A/N - Wow! An update before the year ended! Hope you all enjoy and I apologise once again for the truly glacial pace this story is crawling along at. The next few chapters should get things moving a bit faster. Thank you all for your continued support and kind comments! Love you all! ︎

This chapter is un-beta'd, so apologises for any mistakes. Please feel free to point them out if you see them!

Chapter 19

"Order up!" Lafayette hollered at me from across the room.

I waved to him in acknowledgement while I finished cleaning up after a couple who had just left. Straightening the condiments and wiping off the surface before heading towards the kitchen.

Lafayette gave me a sympathetic look from where he was flipping burgers and cooking up fries at an almost inhuman rate. The counter was full of plates to go out so I balanced as many as I dared on my arms before distributing them around the tables with practised ease, mustering a smile and a 'enjoy your meal' to each customer despite the rush.

When the last plate of food had been delivered I collapsed tiredly against the bar, resting my aching feet for a few precious moments before the next customer request could pull me away.

The past few days had been hectic. News of René guilt spread quickly, Jason being its prime source as he enjoyed being a free man again. Arlene had become inconsolable and after a very public scene in Merlotte's had shut herself away from the world. Without needing to be asked I stepped in to pick up the slack, the work helping to alleviate some of my own guilt towards the situation. I felt horrible for the part I played in hurting her, even though there was no other choice or way it could have happened to spare her feelings. I couldn't imagine the pain she must being feeling discovering her partner was actually a raging psychopath.

A new group of people entered Merlotte's, so with a sigh and stretch of my sore back I walked up to greet them, reminding myself I only had an hour to go before my shift ended.

.

When I could finally remove my apron and leave Merlotte's I drove straight to Arlene's. I had been guilty of avoiding her like the rest of the town had, unable to face my contribution to her life falling apart.

Arlene's kids, Lisa and Coby, opened the door to my knocking and at my enquiry of where their mum was, both silently pointed to a door down the hall where muffled sobbing could be heard.

"How is she?"

"She won't stop crying" Lisa said. Both kids looked red eyed themselves and I pulled them into a hug, reassuring them that they could call me if they ever needed someone to talk to. I hadn't babysat them very much recently but was fond of both of them and hated to see them going through such a tough time. Rene had been in their lives long enough for them to consider him their dad so to find out it was all a lie was difficult for them to accept.

"How about you go watch some tv or something while I go talk to your mom?" They both nodded and disappeared into the front room while I made my way down the hall to the master bedroom.

I knocked on the door lightly and heard the sobbing cut off. I raised my voice a little to be heard through the door. "Arlene? Honey, can I come in?" There was a moment of silence before I heard the sound of a nose being blown and footsteps coming towards the door. before the door opened slightly.

"Sookie, what are you doing here?" Her voice sounded cracked and raw from crying and I winced in sympathy.

"I wanted to check in and see how you were doing." I spoke soothingly and was rewarded when Arlene opened the door a little wider. She was a mess; hair tangled and messy, face devoid of makeup and eyes bloodshot from crying. She looked so far removed from her usual put together self that I stood shocked for a few moments before pulling her into a hug.

She collapsed in my arms and I could feel tears wetting my neck. I guided her towards the bed and she pulled away once we were settled.

"I'm sorry. You must think I'm such a mess." She sniffled and looked away.

I laid a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her to face me again. "All I see if a friend going through a tough time."

Arlene's expression got anguished. "How can you even call me a friend. Rene framed your brother for murder. He killed people and I didn't even notice I was sleeping next to a murderer. I was going to marry him!" She broke down sobbing again and I looked around for a box of tissues, spotting them on her bedside table and retrieving them for her. She pulled a few out and blew her nose

"I don't blame you for any of that. You couldn't have known. He fooled us all Arlene."

"But–"

"No, don't go blaming yourself for this. Everything he's done – that's all on him."

"You… you really mean that?"

