside me on the bed, rubbing my shoulder and hushing me. "It's okay, it's okay. Your safe now."

I wiped my nose and my cheeks and took another deep breath. "Thank you."

She smiled warmly. "My name is Marie Marks."

"Sookie Stackhouse."

Sookie? What a strange name. Suppose it could be a family name. "You look like you've been through something, my dear."

"I…"

How did you explain to a stranger that you had been kidnapped, by a vampire, kept in a house in the middle of the woods. Repeatedly raped and fed on. And then escaped when your captor forgot to lock you back up.

"You do not owe me an explanation," Marie assured me. Probably some drop beat asshole. She probably finally found the courage to get away from him. "If you would like to talk, I will listen. If you'd like to eat your breakfast alone, then that is fine as well. But I will let you know that I have contacted the Sheriff, and he will be by in a few hours to talk to you."

I swallowed another sob and nodded. "Thank you, Marie."

She squeezed my shoulder and stood up. "You are welcome, my dear." She picked up the tray of food and placed it in front of me. "When you have eaten, there is a bathroom through that door." She gestured towards the door beside the one she had entered. "I've left a fresh towel and some clothes for you. They might not be a perfect fit, but they will fit you better than what you have on."

I glanced down at Bill's shirt. I wanted to rip it off and burn it.

"I am just down the hall. My daughters at school, so it's just the two of us," she said, before moving towards the door.

"Marie," I called.

She paused.

"Did anyone show up after me?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No. After you collapsed out the front, my daughter and I brought you inside. I called the Sheriff, and they said they would be by this morning. Should we be expecting someone to follow you?" I've got my shotgun down the hall if someone shows up and wants to start something. Should probably make sure it's loaded.

I nodded. "I was taken by a vampire."

Marie's face stiffened. A vampire. Guess that explains the scars, poor girl. Probably didn't realise what she was getting involved in. "Thank you for telling me," she said before closing the door behind her.

I looked at the hot food on the tray in front of me and smiled. I grabbed the fork and dug in, enjoying the fresh eggs. All Bill had given me for weeks was junk food. Nothing as good as this. I was tempted to inhale the food before me, but I resisted. I enjoyed the food and stopped once I knew I'd had enough.

Moving the tray aside, I pulled back the covers to climb out of the bed. My ankle protested when I applied weight, as did most of my body, but I pushed myself to stand before hobbling towards the bathroom. Inside, as Marie had said, was a towel and clothes.

I took my time in the shower. Not remembering the last time I had been beneath the hot spray, I let it wash over me and remove the layers of grime that had accumulated. My whole body seemed to sigh with relief as the sensation and I left my grief out. I cried as I washed my hair. I cried as I scrubbed my skin. And I cried as I rinsed myself off.

Out of the shower, I looked at myself in the mirror and gave a smile to the sad girl I saw staring back at me. I looked cleaner, but still horrible. Dark circles, bruises and scars all stood out against my paling skin. The woman I had been before was gone, and I had no idea what was left behind.

The clothes Marie provided were a simple pair of pants and a t-shirt. The pants were loose but had a drawstring, and the top fit fine. I brought the towel out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom to find Marie changing the sheets.

She smiled when she spotted me. "Feel better?"

I nodded. "Much. Thank you."

"The Sheriff called; he will be here soon."

I nodded again. I fiddled with my towel for a moment and then asked, "Did you tell him about…"

"The vampire?" she asked. Yeah, and he was just as freaked out as me.

"Yeah."

"I did. We've never had a vampire around here. Well, not one that I've known of. But the Sheriff assured me that they have appropriate channels to deal with such things," she explained.

"What do you mean by appropriate channels?" I asked.

Marie paused, holding the sheet against her stomach. "Um, he didn't tell me everything. But it seemed like he was required to report the crime to someone within the vampire community."

"Oh."

I had always tried to be open when I had learned about vampires. But after suffering through Bill, I didn't want to deal with another vampire.

"Don't worry, Sookie," said Marie. "Whatever happens, Sheriff Ruckmen is a good man. He will do everything he can to keep you safe."

Everything might not be enough. I didn't say it. But it was what I believed. I had been stupid before, and I wasn't going to be like that again.

I ended up helping Marie finish changing the sheets. I held in the groans that wanted to come out as my body ached, but once the bed was made, I sat back down on the fresh sheets and placed my head on the pillow. My body was still exhausted and called for more sleep. Marie left, and told me to rest, and she would wake me once the Sherrif arrived.