Look Before You Leap [True Blood]

22: Changes

"There will be a ceremony tomorrow night. I want to extend an invitation to the three of you; it may give you more insight into our cause."

RPOV

After Alcide's first day of training with Rikki we were driving home, Alcide hadn't said much and I was getting tired of his moody silence. "If you know you're going to lose why bother doing this?" I asked.

"Because I need him to know that he has enemies, maybe if other wolves see me fighting against him they'll understand what he's doing is wrong."

"Or they'll all end up just like him."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "I have to try."

"Do you know what will happen, if you lose? Is JD going to just let you go?"

"I don't want you to be there, just in case."

"That's not an option," I told him. He shook his head and looked out the window. "I know you told Rikki no but-"

"I'm not taking V Rachel."

"I know that Debbie and the Jackson pack got messed up on it, but it can be controlled. I've had vampire blood and I'm still normal. Maybe it's because I had it straight from the source, we could find a vampire who will do it. "

"I don't need to be reminded of your time with the fanger."

"Don't start," I said. The more upset we both got, the more I could see his emotion. I reached out and grabbed it mentally; I started to focus in on changing it. If I could just put him in a more amiable mood, maybe I could convince him. What are you doing, Rachel? I asked myself. I dropped the emotion. I wanted to get out of the car and go as far away as I could. I couldn't believe I'd honestly thought about altering Alcide. This power may have proved useful, but it was also dangerous. I wished I could trade it back in and get my psychic abilities back, I didn't want to be tempted by it. As soon as we pulled into our drive way I got out of the car. "I need to go for a walk," I told Alcide.

"Hey, Rach. I know you're just worried about me, but I'm going to be fine. Ok?" He walked towards me and reached up to push back my hair.

"Yeah, ok," I said. He kissed my forehead and walked inside. I slumped to the ground next to the truck and tried to breathe, I'd never wished I was normal more than I did at that very second.

LPOV

The next night I stood sandwiched between Bill and Eric in the room where Lilith's blood was kept. I listened as Nora and Salome preached how Lilith forgave Russell for all that he had done, and how the blood in the glass vial was not a symbolic representation but the actually blood of Lilith. "Oh please, I feel like I'm surrounded by Catholics," I mumbled. Eric gave me a silencing look.

Salome held the vial up. "Everyone in this room will drink from her."

I glanced up at Eric quickly and shook my head slightly. Dieter stepped forward before I had the chance to say anything and turned to Salome. "Who are you to offer up the blood of Lilith?" he asked. Before he was able to say anything else, Russell pulled his head off. Thankfully I was out of the way enough that I didn't get splattered this time. Each of the other vampires began nodding their agreement with the plan and I glanced in between Bill and Eric. Neither of them said anything.

"I'm not drinking that," I hissed.

"It's no different than any other vampire blood," Eric assured me. "It'll just be like drinking my blood."

I didn't want to do it but when the vial was passed to me I poured some out anyways, though I made sure it was less than the vampires were drinking. I wanted to hide my hand but Salome watched me very closely to make sure I drank it. It only took it a few minutes to take effect.