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The Virtue Of Sin	By : camp30 Category: S through Z > Southern Vampire Views: 9864 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not have any right to the Southern Vampire novels, nor doI do not have any right to the character created by Charliane Harris and I make absloutly no money from this fiction

Chapter List
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Eric’s demeanor changed as the journey went on. It took all night to reach the Channel where they would cross. The sun rose as they boarded the ferry. She feared his moods like sailors fear the sea, he was so changeable.
            They got on the ferry and Sookie noticed he carried no trunk or any possession other than his silver flask. She was left to deduce that he had a home in Paris. Eric stared out at the sea. The wind ruffled his thick gold hair and his expression was grim and dark.
Something about the presence of Sookie next to him and the thought of seeing Seth again made old words burn in his brain. “His adoration makes me sick, it’s you that I love.”   Eric felt the ghost of Evelyn’s dead lips against his when he’d kissed her in her grave. He heard the soft thud of soil as it hit her face. “Barbra Allen” began to play in his head. He drank heavily on the journey across the turbulent sea. It took hours. How many he couldn’t say.
Eric had sent word ahead to his Paris driver to meet them on the other side. When they arrived no one was there. Sookie said nothing but he saw the apprehension on her face as she looked around.
This was unexpected and he took a long drink of his flask. “Where is the damn man?” he growled.
Finally the coach arrived led by three black horses. Eric questioned the driver when he arrived receiving some excuse but since he wanted him to drive to his estate he didn’t whip him. They climbed in and from the shore it was another two days journey.
            Sookie felt his eyes on her and she shifted with fear and annoyance “Stop staring at me please! You’re making me nervous.”
His face was made of shadows “I’ll look anywhere I please,” he replied in a strange tone. “I wonder why I brought you,” he tipped the flask to his lips. “You’re such a bother,” he murmured.
Sookie looked away “If I am such a bother feel free to send me along to my father.”
Eric lifted a bottle and filled his flask, not even looking as he did it but she noticed that he never spilled a drop. “Don’t get smart Sookie,” he snapped. He closed the whisky bottle and set it to the side and lifted his flask.
Sookie fell asleep and Eric watched. Her perfection in her stillness was irritating. When they arrived on the second morning the sun was new in the sky.
“Wake up,” he said to her shaking her on the shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw a modest home of stone before them. Withered ivy covered it and it appeared to be three stories high. She got out lifting her skirts and approached the house.
Before the door under an oak tree was a disturbing statue. It was an angel with shorn wings screaming up at the heavens. She thought that the angel looked very much like her captor.
Eric pushed back the door and called out “Get in here.”
The servants scurried into the foyer looking related. All were small and dark with attractive features. They bowed and curtsied according to their sex “Your Grace we are honored,” they intoned in French.
The Duke of Ravenheart’s gaze swept over them “Good Morning. Prepare a breakfast from my list of approved items. Also I want strawberry scones.” Sookie noticed that his French was impeccable. That strawberries weren’t in season wasn’t a problem. The household dehydrated them for just such occasions.
Eric took her arm and led her into a study. “Sit.”
Sookie took a chair next to him. She was beginning to be used to the constant anxiety of being with him. There was always the threat of violence and his rapid mood swings. He was despicable in nearly every way but in some dark corner of herself she was drawn to him like a fly to honey. He was her doom and she found him beautiful.
Eric poured her port and shoved it into her hand. She took it from reflex “The sun just rose Your Grace.”
He smirked as he stirred his brandy with a finger “Oh how observant you are, just drink it.”
She did reluctantly and he smiled “You aren’t stupid I’ll give you that,” he muttered. He fell quiet after that statement. Finally her curiosity got the best of her “Why do you say that?”
Eric’s gorgeous blue gaze turned on her “Because you obey me more often than not.” He said no more and it wasn’t necessary for him to elaborate. He was dangerous and evil and for her to disobey too often would lead to her imminent demise.
