Petulance: Chapter 12

Charlaine Harris owns almost everything. I own the rest.

 

Thanks for sharing your brain with me, Gabbieannie! All mistakes are my own. NSFW again!

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Chapter 12

 

That morning, while they were lying in bed before dawn, Sookie said, “I’ve never seen you feed.”

Eric shrugged. “I don’t need much. Not like you. Why do you bring it up?”

“I’d like to see it.”

He narrowed his eyes and thought before answering. “I’ll show you tonight, before work.” He didn’t say it, but he was worried it would make her jealous.

She wanted to prove him wrong, but at that moment, all she could do was close her eyes and sleep.

When they neared Fangtasia that night, Eric pulled the car over to the side of the road and said, “Are you sure about this?”

She nodded. She was determined to show him that she wasn’t the jealous type.

“I want you to pick someone out for me.” He pointed to the line outside the club.

“But where would you—”

“In the woods, like with…” He looked up as he tried to recall her name.

“Claire.”

He nodded. “I’ll park and wait for you there.”

“So should I just pull someone out of the line?”

“Yes. Fangtasia doesn’t open for another thirty minutes, so we’ll have plenty of time. Go choose someone.”

Sookie got out of the car, smoothed her short dress in place, and walked through the parking lot, avoiding the crowd for the most part. Eric gave her a few minutes to get into position before he parked. She had just joined the long line when his cherry red car rolled past. Excited murmurs went through the gathering. Half of the people craned their heads to try and get a good look at him. He was famous, after all. When his blond head appeared, the woman directly in front of her swooned.

“Tonight’s the night. I can feel it!” she said to her friend, her eyes following Eric through the parking lot. When he disappeared, the woman’s shoulders sagged.

“Do you think he would take us both?” her friend asked and then giggled.

An idea popped into Sookie’s brain. If she did get jealous, and jealousy made her hungry, having a second volunteer would come in handy. She tapped on the first woman’s shoulder. “Hi,” she said through her fangs, unable to control them surrounded by so many people.

Holy shit. It’s her. She’s talking to me! The woman blinked and tried to smile, but her face wasn’t cooperating.

“I wondered if I might have a word with you and your friend.”

They looked at each other and panicked.

“Don’t worry. I just want to talk,” Sookie said, reassuring them.

“Sure,” the friend replied, nudging the woman.

“Somewhere more … private?” Sookie suggested, nodding to the back of the building where Eric would be waiting. She stepped out of line and the women followed her without another word. When they were far enough away from the crowd, Sookie said, “I couldn’t help but overhear you. Do you want to meet Eric?”

“Oh god, yes!” the woman replied while her friend nodded like crazy.

“I’m Sookie,” she said.

“Charlotte,” the woman replied while her friend added, “Nicki.”

Sookie smiled. “Almost there.” She could see the edge of Eric’s body around the side of the tree.

As they approached, he swung around to face them. Nicki and Charlotte stopped dead in their tracks, their mouths hanging open. “Two?”

Sookie shrugged. “They wanted to meet you.” She introduced them, but the women remained frozen a few steps away.

“I don’t bite,” he said and then his fangs fell into place and he added, “Unless you want me to.”

A collective sigh came from the friends and Sookie rolled her eyes. As cheesy as his lines were, she vowed to remain silent so she could witness his technique.

Nicki stepped forward. “You can bite me.”

“How kind of you to offer.”

Nicki got even closer, her breath ragged and fast. “Will it hurt?”

“Not unless you want it to.” He put his arm around her waist and pulled her body close to his.

“I don’t want it to hurt,” she replied, her voice shaky.

He bent his face down and nuzzled the side of her neck. Sookie clenched her hands into fists trying to control her rage, and then he licked her skin, following the throbbing vein. Sookie growled.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, looking right at Sookie.

Nicki’s head flopped backward and she moaned. “Yes.”

Sookie nodded.

Without hesitation, he bit into Nicki’s neck. She winced and moaned again. Her heart hammered in her chest. He pulled his mouth away after two swallows and quickly healed her.

“What about you?” he asked Charlotte. “Do you want me to bite you, too?”

Nicki stumbled away, her eyes dazed.

Charlotte nodded and stepped closer to him.

Sookie was breathing hard. Not because she had to, but because it helped calm her down. Charlotte took another step and then put her hands on Eric’s chest. Sookie wanted to snap her in half. He ran his tongue along her taut neck, his eyes locked on Sookie the entire time.

Her fangs dug into her lip and blood trickled down her chin, but she couldn’t turn away. She had to watch him.

He bit Charlotte gently, took a sip, and then healed her, just like he’d done with her friend. “When you get inside, drinks are on me.”

Nicki and Charlotte put their arms around each other and grinned from ear to ear.

