Keep Me Ch. 11

Chapter Eleven:

It was the longest day of Eric’s existence, and he wondered, more than once, if this was how Sookie felt without him during the daytime.

Of course, she knew what was happening when he died for the day, and was not consumed with minor bouts of panic and anxiety over him. But, despite his worry, it was not just his concerns that made the day so difficult to get through. He was aching all day to speak with her, to feel her, to just be swallowed by Sookie’s love, and that was the part Eric wondered about. Did she miss him this much during the day as he missed her right now? Sure, he had left her alone in the evening many times, but that was only a few hours here and there, and he knew he could always call her to hear her voice if he felt so inclined. Right now, though, he could not do that. His Sookie was just a vacant shell right now, and he had no idea how long she would remain that way.

When dusk finally began to approach, marking a rather long and unproductive day for both vampires who had found themselves fretting over the blonde’s condition, Eric watched her expectantly… But her eyes did not flutter open, nor did she stir.

“Call Ludwig.” Eric paced nervously.

“Give it a moment, Eric. The sun has just barely sunk below-”

“Please!” Eric begged, and Godric had not seen his Child do that in centuries.

Grabbing his cell phone, Godric dialed Ludwig.

“Vampire? What has you calling me so early?”

“My Child’s Bonded has… Well, she seems to have died for the day, though her heart still beats and she still breathes. She fell asleep before us, and still has not awakened,” Godric explained.

“Peculiar. Have there been any other abnormalities since the Bonding? I assume this is a recent event.”

“Yes, but nothing that I can explain over the phone,” Godric told her.

“I will appear now.”

And with a *POP*, the weathered old doctor was standing in the living room. “Agh! This little girl is overloaded with magic! What in the seven levels of hell did you subject her to?” Ludwig plopped her giant carpet bag on the destroyed coffee table and went over to the girl. “You left her like that all day?” she asked. “Straighten her out on the couch so that she’s lying down properly.” She pointed at Eric accusingly. “Vampires,” she grunted.

Eric quickly laid Sookie out flat on the couch and hovered over the little doctor’s back like a rather imposing shadow.

“Back down, Viking,” Ludwig spat. “Now, what are these other occurrences you wouldn’t speak of?”

Eric stood behind the back of the couch, gazing down at his Bonded, looking very much like the distraught lover that he was.

“Since their Bonding two nights ago… Eric, his Child and I have all become daywalkers,” Godric began quietly, as if he feared the walls hearing their new secrets. “Also, Sookie is a telepath. She was one before the Bonding,” he quickly told her. “However, since the Bonding, she has been able to communicate with the three of us telepathically.”

“Does she hear Supes?” Eric could tell that Ludwig was trying her damnedest not to seem like anything Godric had said had shocked her.

“She cannot hear vampires at all, unless it is the three of us and we are letting her. Weres, I believe she could not hear too well, but she stated that they are becoming clearer since the Bonding ceremony. I do not believe she has met any other Supes but vampires and Weres,” Godric told her before stating hesitantly, “We believe she might have some fairy blood in her.”

Ludwig sneered at Eric. “I know you have a taste for the unique, but subjecting a little girl like this-”

Godric snarled. “You will not speak to my Child in such a manner!”

Ludwig’s eyebrows rose. “You may be ancient for a vampire, Godric, but do not forget your place…”

Godric lowered his eyes to Ludwig. “My apologies, Doctor. My concern for my Child outweighed my common sense.”

“You are, indeed, correct about this girl being part fae. Have you heard anything about her being part witch?” Ludwig continued after Godric’s apology.

“We have heard it as a possibility, but have not had it officially confirmed.” Eric glanced at his Maker as he told her this.

“Consider it confirmed,” Ludwig grunted. “Now what you have here is a fairy/witch hybrid who has been Bonded to a vampire. That’s quite a large cluster of different magics to shove into one little girl.”

Tentatively, Godric asked, “I have not heard of a fae/witch hybrid surviving once their spark matures… Will she have any possibilities for surviving it?”

“Remarkably… Yes.” Ludwig sighed. “Under certain circumstances, that is.” She looked at Eric sternly. “Your Bonding to this girl is the only thing that will allow her to survive once her spark matures. Normally, a fragile mind and body like this cannot support those two potent magics. However, with your blood flowing through her, her magic will not only strengthen, but the vessel it resides in will strengthen, too.” Eric’s eyes widened.

“Aside from her telepathy, Sookie has not shown any other powers-” Eric began but was cut off.

“She was too young!” Ludwig snapped. “Now, with your essence so strongly infused with hers, expect different powers to start popping up!”

“Such as?” Eric pressed.

Ludwig made a frustrated sound in the back of her throat. “Do you have any idea how much those two magics vary in gifts? The only thing you can bank on is teleportation. That is the one fae gift that all fairies manifest. Other than that, her fae magic can be quite dependent on her clan. As for her abilities as a witch… There can only be speculation. Do you know when her telepathy manifested?”

