It’s Complicated – Chapter Seven
CHAPTER SEVEN: MOVING ON
NOTE: My spelling is what is taught at school. It’s obvious that I don’t live anywhere near America. My apologies for any difficulties you experience. To my Beta Mims, thankyou for your patience! You are the best!!!
All characters remain the property of Charlaine Harris, HBO and Alan Ball
Sookie’s dreaming. She’s dreaming of what happened five weeks ago;
Jason has disappeared with some girl, he hadn’t even said goodbye or where he was going. How is she meant to get home? He’d driven them both here to have drinks and catch up with some of his old Bon Temps high school friends. Of course he saw the girl and that was it. No more ‘Sook you’re family we gotta be here for each other’. Jason’s friends are manhandling her. Matty keeps putting an arm around her shoulders. Travis keeps trying to lift the hem of her dress further up her thigh. She’s asked them both to stop. She’d asked Curtis if he could give her a lift to her farmhouse, as she doesn’t know if Jason is coming back. This is typical Jason, why does she fall for this every time? Oh. That’s right, he’s her brother. Family. You’re meant to trust your family. This is the last time she’ll fall for that one. If. And that’s a big if. If they meet up for drinks again she’s going to make sure she drives so isn’t stranded here like this again. She wishes they’d stop groping her. Couldn’t they act like gentlemen? Travis keeps leaning over her talking to Matty and sliding his hand up her thigh, causing the hem on her dress to rise up. She’s asked him to stop doing that. He smiles and keeps talking to Matty. Totally ignoring her request to stop doing that. This isn’t comfortable. She moves to the single lounge chair. How soon before Jason comes back? Why are they doing this? She’s repeatedly asked them to stop and leave her alone. All they’re thinking about is her, her breasts and getting her naked. Nothings making sense.
Sookie tries to stand. She feeling dizzy. Lightheaded. This isn’t right, something’s wrong. She needs to go home. She asks if someone can ring Jason to come and get her so she can go home. She’s not feeling well and wants to get away from here. She’s only had two drinks in the four hours they’ve been at Rich’s house. She ate a late lunch as she and Jason had arranged this outing yesterday. She needs to get away from these two. They’re making her uncomfortable. Where’s Jason? She doesn’t feel well. Her head’s spinning.
Finally she gets her balance. Rich stands up too, like a gentleman should when a lady stands. He has manners at least. What’s he doing, trying to hug me? Now he’s trying to kiss me. No. I don’t want to kiss Rich. I certainly don’t want him to kiss me. He’s married. Shirley’s visiting her parents in Minden for the evening. She thought Shirley and Matty’s wife would be here. “It’s for drinks and to catch up. They haven’t seen each other for months.” Rich, there’s something wrong with him. He isn’t listening. He won’t move away from me. He’s not listening to me. I still feel dizzy. Have to get home. Feels like I’m going to faint. Curtis is laughing at me. Travis is standing behind me. What are they doing? Where’s Jason? Have to get out of here. This isn’t right. Where’s my bag? Have to sit down. I’m going to be ill. Where’s Jason? I need to go home now. I need to leave. Now. I need to get away from them. They think this is funny. What are they doing?
Travis keeps trying to put his arms around me from behind. He keeps trying to put his hands on my breasts. No. No. I don’t like this. Oh. I think I’m going to be sick. I need to get to the bathroom. Just have to get away from them. Why aren’t the other three saying something? They’re all laughing. What’s happening? I’m going to be sick. I need to lie down. Feel sick!
Rich tries to stick his hand between my legs. What’s he doing? Where’s Jason? I need to go home. They’re not listening to me. I need to go home. I’m going to be sick. Travis won’t let go of me. Rich won’t listen. This isn’t right. What’s happening?
Sookie awakens pushing Eric off her. She falls off the bed. She’s gasping. Panting. She’s going to be sick. Memories of that night making her stomach rebel. She’d had four bags of blood before she went to rest. They were going to … she’s going to be sick. Quickly she kneels over the toilet. This is horrible. Just the thought of that night makes her physically ill. It hurts so much. Her stomach only has blood in it. She feels so ill. The floor tiles are cool. This feels better. She’ll lie here for a while. It’s cooler.
Eric wakes to no Sookie. She isn’t in the room. Searching their bond he can feel she’s close by. He smells blood coming from the bathroom ensuite. Sookie’s in there.
Entering their bathroom ensuite he can see his Childe lying on the floor. The toilet is full of blood. That’s the smell. Quickly flushing the waste away he looks at his Childe. She shouldn’t have been able to move. When they rested they are down until the sunset. What’s happened to rouse his Childe?
Eric cleans her face, he then gathers her up and carries Sookie back to their bed. She’s again resting, the sun is still up. He’ll have to question his Childe when she rises. He doesn’t feel the sun’s pull and decides to get on top of some of the paperwork that has accumulated, due to the events of the last week. Leaving a written note on his Childe’s chest of his whereabouts he proceeds to his office.
