Scratches-Chapter 1

 

Authors Note: My new story is not BETA approved, ALL mistakes are mine. The amazing banner is all Gyllene! She is quite talented, so please let her hear the love for creating a banner from one of my favorite artist Kitrose. 🙂

 

V’’V

Where am I? Oh God, my back is burning so bad. The pain is deep, it feels like someone poured acid on my clothes and then the fabric melted my skin off. The smell isn’t any better, infected would be the lighter word to use to describe this burnt decayed flesh I’m smelling.

I hear people talking around me. The sounds are muffled through the fog of my pain, placing me farther from them than I probably am.

Shear agony beats through Sookie’s body, making it hard for her to focus on anything.

“She needs the poison removed immediately, unless you want to watch her die. Your choice Mr. Compton.”

Bill’s choice. Bill’s choice? What about my choice!

Sookie moves her head to yell at this unknown woman that her body is hers, alone. Instead, she utters a yelp when she moves her arms under her in an attempt to sit up from her stomach. The wound on her back quickly incapacitating her. To her relief she did get someone’s attention.

“Can you hear me, little one?” Eric’s beautiful face filled Sookie’s dazed view. His moon kissed features, pink chiseled lips and bright blue eyes softened with concern. He looked anxious, Sookie nodded weakly in reply.

“You were attacked on the road by a maenad, not far from here. She poisoned you, we need to drain the venom from your blood now, before it spreads further.” Oh my God, it’s bad. Real bad.

“After you are cleared of the toxins, you need to be healed.” Eric cups Sookie’s cheek with his large palm and rubs his thumb back and forth gently across her sun tanned skin.

“I offer my blood to heal you, my Sookie.” Eric spoke in low tones through his sculpted, sensual mouth. That sounds wonderful right about now. Also, maybe he should kiss me with those lips. Wait, where did which come from? Eh, who cares, it is a great idea.

“You would not need much, since I am an old vampire. My blood will restore you completely, while enhancing your senses.” He pauses for a moment, looking over Sookie’s head toward a growling sound. Silencing the sound with his own fanged glare, his eyes turn back down to her and continues with soothing caress and smooth voice.

“You will also have the benefit of my protection, little one. The choice is yours, but you must hurry before the poison gains root further into your body.”

Sookie breathed out in a rush. Seemingly relieved at Eric’s words as she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes to absorb the feel of his continued touch. Feeling his cool hand against her heated skin sends welcomed shivers down her spine. He is different than I thought he would be when I first met him. Arrogant and devastatingly handsome. Sweet and caring, I could fall for him.

I am grateful that Eric took the time to consult me, on my choices, my say. Why didn’t Bill explain this to me? Where is he? We had a huge fight and now he won’t even have a simple discussion? Things have not been going well, I’ve had a bad feeling for a while. I’m pretty sure I was only in love, with love, and not him. Honestly, I had no common interests with Bill, expect perhaps for the proximity to my home.

Pain seeps deeper into the muscle causing multiple spasms to erupt as she fails wildly trying to get away from the pressure of the sharp jabs of pain.

“Ah, fuck!” Sookie screamed.

Think about it all after I’m healed. By Eric. 

Sookie whimpered, “Yes, please. Eric, it burns so bad.” Tears streamed down her face to the tufted, velvet colored leather bench below. Eric’s finger swipes the salty droplet before it hits the leather and puts his finger in his mouth. His eyes roll back and he hums his appreciation, like he just had his first taste of sugar water.

With dilated pupils Eric focused back to Sookie and whispers, “Do not worry, my Sookie. I will rid you of the poison and then heal you, quickly.”

“The hell you will! Sookeh is mine!” The words scratch down Sookie’s soul like nails on a chalkboard. His voice sounded like he would shit fire and save the matches, he was pissed. “Over my dead body will you give her your blood.” Bill seethed, but Eric did not move from his place near Sookie.

“I asked Sookie what she would like to do about her body. She has made her choice.” After a short pause, he asks, “How was your phone call, Bill?” Eric looks attentively at Bill for a moment before tilting his face back to Sookie’s pained expression.

Eric expression looked conflicted but states, “Sookie, since you are currently Bill’s, it is customary that you take his blood-“

“No!” Sookie interrupts him. The declaration so forceful, she winced as the dull pain in her back spiked three decimals higher. “I am not Bill’s, I don’t want his blood. Eric, please.” She whimpered.

