chapter thirteen

                Sookie was busy at work. There were deliveries coming and she had bills to pay and pay checks to write and have ready for Sam to sign. She prepared the checks but she had Sam sign them. She sat back from the desk for a moment and thought about Preston. He had spent the weekend with her and left from her house to go to work. She liked the feeling of it, of making coffee and cooking him a couple of eggs and three sausages and making toast. He ate everything and put his plate in the sink and kissed her and thanked her. Sookie had still been mindful of not thanking him though he thanked her all the time.

                He dressed and headed for work and she did a load of clothes and dried them. She found one of Preston’s tee shirts and folded it. She wondered if she should clear out a drawer. What would that mean? Did it mean she loved him? She had kept clothes for Eric but not for Bill, he only lived a short bit away. She took her laundry and put it away. She went to the drawer she had given Eric and there was still a shirt and a pair of jeans and a pair of underwear, plain cotton jockey briefs. She took those things out and laid them on her bed and moved her things up to the drawer where Eric’s clothes had cohabited and laid Preston’s lone tee shirt in the empty drawer. She picked up Eric’s clothes and put them in a little canvas bag and put them on the shelf over the washer and drier. If Eric happened to come by, or if Pam came by, she would give them the clothes.

                She thought about Eric and Preston. They were so different. From Bill too, except there were strange little courtly things Preston did that seemed like Bill things to do, like the slight bow or the way he took her hand to step her into the tub with him or the way he came around and opened the car door when he took her to church.

                That had been something new. Bill had never come to church with her, even for holiday services, but to be completely fair, she was not dating him for the holidays. Eric told her he did not believe in anything so he saw no reason to accompany her to services, not even special ones. Sookie really didn’t understand why she had wanted Bill and Eric to go to church with her. Perhaps it was to show the people in Bon Temps they were not devils, they could be civilized, and they could stand on holy ground and not be burned alive by an angry God.

                So taking Preston to Sunday service was a sweet little treat for her. Preston of course was no more Christian than Eric was. But, he sat there quietly, listened to the sermon, stood up when the congregation stood and shook hands with everyone who turned and offered a hand to him.

               

                Sookie stood up and abruptly had to sit down. She felt a little dizzy for some reason. She sat still for a few minutes and then tried again and found her legs steady under her and walked back out to the bar. Sam and Luna were behind the bar and she surveyed the crowd.

                “Holly is about to take off if you want to pick up a shift,” said Sam.

                “I can do the afternoon shift,” she said amiably. “Preston is coming over and I am fixing supper.”

                “So, things are going pretty good?” he asked.

                “They are wonderful,” said Sookie. She lowered her voice. “I have never felt so normal in my life.”

                “I’m happy for you Sookie,” he said. “You actually glow like you used to.”

                “Thank you Sam,” she said. She busied herself with her apron and checked her order book and pen but stopped when she felt a strong buzzing mind coming through the door and right at her.

                Sam was over the bar and in front of Sookie before she realized it and the big person, a man with dark skin and olive green eyes was being tackled by her boss. They plowed into the tables that were luckily unoccupied and Luna grabbed the phone and punched in 911. She rapidly spoke into the phone. Sookie picked up her tray and raised it over her head and brought it down on the man who had Sam down on the ground. He turned and hit Sookie across the chest, sending her flying across the room and she hit the pool table at the small of her back.  She sank to the floor.

                Luna grabbed the ball bat and leapt over the bar herself and swung the bat. She caught the man’s hand and she heard his bones crack audibly. Sam was up by then and he grabbed the man and pulled him down. Jason and Hoyt walked in about that time and helped Sam subdue him. “Jason, check on Sookie,” panted Sam.

                Jason got up. Sookie was lying on the ground, looking small and broken. He picked up her hand and held it between his own. “Sookie?” he said.

                Sookie’s eyes opened and she felt something sharp when she breathed. She was sure it was a rib. Her back hurt and her shoulder felt strange. “Jason?”

                “Don’t move Sook,” he said. “Luna, get an ambulance here.” Luna went back around the bar, called 911 again, and ordered an ambulance. Hoyt and Sam had the attacker on the ground. He struggled against them.