Sookie rises and reads Eric’s note. He wants to talk to her about her rest. She has no idea why. While going through her early evening ritual she has the feeling that she’s missing something. She feels uneasy, and there is a repugnant smell in their ensuite bathroom.
Sookie finds Eric right where he said he would be, in his office glaring at the computer monitor. Before she can say anything he directs her to the donor room and follows her to feed. “Come, My Childe, you need to eat. You need to keep your strength up. Feed and then we’ll talk.”
Their donors have been dismissed. Eric and Sookie are lying side by side on their feeding chairs. Eric can feel through their bond that his Childe is sated. He feels that this is the best time to address her rising from her rest during the day.
“Childe, I rose to you resting on the bathroom floor. You’d obviously been physically ill. How did you rouse enough to get to the bathroom?”
Sookie looked at him in confusion. “I rose from our bed. Same place I went to rest on.”
“That’s because I carried you there once I’d cleaned you up. You were lying beside the toilet. Didn’t you notice the smell in the bathroom? Can you remember anything of your rest?” Eric asks.
Sookie looks down at her hands where her fingers are picking at the hem of her top. She continues to worry the thread she has loosened. “Eric, I know something happened, I had a horrible taste in my mouth when I rose. I felt uneasy and as if someone or something was watching me. I read your note and got ready for the night. I can’t believe that I was able to move. I thought we couldn’t wake while the sun was up? How bad was the mess in there? It didn’t smell as like there was anything on the floor just the air was rancid. What did I do?” She asks Eric.
“You did the impossible for one so young. You rose while the sun was still out. Unless there is great danger and you are roused by your Maker you shouldn’t be able to move. Vampires die for the day. Older vampires, my Maker’s age, are able to rise earlier, the sun doesn’t have the same pull on them. They rise earlier and can go to their rest later than their brethren. You, being five days old, rose and was physically ill in the toilet. You were conscious enough to be able to do that. What can you remember? Think hard.” Eric requests of this Childe
He’s hoping her daywalking is not a vampire gift. His protective instincts regarding his newest Childe are ratcheting up to danger level. He wouldn’t be able to protect her from harm if she was to rise during the day. Her inability to remember what she did and what prompted her to rise is particularly troubling. Eric’s imperative need to ensure the safety of his Childe’s has him considering engaging additional day guards to act as her personal security. He may do that anyway, news of her being his Childe may attract various parties eager to have her in their retinue, by force, if necessary. Which means that he may be under threat too. Additional variables to strategise over.
“I ask that you attempt to recollect what you were thinking about prior to you going to rest this morning.” He requests of Sookie and adds, “If you aren’t able to recall I’ll need to engage additional security to ensure our safety. It’s not that I don’t trust you, if you aren’t alert when daywalking you may be harmed. I’m able to rise earlier due to my age, but unless there is imminent danger I’m unable to be awake. You know if vampires are forced to stay awake during the day we suffer from the bleeds. So please attempt to recollect what caused you to rise. I know it’s an emotional time for you and last night particularly upsetting. I never considered that you may be able to move about during the day. It may be due to you being a fae hybrid prior to my turning you. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and if need be record your rest. My concern is for you Sookie.” Eric assures her. “Tonight we need to appear at Fangtasia. Work and vampires wait for no-one. Come, you can drive while I attend to outstanding emails regarding our businesses. Real Blood is diversifying into miniature sample bottles this month. Most of the work has been completed, but there is always some follow up required on unforeseen issues.”
Arriving at Fangtasia, after Sookie’s careful driving, gives Eric pause. He has selected his Second in Command and she will arrive in the Area later this night. Clara had been travelling through Canada when he contacted her, asking, if she would consider the position. She was agreeable and wasted no time arranging her journey to his Area. The vampires of his Area will meet her after 2am. Her plane’s arriving at Shreveport’s Airport in an hour. Clara had been a nest mate of Godic’s for more than eighty years and is known for her pragmatism. She will complement his leadership style, plus allow him to spend more time with his newest Childe.
Sookie walks with him to his office. Situating herself on the couch she begins talking, “I remember going to rest after having my bath. Thank you for recommending a warm bath. It did help ease some of my discomfort. I died for the day. Sometime during the day, I’m not sure what time, I woke feeling physically ill. I had no problem getting to the bathroom. There weren’t any bleeds Eric. If anything was on my face it was tears from the pain of being ill. I remember dreaming. More of a nightmare really. It was the night it happened, the night I was attacked. I didn’t dream of the rapes or assault but what led up to it. I felt so helpless. They were surrounding me, touching me, saying horrible things to me. It was awful. I couldn’t get them to stop. They just kept on and on. Jason, of course, had disappeared to I don’t know where, it was with some girl. There were five of them. They kept going on and on. They’d take turns telling me what they were going to do to me. The worse bit. The worse bit Eric, was, that I could hear in their minds what they really wanted to do to me. I feel sick even thinking about it. Then I woke and rushed to the bathroom knowing I was going to be sick. There was no noticeable feeling about being awake during the day. Tthe next thing I remember is rising from our bed with your note on my chest. What does this mean? I’m not normal, am I? I’m never normal. Even in my afterlife I’m still a freak.” Sookie continued to rant, her insecurities making her incoherent.
