Thank you again for all the alerts and reviews! They really make my day! This is the final chapter, so I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 7: The Garden

SOOKIE SLEPT HARD and dreamlessly until her door opened the next morning and Elizabeth walked in with her breakfast tray. The smell of the biscuits and sausage gravy brought her to her senses much more than her maid's customarily silent way of walking and carrying out her duties. Sookie chanced to wonder how much of Elizabeth's strangely quiet disposition was due to the glamouring and how much was just her own practiced mannerisms. Either way, she grudgingly had to admit to herself that she found the quality attractive. Perhaps in another life we could have been friends, but never in this one, she decided.

She watched the maid set the tray down and begin to clear the old one away.

Her cheek hurt and she ran her fingers lightly over the warm, swollen skin. The bruise was going to be a doozy and Sookie was not looking forward to looking in the mirror. Although, she was a little morbidly curious to see what kind of patchwork of ugly colors were beginning to bloom on her face. As the maid turned to leave, Sookie crawled out from under the covers and began to eat her breakfast.

This morning, the cook had included a strong cup of coffee and cream in addition to her normal glass of juice, and Sookie delighted in the familiar, much missed taste. What a treat, she thought, as she hungrily tore into her meal. Her despair had begun to dissipate but, in its place, loneliness settled in like a dense fog. She was almost sorry that her maid was gone, leaving her alone again. Although she resented Elizabeth as part of the machine that held her hostage, when she stopped to think about it, a nascent understanding of Elizabeth's situation began to form.

In her own way, Elizabeth was just as much of a victim as Sookie. In fact, it occurred to Sookie, that her maid was the person in the world with whom she had the most in common. Both of them were cut off from other people and normal life. While it was true that Elizabeth had clothes and freedom of movement; she was also a servant who was denied access to her own mind in order to keep Sookie ignorant of any details that might make an escape attempt more likely.

Sookie was surprised when Elizabeth came back in the room, and she flashed the maid a guilty smile in spite of herself. What am I doing? Sookie thought, returning her attention to her meal. She's barely aware I'm here and besides, we're not friends. But to Sookie's surprise, instead of cleaning supplies or linens, Elizabeth held in her arms more gifts, which she unloaded on the bed. Losing all interest in her meal, Sookie began eagerly picking through the small pile: a white linen sundress, knee length and empire waisted with narrow straps, an expensive Olga bra and underwear in a neutral beige, and two new books.

Sookie also noted what had not been included: no shoes, no jewelry, nothing she could possibly use to hurt herself. Not unless I want to hang myself with my bra strap! she thought, fiddling with the fang that hung around her neck. Oh well, she shrugged and turned her attention to the books. Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, she read, smiling, hardly able to contain her delight. Sookie was so absorbed with her new treasures that she barely noticed that Elizabeth still stood near the bed at a polite reserve.

She also did not notice that Elizabeth had failed to close and lock the door behind her, which was her custom, until an unfamiliar werewolf walked into the room. "My name is Kelly," the lanky, blonde stranger introduced himself. Sookie just looked astonished at him, and was momentarily at a loss for words. Besides, it hardly seemed necessary that she introduce herself. "Where is Thomas?" she blurted out. The words seemed to fall out of her mouth before she had time to ponder the wisdom of such a question.

Kelly ran his fingers over his goatee thoughtfully. A bemused smile lit his pleasant face as he thought about his response. "I don't know really. Thomas has other duties. But, the important thing is that I am your guard and I have good news for you." Good news? For me? Sookie thought. She was as shocked by his words as she had been by his appearance. "Yes, good news," he replied with a broad, open grin that Sookie could not help but like.

There was something different about this werewolf with his bright blue eyes and easygoing manner. Suddenly, she knew what it was; he was gay. Not having encountered a gay member of the werewolf community before, she understood why it was a bit of a shock. Immediately, she also understood why she instinctively felt more comfortable around him. At the same time, it answered the riddle of what had happened to Thomas. Clearly, Russell felt more comfortable with her in the presence of someone who would not feel the temptation to take advantage of his position in the daylight hours the way Thomas had.

Sookie looked inside his head, but in spite of his mild, friendly manner, his mind was nonetheless as guarded as any werewolf she had come upon. The impression of cobwebs spun of steel, emanating shades of red, black, and grey, overwhelmed her senses. The brief effort pained her mind as if she were getting caught on great, barbed hooks. She disengaged her attempts to read his mind, deciding that it was definitely a no-fly zone.

Kelly stood smiling, waiting patiently for her attention to focus back on him. Sookie had the distinct impression that he knew exactly what she was, what she had just been up to, and was pleased with the failure of the attempt. "As I was saying, beginning today, you are allowed to go outside for one hour a day in the company of your maid and myself," he said, clearly enjoying the way her mouth fell open at the news. "So, go change into your new clothes, unless you'd rather wait to begin until tomorrow."

"No," Sookie protested, "I'll be ready in just a minute." Hurriedly, she gathered the clothes and rushed into the bathroom to change. Stripping off the stained nightgown, she pulled on her new clothes. She did not pause to appreciate the feeling of having something new to wear, much less things that were so nice. She felt consumed with a rush of worry that when she returned to the room, she would have missed her chance. Or, worse, be confronted with the reality that in her loneliness she had just imagined the whole thing.

Sookie burst out of the bathroom in a rush, having left her new nightgown in a heap on the floor. "Ready?" Kelly asked. Sookie merely nodded in response, scarcely believing her good fortune. As they walked down the long corridor, Sookie was struck by how irreversibly her life had changed. Allowed outside only under guard, she mused, only in hell could such a thing be normal. She kept her pace a polite distance behind Kelly's black clad form and Elizabeth trailed a few steps behind her.