                “Shift and we’ll shoot you,” growled Sam. He muttered to Sam in a language he thought was Italian and he tightened his hold on the man.

                “Who is he?” asked Andy.

                “Got me, but he was after Sookie,” said Sam. “It may be a good thing to call Eric Northman or Bill Compton when the sun goes down.”

                “Why would I want to do that?” he said.

                “They may know something about this guy. And Andy, he is a two natured, so you want to be real careful,” said Sam.

                “What is he?” asked Andy.

                “I don’t know, but it’s big, whatever it is,” he said.

               

                Andy walked over to Sookie who was lying on gurney. She was in a neck brace and her left arm was snugged against her chest to keep it immobile while she traveled. “Sookie, you know that guy?” asked Andy.

                “No,” she said. “I never saw him before. Sam, can you call Preston and tell him what happened?”

                “I sure can,” he said. “Luna, I’m going to follow the ambulance to the hospital, call Kennedy and have her come and take Sookie’s shift.”

                “Call me when you know what is going on,” she said.

                “I will,” he said. He kissed her and headed out. As he walked to his car, he dialed up Preston at the library. “Hey Preston, sorry to bother you at work, but Sookie was attacked here at the bar by a two natured.”

                “Is she okay? Was she hurt badly?” he asked.

                “Looks like a dislocated shoulder and maybe a broken rib and maybe a back injury,” said Sam.

                “Is she paralyzed?” he asked.

                “I don’t think so,” he said. “But they put her in a neck brace.”

                “Is she in Memorial?” he asked.

                “Yeah, do you know the way?” asked Sam

                “I’ll meet you there,” he said.

                Sam then called Bill Compton. “Hey Bill this is Sam, call me when you get this, Sookie was attacked. If you know anything about it, call me back. They are taking Sookie to Memorial, when I know more I will leave you another message. Can you contact Eric? I would appreciate it. Whatever it is that is going on, I want you two to handle it.” He growled that last bit into the phone. “Andy took the guy to Bon Temps Jail. You may want to talk to him yourself.”

                Sookie opened her eyes and lay there quietly, trying to think of all the times she had been in the hospital after she met Bill Compton. After Rene, then when she was shot by a shifter in the shoulder, and then when she was bitten by a new born vampire. Then there was the time she was attacked by fairies and she was at Dr. Ludwig’s field hospital. Now after being attacked by some sort of two natured. A two natured with a big brain signature. She tried to push herself up to sitting position but her balance was off because of her shoulder. Preston was there and he pressed her gently back down on the bed.

                “Lie down Sookie, you were hit pretty hard,” said Preston. “And leave the brace on, you may have hurt your neck.” She gave up struggling.

                “I think I recognized that signature,” she said. “His brain waves were huge.”

                “Like the things you felt at that vampire’s house in Oklahoma?” asked Sam.

                “Exactly like that,” she said.

                “We called Bill, and Eric, we left them a message,” said Sam.

                “Preston, you can’t be here when they come,” she said, a little panicked.

                “Easy dear one, don’t worry yourself about me around your vampire friends,” he said soothingly. He stared into her eyes and she felt calmer. Sookie sometimes thought Preston had the power to glamour her when vampires couldn’t. She closed her eyes against the ache and pain and a wave of nausea.

                When next she opened her eyes, it was evening and the sun was down. She looked over and saw Bill there. “You are always here when I am in the hospital,” she said.

                “Are you feeling better Sookie?” asked Bill.

                “A little,” she said. “What is wrong with me?”

                “A very mild concussion and a couple of broken ribs, a bump on the back of your head and some bruised kidneys and a dislocated shoulder. They relocated it and wrapped it up and they have you on pain killers and antibiotics. Eric was furious when Sam and Jason would not allow him to give you blood,” said Bill. He stroked her head with his cool fingers. “Are you thirsty?”

                “Yeah,” she said. Bill poured her a plastic cup of ice water and slid a straw in and raised her bed so she could sip the water. The water tasted cold and sweet and she drank all of it. Bill poured her another and she held it. “Where is Preston?”

