Eric's Limo

From the moment he got off the phone with Alcide, he knew something was going to go down, tonight. Now, Tara was in grave danger. He'd known from the moment he asked her to be apart of this that she would be. What he didn't expect, was for it all to hit at once. His rage was beyond anything that Pam had ever seen and in an attempt to avoid catching the brunt of any shade he might throw her way she stayed decidedly quiet the whole of the trip, biting her lip until it bled. From where they were it would be too long of a trip to fly immediately to her but he couldn't be held back much longer. This waiting was torment of the worst kind. He fought hard to a get a grip on her. Her heart racing, her blood was boiling....she was in trouble.

Merlotte's

Sam stood there lost in the mixed up crazy events that had happened today. He felt confused, hurt, angry and everything else under the sun. He knew alone he would be too weak to fight Bill. And he didn't want to kill him, at least not if he wanted Sookie to speak to him, ever again. What was he to do? He began putting away all the things Tara had pulled out of the first aid kit. Just as he was about to sit down Lafayette ran in.

“Sam, Tara went out back and she told me to get you if she wasn't back in ten minutes.”

“How long has she been out there?”

“Seven minutes and counting.”

“You should've come and got me at minute one.” Sam got out of the chair, knelt down reaching in his drawer and pulled out the pistol. He began digging in the back of the drawer, scrapping his fingers across the papers and finally settled upon a box, one he'd purchased the night he saw the news report of the vampire revelation. He'd always known that they existed but he was sure that things were going to get worse for people, not better since they decided to reveal themselves. He pulled out the tiny silver bullets and loaded them into the pistol.

“Grab that rifle in the closet over there and let's go.”

Lafayette ran out ahead of Sam to lead the way. Once outside they couldn't immediately see anything suspect, except that Tara wasn't there. Sam stopped altogether, trying to get her scent and find her that way. Once he'd picked up on it, he set off to the periphery of the forest that edged close to Merlotte's. Lafayette ran in after him stopping short when he saw three figures standing in the distance. Two of them were standing extremely close to each other and one was standing across from the other two, waiting.

“Tara!” he shouted again as Bill looked up from her.

“I knew I should have finished you off, you filthy creature.” He jerked Tara closer to his frame, backing up slowly with his hostage.

“You're not stupid enough to do that in front of me. Let her go and you might get out of this alive.”

“You should have thought of that before you sided with Eric. I knew his intention in copulating with this worthless creature was all in effort to get Sookie back.” He licked the side of her face spitting in disgust when he'd tasted her. She whimpered a bit more trying to calm her breathing as she got a better grip on the chain. “Sookie is mine.”

“How could you possibly know what Eric was thinking?” Alcide moved closer, inch by inch trying to get closer to Tara without alerting Bill.

“Every since I introduced him to her, he's been on and on about how he needs her. He uses her gifts too freely. But he won't have her. I alone will have that privilege. And to show him the gravity of his intentions I will make an example of her.”

“How do you know she was with Eric?” Alcide continued staring at the chain in Tara's hand.

“Jason Stackhouse, that imbecile was a decoy. I had a his friend Hoyt trail him to Sookie's house and when he left the Hoyt stayed. I had figured it out without much thought and well....well, I can't let Eric's plan happen. Sookie is mine and I'm very confident that you won't get the chance to do anything else tonight except, plead for your life.”

“What the hell does Hoyt have to gain by helping you?” Tara choked out

“Actually Hoyt is quite taken with my progeny, Jessica. I promised him in return for his help, I would protect him, and aid in him in any way possible.”

Alcide just leave...get...out.” she continued. “I'm not worth losing your life over.”

“Shut up you whore.” Bill retorted using his other hand to bend her head slightly.

“NO! He'll come for me and he's gonna kill yo ass like I should've done when I had the chance.” she choked.

Hearing Tara's muffled voice, Sam, fired a warning shot in Bill's direction running up to Alcide passing him a rifle.

“Bill, I suggest you let her go. Next time, I won't miss.”

Dropping his fangs, he laughed as Alcide got ready to shot a bullet in his direction.

“I beg to differ, you see, I have nothing to lose over this. I need to get Sookie as far from you people as possible, she only believes in me. Nothing you people can say will change that. She is mine.”