“Perhaps at birth? Definitely since she was three,” Eric answered.

“My, my… And a powerful witch’s magic at that. Even natural witches do not usually come into such a strong gift so early.” Ludwig showed mild intrigue on her face, which meant that she was definitely impressed. “She must have a very strong mind! How is her mental capacity? Is she very smart? Does she learn quickly?”

“I met her about three months ago. At that time she could not even read. With mine and my Child’s coaching, she is now reading at nearly a high school level. Her vocabulary expands by leaps and bounds daily,” Eric explained. “Since she was surrounded by humans all the time before me, it was difficult for her to concentrate and learn. She had no mental shields, as she was committed to a mental institution at a young age. She was given drugs instead of trained to control her gift.”

“I believe that her Witch powers will be mostly mental in nature, then.” Ludwig looked down at the girl contemplatively. “As for her resting like this… Don’t be surprised if when she wakes up she discovers another power. I wouldn’t expect her to sleep more than 24 hours at a time, but I get the feeling she should be coming around any time now.”

“So, her falling asleep like this is probably the preamble to a new power manifesting?” Godric asked, sounding impressed.

“Yes. I can feel it in her now.” Ludwig nodded. “You will need to find a tutor for her in magic. I know of a knowledgeable witch that resides in New Orleans. I will have her contact you… Also, make sure this girl is getting lots of nutrients. She needs more food. I don’t know how many of these lapses she’ll be having, but it will be best that she is properly fed. She’ll be ravenous when she awakens. Keep me in the loop with her progress and powers, and be sure to feed her your blood at least once a week to keep her body growing strong.” And with that, Ludwig *POPPED* back out of the house.

Godric looked at his Child carefully. “Eric, we need to discuss Sookie’s heritage.”

“I-”

“Depending on who her clan is, this could be very bad,” Godric warned him. “You know what shape Elfyria is in, and a hybrid like her will have a lot of enemies and a hell of a lot more interested eyes.” Godric began to pace nervously.

“They cannot challenge a Blood Bond, no matter who her kin are,” Eric protested.

“That may be true, but they can still file grievances with the Council.”

“She was unclaimed!”

“But for what reason?” Godric stressed. “Why, no matter her lineage, would the fae leave behind such a gifted offspring? Perhaps because of her witch blood, she cannot survive in Elfyria? Maybe she was put into hiding for being a hybrid to protect her?”

“She has been in my life for months now. If the fae wished to claim her they would, and should have done it by now,” Eric argued.

“Eric, that may be true, but be prepared for backlash from this if her fae kin ever step forward,” Godric warned him. “I will not have my progeny executed by fucking fairies!”

Eric was about to speak when his cell phone rang. Reaching into his pocket, he saw that it was Pam calling. “What?” he snapped into the phone viciously.

“Master, I have a guest this evening.”

“What are you talking about?” Eric sighed, not wanting to deal with this.

“A Mr. Jason Stackhouse is currently sitting in your living room giving me a very dirty look.”

“Stackhouse!?” Eric growled, “Wait… Jason… I know that name. Jason Stackhouse is Sookie’s older brother…”

“Yes, and he wants to see his sister.”

“What does he smell like, Pam?”

“A bit sweet, but not like your Sookie.”

“What the fuck you mean, “his Sookie”!? She’s my goddamn sister, you fuckin’ pedos!”

“Pamela, were we just accused of pedophilia?” Eric growled angrily.

“So it would seem,” Pam’s voice was a sneer. “You sit your ass down, Stackhouse!”

“When Sookie awakens, we will head back,” Eric told her. “Glamour the boy to keep him there until we return.”

“Yes, Master.”

“‘Master?!’ What the fuck are you!? Some fuckin’ S&M-“

Pam’s phone cut out and Eric amusedly wished he had gotten a chance to hear that conversation.

“I will call the pilot and get a flight back scheduled for you. You might need to take her as is.” Godric pointed out.

“No, the last thing I need is to bring her on a plane and have her wake-up mid-flight with a new power. She could teleport or spontaneously combust for all I know.” Eric rubbed his eyes as if they were fatigued.

Godric could not help his chuckle. “A fine point.” He nodded. “Eric, an argument you could make with her fae kin, should they step forward, is that without you Bonding to her and continuing mutual blood exchanges she will die.”

“Yes, I am already preparing a defense, both politically and physically for them.” Eric nodded. “However, right now, I am going to order some food to be brought over since Ludwig said she should awaken soon.”

“I will do that. I know that you do not wish to leave her side.” Godric left the room to find a restaurant that delivered. Unsure of what Sookie liked to eat, he ordered a vast variety to compensate.