                “Your new friend is very protective of you. He and Eric had strong words and again, Sam and Jason had to intercede. He has gone home to pack some things. He plans to stay here at the hospital and bring you home and presumably stay with you to help you recuperate,” said Bill.

                “I bet that burns you guys,” she said, sipping her water.

                “Actually, Sookie, I am glad you seem to be happy,” said Bill. “If I could not make you happy, I wished for someone to make you happy. I hoped Eric would be the one, but apparently he is not. Are you happy Sookie?”

                “I think so,” she said. “I can’t tell for sure yet, but I feel normal now, even more normal than when I was with you or Eric.”

                “I am happy for you,” he said. His phone rang and he looked at it. “Excuse me a moment Sookie.” Bill stepped out of the room she had been moved into and into the hall.  “Hello Rachel sweetheart.”

                “Is everything okay?” she asked anxiously.

                “Yes, everything is fine. I am just staying with Sookie until her friend comes back. Eric is heading back to Fangtasia and I will have to see him. I don’t know if I can make it back to your house,” he said.

                “I understand Bill,” she said. “Please be careful.”

                “I will sweetheart, and please lock your doors and be careful opening the door to anyone you don’t know,” he said. “We still are not sure what happened.”

                “I will,” she said. “Good night Bill.”

                “Good night Rachel,” he said. He hung up and stepped back into Sookie’s room. She looked up at him.

                “Was that Eric?” she asked.

                “No, it was my…friend Rachel Westnight,” said Bill. “We have been seeing one another for a couple of weeks now.”

                “And does she make you happy?” she asked. Bill nodded. “Is she psychic or telepathic or telekinetic?” Bill winced at the inference.

                “No, Rachel has no special quality except herself, which is lovely,” he said. “And I care for her very much.”

                “Are you in love with her?” she asked.

                “I don’t know yet, I think there is the possibility of love between us,” said Bill. There was a knock and Eric walked into the room.

                “Are you feeling better Sookie?” asked Eric.

                “I am,” she said. “Bill told me you offered your blood, I appreciate it. I know it was offered with the best of intentions.”

                “Bill, Sookie’s friend is on his way back and you and I need to speak with the person who attacked Sookie,” said Eric.

                “I will be there in a second,” said Bill.

                “Sookie, I hope you are well soon,” said Eric stiffly.

                “Thank you Eric,” she said. He nodded to Bill and turned and walked out of the room. Bill stepped back over to the bed.

                “He really hates me doesn’t he,” she said.

                “No, he doesn’t hate you, he still cares very deeply for you and he is hurt you are no longer his,” said Bill.

                “I didn’t mean to hurt him,” said Sookie.

                “I know, and he doesn’t mean to hurt you,” said Bill. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. His lips were cool and dry. “Good night Sookie, get well, call me if you need anything.”

                “Thank you Bill,” she said. “Hey, call me when you find out what this guy wanted.”

                “I will keep you informed,” said Bill.

                Bill walked out of Sookie’s room and saw Preston in the hall. “Let me know if there is anything Sookie wants or needs,” said Bill. Preston nodded at him with as much dignity as he could muster and went into her room. Eric was standing there speaking with Jason and Sam. Bill joined them. “Jason and Sam have agreed to accompany us, to speak to this man who attacked Sookie. They believe they will perhaps be able to reason with him two natured to two natured,” said Eric skeptically.

                “I don’t think it will hurt, I don’t believe we will actually be able to get much in the way of information anyhow,” said Bill.

                “Wonder if a witch would help?” suggested Sam. “Wonder if a witch could get him to talk, you guys can’t glamour us.”

                “That may be a good suggestion. We can call that little witch Amelia and see if she wants to help us. She owes me as it is,” said Eric. “We will have the talk and then decide whether or not to call her.” Bill nodded.

                “Let’s go,” said Jason.

                It was a good thing Sheriff Dearborn was not working the night Eric and Bill and Sam and Jason came into the police station. Andy listened to them and grabbed his key and took them into the back. The man was standing before the bars stock still. He eyed Jason and Sam and Bill and then Eric. He was nearly as tall as Eric and was as broad and as dark as he was fair.  Eric looked at him and the man did not waver in his stare.