"Of course." I reassured, "I know the people in this town are quick to judge, but they are a bunch of small minded gossip hounds. You shouldn't give them any power over you by letting their bullshit get to you." That pulled a small smile from Arlene, which I was glad to see.

"Thank you Sookie. I guess I needed to hear that."

"I'm glad I could help." We chatted a little longer, deliberately avoiding topics that might set Arlene off again and talking about unimportant things before I stood to leave.

"You can tell Sam I will be I will be back at work by the end of the week." She said, following me out of her room and I nodded, relieved that soon I would get my life back. Lisa and Coby ran out from the living room at the sounds of her voice and Arlene scooped them both into a hug.

I smiled at the sight and left to give them some privacy. I knew Arlene would be fine, she had a way of bouncing back from tough times with a strength I found admirable.

. . .

Tucked up in bed, later that night I was happily ensconced in an old romance novel when my phone started ringing. Startled, I lost my place in the book and looked around for the device that was nowhere in sight.

Muttering curses I left my bed and started frantically searching for my phone, finally locating in the furthest corner of my room, tucked in my jacket pocket. I only just managed to hit accept before it went to voicemail.

"Good evening Sookie," Eric greeted, but I was only able to make some breathless noise in response.

"Am I interrupting something?" He purred and I felt my face warm when I realised how he had interpreted my response. I deliberately took a calming breath before speaking.

"I couldn't find my phone so I had to run around the room."

"I'm glad my calls inspire such dedication."

"What do you want Eric?" I ignored his teasing cutting straight to the point.

"I require your services this Friday." I nodded to myself, having expected the request.

"What time do you want me there?"

"Come at 7pm. The bar will be closed for the night so you will need to come through the back entrance."

"The bar will be closed? Should I be worried?" it was a valid question considering the last time I had been at Fangtasia when it had been closed was when I had been witness to the horrific display with Bill. "This isn't about Bill is it?" I added, a shiver of apprehension going down my spine.

"He has already been taken care of. I doubt we will be hearing from him in a hurry." I opened my mouth to ask what had happened to him but decided against it. Instead changing the topic completely.

"Eric, I wanted to thank you before I forget. For what you did to free my brother."

"I do not require your gratitude Sookie."

"Well I appreciate what you did regardless. It's a relief to have Rene behind bars where he can't hurt anyone else."

"I was merely protecting what is mine." He hung up, probably anticipating my usual explosive response to his possessive claim but instead of the usual anger I felt warmth blooming in my chest thinking of having Eric on my side. It felt nice to know I had someone watching my back.

.

Friday night came around quickly, busy as I was with shifts at Merlotte's and keeping my brother out of trouble.

Jason had taken to celebrating his freedom with even less restraint than usual and I despaired that his time in jail had taught him little when it came to thinking before he acted. If anything it made him more prone to bouts of reckless behavior. Dawn's death seemed to have broken something in him that he was desperately trying to fill with alcohol and one night stands.

Sam had grudgingly agreed to give me the night off, knowing the reason for my absence but not commenting beyond asking that I be careful and text him when I got back. I agreed to his request since I knew it came from his worries for my safety rather than any misplaced desire to control me.

Parking my car in one of the spots reserved for Fangtasia staff I smothered a yawn, hoping that this night would be uneventful. I was bone tired and in desperate need of a drama free night. Unfortunately, with how my previous encounters with Eric the night was going to be anything but.

Pam meet me by the entrance and led me down the hallway into the main area. The bar was deserted and I realised that whatever business Eric had called me for was far more serious than I had first imagined.

Eric stood next to Long Shadow, leaning against the bar. In front of them was a table with a chair on both sides. One was already occupied by a slightly balding, middle aged man. His eyes darted nervously between me and the other vampires behind his wire frame glasses.

He was obviously terrified and the uneasy feeling in my own gut increased. I looked to Eric for instructions and he indicated I take the seat facing the man. Once I was seated Eric pushed himself off the bar and circled until he was standing behind the man who shrunk at the proximity.

"Sookie, this is Bruce, our accountant. You are here because recently we noticed a discrepancy in our books."