Eric, keen to head off an emotional breakdown calls to his Childe, “Sookie. Sookie. Who wants to be average? Who wants to be normal? That is what is so attractive about you, my Childe. Your wildness. Your light. Your fae essence gives you such an elegant exterior. You glowed amongst the dullard humans. Get over this slavish desire to be normal. There is no normal. There is drab, there is mundane. Who wants to be one of the herd? You stand out. And. You are Mine. My Childe. My incentive to continue to exist. Without you the Universe wouldn’t still exist. If I lost you I would end everything and everyone. You were never normal and nor should you want to be normal. You are too exquisite. Now come here. Let me hold you.”
Straddling her Maker, Sookie hugs him. Eric runs his hands up and down her back, slowly working his hands under her crumpled top. A knock on the office door interrupts his attempt to rid her of the damn thing. He’s hoping to ease her into physical intimacy, getting her over the nightmare of the rapes. She mightn’t be able to admit what happened to herself, but Eric is more than willing to. He has her memories and he doesn’t forget nor forgive. He’s more than willing to torture them just to make one of them feel better.
Beckoning the visitor to enter, he turns his Childe around so she too faces their visitor. Thalia nods to them both and addresses Eric. “I have all five, Sheriff. They are secured at the warehouse. The brother has not been obtained. Just tell me when. I shall enjoy that hunt.” A rare smile graces her face.
Eric acknowledges Thalia report and dismisses her. Sookie turns to him, “What was that about?”
“Area business” he quickly replies. Then to turn her attention elsewhere, and he admits to himself, to distract her from her distressing recollections of ‘that night’ Eric suggests that she may wish to go through the costumes Pam had stored in her office. “Keep what you want, any others I’ll have valued and sold on consignment. There are receipts for the entire wardrobe, so what you keep I’ll pay retail price to reimburse Pam for her Fangtasia costumes. Those that she personally paid for that is, some I know she charged to me or to the business.” Knowing that her Maker has business that a five day old vampire shouldn’t be privy to, Sookie complies with his suggestion and departs to explore the depths of her older sister’s Fangtasia costumes. She too wants something to occupy her time, rather than dwell repeatedly on what happened five weeks ago.
Eric focuses on obtaining a novelty vampire to sit on the throne of Fangtasia for the masses to admire. He’s inspecting the photos of the three potentials. Engaging a replacement for himself ensures he has more time for his newest Childe. Sookie’s easy transition from fae hybrid to vampire is spectacular. Her ability to daywalk is of great concern. Her inability to remember rising may spell danger. He needs guards to keep her safe if she ventures out of their residence during the day. Additional security is negotiated for his Childe, while waiting for Clara to present herself. He won’t take any risks with Sookie’s safety. Now that she’s his he isn’t letting her go, ever. She’s his eternal companion. Her paperwork, as a newly turned vampire, has been filed with all the appropriate authorities.
He has another hour before the new Second in Command will arrive at the bar.
While attending to all this and his business ventures he continually monitors their bond. His confidence in Sookie is absolute and any harm to his Childe means the perpetrator will be dealt with immediately and permanently. There will be no mercy. Her wellbeing and happiness are his only motivation now. Feeding calm through to Sookie, Eric seeks her out in Pam’s old office slash wardrobe.
Eric’s astounded at the amount of clothes piled in the small office. He can’t believe that there is this many outfits stored in the office. Above all he can’t believe that he’d written most of the expenses off for outfits the past ten years as essential uniforms. He admits to himself that he’s relieved that his newest Childe is not a slave to fashion and pop culture.
“Sookie you in here?” he calls into the office.
Her blonde head appears from behind a pile of clothing. “Can you believe all this?” she exclaims, waving her arms to encompass the piles of clothing scattered around the small office. “There’s so much here. I can’t believe that she wore all this. Look at this corset, Eric. Even if we don’t breathe no-one could fit into this.” Sookie holds the aforementioned corset above her head for him to examine before placing it on a pile of clothing.
“What have you decided to do with the outfits?” he asks of her.
“I need a camera for the outfits back there. I’ll photograph each outfit and list them on eBay. These ones in front of me look expensive, we can probably sell the costumes through a fetish outlet.” Pointing to the pile against the far wall, Sookie continues, “Those can be put in shadow boxes and hung throughout the bar, just for fun you know.” Eric’s impressed with her organisational skills. Then remembers that before she was ill, Pam had said she was running the old Merlotte’s Bar in Bon Temps after the Shifter moved away. That is another thing they needed to discuss, what she wants to do with her human assets. Not now though, his Childe looks as if she is thoroughly enjoying herself. He knows from their bond that she is content with her chore.