                “Who are you?” asked Eric in Italian. The creature was a bit amazed. “Tell me, who are you and who do you work for.”

                “Fuck you,” he said in heavily accented English. Eric smiled broadly.

                “Well, if you are going to learn a language, the easiest route is to learn the curse words,” said Eric. “Do you speak English?” The man nodded. “Excellent.” Eric smiled enigmatically. “We don’t want to hurt you; we have no quarrel with you. You are simply following orders from your masters. Vampire masters are ruthless and exacting.”

                “I serve no one,” he said.

                “Now now, there is no reason to lie to me,” said Eric. “Your first master was once my master, Appius Livinus Ocella.” The man looked down. “So I know what depths your servitude took.” The man said nothing.

                “Why were you sent here to hurt Sookie Stackhouse?” he asked. “These men are her family. This is Jason and he is two natured and this man is her …very good friend. He too is two natured. It would be simple enough to allow them to change and put them in the cell with you.” The man stared at Eric but his eyes flickered to Jason and Sam. “Now tell me why you were after Sookie Stackhouse.” He looked at Eric and then turned his back on him and walked to the cot and laid down. Eric shook his head. “We will be back.”

                The four men walked out of the holding area. Andy was waiting for them. “Did he talk to you?” asked Andy.

                “No, but be very careful, he is a two natured and he is something very big,” said Eric.

                “Alright,” said Andy. “I can only hold him a short while.”

                “How long?” asked Bill.

                “Forty-eight hours. We have to give him the opportunity to post bail,” said Andy.

                “And will you call Sam and let him know who posts bail for him?” asked Eric.

                “I can,” he said. “We gave him his phone call. He called an out of town number, but it had an answering machine, and he was not allowed to leave a message because he was calling collect.”

                “Do you have the number?” asked Bill.

                “I do,” he said. He went to his desk and gave him the number. Bill looked at it. He handed it to Eric. Eric looked at Bill and handed the number back to Andy. “Do you know that number?”

                “We are not sure, but we will let you know for certain,” said Bill. “We may come back and speak to him.”

                “I will try to keep him as long as I can,” said Andy.

                The heavy set human had a scent the vampire did not like. She stepped back away from him. “Tell me,” she said.

                “He didn’t get her,” said the human.

                “Shame, we could have used her to our advantage,” she said, trying not betray either her vampire nature or her anger. “We will have to think of something else.”

                “I still say we burn that bar down,” said the man.

                “No, that would be too obvious. Compton owns a strip mall, maybe we should take action there,” said the woman.

                “One of the businesses belongs to Tara DuRone. A friend of Sookie’s,” said the man.

                “That would be an excellent target. Keep Sookie under surveillance, make sure she can’t go anywhere without our knowing,” said the woman. She slid her hand into her pocket and withdrew an envelope. “Arrange a protest for the general area and protest several businesses. Do this for a couple of days and then move on, after you abandon the site as a protest site, set the fire.” She handed him the envelope.

                “Pleasure doing business with you,” said the human.

                Mustafa Khan hated Vegas. He had presented himself to the regent of Arkansas and was immediately called to appear before De Castro. He hated the dry heat, the glare and the vulgar lights and color. Nothing seemed real to him, everything looked like cheap stage sets to him, and in reality, that was precisely what they were.  He drove his rented car carefully up the mountain road to the house owned by Filipe De Castro. He had already reached out to De Castro and he was being admitted.

                Khan had kept it simple. Eric was unreasonable and over bearing and did not pay well. He wanted more responsibility and he wanted more money. He parked the car and got out. He could smell the guards, the huge bear like mastiffs. He stepped up to the door and knocked. He was admitted by a vampire.

                The vampire led him into an office and opened the door. Inside was De Castro. To Khan, he was an overdressed dandy though he knew that was a deception, like the facades on the casinos.

                “Mr. Khan, welcome to Las Vegas. Did you have an enjoyable trip?” asked De Castro.

                “It was okay,” he said.

                “Eric said you were a taciturn man,” said DeCastro. “But you are also very direct, tell me, what can I do for you?”

                “I want to work with you,” said Khan. “I have skills.”