"What kind of discrepancy?"

"$60,000 has gone missing." My eyes bugged out at the number. That was more than I had ever had in my savings and it drove home just how rich Eric actually was.

"You will be aiding us in discovering who took it." Eric continued, "we will be asking him some questions and I wish for you to tell me if he is being truthful or not." Bruce paled and I hoped that whatever I discovered in his mind would save him from the horror of vampire justice.

"Why didn't you just glamor him? Surely that would be faster?"

"Don't you think we would have already tried that before calling you?" Pam drawled and I conceded her point. It still raised the question of what they thought I could uncover if their glamor hadn't done the job but I shrugged it off. I was getting paid well to do this and since I had already made the trip I might as well make it worth my time.

Sitting down opposite, I held my hand out to Bruce who stared at the extended limb warily. "Could you please touch my hand while you are talking?" I clarified.

"Do it." Eric ordered when he hesitated and Bruce obeyed, his hand touching mine. His grip was sweaty and I resisted the urge to pull away, instead lowering my shields and focusing on Bruce's mind.

Shit…. I've been nothing but straight with these fuckers... Never should have agreed to work with vamps, oh God I'm gonna die…

I nodded to Eric that I was ready and he quickly jumped onto the interrogation. After a few minutes of listening along I was convinced of his innocence. They echoed enough of what he was saying for me to be certain it was the truth. I released his hand and leaned back.

"Well?" Eric asked me, cutting off Bruce's babble.

"He is telling the truth." I held Eric's stare and he seemed to accept what I said as the truth.

"Very well." Bruce sagged in relief and didn't resist as he was escorted from the room by Pam.

"That's it?" Long Shadow spoke up from behind me, "you trust a human woman's word that this human stain is innocent!"

"Yes." Eric said in a voice that brooked no argument. Long Shadow backed down but still looked mutinous and leveled a dark glare my way. I quickly turned back around to face Eric.

"Was that it?" I really hoped it was but my hopes were dashed why Pam walked in a few moments later with a leggy brunette dressed in a short jean skirt and a shirt that struggled to contain her very ample chest. It wasn't hard to guess what her role in the club was.

Compared to Bruce this woman sauntered in like she owned the place, giving Eric a flirtatious look before sweeping her hair over her shoulder and sitting down opposite me. When Eric didn't so much as acknowledge her her smile soured and she shot me a poisonous look.

"Crystal." I snorted at the name. "we have a few questions for you and you will touch Sookie as you answer them."

Crystal didn't protest as I touched her hand even as her thoughts made clear just what she thought of me. I ignored those thoughts as much as I was able and as soon as I was able to confirm her innocence retreated from her mind. It wasn't the first time I had had to deal with mean thoughts but it never got easier to have a stranger think unpleasant things about you.

The next hour continued in the same way, reading various human employees that Pam brought in one by one. All of them were innocent - well innocent of the theft Eric was investigating. I was even more exhausted than before and knew a headache was brewing. I was discreetly massaging my temples when Pam walked in with what she announced as the last human.

It was Ginger, her mind open and easy to read, even from across the room. I sighed in relief and reached towards Gingers mind with my own before she was even seated, not even needing to touch her to get a good read. But to be sure I touched the back of her hand and waited for Eric to start.

She answered Eric's answers truthfully enough, but the longer I lingered in her mind the more I got a sense that something wasn't quite right. There were gaps in her mind, patches of static that disturbed me. I could also sense that there was something hidden behind those gaps. Something Ginger was now unable to remember. It clicked when I realised this must be the effect of glamor. Something must have shown on my face, shock or disgust or both and Eric stopped questioning Ginger to focus on me.

"What have you heard." he asked but I waved him off to concentrated on Ginger again. I felt like I was close to something and with a bit of pressure against the blocks in Gingers memory I could feel them wavering.

