“You’re a mean one, Mr. Bill. You really are a heel.” Sookie stomped past Bill into the hotel bedroom. She jerked her suitcase out from under the bed and flung in on the neatly spread sheets.
He followed her into the room. “Come now darling. Can’t we just sit down and cuddle for awhile. Maybe watch a movie and forget about everything Lorena said. She’s my maker. I had to do what she commanded of me.”
Sookie looked over at him with a stare that made his resolve quaver. He wasn’t too concerned though. He would influence her tonight in her dreams with his blood.
“Cuddle? Cuddle?” She raised her voice. “You’re as cuddly as a cactus, as charming as an eel, Mr. Bill.”
“I knew this would happen!” Bill spat. “You have Eric’s blood in you now, and he is influencing you.”
“What are you talking about his blood is influencing me?” She grumbled.
“Eric is a bad banana with a greasy black peel.” Bill screamed in desperation. He couldn’t believe this was happening. The blonde girl was dumb though. Maybe he could convince her to stay.
Suddenly there was a thunderous bang on the door that made the walls shake like there was a minor earthquake.
“Go away!” Bill yelled at the door.
“Bill! It could be Jason.” She walked past him towards the door, shooting him daggers on the way. She couldn’t believe he had slept with his maker! When she got to the door she flung it open and gasped.
“Hello, Lover.” Eric said strutting into the hotel room past her. “I felt your anger from my blood and I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.” He looked over at Bill with a smug smile. He knew they were fighting.
“See!” Bill squealed pointing at Eric’s face. “He’s a vile one! He’s got garlic in his soul, and I implore you not to touch him with so much as a thirty-nine and half foot pole!”
Eric put his hand on his chest in exaggerated offense.
“You know Christmas is just around the corner. Thank you for ruining the holidays Bill! Now I’m stuck in Dallas and I have no where to go! I’m not staying in this hotel one more minute with you! And one of you better explain to me right now what Bill is talking about when he said you can influence me with your blood Eric.”
“Oh this is rich,” Eric said looking over at Bill. “You never told her the full truth about how vampire blood works?”
Bill was looking very nervous as he glanced fleetingly to the left. “Yes, I told her I can sense her emotions and track her if she’s in trouble.”
“But you didn’t tell her that vampires can insert themselves in the human’s dreams to influence them?”
“Oh my god! All this time that has been you Bill… that has been you purposefully manipulating my dreams?”
“Darling, please.” He glared over at Eric who was surprisingly looking at Sookie with sympathy. This enraged him. “You think Eric wouldn’t have done the same?”
“I don’t know Bill, all I know is I can’t believe you’ve been doing this to me! I loved you!” She wiped a tear from her face in an angry haste. “You’re a rotter, Mr. Bill. You’re the king of sinful sots!”
Eric stepped over to Sookie and put his arms around her to comfort her. “I’m sorry Sookie. I thought you knew vampires could do that. I swear on Val halla I would never purposefully influence your dreams. Though I can’t promise I don’t accidentally do so. I think about you a lot.”
“Wait,” Bill said desperately running a few steps to her. “I did it accidentally too.” He was stopped in his tracks by Eric who gave him a look of warning. Up until now the Viking had put up with the despicable vampire because of Sookie. No more…
“Sookie,” Eric said caressing his hand over her hair as she sobbed into his shoulder. “I know that sometimes we have not always seen eye to eye. I am sorry that I tricked you into taking my blood but Bill’s influence on you was so great it was the only way I could prevent him from controlling your feelings.”
She looked up at the tall vampire who was comforting her. “Do you mean to say that we haven’t been getting along because of his influence on me?”
“Now wait a second.” Bill gasped. “Sookie, don’t trust him. You think he is any better? He has all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile.”
She slowly turned her head to Bill and narrowed her eyes. “Given the choice between the two of you I’ll take the seasick crocodile.”
This caused Eric to laugh and squeeze Sookie tighter against his chest. “He’s a vile one, that Mr. Bill.”
She leaned into him finding protection and comfort there. Sometimes these things come from the most surprising places, she thought to herself.
“Lover,” Eric said trying to lighten the mood. “You know that you are more than welcome to stay with Godric and me in my hotel room. No strings attached.”
Bill huffed. “You’re a monster Eric and your heart’s an empty hole.”
“If my heart is an empty hole yours is a dead tomato splot with moldy purple spots.” Eric retorted casually.
Ignoring Bill she took a deep breath to control the hiccups that had started when she stopped sobbing. “Do you really mean that Eric? I can stay and you will be a gentleman?”
Eric looked down at her mischievously. “Well I do not know about being a gentleman.” He grinned. “But I will respect you Sookie. You have my word. I would hate for the holidays to be ruined because of…” he motioned his head toward Bill without taking his eyes off of hers.
“Thank you Eric. You don’t how much this means to me. I’ve been so awful to you and all you’ve ever done was try to make sure I was okay.” She put her hands over her face in shame.
“Hey,” he said lifting her chin so she had to look at him. “I would do anything for you Sookie.”
As they began walking toward the door Bill tried one last desperate attempt to convince her to stay. “Sookie!” He pleaded grabbing her by the elbow. He had red liquid pouring down his face. She thought he would make a good actor. “Just stay one more night and let me explain. Please, you are exhausted. Maybe some of my blood will help.”
This caused both Eric and Sookie to laugh in his face. She crossed her hands over her chest and said, “The three words that best describe you, are, and I quote: Stink, Stank, Stunk.”
With that she turned, tucking her arm in the crook of Eric’s elbow and nodded to him. He picked up her suitcase and they strode out of the hotel room and down the hall. Bill watched her walk away with a flabbergasted look on his face! He thought he would have it all. He thought he would be able to manipulate this young woman until he had his fill of her.
His soul really was an appalling dumb heap overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable. He was a mean one, that Mr. Bill.