A servant appeared at the door “Breakfast is served Your Grace.”
They left the study and entered a modest dining room. Sookie noticed a mural on the walls. It was of a garden; very beautiful but with an air of impending doom. On the wall facing her there was a massive tree and below it was a woman. She was plump and beautiful and reaching for one of the trees glowing apples. Eric saw her studying it. “My mother commissioned that near the end of her life, she became quite religious in her illness,” he said after a bite.
The table was a decent size but nothing decadent. Eric sat down and gestured for her to sit across from him. Fresh hot scones were giving off puffs of delicious steam. Sookie took one and set it on her plate to cool.
Eric took a careful bite of his eggs benedict “Doubtless you are wondering why this resident is such a hovel.”
Sookie looked up and shook her head “No I wasn’t, I like it more than the manor in England,” she admitted.
Eric seemed mildly surprised by that “I don’t like either place very much. I grew up in the other one and I watched her die in this one.” Sookie was shocked that he opened up and she was unsure what to do.
In the end she chose silence and took a bite of her scone. She saw him pour coffee from a French press. “I didn’t realize that you drank coffee.”
He glanced up “I don’t usually,” he took a sip and set his cup down. She herself was fond of coffee and when in his home she drank two or three cups before the start of her work day.
The meal passed and the Duke led her to a room. It was clearly a guest room with no defining points of a personal nature. It was decorated for either sex. “This is where you will be staying when I am out,” he informed her.
Sookie’s face fell and he smirked “This isn’t a honeymoon Sookie, I have matters to attend to that don’t require you’re presence.” He pushed her to the bed “Sleep.” He closed the door behind him and she heard a lock turn.
When Sookie awoke she saw a tray of food beside the bed and a single velvet bound book. The title was written in silver “The Nature of Evil, Grace and Boredom.” There was no author named.
Eric slept for five hours and then saddled a horse and rode to his brother’s small home outside Paris. The butler answered and bowed “Your Grace.”
Eric moved past him “Is my brother here?”
The butler nodded “Indeed he is he’s quite engrossed in his work but I’m sure…” he trailed off as he realized that the Duke was done listening and was going up the stairs to Seth’s studio.
Eric shivered when he came to the attic. The windows were open to the piercing wind. A hundred or more candles burned as they always did. Eric had often wondered how his brother had never burned alive. Seth’s back was to him.
Eric approached loudly so he wouldn’t startle him. Seth held up a finger “One moment.” Eric watched as he painted blood onto the mouth of a beautiful woman holding a half-eaten apple in one hand. Her other hand was a hook that she had drawn near her mouth. Behind her were black flames in the shapes of demons.
There was no name for the type of work that Seth did. It was that unique. Eric had always loved his paintings and since Seth burned them after he was finished he tried rescuing as many as he could. Two huge rooms in his London home were filled with his work.
Finally the blood was to Seth’s satisfaction and he set the brush down. He turned and Eric was struck by how each year that passed he grew more like their father. It was almost frightening. “Eric,” he said simply in his soft voice. Seth had lost weight but he was still an immensely big man.
He was wearing old faded clothing stained with paint. “Seth,” Eric returned. The two brothers embraced for a second. Seth sat down across from him.
His impossibly green eyes seemed to pin him in place “Something’s different about you.”
Eric looked away as he grabbed a cigar “Nothing has changed. I’m still a prick.” Seth laughed and poured two drinks and handed one to him. They were quiet for a while just enjoying each other’s presence. Seth poured them another and raised his to Eric “To the past may it fucking die,” was his toast. Eric smirked with a sad glint in his eyes and clinked his glass against the other.
Seth lit up a cigar and peered at his blond brother through the infant smoke “I am going to kill myself soon.”
Eric’s eyes widened at the corners “Why?” his voice was horrified. Seth shrugged negligently “I don’t know yet, sometime in May, perhaps on my birthday.”
Eric scowled “I said why, not when.”