As they left the inner corridor and approached the staircase, Sookie was barely able to contain her excitement as she glimpsed the first rays of sunlight she had seen since her capture. It was all she could do to stop herself from pushing past Kelly, throwing open the door, and running out into the intoxicatingly bright morning. But, she knew that would be a mistake that could potentially cost her any opportunity to ever see the sun again. I have to be patient and appear trustworthy, she thought as she walked down the staircase. It is the best way to one day find the chance to escape this terrible place.

Kelly paused briefly by the door, and Sookie looked up at him expectantly with her pleading brown doe eyes, holding her breath in anxious anticipation. She was startled, standing so near to him, how much taller than she he was. His long, thin frame did not lend itself towards making him seem like a large man, but suddenly she felt small and very aware that he could physically overpower her with not much effort.

A moment later, he unlatched and opened the door. Sookie stumbled out onto the wide porch, her sun-starved eyes nearly blinded by the warm, radiant light. The incandescent brightness overpowered her senses and she leaned against one of the white stone colonnades for support. The hot, humid air wrapped around her like a warm blanket, temporarily choking out the memory of the cool, dismal air of her usual surroundings.

Although she had always been skeptical of the stories, she could not help but relate to the tales of near-death experiences she had heard. It makes a certain amount of sense, she reasoned, as her eyes slowly adjusted to the light, having felt dead or near to it as much as she had since her captivity began. She had not realized how deep and wide a chasm had been torn through her until confronted by the sun's healing rays. Inside her head, she said a quick prayer, thanking God for this small moment of redemption.

The red bricks of the steps, having baked in the unrelenting sun, threatened to burn the soles of Sookie's feet as she lowered herself to sit. Funny, she thought, but the scorching bricks didn't bother her after the first couple minutes. I must be getting tougher, and she smiled. A little pain let her know that it really was happening, and that she was not in the midst of another amazingly visceral waking dream. Elizabeth took a seat on the steps beside her, while tow-headed Kelly hung back, leaning his weight against the bricks between the grand door and one of the arched windows.

Sookie idly smoothed the skirt of her new linen summer dress over her knees, hoping that she would not find the back of her new frock smudged with dirt when she went back inside. A quick glance at the porch showed that it, as well as everything else she had encountered in the mansion, was conscientiously cleaned and attended to. Suddenly, she was seized with a memory of her grandmother sweeping the porch of her family home and explaining that a swept porch invited good luck. Not so much for me, Sookie audibly snorted in derision. She did not want to muse too much on the mansion given the temporary opportunity she had to turn her back on it.

It occurred to Sookie, as she basked in the sunlight, allowing her head to roll back contentedly, exposing the graceful arch of her throat as the waves of her long, blond hair grazed the ground behind her, that she and Elizabeth could be anyone, anywhere. Sookie felt free to let her imagination wander. She featured that she and Elizabeth, who was dressed in leather wedge sandals, fitted medium-blue wash jeans, and a shamrock green t-shirt with the word Jackson scribbled across her breasts in hand-scrolled letters (she was sure the color would make Elizabeth's eyes as elementally luminous as cat's eye gemstones if, thankfully, they were not hidden behind her Dior sunglasses, which Sookie knew she would have been tempted to take for herself, if not for the irksome presence of her guard), were just friends, hanging out on the porch, enjoying the outdoors on some random sunny afternoon.

She could almost fool herself into believing it, never mind the energy it took to keep reality at bay. All she needed was a tall glass of iced tea, cool and sweating, to complete the illusion. Pity! Too bad there is no butler, she thought, letting herself get carried away by her slight taste of freedom. As her eyes steadily adjusted to the sunlight, she took in the beautifully manicured grounds: the verdant green of the trees, how the sky was a vibrant shade of periwinkle broken only by billowy, white clouds. She tried to guess at the shapes, anything to keep her mind from tumbling back to the reality that she was a prisoner on this splendid plantation.

The ever-present music in Elizabeth's mind began to intrude more and more on Sookie's silent reverie. It was all heartache and loss, as if the strings of the harp cried more than sang. Sookie felt bothered to no end by the sad and dismal music, making it increasingly difficult for her to shut it out and focus on her fantasy of being someone else, someone normal.

She had the rest of the day, the rest of eternity, near as she could tell, to spend in the gloom contemplating how lonely and depressing was her situation. As if he had read her thoughts rather than the other way around, it was then that she felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up to see Kelly smiling down at her. His teeth were dazzlingly white, if not a bit crooked, and despite knowing what he was going to say next, Sookie breathed easier around him.

"Time's up," he said, noting the way she tensed at the words. He felt sorry for her in that moment. It was hard not to, but he had a job to do. Ultimately, he figured that fair or not, her karma was her own business. He was relieved when she got to her feet without complaint, dusted herself off, and obediently followed him back inside, Elizabeth following a few paces behind. There was no reason Sookie could think of to try and fight. She would not get far barefoot. She would only jeopardize the one good thing she had to look forward to each day.

"Tomorrow's another day," he said amiably as he ushered her back into the room and locked the door behind her. Sookie looked around the room, dismayed to find herself imprisoned again with the same old problems. How do I fill the hours? What will nightfall bring? At least, I have some new books to read and I don't have to wander around naked, she thought, barely comforted, but grateful for the small boons of fortune that helped the hours to pass more easily and uneventfully.