“My Sookie, when will you awaken for me?” Eric asked gently, brushing his thumb over her cheek. “And what new power are you planning to excite my existence with?” He chuckled.

The food had been delivered nearly a half hour before Sookie’s eyes finally began to flutter, and Eric was more than happy to see her brilliant blue eyes staring up at him.

“Welcome back, Lover.” Eric nuzzled her cheek, his lips unrestrained with the kisses that they peppered across her face in relief.

“Did I go somewhere?” Sookie mumbled in sleepy confusion.

“You have been asleep for nearly twenty hours,” Eric told her. “We have already had a Supe doctor come and look at you.”

“I’m hungry…” she told him drowsily.

“Yes, she said you would be. Godric had some food prepared and brought over for when you woke up. I hope that it is still good.” He took her hand and helped Sookie stand before opting to carry her to the dining room.

“I can’t possibly eat all of this!” Sookie chuckled at the buffet before her.

“Just eat until you are full.” Eric laughed as well. “Then we must hurry back to Shreveport.”

“Why?”

“Your brother has come to my house.”

Every glass and crystal object in the dining room exploded at that statement, leaving them in just the light that came through the archway from the kitchen, and Eric and Godric jumped in time with Sookie’s scream of, “WHAT THE FUCK!?”

“Ah,” Godric shook off his surprise, as well as the shards of glass that dusted his hair and clothes, “do you suppose that was a manipulation of sonic vibrations, or do you think she can actually blow things up?”

“Just remind me to fill the Bond with ‘calm’ on the plane ride, or else we might not make it home.” Eric sighed before realizing that Sookie was still shaken by the event as well as covered in glass. “It is all right, Lover; just another new power of yours.”

“N-new power?”

“Yes,” Godric sat across from her after brushing the glass from the cushion, “it would seem that your magical powers will begin manifesting stronger and faster from here on out. Oh, I would not eat any of that now, Little Sookie, there is glass all over the food.” Sookie looked forlornly at her meal that she had nearly begun to eat.

“We will take you for food now… Perhaps drop by a convenience store to sate you until a full meal can be prepared.” Eric grimaced at Sookie’s overwhelming need for food.

“I’m sorry about the glass stuff,” Sookie mumbled. “Why did only the glass blow up?”

“Nothing to be sorry about, Little Sookie. And you probably only broke the glass and crystal because it resonates at a higher frequency and is more susceptible to the vibrations you gave off. If that is indeed what your newest gift is doing,” Godric guessed. “Eric, I will go out and get Sookie more food. I think it best that we minimize her exposure to the public while you continue your conversations,” Godric offered and Eric bowed his head gratefully. “What would you like, Sookie?”

“Meat… Just lots of meat. Beef, bloody.” Sookie looked at him as if she had not eaten in days.

Eric chuckled. “Bloody?”

“It’s all I want,” Sookie told him. “It feels like if I don’t get it now I will die… Now, why is my brother at your house?” she asked as Eric brought her into the kitchen and away from the glass shards after shaking the debris out of their hair and clothes.

“I am uncertain, but I get the feeling it has something to do with your trip to the police station. That is the only way I can think that he would have found out about you living with me, or where I reside.” Eric looked at her curiously. “What do you remember of him?”

Sookie shrugged, “Nothin’ really. The last time I saw him was before my parents sent me to the mental hospital. When Gran had me released, Jason had gone to live with our Aunt Linda before I came to live with her. She told me it was ’cause Jason was nervous about livin’ with me ’cause he thought I was mentally ill, but he never came to visit ever…” Sookie looked a little sad about this, but Eric understood that it was the sting of rejection, and not that she had missed him. “I never knew him.”

Eric nodded. “Well, he has come to find you, Sookie, and you will be meeting with him soon. Do you think you can get through this without blowing anything up?” he asked teasingly.

Sookie giggled “I think so… I’ve only used that power once, but I already feel like I know how it works. Is that weird?”

Eric shook his head, “I am sure that with your experience with telepathy, you are quite capable of recognizing your triggers.”

“It’s not just that,” Sookie pressed, “it’s like I… As soon as I knew that I’d done that to the cabinet, it was like all these things clicked in my brain and I knew exactly why and how it happened.”

“Do you think you could use it again?” Eric asked.

Sookie nodded and looked at the paper towel holder across the island from her. Eric watched in surprise as it began to wobble until it toppled over the edge of the counter where it fell to the floor.

“You are telekinetic now…” Eric said softly, mesmerized.

“I guess… That means to move objects with your mind, right?” Sookie double checked.

“Yes Lover.” Eric kissed her crown. “But we should not experiment anymore until you have eaten.” He realized that it would probably drain her further if they did.

They chatted for a while, Sookie’s grumbling stomach the punchline of a few jokes, until Godric arrived with more food.

