Stolen

Chapter 1

SPOV

The silence was eerie. It was quiet when I went into the restroom, but you could still hear a clink or rustle from the kitchen. And there had been a waitress or hostess out there, right?

But now it was empty.

And it was my fault.

Did he leave? Did he think my answer was no and hightail it out of here? Would he really abandon me? What have I done? Why was everything such a mess? Our dessert dishes and silverware were strewn everywhere; the pretty flower vase was knocked over and the flower peppered the table and floor. Did he throw down the chair and ruin the table in anger?

I needed to close my eyes for a second. I was finally in an empty room without the irritating babble of humans and their nonstop mental noise and my own mind was flooded with questions. Heavens to Betsy!

But I really did have some biggies to ponder, now didn't I?

Did that man, I mean vampire, just up and leave me here because of my momentary surprise? Oh, he was certainly going to get a glimpse of the Stackhouse temper now. That moron! Leaving a lady here all by herself! And just because I hesitated with an answer? What idiot pops such a big question just one day after I was nearly killed – again – by some devil-bitch in a wedding dress? And on our first real date? Unacceptable! If anyone had the right to storm out, it was me.

Get it together, Sookie. Just find the wait staff – they were probably cowering in a corner somewhere after watching my idiot boyfriend or fiancé or whatever-he-was throw a temper tantrum because he didn't get exactly what he wanted.

I decided I would hold my head high, call for a cab, and give that cranky toddler of a vampire a piece of my mind.

Heading back toward the kitchen area, I stepped over the silverware and plates that were scattered. My Gran would not approve of sullying this beautiful restaurant and creating work for the staff here over my problems with a man. I made up my mind that once I called a cab I'd come right back out here and help them with the clean up.

The kitchen door – the kind that swung in both directions with the little a small window in the center was to my right. It was odd that I still didn't see or hear anyone. And why couldn't I hear any minds either? Was this place owned by Weres? Wouldn't I still be able to hear that tell-tale static?

I pushed through the door and scanned the kitchen. Quiet – eerily quiet.

"Hello. Is anyone here? I'm really sorry about the commotion outside." I started walking through to the back of the kitchen.

"If I could just use your phone quickly and call…"

The sentence perished quickly as I rounded the corner and saw the two men – cooks by the look of their white chef coats – covered in blood. So much blood.

I turned around and raced back through the kitchen door to dial 911 and to find a safe place to hide. Did Bill leave to take care of the killers? Was his car still there?

I came to a halt immediately. The hostess stand was next to me and I was forced to cling to it as a scream stuck in my throat, suffocating me, overwhelming me with my own terror as I watched a vampire enter the restaurant. His cold eyes surveyed the room and then fixed on me. Two other vampires followed and took position on either side of him.

"Hello, Sookie," announced the unknown vampire.

I'd seen some scary vamps before. Contrary to the evening news, vampires are not like Nan Flanagan, the prim and proper vampire spokesperson who was always on NBC Nightly News in cute suits and with perfect manners. Most vampires were terrifying. I'd seen Eric make a grown man pee in his pants. I had seen vamps that I didn't trust; vamps that I knew would have me for dinner, but never had I seen so much evil and malice from one individual, one vampire.

He was so much younger than me – I mean he looked so much younger than me. He could pass for a high schooler. He was almost pretty – with the clearest eyes and a beautiful mouth – fuller than mine and I was a girl. But he was evil – pure evil. I knew this – every instinct in my body screamed at me to run from him. How odd that I had a built in monster detector, because clearly this was a monster.

Bill didn't storm out; he had been taken. And now it was my turn.

"Going somewhere?" he asked. His accent was thick, European maybe. And the intense stare he had affixed on me seemed to intensify. "Sorry to have disturbed your evening - and a momentous one too if I am to understand human customs." He tsk tsked me. "Shame on you for not saying yes – that would have been a better last word for our darling Bill Compton to have heard than your scrambling away with apologies. But no matter."

