Thanks to Honey3223 for being my Beta Reader and helping me out with my grammar. I really appreciate it.
CHAPTER 1
There she was.... more beautiful than I had ever seen her before; in that white long dress, looking at me with demanding eyes and a shy smile. As I approached her, lots of things came to my mind, not all of them were nice memories, a flash of pain crushed me inside when I remembered her being with Eric, Quinn, the flirting with Sam...all the men that crossed her fate so did they cross mine. Her unconfidence, her fears, and all the biterness she kept for me, striked me again as I walked towards her; but I was still loving her amongst all that. I never have doubted that, from the very first moment I realized that our fates were linked, no doubt at all. I would have taken her the same moment I saw her again. Having her blood, her sweet and delicious blood had been indeed the happiest moments in my life. And her scent...what was it that Sookie had over all the other creatures I had found before, i didnt know, i wasn't sure. Probably it was a mixture of braveness and naiveté, and that beautiful, sweet smile she had. I smiled back at her but soon I realized I would have to control myself.
Now was'nt our time. Definetly not. Too many important lives were depending upon me, and the cause had to be protected. Now that I had made a way to start again, move on and deviate unwanted attentions from her I would'nt risk her life again. Not anymore. My recent bond with Nan also deserved loyalty. Sookie was protected, I knew that as I had arranged the right things for her before my departure. Eric maybe would never love her as I did, but he indeed would protect her and no one would cause her harm as Eric was now one of Victor’s the best men. No other man - or vampire - could do that job better than Eric at this time. As I walked towards her, I found a hidden strenght that pushed me away from our blood and love ties. I don't know yet why I was so sure about the reasons of her standing there, maybe our bond had not disapeared at all. I suspected what was going to happen.
- “Sookie...what are you doing here...?”- I mourmured as she looked at me with her palest face. She was unsure and trembling, and when she smiled at me, again, so innocent and pure, i was very near surrender. I looked around just to make sure nobody was paying attention to us. People seemed to be enjoying the party as the night closed around us.
- “I got an invitation, I did'nt know where were you, till I saw you speaking on TV. I needed to say something, like those stupid words...”,- she gasped but found the courage to go on .- “...that I love you and that I always have, I'm missing you terribly, and more important even, that i'm sorry for all the things I made you go through. I did'nt mean to push you out, really.”- her voice brokedown, she staggered, her strength gone as she stepped forward to me while I stepped back from her - it was too painful but it had to be done.
-“Sookie, you can't be here. Now I am protecting Nan, I am bonded with her and I promised to keep her safe as the war has just started. You can't be here. You are in danger. I demand you go back to Bon Temps and never look for me again, our time has passed away. I did follow your steps very closely for a long time and now I just made up my mind about living without you. Please stay away. Just go.”- I turned to lose my gaze in the lighted skyscrapers shining into one of the saddest moments I have ever had. I really knew I could'nt protect her this time if i succumbed to her, too many terrible forces were stricking around, she had to be over that before it was too late.
-”Do you....want me to leave?” -She looked devasted, tears were drooling down her face and i never felt so miserable as I did getting away from her. I wanted so much to take her face in my hands and kiss those lips of the woman that had changed my life so dramatically.
-“Please, go. Sookie, go...”- my mouth and soul were meaning different things but that was not of matter as she turned around and started to walk by. She stopped and turning back to me she asked: -”Do you love me, still?”- her eyes demanding my response.
-“That doesn't matter anymore”.- I said.
Two, three times, maybe more, I was close to following her way, to touch her, to stop her on her walking away. But I didn't. I did love her too much... as I loved her yet.
I was remotely comforted though, by the idea she had at last forgiven me, finally. That had to happen sometime, and I was sure she would go through that somehow, I knew her very well and had loved - and hated - all her flaws.I knew that would happen. She was hard to adapt, but she always did it in the end. So sad that it was really late this time. One year ago, just one year ago, would have made things different. Sure I would'nt have taken my compromise then. I wondered if this could change again sometime. But I even doubted if I would be able to keep existing for much longer.
I had spent so many nights crying and lurking around her. I had almost became a shadow of myself, a sad soul, more tormented for the loss of love than for the loss of my human nature, so that had to be terminated definetly. And I did. The last night I spent in Bon Temps, I went to Merlotte's to see her, to tell her I would be leaving the next night, just to receive the same cold treatment I have had for the last months. I tried to tell her, to speak with her, but she just kept herself away from me, showing me complete indifference, a harming distance mentally and phisically. I just gave in. I came to my home almost in tears, packed my things and wrote down a letter explaining all the facts that did lead me to her, and made me love her, though i had done it before, I just needed to do it again for the last time. I did put that letter in my resting hole and I just left. Just a small suitcase, the picture of my family, and a picture of her, standing in front of the house’s door, sweetly smiling, that I love to stare at.
I stopped by Fangtasia just to tell Eric that I was leaving and that Sookie should be more protected now than she ever needed to be before. He ironically responded that he had been the one taking care of her for the last months and that would'nt change any time soon. He asked the reason for my leaving, but i evaded him. Soon he would find out and probably would be more of a rival yet than he had been until now. “So another secret mission for our favorite James Bond? who are you serving now that the Queen is dead?” was the last thing I heard as I walked away. Stupid bastard.
