Eric stood over Dimitri’s remaining clothes; stunned into disbelief. Had he ever really known him? Why had he not known that Dimitri wanted to die his final death? Those were both puzzling questions, but Eric was practical enough to know that he would never get any answers because the only one who could answer them was now dead.
“Good riddance,” Eric murmured towards the spot where Dimitri had turned into a pile of ash and dust.
He turned away and walked out of the room, but not before grabbing a sword that hung on the wall like a plaque. It was one of those civil war swords, something that Eric wasn’t accustomed to using like he did with his own broad sword that he’d carried for centuries. But it would have to do if Dimitri’s guards decided to come after him.
Eric walked towards the front door, when one of the guards jumped out at him. He raised his sword in response, swinging the blade through the air, quickly slicing the vampire’s head clean off.
Eric turned around and noticed that now a group of them had formed. He found it funny, now that Dimitri had died and Sookie had been rescued; that this was the time for the guards to make an appearance. Too little, too late, he thought to himself.
One of the guards came swiftly towards him swinging his sword at him. Eric easily parried, then swung around in an arch, swinging his own sword. Off with that guard’s head too. Each one came at him, one or two at a time. Eric used his strong fighting skills that he’d learned many years ago in battle to easily defeat them.
Soon, Eric stood there, looking down at all the dead bodies, evaluating the situation. Their skills and technique had been no match for his. He dropped his sword, then left the mansion and took off towards home in the night sky.
Now, he had to figure out who was behind it, on his own. Dimitri had died, keeping it a secret from him. Much like when he couldn’t remember anything from the time of his memory lapse, this too was annoying him. He wanted to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible. He needed to find out the who’s, what’s, how’s and why’s.
The only way he could figure out how to get his answers now, would be to get a hold of that witch, Agatha. Surely, she must know who Dimitri had been working for? He was going to have to come up with a new plan on how to handle the witch. Witches were unpredictable.
I drove towards Shreveport and Fangtasia in a panic. Claudine was holding onto her seat and dashboard for dear life, as if she was scared that she would perish if I happened to crash the car.
“Sookie…” Claudine paused, unsure of the mood I was in. “I know that you’re feeling worried, but couldn’t you speed down before someone pulls you over?” She pleaded, knowing that at the speed limit I was driving in, the cops were more than likely to do just that.
I glanced over at her, before turning my gaze back onto the road. “Sorry, I’ve got to get there right now. Eric might be in trouble. He might need me,” I explained to the best that I could under the circumstances. “I need to make sure that he’s alright,” I urged.
Claudine sighed and kept holding on to the seat and dashboard, as if knowing that trying to convince me to slow down was a futile attempt. “Okay, but don’t say that I didn’t warn you,” she replied, relenting.
I sped down the road towards Fangtasia. We weren’t far from there now, I thought to myself. Soon, I would be able to know why Eric was feeling the way that he was.
I pulled into the parking lot when we got there, quickly coming to a stop outside of the door. There were a few other cars in the parking lot, probably customers who were inside the vampire bar, drinking, I figured. I reached for the doorknob, but Claudine reached for my hand. I turned to look at her, curiously.
She hugged me, trying to reassure me that everything would be alright. She didn’t need words, her hug worked well enough.
“Thanks,” I replied, grateful that she was trying to comfort me. “I really appreciate you showing up like you did and…everything.”
“No problem,” Claudine replied, sitting there patiently. “That’s what I’m here for,” she paused, as she looked towards the door. “You better go in,” she urged, knowing that it was what I was wanting to do the most.
I quickly hugged her once more before leaving my vehicle. I walked towards the door of the bar, scared of what I would find once I got there. I glanced back once more towards Claudine in my car, but she’d already vanished.
Shrugging my shoulders, I entered Fangtasia.
The dim lighting and loud music took me awhile to adjust to. I looked around the room, spotting Pam seated at Eric’s table looking over some paperwork. I walked up to her and stood there, staring down at her, scared and confused.
“Why are you sitting here doing nothing? Why aren’t you helping Eric?” I accused her angrily.
Pam looked up at me, with a startled and shocked expression, that quickly changed to amusement. “Helping Eric with what?” She asked, knowing that the question would quickly get a rise out of me.
“You know…with what he’s doing right now,” I replied back, still frustrated and angry with her. “I can’t believe that you’d be sitting here and not helping him at all. Isn’t he your maker?” I asked, puzzled, outraged on Eric’s behalf and confused.
Pam laughed, as if it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. I stared at her, bewildered by her actions.
“My dear, Sookie,” she replied back, teasing me. “I have no idea why you’re so worried about him, but Eric is quite alright,” she tried to reassure me. “You have nothing to fear,” she paused. “What’s got you so worked up anyways?”
I stared at her, trying to come to terms with what she’d told me. That Eric was alright. I wondered why I was feeling like I was then. It was weird.