Another day passed into night, and another v-fueled dream swelled her sleeping consciousness. Her dreaming self awoke under the covers of the immense bed in Russell's chamber with the eerie sensation that accompanied her lucid dreams. The large chamber was lit with a dozen or more candles held by ornate gold candelabrums. Sookie was chagrined to discover that she was naked under the high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. She held the heavy comforter with its intricate pattern of gold and green against a burgundy backdrop to cover herself. She sat up; feeling bewildered, but then fell back against the pile of large pillows. Too many pillows, she thought, snuggling in amongst them, noting that in a normal size bed there would not be enough room for anyone to sleep.

She did not see Russell, but she felt that he must be close by. She regretted not having the pink cotton nightgown that had arrived with her dinner. A note instructing her to let Kelly know if there was anything she needed that had not already been provided had accompanied it. Sookie had gone to sleep feeling more content than she had in a long time. But, as she looked around the room, littered with ornate baroque furniture, she knew the feeling had been too good to be true.

It was then that she saw him. Russell was sitting in a large chair facing a roaring fire in a hearth almost big enough for her to stand in. As if he sensed her watching him, he got up from his chair. He was wearing only a pair of black silk pajama bottoms and slippers. He walked across the chamber to seat himself at the foot of the bed. Sookie instinctively shrank back, unsure of what to expect next. She was still afraid of him. But even though she despised herself for it, despised her own inconstant weakness, she was aware that her fear was now tempered by the intoxicating feeling that came from being desired by someone so powerful.

"Well, Miss Stackhouse, how are you enjoying your time outside?" he began conversationally, if not a bit formally. Sookie was shocked; he wanted to talk, wanted to know how she felt about something. She had not expected it. If anything, she imagined that the only reason he would pull her dreaming self to him would be to ravish her once again. After so many dreams, her revulsion at the idea of his body grinding against her as she lay beneath him had lessened. However, she was not ready to welcome his attentions with open arms. But, as much as she hated to admit it, even to the darkest corners of her memory, in his arms, she felt a sense of safety and security she had never known anywhere else.

"It would be better if I wasn't kept on a timer," she replied haughtily. She lifted her chin to gaze at the fire as she ran a hand through her tousled locks. Russell smiled wide, loving her turn as the prideful temptress who felt she was too good for his charity. He leaned back against one of the thick spiral posts that held the massive canopy aloft. He hooked the heel of one foot on the box spring and folded his hands casually in his lap. "One step at a time, my dear. The seas do not yet part on your say-so," he replied.

"Does that mean that one day they will?" she asked coquettishly, allowing the comforter to slip from her grasp and expose her breasts to his view. Even her dreaming self knew it was a blatant and slutty thing to do. But, she reasoned, he had seen her naked so many times before, it hardly mattered. And, she was learning that she was a survivor, which did not always leave much room for pride; especially, in the face of the things she coveted the most: the sun and her freedom.

"Maybe," he said, seemingly unimpressed. However, she could see his eyes light from within, even though he still made no move towards her. "I know you care for me. Don't you want me to be happy? I can't imagine spending the rest of my life cooped up in that room. I'll go mad," her voice had begun to quake a little. Her bottom lip trembled. She didn't like naming her fears, especially to him. "So you'll go mad, you wouldn't be the first," he replied, bored, toying with her. Sookie's cheeks flushed scarlet. She felt frustrated and ashamed that she had abased herself for no gain. "You're a monster!" she spat back at him. She pulled herself into a ball and laid her head on her knees, defeated.

"Perhaps so. I've never pretended otherwise." He sounded so eminently reasonable about the whole thing that she just wanted to haul off and punch him in the face. "And you never think about others? And I guess I mean nothing to you either? You only care about having my blood," she pouted, refusing to meet his eyes. She'd never felt so small and suddenly she wished she could just disappear altogether.

"I think about others. Well, sometimes, when it is convenient to my purpose," he replied flatly. Not that he would let her see it, but inside, he was immensely enjoying this game of cat and mouse. Sookie's head shot up, and a defiant fire lit her brown eyes. She sat up straight, not caring to play coy with the comforter anymore, and pulled her hair away from her neck. "Fine, then drink me and have done with it. If all I have ever been to anyone is a means to an end, just a refreshing fairy cocktail, then I would rather die than live alone in a prison knowing that something like that is true." She was being melodramatic, but he had hit a nerve, a deep-seated insecurity that she had not wanted to confront.

Russell's fangs unsheathed. Unable to control his desire for her anymore, he moved quickly to where she was nestled in the pillows, and pulled her into his arms. As he held her tightly against his chest, she heard him whisper into her ear, "You don't give the orders here, my darling. You are mine. If anyone tries to harm you, including yourself, I will protect you. If you try to run away, I will find you. You will not die. I will not allow it." He kissed her forehead and she was keenly aware of his fingers pressing into her thigh.

"Enjoy your time in the sun. Try to find a reason to smile once in a while. You shall have everything you want and need. You have paid your penance for the evil you have done, but freedom is not a part of the deal." She looked up at him imploringly then, but he continued on. "And it is not just I who holds you. It is your nature, your gift. The very thing that makes you so special is also that which holds you in bondage. In this world, freedom for you cannot help but lead to your demise, so it has fallen to me to protect you. Not that I am complaining. No one else shall ever have you as long as I am around." His voice was gentle, hypnotic, and he smoothed her hair back as he spoke.

It did not occur to her to struggle against him because somewhere deep inside, she knew he was right. The tragedies she had endured had proved to her that her fate could be much worse. "I will let you in on a secret, my love, we are all of us trapped. Either by our nature or the choices we make, no one is truly free. It is only an illusion, an oasis in the desert, a dream that keeps us moving forward when otherwise we would fall over dead from thirst and despair. In the end, the lucky ones, those who are gifted, brave, strong, and wise, they maybe get to choose their prisons. The rest are merely pawns with no real power to decide, although they may pretend otherwise."