“Thank you,” he said, looking at both of them. “You’re not going to tell anyone because you won’t remember anything. You’re going to wait in line as if nothing happened.”

“Right. Let’s go wait in line,” Charlotte said, happy and confused all at once.

Nicki nodded and staggered away with her friend.

Eric walked over to Sookie and tried to pull her into a hug. She fought him. He pinned her against a tree so she couldn’t move. The rough bark scraped her back through the thin material of her dress.

“I hated that.”

“I know,” he replied. “Now you know why I’ve been so jealous.”

She stopped struggling and then he licked her chin and sucked on her lip. She could smell the blood in his mouth and another tremor went through her body. “Did you want them?”

“Yes and no.” He pushed her skirt up and cupped her ass as she climbed onto him.

She frowned.

“I wanted to bite them but I wanted to fuck you.” He unbuttoned his pants.

She reached between their bodies and gripped his dick. He closed his eyes and pulled her panties to the side. She sank down on him slowly and buried her face in the crook of his neck, feeling the warmth of his borrowed blood.

Bite me.

She opened her mouth and bit him. He slammed into her hard and his cock convulsed as he came. She pulled away and licked at his healing skin and then she kissed him. “Thanks for sharing,” she whispered into his mouth.

“Any time,” he said and then he fucked her hard and fast. She had to squeeze her lips shut to keep from screaming. The last thing she wanted was an audience. With one final thrust, they came together, their mouths meeting just in time to muffle their sounds of ecstasy. When she finally coasted down, he lifted her onto the ground. She leaned heavily against the tree and watched him tuck himself away.

“Did you learn anything?”

She nodded. “That I get insanely jealous whenever you touch anyone else.”

“Then I guess it’s good we’re exclusive, because the same thing happens to me.” He smiled.

They walked toward the back door hand-in-hand and then set up for the night. An hour later, Charlotte and Nicki made their way to the bar.

Nicki spoke. “Rum and Coke, please.”

“Same,” Charlotte added, pulling her credit card out of her purse.

“Your drinks are on the house tonight,” Sookie said. Regardless of her jealousy, she fully intended to keep Eric’s promise. It was their payment, after all. That’s how things work in the real world. Nothing is ever free. “Customer appreciation. I insist.”

Charlotte frowned. “Um thanks, are you sure?”

“Yep!” Sookie said with a fangy smile as she poured drinks. They didn’t need to know it had been Eric’s idea. That might give them the wrong idea and then she might get jealous again. Nope. Better to just nip that in the bud. She slid the glasses across the counter. “Enjoy your drinks and the rest of your night!” she said with just enough extra encouragement that the frown slid off Charlotte’s face.

“Thanks, we will!” she replied, pulling her friend away.

As the night wore on, a few new vampires came in and circulated the room. Like gems glittering in a pile of gravel. One lingered near the bar, but didn’t speak to Sookie. He watched her with keen interest, which creeped her out since he looked to be seventeen.

A while later, Eric seemed to call to Sookie. She could feel his need. She looked up and sure enough, he was staring at her from across the noisy room. She stood behind the bar and smiled at him. Even though he was summoning her, she wasn’t compelled to answer, so she stood there in defiance for a few more seconds while she finished making a drink. She draped her bar towel over her arm.

When she finally sauntered across the room to him, she could tell he was mad. She smiled sweetly. “Did you need something?” she asked.

“I’ve been calling you,” he ground out. “This two-Maker bullshit is annoying.”

She pressed her lips together to smother a grin.

“Touch me,” he commanded.

She reached out and put her hand on top of his arm.

Has that vampire at the bar spoken to you?

She frowned. “No why?” Without looking, she knew exactly who he was talking about.

Listen to him, he thought. Find out why he’s here.

“He’s not local?” she whispered.

No. He works for the queen.

“Oh. Okay, I’ll figure something out.”

She turned to leave, but before she had stepped away, he groped her ass and gave it a swat.

“That’s for ignoring me,” he said.

“Maybe I should be slower next time,” she replied with a grin.

On Sookie’s way back to the bar, Charlotte watched her intently and slid out of the booth she shared with Nicki as if she were going to talk to Sookie again. Carrying her half-glass of rum and coke, she didn’t notice anyone else in the crowd.

Sookie veered toward the vampire, drawing Charlotte right to him. He was so focused on Sookie that he didn’t see Charlotte coming up next to him. It worked out perfectly. Before either of them had time to notice the other, Sookie flicked her wrist, and spilled Charlotte’s drink all over his arms and shirt.

His anger flared and he whirled to face the person who had assaulted him, but Sookie moved faster.

“I’m so sorry, sir,” she said, blotting his skin with the towel and touching his skin.

Stupid human. She’ll pay for that.

“It’s so sticky!” Sookie said shaking her head.

