BITB Chapter 03

Disclaimer: I don’t own True Blood or the Southern Vampire Mysteries. Those rights to belong to Charlaine Harris, Alan Ball and HBO. I am in no way affiliated with them, no profit is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: I do, however, own my OC’s and their shenanigans. Enjoy!

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Chapter 3

We spent the better part of the afternoon shopping. I found two pair of yoga pants, one black, the other heather gray, and a new bra to replace the one that was ruined during my near-death disaster down the ladder. I even splurged and bought myself a navy blue spaghetti-strapped dress that hung almost to my ankles. It had a cotton top that gathered just under my breasts and the material below was a shiny, navy skirt, almost like satin with bands circling about every foot or so that matched the gathered band at the top. It flowed slightly, and I loved it!

Lunch was nice. We ate at a little corner bistro that had the most delicious wine selection. I continued to drink most of the afternoon and I must admit that I was drinking quite a bit more than usual before starting to feel that buzz. I had to wonder if it had anything to do with my new ‘not completely human’ status or if maybe I was becoming a lush and it was taking more and more to get me drunk. Who knows? Maybe it’s the stress keeping me sober? It seemed to be the only thing that really took my mind off all the pain, worry, and torment that seemed to be constantly plaguing me throughout the afternoon along with my tension over the imminent meeting with Octavia. Still, I kept my mouth shut about Eric and did all I could to distract Maggie whenever she started to look at me almost as if she was willing me to tell my secrets.

“Cricket, are you sure there’s nothing you’d like to talk about?”

“Nope. I’m just enjoying the first trip I’ve had to New Orleans that I can actually remember,” I laughed.

We talked about the few trips I’d made in college and the drunken parties JP and I always seemed to find when we were there. I told her about my history with JP, how we met, and the inseparable relationship that we shared. She giggled over some of our theatre antics and took it all in as if she had been there with us.

Finally, we returned to the apartment and I felt calmer and ready to face, well, quite frankly, whatever there was to face. I was slightly intimidated of what this Octavia might have to tell me. Even though I knew there was something about me that no one seemed to understand, and I really wasn’t shocked to hear that Maggie believed I wasn’t ‘entirely’ human, I still was concerned over just what it was they believed.

I giggled a little to myself when I thought of that fact that here I was on the cusp of finding out I was something ‘other’ and Sookie didn’t even know she was a fairy yet, at least, as far as I knew. If things were as they seemed in my mind, she only thought of herself as a telepath, but I had yet to have a conversation with her that involved that particular sensitive subject. I was certain that she knew I knew she could read minds when she winked at me in the tavern, but at that point, I really hadn’t had a fucking clue what was up and what was down any longer.

Then again, maybe she wasn’t a fairy at all? Maybe that was all fiction? After the way things had progressed in the last week, I had gone back to my original queries as to what was real and what wasn’t. I knew they were all supernatural beings, people, creatures, whatever. However, I didn’t know to what extent they mirrored the books. Eric had turned out to be different than I thought when he had requested that very personal song for me to sing, and then followed that by leaving the next day. None of his actions seemed to personify the character nor the man that I had begun to believe I knew.