After some weeks, some news from her confirmed to me that she was fine, though sad she had been looking around for me, I knew she spent some nights in my house, and she had been asking for me - obviously not obtaining any responses. My links in Bontemps were very discreet. I wondered how that would reflect in her relationship with Eric, and I hoped she would keep stuck to him for her safety. Oh yeah, that hurted even more.
Then as the months went by I started to feel stronger and more committed to my mandate. A life without her seemed possible right now. Until this same night.
Not all the vampires were aware of her fae nature. And less even know what her blood could do to us. I had experienced myself the joys of her blood - and the love, and excitement, and tenderness.-And now I was able to stand up in the morning sun taking no harm, a weapon for which more than one vampire would kill for. I have wondered so many times if the love and pain - and devotion i felt for her were due to the blood also. But i already know that answer. Sookie has been my first true love, in mortal and vampire life I ever had.
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CHAPTER 2
Sookie was in tears when she entered into the cab. She didn't expect that reaction from Bill. She was not ready to deal with his rejection. And what was that coldness in his talk? She was not sure of what she really was expecting to happen, but she knew what she was not. She felt like dying, her face contracted by the weeping.
She managed to give the address of the hotel that Darcy had booked for her and with that, it just felt more real that she would spend the night alone. Her sadness was expressing itself with small strange sounds that she never though she could be capable of.
Sookie was aware when she left Bontemps that Bill was into trouble. But he had just confirmed with his words that he was in real danger and that just made things more dramatic still. And he said he was now with Nan. She sobbed out loud again and cried in grief and rage for the opportunities she had left behind. Something was fluttering in her stomach, deep inside. She didn't know what to do. Though he gave her no choice. She already knew when Bill was serious about something. He was determined to keep her away so she would have to accept that even if she didn't want to.
-Lady I don't know what the problem is but if this is a man, I must say he's a complete fool to make you cry that way, so beautiful you are!.- said the driver with a strong italian accent, looking at Sookie through the mirror. She would have thought under other circumstances, that the man was quite good looking and could have had a crush on him.
She sobbed once again and tried to put the words together to say he was not exactly a man. But then, he was. A man that she had lost because her stupid pride. So she babbled some nonsenses and then kept crying hopelessly till the car stopped in front of the hotel. Once the car had stopped the man tried to assist her but she just ordered him to go on with a polite waive of her hand.
After paying the bill Sookie stepped out of the car, completely blinded with tears. She could'nt believe he did'nt loved her anymore. But then again he hadn't said so, had he?
More than two years had passed from their definitive split, but she never thought in her deepest core, that he would disappear the way he did, he seemed so interested in getting her back that she took him for granted. And now she understood, all the rejections, all the disdains, were just meant to make him suffer, and that understanding chilled her heart, as she felt so shallow and cheap. So much as she knew he was after her, so much she had wanted to cause him harm. Big mistake. She had been so hurt, that she could only find relief disdaining him.
But that feelings had started to change progressively as soon as he left.
In the first month, she would'nt believe he was really gone. Was keeping busy with her life, busy with work and hanging around some nights at Fangtasia with Eric. They had such an open relationship, they could talk, no promises to each other, no ties... It had been somehow funny for a while. She was tired of complicated relationships (and Sookie knew very well that no human could interest her, after all she was ruined for any normal relation she could have), but being with Eric was almost easy and exciting, though things with him started to deteriorate with Bill's departure.
She started to miss some of Bill's traits that couldn't be found in Eric. She missed specially the tender look on his eyes towards her. Eric was not tender at all, and sure it wasn't his fault, after all, 1000 years of existence were too much for feeling too many things.
Besides, he started to be too involved into his new role of being Victor's right hand. Sookie never accepted that, as she felt the new King didn't deserve his new position as he usurped the place of the Queen using a brutal violence and killing some vamps she really had liked. Even if she couldn't understand very well -or approve- the Kingdom stuff, it felt like a betrayal. She was glad Bill had reacted to that. She had been proud of him. Her respect for Eric started to weaken and she didn't enjoy sex with him so much as before. She used to get distracted when they were togheter and when they had sex, his bites started to be more painful than exciting. So she started to put distance between them as the weeks went by. Victor demanded through Eric her assistance a couple of times but apart from that, the Supes World was quite calmed down meanwhile.
She thought of Bill the first week of his absence a couple of times (maybe more). And she wondered if she had been too cold with him, he told her, on the last night that she saw him, that he would be away and could possibly not return for a long time. Sookie was sure it was a trick to get her attention so she played indifference to that. And when he said he wanted to explain to her the truth of what had happened between them, she was just too cruel with him saying she would be busy that night, next one and the whole next week, giving him the understanding that she would never have the right time to discuss that matter with him. He left after giving her a long look of disapproval that froze her for a while.
After some days, she started to regret it.
She soon understood that she was not completely over him. in fact, she was starting to miss him. Recognizing that to herself was hard, but she had to admit it when the monotony of her day-to-day invaded her and she would find herself hopping for Bill to get to Merlotte's night after night, everytime the door would open.