“Why are the paper towels on the floor?” Godric asked as he set the bag of food in front of Sookie.

She tore into it with a quick, “Thank you!” as Godric bent over to pick up the paper towel roll.

“Sookie is telekinetic.” Eric enlightened him.

“That will be a nice addition to your gifts, Little Sookie.” Godric smiled encouragingly before looking to Eric. “Shall I call the air field to schedule your flight out?”

“Yes, thank you.” Eric nodded, grateful for his Maker’s attentiveness. “Sookie, I am going to pack up our belongings while you eat. I will be gone only a moment.” He kissed her head before dashing off to their guest room.

Sookie ate with great vigor as Godric whipped out his cell phone yet again, and true to his word, Eric was back before Sookie was even halfway through with her steak.

“You are eating rather quickly, Lover.” Eric chuckled. “I did not realize you were so ravenous.”

Sookie giggled around another chunk of meat as she cut up the rest of her meal. When she finished, Eric scooped away the container and took Sookie off to the bathroom.

“I thought you might like to be showered and in clean clothes before meeting your brother for the first time in so long,” Eric told her as he turned on the shower.

“Oh, thank you. That would probably be best.” Sookie blushed. “The last thing I want is for him to think I really am crazy.”

Eric sighed. “Lover, do not let your self-confidence falter now. You have been growing so much stronger lately, and I would hate to see that taken away from you by someone you do not even know anymore.”

Sookie gave him a weak smile before stripping out of her clothes and stepping into the shower. She made quick work of cleaning herself up, and Eric helped her dry her hair since they were now in a hurry. Eric had also laid out a lovely sundress for her with strappy, high heeled sandals that she thought was flirty, but very grown-up.

The plane ride itself was rather uneventful, and Sookie could feel Eric sending her calm encouragement through their Bond. At first she wondered if she was more anxious than she felt, and that was the reason Eric seemed so intent on sending these feelings. Then, she realized that he was probably more afraid of her having a sudden bout of panic and blowing up the entire plane. She had to admit, as morbid as the thought was, at least her Bonded was thinking ahead.

When they landed, Pam was there to pick them up. Her usual impatient glare had a bit more edge than usual, and Eric could feel his Child’s irritations.

“I have subdued the brother,” she told her Maker as he and Sookie slid into the back of her minivan. “He is sitting in the living room watching TV.”

“You left him there by himself?” Sookie was surprised that Pam would do such a thing.

“He is glamoured.” Pam shrugged.

“You glamoured my brother?” she asked aghast.

“Yes.”

Eric chuckled at Pam but instead decided to state, “Sookie has telekinetic powers now.”

“Really? Well that will certainly make things interesting.” Pam quirked an eyebrow skyward at the news.

“Yes, and we three shall have much to discuss once everything with Sookie’s brother is taken care of.” Eric nodded.

The drive was quick, with how fast Pam was behind the wheel, and they were soon pulling into Eric’s driveway. The light from the TV could be seen from where they sat parked, and Sookie could feel her nerves amping up at the thought of seeing her brother for the first time in over a decade.

“You will be fine, Sookie,” Eric reassured her. “Remember that Pam and I are always here for you. No matter what happens, or what he says.”

“Just… Don’t do anythin’ to him, no matter what he says to me. I may not have any connection to him, but he couldn’t have understood what I was, or what was happenin’ around me,” she said quietly.

“All right, Sookie.” Eric sighed. “Now, let us get this over with.” He squeezed her hand before opening the door and stepping out, holding onto her hand to assist her out as well.

Pam followed behind them into the house, and went to the living room. Once she was standing where she wanted, Sookie could feel the glamour on her brother disperse, and she watched him tentatively as he came back to his head.

“Your sister has returned,” Pam stated blandly, making Jason stand up quickly and whirl around to look at Sookie.

“Oh my God, Sis! You look great!” He sounded surprised and, amazingly, relieved. “This is gonna sound horrible, but when I heard Bartlette’s house exploded and you weren’t in it- I was so happy!”

“Happy?” Sookie asked in confusion.

“Yeah! I mean, I know he was your legal guardian and all that, but he wouldn’t let me come t’see you or nothin’!” Jason stepped over to her quickly and enveloped her in his arms, much to Eric’s disdain. “I thought after Gran died, I might get to come see you for a change, but Uncle Bartlett was just as much of a Sookie hoarder as Gran!”

“Wh-what are you talkin’ ’bout?” Sookie gaped in utter confusion.

Jason cocked his head slightly in similar confusion. “Din nobody tell ya? When Mamma and Dad died, Gran sent me to live with Aunt Linda. When Gran died, I thought you’d come t’live with us, too, but Aunt Linda wouldn’t have it. So you got sent to Uncle Bartlett-”

“Please stop calling him “Uncle”,” Sookie hissed, and a bulb of a nearby lamp exploded, making Jason yelp in surprise. Pam’s eyes widened, and Eric gripped Sookie’s hand firmly, sending as much love and calm as he could through the Bond.