Maggie wanted me to take a nap before meeting with Octavia, but I refused. This was most definitely not the time to have a dream about Eric. The most I would agree to was lying in bed for a bit to calm myself. Just as I had thought, she was right; the purple colors in the room honestly did make me feel better. I found myself drawn to the painting on the wall and stared at it while I tried to relax my mind. There was something calming and familiar about the meadow and the trees, but I couldn’t say why. It was as if I had been there before, but that was completely ridiculous. Still, it did give me peace of mind. Before I realized it and despite my best efforts, I found myself drifting into a dream-like state where, as always, Eric appeared.

~~~

I opened my eyes and found myself standing on the road on the dark where he had approached me that night. He took one long stride toward me, encircling me in his strong arms, and crushed his lips to mine, just as he had then. I gave over to it, opening my mouth, tasting his tongue as it entered and danced with mine. One hand found the back of my head and stroked my hair gently while the other wrapped tightly around me, slowly lowering until it was just above my ass. His fingers kneaded the flesh of my lower back and the top of the muscles there, slightly lifting the waist of my dress, the dress I was wearing the night I waited for him in the tavern, the night he left. I pulled him closer to me, cupping his face in my hands and pressing my body flush against his. My heart beat wildly and my mind felt complete for just one moment before I felt the wave of pain in my chest. I placed my hands on his shoulders and pushed my upper body back to look into the darkened, blue storms reflected in his eyes.

“If you don’t want me, why won’t you listen to me?” I asked breathlessly.

“I am listening.”

“I told you to stop coming to my dreams,” I said in a pleading voice, pushing completely away from him.

“And I told you I cannot,” he said intently, taking a step forward to eliminate the distance between us.

“Eric, I can’t. I just…can’t. Don’t you understand?” I asked, hanging my head down as I felt the tears that came even in my dream.

He brought his hand to my chin and lifted it until I met his eyes. His face looked pained and I was certain it mirrored my own.

“Please, Chelsea,” he pled quietly, brushing his lips against mine again.

“No, Eric. It hurts too much,” I mumbled against his lips.

He took his thumbs and gently wiped away the tears from my eyes as he continued to kiss me softly, no tongue, no fangs, just soft, tender lips pressing all over my face. They were sweet kisses that spoke of honesty, longing and…no, not love. He didn’t feel love, he couldn’t. Not for me anyway.

“Let me love you?” he begged before deepening our kiss.

I wanted him so badly, but I wanted him to want me, to really and truly want me. He pulled me to him and I lost myself in the feel of his touch once again. I felt myself nodding involuntarily. His hands found their way to the backs of my thighs and he lifted me, wrapping my legs around his waist. I could feel his hardened cock pressing into my pulsing, heated center. Sooner than I realized we were moving, I was pressed against a large oak tree and he was pushing against me in a steady rhythm. He moved his mouth to my neck, kissing and sucking until he found the tender flesh above my collarbone where he nipped and licked, causing me to shudder under his touch.

“Tell me what you want. I will give you anything, but I cannot leave you,” he growled, thrusting against me harder, his movements continuing the rhythm he had set earlier. He was driving me mad, but his words stabbed my heart.

“You already have,” I choked out as the tears began anew, leaking down my cheeks. He stilled his movements and lifted his head to look at me.

“No! I am here with you.”

“I can’t help it. I know I’ll never be with you again. I’ll never see you again. I’ll never have…”

“You have me now, Chelsea. You can have whatever you want. Tell me what you want,” he insisted as he began to rub against me again with more intensity.

I moaned when I felt his fingers slide under my dress and rip my wet panties from my body. My hips thrust against his, searching for the friction I longed to feel.

“I want you. I do, but I…” I trailed off moaning and whimpering, giving in.

“Shh, min sǫngr, it is all right. Let me make love with you again. Here. Now,” he said in a hushed voice close to my ear, running his tongue along the edge, and then sucking my lobe into his mouth.

The feeling sent a warm wave down my body to my toes. It was too much. I couldn’t resist him any longer. It’s only a dream, right? One more time won’t hurt. I knew I was lying to myself. It would hurt and I would pay for it later when I awoke, but in that moment, all I wanted was to feel him inside me. One of my hands traveled down to the top of his pants hurriedly pulling on his belt and unbuttoning his jeans until I released him from his pants. We pushed them down together as he groaned against my collarbone.

“Let me feel you,” he purred against my flesh.

My only reply was to wrap my hand around his shaft and pull him closer, aligning us. He took a sharp breath as the head of his cock moved against my dripping pussy.

“Chelsea, look at me,” he whispered, raising his head.

“Please, Eric…”

“What do you want?”

“Touch me.”

“Tell me,” he commanded huskily.

“Just fuck me,” I moaned.

“No.”

“No?” I stopped moving and looked in his eyes.

“That is not what I want and neither do you.”

The look in his eyes told me what he wanted. I wanted it, too.

“Make love to me,” I said.

A wide smile graced his handsome face and he nodded slightly. Keeping his gaze locked on mine, he pushed into me slowly, deeply, until he was completely sheathed within my body.

“See? Was that so difficult?” He kissed me on the tip of my nose, still smiling.

“Shut up and start moving, you goofy Viking,” I grinned.

He began to thrust upward steadily and soon I was moving along with him while he raised and lowered me onto his shaft. Each movement caused sounds of grunts and growls to escape us both. My hands once again found purchase around his neck and I rode him as we stared at each other, smiling like fools. His pace quickened, and his thrusts grew deeper as his expression changed into one of passion and desire.

“Min sǫngr…”

“Oh God, Eric…”

“So fucking good…” he growled.

“Ahh…”

“Chelsea…you feel so…”

“Cricket?”

I thought I heard something before Eric pushed into me harder and I forgot whatever it was I thinking about while we moved in harmony.

“Don’t stop, Eric…right there…”

“Unng…min sǫngr…more…”

“Cricket?” I heard vaguely again in the distance.

“Don’t…stop…”

“Chelsea…” he growled.

“Please don’t stop…God, don’t stop…so close…”

“So good…” he moaned into my mouth, kissing me deeply.

“Cricket! It’s time to go meet Octavia. Are you up!?” I heard Maggie shout nearby.

My eyes snapped open to an empty room, hearing the sound of her knocking on my door. I looked down to see my hand in my pants, my fingers coated with my juices, so ready for my release that wouldn’t arrive… “God Damn it!” I shouted in frustration as I roughly pulled my hand out of my jeans.

“Are you OK?”

“YES! I’ll be out in a minute!”

“OK. I’ll be in the living room when you’re ready,” she called through the door.

“Fuck!” I muttered to myself while I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. Great fucking timing, Maggie! Thanks a lot! I thought, looking at the door, irritated, while I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to clean up.