Seth toked on his cigar and blew the smoke into his scotch before taking a swallow. “Oh, hmm,” he paused and stretched. “Why? I don’t know Eric I’m tired and bored and the memories… and there is nothing in the world that can ease them, take them from me.”
Eric was in the grips of despair “But the same is true of me,” he said softly. Seth laughed darkly “Yes and look how very well you are doing,” he said mockingly as he slung back his glass.
Seth had such a lost cast to his face. Eric hurt to see it. “Have you ever seen a bird that couldn’t fly?” he asked Eric.
He shook his head and Seth went on “I have and it was the saddest thing I’ve ever seen and when I broke its neck to ease its passing I looked into its black eyes and saw myself. I am a bird that can no longer live in the sky.”
Meanwhile Sookie is reading the book that Eric left her. It was about death and the meaning of life. And how side by side there lived evil and grace. It postulated that without the balance of evil there could be no good. It had many ideas of a similar nature and Sookie’s lively mind absorbed them easily.
She discovered an entire chapter on boredom and she laughed at different parts.
Eric was trying not to beg his brother to live. It was the hardest thing he’d ever not done. Seth packed an ebony bowl in the shape of a demon and lit it. He passed it to Eric. Heavy fragrant smoke filled the room. “I won’t let you do it!” Seth glanced at him with a tired smile “Yes you will,” he said softly.
Eric’s shoulders sagged and he felt defeated. His brother was right he loved him too much to force him to live. “I don’t want to exist without you,” Eric said and each word was wrenched from him.
Seth’s eyes filled with tears and he looked away “I’m truly sorry Eric, you were always the stronger of us,” he halted and flushed. “I want to ask you for something but I know it’s not right.”
Eric arched a brow “Go ahead.”
Seth filled his glass and brought it to his mouth and said over the rim “I want you to smother me as you did mother.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed “Fuck you Seth,” he snarled. “How dare you ask that of me? I did that for mother because she begged me. You aren’t dying you fucking weakling. So we had to kill people when we were children. It couldn’t have been more than five. Get over it!”
Seth was calm and his eyes were so green and so like their father’s “Seven actually.” Seth said in a haunted tone. “Can you recall their faces? I can, they live behind my eyes.”
Seth stood and wandered over to the painting he’d just completed “Do you recognize her?”
Eric glanced up and over “No should I?” Seth shrugged and took a drink.
“Yes that is the first woman that we killed,” he turned to regard Eric. “Don’t you recall that whore of father’s that we were commanded to get rid of?”
Eric scowled and nodded “Yes she certainly didn’t have a hook though.” Seth laughed bitterly “No not that I recall, I was having a bit of fun,” he sat back down.
     Seth drew out another cigar and lit it “I want you to know that I love you,” he whispered. Eric nodded “If you love me why do this?”
Seth tapped the ashes from his cigar “All of us die Eric, some of us just choose the manner of our passing,” he looked up and smiled.
Eric stood and stared down at him “You will change your mind,” he dug into his pocket and brought out a dozen gold coins and dropped them to the table. Seth said nothing and watched as Eric left.
The night sky was clear and the stars were burning like coals above. Rage and grief were warring inside Eric. He headed back to his mother’s home, back to Sookie who hated him. Dreams of her had taken the place of his dreams of his father and mother. He was uncertain if it was an improvement.
Eric was haunted and hunted by her. But at the moment all he could think of was his brother who would be dead by spring. It seemed that the world had it out for him. The one person that loved him completely was leaving him.
The wind blew back his hair as his horse thundered down the road. The trees seemed determined to claim him; they grew closer and closer till he had to duck under a branch.
Eric came home his boots slamming on the hardwood floors. He went to her room and unlocked the door. She was asleep and he came to the side of the bed and glowered down at her.
Eric wrapped a fist in her hair and wrenched her to a sitting position. Sookie cried out from pain and shock as he pulled her from the bed. He dragged her up a staircase to a dark room bare of furniture save a table. Moonlight was the only illumination.
