The Northman Returns Part 9

“What the hell is goin’ on Sook?” Jason stood in the living room with his thumbs hooked on his gun belt.

“I think I have an idea what Eric may be thinking…” Sookie started to say. She had heard a few of Eric’s thoughts and the idea that Agneta’s blood could cleanse the virus stood out, but so did something about a trade.

Jason cut her off mid-sentence, “…When did Eric Northman move back in? And where the hell is Alcide?” He said just above a whisper.

“Jason Stackhouse!” Sookie protested and added, “Give me a minute and I’ll explain everything!”

“Well…it’s just I worry about you Sook,” Jason said looking down at the floor. “If marauders come after you, I want to know that you’re safe. That’s all!”

“I’ll be right back and then I’ll catch you up to speed with all that’s happened in the last 24 hours.” Sookie bounced up the stairs to change. She grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from the dresser in the bedroom and started changing. What was Eric going to trade for? Sookie wondered.

Jason stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs, as Sookie skipped down the stairs and pulled her hair back in a ponytail she commented, “Well, let’s go for a walk!” Sookie made her way past Jason and out the door.

“But Jessica and Bill will be underground and locked up. We can’t go there until dark.” Jason remarked seeing the direction Sookie was headed.

“We have someone else to see first and she might be able to help if Eric is correct.” Sookie said hopeful that Agneta’s blood would be able to have an effect on the virus.

‘Hey, Sook what is going on here?” Jason tried to ask as brotherly like as possible, as he could sense Sookie was not in the best of moods.

“I don’t’ even know where to start Jas. Eric popped out of nowhere yesterday with Agneta in tote and then Alcide came home to announce that he was leaving me for Daniella, who is havin’ his baby by the way. So, I think that about covers it!” Sookie kept a steady pace. “Ya know I thought everything was finally stable, maybe I would have a chance at happiness. But Oh No! Here we go again!”

“Holy cow Sook, sorry I asked! I am glad that Eric is at least in the house with you…he is more than capable of protecting you,” Jason said as he caught up to Sookie and matched her pace. “I just thought…you know…that you were done with both Bill and Eric.”

“So did I Jas, so did I!” Sookie looked ahead down the path.

“Hey Sook! How was Eric still up without the bleeds?” Jason’s curiosity now took over the conversation.

“If I tell you Jas, you have got to swear on grandma’s grave that you won’t tell anyone!” Sookie said slowing down and then stopped and turned to face Jason. “Well?”

“I swear Sook, I won’t say anything – not even to Violet.” Jason raised his hand as if taking a boy scout pledge.

“He is changing,” Sookie revealed as she turned and resumed her walk at a slower pace now. “He is becoming human again.”

“What! That’s impossible…I mean he is a vamper isn’t he?” Jason could not believe what Sookie had just told him. “Vampers can’t just come back to life and become human again…can they?” Jason was utterly confused now.

“No, not on their own and will you stop calling them vampers?” Sookie looked at her brother and took a deep breath. “Eric had an encounter with someone who apparently can make vampires human again and that is who we are going to see.”

“Who is Agneta? Is she a witch?” Jason asked remembering the bad experience they had at the Moon Goddess Emporium.

“No she is a fairy like me, only she is…well it’s better if you just find out for yourself.” Sookie slowed as she reached the portal to the fairy realm. She turned and faced Jason with her arms held out, “Now take my hands.”

The bright glow covered both Sookie and Jason as they were transported into the fairy realm. Sookie looked around and didn’t see any traces of snow anywhere, which would be the first indication that Agneta had been there.

“What exactly are we looking for?” Jason said looking about as well.

“You’ll know when you see her.” Sookie responded distractedly. Sookie started to shout, “Agneta! Agneta, it’s me Sookie. Please come out, I need your help! Eric sent me to find you!”

Sookie could hear the wind and the bells of Agneta’s approach. She turned to see Agneta walking up behind Jason. “Oh there you are,” Sookie said at something behind Jason.