She asked Eric, Pam, everyone that knew Bill in town. Eric was angry because of her interest in Bill and her starting distance, though she was able to find out after some struggling, that Bill may had be sent away on a special assignment, a secret one, of course. That wasn't a big help. -“he may be at any small corner of the United States”.- ended Eric ironically.
As time passed by, she suspected that Bill was not playing tricks anymore. He was not showing up around. He was...gone. Simply, and totally gone.
As she waited any news - why would he give them to her if she had been so focused into sending him constantly the wrong signals...- She wondered if she had pushed him too far this time. did she really care? wasnt that what she had wanted? she had to admit that she had been teasing herself, that caused her an enormous anxiety. She was starting to realize that she still loved him, that she missed his attentions badly, his sweet words and the way he would sit at his Merlotte's table and stare at her all night long. That devasted her. She was in bed for a week, what was very strange for Sookie. She thought that maybe if she would collapse, he could feel her pain and maybe, come back.
Now that she had grown older, was the betrayal of Bill such an unforgiveable one?
If life was about feelings, kissing,loving, feeling the other, had not she rejected all what it was worth? AND IF LIFE WAS pain, well she was very alive then, because she shrinked in pain every time Bill came to her head. His deep blue eyes, his dark hair, his sweet pale face...his formal and gentle way of speaking. She always had known that he was there for her. Until now. She was alone.
The night the letter came to her hands, she opened it carefully, as if it was the last thing she would have from him. She did read it slowly, line to line, word to word. And when she got to the last lines, where he told her he had really loved her, she understood. And she finally then, forgave him. There wasn't anything new there that she had'nt heard before. But somehow, his absence, gave to the words a meaning that escaped her before.
She stood devasted in his resting place, shrinking herself down in a miserable shape. Forgiveness had arrrived too late.
That was the last thing twisting up in her mind when she entered the room and heard a sharp strike, then all went dark.
CHAPTER 3
Sorry, this one is going to be hard for Sookie. Not that i hate her, things just came out this way from my head...I'm using different perspectives so far in my chapters, to explain different angles of the story. probably it's not very correct but i like it ;)
Thanks Honey again and VBG for their help
When i awakened, i stared around but couln't recognize anything, i was lying on the floor and didn't see anybody around. My eyes had to adjust to the darkness as I tried to examine what was around me. It looked to me like a basement, something was smelling really bad in the air. I thought the smell probably had to do with some anesthetic substance as my head was spinning. A nausea feeling rushed over me, and I felt I was going to throw up. And then I noticed a form and I knew I was not alone at all. -“So here you are, Miss Stackhouse. My most sincere apologies if you were damaged in the journey.”- said the breaking voice. “do take a sit, please.”- The voice was sharp and smooth like a razor blade. I heard it resound against the walls of the room. I turned around to give him a glare of disapproval. I could recognize that face, and his brown skin that seemed darker than ever under the tenuous light. It was Mr. Victor Madden in person. I did stand up from the floor, and sat down into an isolated chair in the middle of the room. Not that i like to obey orders but something inside suggested me to do it.
Last time i had seen him, it was the night where Nevada vamps took over Louisiana Kingdom. I examinated once again the place, my instincts telling me i would need a getaway soon. I wondered for a sec if maybe Bill would rescue me like in fairy tales? Funny though being myself a half of fae.
He seemed to read my thoughts.
-“Oh my dear, Compton won't come. No one will, in fact. You are in the last place on earth. No one will come to save you out of the deep hole you did put yourself in.”- He smiled at me in response to my defying glaze.
- “Don't know what are you talking about, Bill and I have not been together for a long time now -god i knew that by heart.- so if you have taken me here for him, you are making a big mistake. You better let me go. He is not going to move a finger for me.”- I was going to add “so you see, stupid vampire” at the end, but i deceided to keep it down for a while. “By the way, would you be so kind to explain what am i doing here?”.- My voice was cinically polite but i didn't try to hide my irritation.
-“oh then why was he looking so devasted when you left the party. Believe me, i know when i have a valuable gift in my hands.”- he did stand up and i could see his face under the light, he turned his empty gaze towards me as I shivered in sudden fear.
-“Maybe you two have been taking the piss off everybody all this time... You may have teased Eric but not us. What can you tell me about the Alliance?”.-
- The only Alliance i know of is the one from Starwars.- Ok, that sounded very birdbrained but it just came to my mind. I had sympathized with the Rebel Alliance even if I haven't been into science fiction very much. Bloody Vampires, always talking bullshit.
I stood in silence trying to process all the things he was throwing at me. Silly me, i could only think in the “Bill looking devasted” part. That really cheered me up. Ok but i couldn't forget i was not in the best situation.
-“You know I saved your King's life once, not so long ago, and he offered me protection.”- I thought for a second of Eric, our last time was not very good but wasn't I his human afterall, what was going on!? Ok i left him some days ago, had this made me become an easy shot for fangs? I hoped not.I wasn't sure about what had trapped me there, though i suspected that my visit to Bill had shaken things up. I could understand he was in a position of power now and that could definetly annoy some almighty authorities that pursued different goals than AVL's.