~~~

To say the walk to Octavia’s was short was an understatement. She lived on the first floor of the apartment building. We approached the door and before Maggie could knock, it opened. Standing next to the open door was an elderly African-American woman. She was a couple of inches shorter than me and had short gray and white hair that reminded me of soft cotton. She was not as thin nor frail as I had imagined her to be in my mind. Although, to be honest, it was difficult to tell in the long, loose dress she was wearing. It was midnight blue and flowed freely from her shoulders, almost to her bare feet. She wasn’t smiling, in fact, she was almost scowling. It was apparent that she was very powerful. I could almost feel a surge of energy when we stepped into the room. Maybe that’s just the way she looks?

She offered her hand, I assumed, to shake, but when I took it, she quickly pulled me closer to examine my face. We were less than a foot apart while she studied my eyes. She used her free hand to grab my chin, turning my face from side to side. I felt as if at any moment she might pull out a tongue depressor, and tell me to say ‘Ahh’. That thought almost made me giggle, but the serious look of concentration on her face stopped me.

Maggie closed the door and stood a few feet away watching us while Octavia continued to study me closely. I cleared my throat, about to introduce myself when she stepped back, released my hand and face, and raised one of her own to stop me from speaking. Can anyone say rude?

She waved her bangle and charm-covered wrist at Maggie who immediately scurried from the room. Octavia motioned for me to sit in a chair and she sat across from it. She still had not said a word and I started to wonder if she could speak at all. I don’t know what I had been expecting, but this wasn’t it. We sat in silence for a few moments longer while she continued to watch me. I maintained my composure and, as always, refused to give in to intimidation, sitting up straight and tall. At one point, I crossed my legs and when I saw her cock an eyebrow at me, I mirrored her look. What the hell is going on? Finally, Maggie returned with a tray of tea and set it on the coffee table between us. She took a seat in a chair to the right of Octavia and looked at her excitedly.

I opened my mouth again to speak before I saw her hand rise up again, stopping my words. What the fuck? She asked me to come here and meet her!

“I know who you are, child. What I’m trying to determine is what you are,” she said in a voice deeper than I expected.

“Did you need to take a look at my tonsils first or would you like to have a conversation now?” I quipped sarcastically.

Her eyebrows rose high, and she looked taken aback for a moment until I saw her crack a smile. She let out a loud, barking laugh and Maggie began to giggle. I felt myself relax slightly, letting go of the irritation that had been building. Her face became more relaxed as well, and she gave me a genuine smile that reached her eyes, letting them twinkle for a second. It was nice to see her face finally take on a kind demeanor.

“See, I told you, Octavia. She’s just awesome! Wait until you hear her voice!” Maggie burst out.

“Patience, Amelia. I know you are excited that she’s here. We will get to that. She has much happening and I’m certain it is exhausting her mentally and physically,” she said in a calm, motherly tone to my new friend.

I cleared my throat to get their attention. After all, I was sitting right there!

“OK. I don’t know exactly what Maggie has told you, what that comment you made just now meant, or what you think you know, but as I explained to her upstairs, I think she might be overestimating whatever it is she thinks I can do. She was only with me for a few hours and I’m not sure how much you can tell about a person from such a brief span of time. I mean, I know first impressions and all that, but still,” I stopped, not really knowing where to go from there.

“It’s very simple really. The energy surrounding a person can tell you not only about the person as a whole, but also their moods and emotions. I can tell, for example, that you are in some turmoil at the moment.”