                “No doubt you do,” said the vampire. “But how can I trust you?”

                “Give me something to do,” said the werewolf.

                “There is something you could do,” said De Castro. “But that is for later. What I want you to do right now is to tell me everything you know about the goings on in my kingdom.”

                “What would you like to know?” he asked.

                “Is Eric involved with the Stackhouse woman again?”

                “No, she is with someone else,” said Khan.

                “Another vampire?” inquired De Castro.

                “No,” said Khan. “He isn’t human either, so maybe he is two natured.”

                “Where is the vampire they call Bubba?” asked De Castro.

                “He is at Bill Compton’s house,” said Khan.

                “Is he guarding Sookie?” asked De Castro.

                “I don’t think so, I think he is recuperating, you know how strange he is for a vampire,” said Khan.

                “Is Sookie protected at all?” asked De Castro.

                “Well, she has some close friends and they keep an eye on her, and of course Bill does keep an eye on her and he checks on her from time to time,” he said.

                “Are there any new vampires hanging around?” asked the King. He was trying to get a sense of how many vampires in his bailiwick.

                “No, and we have had some leave,” said Khan.

                “How many?” asked De Castro.

                “I never took note of them unless Eric pointed them out for some reason,” said Khan. De Castro thought about that for a moment. He opened a desk drawer and threw a bundle of cash, probably five or six thousand dollars.

                “This is your relocation money, rent an apartment, get settled, I will contact you,” said De Castro.

                “I’ll be waiting,” said Khan.

                Rachel was at work when Sky came down. Sky had been unpacking her boxes and putting things away all morning. She was just now heading out to go to Wal-Mart and pick up a few things she needed. She walked in through the front door. Rachel looked up.

                “Hi, how was your night?”

                “Not bad. I got the apartment painted and I put some of my books in the shelves and put away my clothes and my kitchen stuff. The internet people are coming to hook me up and the TV people are coming a little later. I am heading to Wal-mart to pick things up, if they come while I am gone, can you let them in?” she asked.

                “Sure can,” she said. “And you can come in through the back entrance from now on, no sense in you walking all the way around,” replied Rachel.

                “Anything I can get for you while I am out?” asked Sky. “I was going to get some TrueBlood to have on hand, but I don’t know what to get.”

                “O positive seems to be the go to type, but be careful about going through the protestor line with a container of blood in your cart,” said Rachel.

                “That bad huh?” said Sky. Rachel nodded.

                “That bad.”

                Preston helped Sookie out of his car and up on her porch. She was stiff and sore and her back was killing her. Preston was careful and patient helping her take the slow steps to the porch and the door. He helped her sit in an ancient recliner and then went and got his bag out of the car and took it to her bedroom. She watched him moved around her house comfortably and it made her feel good to see him.

                “Would you like a bath or a shower?” he asked.

                “A shower, please,” she said. Preston helped her to her room and helped her peel off her clothes and then he undressed and started the shower. Sookie let him rub her all over with his soapy hands. She felt that gentle stirring of desire as he bathed her but she knew it would be a while before she had the energy. When they were finished, he helped her out and dried her off and helped her into a loose fitting gown. He dried her hair and put it in a pony tail and helped her stretch out.

                “Sookie, you know I can help you heal,” said Preston. “It’s not as quick as vampire blood, but there are fewer side effects.”

                “Like?” she asked.

                “Well, you will just feel better and you will feel a little more fae, but you won’t be enthralled with me and I won’t be enthralled with you,” he said.

                “Enthralled?” she asked.

                “Yes, you were already bonding with vampires, I mean, Bill gave you his blood before he  had yours, but vampires who drink our blood, that is, our fairy blood, we enthrall them, like humans who drink vampire blood.”

                “So … could Eric have been enthralled with me in the blood bond?” asked Sookie.

                “Oh yes, “said Preston. “Even the small streak you have would have been a potent drug to the vampires.”

                “I broke the bond with Eric,” said Sookie.

                “You broke the bond to him, Eric is still bonded to you,” he said. “I could hear your blood singing inside him.”

                “So maybe he was just addicted to the blood,” said Sookie.