Sookie has always been happiest when she’s busy. She’s always afraid that people will think of her as a freeloader. Her Gran had drummed into her thick skull that she needed to work to be considered a valuable member of society. This had been one of their ongoing disagreements when she and Eric were together previously, she was always worried about being considered a kept woman, whatever that was. Now as her Maker he can spoil her in every way he could imagine. He’s determined that she’ll learn to graciously accept any and all gifts he wants to shower her with without thinking of any ulterior motives or what others may think of her.
“There’s a camera in the safe. There should be enough memory cards to store and log the items here. Have you itemised the outfits? The laptop on the desk is loaded with the newest applications. Pam never used passwords so use it for this task. Clara will have another purchased for herself. Pam had so much junk loaded on hers it’s easier to replace the electronic devices than sort through them. If you want it for yourself, grab it Sookie. We’ll take it home and go through it. After that my dayman will take it to my technicians and have what’s essential copied for Clara.”
Eric offers to Sookie. “What can I do?” He asks.
“Go look mysterious and brooding sitting on your throne. I’m happy here sorting through this.” Sookie assures him and then asks, “Can we have this all moved back to our house so I can get it finished? Clara won’t want all this in her office.”
“I’ll get it all hauled to our warehouse. There’s enough room there. You’ll want to purchase a mannequin to dress up with the costumes for the individual photos. There’s a white walled room which can be set up so you can photograph the outfits. We’re going to be spending some time there so you can work on this, if you don’t want to participate in what I’m doing. Now I’m off to sit and be idolised by the unwashed masses. Come join me if you want,” Eric offers. Then continues without waiting for Sookie to answer, “I know what I’d do. Kranzte should be here in three days then he can be Fangtasia’s top tourist attraction, I’ll not miss this part of the night displaying myself for them to grovel at my feet.”
With that he leaves Sookie alone in the Second’s office and makes his way to his throne nodding acknowledgement at the occasional vampire sitting in the bar. He struggles not to lash out at the patrons, as word spreads that he’s in attendance tonight. Humans stand on their chairs to get a glimpse of him striding to his throne. He isn’t anything other than a zoo exhibit. It’s demeaning. It brings in money, but he has more than enough for himself and Sookie. He needs to review his business plan here. Fangtasia has the potential to be turned into a franchise. This could be something he and his Childe can investigate and develop together. Teaching her will bring them closer than just their personal intimate relationship.
It’ll also encourage her to maybe further her education. Eric knows Sookie didn’t attend University, due to what she calls her disability. He’d heard enough from her about how difficult school was with everyone’s thoughts constantly assailing her shields.
Their night progresses without incident. Eric completes his briefing with Clara and Sookie continues to sort through Pam’s Fangtasia costumes. Sookie is describing each outfit and logging it on a spreadsheet. He continues to monitor her through their bond, from his throne, while dealing with Area 5 emails on his phone.
Clara is amused with the amount of costumes Pam had stored in the small office. She chats with Sookie realising that being friends with the Sheriff’s Childe would lessen the formalities between herself and The Viking. She’d heard of the famed Telepath and finds her to be charming though somewhat naïve. For not even a week old vampire she’s remarkably composed. There’s something otherworldly about her. The Viking will have his hands full, if the rumours of them being Bonded prior to her turning are true.
Sookie gathers the last pile of Pam’s costumes and packs them in the empty carton. All the rest has already been hauled to the warehouse. With a glance around to see if she has missed anything and a relieved smile to Clara she says “It’s all yours. Sorry it was such a mess when you arrived. Eric didn’t tell me what time you were expected. Do what you want with the office, I think there is an expense account if you want to redecorate. I’ll ask Eric. No-one, absolutely no-one, needs this much pink in their lives.” With that she hurriedly exits Clara’s new office leaving her alone with the pink walls and floor.
Eric joins Sookie outside. The van has already left to deliver his errant Childe’s Fangtasia costumes to the warehouse. They are needed to be there too. Holding Sookie’s hand they walk to their car. “Clara is fine for the moment catching up with Area 5 activity. The bar can run itself until closing. We need to get on with completing the last of nights’ tasks.” He says to his youngest Childe as he closes her passenger car door. Getting behind the wheel and starting the car, he revs the engine, just to feel the power of the car, and turns to her. “At the warehouse the costumes can be sorted at your leisure. It doesn’t have to be completed tonight. Pam always told me girls like to dress up. Have some fun with it, take your time.” Encouraging her to enjoy what would be a boring task for any male and knowing that Thalia would burn the lot.
Merging into the traffic as they exit the Fangtasia parking lot he continues speaking, “What you need to know and I don’t want you to get upset about.” Eric takes an unneeded breath.
Sookie turns to him and quickly asks, “What? What is it you don’t want me getting upset over? What is it?” She persists in asking.
