Sookie's POV:
The first week back in Bon Temps was mixture of happiness and misery. Although I was happy to be in my own home again, I was devastated at the same time. Devastated at the state of my marriage and mostly devastated by how much hurt and trouble I caused for Marten. I slept in my bed for days, before Amelia and Claude returned to break me from my catatonic state. Pam also came and spent a few evenings with me and Amelia. I had told her my side about what happened and I also told her my thoughts about Adam Woods.
"Vampires in New York are saying that he is by Marten's side constantly, even during business and royalty meetings," Pam mentions one evening. "I just thought you were jealous of this human, but now I come to see that you may be correct in your misgivings about Adam Woods."
I sigh. "I knew there was something wrong about him. I thought I must be going crazy to be the only one to see it."
"I could look into him deeper Sook," Pam comments.
"Maybe I can find a spell to remove him from Marten's life," Amelia adds.
I smile at the both of them. I was so lucky to have such two wonderful and beautiful friends. "Thanks, both of you. But Amelia, I don't think you need to cast any spells on him, besides Marten wouldn't appreciate it."
"He's an idiot Sookie," Pam says. "I mean Marten has always been an idiot, but right now he's being a booby."
I smile, trying to hold back my laugh, but I couldn't. We all end up bursting out loud in laughter.
The second week back in Bon Temps was a lot better. I still hadn't heard from Marten, he hadn't called nor sent any texts to see how I was doing.
Though it still hurt, I could feel myself beginning to heal. I think it helped being home again.
"Sookie, how have you been?" Sam says as he gives me a big smile and a hug.
"Hey." I smile back.
We spend an hour talking in one of the booths in his bar.
The new waitress, Gwen, pours me a cup of coffee and gives me a friendly smile. I read her mind. She had heard of me and how strange I was, but she was thinking that I seemed normal and very nice. She also thought I looked prettier in person than on tv, where she saw me before.
"So, that's what happened? And your husband sent you away for that?" Sam says, astounded as we continue our conversation.
I nod slowly and smack my lips. "I mean, I get it, I know how vampires are so possessive and have their own traditions, so I don't really blame him."
"You sure you are ok?" he asks.
I think back to my life and the most painful moments that I had experienced. The two most painful experiences were of course losing my grandmother and then Eric. The pain that I was feeling right now was nothing to the immense devastation I felt during those two events. The first week here I spend hours crying over him, wishing that he was here, then I wouldn't be in this situation. But then again it wasn't fair to Marten that I was doing exactly what he accused me of, which was yearning for another man. I couldn't keep holding onto Eric's memory just because life was tough for me right now. I had to stand on my own two feet and fix things for myself.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," I tell Sam truthfully. "I mean I'm sad about it of course, but he's a vampire king whose lived for hundreds of years, he knows what's best."
Sam gives me a knowing look.
Awhile later, I head home. Amelia had decided to move back in with me until I was feeling better and Claude rejoined us once again.
"I have a new video girls," Claude says as he hooks up his USB drive to the television. "I need your honest assessment."
Amelia and I roll our eyes and smile at each other as we watch the video with Claude. The video consisted of a series of modelling shots along a beach and in a forest where he was shirtless. Since when was it safe to walk through the forest shirtless? I think to myself.
We continue joking and having a good time, laughing and being merry. I sit back as I watch my two bestest friends in the world. Oh god, how I missed this, it was just like old times.
The week passes and I finally decided that I needed to do something. Whether it be volunteering somewhere or finding a job. I had sold my coffee shop a few years ago now. I wonder whether or not I should ask Tara if I could work at her store. She was currently busy juggling her twins, JB, and her business.
It wasn't because I needed money. I still had the money that Eric had left me, it was an amount that was life-changing. I knew that I would never have to worry about money again. I also had my allowance from my marriage to Marten. It was still being deposited into an account every week. I hadn't touched any of that money, I don't think that I would. I decide that I was going to send Marten an email, telling him to stop the allowance, or to donate it to one of the charities that I was passionate about. I didn't need his money.
I had to find something to keep me busy. I spent the past few weeks doing house maintenance, now that the house was in order, I had nothing else to keep me busy. I was glad to visit Jason and my other friends, but I don't think daily visits from me was something they weren't really interested in.
"We should start a business Sookie!" Amelia says. "Like a candle making business or something like that."
We were busy discussing my career options this evening.
"You could always dance at Hooligans," Claude chimes in.
I roll my eyes at him. Only Claude would suggest that. We all chuckle.
"Yeah, but I need to do something…." I lament.
It was past ten 'o'clock in the chilly evening when I head outside to take out the garbage. I was in my sweat pants, and Bon Temps high school sweater. I was also wearing my comfy brown uggs.
The cold wind sends shivers down my spine along with the void in the forest. I use my fae power to scope the area around me.
Whoever it was wasn't here to cause me any harm, so I turn around quickly, knowing that the individual would be there.
It was Marten.
I hitch my breath.