“Wh-what the fuck was that!” Jason shouted, as he seemed to be the only one affected by the sudden explosion.

“Power surge,” Pam told him without hesitation. “We have been meaning to have an electrician come look into it.” She then went to retrieve the broom and dustpan.

“Sookie,” Jason shook off his unease over the lamp, “when I heard about the explosion and Bartlett bein’ dead, I went to the police in Bon Temps, and even the other local PD’s and told them I was your brother. When you came to the Shreveport police, they contacted me and told me where to find you after they made sure I was who I said I was. Sookie…” She could hear every single thing Jason had been told by the police about her and she could not hold the tears at bay. Eric could feel her shame, her utter horror that Jason knew, at least a bit, about what Bartlett had done to her. “Sookie, I shoulda… I shoulda been there. I shoulda protected ya, and taken ya outta there-”

“P-Please, s-stop.” Sookie shook her head, bringing her hands to her eyes, and taking Eric’s along for the ride as she swiped at treacherous tears. Pam had returned to the new atmosphere and stood, broom and dustpan in hand, taking in the drama.

“Nah, Sooks, I can’t, ’cause I’m yer big brother and it shoulda been me watchin’ out for ya.” Jason leaned in to wrap Sookie up in his arms. “I’m so sorry I din’ take care of ya-”

“Please, stop.” She sobbed into Jason’s chest even as her hand dropped Eric’s so that her arms could wrap around her brother tightly. As much as his thoughts inflamed her self-degradation, it was his underlying thoughts about them that she wanted to feel. The way Jason felt protective and furious for her was the most reassuring feeling in the world to the lost little girl inside of her. Finally, deep in a sunken void in her heart that had only seemed a hollow insult the last six years; a family member, alive, and caring about her.

“Shh, Sooks, shhh.” Jason rocked her a bit. “There’s some’n I gotta ask ya, some’n I always wondered about… I know it’s not right to do this now, but… When we was kids…” He pulled away to look in her red, watery eyes, “Mamma and Dad said you was crazy, but… You weren’t. I remember us playin’ games with it. You really could hear inside people’s heads, couldn’t ya?”

“What is he getting at, Lover?” Eric asked her telepathically.

“He just wants confirmation. There’s no ulterior motives,” she assured.

“You are sure?”

“Yes.” Sookie looked at Jason. “Yes. I can,” she told him softly, gently.

Jason let out a long sigh. “Good.”

“Good?” Eric growled, but Sookie knew it was not his vampiric one.

“Yeah, ’cause I never thought my sis was crazy, and I’d’ve hated t’ve been wrong.” Jason shrugged. “But… Y’know… It’s not good at all!” He seemed suddenly enlightened. “Sooks! You were in a mental hospital for years, and you wasn’t even crazy!”

Eric looked completely annoyed at this point. “He is slow.”

“Oh hush,” Sookie snapped then blushed when she realized that it was aloud and not telepathically. Eric chuckled.

“So… I was hopin’ that we could hang out and stuff. Get to know each other finally…” Jason almost seemed shy, and Sookie could hear in his mind that he did not feel like he deserved the opportunity.

“I’d like that.” Sookie smiled at him.

“And, umm… Eric, right?” Jason looked over the girl’s shoulder at the large blond that stood just behind his sister. “I appreciate everythin’ you’ve done and are doin’ for my sister. If I had anythin’ t’give ya t’show how much it means to me I’d do it, but I ain’t got much.”

“Just give me your word, that from this moment, you will do nothing to hurt or put Sookie in harms way,” Eric told him sternly.

Jason screwed up his face into his best “Serious face” and nodded. “I’d die first.”

Leaning in, Eric said darkly, “I will hold you to that.” Jason shuddered at Eric’s tone, feeling that he was entirely serious, which only made Eric smirk.

“You are welcome here any time, Stackhouse.” Eric nodded.

Pam stood next to the Tv, having watched the scenario unfolding while cleaning up the broken glass. She had been hoping for a bit more drama, but a short lived sobbing Sookie, exploding lamp, and a single, direct threat would have to suffice for the evening’s entertainment.

“But, Stackhouse,” Eric said warningly which made Pam perk up with hope, “if you ever mention Sookie’s gift so openly, I will break your neck. You must understand that such a gift can be misused, as well as put her in danger.”

Jason gulped. “Y-Yes, sir.”

“Are you spendin’ the night, or headin’ home?” Sookie asked, deciding to break the cold silence that had washed over everyone.

“Uh, I guess I’ll be headin’ on home. Sooks, you got a phone or anythin’?” Jason grimaced, not quite comfortable with spending the night in his little sister’s boyfriend’s house.