Tara clutched the chain even tighter as Bill told them things that they knew were probably true. Lately, they saw how Sookie was behaving irrationally, doing things everyone else around her just couldn't believe. She was changing little by little into some unrecognizable creature devoid of original thoughts and actions...a puppet. And whatever Bill was after, he was on his way to getting it.

Alcide noticed the glimmering chain tightly in her fist and he looked at her widening his eyes as a hint to her. She took notice and loosened her grip a bit, preparing to reach back and hit Bill with the silver chain at Alcide's command. Sam stood positioned with the his gun saw Alcide staring at Tara and the quick motion of her hand. He too prepared for something. Then, it happened. Alcide quickly shot a bullet for Bill's head and before he could speed away Bill tore into Tara's neck causing her to scream. She reached back mid-scream and rubbed the silvery chain on his face as best she could. He let her go momentarily. As she broke free Sam shot in Bill's direction, hitting him twice in the shoulder before he sped off cursing their existence.

Lafayette, who had run back to the bar, came panting with a flustered Sookie in tow. She looked around at the crowd of familiars and focused her sights on two men with weapons crowded around a hysterical and bleeding Tara who was held captive in Alcide's embrace. Streams of blood flooded down her neck staining her clothes accompanied by a stream of tears that wouldn't stop. She looked in Sookie's direction and turned back quickly avoiding her confused gaze.

“What in God's name is going on here, Lafayette?”

“Your psycho boyfriend fuckin bit my cousin. And he was gonna hurt Sam and Alcide too.”

Not fully able to comprehend his words Sookie shook her head in disbelief as the cast of friends turned a critical eye toward her.

“Bill wouldn't hurt Tara. Tara's like my family. He wouldn't hurt anyone I cared about.”

“Like he didn't hurt your uncle?” Tara shouted to her trying to move away from Alcide who held her even closer.

“He did that to protect me.” she almost whispered

Sam jumped in, “Sookie, you can't honestly tell me you believe the words coming outta your mouth right now. You can't look at this picture and tell something is wrong? Huh? Don't you see what he's been doing to you?” he shouted to her.

She rubbed a sore bite mark on the side of her neck and started yelling back. “ What did you do to him? You must have tried to hurt him first. That's the only reason I can imagine he'd try to hurt any of you.

“That fucker bit me, Sookie!” she managed to get out between sobs. “See this right here is a bite mark,” she pointed to the affected area. “This didn't happen because we had stakes and holy water, Sookie. I came out here to look for Alcide then Bill attacked me. Wake the fuck up and smell the truth.”

Tara stomped her foot into the ground, pulling her wrist out of Alcide's grasp. She walked up to Sookie showing the bite mark more closely. “Look at it! Does that shit look real enough to you!” She stormed off heading back to Merlotte's. Sookie looked elsewhere and Tara continued to walk away.

Alcide started to go after her but Sam and Lafayette held him back with their gaze, both figuring she needed time to cool off. As soon as she'd made it away from them she sat crying underneath a tree at the edge of the clearing. She kept thinking about the first night she met Eric. She wondered, if she'd known that all this would happen, would she still have decided to sleep with him. She wished that he'd never propositioned her with anything. She almost wished she'd never met him. Almost.

Tucking her head into her knees, she sobbed heavily allowing all of the stress that had been building up around her to fall away. She began to wonder where he might be, and why he hadn't come to her rescue. He had promised her that he would. He said the amulet around her neck would protect her. It hadn't. She snatched it off and threw it. She didn't care where it landed and hoped some bird carried it away. The only thing that saved her was her own silver chain and Alcide. Scratch that, it was Alcide's fault she was out there in the first place. She got up and finished her trip back to Merlotte's. She went straight through the back in into the ladies' room. She bent down at the nearest sink to turn on the water. She watched it falling on her hands carrying streams of the blood and dirt down the drain. She felt the spot on her face where Bill had licked her, cringing, she began rubbing at it furiously with water. She felt the heat of the water on her face and decided to it was clean enough until she got home.