My throat closed off even further and my body shook as if I was cold. Shivering. Last word. Bill's last word? My last word? I had faced off with a serial killer, vampires, cult leaders and an ancient Greek demon, but nothing like this. I found my mind wandering…this must be what the devil was like.

With vampire speed the evil teenager was in front of me before my eyes could focus, leaning into me with his fangs grazing my neck. Oh, dear Lord, please hear me. I'm going to die. He's here to drain me.

He moaned in my ear. "Ummm. How I love your fear. Let the terror fill you – it's delectable." His voice was hauntingly sharp and cruel.

He grabbed me by the back of the hair – I thought I was done for – but instead of biting my neck he leaned over and licked my face from my jaw to my temple. I thought I might vomit. His mouth smelled like death – like my own death that was barreling down on me.

"My, my. You are delicious, aren't you?" He nudged my face with his nose again.

Up close he was even more of a monster. His boyish beauty was a decoy to the darkness that I could feel humming in and around him. When he touched me I could almost feel it – hatred and malevolence. And his pretty blue/green eyes were terrifyingly clear – like mirrors reflecting back to me my own fear. I was terror-stunned by him – staring at his pretty cheekbones. I was so close I could see a handful of the palest freckles sprinkled across his nose. But this face was a cruel mask for the most terrifying thing I had ever seen.

My heart was racing and I was bent painfully over the side of the hostess stand. I knew there was nothing I could do. I was frozen – like the deer paralyzed by the oncoming headlights of a car.

Though no action came out of me, my mind raced with a thousand litanies of prayers, hopes, and calls for help. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Bill, Bill! Are you still alive? Help me! Oh Lord, please watch over my brother, Tara, Lafayette, Sam, Eric and Bill. Please forgive me my sins and be with me now. Eric, oh please, Eric can you hear me? Please help me. I know you could help me. Eric.

And just as quickly as he entered, Mr. Evil turned with vampire speed and headed for the door. He stopped momentarily and said to one of the two foreboding secret service looking vamps, "Bring her to the car. Do not kill her; do not drink from her, understand? Her Majesty would be most displeased."

And with that he was out the front door. Secret-service creep on the left moved forward, and before I could scramble back to get out from his reach, he had me by the hair. I screamed in pain as his vampire speed pushed me off balance and I was dragged by the hair out the front door. His hand clamped on the bun that I had fashioned my hair into; the pins dug into my scalp, my shoes were gone and I was dragged across the coarse asphalt of the parking lot.

Thug #1 tossed me inside of a car and the car door slammed behind me.

Without thinking I scrambled to the far side and tried the handle. This might have been my time to escape – if I could just get out of the car. Maybe Eric could feel my fear? Maybe if I just got away for a minute he'd be able to feel me, find me, come for me. Maybe…

The door was locked, the window was locked. I couldn't try to exit the front because there was a wall of tinted glass blocking access to the front seat – like a police car – but with contraband-grade tinting. I was trapped.

The lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…

The door opened again, but not to my escape or to a rescuer. It opened for the evil teenager as he slithered into the car and closed the door behind him. I scurried to the far side of the seat bench to cower next to the door. But there was nowhere for me to go.

"Let's get going," he declared to no one. The car started down the road and out of the corner of my eye I saw him pivot towards me, a frightening sneer on his face.

Oh crud.

We were driving so fast, careening down the interstate. I tried my best to keep up with the signs. I knew we were headed south, but the combination of fear, pain, despair and anger was disorienting.

The devil next to me was humming, friggin' humming, like he was waiting at a bus stop, not in middle of a kidnapping.

I let my mind retreat into prayer/chant mode to try and stifle the cries and sobs that were beating at the back of my throat. My tongue was thick and a metallic-like taste welled in my throat. I wanted to cry, badly. But I didn't. I was raised better, and my monster-meter told me that my tears would make it worse. He'd get off on them.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him, unable to hide the quiver in my voice.

"You will learn quickly as our pet to speak only when spoken to," he growled at me. I couldn't hide the whimper that escaped my throat. Embarrassing, but cut me some slack for having a little fear when in the presence of Lucifer himself.