“I will give you the house number,” Eric told him, holding out a hand to Pam, who was already passing over a piece of paper with the number scribbled on it. “Sookie has not yet needed a cell phone, since she rarely leaves the house without Pam or I.”

“Why’s that?” Jason asked, taking the paper.

“She does not know how to drive yet.”

“And I don’t really have any friends that I hang out with other than them,” Sookie mumbled, making Pam smirked at the realization that Sookie did not want her brother to know that Eric would not allow his Bonded to leave the residence without him. The boy would not understand, and Sookie knew that already. Pam proudly acknowledged the telepath’s conclusions.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot…” Jason snapped his fingers suddenly. “A coupla days ago… Actually, the same day I went to the Shreveport PD, a guy showed up at my house askin’ bout you.”

Sookie trembled. “Wh-who?”

“Dunno, but he asked if I was your brother and I said “Yeah”. Then he asked me if I knew where you were, but I said it was none of his business… ‘Course I didn’t know where you were yet, ’cause the police were doin’ a background check on me ‘for they’d let me know where you was at.” He looked a bit chagrinned.

“What did he look like?” Sookie asked tentatively.

“Older guy… Prolly in his 50’s or 60’s?” Jason shrugged, and Eric could feel Sookie relax.

“I was afraid it was the guy Bartlett was goin’ to sell me to,” she told him when he gave off a wave of curiosity.

“Had a weird name, too.” Jason frowned. “Damn, what was it? Briget? Brinet?”

“Brigant!?” Eric nearly shouted, making Sookie and Jason jump and leaving Pam wide-eyed.

“Yeah! Niall Brigant. Y’know him?” Jason was surprised.

“Fuck,” Pam and Eric said in unison, and now Sookie was worried. “What did he want with Sookie?” Eric demanded.

“I dunno. Just wanted to know where she was.” Jason gave a weak shrug. “He was a bit… Ugh- I dunno. He rubbed me the wrong way. Gave off this “I’m better than you” attitude and got all high and mighty.” He sneered. “I kinda stopped listenin’ to him when he started talkin’ like that.”

Eric smirked. “Yes, Niall does think he is better than everybody. However, if he is asking about Sookie, it is important that you not tell him anything. Not a thing,” he pressed.

“‘Course not! Hell, I can’t even trust family ’round my lil sister, you think I’d trust a complete stranger? If it weren’t for what the cops said ’bout you and how you been takin’ care of Sooks and teachin’ her to read and stuff I wouldn’t trust you any further than I could throw ya!” Jason declared. “The ways I see it; you’re the only good thing that’s ever happened to Sookie, and I ain’t ’bout to fuck that up for her any.” Calming down a bit, Jason continued, “Anyway, if ya see a guy with long white hair, and a beard, turn right around. He decked me in the face when I told him to fuck off and leave ya alone. Busted my lip open and everything.”

Eric could feel the swell of blooming love in Sookie. He had never felt his lover take to someone so quickly as Jason, and despite the fact that he knew it was the love of a sibling, Eric could not help but feel jealous.

“Thank you, Jason. Everything you’ve been sayin’ tonight really means a lot to me,” Sookie told him. “Honestly, I was really nervous about seein’ you again… But you’ve surprised me in a really nice way, and… Thank you.”

“Hey, now.” Jason grimaced as he saw tears forming in Sookie’s eyes. “If you’re happy, don’t go cryin’! I din’ come to make you cry or nothin’… Just gimme a smile, why don’t ya?” Sookie gave him her best watery grin. “That’s a bit better.” Jason laughed. “But, you’re all I got left, Sooks, and I’ve had you kept away from me too long. I don’t wanna go my whole life never knowin’ my own sister.”

Brushing away a stray tear, Sookie leaned in and gave Jason a firm hug. “You should get goin’, it’s gettin’ late.” Sookie gave him a hard squeeze. “You gimme a call later, and we’ll make plans to get together again real soon. Maybe lunch or somethin’.” She pulled away to smile at him happily. “Thanks again, Jason.”

“See ya later… Sis.” Jason winked back and walked himself to the door with a final wave.

Sookie let out a long breath she had been holding once the door was closed. “So,” she began slowly, “who’s Niall Brigant?”

Eric looked slightly uncomfortable, which made Sookie nervous. “He is a fairy. A very powerful one, both magically and politically.”

“You don’t think he could be a relative, do you?” Sookie asked.

“It is possible… I will need to contact him.” Eric sat down on the couch heavily. “It is only 2 AM, I will do that now.” He reached into his pants pocket for his cell phone.

“He has a fairy on speed dial?” Sookie asked in surprise.

“Sometimes,” Pam told her quietly, “it is important for enemies to be able to contact each other to avoid even more violence. The fae, though usually quite uninvolved in this world, should not be taken lightly. They have their own means of protecting and defending themselves, and they can be extremely dangerous.”