He threw a short, freezing laugh.
-“My dear, that was before your unloyalty was known. We got Darcy last night and he confessed some interesting facts like his role in the organization where your lover works at. You really have let down our King's confidence. We know this nature's error has been in touch with Compton since he left Bontemps, reporting every movement in the area. Not good....for you.”- He paused to study my reaction.
Reality struck me again with its jolt.
That made me look innocent for sure as i was atonished.
What? Darcy working at the AVL? Why??? Wasn't he an isolated vampire who tried to mainstream in my town? what the fuck....!!!??? My cheeks blushed in rage. Had i been teased.... again!!!?? If this was right, i had been playing the spying game without knowing. But, could Eric believe i had betrayed him like that? I didn't think so... but i did, didn't I?. I tried to remember what kind of information I passed onto Darcy, and even if i was too nervous to think clearly, I knew I could have posibly let out important things out of my big, big mouth, about Eric and the King, and the jobs i had done for them, that they could interpret definetly badly if this had been passing to the other area. Silly me, silly me...
Was Darcy really dead? all the bitterness soon disapeared when the thought of my friend being tortured till death came to me.
Lost in my thoughts, i tried to locate him and explain i wasn't aware of the facts, but he was not in my visual area anymore.
I had a tempest of feelings striking inside of me, one above all them. Had Bill been unfaithful to me again? Had i been used like a toy just because my relationship with Eric?
I looked around until I heard him come closer to me from my back. One of his hands all of sudden slip inside my dress, having its way inside my bra touching me with his fingers. He played around with my nipple having me breathless. - “You are a valueable gift indeed.-” I could feel his cold touch on me and I was so tight I could barely move. It was clear that I was in real and in inevitable trouble, right ahead.
I had completely underestimated the situation.
-“We are going to have a great time, believe me. shall we see if your blood is as delicious as i been told, i regret all this time having kept myself away from you. From the first time I saw you I knew you would be mine. Even if it's for a short time.”- He pinched my nipple then, making me give a short yell that I immediately regreted.
So many times i had been so mad to hear the word “Mine” in a vamp's mouth but now it was sounding really awful. I wouldn't give in so soon though.
-”Don't you ever DARE touch me again stupid dead trash!! You know, that i have a fae family to protect me and a good bunch of other creatures that would die for me? (okay i wasn't THAT sure right then but i had to try) you better keep your hands off me YOU asshole!”.- I said that and then I did the only thing i could, in my situation. That was, bite his arm with all the strength my angle allowed me. Big mistake, and such a silly thing to do, you can't harm a vampire doing that, and that did nothing else than make his wish grow stronger and more brutal.
He lifted me up in a flash, before i was close to understanding what was going on, he took me over his back like a sack of potatoes and started to walk towards the door. We crossed it and we walked down a long hallway as i tried to fight against him. He was solid as a rock. In my fight, something told me that I would'nt succeed. Nothing i could do was enough, he was too strong. I think we crossed with two or three vamps – i couldn't see very well as i was upside down- who moved aside to keep his way free. I was begging for help until I understood no help would be provided. But hey, I call that survival.
We entered a room and he crashed me against the bed as I howled, the impact being hard enough to knock me out, got me painfully stunned for some seconds. When i realized what was going on, he had already ripped up my dress into two pieces (that dress, i wanted such a different ending for me and that dress on that night!) and he did the same thing with the rest of my clothes, having me almost naked in a couple of seconds. He was out of himself, fangs out and delirious eyes not looking at all like the reserved man I had seen the first time at my house. I saw his black eyes and his fangs for last time because then he buried his face betwen my legs and that was the last thing i wanted to see. I felt the sharp and aching bite in my left thigh and i cried in pain.
-“Do you enjoy it, Sookie?”.- His rage still beating me, like a cat anticipating the death of the mouse. I felt my blood being sucked out of my body and my soul going out with it. As he sucked deep I started to fade away, till I lost it. Last thing I heard was that I tasted really delicious, just as he had been told. I wondered who was the source of information. Just two beings had enjoyed my blood until that moment and I knew Bill had no relation with Victor.
I still didnt know where I was at all, but I was sure it was somewhere near Hell. ********************** ********************** CHAPTER 4
It wasn't after almost a year of Bill's departure, that Sookie got real news from him again. It was a busy evening in Melotte's and Sookie was on her way to bringing a pint to Hoyt and Sarah, when she heard Tara yelling to Sam "TURN THE VOLUME UP!!" pointing to the TV. Bill came to her head instantanly.
All the voices started to lower while she turned her head towards the TV and saw his face on the small screen. The sight of him shocked her so much that the tray fell out of her hands and the pints of beer scattered on the ground spilling all the liquid down her legs. She started to walk towards the TV, completely mesmerized taking very slow steps so her walking would not interfere with her and the sound of his voice. She did her best job trying to shut up all the thoughts around her.
- “We, vampires from across America are just looking for representation in Congress to defend our rights. It's not that a big deal, we from the AVL quarters are going to present a formal request requiring the president of the United States to make our voices stand up and be heard publically, we are being constantly violated in our rights and we are demanding better treatment, just as any other collective does.”-
He never looked so good before, she thought... she could barely breathe. What the hell was Bill doing on TV??
