Sookie sat at the bar with a glass of whiskey and coke in front of her. That was as close as you got to consoling her over what she just saw. You didn't want to make it better. In fact, you preferred her wanting to stay the hell away from Bill.
Eric stood behind you sipping at his own drink while he ran a finger up and down the back of your arm. You leaned into his chest savoring the contact. Finally, Bill emerged from the basement. Sookie refused to look at him even when he stood right beside her.
"I want to thank you for securing my release," he said.
"Uh huh." Sookie stood but still didn't look at him. "Let's go. I have to pack."
"Pack?" His gaze darted from this blonde to the two of you. "Where are you going?"
"None of your business, Compton," you answered for her. You glanced at Eric and gestured toward Sookie with a nod of your head. "I think I better go with. Just to make sure everything stays on track. I'll pack when I get back."
He nodded once and kissed your temple. "Be safe."
You walked backward away from him with a little smirk. "Just driving to Bon Temps, Eric. Think I'll be just fine."
***
You sat in the back while Sookie drove and Bill sat in the passenger seat. They'd been arguing almost since the drive started. Fortunately, you were nearing the little town.
"You killed him, probably both of them, and you don't even care," Sookie said for the fourth time.
Apparently, Bill was as tired of hearing it as you were. "I am a vampire, Sookie. I needed to feed. If you insist on associating with vampires, you need to grow up. And if you wish to blame someone for the deaths, blame Eric. If he had fed me during my incarceration, I wouldn't have been so ravenous."
"You're seriously not going to take any responsibility? You know why you were in that basement. You would still be there if not for her, so watch your tone," you snapped.
Bill snarled at you. "Just because you and Eric are fornicating, does not mean you have any authority over me. So, you would be wise to watch your tone."
The car slid to a sudden stop causing you to rock forward. You glanced to Sookie with a frown.
"Get out," she said.
"Pardon?" the vampire asked.
"You heard me, Bill Compton. Get the fuck out of my car. First, you insult me and then you threatened my friend."
"I am not getting out of the car, Sookie. Just drive."
"Fine," she said before throwing off the seatbelt. She got out of the car, taking the keys with her and slamming the door.
Bill groaned and started to open the door until you stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"I've got this. I think you've done enough." You followed after your friend without giving him a chance to respond. You were surprised to find she'd already put a good deal of distance between herself and the car. She apparently could get a move on when she was pissed. You jogged after her. "Sookie. Wait up."
She slowed and turned to you with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. Something was in the brush keeping pace with you but you didn't even react. No sense in freaking out the telepath unless necessary. "Hey," you said as you reached her.
"Hey," she said as she turned to start walking again. You put a hand on her arm to stop her.
"Stay still."
She looked at you in confusion until another burst of sound came from the trees around you. She jumped a little. "What was that?"
You hummed to let her knew you heard, but you were too busy listening to give her more of an answer. You needed to pinpoint the origin of that noise so you could get Sookie the hell out of here. Suddenly, a figure stepped into the path and caught your attention. What the fuck was that? It was a thin figure with a bull's head and large clawed hands. You pulled Sookie behind you so you were between her and the beast.
The only weapon you had was your knife and you certainly didn't want to face this thing with just that. As the beast hunched forward in a charging pose, you pushed Sookie down the path. "Run, Sookie."
"What?"
"Just run!" You yelled as the beast launched itself toward you. Shit it was fast. You might be able to outrun it, but Sookie couldn't and you were keeping yourself between the two of them. Your only hope at the moment was that your vampire felt your terror and was on his way to perform a daring rescue. Or something like that.
You didn't look back—looking back only slowed you down. You just kept running and pushing Sookie forward when necessary. Then white-hot pain raked across your back as claws tore through your clothes to rend the flesh. Fuck. You collapsed to the ground and curled in on yourself. Oh god, that hurt.
Sookie screamed at a rather impressive decibel then yelled for Bill before kneeling next to you. "Oh my god. Are you okay?"
"Peachy," you said on a groan. "Fuck." The wounds burned and you really wanted to what the hell had attacked you because this wasn't an ordinary injury.
"Bill, do something," Sookie ordered.
You chuckled though it was masked in another moan of pain. Compton wasn't going to do shit for you.
"Eric will be here shortly. He would not appreciate my interference. We should go."
"I'm not leaving her here." Sookie sounded disgusted at the mere thought and you were certain you didn't have to worry about her returning to Bill any time soon.
"I should hate think you were refusing to render aid to my mate, Bill," Eric's smooth voice flowed over you. Despite the implied threat, he barely spared the other vampire a glance as he crouched by your head. He brushed hair away from your face and ran his gaze over your face to see how you were handling the injury.
"Something's wrong," you forced out through clenched teeth.
He bit into his wrist and held it out for you to drink. You took a long swallow before jerking away with a cough. Then you heaved as you vomited up the blood. The motion made your back burn in fresh pain.
"Fuck," Eric muttered. "What attacked her?"
"I don't know what it was. A man with a bull's head. It just stood in the dark then charged at us," Sookie explained, still sounding terrified.
"Clawed hands. The wound burns. Like acid," you added.
Eric gathered you up in his arms. "Bill escort Sookie to her car, then walk home. Miss Stackhouse can finish the drive without you I believe."