He glanced at Sookie, still diligently blotting and cleaning him. She doesn’t seem special. Perhaps Sophie-Anne received misinformation from her source, which would explain why Bill never reported that he’d made contact. He wouldn’t want to disappoint his queen.

Sookie pulled away, shocked at the mention of Bill’s name. She plastered a wide smile on her face, which was her go-to when she heard something unsettling. “Come with me and I’ll get you sorted,” she offered, beckoning the vampire to the bar. She looked at Charlotte and shook her head, sending her scurrying back to her table.

The vampire followed her hesitantly. Sookie ran the towel under the tap and wrung it out. “It was my fault,” she said. “That woman was coming to get a refill and I got in the way. Here, let me wipe that off.” She held his arm with one hand while she dabbed at his skin with her damp rag.

He held still, scrutinizing her with narrowed eyes. What if Eric lied about the circumstances of her being turned? Long Shadow wouldn’t be stupid enough to steal from him and what Bill had to do with that is beyond me. What if he took her from Bill and orchestrated Bill’s death so he could keep her for himself. Sophie-Anne would have his head. He pulled away, cutting off the feed of thoughts. “I can clean myself. You don’t need to tend to me any longer.”

Sookie rinsed out the rag, twisted it, and handed it to him. “My gran taught me to make things right. That’s all I was trying to do.” She batted her eyelashes and smiled demurely.

“You have done more than enough,” he said, his voice cold. The vampire sighed and patted the wet towel against his shirt.

Sookie looked at Eric and then glanced at the booth where Charlotte and Nicki sat and then stared at the door. She hoped like hell he got the hint because this vampire didn’t seem like the type to forgive and forget. Eric nodded and made his way to the women.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” Sookie said with a friendly smile as if she had been hanging around Fangtasia all her life. “Where y’all from?”

He stopped and stared at her. “New Orleans.”

Her smile grew. “I’ve been there once. Nice place.”

He scoffed and gave her a look she had experienced all her life. The one that conveyed you poor dumb hick. She didn’t need to read his mind to know he felt superior to her.

His condescension rolled off her back. “In town for the night?” she asked.

“Yes.” He went back to wiping the sticky stain on his shirt.

She scanned the room and sighed when she saw that Charlotte and Nicki were nowhere to be seen. “Would you like a drink on the house? I really am sorry for the mess.”

He frowned. “No thank you. You’ve done enough.”

She excused herself and set to work helping customers, intent on doing her job while dying to talk to Eric. The vampire had clearly been sent there by the queen to spy on them.

Eric must’ve picked up on her need to talk to him, and made his way to the bar. She shook her head signaling that it wasn’t a good time, but he ignored her. He pushed ahead and said, “Andre, I’m so sorry I haven’t had a chance to greet you until now.” He bowed deeply and then gasped when he took in the sight of his ruined shirt. “What happened?”

“Your bartender spilled a drink on me,” Andre state.

“It was an accident,” Sookie said, looking down at her hands.

“My apologies.” Eric glared at Sookie and pulled a T-shirt off the shelf behind the bar and offered it to the vampire. “I insist.”

Andre took it and looked at Eric and Sookie suspiciously.

“If you’ll excuse us, I need to have a word with my employee. Sookie. Outside. Now,” Eric commanded. He encircled her arm with one hand, his long fingers making a cuff around her arm. She played along and winced as if he had hurt her, even though she could move freely in his grasp. He ushered her outside, slamming the heavy door behind them. I’m not really angry with you.

“I know,” she whispered.

What did you find out?

“It’s not good, but we can’t talk here.” She looked around at the dark wood that surrounded the building.

He needs to think I’m punishing you. Putting you in your place.

She scoffed and then nodded. “I understand, master.”

He grinned and pinned her against the wall with his body. His thoughts poured out of him as he kissed her. Say it again. Call me your master.

She pulled away from him enough to speak. “Yes, master,” she said, grazing his lip with her fangs and lapping at the tiny beads of blood. A shudder went through his body. “He’s waiting for us.” She ducked to the side and put her hand on the doorknob. His jaw tightened since he was obviously not finished with their conversation, but he followed her anyway.

When they stepped inside, Sookie kept her gaze on the floor and remained at the far end of the bar, as far away from Andre as she could. Eric, on the other hand, went straight to him.

“I apologize again,” Eric said. “If there is anything I can do to make your visit more comfortable, please let me know.” He bowed deeply and then walked toward Sookie. “Don’t let it happen again,” he growled.

She flinched at each word, playing the role. “Yes, master.”

A satisfied smile slid across Andre’s face. He continued to watch her for the next hour and then talked to Eric before leaving.

Waiting for the next three hours to pass so they could talk nearly killed her. If she wasn’t already dead, that is.

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Oh shit.

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