“So, now we’re talking about my aura? Really? So, everyone I’ve met that looks at me like, well, I don’t know what… They’ve all been studying my aura?” I questioned, ignoring her comments about my current emotional state.

They both chuckled.

“Of course not, child. Those with whom you’ve come in contact do not have the ability. I would also guess they would not have the patience either. However, Amelia does, and it is one of her stronger gifts. It was how I initially recognized her as a kindred and why I decided to mentor her.”

“So, she’s going to use her aura reading and crystal ball to be what? A fortune teller?”

“No. She has some very powerful magic in her. However, it is latent, almost dormant, and we are working to bring it out. You, however, confused her. She saw, or rather heard, something in you that caused her to question your origin. She’d never encountered anything like you, so she came to me,” she looked at Maggie proudly as a parent would.

“My origin? What the hell does that mean? I still don’t understand. So, Maggie can see auras, but she didn’t look at mine. How would hearing me sing tell her that I’m not human? You know she told me that, right?”

“I said…”Maggie tried to interject.

“I know. Not entirely human.”

“It’s just as I explained to you upstairs, Cricket. I’ve never heard anything like that. I told Octavia all about it. I’ve told you everything I said to her about listening to you,” Maggie said, still under the impression that what she told me made perfect sense and I should have grasped it by then.

“Tell me, how old were you when you realized your gift?” Octavia asked.

“Well, let’s see, I’m twenty-four now, so that would mean never.”

Maggie looked at me sadly, and Octavia only raised an eyebrow and shook her head slightly.

“You haven’t accepted it, yet, have you?”

“I don’t know what we are talking about!” I said forcefully.

“Then perhaps it’s not that you haven’t accepted it. You haven’t realized it. You don’t see it yet.”

All of this talking in circles without giving me any answers was getting on my nerves, and I was becoming more frustrated by the minute. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before running my hands through my hair. When I felt calm again, I answered.

“Look, all I know is, apparently, when I sang the first night the cast and crew were in town, the night I met Maggie, something must have changed unbeknownst to me. My best friend, JP, said he’d never heard me sing like that before, and he’s heard me sing for years. Yes, Maggie explained what she experienced, but to me, I was singing the same as any other time. I really don’t get why my voice… I really don’t get any of this! It makes no sense to me! I understand the words that you’re saying, but I don’t understand what you’re actually trying to say. I guess you’re right that I haven’t accepted, realized, or seen whatever it is. That’s mainly because I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about! You seem like a very nice person and I mean no disrespect, but I have to tell you that what I really don’t understand is why you two don’t just cut the bullshit and tell me what you think? I know coming here wasn’t a very far trip for me, but I still came. I came because Maggie asked me. I came because she was so excited to tell me something and said you wanted to meet me to see for yourself. See what? I have no clue, but nevertheless, here I am. So, what’s it gonna be? Are we going to sit here while you talk in riddles, thinking that I understand? Are you going to tell me whatever the hell you think I am, or are we done for the night? Because if this is all there is, then the two of you can sit here alone talking about me for the rest of the night. You can talk about my aura, or my voice, future, mood, or whatever the fuck else. I don’t really give a shit. I’ll go back upstairs, crack open another bottle of wine, or find the closest bar! One where there is no karaoke!”

I hadn’t realized that during my diatribe, I had stood up and was now towering over the coffee table, practically shouting in their faces. Maggie looked shocked that I would be speaking to them, especially Octavia, in such a manner, but Octavia’s face held nothing but patience, almost as if she was indulging me in my tantrum. It only irritated me further. I stood straight to my full height and waited, cocking one hip to the side and placing my hand on it.

“Well?” I asked with frustration.

“Cricket, please sit down,” Maggie said quietly.

I didn’t. I shot her a quick glare before I returned my stare to Octavia and waited for an answer. There was no reason to sit back down unless someone was going to fucking say something that was worth me taking the time to sit down and actually listen. We looked at each other for what seemed like several minutes, but I wasn’t about to back down. This was bullshit! They fucking asked me to come!

Maybe I should go stay with Russell and JP for the rest of the week? I was sure Russell had quite the estate and I wouldn’t be in their way, especially if I was sleeping at night. I could explain to JP, and if I told him I wanted to be alone, he would let me be. Probably. If my dream was any indication, I wasn’t going to get away from thoughts of Eric none too soon anyway, so I might as well just tell JP everything and get it over with.

Octavia turned to Maggie and placed a hand on her knee.