Behind Merlotte's

Under the light of the moon, the group sat along with Eric who'd finally managed to make it to the place where he last sensed his lover's presence. Sam, Alcide, Lafayette and Sookie's faces were stone. Seeing him brooding over them in heated stance, they understood he had been angered by tonight's events but not everyone knew why. His hair slicked back in a way that was purely him, he walked about fangs down, hissing interrogations.

“Where is Compton?” His voice was calm but everyone could tell he was furious. Alcide thought it better to talk to him straight on feeling partially responsible for the events that transpired.

“Eric, after she blinded him, he ran off. We didn't try to follow him. We wanted to make sure she was okay.” He started walking forward hoping to avert his attentions.

“Make sure she was safe!?” he scoffed incredulously. “If she's so safe then why aren't you with her now? Can't you follow simple directions?” His fists clenched tightly, eyes reddening at the sight before him.

Pam ran up behind him. She knew Eric wasn't going to like what she had to say but with him, the best way to handle business was to tell him straight-forward as hiding things usually had grave results.

“She's in the bar, Eric. She's been bitten.” she backed away watching his eyes glaze over with pure anger, disgust, and loathing.

He turned off in the direction of the bar when Sookie approached him. Her eyes full of fresh tears. She placed a hand on his forearm and tried to muster enough attitude to question him. He stared at her with new eyes. She was still very beautiful, a creature who needed to know her place in the world but he would not be the one to show her. Some other soul would have to guide her because he felt nothing. No lust, no attraction, its almost as if he'd never seen her before, needy and confused. He suddenly couldn't remember why he'd been so fond of her.

“Tell me what they're talking about. Why would Bill attack Tara?” she let a couple tears fall as she wiped her red nose.

“Sookie Stackhouse, you're friend is in trouble because of me. I promised to ensure her safety,” he looked away gritting his teeth, hating himself for having to admit his faults. “But...I didn't.”

“So then, this is your fault?” She sniffed, trying to understand what he was talking about. “You made Bill attack her, you bastard.” She tried to swing in his direction he caught her arms putting them to her sides. He bent his neck to look directly into her eyes. Small tears slipped out and fell onto her uniform.

“Ms. Stackhouse, I stand behind everything I have done this far. If you only knew that this initially was for your benefit maybe you'd be reacting differently. But now I could care less what happens to you in your ignorance and your unwillingness to see the truth. The only thing that I regret now is not having been here when my lover was put in harm's way by your filthy boyfriend.”

“You're greedy, Eric Northman. You can't have everything you want.”

Sam and Alcide watched from a distance not knowing whether to intervene. Was she always so loud? They decided against it, not wanting to catch the brunt of any residual aggression Eric might have to throw their way.

He pulled his arm away from her grasp and sped off following the path of Tara's scent. He stopped abruptly finding the amulet he'd given her lying abandoned on the forest floor. He put it around his own neck, cursing as he continued off to Merlotte's. She wasn't hard to find, the same bittersweet blood he knew would never lead him astray. He burst through the backdoor of Merlotte's looking around suspiciously at all the human faces. Fangs retracted he stopped a red-headed waitress whose heart-beat raced wildly as she stared at him. He walked past her and continued in search of the bathrooms. He was sure she was there. Yes, the closer he got to her, the stronger the feeling was. Amid the hushed cacophony in the restaurant he walked in a trance to the ladies room door and quietly pushed his way in.

She still had her head down, rubbing water on her face as she looked up she she saw his frame in the mirror. She jumped in panic.

“Fuck.” she turned to face him her eyes on the brink of shedding more tears. She stared him down the corners of her mouth quivering with words unsaid. Her bloodied shirt infuriated him even more than the fear he sensed coming from her. She looked at the rest of his body more fully seeing that he'd found the amulet she'd ditched in the forest. She looked away. “I.. I can't deal with this right now.” she shouted.

“I let this happen.” he looked into her wide eyes searching for some response. But what could she say that he didn't already know?

She didn't understand how he could reduce her to this state of mind where she could no longer form coherent sentences. She nodded childishly and swallowed hard realizing that she just blamed him for this.

“It was never my intention to bring harm to you, you must know that.” He looked at their reflections in the mirror and longed to hold and comfort her but knew it probably wouldn't be be well received in her condition.

“I know.” she finally whispered back. “This is my fault too. If only...only.”