He looked like hell, like he was deeply conflicted and torn. His physical appearance wasn't as great either. It looked like he hadn't been feeding for awhile as his face looked gaunt and his skin more paler than usual. He was wearing a black leather jacket, navy sweater and dark jeans.
"What are you doing here?" I ask as I pull my strands of hair behind my ears.
I was hesitant to walk up closer to him. Did he still want to keep space between us? Was he here to officially end things between us?
"You look well," he says.
"Uhhh thanks," I say to him. "You… look like you've had better days."
"I haven't been feeding as much as I usually do. No human blood, but just sips of True Blood here and there and other artificial drinks," he says. His voice sounded so coarse.
"Oh…" I say to him. I wasn't sure what else to say.
He takes a few steps closer to me.
"I…. I have been trying to go on…without you," he says as his voice breaks a little bit more. "But it's been difficult. More difficult that I thought it would be. A part of me thought that I could just revert back to my old life, the life I was living without you."
I bite my lower lip. "It's never easy, but it does get better, I do mean that."
"Did….did you ever really love me?" he asks me. He sounded so lost.
"Of course," I say. "I do love you. I should've told you that every day."
A few tears escape my eyes. I quickly wipe them away.
Red tears brim his eyes.
"I love you Sookie," he chokes out. "I miss you so much."
More tears fall down my cheeks. I look towards the house to see Amelia and Claude peeking behind the curtains. I wave at them to let them know that everything was okay.
I fold my arms against my stomach.
"What about what happened? I don't want to make any more trouble for you with the vampire court and council," I say.
"I don't care what they think or what they say," he says. "I love you. I know that you made a mistake, I made mistakes too and….I don't want that to be the reason why we are apart."
I take a few steps closer to him. I was glad to hear these words from him, but at the same time I was hesitant. Countless times I had seen what happened between couples when there was infidelity involved. Things were never the same between them and most of the time those couple were never able to recover. Even though I had accepted my mistakes of my behavior at that bar with some stranger, I wasn't sure if Marten could ever get over it. I needed him to completely get over it, or else we wouldn't make it. I wouldn't be able to move forward with him if he held my past transgression against me.
"What are you saying?" I ask him.
"I want you to come home," he says.
I smack my lips and look up into the stars. I needed something, a sign to let me know that I was about to do the right thing.
Out of nowhere, a green shooting star brightens up the sky. Was this the sign?
"Do you forgive me?" I ask him.
"I do," he says without hesitation. I probe the bond and knew he was telling the truth.
I give him a soft look, before nodding. "Okay, I'll come home."
In an instant he is in front of me, holding me close. He takes in the scent of my hair and skin. "I missed you so much my wife…" he whispers softly against me. "I'm sorry too, I should've never let you go. I should've put you first."
I sniffle. "It's okay Marten, we both made bad errors in judgements, well mostly I did."
"I'm sorry for breaking my promise to you," I say to him as I lean against his chest.
We kiss deeply for a few minutes. I could feel his hunger, his hunger for blood and intimacy. I could feel that he desired intimacy most from me. The touch of my skin and my body against his, just to feel me in his arms, the same physical touches we shared throughout our relationship. His desire for sex and blood was second.
I go inside and tell Amelia and Claude to stay and that I was going to Shreveport with Marten. We were going to stay in one of Pam's secure homes.
Hours later, we lay in the bed in one of Pam's guest bedrooms, just holding each other. I had asked him if he was hungry, I offer him my blood, but he declines.
"I crave your company more than your blood right now. But I will take you up on your offer later on tonight," Marten says to me as he smiles to me.
"You smell like sunshine and faery and witch," Marten smiles at me.
We were both naked underneath the covers. I was glad this bedroom was underground and secure for Marten to rest for the day. I didn't want to be away from him.
I laugh lightly. "Yeah, Amelia and Claude have been staying at the house for the past week. They've been great company and all, but not as great as you. I've missed you a lot. Everything that I have been doing, you were not far from my mind. I was reading a book about Louisianan natural history and my first thought was how you would love to see those swamplands and animals."
We both smile, trying to hold back our laughter. "Maybe not," we say in unison as we burst out laughing. I couldn't imagine him take a tour out in the bush. Marten was one of the poshest vampires I knew, besides Pam.
It was getting closer to dawn as we continue to talk and hold each other.
I was tired but the sexual tension was heating up between us. I knew that he would go to rest soon but I still wanted to be even more intimate with him before the sun rose. It isn't long before we start making love, he bites me and drinks from me deeply. He closes the wounds after he has had his fill. It felt good to be with him intimately again. It had been weeks since our last copulation.
I fall asleep next to him.
The next evening I return back to the farmhouse. Claude had left, knowing that Marten was going to be with me, and that just left Amelia there.
"So, you have everything?" Amelia asks me as I hold my carry-on and my purse. I nod at her before giving her a hug.
"Come to New York soon for a visit?" I ask her.
"Yes, soon," Amelia says. "I just have some things to do in New Orleans first."
"Take care of her," Amelia says to Marten. "Sookie is one of the most strongest women I know, but she's not as strong as she looks sometimes."