His monologue finished, he flipped her hair back, away from the juicy, throbbing artery in her neck. Russell bit down hard, and Sookie screamed in pain, only to awake in the next moment gasping, safely restored to the confines of her own room. She was shaken up by the dream, but as she listened to the great clock announce that it was five, she wondered, dusk or dawn? Dawn, she decided, feeling okay to sleep longer, free from the threat of vampires and unsettling v-dreams.

Elizabeth and her morning meal arrived on cue a few hours later. Oatmeal with milk and brown sugar, fruit salad with oranges, apples, strawberries, and bananas cut small and mixed together, another strong cup of black coffee with a small container of cream, and, best of all, more clothes. Sookie practically tore the pile of clothes that the tray was balanced on out of Elizabeth's hands. But she contained the impulse until the tray had been deposited in its customary place.

She was delighted to find more lingerie, a pair of designer jeans that had been carefully distressed and strategically shredded, and a pale blue cotton button down shirt with navy piping. It's like every day is Christmas now, she thought, thrilled with her new clothes. Then she looked around. Yeah, a never can escape the memory of my own regrets sort of terrible Christmas. And the clothes are just my payment for being Russell's whore, suddenly feeling disgusted with herself and her momentary excitement.

With effort, she pulled herself out of that frame of mind, purposefully blinding herself to her surroundings and only focusing on her presents and breakfast. Sookie was so wrapped up in her new clothes, she hadn't even noticed Kelly. He had the very un-werewolf like ability to just blend into the wallpaper. She flushed, feeling a little self-conscious at having been so unobservant while standing around in her nightgown. "It's raining. Do you still want to go outside today?" he asked.

Sookie looked at him like he was nuts. Clearly, he'd never been locked up and drained for a long period of time. "Absolutely," she replied, giving him a look that communicated that she thought it was a dumb question, even if she did refrain from saying as much. "OK, when you've eaten and changed, knock on the door and we'll go out then," he replied, unperturbed, but bored. At least that is what Sookie guessed by the way he held his lips in a thin line.

"Fine," she replied, throwing her dirty clothes off the back of the loveseat, so she could sit. He turned to leave and Sookie remembered the note. "Kelly?" she asked. "Yeah," he responded, turning to face her. "I'm going to need a hamper," she said. The request sounded a little high-handed, but it seemed like a reasonable enough thing to ask for. Despite his more agreeable nature, she still had no interest in engaging him in any conversation beyond what was necessary and he seemed to feel the same. He nodded, looking nonplussed. Obviously, the note hadn't been his idea, and he left the room without another word and Elizabeth not far behind.

A short time later, having finished breakfast and admired how well her new clothes fit, Sookie collected her laundry. With the exception of the pink nightgown, from which she figured she could safely get another night's use, she stashed it all in a corner of the room. Feeling satisfied, she knocked on the door to find Kelly standing at his post and Elizabeth seated on a slim, decorative green velvet chaise lounge opposite the door. Wordlessly, Sookie followed Kelly's lead with Elizabeth trailing behind her.

Sookie did not feel near as anxious as she had the day before. For the first time, she was actually able to admire the artwork adorning the walls. She did not have the erudite vocabulary, hard-earned education, or meticulously cultivated sensibilities to have much idea about what she was looking at. But she knew what she liked and what she didn't and felt that was enough. Besides, the people she had known who went about like they knew more about that sort of thing than others seemed to treat most everything that crossed their path with a snooty disdain that she felt was a turn off. Not that it mattered much in her current situation. She could like the paintings or not as she saw fit. There was no one around to either agree or argue with her.

Kelly hadn't been kidding about the rain, Sookie noted as they made their way down the staircase. The foyer was dimly lit by a poor grey light. She could hear the rain thundering down on the house as it fell in sheets from the heavens. Kelly opened the door and Sookie found it hard to catch her breath. The torrent of water falling from the steel-gray sky beat the earth hard, raising a mist so heavy that it practically choked the oxygen out of the atmosphere. But, fresh air was fresh air, even if it was the sodden and damp variety that would better suit a fish. Sookie was not going to be denied her time outside, even if the sky opened up and began raining fire.

It was a big storm and the unlikely trio huddled under the scant protection of the eaves as the rain found a way to fall sideways or jump up high enough from the ground to soak their clothes. As they silently cloistered next to the house, thunder rent the sky, and lightning flashed madly, its eerie resonance turning the air faintly metallic. Sookie was shocked to see Elizabeth pull a pack of American Spirit cigarettes from the pocket of the grey cotton hooded jacket she wore over a white cotton t-shirt of stretch cotton and a pair of dark wash cuffed, wide leg jeans, and light one up. Sookie had no idea that Elizabeth smoked. Suddenly, she didn't seem nearly so perfect and enviable.

Kelly gave Sookie a pointed look that clearly communicated that he was sick of getting wet while Elizabeth smoked and Sookie watched the storm. Sookie did her best to ignore him. Wet or not, she was not going back inside a minute before she absolutely had to. But knowing that she didn't have much time left took the sweetness from the moment. She tried to just focus on the way the air smelled, how the rain obscured her view, making everything seem a little unreal, like they were in a snow globe that had been thoroughly shaken.

