The Stackhouse residence, Fangtasia

[onceaviking]

He listens by the door for a little while.
She's asleep. On the couch most like. He can hear her soft breath as well as the muffled sound of the television.

The door opens. It's Bill.

Their conversation is carried on in hushed tones. Bill is evasive when he asks about Sookie's blood. About daywalking. He knows what she is. As does Bill.
Part fairy. And all vampires know that fairy blood makes it possible to walk in the sun.
Only it doesn't, Bill says. It just makes you burn slower.

Burn slower.

"Russell will come for her," Eric says, looking at Bill.

"Well, you should know," he replies. "Since you're now his buttboy."

Eric shakes his head. "No longer. I killed Talbot."
Flatly.

The penny drops. "So that's why he went medieval on TV. Well, thanks, Eric. You just put our cause back a thousand years. He must be after you for that. Why are you even here?"
He is not smug, no. Well, maybe a little. Despite everything. For look how the mighty have fallen.

"I'm trying to save Sookie," Eric counters.

"Oh, give me a break. You don't care about Sookie," Bill says, interrupting him. "You left us in Russell's house to die. What is the fucking truth for once?" His voice rises.

Eric leans in. Almost hissing. "The truth? Well, why don't you tell Sookie the fucking truth if you really love her?"

"What truth?"
It's Sookie. Sleep rumpled and warm.
He can smell her skin.
And her blood.

Bill steps over to her, placing himself between her and Eric, saying, "The truth about what you are, which I've already told you."
Soft. Earnest.
Fake.

Sookie turns to Eric. "Why are you here? To pretend like you care about my safety so you can sell me out to Russell again, or is it to the queen this time?"
Her voice is full of scorn.

He can't really blame her.

But he still need to make her see the truth about Bill. No matter how she feels about him.
"You really believe he is trustworthy?" he asks her. "All I know is, I sure as hell can't trust you," she says. "And now that I know what I am and what you want from me, I can promise you will never get it."
She sounds very sure.

"Well, do what you want," he replies.
"I won't be around much longer anyway. I wish you the best, Sookie Stackhouse." And then he leaves, feeling her eyes on his back. Returning to Fangtasia.

He goes straight to his office and starts shredding what needs shredding. Then he goes over his correspondence with his financial people.

And then he just sits there. Staring into space, his elbows on his knees.