“You’re saying Eric’s okay?” I asked, just to be sure. “Because I was feeling something…like he was feeling powerless and in need of help,” I frowned, trying to figure it out.
Pam laughed. “Eric?” She asked, as if that was the most absurd thing that she’d ever heard. She laughed once again, this time shaking her head. “Sookie, you kill me,” she replied, still laughing.
I glared down at her. “I don’t get it…what’s the joke?” I asked, annoyed with her laughing at me. I didn’t find it the least bit funny. “Eric is in trouble and we’ve got to help him,” I urged.
She laughed again. “Ok-ay,” she laughed some more. “Sookie, don’t you think that I’d know if Eric needed my help…or yours?” She tried to point out to me, shaking her head. Her laughter had finally died down enough but a smile still remained on her face. “Eric took off for a bit, but he just came back now,” she explained to me. “He’s in the back, in case you’re interested,” she winked at me, knowing full well what I was going to do.
I quickly walked away from her and walked into his office, unannounced. I didn’t care that I could be interrupting a business meeting or not. I only wanted to make sure that he was alright and in one piece. I stormed in, unsure of what I would find once I got there.
I stood there, puzzled and amazed. Eric was seated behind his desk, talking on the phone. He looked up at me, as I entered. First, I could feel his shock and surprise, followed closely behind his pleasure and happiness at seeing me.
I frowned, trying to figure out why I had been feeling the way that I had been feeling. It seemed that my own feelings had lied to me. I stared at him, while he quickly ended his phone call, silent and confused.
“Sookie?” Eric had hung up the phone and now asked me. “What are you doing here?” He asked, incredulously.
I let his mind into my thoughts because I wasn’t sure how to put it into words. He read them, I could tell, then he started to laugh. “Sookie…” he motioned for me to come towards him. “Come here,” he tried to console me.
I slowly moved towards him, not sure if it was because I wanted to reassure myself that he was alright or if it was the bond and my own lack of willpower when it came to him. I sat down on his lap behind the desk. I raised my hands to cradle his cool cheeks in my hands. I stared into his eyes, reading his mind, but he kept it closed off from me.
I backed away from him and gazed at him, curious by his actions. “Why won’t you let me in?” I asked, hurt, disappointed and confused.
Eric shrugged. “Because it’s sometimes better if you didn’t see what’s inside,” he replied, trying to explain. “I’m not an open book and I’m not about to let you see some of the ugliness that I have seen.”
“But…never mind,” I let it drop, deciding that it didn’t matter. He was alright and I was in his arms. I was so intensely relieved and happy that I couldn’t stop the smile the spread across my face. “I’m glad you’re okay,” I leaned over and hugged him, grateful that he was alright. “I was so worried,” I explained.
Eric pushed me away from our hug and stared up at my face. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I went to see Dimitri to see if I could find out anything more, but…” he paused, unsure if he should reveal what he’d discovered. “He’s gone. He killed himself without telling me anything and it just surprised me, that’s all,” he explained, hoping that it would reassure me. “I’m okay, other than really angry that we’re back to square one; not knowing anything again,” he sighed.
I stared at him, relieved and scared once again, but it wasn’t fear of or for Eric that I was afraid, it was the not knowing who was behind my kidnapping. “He didn’t say anything?” I asked, just to be sure. Eric shook his head. I was somewhat disappointed. I thought that Eric would be able to get anything out of anyone. “So…what are we going to do now?” I wondered, aloud.
“We’re not going to do anything,” Eric replied. “You are going to keep working while I get to the bottom of this.”
I rolled my eyes, knowing that Eric could see me; plain as day.
“Sookie,” Eric gave me a stern look. “You have to stay out of this. Let me handle it.”
“What if I told you that I could help you with Agatha?” I pointed out to him. “I could, you know, she’s a witch and I could read her mind. I could probably tell you what she’s thinking and who’s behind everything,” I explained. “Besides, I thought you liked taking advantage of my talent?”
“Fine,” he sighed, knowing that I was right. I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. “But, you are only going to read her mind and that’s that. Leave the rest to me,” he explained.
I sighed once again. I had gotten what I wanted out of him, so I had to be fine enough with that for now.
“What are you doing here anyways?” Eric asked, changing the subject. “I thought you were still mad at me?”
I shrugged. “I forgave you,” I softly explained. “Besides, I got what I wanted anyways,” I grinned, teasingly at him.
Eric laughed. “That you do,” he agreed. “I missed you,” he squeezed me closer to him. He sniffed me, as if he were breathing in an intoxicating fragrance. He backed away from me, looking at me curiously. “Okay, which fairy have you seen recently?” He asked, curiously.