"You are being delivered to your Queen. We have quite a drive ahead, so why don't we get better acquainted." As he spoke, he raked his eyes over my body, making no eye contact. His smarmy voice made my skin crawl. I've seen inside heads that match that voice. A slimy, roofie-dropping, sinister mind belonged to that voice.

I took a deep breath. I was so scared I wasn't even sure my voice would work, but I needed to ask: "What does she want with me?" I raised my chin and made eye contact.

He laughed a menacing laugh. Did he practice that until he got it just right? I couldn't help it; too much had happened and a slightly hysterical giggle escaped my mouth.

"You are the fierce one, aren't you? We have heard so much about you and that temper. That fire will make breaking you all the more enjoyable." At that last remark he shifted closer to me and all giggles flew out the window. I reminded myself that I was terrified.

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Ah, what won't we do to you?"

At that my throat hitched, and I could barely hold back the sob that was building and pushing up through my throat like a big bubble. Swallowing it down made my throat burn and my eyes tear. I turned my head to the window to fight them back without an audience.

Thankfully, everything was quiet for a few minutes. It was hard to tell if 20 minutes or an hour had passed. The road rushed past me and in the dark I couldn't see where we were or where we were going.

Finally the quiet started to grate on me. "Where is Bill, what have you done with him?"

He sighed a bored sigh. "Your fiancé," he said with disdain, "has failed his assignment and has been recalled to our Queen for judgment." He reached out to touch my obliterated hair and I flinched away.

"What assignment?"

"You will find out soon, little pet. As you will soon see your new home."

"My new home? I do not need a new home. I have a home, which I would like to return to right now."

His laugh returned, and the hairs stood up on my arms. "You have a new home, and you will have your new masters, and your new playtime with me and my queen. Yes, I think you will cometo enjoy us greatly, us and your little cousin. The family resemblance is there…two little blonde southern bells. Ummm…."

Despite my fear and being two feet away from the devil himself, my temper boiled briefly. "What on earth are you talking about? My cousin? What cousin? And stop moaning about me like I'm your favorite blue plate special."

At that he pounced and closed the two feet between us until he was on top of me. His stare was so cold…why was I sassing a monster? Stop it Sookie, this is no time for smarting off.

He hovered over me, sniffing me, and I realized I may have done it.

"Oh God," I whimpered.

"Not God, Sookie, Andre," the evil teenager whispered in my ear and I cringed at the feel of his cool breath on me. "I am so going to enjoy chaining you to my bed. We'll bring you out for little assignments, use that little gift of yours, but the real treat will be breaking that body of yours, slaking my thirst until you can taste death, and then restoring you so we can do it again. And again."

"And you will watch that little boyfriend of yours pay for his incompetence. Would you like to know of his assignment, little pet?"

I looked away, not wanting him to see the tears running down my face.

"Your little boyfriend was really our scout. After all of the entertaining stories my Queen's pet told of her telepathic cousin in a tiny little bayou town, we knew we wanted to know more. He verified your gift and then was instructed to help you develop it. At first Her Highness only wanted you for your little side show gift, but then Bill shared a photo of you. And we learned of your innocence."

Andre slithered closer to me, drew a breath in right at my neck, and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I cringed and another traitorous tear spilled down my cheek, which he licked from my face.

"That was your undoing. You see, Sophie Anne is enamored with your little cousin and now quite intent on having the both of you in her bed – in our bed – and on her leash."

"Hadley."

"Yes, Hadley."

I had no words, no response for any of this. I had so much to think about. My head was aching trying to digest so many courses of agonizing news. Appetizer – kidnapping. Main course – betrayed by boyfriend. Dessert – rape and servitude. Hadley was alive, and was the Queen's pet. She had told them – the Devil incarnate and his stupid bitch Queen about me and my handicap. Bill worked for the Queen, and for Andre. I felt that whirlwind in my head that followed a new grief, similar to how I felt right after Gran died. Like my mind was trying to spin fast enough to undo the unthinkable. Bill betrayed me. No, that I would not accept.