Jason suddenly could feel a cool sensation against the back of his arm as the snow crystals hit him. He slowly turned his head to peak over his shoulder. The woman he saw was the most unusual he had ever seen, with almost snow-white skin and flaming red hair.

“Agneta, this is my brother, Jason, and Jason this is Agneta.” Sookie tried to break any tension by introducing them. Jason suddenly turned and backed up next to Sookie saying, “Hi! How are ya?”

“What is it that you need help with?” Agneta inquired and looking at Jason's uniform, “Has Eric done something, he shouldn’t have?”

“Oh no, he has actually been quite pleasant, which is a complete surprise.” Sookie smiled thinking about the flowers this morning. However, she knew she had to get to the point, “That’s not why we’re here. A vampire, Jessica, has contracted a virus that will possibly kill her. We need to know if the elixir that you gave to Eric, could it be used to stop the virus and heal her too?”

“The elixir will not be able to stop the virus, it would only slow its effects. Only a pure form of my blood would help her.” Agneta said, but added, “Unfortunately, she would go through the same transformation as Eric.”

“You mean Jessica would become human again?” Jason asked for clarification.

“Yes! Her bond with other vampires would eventually be broken, she would stop drinking blood, and live a normal human life.” Agneta smiled at Jason. She could see that he had the beauty of a fairy, but she could not sense the inner glow and knew he lacked the magic that Sookie possessed.

“Will you help us then? Will you help Jessica?” Sookie asked with a sense of urgency to her voice.

“Have Eric bring her to me and I will try to save her,” Agneta said and then in a swirl of snow and wind she was gone.

“Whoa, what is with the snow?” Jason said as he turned to face Sookie again.

“I told you she was different!” Sookie looked at Jason and added, “Well looks like we found a way to help Jessica, but I don’t know if Bill will go for it.”

“If he cares for Jess even half as much as you, he’ll go for it all right!” Jason started to pace a bit.

“There is something else, and I don’t know if it is important, but Eric means to use this as a trade of some sort.” Sookie stood with her hands on her hips.

“A trade? I don’t remember him saying anything about a trade?” Jason looked hard at Sookie. “I definitely remember him telling you to wait and not to go to Bill’s without him!”

“There is something else I need to tell you about Eric, since he’s been back,” Sookie said. She wasn’t sure how to explain what she could hear and what she was feeling towards Eric, “I can hear him Jas.”

“What do ya mean ‘You can hear him’?” Jason looked at Sookie sideways with both hands on his hips.

“I can hear his thoughts. Not as much as you or Arlene, or such, but I can hear snippets of what he is thinkin’,” Sookie’s eyes became just slivers as if she was trying to make out something in the distance. “Last time when I disappeared, he said he never gave up hope on me. Deep down in him, I think he still loves me and I think I know what he is planning!”

Jason missed the last half of what Sookie said as his mind was wrapping around the fact that Sookie could now use her telepathy on Eric. “You can hear his actual vampire thoughts! I didn’t think you could hear vampers?” Sookie gave her brother a scolding look. “You didn’t hear any thoughts he may have had about me there in the house, did you?” Jason winced a bit in asking.

“No! God No Jason!” Sookie shook her head at her brother. Sometimes her brother’s mind amazed her and thank goodness she had learned to tune out his thoughts. Sookie took a look around and could see the light fading, “Time to go, it will be getting dark soon enough.”

“But we have only been here a few minutes.” Jason replied.

“Last time I was only gone a few hours and it turned into months, remember?” Sookie took hold of Jason and the warm glow brought them back to the path in the old cemetery. It had only seemed a few minutes ago it was early morning, but it was probably well past noon now.

“I don’t know about you, but I didn’t get any breakfast.” Sookie turned and headed back to the house. “You wanna come have lunch and wait with me.”

“Yeah with all this talk of vamp..pires becoming human again,” Jason was careful to say it right this time for the sake of his sister, “I’ve sort of worked up an appetite.” Jason kept pace with Sookie back to the house. It was going to be a busy night and food would be the last thing on their minds.