Turnings (Southern Vampire Mysteries)

Chapter 11 - Fortune's Folly

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There was a banging noise and it broke into Sookie's dream. It thumped in the background, then stopped, then thumped again. Sookie opened her eyes and immediately closed them. Her eyeballs felt itchy and she wondered if she'd actually scratched one, it stung so badly.

Sitting up, she carefully rubbed them and this time, her eyes opened. The banging came again. There was someone at the door. Sookie turned on the light and wasn't surprised to see the empty side of the bed. The only evidence that Eric had been there was the state of the sheets and the stickiness between her legs. "I'm coming," Sookie called out, worried the person knocking at the door would wake her neighbors, and then, for some crazy reason, Sookie wondered if it was Eric returning. Her mind told her it was day and it couldn't be, but her heart was hoping anyway.

Grabbing the hotel courtesy robe and wrapping it around her, Sookie walked to the door and carefully looked out the peephole. It wasn't Eric. It was Mr. Cataliades, and Sookie turned the knob to let him in.

"You must get dressed," the attorney said without preamble. "I have made arrangements and you will be leaving for home within the hour."

"But, I'm supposed to...."

Mr. Cataliades turned from pulling her suitcase from the closet. "I will make your excuses," he hissed. "You must be gone before any vampire rises. No one can smell you!"

"Eric sent you," Sookie said with a sinking feeling.

"How could you feed from each other?" the demon scolded. "You know he's pledged! You, of all people, should realize what this could mean for both of you!"

"Where is Eric?" Sookie asked.

"He should be in his travel coffin and on his way to Oklahoma by now," the attorney told her.

"Did you see him?" Sookie asked. When the attorney nodded once, Sookie couldn't help herself, "Did he say anything about me?" She felt pathetic the minute the words left her mouth, and she felt worse after the attorney answered her.

"I doubt you will ever see him again." Sookie couldn't stop the sound she made. It was more than a sniff but less than a moan. It was the sound of her heart stopping, and Mr. Cataliades stilled to pat her arm. "I have told you I am sorry for your situation, and I am. Still, this was extraordinarily reckless of both of you," and, turning back to her suitcase, he said, "Go shower. Wash well. I'll be putting your things in your bag. We can't delay."

Sookie stumbled to the bathroom. She realized she had pressing matters to address, although she was sure she wasn't fooling anyone. There was no pain, no stinging, and Sookie smiled. With the way they'd used each other's bodies last night, she should expect to be bruised and sore, but that was the beauty of vampire blood. She didn't have to look in the mirror to know she would be glowing. Sookie closed her eyes and reached out, and she felt him. He seemed far away, which was how he always felt during his day death, but he was there. "How did I not want this?" she asked her reflection out loud.

Sookie turned on the shower. As she waited for the water to heat, she ran her hands over her body, remembering him. In a minute, in two, the water and soap would remove all outward trace, but for this moment, she could still smell him on her and it made her throat ache.

"We must hurry!" Mr. Cataliades called through the door, and, with a sigh, Sookie stepped under the spray.

When Sookie emerged, the attorney was loading the sheets into a laundry bag. There was a human woman in the room and she was re-making the bed. "Go get your towels," he instructed Sookie.