"Ginger, do you know who stole that money?" I asked quickly, ignoring her verbal protests to continue pushing against the blocks, ignoring the strain it put on me to do so. The truth spilled out after a few moments and before I could school my reaction or say something to Eric I looked over at Long Shadow, watching as his face twisted into an expression of loathing at realising I knew of his deception.

Next thing I knew I was pinned down by an angry vampire. Long Shadow loomed over me, fangs fully out and murderous expression on his face. I struggled helplessly in his grip, primal gut wrenching fear overtaking me as he lunged forward, watching my own death come closer. But before his fangs could reach my neck I saw pale hands appear around his head and pull-

There was a terrible sound of ripping flesh as his head was pulled from his body, muscle and skin torn apart with ease. For a moment it felt like everything was frozen before the body started to collapse, falling apart like a rotten piece of fruit. I had enough foresight to close my eyes and mouth before I was covered in the blood and gore that had once been Long Shadow.

Someone was screaming and I felt one of my own build in my throat, panic overtaking all rational thought until I was shaking and feeling like I was going to be sick. The smell was awful, the feel of gore and blood everywhere, sliding over my skin and dripping off my clothing onto the floor.

A touch on my arm had my eyes fly open, body jerking back to collide painfully against the table. Eric stared back at me, a smallest hint of concern on his otherwise stoic features. I saw his mouth open but couldn't understand him over the rushing sound in my ears, shaking my head and feeling drops of blood fly off the ends of my hair.

"Sookie!" Eric spoke again and this time it broke through the panic and I focused my attention on him, shutting out the horrible reality of being covered in the remains of a vampire.

"Breathe." He commanded and I did, each shaky inhale and exhale calming me down. Eric nodded in approval once I was calmer and offered me a clean towel. I wiped the gore from my face, sloppy in my haste but needing to get the feel of it off my skin.

Eric pulled the towel out of my grip when I started scrubbing at my arms in violent jerky motions and finished wiping the worst of the excess blood from my skin with quick clinical movements. When the towel was completely stained red he tossed it behind him carelessly and gripped me around the waist, lifting me from the puddle of gore on the ground. I tried not to look too closely, already feeling bile rise at the brief glimpse I got.

He set me on my feet and said something to Pam that I didn't bother to understand. I started down at the floor, watching in sick fascination as blood slowly dripped it's way down my bare legs and off my hair into the floor. I felt a hand at my elbow and let it guide me out of the main bar into the back room and the fluorescent lit bathroom. The hand disappeared and I swayed a little wondering if I was going to be sick.

Thankfully the nausea faded after a few moments and I walked the few steps towards the bathroom sink and raised my gaze to the mirror hanging on the wall. I looked like I had just stepped out of a horror movie. Blood still coating me from head to toe, plastering my hair to my head and staining my clothing dark crimson.

With shaking fingers I turned on the taps and started scrubbing down my arms. I felt a rush of air and looked up to see Pam standing next to me. She handed over a stack of towels before disappearing again and I one I used to dry my arms before wetting it and using to wipe the worst from my hair and other parts of my body, stripping off the sodden clothing as I went. Once all the towels had been used up I figured that was the cleanest I was going to get and quickly pulled the Fantasia shirt that Pam had provided over my head. It seemed I was starting a collection and hoped this would be the last time I would need to use one.

Just before I was about to exit the bathroom Ginger walked in, smiling at me absent-mindedly and not seeming to care for the bloodied towels scattered around or the way I was dressed. I dipped into her mind briefly and met a wall of static. Without a doubt she had been glamored, the knowledge making me feel worse about the whole situation, knowing how badly her mind had already been tampered with.

Eric was on the phone when I walked back out into the main bar area but he snapped his phone shut with a brusque goodbye when he spotted me. Stepping closer, I saw his eyes sweep me over and I patted down my hair self consciously, knowing how tragic it must look. Still streaked with blood and tangled from my furious scrubbing with the towel.

"Come." was all he said after a few long moments and turned to lead the way out.

"Wait!" I ran after him. "aren't we going to talk about what just happened?"

"Long Shadow paid for his crimes. There is nothing more to say on this matter."