Elizabeth exhaled a puff of smoke in Sookie's direction and she wrinkled her nose at the sour, pungent smell. Sookie looked over at her maid, knowing it was ridiculous, but wondering if she had done it on purpose. As soon as she opened her mind to the music playing in Elizabeth's mind, she suddenly got a glimpse of Elizabeth's memories. What she saw was like a series of flashcards that appeared and were just as quickly gone.

Sookie lost all interest in the storm as she gawked at her maid, but she was once again just an empty shell. The experience reminded her of the brief clearing of a ponderous mist that moments later settled back in twice as thick. Sookie could not help but see her differently, as a person, which is the first time she realized that she had only ever regarded Elizabeth as a brand of mindless zombie. She almost jumped when Kelly laid his hand on her shoulder. "Time's up," he announced. Sookie had been expecting it, so she didn't bother to try to argue. Besides, she was also tired of getting wet and wind blown. Elizabeth dropped the partially smoked cigarette and crushed it out with the sole of her sandal.

For the first time, she was almost relieved when Kelly hurriedly ushered her back into her room. Sookie figured he must be as eager to be out of his wet clothes as she was. Her mind was swimming with the images she had caught from Elizabeth's mind. She needed solitude to properly unpack them; to try to figure out if they meant anything to her beyond their value as a distraction from her own thoughts. Elizabeth carried the old tray out and Sookie busied herself with peeling off her wet clothes and laying them over the side of the tub to dry. Not having anything else that was clean, she just changed back into her cozy pink nightgown.

Flopping onto her stomach on the bed, she closed her eyes to meditate on what she had seen. Elizabeth had worked at Fangtasia. That much was clear and Sookie guessed she had been a cocktail waitress. I bet she did good on tips, Sookie thought, not exactly pleased by the idea. She did not know how long Elizabeth had been there, and no other details about her employment were clear. Sookie figured it could not have been too long, since she had never noticed Elizabeth there when she had frequented the club. Maybe Erik tried to hide her from me, she thought, feeling a little paranoid. She did not at all like the fact that Elizabeth and Erik had known each other, not with his reputation for seducing beautiful women.

Sookie tried to focus on the facts of what she had seen, leaving idle speculation about things that no longer mattered aside. She rubbed her temples as she concentrated. The next thing that was clear was that Russell had noticed Elizabeth at the club. It was no more than a momentary glimpse of him passing through, looking straight at her, and smiling. After that, she had seen a distraught Erik handing Elizabeth a fistful of money, explaining that she had been sold, and was not to return to the club. Sookie smiled, she knew then that there was no way that Elizabeth could have meant anything to Erik. It made her happy to know that the only woman who had ever melted his heart was herself.

It seemed to Sookie that after Elizabeth left the club, she pretty much just hung around her apartment, waiting, keeping busy, anxiously watching the money run out. At some point, two black clad guards, (Sookie didn't get a clear picture of their faces, but judging by their hulking builds one of them could have easily been Thomas), showed up at Elizabeth's door. From there, it seemed that she had thrown a few things in a bag and been taken to the mansion. Everything was hazy, and Sookie had to fill in some of the blanks. The mental slideshow had been so unexpected and had gone by so quick, that it was giving her a headache to try and reconstruct her memory of such a brief, but potent experience.

Elizabeth's room in the mansion was large, opulently decorated in a vivid flower motif against a backdrop of gold trim and ivory upholstery. Sookie saw clearly Elizabeth sitting in one of the chairs, smoking, and looking out (Sookie couldn't believe it) a large bank of uncovered windows. The image, with the exception of the smoking, looked like a picture from Better Homes and Gardens.

Stunned, Sookie rocked back on her heels, which practically sank into the billowy feather mattress. She felt like her head was going to explode. Her maid had a room with a bank of clear, sunlit windows, and a riot of color decorating the walls and linens, while she was forced to molder in a dark, airless room decorated in unrelieved blue. It's not fair! she fumed. But then remembered some rubbish she'd heard about life not being fair, not ever.

Luckily, the images had not stopped there. Sookie recalled that there had been one last very revealing flash of memory. It was important to focus and keep her mind from indulging in an envious bout of emotional turmoil, which might cloud her recollections. The info about Elizabeth's previous life was interesting, but irrelevant to Sookie's never ending, bordering on obsessive, quest for ideas about how to escape.

In her mind, she heard Russell's intoxicatingly seductive voice. It was the same tone he used when trying to cajole her into doing something that she otherwise would not. "Elizabeth, my dove, come here." He was sitting in his office, and his dressing gown was open over a crisp, partially unbuttoned white dress shirt and grey pinstripe slacks. The next image had taken Sookie completely by surprise; although, in retrospect, she had no idea why it was at all astonishing.

She could see Elizabeth stretched out on the same couch where Russell had first interviewed her. Elizabeth's long jade green silk nightgown was pushed up around her waist, exposing her black lace underwear and sheer black thigh high stockings. Russell knelt on the floor, grasping her thigh between his hands as he gorged on the fount of blood from her femoral artery.

Irish slut! Sookie thought, irrationally angry, even though she had no real reason to be surprised or angry. After all, she reasoned, the more he drinks from her, the less he'll come after me. However, deep down, she suspected that one really didn't have much to do with the other. "I'm just pissed that there was nothing useful in any of that," she said out loud. She rarely used her speaking voice anymore, and it tended to surprise her.

Her voice sounded too loud and given to echoes; coupled with the fact that there was not a thought in her head that she felt safe giving voice to. For all she knew, the room was bugged. But she dismissed that thought quickly; it did not seem like Russell's style. Too modern; besides he regarded her desire to escape as a natural response to her situation, and it did not seem to concern him beyond taking the necessary steps to prevent her from actually succeeding. What disturbed her more was her rising tendency towards paranoia. I just have too much time to think, she decided, getting up from the bed.