“Amelia, why don’t you give us a few minutes alone to talk? You can go upstairs to your apartment, and I will call you back or she will return soon.”

Maggie looked back and forth between us before standing up and making her way quickly out the door, but not before giving me a pleading look that I imagine was to ask me to be nice. She was probably right. I had no idea what this woman could do to me.

I remained standing, and as soon as the door closed, Octavia closed her eyes, pressed her hands together, and said a few words I couldn’t hear. Then she lifted the flask she held. Wait! Where the hell did that come from? She leaned forward, slid the tea tray closer to her, poured some of the brown liquid into two of the cups, and then took a sip directly out of the flask itself. She kept her eyes on me as she drank and then held it out to me. I was dumbstruck, or maybe awestruck. Did she really just conjure that? She smiled then, and waved it a little, inviting me to drink. I took it from her and smelled it. It definitely smelled like some type of alcohol, but I couldn’t identify it. I brought it to my lips. This is such a mistake. Who knows what’s in here? Then again, she just took a drink. I thought briefly while I took a large drink of something strong enough to take my breath for a minute. It burned going down, but it wasn’t unwelcome, given the circumstances. She smiled and poured tea into the cups containing the liquor she had poured in earlier. I called it liquor because I truly had no idea what the hell it was. Too late now!

“Sit, child,” she said, gesturing to the chair next to her Maggie had just vacated.

I walked over to the chair and sat down. I tried to hand the flask back, but she pointed to the tea tray, so I set it there.

“Make yourself comfortable,” she said gently. She gestured to my feet, so I took off my shoes and sat barefoot like her.

“Um…thanks,” I said tentatively.

“You must calm yourself. I know that your anger just now was not directed at me.”

“Hate to tell you this, Octavia, but, yeah, it was,” I laughed.

She smiled and chuckled a little.

“Yes, I agree, some of it was, but there is more to it than that,” she said as she handed me a saucer and cup.

I waited, not saying anything. I waited, not willing to give away anything. I didn’t have to wait long.

“We need to talk and this doesn’t concern Amelia. It is not her business. You are keeping something inside.”

“What are you, my therapist now?” I scoffed.

“No. It is not my business either, Chelsea, but you need to deal with it before you will be open in mind, heart, and spirit. This is very important.”

“Please don’t call me that,” I said stiffly. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second at my statement, so quick that I almost missed it.

“It’s not that simple” I said with a shaky voice. I really did not want to talk about Eric with this stranger. I didn’t want to talk about it at all.

“I don’t know what all has happened to you, but I can tell you that even if you cannot deal with it now, you must at least take this first step.”

“Well, they say the first step is admitting you have a problem,” I said as I raised my cup to her and took a long drink.

I caught my breath and exhaled slowly as the strong alcohol once again made its way down my throat. She smiled and toasted to me as well. We were quiet for a minute before she spoke again.

“You are safe here. There are wards around the apartment and no one can hear our conversation.”

“Gotta tell ya, that doesn’t make me feel any better. You could kill me and no one would hear me scream for help,” I laughed.

“It wouldn’t matter if there were no wards. I could kill you and no one would come anyway.”

The fuck? Did she just say what I think she just said?

“But I won’t. First we must talk,” she said, now snickering.

“First? Does that mean you’re going to kill me later?”

“I do not plan on it, however, I only have so much patience. I understand where your anger came from earlier and I can sense your frustration, but if you are to move past that and you want to learn what is happening to you, then you will be respectful. This is my house, and I will not tolerate being spoken to in such a way again.”

“I’m very sorry for losing my temper. I do respect you. I’m just very confused right now, and I’m sorry, but I don’t want to talk about it,” I said contritely.

“I understand, and as I said, it is not my business. I am well aware that you do not trust me, but there is something we must discuss,” she said seriously.

“All right,” I said, starting to get nervous and anxious, feeling as if I would say something I didn’t want to, “What is it?”

“You have had vampire blood.” It wasn’t a question.

~~~

Aurelia Gliwiski as Chelsea ‘Cricket’ Kerrigan

Kathy Najimy as Amelia ‘Maggie’ Broadway

Maya Angelou as Octavia Fant

 

Alexander Skarsgård as Eric Northman

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A/N: Thank you, thank you, MsBuffy, for taking this ride with me! There’s so much more we have planned, I hope you’re ready! Thank you to American Android for the fantastic banner!

Thanks to all of YOU for reading this story. Please, please review!