“Viking,” Niall’s voice was surprised when he picked up the phone, “why the hell are you calling me all of the sudden?”

“I heard that you recently visited a Jason Stackhouse. I would like to know why,” Eric responded firmly.

“Since when do my movements in the human realm need to be coordinated with you?” he sneered back.

“Because I believe that your contacting him has something to do with Sookie, and she is under my protection. Now answer the question.” Eric kept his voice even.

“Your protection, eh? So, Sookie is with you. Well, rest assured, you no longer need to fill that role. I will be collecting my kin now that I know where she is.” Niall’s voice was a smile, and Eric frowned now that he had confirmed whom Sookie’s Fae relatives were.

“You will find it quite impossible to teleport onto my grounds, Niall. And I do not approve of the threat.” Eric growled low in his throat.

“Listen, Viking, Sookie is my blood, and I have higher rights to her than-“

“Listen, Prince,” Eric cut him off, “Sookie is my Bonded, and any rights you have to her are strictly monetary if you wish to charge me a bride price. She has been with me for months, and you had plenty of time to step forward with your demands.”

“Your Bonded…” Niall sounded angry, perhaps even nervous. “I would have come forward sooner if I’d known of the child’s existence. My son, Fintan, only just told me about her. He lost his trace on her, and finally told me of her existence to help track her back down.”

“Save your sob stories for the Council, Niall. There is nowhere you can take her that she cannot leave at her will, or that I would not follow and retrieve her myself.”

“She can teleport? But she’s not even in her twenties!” Niall gasped.

“Vampire blood, does a body good.” With that, Eric hung up.

“Eric?” Sookie asked tentatively. “Am I going to be taken away?”

Eric smiled gently. “No, my little lover.” He opened his arms, beckoning her into them, which she immediately fell into. “You cannot be taken away from me. Even by Niall.”

“Will he try and take her without going through the Council?” Pam asked.

“Even if he thought to, he would not bother now. Sookie has never shown signs of iron sensitivity, and that is the only way for a fairy to keep another fairy from teleporting without afflicting another’s ability.” Eric smirked.

“She can teleport?” Pam was surprised.

“Not yet, but it is my understanding that it is only a matter of time until she can. However, that little omission will deter Niall from trying to take her. He probably figured he could catch her off guard during the day, take her to Elfyria and still have a decade or so to figure out how to keep her from teleporting out once the power manifested,” Eric explained. “As it is, Niall, nor any other fairy, can come onto my property.”

“Why’s that?” Sookie asked curiously.

“I have made it a point to secure my properties in as many ways as possible. Be it through technology or magic. I have hired witches to secure my properties against magical entry. Usually witches cannot interfere with fae magic, but teleporting is one of the few powers a fairy uses that can be negated by witches. Fortunately, a witch is required to perform that spell, and it cannot be done by a fairy. They can use wards, but they are only one sided. Either you can teleport in, but not out, or teleport out, but not in. With your telekinesis, you would be able to undo any locking mechanism they would have, and let yourself out. Therefore, if Niall were to take you, he would not be able to keep you from teleporting away without a witch present,” Eric explained.

“So, you know a real witch, but you never introduced her to me? Even though we were all unsure if I was one for sure or not?” Sookie frowned.

“I would not have wanted you to meet her alone, and this witch has made it perfectly clear that she refuses to come anywhere near me.” Eric smirked. “You see, that coven Angie belonged to was not being cruel when they chose not to associate with you when I am near.” Sookie nodded, but Eric could tell that it still stung to remember her exclusion from the coven. “However, I still stand by my belief that the High Priestess was not an empath.”

“So, your Sookie is now telekinetic as well as telepathic, and Godric, you and myself are now all daywalkers.” Pam decided to steer the topic to what she had been waiting for since long before Jason had arrived. “You also said that I will be able to communicate with Sookie telepathically if I want to?”

“Ah, yes.” Eric nodded. “It seems that if you focus on Sookie while you are thinking and purposefully project your thoughts to her she is able to hear you. I found that it worked easier if I was looking at her when I was first learning to do it.”

“Interesting.” Pam looked intrigued. “But you cannot hear me otherwise, Sookie?”

“No, it’s actually really weird, ’cause there are people who do project their thoughts, but I can always hear all the other little thoughts going around in their heads. In this case though, all I hear is what you are sending me intentionally… Like… What’s that thing you call it when you’re reading in your head?”

“Subvocalization,” Eric supplied.

“So, you can hear me if I do this?” Pam asked.

“Yes.” Sookie nodded to Pam. “You caught on to that pretty fast.” She laughed.

Pam smirked, but said nothing in response to Sookie’s realization. “So, Sookie is a witch, too?”

