DALI-Chapter 14

Hello, lovely readers. I want to thank you all for following me and my little stories and putting up with my posting ways. This story is un-betaed. All mistakes are mine. Please enjoy!

Also I do not own these characters, I just enjoy watching them do exactly what they’ve always wanted. Eric especially enjoys the freedom to prance about the countryside. Please don’t tell him I said he prances. It was one time and there was fairy blood around….anywho. The story continues…

 

 

Pam crushed the vampire guard against the dungeon wall. Knocking off his ridiculous helmet in the process. Sookie was surprised to see a vampire wearing such a human uniform. Wouldn’t that kind of gear make their vampire senses dulled?

Whoever thought of dressing vampires up as storm troopers must have wanted to lose a battle against other vampires.

Standing transfixed with Pam’s rushed movements, Sookie was in awe of Pam’s lethal ability. She knew some of Pam’s past in England during the Victorian era and sure as the day was long, Sookie bet Pam had not been trained for fighting. Her sharpened skills came from her willingness to fight and Eric’s instances to protect herself.

As maker’s go, Sookie had no problem admitting that Eric was one of a kind in the cruelness of the vampire world. In her time with Bill, those words would have tasted like vinegar. Now, without the civil war vampires influence running through her blood and in her mind. She could see clearly. Feel clearly.

Pam slammed the guard’s head once more into a steel archway. Gripping his head between her hands Pam twisted his neck with a snap. Vampire explosion. Yuck.

Overcome with fear and nausea that Sookie missed the new void’s approach. Pam hissed at the newcomer, she sank down in her fighting stance ready to attack.

The vampire was a wide eyed boy, vampires could be deceiving in so many ways. The young could be ancient. Older vampires could be new, their world was full of trickery. The vampire boy had dark brown hair that hung around his shoulders. His frame was small, petite. If Sookie didn’t know better, she would have guessed he was sick.

Vampires were always well, they just needed blood to stay that way. A shutter broke out in Sookie’s knees just thinking this particular vampire looked too frail and pale not to want to feed.

Although, the boy wasn’t charging them. Even still Pam shoved Sookie behind her. Inadvertently wiping blood from an open wound on her arm and onto Sookie’s clothing.

“Who the fuck are you?” Pam barked.

“I am Alexi. Are you here for Eric?” The vampire tilted his head to the side in question. In that moment Sookie was reminded of Tina. How when she danced and laughed at something from someone else’s mind, Tina was there to question what was so funny.

“Where is he?” Sookie pleaded. “Please, we need to find him.”

“You both smell of him.” Alexi closed his eyes and slowly exhaled through his nose. His brow knit suddenly and he shook his head in the negative. Finally nodding to himself, he spoke, “This way.”

Sookie started to pass by Pam to follow Alexi, when Pam tugged my shirt. “Careful. This one seems unstable.” Pam warned.

I squeezed her shoulder lightly that I understood and trailed after Eric’s vampire brother. All Sookie knew was that she needed to get to Eric. The “who” made little difference. They followed the red lit hallways for a few more minutes in silence.

“How did you get here, Alexi?” Sookie asked. “Last I heard, you were…free of your maker.”

“Yes, I was. After one hundred years I belonged to myself. And it was magnificent.” Alexi chuckled darkly. He stopped abruptly and turned to face Sookie and Pam. Causing Sookie to gasp and stop dead in her tracks at his movements. “I was captured. Eric was taken as well-. Don’t stand so close to me!”

Sookie backed up flush against Pam’s front, before feeling Pam step in front of the telepath.

“Sookie is Eric’s bonded.” Pam seethed. “You would do well to remember this.”

Oh shit!

Eric’s vampire brother was gonna lose it. Alexi was gripping his hair in both hands and swaying side to side, chanting.

“Don’t inhale.

…Yes, breathe her in…

No, she is not yours

…She could be, for a while…

You can’t just take her, I won’t let you!