Sookie coughed a few times, trying to clear her throat while Bill’s surprised southern drawl indignantly stated, “Sookeh, you don’t know what you are saying.”

Bill glided silently to stand behind Eric, looking down at Sookie with pleading eyes while trying to maneuver closer to her. “Enough!” Eric wheeled around to block Bill’s movement toward Sookie.

“You are wasting time she does not have. She told you that is no longer yours, and requests my help. Go. Sit. Down!” Eric roared.

“I’ll call for you if I need your assistance.” Eric stood towering in all his six foot four magnificence over the squatter Southern vampire, until Bill cowered toward a table near the far wall of the bar. Keeping his head down and a scowl firmly placed on his face.

Satisfied, Eric shot Pam a look which seemed to speak volumes on keeping the Civil War vet in his place. Sinking back down to his knees, Eric leaned into Sookie’s shaking form before him. The venom rushed through her nervous system as he spoke to her in urgent, gentle tones.

What is happening to me? I hope he gives me his blood soon, oh God this is unbearable!

“Shh, little one. It will be alright. I will bite as painlessly as possible, taking as much of the poison from your blood as I am able. If there is more that I cannot handle, I will ask Pam to take over, and if it comes to it, Bill will aid us. Is that okay with you?” Sookie nodded and grunted her approval.

Eric mirrored her gesture. His fangs still out in their deathly glory as he leaned her neck, he kissed and licked the sweat from her skin. His fangs slid into her throat like a knife through soft butter. Sookie moaned, as he started to drink. With each initial pull, she groaned in agony but after a moment she could feel the toxin leave her body, sip by sip.

Eric’s right hand rubbed small circles into Sookie’s lower exposed back that was unscathed by the attack, as he continued to take in more poison. Eric was clearly trying anything to soothe the telepath, take away her fear. He is so gentle, who would have thought a Viking would be tender. Sookie giggled internally so she didn’t distract him, but she was dying to hug him tight for taking care of her.

Almost to his limit, Eric motioned for Pam. She moved from her protective stance between her maker and Bill to knell down next to Eric. Pam caught Sookie’s glazed blue eyes over Eric’s shoulder and whispered. “Almost there my friend, do not worry.”

Eric sat up from Sookie’s neck wound, licking his lips of tainted blood. Pam slid in between her maker and Sookie, found the already punctured wound Eric had made, and continued taking in Sookie’s venom spoiled blood.

Eric stroked Sookie’s cheek again in a comforting motion. Concerned that she was not prepared for the event to come when she caught his eyes.

“Thank you.” She said weakly.

Eric revealed a slow smile that flourished into a winning grin. “Almost there, little one. Pam will finish relieving you of the remaining toxin and then, I will heal you. I am proud of your bravery, my beautiful Sookie.” Eric spoke with reverence.

“No…Bill.” Sookie questioned.

Hearing his name, Bill stood with a triumphant smile, puffed out his chest and meandered over to Sookie. Eric looked up from Sookie’s mangled back and snarled at Bill’s attempt to weasel toward her.

“We have no need for your further involvement, tonight.” Eric’s face became completely impassive. “In fact Bill, your presence is no longer required.” Bill stopped mid step, giving his best impression of a caught fish. Eric’s tone left no argument. “Leave. Now. I will be in contact with you, very soon.”

Anger and frustration marked Bill’s ridiculously long face. He brushed hid Justin Bieber bangs to the side with impatience “I will not leave you with my Sookeh, she is my responsibility. If I do not watch over her, she will—I, I will not know how she is healing.” He amended, but not quickly enough for Eric to not take notice of his slip up.

“Who else wishes to know of Sookie’s health?” Eric asked through barely controlled rage, his hands fisting at his sides.

“I-no one.” Bill stumbled again.

Eric’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Have you informed Sookie about your position in Queen Sophie-Ann’s court? Procurer. I wonder if the, she, you spoke of is the queen herself.”

Queen? Procurer? Does that mean he was after something besides a quiet life in Bon Temps?

“I told you,” Bill tried to keep his face blank and voice calm. “I left her court to come here and mainstream-“

“Yes, your cover story was cute then, but no one, especially not a power hungry maggot like you, leaves her graces for a rotted hovel in the middle of nowhere. To mainstream.” Eric rushed to Bill at vamp speed, grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him up the impressive length of his arm.

“Every time we meet Bill, you are working for her majesty in some capacity. Pam and I have now tasted Sookie. Even with the poison, we can taste the Fae in her blood.”