"I nearly got killed and you have nothing more to say!" I screeched, a tad hysterically. Eric stopped and turned around abrubtly causing me to nearly stumble onto him. "You know what, maybe you have nothing to say but I do. I am sick of being put in danger, of having my life threatened every week. I can't keep doing this!"

Eric narrowed his eyes and when he spoke his voice lacked sympathy. "You signed a contract Ms. Stackhouse. Think carefully of the consequences breaking it would be."

"You mean the part where I lose your protection and get kidnapped or drained by the next vampire that stumbles across me? Well honestly, that seems about as safe as what happened tonight." I shot back, more than a little sarcastic. I was thrown by the callousness of his words, confused when compared to his gentle actions earlier and that had my defenses rising.

"I killed a vampire to save your life, little girl." Eric hissed and I fought the urge to step back at the sudden anger in his expression. "That is a big transgression to vampire kind and can be punishable by the true death. What I did was not done lightly so consider yourself lucky and correct your tone."

"It was your fault I was put in this situation to begin with. Maybe if you kept a better eye on your own staff you wouldn't need me to solve your problems." I knew I had gone to far as soon as the words left my lips and this time I did retreat as Eric stalked towards me.

"You dare." He crowded me against the bar, blue eyes alight with fury and I cringed when he raised his hand to lift my chin. "Any human would be grateful for such protection and attention from me. I have half a mind to punish you for your insolent words." I opened my mouth to respond but a warning squeeze on my jaw had the words die in my throat.

"Your continued disrespect leaves much to be desired Ms. Stackhouse. I will overlook your behavior just now due the circumstances but know that I will not let such behavior stand in future. I may appreciate your spirit but I will not tolerate your disrespect. Understood?"

I clenched my jaw in anger but after a few moments nodded, prompting Eric to release my chin and turn away from me. A large part of me was still angry at him and his part in my fucked up life but I could also acknowledge that I had lashed out at him in fear when I should be thanking him for his quick actions in saving my life.

"Are you going to get in trouble for this? For killing Long Shadow?" I asked when I felt calm enough to not let the conversation devolve into another fight.

"Long Shadow was stealing from me. I was within my rights to end him for betraying me in such a manner."

"Oh, so it's okay to kill him for money but not for threatening a humans life? Glad to see you have your priorities straight." Okay, so maybe I was still a little bitter. Eric glared at me but also seemed less angry than before.

"You still have a lot to learn Sookie." He said and continued to walk towards the back entrance. With a lack of other options I followed him out into the car park. He crossed the distance to his red Corvette and opened the passenger door, motioning that I should get in.

"I drove here Eric. I don't need a ride."

"It would be foolish to let you drive in such a state." I scowled but after a few stubborn moments conceded his point. I was still rather shaken and now the adrenaline had left my body I was feeling shaky and drained.

"What about my car?"

"I will have my day man drop it to your house first thing tomorrow." I must have pulled a face at the mention of Bobby, "is there a problem?"

"No it's fine, it's just your day man doesn't like me very much."

"Then consider him fired." Eric stated without hesitation.

"What?"

"I value your service over his. If you have a problem with him then I will find a replacement."

"But that… I don't want him to lose his job because of me!"

"It is not something we must concern ourselves with now." Eric gestured to the open door again and let the matter drop, getting in without further complaint.

.

This time, I barely noticed Eric's driving. The comfortable leather seats had me relaxed and half a sleep in a matter of minutes now my body had fully come down from the adrenaline and shock.

"Sleep Sookie." Eric said when I continued to fight against the pull of unconsciousness, fingers brushing across my cheek and pushing back errant strands of hair before pulling away. The tenderness of the action threw me after our heated words earlier but I was far too tired to untangle the events of that night and decipher Eric's erratic behavior.

Instead I let myself drift off, welcoming the uncomplicated state of unconsciousness. Any problems I had could wait until tomorrow.

Have a great Christmas and New Years everyone! Catch you next year :)