…Yes I can, Master would approve. He would love for Eric to watch too…

Fuck Master, he is not here any longer. He will never be here again!” Alexi started laughing manically.

“Don’t. Don’t. Don’t!” The deranged vampire banged his head on a crumbling concrete wall.

“You smell divine Sookie.” Alexi turned to view the telepath and the vampire. His eyes dilated wide with no color to be seen. Not that Sookie was in a hurry to get closer.

“Pam is right, I can’t have your blood. No matter what the other says, I cannot break my brother that way.” Alexi was crying bright red blood tears, shaking like a leaf as he spoke. “Please, keep your distance. I am-I am not well.”

“Fucking bloody hell. That much is crystal fucking clear.” I glared in Pam’s direction. Thanks for that input, so not helping.

“Okay. Why do you think you are unwell?” Sookie questioned. He was quite disturbed, that was true. Alexi reminded her of poor Terry from Merlotte’s.

Terry suffered from PTSD. It was heartbreaking that such a good man would be inflicted with demons from his time at war. Defending his country was an honor that we wore proudly but it had cost him. Here Sookie was, in a palace maze of a dungeon, looking for her beloved vampire as war was waged above their heads. Only to be witnessing another person, a vampire with the same post-traumatic stress issues.

“My maker left me in ruin.” Alexi’s voice rasped against his dry lips. “I cannot turn off my instincts. I try. Th-They take me, I will destroy you all if you get too close.” He closed his eyes and blew out an unneeded breath. Expelling what I hoped was my scent from his long dead lungs. “Your right, Eric wouldn’t like it. Please watch her.” He begged Pam.

“I already do.” Pam replied blandly. “Don’t worry yourself, I can handle you.”

Alexi stared at her without blinking. “No, you can’t.” Fear slid down my spine and settled in my toes at his cold tone. He had no arrogance in his demeanor. I had no illusions to the threat, I absolutely believed him.

Damn it!

Pam ended the awkwardness of the moment with a snap of her elegant fingers. “Enough of this foolishness, we need to get to Eric now. Sookie needs to feed him.”

“We are close to his cell. Follow me.” Alexi turned on a dime and continued a slow job through the corridor. A twist and turn later we were staring in front of another cell door. Near the door was a one way mirror, so anyone could view the prisoner without having to go inside.

A beautiful woman, or vampire, was holding a stake over Eric’s chest. I pushed my way past Pam and Alexi to open the door. Throwing all my weight hard against the metal barrier, which made the thing open, thud and bounce off the concrete wall.

“Eric!” He was naked, stretched out and tied up with silver chains. The poisonous gray metal were so deep that they were buried halfway into his skin. I gasped. Eric was covered in dried blood, some recent cuts spilt more of his ancient essence in a slow ooze. Off the table and onto the floor, his blood trickled onto the cell floor. I was horrified and furious that Eric was treated so poorly.

The woman halted her movement, setting the stake aside in to view me completely. Eric’s beautiful eyes found mine without lifting his head.

“Sookie… No, run.” His voice was hoarse, his fangs peeled back from his lips. His blue eyes blazed with warning as the bond flared back to life. The reemergence of Eric in the bond made me sway on my feet.

To feel Eric again was like coming home. He was in pain, weakened by blood loss. I knew I needed to feed him. But first to get rid of this piece of shit that stood between me and my man.

“Get away from him, you bitch!” I roared with a voice I didn’t know I had. This must be Freyda. Had to be her. She was dressed far too fancy to be just a guard. The diamonds, the fine clothes, everything she sported were enough to say “pampered brat” let alone queen of a state in America.

“Ah, Sookie at last. What a pleasant surprise. Eric and I have been discussing your future, as my child.” She smiled with full fangs and she rounded the table Eric was ruthlessly strapped to. Effectively blocking my view of him.