He dropped his fangs using one to pierce one of his long cold fingers. He used his own blood to rub to the bite wound his enemy had inflicted. She titled her head hesitantly and the mark slowly vanished but he knew the mental scars, which couldn't be seen, wouldn't be so easily erased. They would take time to heal, which would be time for him to heal as well. She looked astonished in the mirror at her skin which had seemingly returned to normal. She touched it and felt nothing.

He took hold of her shoulders and let his eyes wander about her face, still wrought with fear and worry. “ He will meet that true death. I promise you this, Tara.”

She wanted to feel relieved but couldn't. This was exact same reason she was in this predicament, his wanting to do this. Staring down at her hands, she began wringing them together. She couldn't just stand back this time and let her thoughts go ignored and cast aside by blood lust, she was positive that having been away from him so long would have weakened his say in her emotions. It did and then again it didn't not as well as she had hoped.

“No. That's what got us in this in the first place.” she backed into the sink, feeling the distance would help as well. Placing her hands on either side of the porcelain fixture she looked down.

He was confused and it wasn't a feeling he liked. Yet, he would refuse it with every fiber of his being. Eric Northman is never confused...never emotional. And what was she thinking? Maybe Compton had taken a great deal of her blood, which was clouding her judgment. He closed the space between them, grabbing her chin, something that gave him some semblance of control. “Why the hell not!? What then, would you have me do, Tara? Let him go free after what he did to you?”

“I don't know. I just don't know, dammit. I want him dead more than you know. I want him to suffer, to be afraid for his life.” She clung to him then, willing more tears away. “I just don't want anymore fucked up shit to happen.”

“That's why you're coming with me. I am having a room prepared for you all your belongings will be removed from that filthy-” she cut in. She was weary but not tired enough to just let him decide things for her this time. She placed a hand on his chest, knitting her brows together.

“What!? See, this is what I'm talking about. You always thinking you know what's best for me. Don't I have any say in what happens to me? And how the fuck do you know I want to stay with you after you this? How do you know that I don't want to have anything to do with you or vampires, were-wolves, stupid people for the rest of my life?” He opened his mouth to make a sound but couldn't. “You don't.”

“It doesn't look like you have much of a choice, love-”

“Ah. Nope. I'm ain't finished.” she quickly placed a finger over his mouth. “You wouldn't know, Eric, because you didn't ask. You just expect me to marvel at your glory and just do whatever you want.”

“I know this isn't what you want to hear, but do you honestly think he will just let this go? He knows what we were trying to do. We've been very sloppy about keeping this whole thing a secret, for which you are to blame. He will attack again. He is petty and won't easily let you get away and from what I gather the Queen is on his side as long as he has Sookie in his pocket.”

“ I know you blame me for all of this but Alcide and I didn't know Bill would send Jason and Hoyt to spy on us. And when Jason found Alcide at Sookie's, I had to do damage control and pretended Alcide and I were dating, just to keep your name out of the story. As for tonight's events, Sookie's delusional and I've been attacked. So, fuck the Queen. She can kiss the blackest part of ass on this one, okay?

Just thinking about the greedy little wench, Sophie-Anne made him angry. He could easily do away with her, if he truly wanted but he knew starting a war when there was still a battle at hand was foolish. All those years of training would not be wasted on the likes of her.

“ He knows you'll be after him, right?”

“If he's thinking, he knows I will have many people looking for him.” Even if she clearly didn't know what she wanted, she knew that Bill knew his moments were numbered. And to know that she was an active participant in his demise made her feel better.

“I want Alcide and Sam to be safe, too. They were attacked too, on account of me being with you.” she nodded with assurance.

“I will do no such thing. The shifter can hold his own and Alcide is no longer my concern. He couldn't even keep you safe while I left for a couple days. He'll be better off in Jackson and safer there than here putting you in more danger.”

“But....he was there for me....when you weren't. I can't...we can't just let him be put inc harm's way. I'm not staying with you until I know they will all be safe.”

Alcide, how could she have forgotten about him? He was more caring and kind to her than most other men she'd met. He had done his best to protect her. Hell, he'd even fought Bill for her sake and stayed when she'd clearly given him the green light to run away like a bitch. Perhaps, that was because Eric would kill him had he found out that Alcide didn't protect her. She had decided indefinitely with this latest plan to stay with Eric, make whatever crazy relationship they were trying to have work. Now, she just had to get the courage to tell Alcide her choice.