-“It is mandatory to change the Constitution to have accomplished that. We are working hard finding support amongst the Senate and are very satisfied with the latest progress in that field. Soon the big change will become a reality and all the efforts of the last years will have its reward.”- He looked directly into Sookie's eyes. She was sure of their connection, even if there were miles between them.
The interviewer said something about a huge part of the vampires not wanting to be censused into an electoral roll and all the problems that their opposition could bring to the society if that opposition became violent. If vampires wanted political representation, they all would have to come public. How would the AVL deal with that?
Next thing Sookie saw was Nan Flanagan sitting next to Bill, the camera flied onto her as she started to talk slow and serene as usual. Sookie was in shock. Why was Bill sitting next to Nan??
-“In all collectives there are always dissenting voices against the decisions of the global group. We know it's going to be hard until we get a total integration into Society, but it' s just the right path to take. We are going to fight against injustice and the only way to have that accomplished is to take part of the global politics in our country. For that to happen we need to enter the party and be capable to vote and elect our representatives. Most of us were Americans already before our transformation. So we are still. Bill, as the main spokesman of the AVL, is doing a great task looking for support and he is unifying our hopes in one voice. I'm sure he is going to have success in bringing us to a new era of understanding and fraternity with human society... He already has support from more than one million vampires from all over the country that want their voices to be heard. They are not going to be openly public until the same day that the Vampire Rights Amendment will ratify at the Congress. We have a private census with more than two million of our people and even if there are individuals that dont want to be noticed, we are working on making them understand the importance of this subject and the benefits they will take from it.”-
Nan Flanagan was an eloquent speaker. The whole attention was on her, and she knew that. She stared at the camera firmly, slightly showing a smile on her face. She looked gorgeous in the white suit and Sookie felt a twinge of jealousy as she watched them together.
-“Besides, we have very valuable supporters, a huge amount of artists, are helping with our campaign. You have Angelina and Brad who have adopted their second vampire child this year, just like as so many other couples have done. Alan Ball who has just won the Oscar for his fabulous movie about Vampires discrimination, is directing our official spot. They, among some other concerned artists, will be assisting our Meeting Party in New York next week, showing their concern for our cause. We won't walk alone and this is really comforting.”-
-“We have been told about fires in some buildings around the country known to be managed by vampires. Is that movement of yours causing an internal war? we are not used nowadays to see violence used that way in our towns and streets.”- The camera focused on Bill, inviting him to talk.
He kept in silence. Sookie knew him enough to understand he was not very fond of the man in front of him. She could perceive a hint of disaproval on his expression.
- “Violence is not a vampire condition, but a human primary reaction to ignorance and fear.”- He said softly and quietly.
Bill cleared his voice and in a relaxed way smiled for a second (a second the seemed minutes to Sookie) .
- "Those are just gossips thrown around us by the same people that don't want the Vampire community to be represented in Congress. We are a peaceful collective most of the times, and there's no evidence of those attacks being commited by other vampires, we all know there's other associations and groups taking violent actions against us, as police have reported so many times before. That's another reason why we need to be recognized and protected publically.” -
- “Miss Nan Flanagan, Mister Bill Compton, we are happy to have had you with us this evening in USA today and want to wish you good luck for what we understand you deserve, just as any other group in this country. We'll be sure talking to you again soon, when your objectives have been accomplished.”- the man shocked Bill's hand and then Nan's, as the camera rolled up and went blank out for commercials.
Sookie stood in the same position for a couple of minutes, with her knees trembling and her body swaying fighting a tempest of emotions inside her. Her cheecks were red as wine, she felt so miserable, and small, and so rageous against herself about letting go Bill. He was doing something important, something that would change the course of everything in their world. And she was just the same waitress – retarded waitress more than one would say- that she had been from the very first night he came in to Merlotte's.
What had she done for him? just blaming him constantly, had she failed their love with her loss of trust, why couldnt she had forgiven him before, after all what they had lived together before, couldn't she had forgotten the unfortunate flow of the events? Nope, she did'nt deserve him, he was by far much better than her. She had failed them and now he was over with that. He was living another life where she was not present. He had definetly moved on. Her tears were rolling down her face as she felt Darcy putting an arm under hers while taking her outside.
They stood at the parking lot, while the sunset colors mixed with the lights of Merlotte's luminous sign tinting everything with a magic light-toned shade.
- “Whats wrong my babe, be glad,don't cry anymore! now at least you know where is he hanging around!”. - That made Sookie stop her weeping and all of sudden an unexpected joy filled her. He was right. She smiled back at him.
Darcy had been the only good thing in the last year. He was a vampire turned in the 20's, and in his 20's, also trying to mainstream. He got to Merlotte's eleven months ago, just a little after Bill's departure. He was definetly crazy, very mannered, funny and irradiated a happiness that Sookie had not seen in any other vampire before. She liked him instantly. They chatted for such a long time in a quiet night that Sam was out for bussiness and there was just Tara and Sookie at the bar. The three of them connected instantly. He started to appear almost every night at Merlotte's and hanging around with him had been a big relief to Sookie. His expressive green eyes and his big smile used to calm her down and his irreverent and funny way of saying things amused her a lot.
