Wish… Ch.13

JPOV

I toss my clothes into my open duffle bag, unable to keep the deep scowl from my face. Damn it, somehow I just knew those vamps would mean trouble for Sook and now it seems the rest of us have been dragged into it as well…again; it’s an endless cycle and one I’m gettin’ real fuckin’ sick of.

“Jase,” Hoyt’s voice sounds softly at my ear, his palm resting upon my tense shoulder. “Hey, just talk to me, will ya? What’s got you so worked up?”

“You really have to fuckin’ ask?” I question back, my voice much more severe than I’d intended. Hoyt’s green eyes widen and I find myself having to take a deep breath before turning to pull him into my arms. “I’m sorry, Hoyt. It ain’t you I’m mad at; ya didn’t deserve that,” I offer remorsefully, before feeling him relax against me.

“So what is it that’s got you so pissed off? I mean, I know we’re in danger and all, but that ain’t what’s really buggin’ ya, is it?” he questions, hitting me with solemn, pale green eyes that always seem to see straight through me, through all my bullshit.

“No,” I sigh out, knowing full well the threat headed our way is only a small part of what’s got me feelin’ this way. “It’s Sook, I’m real worried about her,” I finally admit, seeing Hoyt’s eyes soften as he nods his understanding. “I mean, I’ve been worried about her for months now, but this is different.”

“She seems happy, Jase, real happy,” Hoyt remarks to leave me nodding as I recall just how reassuring it was, finally seein’ her smilin’, finally hearin’ her laughin’ after long months of havin’ to see her damn near lifeless and lost in her apparent depression.

“I know, and it’s damn good to see her smilin’ again, it really is, but now she’s gone and gotten herself tangled up with more goddamn vamps and I just-, shit, Hoyt, the two of ‘em already got her dragged into trouble, right along with the rest of us. Would it really be too much to ask to see my baby sister settle down with a normal fuckin’ human for once?” I sigh out, seeing an amused smile form over Hoyt’s face as he shakes his head at me.

“Ya really think that’d make a difference?” he chuckles out, earning a small frown from me. “I mean, Sook’s always been a trouble magnet, ever since we was kids, her havin’ a human boyfriend wouldn’t change that. Besides, your sister’s never been fully human herself, so it only makes sense she’d be attracted to supes, vampires or otherwise,” he reasons and as much as I’d like to be able to argue, I know I can’t.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, but I still don’t like it,” I insist, seeing his smile widen, those pale green eyes of his practically twinkling in amusement.

“Of course ya don’t,” he answers back, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly. “You’re still her big brother,” he remarks to leave me raising a questioning brow his way. “Just admit it; it ain’t the fact that Eric and Godric are vamps that’s got you this worked up. This is just a big brother’s natural reaction to finding out his little sister has captured the attention of not only one, but two different men,” he reasons and once more, I know I can’t really fight his logic, even as badly as I might want to do just that.

“Maybe you’re right,” I sigh out, knowing I’ve always been a bit overprotective of my sister, even when we was just kids.

“All things considered, you’re pretty lucky, really,” Hoyt remarks thoughtfully, pulling from my arms before continuing to pack up the rest of our things.

“How’s that?” I question, my head tilting in puzzlement as I step up to help him with our task.

“Eric and Godric adore Sookie,” Hoyt remarks, sending a warm smile my way. “You can see it in the way the two of ‘em look at her, not to mention the way they stepped in to protect her from Pam,” he reasons. “I’d say your sister’s in pretty good hands, Jase.”

“I suppose you’re right about that and I guess I can breathe a bit easier knowin’ the two of them will be able to protect her,” I have to admit. “I’ve seen for myself just how capable Eric is, havin’ fought beside him and all, I mean, that fucker’s tough and I can only assume a vamper as old as Godric would have to be just as strong, right?”

“I’d have to think so,” Hoyt answers back with a shrug before sending a smile my way. “Feelin’ a bit better now?”

“Thanks to you, Bubba,” I answer back, stepping up behind him before wrapping my arms around his waist. “How is it ya always know just the right thing to say to make me feel better?” I ask softly, glancing up to see another amused smile come to his face.

“Because I’m your very best friend, that, and you’re easy to read, Jase, always have been,” he enlightens me, bringing a smirk to my face despite myself.

“Is that right?” I lean up to breathe against his ear before feeling him shuddering against me. “And just what am I thinking now?” I ask lowly before he presses himself more firmly against me, a guttural groan rising from his throat as he apparently feels just what it is I have on my mind.

“Hey!” Pam’s sharp voice cuts through my lust addled mind to leave me frownin’, having let myself forget all about the vampire in the next room. “You two can just knock that shit off right now!” she adds, bringing amused chuckling from Hoyt as he turns around to face me.

“Later,” he whispers, leaning down to kiss me softly before a hopeful grin forms over my face.

“That a promise?” I question lowly, seeing soft green eyes darken with desire.

“Promise,” he breathes against my smirking lips as my mind begins spinning, already planning all the ways I intend on making the towering mountain of muscle before me breathless and begging for more.

“Don’t make me come in there!” Pam calls out, once more breaking the magic of the moment. The two of us gather up our things before opening the door to reveal a smirking set of fangs. “Ready?”

“As we’ll ever be,” I answer back, watching Pam run cool, blue eyes over the two of us.

“What?” Hoyt finally questions, earning a dismissive shrug from the smirking vampiress.

“Just wondering what Jessica ever saw in a couple of sorry blood-bags like you is all,” she answers back, earning dual eye rolls from the both of us that only manage to make her smirk widen into a full out grin.