I stared at him, puzzled by what he could mean. Then, it hit me. I had just been with Claudine and she had hugged me, not once but twice. I grinned at him, wickedly, knowing how much Eric loved the smell of fairies. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I teased.
“You know what I want to do to you when you smell like that,” Eric told me, sternly, as if it wasn’t what he was interested in doing. But I knew better. He would use any reason to kiss me and rub himself all over me.
I could feel his erection pressing up against me. I rubbed against him, teasingly, causing him to moan. Call me wicked, but Eric made wanton thoughts come to me. I loved the powerful feelings they aroused.
“Stop that,” he moaned.
“Make me,” I replied, acting more wantonly than I could ever remember being. If he liked the smell of me after I’d been with fairies, then maybe I could ask them to visit me more often?
“Don’t tease me that way. You know what I want to do to you more than anything else in this world,” he whined to me, all knowing.
“Oh?” I asked. “What’s that?” I couldn’t help myself, I liked teasing him. I leaned closer to him; our lips met and held. When I backed away, ending our kiss, Eric licked his lips.
“Like the sweetest wine,” he sighed, tasting me on his lips.
I kissed him again, loving the way he held me and the way he smelled. Our kiss quickly deepened, arousing our passions once again.
That was when we both heard someone at the door knock. It was Pam, she opened the door after hearing Eric’s okay and peered in at us. We backed away from each other, disappointed that she had interrupted us.
“Sorry, if this is a bad time, but Eric…” she paused, suddenly unsure if it was a bad time or not, although she made a good guess that it was. “Alcide is here and he has that information you asked of him,” she explained, then glanced at me to see my reaction.
She quickly left, as quickly as she came in.
I stared down at Eric, curiously. “What do you have Alcide doing?” I asked him, puzzled and confused. I waited for Eric to explain it to me.
“He’s looking into your kidnapping, of course,” he explained. “I have him looking into Agatha and all her connections.”
Alcide knocked before entering the room. His immense presence filled the doorway, hesitantly. I could tell that he was surprised to see me not only in Eric’s office, but on his lap as well. He quickly covered up his shock by looking away.
“If I’ve come at a bad time…” he paused, unsure of what to say during this awkward moment.
If there was one word to best describe the atmosphere in the room at that moment, it was awkward. I could tell that Alcide was surprised to see us sitting so intimately together. Two people who had always kept a distance from each other. It reminded me that what Eric and I had together was relatively new and might shock most people.
“No, it’s alright,” Eric looked over at Alcide with a mixture of amusement and gloating. I wanted to smack him. “Sookie and I were just…”
“Please don’t explain,” Alcide raised his hand in response, cutting off Eric’s explanation. “If I hadn’t known about the rumors beforehand, I would be more shocked.”
“Rumors?“Eric repeated, curiously.
“How are things?” I quickly interjected before Alcide could tell Eric about the rumors going around about Eric and me. “How’s it feel to be pack leader?” It was a good, neutral topic that wouldn’t get too heated, I thought. I climbed off of Eric’s lap, hoping that my actions might make the atmosphere better in a way.
“It’s good,” Alcide replied, having now recovered from seeing us together. “How are you doing since the kidnapping?”
Eric looked up at me, with a disappointed expression on his face. I didn’t need to read his mind to know that he had wanted to keep me there as a way to taunt Alcide. I glared at Eric before replying back to Alcide. “I’m okay, I wasn’t hurt or anything,” I replied back, keeping up conversation.
“That’s good,” he replied. “All of us were worried about you,” he explained. “We couldn’t believe that someone would come after you like they have done.” He looked at Eric, who was looking from Alcide to me, curiously. “Speaking of which…the reason why I am here.” He had been carrying a briefcase, that I hadn’t noticed until now.
“Go on,” Eric urged, hoping that Alcide had something that we could go on. “What have you found out?”
“Well…” he paused, while he dug into his briefcase and pulled out a file. “It’s not much, but it might help.” He placed the file on the desk.
Eric reached over and picked it up; opened it and began leafing through the folder.
“As you can see, she has been getting paid a great amount of money and she has been trying to rebuild her life, since Katrina. In a way, I’d feel sorry for her, but here’s the thing…if you look on one of the back pages, it tells you the account number of the person who was paying her,” he paused, while Eric turned to the page in question.
I peered over Eric’s shoulder, not really able to read the fine print from where I was standing. But I could tell that it was a balance sheet from a bank and that there were transactions printed out.
“That account number belongs to…” Alcide’s cell phone rang, interrupting his sentence. He looked at us apologetically after looking at the call display. “I’m really sorry, but I’ve got to answer this. It’s Pack business,” he explained.
Eric motioned for him to answer the call. What perfect timing! We both thought to ourselves, frustratingly. We hoped that the call wouldn’t take long. We were both on pins and needles.
We waited anxiously for Alcide’s call to end.
Erika's Not-So-Secret Diary 