They soon became friends and she had to explain at first and then finally yell at everybody, that she was not having a relationship with him, no way. Not a lot of time passed until people of the town started to know him and get along with him, he could have been the best mainstriming vampire in all history. Even detective Bellefleur used to sit down with him and enjoy his company lately.
He rented a house near to Sookie's, so some nights when she wasn't working they used to meet and play scrabble or chess, or maybe they would just watch movies until the night was over. She had experimented the debatable joys of insomnia and was glad to count on him. Also she got to know more about vampire’s nature, from another perspective that didn't involve erotism.
Eric wasn't very fond of him as he didn't know anything about his past, but after some inquiries and attending to Sookie's pleads he finally let him be. Good thing about Eric was that he always used to give her space.
- “Sookie my dear, what's the deal? go and buy a nice dress, then go to find him. I'm sure he will receive you with open arms, and open heart.”- He smiled bitchy and then pinched her cheek sweetly.
-”Oh but Darcy that must be a very exclusive party, how could i get in?”.- She was so excited about the challenge that she was not sure about whether to laugh or cry. She could feel his closeness now. A chill upon her spine at the thought of the encounter.
- “See, my crazy little bitch, I have some friends in New York that may get me an invitation for you”.- Darcy gave an arrogant toss of his head making him look so funny as usual.
That said, Sookie huged him and was filled with the joy of love for the rest of the week. She could barely bear so much excitement. Her smile was brightly showing again. She would have her man back, but first, she would have to arrange things with Eric.
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CHAPTER 5
Everyone's full attention at the AVL Headquarters was centered in arranging of the event that would take place in two months. People there had been working hard for that moment and there were frantic concerns about anything that could make it fail.
The official proposal of the Amendment had finally got a date. They had the required support; in fact the AVL actually had contacts with lots of politicians around the country willing to help, that successful had their campaign been. Basically, all the supporters were from the Democrat Party, even the President had officially stated his sympathy for the cause. Coming himself from a minority group, he had showed himself truly concerned about the collectives rights.
There was no place for total relaxation anyway. Even if they had negotiated with most of the Kingships, there were still some Kings not accepting the global course of the happenings that would take place after. Those Kings were decided to protect their intimacy and didn't want to become public or to integrate into human society.
Mainly it was an economical matter. Most of them had gained their fortunes through less than noble means, and they had no interest in giving explanations to anyone, and much less to humans. They were immortals after all and their supremacy should be conserved. Being in the open, meant the Administration would know about them and their private affairs. They would have to explain where the money came from and be ruled by under American law. Besides, they were too comfortable in their role of leading their own areas.
Negotiations with the areas that would comply with the Alliance had not been easy by any means. But Bill had great hopes about having been in a rewarding road that would drive them through a new period of compromise. And that was a natural evolution to his specie. In fact, all vampires had been humans once and most of them were tired of living in the dark side.
The Kings who had accepted becoming part of the Alliance, would keep their status, being officially delegated by the AVL to manage Stately Offices allowing them to keep their influence and interfere between vampiric community and the Official Statements. Once the Amendment is ratified they would dispose of public funds and moreover they would be able to take part in global politics; this would certainly open a lot of doors to them and lead them into multiple roads they didn’t have until now. Most of them were still skeptical but somehow it felt like things were going in the right direction.
And obviously no one lived just on good intentions. The promise of a search for a new medicine that would mutate their organisms to make them resistant to sunlight had been the most persuasive weapon. Bill knew this would take place in the future, but they needed something seductive to attract them. And for that to happen, they would need the help of public research statements. He already had that “mutation” in himself so it was just a matter of time that some research line would lead to the repetition of the phenomenon.
And he had been already involved in starting negotiations with eminent scientists.
Vampires were involving themselves emotionally with humans, mixed marriages were allowed in some states, and some humans were starting to see them like a possibility of eternal life. There was a huge interest for the study of their physical properties and scientists all around the world were seeing this integration like a big chance for humanity to evolve. There were big rumors around the curative benefits of their blood and the effect that could bring to medicine.
Oh yes, vampires could definitely exchange big knowledge with humans. He could imagine a long living civilization with no fear of the sun. And when he thought of human’s overcoming their transient existences he could picture his Sookie living more than her initial humanity allowed her. If any of that was possible...
But there was a long road to follow yet. What should they do with the dissenting voices that were close to leading into a dangerous war, was yet to be decided. There was a strong flow in the League that looked forward to a total annihilation of those Kingships. When there was a revolution, heads had to roll. That was an unavoidable process.
Bill was quite concentrated reading a report that had just arrived from New York late that evening. It was about the missing Congressman that had appeared dead just days prior. Investigations pointed to a vampire attack and the FBI was getting nervous about those repeating events. They wanted names. He would have to extract a relation of the dissidents from the database at some point, though he knew that would cause a lot of trouble. He had discussed a lot of times with Nan about that subject, and though they were aware that it would put them into a no-return road, alternatives were hard to find. The time for negotiations was probably over. Five politicians had already been killed in the last month so far from around the country. Their support to the cause was obviously not a mere coincidence. The crimes had a blood signature from the dissident Areas.