“Let me finish Childe.” Eric states. “What I don’t want you to get upset about is, I ordered Thalia to capture and secure your rapists. She got the last two earlier tonight on their way home from a local bar. All five are now in the warehouse cells awaiting my pleasure. They will beg for death before I have them healed in preparation for my entertainment the following night. They will know unbearable pain. They will lose appendages. They spend what time they have left in pain or waiting for me to hurt them. Anticipation is sometimes the worst type of torture. They will suffer Sookie.”
Navigating the traffic he continues “They hurt you. Remember, I have your memories. I know what they did. I know how you felt when those animals were hurting you. I know how you felt hiding in your house hoping that it was all just a nightmare, but each day looking in the bathroom mirror and realising it did happen. You, who didn’t ask for any of that. You, who’d served these pathetic animals at the bar with a smile night after night, week after week. They repay you by violating you. The cowards. They’re going to pay. Whether you want to take part in this or not, they’re going to suffer. They hurt you Sookie. They hurt you. This isn’t allowed. If I hadn’t discovered out how sick you were, you would’ve died. The universe wouldn’t exist today if you’d died. I can’t imagine continuing my existence without you. I wouldn’t allow the universe to exist without you. I would and will destroy everything, and everyone, if you aren’t here. You, Sookie, you are my reason to continue to exist. I realised this when I looked at you in your farmhouse, barely alive. So my Childe, I’m going to dish out some hurt. If you want to participate you’re welcome to. If you don’t. You have Pam’s outfits to catalogue, photograph and list on eBay to distract you. I’ll be in another part of the warehouse, you’re safe there, no-one can hurt you. No-one will ever hurt you again.” Eric assures her. “I’ll be with you for the rest of eternity. We’ll spend our time together exploring and enjoying ourselves.”
Explaining to his Childe his plans, “My contract to the Area has less than three years to run. By then you’ll have found your balance as a vampire. Though, even now, with how old you are, only days old, you’re adjusting extremely well” he praises her. “It’s something I’m looking forward to, us travelling and exploring. I know I’m going to enjoy being by your side and watching you discover the universe.”
Eric continues, “Tonight I get to enjoy hurting those who gravely hurt you. Tonight I get to exact some revenge on those who believe that it’s their right to take what they want without due consideration. I’m doing this for me too Sookie.” He assures her, “For all those times I was powerless. The times I was violated and abused by monsters who felt they were entitled to rape me, maim and mistreat me. Those that take what’s not theirs to take. I’m going to inflict some payback on these five rapists for both of us. They are worthless animals, humans, who should be deleted from the gene pool. I’m going to ensure that natural selection is given a helping hand in eliminating them from that pool. It’s for both of us,” he says with a smile.
Sookie sits quietly in the car as they drive to the warehouse listening to Eric and remembering what happened and how she felt and still feels. She’s confused, she wants to join in hurting them. From the moment Eric said he’d had them captured she’s wanted to make them hurt as much as she had suffered. Then she starts to feel guilty for wanting them to bleed, feel their fear. She doesn’t know what she wants. The more she thinks about what she can do to Rich, Matty and Travis the more excited she’s becoming. She’s confused!
“Eric, I want to hurt them. I want Matty and Rich to bleed. I want to hear them scream and beg. I want them to beg like I begged them, begged them not to hurt me. What’s wrong with me? This isn’t me. My Gran raised me a Christian, to forgive. What’s wrong with me?” She asks him with red rimmed eyes.
“Sookie, my Childe, you’re a vampire now. Your baser instincts are more prominent. The desire to avenge yourself is greater than your former human traditions. You want to hurt them. You want to bathe in their blood. That’s you, Sookie the Vampire. You’re no longer human. Your body is animated through magic. Your wants and desires have changed. Just like you only drink blood now instead of eating food for sustenance. You want to hurt them, that’s natural. You’re a vampire now. You’re my beautiful Childe.” Eric explains to her as they pull into the warehouse lot.
Getting out of the car and coming around to open his Childe’s door for her to exit the car, he continued, “You can watch if you want. You can inflict your own vengeance. That is up to you. But hear me, I will be exacting vengeance on them. You cannot stop me and if you attempt to I will make it a Maker’s command. They will not be allowed to live. Their pain and blood will give me some satisfaction. Their deaths will be after a long and painfully torturous experience. They will be begging for death. They can beg, but not until I’m satisfied will they be ended.” He snarled at her. The memories of what was done to his delicate Childe prominent in his lust for retribution.
“I’m confused, Eric” Sookie whined. “This isn’t like me. I’ve never wanted to hurt anyone. Well, except when they were hurting me, like Rene and Debbie. They were trying to kill me. The vamp hordes I was fighting for my life and the lives of my family and friends plus the townspeople.” She went on, “Now I want to hurt these fuckers, hurt them so bad, watch them bleed. Is this a vampire thing?” she asks of her Maker.