                “No, Sookie, he still cares a great deal for you, but his obsessive attraction to you is the bond. Eric should know these things, he should have worked the ritual to break the bond with you after you broke the bond with him, but perhaps he didn’t want to. I know I wouldn’t,” said Preston.

                “So are we bonding?” asked Sookie. Preston nodded.

                “The more I make love with you, kiss you, breathe on you and into you, the more bonded I am with you. But it is just a connection it is not something that will take your will away, or hold you captive. The fae are not interested in enslaving people we love,” he said. Sookie looked at him for a moment.

                “Love?” she asked. Preston nodded.

                “I love you,” he said. “And you don’t have to tell me the same. I know it is different for humans, the words of love. All I ask is you give me a chance, be fair, and try not to judge me based on your experiences with vampires. I want nothing from you except what you can give me.”

                Sookie did not know how to respond to this, this was the first time she had ever had a relationship with someone who talked to her about a relationship and what he wanted from her. Oh, she understood the sex part, but to have a man reveal his feelings and expectations…this was new territory for her.

                “Okay,” she said. “I will try my best.”

                “So will you let me try to heal you?” he asked. She nodded.

                Preston leaned over, kissed her, and then breathed into her. His breath tasted like beignets, cotton candy, and caramel. He continued to breathe into her mouth and she could see light, filling her up. He opened the top of her nightgown and breathed on her injured shoulder and with his fingertips, he traced a symbol that tingled and burned slightly, like when you scratch an itchy spot on sunburn.  He kept breathing on her and sometimes he came up, kissed her, and then returned to whatever part he was working on. Sookie could already feel the difference in her shoulder.

                Preston raised the hem of her nighty and kissed her bruises and then blew on them and traced more symbols on her skin. She felt something move and there was slightly painful stinging when the rib began to heal. He gently rubbed the place and then blew on it again. He gently turned her over and kissed and blew all around the small of her back and traced more symbols. The procedure was so relaxing she fell asleep.

                Eric drove his car into the back parking lot of the store and walked toward the gate leading to the back garden. He looked around, he felt tense, as though there was something out there with him in the night. He opened the gate and found Sky talking to Bill Compton’s new human companion.

                “Hello Eric,” said Rachel.

                “Rachel,” he said.

                “Nice to see you, again,” she said.

                “I thought I would pay a visit to our newest citizen,” said the vampire.

                “Take my chair, I was about to go,” she said. “I have to tally the receipts and get things ready for the deposit.” Eric suddenly stiffened.

                “Both of you very quickly go upstairs and lock the doors,” he said. The girls stood up and ran quickly upstairs. Eric was crouched looking back toward the gate. Sky grabbed Rachel and pulled her into the house and closed her door. Rachel took out her phone and called Bill.

                “Hello Rachel, I was just on my way out,” he said.

                “Hurry, Eric is here and something has him alarmed,” said Rachel.  Bill hung up and Rachel stood with Sky and watched the big blond vampire looking all around him.

                “Did you call Bill?” asked Sky. She nodded.

                “Come on,” Eric muttered. He stepped into a shadow still crouched. He watched as the gate began to open and he got lower.

                The thing was huge. It too was crouched and looked even wider, thicker. Sky breathed, “Holy shit,” she said. “What is that thing?” Suddenly two blurs appeared, two women.

                “Who is that?” asked Rachel.

                “I don’t know, they are vampires though,” said Sky.

                “Friends or foe?” asked Rachel.

                “Friend’s I think,” she said.

                Three others, just as massive as the first one, followed the big animal. They spread out and looked around them. They huffed to each other as they searched the dark for the three vampires. Suddenly the three vampires rushed toward the beasts. Eric had leapt up on the back of one of them, grabbed it under the muzzle, and pulled up on it. The other two, both women, had kicked two of them in the side and the animals came back at them. The fourth animal jumped on Eric’s back and sank its teeth into his shoulder. He roared with rage and left go of the animal he had hold of. He was pulled onto the ground and both animals were on him.

                One of the women, a tall blond, had killed her attacker and it had transformed into a human. She grabbed one of the animals who had Eric down and its attention turned to her. Eric got on his feet and challenged the creature that bit his shoulder. The animal crouched and was growling and huffing.