Gran's house

After lots of talking, arguing, and cursing with Tara, Alcide agreed to let Eric hide him in the safety of a property he owned in Bon Temps. It wasn't far from where Tara would be staying. She admitted living at Gran's would be very dangerous especially now that she knew it was being watched. She talked Eric into letting her live on her own but not without provisions and security. As long as Bill couldn't catch her unawares she was safe. Sam however, denied any and all of Eric's help, which didn't bother Eric one bit, he'd only insisted because of Tara. When the help was refused it was no longer his problem.

The next day, Tara was up and getting all of her things from Gran's. She was surprised at the amount of patience the men had with her predicament. It was very rushed but not having very much to begin with made things a lot easier. She looked around her room and saw some of Alcide's things laying about. Wondering if she should at least put them together somewhere safe, she picked up his jeans and the shirt he wore on the first night he stayed there. Just the smell alone brought back a flood of memories. She quickly dropped it and continued looking for only items that belonged to her.

He had decided that he would get his things later, but it was more Eric's doing than his own. After pleading for Eric to extend some aide to Alcide, Tara was worried that he saw the two of them a little differently. She'd been warned once before about Alcide, a second warning she doubted, would be as pleasant as the first.

“Miss, what about the furniture?” A burly gentleman asked placing his hands at his lower back.

“Leave it all,” She shook her head. “Its not mine.”

“But then what are we gonna furnish your house with?”

“I'll leave that to Eric. He said it would be set up when I got there. So, you guys don't have to worry about that.”

Looking down into the final box from her room she saw a picture of Sookie, Jason, and herself from when they were younger. She wished they all could go back there, to that innocent place in time, where nothing really mattered. Looking up as the men started getting in the truck, she closed up the box and carried it out to the truck.

Fangtasia (that night)

“Eric, we need to talk.” Alcide burst through Eric's door a disapproving look on his face. He had come in the club growling at Pam who hissed back but didn't do anything drastic. He marched through the crowd, receiving nasty looks from the vampires there who knew what he was. And from human women, catcalls and lustful looks. Not looking back he went straight for Eric's office.

“If you're here to argue more, save your breath. I don't have time for it.” He never once looked up at Alcide, who looked as if he had a lot to say.

“I don't want to argue. I just want to say a couple things to you.”

“There couldn't be anything remotely as important as finding Compton right now so, I'll need you to leave.”

“I want to talk to you about Tara.”

The sound of her name alone caused Eric to become more alert, more attentive. “I'm listening.”

“Stop whatever it you're doing to her. Stop stringing her along.”

“I don't like your tone, Alcide. Have you forgotten your family has a debt?”

“Hear me out. When that vampire was talking the other night he told us some very things.” Eric didn't say anything. He just sat in his chair, highly amused. “I thought about what he said over and over again and I realized something. You're doing the same damn thing to Tara that he's doing to that Stackhouse girl. She isn't as far gone, but she might be getting close. And you're doing it all just to get that Stackhouse girl. It makes so much sense to me and once I explain it to Tara, she'll figure it out too. You're greedy just like that blonde said!”

“Are you finished, yet?”

“No. After all this is over you need to let her go. Let her live her life.”

“And what if I refuse? What will you do?”

“I'll fight you for her. And if I die what will she think of you then? Her hero, who wasn't even there when she needed him the most.” he smirked, knowing he was striking a nerve. Just as Eric was about to do something he might regret later Pam arrived, stopping him cold.

“Excuse me pup, we've got important business to discuss.” she shooed him away and he walked out of Eric's office giving a nod to her as he walked past. Feeling as if he'd dodged an enormous bullet he left vowing to continue the conversation later.

Even with her in such close proximity, Eric couldn't rest. Thinking constantly about Alcide's words made him nauseous. When day came, he sat awake in his home thinking about where Compton could be and how he would make him suffer. He had people all over searching for him, Pam included. At night those who searched during the day gave reports and the night shift comprised of vampires made their way out to begin searching. Something should turn up eventually, right?