“Yes.” Eric replies succinctly. “You’re a vampire now. You are my vampire, Childe,” he says smiling as they enter through the small door beside the larger roller door of the warehouse. Looking around he points to a small enclosed area on the upper level of the warehouse. “The costumes are up there. There’s another laptop up there for you to use too. Don’t use Pam’s old one. Too much information on it pertaining to Area administration. You’ve got the bars spare one. Use it, abuse it. It doesn’t matter what happens to it. It’s due to be upgraded in two months, they’ll all be replaced for tax purposes in business write downs.” Eric hesitates and says, “Again, you’re welcome to join me at any time down in the cells and interrogation area where I’ll be dealing with your rapists.” Eric reminded his Childe, pointing to the heavy looking door.
“I’m too conflicted as to why I want to hurt them. Too new to want to bathe in bloodshed. All those human things you’ve talked about. I still feel them, Eric. I want to hurt them, but I know if I did I wouldn’t feel right. I feel unwell just thinking about it at the moment. Plus I don’t know how I’d react if I saw them again. The thought of touching them for any reason gives me the chills. I know I’m not meant to have human emotions but I do. I’ve got enough nightmares without adding to my repertoire. I thought vampires died for the day, they didn’t have dreams. I’m having nightmares. Even as a vampire I’m a freak. How can ….. ”
Eric instantly cuts her off before she spiral into a well of self-pity. “Childe! Sookie! Sookie, listen you are under a week old. You were brought over in traumatic circumstances. You are an extremely new, or young if you like, baby even, you are a new vampire. Your grandfather was Niall Brigant, Prince of the Fae Realm. As a hybrid, unlike Jason and Hadley, you had the essential spark. Now you are a fae vampire. The essential spark died with your humanity, you’ve retained your telepathy. Yes, your shields are a lot stronger and you haven’t lowered them. Nor have I asked you to utilise your natural ability. As your Maker, I know you still have your telepathy, remember, I have all your memories. I don’t have your fae skills, talents or abilities but I’m aware that you have retained them. That is a discussion for another time. You are not the only vampire fae hybrid in existence. You are rare, actually you are spectacular and more importantly, you are MINE. Never forget that, you are MINE, I will never release you. We will be together for eternity. You don’t have to participate tonight, I’m not going to force to. You’ve only used violence to defend yourself. I’m aware of that. I only asked so you didn’t think I was excluding you. Or hiding it from you. We’ll have no secrets. This’ll be for both of us. As your Maker, I’ll represent both of us. Thalia is also taking part. There’ll be only the two of us with those animals. No-one else knows. I haven’t told anyone. Thalia only knows I wanted these five secured. She doesn’t know the reason. She doesn’t have to know the reason. She is one of my oldest acquaintances. Her special vampire talent is her ability to hunt and track any quarry. She’ll assist. I know she’ll enjoy it and if they disclose or confess any transgressions she’ll remain silent. Unknown to most, Thalia has been one of my closest confidents for centuries. She won’t judge nor gossip. Ever.”
Walking further into the depths of the warehouse after directing his troubled Childe to the stairs to begin her clothing sorting he calls back to her “I’ll come see you in three hours. There’s a shower down here. You won’t be subject to the results of my session with the animals. We’ll be back at our residence before dawn. There’s blood in the fridge up there, consume two bags before I see you next, tonight. Continue feeding Sookie, it calms you. Hunger feeds your emotions at your age, it generates the instability you witness in new vampires.”
Eric opens the door to the cells. He was naked. It wouldn’t do to soil his clothing. Everything else will wash off down the drain.
Thalia, also naked, is waiting, poking a steel rod into the middle cell. Abuse can be heard coming from the cell. The entire area, thanks to Eric’s design, is soundproof. It wouldn’t do for trespassers to alert the pesky human authorities. He opens the locked cupboard beside the door. Inside are various implements that obviously had multiple functions.
“Where to begin?” he asks himself before calling out, “Thalia, bring out your prey, let’s have some fun.”
He turns smiling as he holding a cat-o’-nine-tails in his left hand. He’s looking forward to this. Eager to begin he flicks the whip through the air scaring the first extremely reluctant ‘patient’ being escorted out of his cell by Thalia.
Obscenities are being shouted by the occupants of the other cells.
“This animal’s called Matty, Sheriff,” Thalia introduces the prisoner to Eric. “I caught him as he was attempting to molest a female girl. She was screaming for her mother. He was laughing and forcing a rag into her mouth. The little girl was glamoured to report her attempted abduction and rape to the Police when I dropped her off outside the Miden Police Station. That should keep them busy and keep his family from attempting to locate him for the next month or so.
“You have done well Thalia” Eric commends her. “Distracting the human authorities gives us more time with these animals. I’m looking forward to intimately getting under the skin of these five. By the end they will be begging…”
The door to the cells opens. His Childe stands there looking determined and oh so delicate. “My Childe” he acknowledges, smiling at her. “Have you come to have some fun?”
