Dead Ever After Re-write (Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman)

Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of these characters. The original story and the characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I am only borrowing them for a little while.

Before I start with the chapter, I want to thank you for the awesome responses. I received many messages via public comments and pm, and the unanimous request was for plan B..... So Plan B it is!!

To answer the most common question: would there be a HEA? Well of course! No matter what, this story is about Sookie and Eric 

I will be posting chapters here a little bit slower while I work on the extended outline. I promise you this: it will be an amazing ride!

Chapter 23

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Merlott's parking lot was almost empty with the lunch crowd gone by now. As a matter of fact, there were two cars in the parking lot; one of them was Jason's truck and I didn't recognize the other one. I parked near the back corner, so that tonight's customers won't get a chance to slam their doors on my new car. I was planning on returning it to the dealership after I talked to Eric tonight.

I considered leaving the Cluvier dor hidden in the car, but I couldn't bring myself to trust it away from me, so I left it in my pocket. I got out of the car and I did what I have never done before: locked the car and set up the alarm.

I walked towards the back entrance to Merlottes when the owner of the unknown car exited through the front door. I stopped to observe her. She was young, maybe mid-twenties with the most beautiful, long, brunette hair that moved as the wind blew through it. She was tall and skinny with just the right curves to turn men's heads to her direction. Not that it was difficult to get Bon Temp's men to do that anyway.

I didn't know why, but her presence intrigued me, and my curiosity sky rocketed when I tried to read her mind. All I found was complete silence. Not even the tiniest of sound came from her brain. What shocked me the most was not the silence, but the fact that she stopped walking and looked in my direction. She stared at me for a couple of seconds and then continued walking, got in her car, and left.

She was not human and definitely not a vampire as it was the middle of the afternoon. Sam's and Alcide's brains projected some waves that sometimes I could read, but that woman.... It was emptiness.

My heart skipped a beat and I held my breath the moment I remembered Niall's message. I stood there, not knowing whether I should follow her, or wait here to see if she would return and attack me, or go inside Merlottes where I knew Sam would help me in case I needed it.

I waited there, frozen in place, but nothing happened. Eventually, I snapped out of it and went inside Merlottes; hoping for the best.

I set up my purse in the usual locker, and went to the dining area to see if Jason was still here.

"Jason," I called him as he was about to leave Merlottes.

"Sookie, I've been waiting for you. Damn Sook, when did you get a new ride?"

"I didn't. Eric did."

"He's taking good care of you. That's good. It's the least he can do after what you did for him."

"I didn't do it expecting for him to pay me back. Besides, I'm sure the monthly payments would be twice more than my entire paycheck."

"You told us that he's your husband. Let the man take care of you as it should be."

"I don't need a man to pay for me."

"It's not paying for you. It's to help you. That's what a relationship is about."