Chapter 3

Sookie pulled at her chains, but once again found that they wouldn’t budge. She gave up when the metal started to cut into her skin.

“You really must stop doing that. You will only continue to hurt yourself.”

The blonde glared up at her kidnapper. He was big, but not overly so, dark hair, and a permanent scowl. There was nothing at all gentle about this man. “Somehow I doubt you care about that.”

He grinned. “Rightfully so, but I would hate for you to be injured, unless Northman was here to observe your pain. I do love to take what is his, and for some reason, he holds you very dear. I can’t understand why, except for your little ability, there’s nothing all that fascinating about you.”

Sookie sent him a look that could kill. “You do know how to flatter a girl, I’ll give you that. Look, there’s no point in keeping me here. Eric doesn’t really care what happens to me, he’s only keeping me around for business. It’s not personal, so all of this is really pointless.”

Logan chuckled, shaking his head. “Poor girl, you really know nothing, but you are here for more than just revenge. He was given everything that should have been mine, and he did nothing to earn it. I have been around just as long, I am far more powerful, but none of that seemed to matter. Well, it is all about to change.”

A smaller vampire entered the room, dragging a young girl with him. She tried to struggle, but it was no use as she was flung to the floor. “I brought the human as you wished, Master.”

Logan waved his hand in the air. “That will be all.”

The minion nodded before leaving the room.

“We’re going to try a little experiment. There is a traitor amongst us. Someone has been stealing from me, and I do not take kindly to that. You, young Sookie, are going to tell me who it is. We shall start with this one,” he said, pointing at the now sobbing brunette at his feet.

Sookie’s heart went out to the girl, knowing how scared she must be. This wasn’t like Eric using her to find out who was stealing from Fangtasia. For one thing, she doubted Logan would strike a no killing deal with her.

Oh God, he’s going to kill me. What am I gonna do? My children are starving; I only took a little to feed them. I didn’t think anyone would notice.

Sookie’s eyes widened when the girl’s thoughts invaded her head, turning back to Logan with a look of indifference on her face. “She doesn’t know anything.”

He glanced at her. “You are lying. Something else I don’t care for. Now, let’s try this again.”

She held her head up high. “I told you the truth. She doesn’t know anything, now let her go. She has a family.”

Logan barked out a laugh. “Do you think that means anything to me?” He aimed his arm at her, twisting his hand around.

Sookie gasped as a sharp pain struck her. It felt as if her ribcage was being squeezed, tears forming in her eyes. “Stop it,” she cried out, her voice hoarse from lack of oxygen.

“Tell me what I want to know, and the pain will end.”

Sookie shook her head, not about to let him get to her. “Go to hell,” she spat, which took a lot of energy.

“Trying to be brave will only get you so far,” he commented, clenching his fist even tighter.

Sookie yelled at the intense throbbing, feeling that she may lose consciousness.

“Please, stop this!” a voice rang out.

Logan turned to the girl, surprised that she would have the nerve to speak up. His hold loosened on Sookie, grinning at the brunette beauty instead. “You have something you wish to tell me.” It wasn’t a question.

She nodded. “It was me. I took money from your safe. I only did it for my kids, they were going hungry. You have so much; I didn’t think you would miss it. I want to go home. You have no right to keep me here against my will.”

Logan was impressed. “Very well, Anna, you may go.”

She sighed in relief, beyond shocked that he would actually release her, but she wasn’t one to be told twice. Anna headed for the doorway, but didn’t get very far.

“I did not say you would be leaving alive,” Logan growled in her ear, fangs protruding from his mouth as he struck her neck, draining her of every last drop. He vaguely heard Sookie screaming in the background, but it was done now as he let her dead body crash to the floor, licking his lips in the process. “It is so hard to find good help these days. This is what I get for dealing with human servants.”

Sookie moved back when he came over to her. “You’re a monster,” she claimed, a slight shake to her voice.

He smiled, as if she gave him a compliment. “You are far too kind. Do you think your Eric is a saint? He has done far worse than me. Your little deal with him can only last for so long, he will tire of you. And then, where will you be?”

Sookie knew one thing that he obviously didn’t. Eric’s blood was inside of her now, they were connected. He wouldn’t have done that if he planned on being rid of her, but she wasn’t about to let Logan in on that little detail. Instead, she tried to reach out to Eric in hopes that he might be able to sense where she was. Sookie felt that he was in town, and that Bill was with him. That was only because she knew how stubborn her ex-boyfriend could be, and there was no way he would have let Eric come without him. “Why am I really here? I doubt you only wanted to use me to find out who was stealing from you, and you said this wasn’t only about Eric. So, what is it about?”

“Since you asked so nicely, I will tell you. I heard that this town holds an artifact, a gem that makes the wearer invincible. Not only able to go out in the sunlight, but nothing would be able to defeat me. I would be the most powerful vampire around, much more so than Northman. With that gem, no one will be able to stop me from taking what is rightfully mine. And you, my dear, are going to help me find it.”