"You liar. If Bill was a scout he would have turned me over to you once he confirmed that I could read minds. He didn't. He loves me. He asked me to marry him. He protected me."

"Ah, yes. He did protect you, at our order. And he even slept with you, at our order, to train you a bit for what is to come…soon to come. And he didn't bond to you at our order. But he was there for you on assignment – even sent in reports about his progress. The beating where he healed you with his blood, the murder of your grandmother and his capitalizing on that opportunity to deflower you, your trip to Dallas, the destruction of the Maenad."

The devil teenager, or Andre, leaned back slightly in the seat.

"But marrying you, and planning to take you out of the Queen's territory without authorization? Grave offenses. He may indeed want you for his own, Sookie, but he cannot help you now."

I retreated to the door – and silence. What a night. Starts with a lovely date, a marriage proposal; ends with being kidnapped by the spawn of Satan.

I couldn't help it; my attempt at strength was overpowered by grief and feelings of betrayal. They had wrestled a good match, but it was too much for me to bear. My first boyfriend, first love, first lover had been a lie. I had handed over my virginity to a vamp that was being paid to seduce me. And it had worked – like a charm as they say. How stupid am I? It was my fault – I believed that he, a vampire, had actually loved me. And he was just an errand boy for this monster beside me.

"Any more questions, Pet," Andre prodded?

"Yes," I responded. "What do you mean 'bond to me'? What is a bond?"

"A blood bond would have claimed you as his, but Bill never bonded to you. You never were truly his, because my Queen was reserving that honor for us."

At that piece of wonderful news, I shivered and could feel it run down my spine and through my tailbone.

"And even with his intended rebellion of a wedding; he did not bond to you. A marriage contract is useless in our world, Sookie. So even his pathetic attempt to claim ownership of you was, how do they say, half-assed? He did not have the courage to truly disobey, yet his punishment will still be great."

The bleak future he painted for me and for Bill was startling. I felt myself go slightly numb, but it didn't hinder all of the questions that were popping up in my mind.

"Why? Why go through all of this trouble for me? I can read minds for you without kidnapping me. I am not that special – go find a gosh darn fangbanger that would enjoy this crap."

"Sookie, I care little for your little talent. What I want is your blood – daily. I have tasted your cousin but once, and have been promised my own little fairy to leash to my headboard."

"Fairy? I'm not gay, buddy, and have no idea what you are talking about." I couldn't help it – my anger and irritation at the situation got the best of me and my temper flared – even with the evil teenager staring at me menacingly. "And frankly, I'm getting mighty tired of being called a pet, or being threatened with a leash or a dog collar! I am a human being and you CANNOT do this to me!"

Evil incarnate just chuckled. "Sookie, Sookie. You have so many surprises in store." He drew out the 'so' in his sentence to indicate that the surprises would be quite numerous.

"Well, buddy, you have a few surprises in store, too. My disappearance will not go unnoticed. My family, friends, boss, the police and even Bill's Sheriff are going to come for me. You are going to be so sorry."

Before I could finish my well-delivered tirade Andre had me by the throat and I was choking.

"Do not call me buddy. And do not threaten me." All humor had drained from his voice and he was terrifying. The grin on his boyish face had peeled back and he growled, his teeth pulled back like a dog in a snarl. Sookie, why are you instigating an argument with the Jeffrey Dahmer of vampires?

He didn't release his grip on my throat, but he did let off some of the pressure so I could breathe. He then hauled me across the bench and across his lap. He still had me by the neck, but I was now arched backwards over his legs, my breasts jutting into his face, and my head quickly filling with blood. If I pass out what will he do to me? Sookie, stay awake. Breathe, stay calm, and shut your mouth!

"How I will love this temper of yours. Screaming, kicking, fighting – all foreplay to me, kitten."

Andre leaned down and licked me– from between my breasts to my earlobe– What is it with the licking!. He hissed into my ear, "Your first lesson will be much more painful because of this disrespect, Sookie. Heel to me now or beware the consequences."