The next few hours passed uneventfully as Sookie finished reading To Kill A Mockingbird and then picked up Wuthering Heights. She was grateful to have the books to keep her mind busy during the long, dark hours. Sitting in her nightgown, she could almost pretend that she was spending a lazy day at home. Some hot chocolate would be good, she thought, but alas her prison lacked room service. She continued to read until she heard the latch turn on the door and Elizabeth walked in.

The maid had obviously felt the same about having a lazy day, since she had changed into a plain orange t-shirt, grey sweatpants, and tennis shoes. The rain had not let up all day. Sookie had listened as it pounded with unrelenting fury. The wind caused several limbs from the trees outside her room to crack and fall to the ground with a loud boom. After everything she had learned, Sookie didn't feel comfortable being stuck in the small room with the maid. She took it as a cue to set her book aside and retreat to the bathroom for a nice, hot bath.

Sookie sat in the bath, trying to relax, but she could not help but hear everything that was going on in her chamber. She listened as Elizabeth removed the old tray, changed her sheets, gathered up her clothes, dusted, and vacuumed. The bath had grown cold by the time she heard the telltale click of the latch, announcing that the maid was done. Sookie wrapped a towel around herself, set the bath to drain, and opened the door to her room. Thankfully, the room was clean, empty of other souls, and a laundry hamper had been installed next to the large armoire.

Sookie gathered up her dirty laundry from the bathroom floor and deposited it in her new, empty hamper. The clothes she had left strewn about the floor were gone. She assumed Elizabeth had taken them to be washed, or perhaps, she would never see them again. She hoped not, because she especially loved the silk nightgown. But it would have to be dry cleaned, so it would probably be several days before she saw it returned. Sookie hoped that she had not gotten ahead of herself by requesting a hamper, (in light of the fact that she still only had a few articles of clothing), but it did no good to second-guess herself.

She stepped over to the bed and saw a light blue cotton nightgown decorated with small stars, crescent moons, and thin lacy straps, as well as a matching robe and a new pair of underwear laid out for her. Thrilled that her moment's worry was unfounded, she dropped the towel to the floor and pulled on her new night ensemble. Her improved mood reminded her that she was hungry and she took her customary seat on the floor beside the ottoman to eat her dinner.

Dinner consisted of an unusual grilled cheese sandwich made with havarti, tomato, and basil, as well as a bowl of tomato soup and a small green salad with cucumbers and orange slices. No wine, but the cook had included a homemade chocolate chip cookie and glass of milk for dessert. As she ate, Sookie felt glad that the days of being naked and unable to enjoy her meals seemed to be behind her. Of course, she realized that those days could return if she lost favor again by, for instance, attempting to escape. But that was hardly enough reason for her to abandon hope that one day she would.

After dinner, Sookie pulled the comforter off her bed, and snuggled up before the cold hearth to read. Frustration had receded and, in its place, boredom and monotony stretched the hours before her like an endless desert, punctuated only by her brief visits outside, which were all that made filling the hours seem worthwhile. Finally, she decided that she had choked as much good as there was available to be had from the day. She stretched, brushed her teeth, and fell asleep listening to the soft sound of the rain falling from the dying storm.

Sookie was not at all surprised to be awakened shortly after midnight by the sound of the key turning in the lock and the door swinging open to admit the flamboyant Dr. Koze. Instead of rounding the bed, as was her habit, the doctor dropped her bag on the low table and switched on the light. Sookie could see that Kelly had followed her into the room and now stood motionless, one arm on the mantle, supporting his weight while he watched the proceedings. Dr. Koze rummaged through her bag while Sookie watched apprehensively, wondering if she would ever be free of the doctor's unwelcome presence.

Finally, after cursing under her breath in the strange foreign tongue Sookie still couldn't identify, she seemed to find what it was she was after. As she came around the bed, Sookie got the impression that she was in a hurry. She wondered where else the doctor might be going that night. No expense had been spared on the outfit she wore, which consisted of a fur-lined brown, copper and gold tweed jacket with a matching skirt and a red silk blouse unbuttoned, Sookie thought, by one too many. To complete the ensemble, she wore a pair of knee length, heeled calfskin boots, which Sookie knew she would have happily staked the doctor to have for herself, although she wisely did not give voice to the thought.

"You make trouble for me last time, zuske. Now you get trouble," the doctor said as she wet a cloth with the small bottle of ether she held. Alarmed, Sookie bolted upright, "Look, it's OK, I won't give you a fight. Just take what you want and go." Sookie extending her arm towards the doctor, as she supposed she should have done before. It didn't seem to make a difference. Feeling a wave of panic overwhelm her, she cast a pleading look in Kelly's direction, which he flatly ignored. "That time over. You make bed, now lie in it," the doctor said as she raised the cloth to Sookie's face.

"No!" Sookie cried, taking a deep breath and holding it. Not for one second did she trust what might happen if she lost consciousness. "You no hold breath," Dr. Koze ordered. She tore Sookie's hand away from her face with one hand and shoved the cloth against her nose with the other.

Weakly, Sookie tried to choke out another "no," but it came out as a stifled gurgle. That was the last thing she remembered, other than a sharp stab of dread, wondering whether she would wake up again and what sort of shape she might find herself in if she did.

Luckily, the doctor knew what she was doing. Sookie awoke in the late morning with a headache to beat the band and a bandage over her vein on her arm. Groggily, every movement a painful struggle, she switched on her bedside lamp and checked herself all over. She was relieved to discover that she was still in one piece, all except for the headache that threatened to gnaw through her skull.