Sookie saw that Eric’s eyes were wet and filled with desolation. “Eric what has happened?”
The Duke scowled and didn’t reply as he chained her to the wall. His hands went to her nightgown and tore it from her. Sookie began to shake “Please,” was all she could say. He had placed her with her back to him.
Sookie heard a strange hissing noise behind her then a second later a vicious stinging on her back. She screamed while he wept behind her. His tears were silent and he despised himself for so many things. He knew that this girl had done nothing to deserve this brutal treatment.
Over and over the crop came down. Her shrieks ripped through the house. Finally when he saw welts on her back and little bottom he threw the crop down. The Duke of Ravenheart used animal fat rendered clear to lube himself. He parted her little cheeks and took her.
This was not about his pleasure and certainly not about hers. She screamed as he thrust into this hole. Eric clamped a vicious hand over her mouth and whispered in her ear “There is no God. I am all that there is left for you.” She thrashed at his words and tried to bite his palm.
Eric wanted to tell her everything that had transpired. And the more he wished to ease his agony over Seth and weep in her arms the more he wanted to kill her. He wrapped his powerful hands to her throat and heard her gasp for air. Something in him died as she went slack. He quickly let go and pushed one ear to her body. She lived and he sighed with relief and disappointment. Eric had never wanted to kill someone as much as he did her but somehow he couldn’t do it.
Sookie had passed out from lack of air and he took his hollow pleasure of her. Again he thrust deeper still. She awoke with an ear piercing scream. He forced his mouth to form a cruel smile. He came between her cheeks and the two sagged; she with relief that it was over and he with sorrow.
Eric unchained her “Get dressed whore and come downstairs,” his voice was dead. Sookie was weeping he saw. Bruises were already blooming on her delicate neck. Her back; her beautiful back was welted. The thought of her being scarred made him sick. It was as if he had taken the Mona Lisa and smeared shit on it.
Vomit welled in his throat and he whirled toward the hall. A doctor lived two estates away. Eric charged down the stairs and awoke his groom. “Go to Doctor Depardieu’s ” he ordered.
The groom stared up at him “Now?’
“Yes now you dolt, and be quick about it, tell him that I will make it worth his while.”
The groom ran from the room and Eric heard the girl come down the stairs. She walked as if every move pained her. The Duke kept his face expressionless “Come to me,” he commanded when she reached the bottom.
Sookie shook her head and made no move to come closer. Eric sighed and strode to her “I will not harm you,” he said softly.
He stood before her and was acutely aware of how little and delicate she was. “My little doll,” he whispered. His hand went to her face and she flinched when he caressed her cheek.
Gently he took her hand and led her into his study; he pushed her into a chair and sat next to her. Eric poured them drinks and decided that she was in need of a stronger spirit than sherry.
Sookie took it with a shaking hand and seemed as if she would collapse. Like a spider web that had been torn she seemed to him. He smirked at the thought; it was more something that Seth would think, he was the poetic one. At the thought of his brother despair welled inside him.
Eric turned his face away from her, though he needn’t have worried. Her gaze was fixed on the fire and even that she didn’t seem to see. Her silence was eerie to him. Her eyes lifeless.
The Duke went to his desk and unlocked a drawer. He brought forth a silk bag and another ivory pipe. This one was in the shape of an infant. He packed its mouth full of opium. He pressed it to her lips “Inhale.”
Sookie did like a zombie. She coughed and he lit again. “Inhale.” He repeated the process and she grew very drowsy and he could only hope that it had eased her pain.
The doctor arrived. He was a stout man with a plain face and a monocle which he switched from eye to eye. He was in his pajamas still. The butler let him in and led him to the study.
Doctor Depardieu knocked upon the study door and Eric let him in. His eyes swept the room and landed on the Countess. “Carry her to a bed,” he ordered Eric. Eric lifted Sookie up and took her to his chambers.