Eric shook the younger vampire to accent his point. “Start talking.”

Pam finished filtering out the remaining bad blood from Sookie and healed Eric’s bite mark on her neck with a few drops of her own blood.

“Sh-she sent me for Sookie. But I fell in love with her. I’m in love with you Sookie! I was not going to turn you over to the queen, I swear.” Bill was gripping Eric’s arm and kicking his legs in a sad attempt to gain purchase and free himself.

“And.” Eric was so over Bill’s hysterics.

Bill grumbled, as Eric shook him harder. Bill did his best to keep his eyes locked onto Sookie shocked face.

“When I came to know you. I was trying to buy time, so we could escape.”

“Stop stalling, tell me what Sophie’s plans are.” Eric was furious as she growled in Bill’s pasty face.

“She wants Sookeh…for a pet, at court. Her cousin informed us of her abilities and the queen sent me to verify them, and then bring Sookie to New Orleans.”

Sookie gasped, waking up from her confused inner musings. “I trusted you!” She tried to sit up but failed once more, still in pain from the attack and now blood loss. “I gave myself to you, I defended you! I believed you when you said that Eric was a monster, even though I knew it wasn’t true.”

Panting in utter panic at the implications, she continued, “Oh my God, my life could have been so different if I had listened to my gut.” Feeling sick, Sookie turned her face down into the cushion.

Embarrassed, Sookie was ready to crawl in a hole and die. Pam felt the loathing radiating off the small telepath and laid her hand on Sookie’s, giving it a comforting squeeze.

“I love you Sookeh, you are mye miracle!”

“Love! Sookie looked up from her devastation to the vampire who would have brought her slavery. “You don’t even know what that word means! Never use it with me in the same sentence. Ever! Never call me again, forget you even know me.” Sookie sobbed.

“Pam.” Eric said with more calm than anyone believed he had. “Bill will be staying with us, permanently. Please escort him to his new accommodations.” Eric grabbed Bill’s phone from his front breast pocket of his hideous Henley shirt and threw him into the concrete wall.

Pam flashed to Eric’s side. “Yes, master.” Her fangs were out while she forced Bill up and down a hallway, toward a secret back door that led to the basement.

“Sookeh, please! I can make this right for us. I love you, I will always love you.” The words became more muffled once the basement door slammed shut.

At least I can no longer hear that bastard. We are better off. Wait, we?

Tears burned with betrayal as Sookie looked up to Eric’s concerned face.

“He lied to me, and I was so stupid to fall for it. I was so naïve.” Sookie continued to cry. “I’m a telepath and I fell for the first guy I couldn’t hear. What is wrong with me?” Fatigue set in, the pain of her back was compounded by the loss of her blood. Eric bit into his wrist, bringing his flesh to Sookie’s mouth.

“Let me heal you now, and we will finish this discussion later.”

Sookie latched on to Eric’s bleeding wrist with more vigor than she thought she had. Moaning around his wrist, she closed her eyes as she tasted Eric for the first time. Oh, God! So fucking good, how can this be?

Eric tasted crisp, a fresh sea breeze that sailed across her face as the ocean spray broke off the rocky shore. She was transported to the sunlight, standing as white foamy sea crashed around her in the high wind. Spinning in the sunlight until she felt a thick fur being wrapped around her as she moved closer to a blazing fire pit. The sky darkened to night and winked above with a million lights from the heavens.

Sookie blinked rapidly, while trying to remember where she was. She never felt any of this from Bill. His blood had just tasted coppery with undertones of dirt. Old, spider webbed, dirt. The kind of soil that you would need to replace every spring after a rough winter.

All too soon, Eric moves his now healed arm away from Sookie’s bloody lips and carefully picked her up bridal style. Her eyes flashed open, asking without words for more. Wanting more of Eric then she could even give words too.

Give me everything, I want everything.

Eric’s sea glass blues flashed with heat as she smiled back to him.

“Please, allow me to care for you while my blood heals you.” Eric whispers, as he tucked Sookie’s head under his chin.

“Mm, hmm.” Is the only response Sookie can manage as she closed her eyes, snuggling deeper into Eric’s silent chest. This is right where I belong. I have always belonged to him. The revelation was a welcome comfort. She had been feeling it for so long, she was not denying herself anymore.

Eric walked carefully to hallway off the dance floor while cradling Sookie close. Upon closing his private office door, he opened a secret entrance from behind a storage rack and descended to a day chamber he kept for emergencies.

V’’V