“Yes, and amazingly, Dr. Ludwig believes that her Bonding to me is the only thing that will allow her to survive once her fairy spark matures entirely… The only thing is, I have yet to see any fae magic. Telekinesis and telepathy are both witches’ gifts.” Eric frowned.

“Fae don’t develop into their powers until 28, though.” Pam frowned as well. “Perhaps those powers won’t manifest until then?”

Eric shook his head. “No, Ludwig said they will come sooner, but perhaps her witch specialties will develop first.”

Eric quickly explained everything he had heard from Ludwig, as well as told Sookie that she would be receiving a mentor for her witchcraft. Sookie looked both excited and afraid of this new information. “But… I thought you said witches don’t want to be around vampires…?”

“Depends on the witch. It is not common for them to associate with us, but it is mostly because they know the dangers behind putting themselves close to us. Most have been known to curse themselves with booby traps, so if the vampire were to do anything to them they would suffer, sometimes lethal, consequences.” Eric shrugged. “However, I have no intention of harming this witch, unless she proves untrustworthy. I do not anticipate that being a problem, though, because Ludwig would never send someone like that to me.”

“Why not?” Sookie asked curiously.

“Dr. Ludwig is a neutral party among Supes. She goes where she is needed despite her patients’ heritage and reputations. The only thing you must do to keep Ludwig from reining horror upon your life is to threaten her well-being. As long as you remain respectful of her, she will impose nothing harmful on you.”

Sookie nodded in understanding. “So, what do we do now? I mean, we don’t need to sleep anymore, so how will we fill all of this extra time we have?”

“Sookie, you have expressed how much you want to expand your knowledge and education.” Eric looked at her surprised. “Now, there are just more hours in the day for us to accomplish this.”

Giggling to herself, Sookie nodded in agreement. “I guess you’re right.”

“And speaking about our daytime activity.” Eric turned to Pam, crossing his arms over his chest. “I believe that your punishment for yesterday morning still needs to be received.”

Pam grimaced as Eric stared at her intently. “My computer?” she asked and Eric glared. “My credit cards?” He continued to glare. “And the set?” she asked, and Eric glared harder. “And my hair products…?” He smiled and nodded at last.

With a noticeable pout, Pam went to her purse and handed over her wallet, then brought Eric her laptop. After that, she left for another fifteen minutes, only to return with a pillow case bulging with her hair care products.

“And the set,” Eric reminded her.

The vampiress’s shoulders slumped as she went to Eric’s office. Sookie and Eric followed, watching as Pam removed a painting from the wall behind the desk and opened a heavy wall safe. Sookie could see the slight tremble in Pam’s hands as she reached for a wooden box inside. Setting the box upon Eric’s desk, Pam opened it at last, recoiling at the large silver manacles and collar. The thought of having to wear them for the next twelve hours was torture in itself, but still, Pam reached for one of the cuffs. Only, when her fingers touched it they did not burn.

Looking up in surprise, Pam stared at Eric who was already walking over to place his own hand to the metal. Nothing.

Letting out an unneeded breath, Eric turned to Sookie and told her, “Inform Godric that we are no longer affected by silver.”

Sookie nodded slowly before delivering the message telepathically. Godric responded with only mild surprise, which made Sookie think that he was beginning to come to some interesting conclusions about what was happening to all of them.

“You seem quite thoughtful, Lover. What is on your mind?” Eric asked a little while later.

Sookie shook her head slightly. “Just thinkin’ about the names of the Bloodletting Blade.” Eric smiled as she nibbled her bottom lip contemplatively. ” ‘One Blood’ and ‘One Soul’… Those were the two names originally, and you said it was suppose to grant protection. So, could the blade’s protection be that we give each other our strengths because now we’re all one blood and soul? If I get turned ever, does that mean we all lose those abilities?”

Placing an arm over Sookie’s shoulder, Eric stared forward at the wall, taking in her questions and pondering her theories. “I suppose that those things may be possible. Unless we were to speak to the original forger and enchanter of the blade, it is difficult to conclude what its abilities truly are. Of course enchantments leave their own evidence, but for an item so old… Some of the enchantments placed on the blade are so ancient that they are no longer practiced, and therefor, difficult to recognize or discern the properties of.”

“So, what does that mean for us?” Sookie asked gently.

With a comforting smile, Eric replied, “It means that we accept the gifts we are given, and that we do not become indignant if they are taken away. We must exist as though every day and night we continue to bask in the happiness of our new found abilities could be our last time to enjoy them.”

“That’s kind of sad.” Sookie frowned.

“That is life. It has its freedoms and it has its sacrifices. Right now, we are swimming in the glow of freedom, but tomorrow, we could be trapped once more in the shadows of sacrifice… But that darkness makes the light that much brighter…”

On to Chapter Twelve