The knocking on the door didn't get him back at all. It was just when he lifted his eyes to stare at Jonas, that he got the signal that something was wrong.
- “I have some bad news for you.”- Jonas said, while he took seat on one of the wooden chairs in front of Bill’s desk. -“...Darcy is dead. Well, absolutely destroyed. De Castro and his people took him from Bontemps two nights ago. We are not sure about what he told to them before he passed away.- Jonas looked down to the floor as he knew Darcy was quite close to Bill. They had met in the 20's just when Darcy got turned by Lorena, and somehow he had become a good friend to him, Bill always had appreciated his liveliness, not a common trait in their species. And they were kind of brothers having the same creator.
- “Where's Sookie?”.- Bill asked trying to sound emotionless. He had the impression that every single person in the quarters knew about his addiction to Sookie, and that annoyed him deeply. He always had been a reserved person.
- “She didn't come back to Bontemps ...yet.”- Jonas turned his face away to the window, giving Bill some privacy.
He didn't move a bit. But his undead heart just froze. What had happened? Darcy was there just to keep an eye on Sookie, why had he awakened their interest? He was not passing any information to the AVL, as they weren't especially interested on area 5 reports. They already knew what kind of matters used to keep Victor and Eric busy and that wasn't a big deal to them. Not nowadays. Besides, they already had some contacts inside the Louisiana area, informing on the private meetings being held by De Castro and the dissident Kings.
He did remember the last time he had spoke to him, two nights ago, just a few minutes after Sookie had left the party. He had reprimanded him for his lack of common sense for letting Sookie and not telling him she was coming either. That was a classic thing Darcy would do, from time to time, take stupid choices like that on his own. Bill had believed his behavior would have improved with the years. He was so pissed off with him that he didn't let him explain himself, he just hung up. That was the last time he heard from him... and now he was dead.
Had there been something that had escaped Bill over on the last months somehow, he didn't expect Darcy getting that close to Sookie neither her opening so much to him. He should have demanded him to put some distance but he loved to hear from her. It had been hard to know she was recovering her feelings for him, now that he had the obligation to put her aside. She would be an easy target for his multiple enemies and he couldn't allow for her to get into trouble for him again. He wondered if he had risked Sookie unnecessarily. It was really upsetting that the thing he feared the most – he had put all his efforts in her safety- seemed to be happening right now. Again.
He hadn’t either expected Sookie and Eric putting distance between each other. When he was told about that, he couldn't avoid but feeling a deep satisfaction. But reality stroked him with a sharp blow in that same instant. He had been too immersed in his work and now realized how stupid he had been letting the details pass him over.
He tried to put together the pieces of the puzzle for a possible explanation, what reasons could have lead to Darcy's extermination and how would that affect Sookie.
Had Sookie's blood abilities been discovered? He knew Eric would notice it at some point, but he would have been informed, and anyway he firmly believed Eric would cause no harm to her. He needed a talk with Nan.
- “Thank you, Jonas”.- his words gave no place to doubt he wanted to be left alone. His eyes followed Jonas as he drifted out of the room.
He remained in silence for a couple of minutes. Wrinkles furrowed his forehead as he slowly lifted up from the chair, approaching the window at the far side of the room. The sight of the moon rising up behind the buildings didn't calm him at all. He watched the city lights turning on as the sky darkened the city. Some children were playing soccer down in the park. Bill was jealous of their freedom. He hesitated a moment and then went back to the desk. Something very disturbing was growing deep inside of him.
He took the phone and dialed Fangtasia's number. Strangely enough, Pam wasn't very teasing and informed him that Eric was busy revising the bar's stock. Without asking any questions he thanked her and hung up. He knew what that meant;Then he dialed Eric's private cell phone. Why hadn't he done that in the first place, even small details like that made him feel slow.
He was tense when he heard Eric's voice.
- “Bill, my favorite troublemaker.”- said Eric, briefly.
- “Where is she?.”- He said shortly while maintaining his breath even if he had no need of doing such a thing. Some human customs could not be forgotten so easily. He listened to Eric’s footsteps and the sound of a door opening. Bill pictured him going out somewhere.
- “...I’m not certain about that. But obviously you will know already that your spy was caught on Thursday night so that does not speak favorably for Sookie in front of De Castro, as she was hanging out a lot with him lately. By the way, she did break up with me officially last week, even if that was not a smart thing to do as I warned her. You know our girl is such a wild silly child sometimes. Anyway... putting her in such a risk? What the hell was on your mind? I really thought you cared for her. I'm under suspicion myself, actually. I thank you for that.”-
There was a long silence before Bill could speak again. How could it be that being so annoying, most probably without his invaluable help they would never have found themselves in that situation. He had most of the blame anyway.
-“Darcy, was not a spy. He was simply keeping an eye on her as I never had great expectations on you at all. We are not interested inyour commercial affairs. We are all vampires, we are all skilled in making easy money, you know.”- He was missing the point, right now; he had to focus on the only thing he cared about.