Sookie nods at Thalia in recognition. “Fun? I don’t think what you and your hunter have in mind is considered fun by those who she captured. Then again, as I was sorting through the costumes, I glanced up and noticed my reflection in the window. It was the face of a scared woman. I didn’t like that. I’m not one to avoid unpleasantness because I’m afraid. I refuse to be afraid of these five rapists. They had their fun, now I’m going to have some fun. The fun they had with me will be the last bit of pleasure they will ever experience.”
If she wasn’t a vampire she would be blushing at the two of them naked. She’s not sure where she should look, then decides its probably for the best that they have no clothing on. Her Maker assured her that this would get messy, laundering their bloody clothes would be impossible. Grimacing to herself she makes the brave decision to maintain eye contact with both vampires.
Looking at the captive, “Eric, the rapist Thalia holds is called Matty. His wife Shirley won’t miss him, probably won’t even report him missing. Then again, she did take a $100,000 insurance policy out on him three months ago. That will help with raising their sons. Plus it’ll help with the new one. Though that one isn’t his. Its father is Rich. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Yes, even amongst themselves they can’t keep their hands and other parts confined. What was that saying we all learnt at Sunday School? Right, that’s it. Do not convert thy neighbour’s wife. They didn’t learn. Each of them was having it off with the others wives and girlfriends. Bet they didn’t know that? None of them had one bit of respect for the others. They called themselves friends. They are animals and fed off each other. Animals”
Sookie quickly approaches Matty. Eric shadows her movements to protect his Childe from danger. Snarling at him in Thalia’s grasp, she reaches up and grasps his neck. Her small hand covering the front of his throat. “Here, Matty. Here’s some of MY fun.” She closes her eyes and straightens the arm and tightens her hand clasping at his throat.
Matty begins to convulse. “No. No. Make it stop. Please, make it go away.” He starts to scream, gasping for breath. Thalia, with her vampiric strength holds him upright as he blankly stares at nothing. He then screams again and blindly attempts to escape her clutches.
Eric orders Thalia, “Put him back in his box. He’s done. You’ll be explaining this to us. Won’t you my Childe?” He turns to Sookie, “What exactly have you done?” He asks her over the screams of the hallucinating Matty. “Don’t tell me yet. Wait till Thalia has secured him. We’ll go into the other room where the prisoners aren’t able to hear. I find its better when they don’t know what’s going to happen to them. The suspense is half the process of breaking them. Come.” Holding out his hand he clasps Sookie’s and walks towards a third closed door.
“Thalia, when you’re ready please join us.” He calls back to her.
“My Sookie, you have hidden gifts? Gifts you haven’t told me of.” Eric questions her, then adds, “I need to know everything to be able to protect you, my Childe. Don’t leave anything, and I mean anything, out.”
Thalia enters and closes the door. She suggests to the pair, “Let’s sit. I don’t think this is going to be a short explanation.”
Eric seats his Childe on his lap. Holding and reassuring her that he was not angry only concerned that he didn’t know of this talent. He’s feeding pride and reassurance into their bond. Eager to discover what his Childe has done to the male, he begins to ask his questions, “What was that? Why is he screaming and convulsing? You only touched him briefly. What did you do?”
Sookie settles on his lap and turns to face him. Speaking directly to him, “We hadn’t seen or communicated with each other until the night you came to my farmhouse. During the five years we’ve been apart I’ve been experimenting with my telepathy. It sort of started when Bill attempted to have me use my light on him when he wanted to end himself. I didn’t, as by then my otherness was part of me, I accepted it. I wasn’t going to use it all up on him. As you know I staked him instead. It was revolting, Eric, honestly he was lying in his own grave next to his human wife’s grave.” Her whole body shudders in revulsion at the memory. “So it got me thinking, what can I do? If I can hear thoughts and shoot light from my hands, what else? Sam was a disappointment, you know. He wanted me to settle down immediately and breed. We hardly knew each other intimately. We were partners in the bar for a while and before that Boss/employee. I always knew he liked me more than I liked him, but I wasn’t going to have children with him if we weren’t compatible.”
Eric shakes her, “Sookie, enough of the Shifter. Concentrate. What did you do in there? How long have you been able to do it? Who knows you can do that? What else can you do? I need to know what I’m dealing with. How can I keep you safe if I don’t know?” He persists in reminding her of his original queries.
Thalia grunts in agreeance. Not wanting to know the personal details of The Viking’s new Childe.
Sookie huffs in annoyance. She’s using the story to delay revealing the information. It’s not often she can get one over him. Enjoying his exasperation, she playfully wiggles on his lap. Eric feeds his frustration to her through their bond wanting her explanations.
Thalia can tell that there is more going on than what’s being said. “Sookie, what can you do? We need to know so you can be kept safe,” she pleads with her. Silently shaking her head, baby vampires, they are annoying at the best of times. This one being her Sheriff’s newest Childe, she’s unsure how strongly she can admonish her. “Tell us or leave so their suffering can begin.”
“Alright, alright. You guys are no fun.”