“That won’t happen. Ever.” I spat with conviction toward the coward before me. The vampire Queen reminded me of one of those reality TV housewives. This one was looking to exploit any advantage she could get.

“Oh, no? My, what a pretentious little human you are. We shall have to rectify that.” Freyda was on me before I could say, “boo.”

Freyda held my head to the side as she smelled my neck. “Mmmm, no wonder the Viking is so protective over you. Your scent is extraordinary. Maybe I’ll play with you for a while before you become mine.” Her breath was a chilled breeze on my skin. I was repulsed and struggled to break free of the vampire’s grasp.

Eric thrashed against his silver bonds, burning more of his skin and hair off in the process. He was frantic to get to me. He would have moved the table closer to me, had it not been bolted to the floor. Eric growled and roared his protest. Quickly losing steam and laying his head back down. He had lost so much blood, his energy was waning.

“Shut the fuck up, Eric.” Freyda snapped. “You had your chance to behave and adhere to my wishes.” Freyda licked my throat. I closed my eye against the pain of the strike that I knew was coming, when she was gone. Propelled across the room as Pam pounced on her, punching her over and over. Screams and snarls echoed off the walls of the cell as they battled.

Panting hard after being unceremoniously dropped to the floor, I looked up to see Alexi staring at Eric. He was stock still, hovering like a menace.

“Hurry, free him.” His eyes were frantic, I felt as if he was trying to look anywhere but at me.

I crawled off my knees and stood. Running over the few feet to the table where Eric was incarcerated. “Oh, baby. Hush now, I’m here.” Touching his bloodied forehead with my fingers. Offering any comfort I could and sending love and reassurance into the bond.

“Sookie.” Eric breathed out, his eyes widened as he looked past her to Alexi in fear. “Th-the silver. The table-it it burns.” I gasped and stepped back in disgust at such a creation. I wasn’t looking at a mere metal table, I was looking at a custom silver hell. This was gonna be bad. Real bad. I hoped drinking from me was going to be enough for Eric to regain his strength. I now had my doubts.

Alexi materialized next to me, I yelped in surprise. He inhaled slightly and handed me a non-silver key.

“It may not be silver, but the bindings are.” He nodded to the locks on the chains. Unlocking Eric’s wrists and ankles was difficult as I tried my best to avoid Pam and Freyda. They were fighting at break neck speed around the room. Luckily Pam seemed to be winning. She was real close to a choke hold a time or two before the queen would slip free.

My focus was trained on Eric.

And now the messy part. I thought, groaning inwardly.

“Alexi, I need your help. But be gentle, please.” I leaned in and kissed Eric on his lips. “I’m sorry honey, this is gonna hurt.”

“Lover…” Eric’s voice cracked, his eyes hooded. He was exhausted.

“As soon as you’re free of this cage, I’m gonna feed you. Just hang on, baby.”

Alexi was on Eric’s other side of the silver table. Eric growled at his brother, probably unsure of his intentions. That made two of us. Rubbing Eric’s arm I soothed, “He helped us find you, honey. It’s okay.” Eric’s chest slowly stopped vibrating in warning. “Fast or slow?”

Eric’s gaze broke from Alexi to mine. “Fast. It will be less painful.”

Okey-dokey.

Looking to Alexi I said. “Let’s push him up from the shoulders and then bend his legs at the knee so you can pick him up and off the table. Your clothes should be enough to shield you.” At least that is what I hoped would happen.

Alexi nodded, stepped forward and gripped Eric’s shoulder. He cried out, speaking in his native tongue fast and furious as we lifted him from the table.

Dollars to donuts, he was saying a few choice phrases about the pain. Extending my arm under Eric’s left knee and then the other, I helped Alexi slid his arms around my bonded. His skin sounded like bacon in the grill but smelled like burnt toast.

Alexi picked him up and moved him to the floor away from the cured table. I passed by a tray filled with various knives and silver string tied at the ends by pieces of wood.