                Bill moved into the garden suddenly and he joined the other vampire, a dark haired one, who was on the ground with her attacker. Bill shoved his fist into the big side of the creature and there was a painful howl echoing off the sides of the building as the blond shouted for her companion to help Eric. She came around from behind, grabbed the creature, and pulled it up and Eric mirrored Bill and shoved his fist deep inside the animal’s chest and pulled something out.  He threw it on the ground and twisted the head off as it changed back into a human. Bill and the blond were holding the last of the animals.  Eric came over to it.

                “Shift!” he ordered. The animal growled at him. He kicked it in the face. “Shift!!”

                The thing shifted. It was a huge man, dark haired and skinned. Rachel jerked the door open and stepped onto the porch.

                “Stay there!” ordered Eric. She came to a halt. Eric was crouching down to face the man. “Why are you here?”

                “I say nothing,” he said in a thick accent.

                “You better say,” said Eric.

                “Fuck you,” he said. Eric lifted his foot high and brought it down on the man’s ankle. He screamed loudly.

                “Why are you here?” said Eric.

                “I tell you, then you kill me. I not tell you, you kill me,” he said. “I not tell you.” Eric grabbed the man’s big arm and twisted it easily, even Rachel could hear the arm break.

                “Tell me!!!” Eric screamed.  The man shivered but did not speak. Eric’s hand disappeared between the man’s legs and the scream was inhuman. “Tell me.”

                “You are too late,” he said. “We were not the main strike. We weren’t after you.”

                “Sookie,” said Eric. Bill left immediately and Pam became a blur. The dark haired woman still held him. “Rachel? Do you have any rope?”

                “Yes, at the house,” she said.

                “Can you bring it to me?” he asked. Rachel ran down the stairs and past the dead bodies and out into the night. Sky was still standing there. She decided to go down.

                “Eric, you are still bleeding,” she said.

                “Never mind about that,” he said. “Go back up, there could be more out here.”

                Sky went back up and Rachel was back, a little out of breath. It was very thick synthetic rope. Eric quickly bound the man and then made a call. “I need some bodies disposed of as well,” he said. He knew there would be nothing left of the bodies.  Rachel ran back into the store and grabbed a case of TrueBlood. She took it up to Sky’s place. She was already heating a couple of bottles.

                “Thanks, I only got the one case,” she said.

                “He looks bad, he’s not healing for some reason,” said Rachel.

                There was a knocking on the door. Sky went to it and she opened the door. “You are both invited in.” Eric was leaning against the dark haired vampire.

                “Indira, wait outside, Rasul and Heidi will be here soon to help you,” he said. Eric limped in, staying on the rag rugs since he was very bloody and some of it was not his.

                “Eric go into my bathroom, I can help you,” said Sky. She grabbed the two warmed bloods and she pushed him to the bathroom. She let the seat down on her toilet and pushed him to sit and put a True Blood in his hand. She came back and got some clean kitchen towels and took them in. She reached into the medicine cabinet and grabbed her scissors. “Why aren’t you healing like you should?”

                “They may have sprayed their teeth with silver concentrate or they could be using something else.” He drank the synthetic blood and winced when Sky peeled the tatters of the tee shirt he was wearing from his skin. She wet one of the kitchen towels and began to clean around the wounds. He could smell her, the sweet smell of her soap, her fiery hair. He could feel the heat of her palm and hear her heartbeat.
                “Sit up a little straighter Eric, he bit you on your side too,” she said. “What the hell were those things?”

                “An ancient breed of mastiff, favored by the Romans for war dogs,” he said. “I have to call Bill.”

                “Hold still,” she said. “These wounds aren’t healing very well either. You need human blood don’t you?” He nodded. She looked at him and rolled up the sleeve of her blouse. She exposed her wrist to him.

                “No,” he said, turning his face away from her.

                “Don’t be silly, what if more come back, you won’t be worth anything to protect yourself or anyone else,” she said. “Go on, do it or I will cut myself and you won’t be able to refuse.” He took her arm.

                “I’ll try not to hurt you,” he said.