- “Ok, then my friend, someone is pulling your leg from under you in your transparent organization, as Darcy was caught “on the fly” passing some information about me and Victor. It seems Sookie told him that I would be attending a gathering in De Castro's quarters. You should know the facts by now. We could send you an invitation if you are willing to assist... I can ratify that you will be very welcome. Never mind, the truth is that i don't know where she is. Last thing I heard was from her same mouth. She was going to find you now that she knew you left your secret agent role to become the new Martin Luther King of Vampire Rights. Human women. Always so easily impressed.”-
Bill heard a noise that could be something crashing against the floor. A door opened again and he could hear some distant music.
- “She wanted to attend that idiot party Nan was giving in New York. So i wished her good luck and that's all.”- Bill heard the music background growing louder so he pictured Eric walking through the main bar at Fangtasia.
Bill was clear about one thing, Eric was worried. Why else would he be sharing that knowledge with him? He knew Eric well enough and that was not being easy for him.
- “Victor was here two nights ago, the same day the party took place, and informed me about Darcy. He wanted to know if I was aware of that or if Sookie was. I told him that I really doubted Sookie was aware and that probably was a maneuver from you which Sookie ignored -as usual.- He was really thoughtful when he told me he had been told about Sookie being seen in New York, being at the AVL party. She had attended the press conference given before. Probably that did turn some kind of gears on... Now I’m being watched all the time.”-
Bill didn't know what to say. He was right; he had been clumsy in his decisions.
-“Eric, have you noticed anything strange with you, lately? Any change in your body?”- He had to know, even if it was not the smartest way of asking.
- “What do you mean..!? Oh yes... well my penis grew bigger lately which caused her enormous pleasure the last night I fucked her.”- He was clearly irritated with Bill and his mysteries. And he knew where to kick painfully.
Bill simply hung up without saying a word. His fangs were already out, demanding revenge for the offense received while the wave of rage increased in him, if he could have Eric in that same room...
He tried to calm down a bit and soon after, he left the room and rushed his footsteps through the hallway to Nan's office. He got in without previous notice and caught Nan talking to someone on the phone. She waved hello and pointed him to sit down with her hand. She could see very clearly that he had received the news, and was not very glad to have the moment arrive. She was quick to finish her conversation.
-“I was talking to John Richardson, he is willing to hold a meeting with us next week.”- Nan started to arrange some papers on her table. Then she stopped and pushed back from her chair, knowing that was completely irrelevant. Bill was not paying a courtesy visit.
They stared at each other, Nan expecting and Bill demanding. It was not necessary to waste words telling already known truths. They were bonded so they could feel the fear and the anxiety in each other. And the doubt.
- “Ok. My darling, you know you are not very practical when that girl is involved. If we were going to spend someone taking care of her, it was just stupid to misspend some good information Sookie was providing.”- Nan lifted up and took a couple of steps towards Bill but halted herself when she caught his anger gaze. -“It wasn't intentional, it just happened and we didn't tell you as I thought you might worry for no reason. My mistake, I suppose.-”
She expected him to speak. She didn't like how the things that were revolving in Bill's mind.
- “Very well. So what's next? What do you expect me to do? You know that I can't just sit down at my desk and make believe nothing of this affects me. I need to know she is well. And I have an intense feeling that she is not. You shouldn't have kept things from me, much less things related to her”. - Bill felt the weight of betrayal building a wall between them.
- “You know there are gray clouds sailing over our heads growing bigger and more dangerous every day. Our enemies are conspiring against us, and they are seriously considering having us all confined in the darkness again. We can't have all those years of efforts just fading away just for a human girl. There's just too much of us involved.”-
- “So what are you saying, all these years watching and protecting her and now that we are closer than ever to needing her abilities, are we going to leave her defenseless? You know how useful she can be to us.” - Bill hesitated. He was not going to follow that path, Nan knew him too well. He wouldn't play games anymore. -“And Nan, even if she was not meaningful to us, she is ...to me.”- His voice pleaded her for support.
She was very disturbed seeing Bill loosing his cards. She was an old lonely soul too much involved in her duty to understand or remember the kind of emotions that were running inside him. Had she expected too much from him? She tried to sound reconciliatory.
-“Let's do the right thing, if Sookie is really missing, we’ll get the police on her track, so we just don't start a war over her, not now. Let the humans take care of themselves. You need to focus on our task.”-
That kinda sounded like another edict.
- “YOU KNOW THEY WOULD NEVER FIND HER IF THAT WAS THE CASE!”- the fury in Bill's voice filled the room. All the quietness he had retained
exploded in one second. He expressed his frustration then in a lower tone. - “I won't let that happen. I certainly will not.”-
Nan was emotionless as she spoke calm and firmly.
- “Bill this is not a suggestion...”-
They stared at each other in silence until Bill turned and stepped out the room.
He got back to the office and and took the phone deciding to do what he thought was right.
-“It's Bill Compton. Tell Mr. Alex Johnson that I have the information he needs. We should meet this same night. Tell him to meet me at Saint Sophia's Cathedral. 10p.m. Thank You.”-
Vampires were very skillful at hiding themselves from humanity; but Bill Compton had been very good at finding every worthwhile secret of every meaningful vampire in the U.S. *****************
To be continued?? |
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