He undoubtedly argued, or would have if Eric had given him the chance, but you two were already on your way back to Fangtasia.
You passed out on the trip and were awoken by someone poking at your wound. You were laying on your stomach on something soft in the middle of the club. You hissed and turned your head to see a very short woman in scrubs. Eric stood nearby with his arms crossed over his chest as he observed. Once he realized you were awake, he was by your side in an instant, kneeling by your head.
One hand brushed your hair away from your face and he grasped your hand with the other. "All will be fine, mitt allt." He shifted his attention to the doctor. "What is it?"
"We don't have a lot of choices. She's been poisoned." She paused to examine something on her glove. "You hear of Komodo dragons? Their mouths are teeming with bacteria. They bite you then follow you around until you succumb to the toxins and you are helpless. Then it will devour you alive."
"This wasn't a Komodo dragon," Eric responded in annoyance.
"No. But the toxin is similar, only much more effective. I don't think I've seen it before but it's hard to tell without further testing and we don't have that kind of time." She pulled a blue bottle from her bag and looked at Eric. "You need to leave so I can remove her clothing."
You squeezed his hand. You didn't want him leaving you alone.
"She is my mate. I will stay."
The woman's gaze shifted to you and you gave a small nod.
She sighed. "Very well. You can help then." They stripped your shirt, Eric doing his best to jostle you as little as possible. It still hurt like a bitch. "Hold her down."
You didn't like the sound of that. Your fears were validated when the doctor opened that blue bottle and poured it across the wounds on your back. Whatever was in that vial hurt far worse than the wound itself. You clenched your teeth against the pain before finally giving up and releasing a scream that left your throat raw. Just as the pain began to subside, the bitch of a doctor dug one of her fingers into the wound and dragged it the length. "Fucking fuck. Son of a bitch."
You weren't certain how long the torment went on. It could have been hours or minutes that simply felt like hours. Finally, she finished. You were exhausted and still hurt, but apparently you weren't dying any longer. "You can give her your blood now. Her body should accept it. I'll expect payment by the end of the week."
Eric gave her a nod then bit into his wrist before offering it to you. You drank long and deep. When you finished, you remained still as you waited for the healing to kick in. Eric sat beside you, holding one of your hands in his own. Once the pain had mostly subsided, you opened an eye to peer at him. "A couple more decent injuries and I'll have more of your blood in me than my own."
He gave you a look that said you weren't nearly as funny as you thought you were. "I sent Pam and Chow into the woods. They found nothing but a scent they couldn't recognize."
You huffed. "That's helpful. Is it healed yet?"
"Nearly. Let me get you something to wear." He released your hand and you closed your eyes as you waited for him to come back. You heard him sit but kept your eyes shut. "Do you recall the last time your father drank from you?"
You furrowed your brow. What an odd question. But it had been months at this point now that you thought about it. "Three months. Maybe four. Why?"
"Because he felt your panic almost as soon as I did. Not only have I drunk from you far more recently, but as you've said, you've had quite a bit of my blood. It should have diluted your connection with him."
He was right but you had no answers for him so you simply shrugged.
He hummed then stood. "Come, mitt allt, let's get you cleaned up."
***
You called your father as Eric drove you home. You were dressed in an oversized t-shirt from the bar and your panties. Everything else had probably been burnt by now.
"Y/N," he answered. Oh, he was pissed.
"Hi, Daddy."
"Don't you daddy me. What the fuck is going on over there? You quit working for me because you were tired of all this shit but here you are nearly dying for free. Is it worth it?" His tone was one you rarely heard directed at you and you didn't like it. It immediately had you on the defensive.
"So are you pissed I was hurt or pissed I don't work for you anymore? I'm having trouble telling." Eric's hand found your thigh and gave it a little squeeze. You laced your fingers together with his and held his hand.
"Don't start that shit with me, Y/N Y/M/N. This is twice you've nearly died in as many days. I have every right to be furious. At least if you were still working for me, I'd know exactly where you were and what you were up against. I could send the entirety of the resources at my disposal to assist you." He paused and sighed. You could picture him pacing his office as he spoke to you. "I want you to come home."
Eric's hold on your hand tightened.
"Eric is my mate. I am home."
You heard something break on his side of the line. "You haven't completed the ceremony yet. It's not too late to back out."
"I accepted his claim. That is enough and you know it. What is this? I thought you liked him?" You took your hand back to rake it through your hair.
"That was before he proved himself utterly incapable of protecting you," your father snapped.
You swore you could almost feel the irritation and paid radiating off Eric. You took a breath to calm yourself before responding to Roman. "Eric doesn't have to protect me because he has faith in me to protect myself. And when things went bad, he was there to pick me up and take care of me. How many times exactly did I nearly die running errands for the Authority? I lost count but I'm sure you have a tally somewhere. I don't want to talk to you for a few days. Please don't call me." With that you hung up.
You were nearly home before Eric spoke. "Are you all right?"
"Sure. You?"
He chuckled. "He is not my father."
You thought aboutsaying he wasn't yours either, but that would be a lie and you knew it. Biologybe damned, Roman Zimojic was your father in every way that mattered. You simplysighed and turned to look at the window.