“Take off her nightgown.” The Duke frowned but did so. The doctor let out a long whistle when Eric rolled her over. “My god what have you done?” he whispered. One pale hand made the sign of the cross and then he seemed to remember that this was The Duke of Ravenheart and he was quite capable of ruining him at any sign of disrespect.
He opened his satchel and pulled out ointment made from aloe and whale’s fat. The girl below him was so lovely and tiny and he felt furious with Ravenheart. Eric saw his disproving expression. “Wipe that look off your face,” he snarled. Depardieu started “I apologize Your Grace I wasn’t aware.” He bandaged her back wrapping it around her and securing it in the front.
“Will she have lasting scars?” his voice was hoarse and worried. Depardieu shook his head and kept his face blank “No. Now if you’ll simply pay me I will be on my way.”
Eric turned and flicked a finger back to him “Come,” he led the doctor down the stairs back to his study. Before he handed the gold to him he gave him a severe look “Now it goes without saying that should I hear even a whisper in the wind of what you’ve seen tonight I will destroy you.”
Depardieu nodded furiously “Of course Your Grace.” Eric nodded and the doctor fled.
Eric went back to his room where she lay. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched the rise and fall of her chest. He rolled her over and touched the bandages. A dark expression crossed his face.
“I can never be good for you,” he whispered. “I can’t save him and I will someday destroy you.”
Eric brought the thick blankets over her and left the room. He drank a bottle of laudanum and lay before the hearth in his study. That is where he awoke. When he opened his eyes she was sitting in the chair before him.
He scrubbed his palm over his mouth “Sookie?” he saw with some amount of horror that she was drinking. Eric sat up and then stood. He stretched and watched her drain her glass and fill it again.
Sookie was in pain and shock. Never had she thought that he would hurt her so badly. When she glanced up he was studying her with a strange look in his eyes. “What?” she snapped.
Eric sat next to her and poured himself a drink. He slammed it and turned to her. “Doubtless you are angry,” he said tonelessly. Sookie laughed and it was as cold as the season. “Angry? Hmm.”
She shook her head and he saw that she’d braided it; it gave him a strange sense of hope that she’d done so. “I’m not angry Eric,” she turned dead eyes to him “I feel nothing but hate for you.” She shifted and hissed “Do you know the pain that I’m in? Do you even care?”
Eric’s face shut down and he filled his glass “Don’t go there Countess,” he snapped and strode over to his cabinet. He came back holding a brown glass bottle and unscrewed the cap. He pressed it into her hand “Drink this until it’s half gone.”
Sookie gazed up at him “Why should I?”
Eric smirked “Because your pain will vanish. Not that you have a choice in the matter,” he let his eyes finish his sentence. She wisely drank.
Her mystifying eyes went half-mast and she slumped in her seat. Suddenly she spoke “He shot himself while I was in his lap,” she slurred out.
He went still next to her “Who did Sookie?” he knew that laudanum had a strange effect sometimes. He knew that he could get the truth from her in this moment. Sookie stirred next to him “My Grandfather, his brain was in my hair.”
Before them the fire roared mysteriously to life and her eyes fluttered open. Eric was at a loss for words “Why?”
Sookie turned haunted drugged eyes to him “Because he loved me the best,” she said softly. “He didn’t want to be alone in the end, or so that is what I’ve told myself all these years.”
Eric frowned and added a log to the fire, with his back to her “How old were you?”
She was quiet for a long time and he didn’t want to turn “Seven.”
The fact that it was the same year that he had lost his innocence wasn’t loss to him.
Eric took her to bed after she passed out and lay next to her and wrapped his arms about her. The sun rose threaded past the velvet curtains onto the lovers. The golden light spilled on the captor and his captive. The pillow below his head was wet with tears.
AN: I am painfully aware that this chapter is subpar. I can only offer my apologies. I did the best I could. And in the end that is all I can do. I wrote so many versions of this chapter and this was the finest. Hopefully the story will return to its former level of quality soon.
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The Virtue Of Sin