Her breakfast had been delivered while she slept. Bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, and another strong cup of coffee. She was especially grateful for the coffee, hoping that it would dispel some of the pounding in her head. When she finished eating, she slipped into the pretty yellow sundress and underwear that she found folded on the table in front of the fireplace. She worried that she had missed her chance at going outside. The worry eroded the enjoyment she might have otherwise had from her meal and new clothes.

She brushed her teeth and ran her fingers through her hair before knocking on the door. The key turned and Kelly peered in, his blue eyes dazzling, but guarded. "Yes?" he inquired. "I want to go outside. Have I missed my chance?" she asked, her voice carrying a note of uncertainty. "No, you can still go out," he answered. "Let me fetch Elizabeth." He began to shut the door when Sookie interjected, "Would you please have her bring me some Advil too?" He rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Anything else I can do for you?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "No, but I'll be sure to let you know," she replied, saucily. Unceremoniously, he shut the door in her face and she heard the key turn in the lock.

A few minutes passed, but it felt like forever to Sookie as she sat perched on the edge of the bed, waiting. Her head hurt and she felt weak from being drained, which made her wonder if the doctor had taken advantage of her being unconscious to steal more blood than usual. I guess I'll never know, she thought, sighing heavily and wondering if she would ever experience a good day again.

Soon enough, the door opened and Elizabeth bustled in. She looked very pretty; her porcelain complexion was without flaw, and her outfit emphasized her thin, but curvy figure. Sookie found herself enviously eyeing the blush pink tank top, the cute, studded jean skirt that showed off her shapely legs, leather Ecco sandals, and a thin gold chain with a compass pendant, not so different from the one Sookie wore around her neck.

In her hands, she carried a glass of water and two Advil, which Sookie downed in one gulp. "I'm ready now," she announced to Kelly who stood outside the open door. They made their way down the corridor the same as for the past couple days. But this time, when they reached the staircase, sunlight poured in through the windows to light the foyer. Sookie held her breath in anticipation of feeling the sun on her skin again.

When they walked out on the broad porch, the humidity from the previous day's rain was so intense that Sookie felt like she had just walked into a sauna. Nevertheless, being a Southern girl, she adjusted quickly and delighted in the feeling of being engulfed in the bright sun's warming rays. It felt like all the cold, the bleak grayness, were being burned out of her bones.

It was hard to remember when she had felt so warm, so unable to brood over the chill seeping into the cracks in her soul, ready to shatter her from within. She smiled, the big winning grin that used to make her money at the bar, draw men to her like flies, especially the supernatural ones who were more prone to stick around. That didn't turn out so well, she thought, grimacing. Luckily, with her back to the mansion, she could almost forget it was there, almost forget how she had gotten mixed up with vampires in the first place. With Elizabeth at her side, she could pretend she was just touring a plantation, maybe somewhere in Georgia. It was just a stop on a road trip, a break from school, she told herself, building her fantasy with practiced ease and well-worn tools.

The verdant greenery represented every shade of green that must exist, she mused, trying to remember all the names she knew: jade, clover, midori (a favorite drink in better days), emerald, lime, celadon. Someone at the bar had once told her, after she mentioned that her favorite color was green, that green was the one color that the human eye could rest on without getting tired. It was nice to think of it that way, even if it was probably bullshit. He had been trying to pick her up at the time. The guy was from out of town and not privy to her reputation for being crazy.

Elizabeth pulled a cigarette from her pack and lit it. Sookie tried to ignore the pungent smell of the smoke and just focus on how the wet, soggy earth squished between her toes. Every once in a while, she caught a glimpse of the wolves patrolling the grounds, moving in and among the trees like shadows. She strained her eyes, hoping to see a yellow timber wolf like Alcide, but the few shapes she could distinguish were flat gray.

Thinking of Alcide made her ache inside all over. Sookie missed him in ways she hadn't imagined. She longed to see a familiar looking wolf, see him run towards her, and change into the man that she loved. Then, together they would find their way to safety, and start a new life. But the daydream faded, and she was again just walking, trying to avoid the smell of smoke, while keeping her back to the mansion for as long as possible.

Elizabeth stooped to pick a sodden dandelion, and held the limp stem next to her cigarette, trying to straighten the delicate petals with her deft fingers. She was lost in concentration on her little project, the harp music spinning a melancholy web, and they continued walking. A low stream came into view, the water glistening around large rocks in the afternoon light. As Sookie watched the water, she felt the dreaded tap on her shoulder, telling her it was time to head back.

The mansion filled her wide eyes, resplendent in its antebellum glory. Her slow, but happy pace changed to a trudge; every footfall was an effort. The sun was hurting her eyes, and she found herself looking enviably at Elizabeth's Prada shades. She had made a rule to keep her requests to necessities, but she thought she might soon chance it and ask for a pair of sunglasses. Burning eyes, on top of everything else, just seemed like an unreasonable burden to have to endure. She tried not to think about it, tried to limit her focus to Kelly's back a few paces ahead.

Anger grew within her as each step brought her closer to the mansion. She ruminated, wondering which room Russell rested in. Her initial thought was that he would choose either the cupola crowning the mansion or the deep, broad basement level, since those were probably the most secure locations. But when she thought about the immense room that was the stage for the lusty v-dreams that regularly plagued her sleep, she didn't think either location would be likely. Oh, how she wished she knew. She would find him; let him see the power of her hatred for him before she laid him forever to rest. She smiled, picturing the moment of triumph in her mind, and her hands itched to hold a stake to his heart.