He released my throat but grabbed me instead by the hair and kissed my roughly on the lips, which paralyzed me with fear. His other hand traveled down my body to hold me gruffly between my thighs – Oh dear God, no. Please, please, no. When his cold lips released mine I could see his eyes were dark, nearly black and his fangs were drawn to an alarming size. They were longer and looked more lethal than any I had ever seen. I also knew the look he wore – lust and hunger – not a good combination for me.

"Sookie, you are most lucky that I am not to feed from you," his gravelly voice uttered.

He then tossed me across the seat to the door. My head bumped into it, thankfully it was padded with black leather and I didn't cut myself. Don't bleed, Sookie. Don't bleed!

"And as for your rescuers – your friends and brother hold no sway. Your shifter boss has no pack and is no match for the Queen of Louisiana. And your Sheriff," he hissed, "is under the control of the Queen."

"Eric knew about this?" I stammered, and another traitorous cry escaped me – damn them! "Eric is giving me over to you?"

"No, but that isn't the point, my pet. Eric is under our domain; he cannot intercede. And he will be informed of your new ownership this evening. He merely wasn't a part of our plan as we thought Bill much more appropriate to play the part of a southern suitor to the virgin telepath."

He laughed then.

This must be the worst car ride in history, I thought to myself. Betrayal, kidnapping, impending torture. What else could happen?

EPOV

Tedium. My nights have become tedious. The same grating music pounded in my club. The same pathetic vermin scampered about. 1,000 years of existence and I was endangered by boredom.

I wonder what Sookie is doing tonight? A visit may need to be paid, and soon. I know her resistance wears thin. Why a mere mortal girl plagues my mind is beyond my grasp. She is indeed more trouble than she is worth, but I want her.

I sighed in frustration.

It would be much better to forget her, or drain her and be done with this headache once and for all. But, admittedly, I enjoy the distraction. I hadn't wanted one like this since Pam, and even then it was a different draw.

Irritated again by my ambivalence, I stood quickly from the desk and walked from the office. Time to amuse the masses – pathetic though they are.

Once in the bar I surveyed the crowd. The smell of lust, desperation, sweat and blood was once intoxicating, but now grating. It has become too easy.

It was no longer a hunt and these were no longer prey. The thrill of tracking, stalking and the ambush were gone. Like fowl lined up to be stunned and butchered – these were stunned by their own foolish need to brush up to the dark, the dangerous, and flirt with death. Predictable.

And the fascination since the revelation, the thrill of places like Fangtasia, turned a human meal into the refrigerated meat counter at their markets - prepackaged, preselected, sterile presentations of dinner. Deplorable. Where is the enjoyment in this?

I took my seat in my chair, slouching down and eyeing the night's deli counter selections. Maybe I'll take two blondes tonight – get the telepath out of my system.

Two young yellow-haired specimens were on the floor before me, dancing to get my attention. The shorter petite one was gyrating to the music while the tall and leggy blonde next to her was whispering to her friend. Whispers are ineffectual in a room full of vampires, girls. I smirked at her observations – gorgeous, need, sexy, I wonder, want, sex, bite, take me, blah blah blah.

I stood up quickly, delivered the obligatory startle and stare, and beckoned the two girls to my side. They scurried toward me quickly, hearts racing and arousal seeping. Deli counter.

"Follow me, lovelies."

They giggled and chattered and scampered to keep up with me as we headed toward my office. Once inside I took my position on the couch and instructed the taller one to kneel before me. I could sense her excitement and nervousness, no fear. Unsatisfying.

"Take me in your mouth." She did not hesitate, and undid the button and zipper of my jeans, then pulled my length out and went to work using her skillful mouth and hands. She will do, for now.

"You," I pointed to the curvy one who was ogling the sight before her with heady waves of arousal rolling off of her body, "come here."