                “Go on,” she said. He bit down as carefully as he could and drank. She watched as the wounds healed. He detached himself and licked his lips and teeth. He looked at her.

                “Thank you,” he said.

                “Come on, I think I have a tee shirt you can use,” she said.

                Bill arrived at Sookie’s house but Pam was already there. He came out. Sookie was standing on the porch. “What is going on Bill?” she asked.

                “We thought you were being attacked,” said Bill. “Eric was attacked.”

                “Is he okay?” asked Sookie.

                “Yes,” said Pam. “Bill’s girlfriend and her tenant has given him shelter and aid.”

                “Sookie, is there anyone you can think of, anyone DeCastro or Latesta might know connected to you who may be in danger?” asked Bill. Sookie thought for a moment.

                “Jason!” she said.

                “You don’t have to worry,” called Preston from the screen door. “I called him and he and Michele said they were fine.”

                “Sam?” she asked.

                “I just spoke to India, she said everything was fine there,” said Pam.

                “Anyone else Sookie?” asked Bill.

                “There is only one person,” said Sookie. “But I didn’t think he had picked up…” Sookie became suddenly pale. She sank down on the porch and Preston, ignoring the two vampires rushed out and grabbed her. Bill came up on the porch and squatted down.

                “Who Sookie?” asked Bill.

                “Hunter, my cousin Hadley’s little boy,” she said. “Bill, he’s like me.”

                “He’s…” said Bill.

                “Oh God, Bill, you have to go get him,” she said. “They are after Hunter.”

                “Do you have a number?” he asked. Sookie nodded and gave him her phone.

                “Remy Savoy,” she said. Bill went through the phone and found the name and speed dialed it. The phone rang and rang.

                “There is no answer,” said Bill. “Listen Sookie, listen to me sweetheart, they won’t kill him, they just want him, like they want you, to use your talent. We can find him, I know we can.”

                “Please get him back, Bill, he is just a little boy,” she said.

                “We will. Where is Bubba?” asked Bill.

                “I don’t know,” said Pam. “But he is becoming more and more worthless as he goes along.”

                Bill headed back to his car, pulled out his phone, and called Eric. “I know what Latesta and DeCastro were after. I am on my way back to you.”

                “I will be expecting you,” he hung up and put his phone back in his pocket. He turned to Rachel and Sky. “I am sorry I have brought trouble to your home and business.”

                “It wasn’t your fault,” said Rachel.

                “Is there somewhere safe you can go for the night?” asked Eric.

                “No,” said Rachel.

                “I just moved here,” said Sky, loathing to leave her place.

                “Well, you may be safe for a while. It very important for you to be very careful now,” said Eric. “Bill is coming back Rachel and he will be able to accompany you home.” Rasul and Heidi was carrying out the bodies and putting them in a large panel truck and then they came back for the struggling were. He was too tired and wounded to shift. “Secure him well, you know where.” Heidi nodded.

                Bill appeared. He came to Rachel.

                “Are you okay?” he asked.

                “I’m fine Bill,” she said. “Are you okay?”

                “Not a mark on me,” he said. “Eric, they are going after Sookie’s little cousin.”

                “I remember when she kept him a year or so ago,” said Eric.

                “Eric, he has the same gift as Sookie,” said Bill.

                “That is why he would be interested in him,” said Eric. “We need to make sure he has been taken. Where does the boy live?”

                “He lives in Red Ditch, “said Bill.

                “We need to get someone, a day walker there who can check on them,” said Eric.

                “I sent Diantha Cataliades,” said Bill.

                “Excellent work,” said Eric. “We may now consider ourselves at war. Call Alcide Herveaux and Calvin Norris and Sam Merlotte, I want to have a meeting with them.”

                “Why the two natured community?” asked Bill.

                “We need to find a safe place for Sookie and we need to arrange for security for Miss Westnight and Miss Faulconer,” said Eric.

                “You don’t have to worry about me,” said Sky.

                “You live on Miss Westnight’s property, you were here during the attack, they will mark you as a partisan. You will need protecting,” said Eric.

                “We are missing Bubba,” said Bill.

                “What else is new,” said Eric.