"I will, I fucked up this time, but next time I won't," Marten says reassuringly.
"I forgot to give you this last night," Marten says as he holds out my wedding rings to me as we sit in the private jet, heading to New York.
"Oh," I smile.
I hold out my hand and he slips on the wedding band then the diamond engagement ring next.
"I knew that I had made the biggest mistake of my life when I saw those rings on the nightstand," he says to me.
"Is Adam still in New York?" I ask him. I hadn't forgotten about that swarmy character.
"He is," Marten says. "As a matter-of-fact, he told me that I should go to Bon Temps to get you back."
"Oh," I say, my mood somewhat diminishing. So, he was the one that told Marten to come and get me?
"What's the matter?" he says to me as he sits beside me while I look out the airplane window.
"I…." I didn't want to start another argument so soon. We still had other things to fix, mostly my reputation and I hated bringing this up, but it had to be done. "I thought that he was leaving, going back to England."
"He was," Marten says. "But he's been able to get most of his pre-production work done here. He's been a really good friend to me. And he wants to get to know you as well."
I didn't want to get to know him, as a matter-of-fact I wanted to erase him from our life. "I don't know. I mean, I don't know if I can trust him."
"Why is that?" Marten asks. "He's nice, he's honest and he's a great guy to be around. He's intelligent too, has helped with me a variety of tasks around the office and some of my royal duties."
"You mean he has experience with that?" I say, sounding a little bit bitter. I was failing miserably at trying to not argue with Marten again.
"I wish you would talk to him and get to know him, he's not a bad guy. He's… different," Marten says.
I decide to stay quiet about the topic of Adam and talk about other things.
The next night I was going over matters with the publicity crisis manager. Marten had hired one to help us get through "my scandal". There had already been stories put out there to help re-build my reputation and we were now going over other plans such as public events and interviews. I was listening to her, when Adam walks into the living room, by himself.
I give him a polite smile and look at the manager as she continued to talk.
"So, that covers just about everything," Amy, the crisis manager, says to me. "If you need anything else, let me know."
I get up as she leaves.
Adam remains after she leaves.
"Hi?" I say to him curtly. What was he doing here?
"I'm sorry Sookie am I imposing?" he says, trying to sound polite and innocent. He gives me a bright smile, which I suppose was meant to be charming, but to me, it was fake. I could see right through him. He had a likability charm about him and he knew that and he used it to get what he wanted. I was still trying to figure out that part out. What did he want from Marten?
"No, I was just to workout in the gym after this," I say to him as I keep my arms on my sides.
"I don't want to keep you from that," he says to me, still smiling. "It's just that I wanted to talk to you. Of course, I have permission from Marten. I am rather fond of him and consider him one of my best friends. I know how important you are to him and I guess, I was hoping that we could be friends too."
I stare at him blankly. I already knew the answer to that question, it would be a cold day in hell before I would ever be friends with him.
"Ummm, sure, as long as Marten approves," I say to him in a neutral tone.
"Great! I'm just going to tell him, he will be so excited. I can't wait to spend more time with you, especially since Marten and I are going to be business partners too," he says.
"Wait what?" I say to him, surprised.
"Yeah, didn't he tell you? We are going to start a production company together. I'm moving to New York! I'll be moving into the building as well. In the extra space below," he says.
Well, that was news to me. I wasn't sure how to feel about this. He was moving in with us?!
"Well, I will let you go. Talk to you later Sook," he smiles as he saunters out of the room.
What the hell was happening?!
I was annoyed, more like incensed that Marten was making decisions like this without discussing it with me. I wanted to call him and to tell him to get his ass over here, but I stop. After what I had done, did I even have the right to dispute this new move?
I put my phone down. I needed to do something but what?
Suddenly, a thought comes to my mind, Marius. I had no clue if Marius knew about Marten's new best friend, but if I could take a guess, my answer would be no. I knew that Marius loved Marten immensely and would do anything to protect him, and my gut feeling was that Adam had ill-intentions towards Marten.
I run into Marten's office to look for information on how to contact Marius. I knew that Marten rarely ever called him on the phone, whatever connection they had they went through their maker/child bond to communicate and Marius usually showed up on his own accord to catch up with Marten. But I knew there was a phone number somewhere to call him.
I look though the drawers, when I remember the secret drawer that Marten showed me when I had moved in. I look for the latch and open it. I find a leather book and open it and scour the writing for a number, when finally, I spot a telephone number with no name next to it. It had to be Marius' telephone number.
I punch it into my cell phone. I hesitate briefly before dialing it. What would Marten say if he knew that I was trying to call his father? I push that though aside, I needed to do something, I needed Marius to talk some sense into Marten about his friendship with Adam Woods.
The phone starts ringing before it goes straight to voicemail. There is no name when it beeps.
"Uhh Hi, this is uh Sookie," I stammer as I leave my message. "I.. I.. I just needed to talk to you about something. If you can call me back…. Bye."
I hang up and sigh. Here's hoping that he would call me back.