As Sookie brooded on her imagined revenge, she stumbled over a loose rock, and fell to her hands and knees. Her pretty yellow dress was stained with mud and had torn under the weight of her knees as she fell. Elizabeth stooped down to grasp Sookie's scraped and dirty hands in her own. As Elizabeth helped pull her to her feet, Sookie was suddenly hit with more errant mental images that slipped through the curtain of haze and music that held the maid's mind hostage.

Kelly strode over as Sookie attempted to brush the mud from her dress. "Are you alright?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. Of course he is, Sookie thought, who knows what Russell would do to him if I was hurt. Sookie was far too world weary to believe that his concern was for her and not himself. "I'm fine," she replied, giving up on trying to salvage the dress. Damn, she thought, why does everything I like end up getting ruined?

They continued towards the house and Sookie was surprised by how much ground they had covered. It hadn't seemed so far when they had been going the other direction. She mulled over the new images that had come to her. There was not nearly so much this time. Mixed in with the memories that Sookie had seen before was a glimpse of Elizabeth cooking in a fine, old-fashioned kitchen.

The cupboards were paneled in glass behind which were stored delicate china plates, bowls, and saucers. Elizabeth was wearing a checked apron with her long, auburn hair pulled into a loose ponytail as she chopped fruit and turned to stir the contents of a copper saucepan on the gas range. Copper pots were suspended from a hanging rack and the counters were full of fresh fruit, cut flowers, and the overflow of dirty dishes that would not fit in the large porcelain sink.

Sookie also saw Elizabeth sitting in the back of a chauffeured black Cadillac as it drove through the tree-lined streets of what must be downtown Jackson. There were bags and packages strewn all over the backseat with labels like Nordstrom, Chanel, White House Black Market, Prada, Ralph Lauren, and Manolo Blahnik. It became clear to Sookie how it was that her life functioned on a daily basis. Elizabeth was the answer to the riddle. She was the one who Russell had handpicked to cook, clean, and shop for her, as well as give her a small measure of company.

No wonder it is so important to Russell to keep her glamoured, Sookie thought, she is the key to my life here. As they approached the house, Kelly veered off to circumvent the mansion. Sookie was happy to add a few minutes to the walk, besides having the opportunity to see the whole house.

Russell must have had it in mind all along, Sookie realized. Being buried alive had only delayed the wheels of fate he had already put in motion. She had never been much of a planner and she was simply amazed at the time, energy, and foresight he had employed to get her exactly where he wanted her. It angered her in a way, but she also felt like a burden had been lifted. There was no escaping this destiny, and kicking herself for mistakes she had made along the way was pointless.

Even if she managed to stake Russell and escape, her life was not likely to improve. Without Bill, Erik, or Russell to protect her, she would be at the mercy of whatever other supernaturals she might encounter, and she shivered at the prospect. Any new life she started would have to be lived in total secrecy, cut off from the past, and she would spend the rest of her days hiding from vampires among strangers.

Still, she had trouble accepting that this really was her life. Looking at Elizabeth, her eyes hidden behind her sunglasses, her porcelain skin luminous in the sunlight, Sookie realized that the thing that bothered her most about Elizabeth was that she was content in her life. Just another damn fang banger, Sookie thought uncharitably.

Elizabeth had no burning desire to rejoin society or to escape. The calm acceptance she possessed filled her with a sublime radiance that could not be feigned or hidden. I don't know that I'll ever get there, Sookie thought. She examined the large rounded windows and strong bricks of the octagonal structure, and began to think of the messages she had received from her guards, Russell, the doctor.

They had all said that she must accept her new life and, although she had never done more than half-listen to them, she was beginning to understand that her happiness or misery was her responsibility. As they rounded the back of the great house, Sookie noticed a particularly sunny, open patch of the yard. It's a shame that nobody's planted a garden there, she thought, remembering the joy her grandmother had taken in her garden back in Bon Temps.

In every way, it seemed a perfect spot for rows of well-tended vegetables and flowers. I could plant a perimeter of marigolds to protect the garden, she thought, getting ahead of herself. She would have to secure a lot more time outside before that could happen, but she could almost feature the bright yellow and orange petals attracting ladybugs and butterflies. Following the line of thought as they moved past her imagined garden spot, she envisioned rows of flowers, tulips, roses, and daffodils, up near the house to help make it seem less stark and forbidding.

For a moment, she felt happy at the thought of a project that would keep her hands and mind busy; planting bulbs, her hands brown and dirty, or guiding creepers full of flowers into beautiful arrays to decorate the brick outer walls. As they came around the front of the house, Sookie could picture a rose trellis placed before the entrance. Smiling, she remembered how her grandmother had told her that only good could pass through a rose trellis.

But Russell doesn't need to know anything about that, she thought. A sly smile crossed her lips as she began thinking of how she might cajole more time outside and the necessary gardening supplies from him. Sookie passed through the front door full of plans for how she would pass the time until she eventually escaped. As much as she might envy Elizabeth her contentment, she knew she was not Elizabeth, and she would never give up her hope for freedom. It isn't perfect, Sookie thought, but maybe I can find some happiness here. Gran always said that you have to take the good with the bad. But then her grandmother had not been a telepath, and the sole obsession of the most ancient and powerful vampire of them all.

THE END

P.S. In order to publish this story within the boundaries of what allows, I had to make some editing changes. If you are interested to read the unedited version, which is mostly the same except for some minor changes in the story and the fact that the lemony scenes contain quite a bit more citrus pow! then just private message me and I will be happy to provide you with the link to the unrated version. Thanks for reading!