“Fuck off, Pam,” I sigh out, not really in the mood to get into it with her tonight. I go to push past her before recalling the way she ripped into Sookie earlier. “And leave my sister alone, would ya? She’s been through enough already, we all have.”

“I swore as much to my Maker and Grandsire,” she enlightens me, spinning on her spiked heels before glancing back over her shoulder to see Hoyt and I both sending her matching, incredulous glares. “Human vows may not hold much weight, but when a vampire gives you their word, they mean it,” she insists and I can only nod, proceeding to trail along behind her as I’m left hoping she’s right about that, for all our sakes.

EPOV

Upon arriving at the late Compton’s estate with Jessica and Willa at either side of me, I can’t help but grimace, recalling the last time I was here, listening to Bill’s blubbering and eating up every fucking word. The asshole. He’s only lucky his true death was not dealt by my own hands as I would have ensured it was exceedingly drawn out and inconceivably painful for him.

“Eric?” Willa questions softly to leave me schooling my expression before I send her a reassuring smile.

“Sorry, I’m fine,” I assure her, proceeding to lead her inside where Pam is impatiently waiting, apparently having already shown Jason and Hoyt to their room. Her expression instantly softens upon seeing Jessica and I find myself smiling as I watch the two of them making their way to their own room together, hand in hand.

Letting the bonds I hold with Godric and Sookie lead me, I escort my young protégé deeper into the spanning mansion that I hope will provide adequate shelter for the lot of us. It doesn’t take long to discover which door holds my loves before I lead Willa to the room directly across the hall from us.

“Dawn is approaching soon,” Willa remarks softly, dropping her suitcase beside the immaculately made bed as the timer-set, darkened shields begin to fall automatically over the bedroom windows. “Is it strange? No longer feeling the pull of the sun?” she questions, bringing an indulgent smile to my face.

“Strange? Yes, I suppose, though it’s not entirely unpleasant,” I add, bringing a grin to her face as she nods her understanding.

“I still miss it sometimes, the warmth of the sunlight,” she remarks softly, dropping herself down to the bed as a wave of guilt falls over me.

“Willa,” I start, not really knowing what to say to that, realizing no words will ever give back what I’ve taken from her.

“It’s okay, Eric,” she answers back, a soft smile formed over her eternally youthful face. “I know you had the best of intentions turning me the way you did and not everything about being a vampire is so bad,” she adds with a smirk. “I mean, I never have to worry about wrinkles or gray hair, which is pretty cool, I guess,” she adds to leave the two of us chuckling together, the mood lightening significantly between us.

“Vampirism certainly has it’s perks,” I concede, drawing closer to help her settle herself within the covers of the large bed before dropping down beside her, having made a habit of ushering in the dawn at her side.

“I meant what I told Godric before,” she remarks, burrowing into the covers as I send her a quizzical look. “About thinking of you guys as family,” she reminds me, gaining the whole of my attentions. “I mean, I know we’ve had our problems, but that can be said about any family, my human ones being no exception, but I-, well, I just wanted to tell you I’ve noticed the way you’ve been trying to make things better between the two of us and I appreciate it, Eric, I really do.”

“I’m certainly glad to hear you say so, Willa. Know that I mean it when I say I’m proud to claim you as my child,” I answer back, pulling her into a warm embrace, wondering if what I feel for my vampire children isn’t so dissimilar to how human parents feel about their offspring.

“This bad guy,” Willa remarks softly, her head resting comfortingly upon my chest as I’m left tensing against her. “You fear him, you and Godric both,” she reasons, her voice laced with the beginnings of fear.

“All vampires fear Ocella, my child, and rightfully so,” I inform her as fearful, russet eyes catch my solemn gaze.

“Can we win against him, Eric?” she whispers, bringing a deep frown to my face as I’ve been left having to contemplate this very question.

“Godric and I, along with my warrior brothers and their allies, will fight with everything we are in order to keep our family safe,” I assure her, knowing this probably isn’t the answer she’d hoped to hear, but it’s the best I can offer her.

“I’ll stand with you, I’ll fight at your side,” she insists, managing to bring a disapproving frown to my face. “You don’t think I’m strong enough, do you?” she accuses to leave me sighing deeply.

“Willa, it’s not a matter of your strength that concerns me,” I insist, seeing a disbelieving frown form upon her face. “Ocella is immensely powerful, moreso even than myself, with powers that can bring even the strongest of vampires to their knees; the very thought of you, my own child, within his reach is utterly unbearable.”

“Yet you’ll fight against him,” she answers back, her spine straightening in determination. “Let me do the same, Eric, in order to protect my family. Train me, teach me and I can promise I won’t let you down,” she insists and I can’t help but swell with pride, knowing I did well in choosing my newest protégé.

“Fine, I’ll train you,” I concede, watching as a brilliant smile alights her face.

“And you’ll let me fight?” she questions eagerly, bringing a smirk to my face as I suppose I should have known she’d catch that one.

“I’ll consider it,” I explain, seeing her smile falter upon hearing my words. “We’ll start with your training and then we’ll just have to see how things progress from there.”

“Fine,” she grumbles out, dropping her head back against the pillows with a sigh of defeat. I can only shake my head at her before leaning down to press a soft kiss upon her forehead.

“Rest well, my child,” I whisper, watching wide, russet eyes fluttering slowly closed. I tuck her now lifeless body in tightly before making my way to the door, intent on facing one of the other willful women in my life. I can’t help chuckling at myself, realizing Willa really does fit right in, sharing in her sister’s and Mistress’s steely determination. Though, this is a good thing, really, as such resilience will surely be necessary if they insist upon fighting in the impending battle headed our way.