She sat beside me, practically quivering with anticipation and a hint of fear. I grabbed her by the back of her head and drew her across my chest and into a domineering kiss. Her body was limp with desire, overcome. So easy.

I moved my free hand down her body – not Sookie's but still soft – and up her thighs to her center. No fabric hindered access, so I quickly went to work on her apex until I could feel her teetering on the edge of release, and then quickly added a long finger inside of her without pausing the assault on her mouth. Her entire body began to quake and I knew her orgasm was upon her, so I quickly moved her head to the side to drink from her neck. The peak of pleasure always made the blood taste better.

She tasted adequate – no pharmaceuticals and limited alcohol – though I could smell four other vampires on her. Only one was recent, but a mere shower or a couple weeks does not diminish the imprint that we leave.

I took my fill and left my fang marks to seep blood. I may take from her again once I'm done with her friend, I thought to myself. I pushed her to my side where she melted into the couch panting and turned my attention to the tall one between my legs. At the rate she is going this is going to take all night.

As I started to lift her up to my lap, my cell phone began to vibrate in my pocket, so I settled her back down to the floor to take the call. The girl stopped her work for a moment, which caused me to growl at her, "Did I say that you were finished?"

As she settled back to her task, I flipped my phone open. "Northman."

"Eric," the Queen's shrill voice echoed loudly through the phone and into my office.

"Your Majesty. How may I be of service this evening?"

I groaned silently to myself.

"Be here tomorrow by midnight. Bill Compton will be interrogated and judged and as his Sheriff you are to be present for the proceedings and his punishment."

"Gladly. May I inquire as to his crime?" I asked as politely as I could.

Instead of an answer, the Queen laughed, but there was much anger in her voice. "Bill failed his assignment of procuring a human for my use. I understand that you, too, are familiar with this human, Ms. Stackhouse, and have also interfered with my errand."

"I am familiar with the girl, yet I knew nothing of your intent to claim her for yourself. Her skills are quite useful, but I had no other intentions," I calmly explained to my petulant Queen.

"Well, no bother. She has been taken and will be delivered to me shortly. You will be here tomorrow as a witness to Bill's punishment, which will be final. And make no mistake that the girl is mine."

The Queen hung up – something that I would not stand from any other. The night's irritation morphed into anger. The Queen was wearing my patience thin. I am much older, much stronger than she and was not pleased that she has given an order to my subordinate without my knowledge. And I was not pleased that my plans for Sookie had been subverted.

However, this may be for the best. My interest in the girl is a nuisance.

This development simplified matters. I couldn't intervene without endangering my own position or life, which I would never do. And, considering Sophie Ann and Andre's brutality, it would be unlikely that Sookie would even survive for long. It was done then.

I would kill Bill myself tomorrow if I could. Despite my own ambivalence, I cannot deny that the fate that awaits Sookie is most unfortunate. In all my centuries I have not seen such a combination of innocence and bravery as she. And that contradiction will be degraded and destroyed quickly in the hands of the Queen.

A growl escaped my lips and the two girls jumped in fear.

"Did I ask you to stop?" I growled again. "Do you need instructions for so simple a task?" My anger at the situation – more specifically, my anger that I cared about the situation – kindled the darkness inside. I wanted to fight, but would settle for having to fuck.

I barked at them to get to work and sank back into the couch, irritated by my disobedient thoughts of Sookie.

Suddenly a bolt of fear and pain shot through my body. Its intensity was staggering and I knew it was Sookie. The bitch Queen had made her call before Sookie was captured to preempt my intervention. She must know that the girl has my blood in her system.

And then I felt Sookie's call for me. The urge to search her out, respond to the call for help, reclaim what was nearly mine was overpowering. And I could do nothing. A roar erupted from my chest, startling the two girls who began to scramble away from me, which only enticed the darker side that was throbbing for release. I stood, removed my clothes and descended upon them before they could release the screams contemplated by their throats. They will be lucky to survive tonight.

A/N: Thank you to TeamJane for reviewing, editing and providing guidance. Please push the button below and review, especially if you are interested in finding out what happens next!

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