Kneeling by Eric’s head, I quickly sliced my wrist with the silver blade. I didn’t feel the cut, seeing Eric regain his former energy was reward enough. Pressing the wound to Eric’s mouth, he begins to drink in earnest.

Thank God.

Pam has Freyda’s arms trapped under her as she reached for the silver manacle we just freed Eric from. Freya was cursing and thrashing to get away.

Gazing down to Eric once more. His eyes are burning with need and regret. Two, three, four gulps. Eric tried to pull away from my self-inflicted wound but I knew that he needed more. The bond whispered to me that he needed more, that must mean that the bond knows when he should stop.

Interesting.

“More, you won’t hurt me. I promise. Please drink, baby.” I whispered, caressing his pale cheek and stubble with my thumb.

Eric closed his eyes as if in pain, but then continues to drink.

He knows I’m right. A battle is wedging and he needs all the strength he can muster.

Another vice grip wrapped around my upper arm that is not feeding Eric. The force is too frightening not to look up and see my worst fears realized. Alexi, fangs bared and wild eyes all on me.

“I will bath in her blood.” Alex harshly whispered before he dragged me away from Eric.

“Alexi, No!” I screamed. He dragged me ever further from Eric by my arm across the cold cement floor. Tossing me around like a child would a toy. I landed on my hip, hard. “Please,” I protested. The young vampire was going to kill me. I knew it. Tears welled and my head spun from blood loss.

Pam had Freyda tackled in such a way that she could not leave her to help me. I understood that, even as my friend’s eyes widened in alarm at who was hustling me out of the cell. Pam knew as well as I that if she let that bitch queen go to save me, Freyda could stake Eric or send an alert for addition troops. Probably both.

Fuck.

The alternative meant that Alexi was going to drain me in a frenzy and then rip what was left of my body apart for Eric to find. Flashes of that horrible truck with Bill entered my mind. I could not endure that twice. I haven’t survived all these supernatural creatures to die now.

Alexi dropped me just outside the door of the Eric’s prison cell. Clawing at the silver chain I had managed to get wrapped around his neck. His skin began to burn and the smell started to saturate the air around us.

“You goddamn cunt!” Alexi thundered and fell to his knees. The skin of his fingers were melting off in an attempt to unwrap the silver. He looked like a wild animal trying to get free of a hunter’s trap.

“Run!” Pam screamed as she continued to her scuffle with Freyda.

 

V’’V

 

Sookie’s blood was healing me. Her golden light dissolving the burns and cuts inflicted by Freyda as a restorative balm. My bonded was incredible. Storming into a battleground to save a thousand year old vampire. Does she even know what self-preservation is? I will need to teach her these lessons soon because I could not bear to have her leave me. Not when we have so much to live for.

Eric.

Hmm, What? What does Pam want now? Can’t she let me be? I am with my Sookie.

Eric.

No wait, Sookie. She, she is not here. Not with me.

Eric.

She was right here but a moment ago. I know it!

“Eric, wake the fuck up!” Pam shouts. Her voice ricochets around the room.

I sit up and open my eyes. Immediately looking for signs of my Sookie, only to find Pam tying Freyda down with silver manacles. She looks past me to the open cell door. “Alexi followed her. He is mad Eric-.”

I am out and into the old King’s maze before she can finish her sentence. Sookie’s blood is fresh on the floor, she was ripped from me before I could heal properly, before I could mend her offered wrist.

And now Alexi wants her. Is in pursuit of her. Whatever bond I thought I could have with my brother is gone. Any pity or compassion I felt for his surviving Appius’ nature is washed away in his betrayal. No one hurts me and mine without succumbing to the consequences.

Not my cocksucking bastard of a maker and certainly not his damaged issue.

Vengeance shall be mine.

Following the frantic feel of Sookie through the bond, I zip down the darkened corridors, toward my bonded. No one shall part us.

 

V’’V

(A/N): SO….*twiddles thumbs*…..what do you think?