Friday, December 26, 2008

Dead Hearts Ch 14

Wrapping a muscular arm around my waist, Eric gently led me to the elevators. Pam appeared next to us and he whispered something to her, but I was too worried about what Felipe was planning to pay attention.

I snapped out of my daze when we made it to the room and I sat on the edge of the bed. Eric sat next to me and took my hand, not saying anything, just waiting for me to spit it out.

"Felipe wants me really bad, Eric. He'll do just about anything to lay claim to me."

"Okay, that isn't news to either of us, but I feel like there's more."

"He was going to order you to relinquish your hold on me."

"Was?" His eyebrows raised.
"Yea, was... until he saw my ring. Now that he knows you won't give me up, he's thinking about making one of us disappear. Either kidnapping me, or... um, taking care of you." I felt him stiffen beside me, anger creeping across the bond.

"Anything else, Sookie?" he asked in a voice that made me shiver.

"Yea, um, his first idea was to take me away somewhere and then force me to bond with him. Then he thought about waiting until you came after me and staking you first. And, then, um... uh, Eric?" If I hadn't been on a steady diet of vamp blood for a while, he would have unconsciously broken my hand, his grip was so tight.

He looked down at our hands -mine was slowly turning purple- and released his grip to carefully kiss my fingers and the ring. "I apologize, lover. Please continue."

"Uh, well, I think he's gonna use the Fellowship database thing as an excuse to do it. He would have to take out all three of you to get to me, and he knows it. Bill he would blame on the fact that he created the stupid thing. You and Pam he would blame because you are his superiors and should have kept him in check. As far as I know, he hasn't decided how hes going to do it, but he is intent on getting me."

"That certainly sounds like something Felipe would be capable of, but I also know that he is trying to mainstream. Acting on an impulse like that would be stupid and rash, and he is neither one of those things. I will not count that out as a possibility, but I believe that it is highly unlikely. In order to combat the Fellowship, he will need all of the strongest and smartest vampires available and willing to work with him. If any of us is harmed in any way, I will do everything in my power to make the rest of his life incredibly short and incredibly painful."

"But isn't he allowed to do pretty much whatever he wants? He's a king and said you were his subject. Doesn't that mean he can do whatever he wants with you?"

"Ordinarily, yes. I do have a few tricks hidden up my sleeve, but I would like to prevent things from getting that far. I have an idea that will make him think twice about doing me harm to get to you, my love."

<><><><><><><><><><>

My new new ring sat neatly against the rock he gave me earlier. Leave it to Eric to be prepared with the set. Our ceremony wasn't what I imagined it would be, but he promised to give me the wedding of my dreams when I felt like announcing our union back in Bon Temps.

Pam was ecstatic. She planned the entire event and she went all out, or at least as 'all out' as you can get with a few hours notice. A limo, flowers, my dress, a minister. Enough money can get you any of these things at any hour, especially since we were in Las Vegas.

She told us it was a surprise when we asked where we were going. We were both blindfolded and shoved in a limo. A short drive later, Pam took our hands and led us into a building. I felt Eric being moved away from me and heard a door close. Before I could realize what was happening, Pam had stripped off my dress and was maneuvering me into a different one. She zipped me up and gently took off my blindfold.

The dress was basically a white version of the one I had on earlier. She handed me a small bouquet of red roses and I started to choke up. I was getting married. Sookie Stackhouse, crazy telepath, barmaid, target for terrorism... and the luckiest girl on earth.

Before I could start to cry, Pam led me to a doorway covered with a red curtain. She poked her head through and came back smiling. I heard piano music begin. She kissed my cheek and stepped through the doorway. A minute later, someone pulled aside the curtain. I took a deep breath, forced my legs to work and stepped into the chapel.

It was small but beautifully decorated. Red and white roses dominated the room. Bill sat in a pew to my left with a blank expression on his face. Pam was standing on the altar next to my spot, looking adorable in the charcoal cocktail dress she bought the other day. All of this paled to the sight of my viking waiting for me.

He was wearing the same tuxedo he had at Felipe's party, but it was the look on his face that made my throat tighten up. He couldn't take his eyes off of me and his smile only got wider the closer I got. When I reached the altar, I took his offered hand and stood across from him.

The ceremony flashed by. I remember exchanging rings, but I don't know where I got mine. I know somewhere in there I said 'I do' because I felt love fill the bond from both ends and all of a sudden Eric was kissing me. A couple of the chapel workers present as witnesses clapped as we walked back down the aisle, hand in hand. When we got outside it started raining rice. Pam was hurling it at Eric as hard as she could, clearly enjoying throwing things at him.

Bill shook Eric's hand, congratulating him. It killed him to do it, but his southern dignity forced him to mind his manners. He gave me a hug and a peck on the cheek. When Bill embraced me, I felt his despair like it was my own. Eric felt the mood shift and politely took me back. He steered me towards the limo and we took off towards the hotel.

I lazily traced Eric's well-defined abs as we cuddled. My human needs called, and I regretfully disentangled myself from him.

"Where are you going, love?" He made a move to pull me back into his chest.

"Human needs, Eric."

He thought about that for a second and let me go, "Hurry back, Mrs. Northman." He was relishing the fact that we were married. As I did my business in the other room, I faintly heard him thinking about what he was going to get me for a present and how quickly I could officially move in with him. Part of his mind was preoccupied with the Felipe mess, as was mine. I hated to ruin the night with plans and strategies, but we had to figure something out.

Eric was still lounging on the bed when I came back out and laid next to him. He gathered me into his side; I resumed rubbing his stomach.

"So what now, Eric?"

"We subtly flaunt our relationship and make it quite clear that we are a package deal, and if anything is implied by him, we refer to each other as husband and wife." His eyes glinted with pleasure. "And I know you are uncertain about how others view you, my love. I know you were rushed into this, and I will not force you to take my name or tell anyone you do not want to inform. Obviously Pam and Bill are aware, but they will tell no one if I say they are not to do so."

"That reminds me, you didn't order Bill to come to the wedding, did you? "

"No. I told him of our plans, but it was his decision whether or not to attend." That was a bittersweet sentiment on Bill's part. I knew he hated seeing me dating Eric, not to mention marrying him, but he was there because he knew I would be touched to have him at the chapel. I also had a feeling that he was still trying to prove his undying (haha) love for me, even though he knew it was in vain.

"Pam seemed excited about it."

"Yes, she loves planning parties and celebrations. That's her main job at Fangtasia. She doesn't quite understand why I would want to marry a human, but she's glad that it's you and not someone she can't stand."

"Well, I'm glad you got Pam's permission first." He laughed and kissed my hair. "Back to the important things, though: what are we going to do when Felipe gets mad about this? I don't know what he's going to do, but he won't sit back and take it."

Eric sighed and trailed his fingers up my spine. "We will discuss this tomorrow, my love. There is only so long until dawn, and our mouths will be occupied until then." His lips collided with mine and he kept his word.

No comments:

Post a Comment