“What’s got into you, my Childe?” He asks of her.
“I decided to listen to you for once. I’m not going to be a victim. Those five bastards raped me. They hurt me. But as you said I can’t continue to live in that pain. I know I’ll regress now and then, but no, I’m not going to let their brutality rule my existence.”
“Sookie, enough.” Eric sternly tells her. He grounds out “What. Can. You. Do?” Giving her a hard shake with each word. “What did you do in there? Tell me, now,” he orders her.
Sookie attempts to get off Eric’s lap and sit in her own chair. Eric is having none of that and holds her to him. She looks at Thalia. “Sorry. I’m sorry, alright. I figured out all this stuff I can do and had no-one to share it with. All of them were wary of me. They knew I can hear their thoughts and most of the time I shielded so I didn’t. Then I began seeing if I could push my thoughts onto them. Like, how you guys can glamour humans. Though instead of causing dark holes on their brains that you get from a glamour you can’t tell what I’ve done. There’s no trace that I’ve been manipulating their brains. I tested it out on the drunks at the bar. Mostly, so, if there was an accident it could be blamed on them being drunk. Jason had an idea I was up to something but didn’t want to know too much. He can always feel when I’m reading his thoughts. That’s easier with Jason because he comes across as a simpleton, so like me he’s not believed when he says he can feel me.”
“So, let me get this straight” Eric interrupts, wanting information rather than a trip down history avenue, “You touched that male human, Matty? You touched him and he starts convulsing and won’t stop screaming. Sookie, what did you do to him?” He again asks beginning to lose patience with his flighty Childe.
“I touched him. It’s similar to when I listen to someone. If I’m touching them, skin on skin I get a clear picture, no interference. So I touched him, and you’re right his name is Matty. I touched him and pushed my nightmares into him. He’s reliving being raped over and over. He’ll relive it until I stop it. The best thing, Eric.” Sookie turns to him excitedly. “The best thing is that as he becomes more hysterical he feeds into the nightmare making it worse. His fears generate a different rape. They just go on and on until I stop it.”
“So, my Childe, when you were being raped by these five animals. Why didn’t you push the nightmares into them?” He asks. Patience, he reminds himself, she’s young. “Why? Why didn’t you do anything when you were being assaulted?” Eric asks her.
“I panicked. They were old school friends of Jason. They are married men. I didn’t believe that I was in danger. When Jason disappeared with that girl. Now that I think about it, what was an unattached female doing there? I bet they set that up to get him out of the way. They know Jason can’t resist. He has to go to bed with every girl he meets,” Sookie did the air quotes to “go to bed” while telling Eric the memory forgetting that he now had the memory of that time. “I was scared. They kept touching me. I wanted them to stop touching me. I got dizzy and eventually did faint. When I came to they had my panties off and my top was ripped. All I could think of was to get them to stop. Stop them pushing into me. It was horrible. And I flashed back to when René tried to kill me. I was scared, all I could think of was to get them to stop.” Sookie sobbed into Eric’s chest.
He hugged her closer to him, silently signalling to Thalia to leave to give his Childe some privacy as she was swamped with memories of that night. Rubbing his hands gently over her back he shushes her trying to calm her down. He croons her name over and over.
Speaking quietly, Eric praises his Childe, “I’m very proud of you. You came down to the interrogation cells knowing who was here. You approached that animal. The bastard who kept pinching you, the one that gave you the tranquilliser that night. Travis may have been the one to arrange the distraction for your brother, the one you hurt is the one who initiated the whole plan. It was never about catching up. Don’t ignore what you heard beneath all their rabid desires, don’t ignore that. You know, this was planned. Their wives were all conveniently busy. The unknown women. Curtis trying to ply you full of alcohol. When that didn’t work, drugging you. Dunc making sure you couldn’t get to a doorway and get out of the room. Rich hiding your bag with your cell phone in it. It was all planned. Now you have to accept that they always meant to hurt you. They were going to rape you that night Sookie. You couldn’t have known your shields were up. You have this undeserved respect for humans. The same humans that have looked down on you your entire human life. Humans that made fun of you and tried to make you believe that you were defected, disabled and of no consequence.” He continues to rub his hands over her back, nuzzling her neck as he speak quietly sharing memories of her human life.
There was a quiet tap on the door. Thalia was returning.
Eric straightened in his chair. “We have three hours before sunrise. I want Travis, the dark haired one with the moustache.” He instructs Thalia, “Take him into the next room. Let’s see if he likes to be pinched as much as he liked doing it. Make sure the pinchers are hot. It’ll give him something to think about while we rest for the day.”
Standing, with Sookie still in his arms, he bends and gently places her on their chair. “Stay here Childe. I’ll have an hour or two with him. The other three can be watered down with freezing water for the last thirty minutes of the session. With the white noise I’ll be feeding into their cells, they’ll be uncomfortable all day.” Turning around as he is about to exit the room he reminds his Childe that she still had blood to drink before they rest.
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