Extraits tome 7

Extrait 1 : Sookie, Quinn, Eric

“I know you may come to hate me because I spared you the bite of Andre,” he said quietly. “But I really am the lesser of two evils.”

I glanced sideways at him. “I know that,” I said, Quinn’s blood staining my hands as it soaked through the makeshift pad. “I wouldn’t have rather died than get bit by Andre, but it was a close thing.”

He laughed, and Quinn’s eyes flickered. “The weretiger is regaining consciousness,” Eric said. ‘Do you love him?”

“Don’t know yet.”

“Did you love me?”

A team of stretcher bearers came over. Of course, these weren’t regular paramedics. Regular paramedics wouldn’t have been welcome in the Pyramid of Gizeh. These were Weres and shifters who worked for the vamps, and their leader, a young woman who looked like a honey bear, said, “We’ll make sure he gets healed in record time, lady.”

“I’ll check on him later.”

“We’ll take care of him,” she said. “Among us, he’ll do better. It’s a privilege to take care of Quinn.”

Quinn nodded. “I’m ready to be moved,” he said, but he was clenching the words between his teeth.

“See you later,” I said, taking his hand in mine. “You’re the bravest of the brave, Quinn.”

“Babe,” he said, biting his lower lip from the pain. “Be careful.”

“Don’t you be worry about her,” said a black guy with a short, clipped Afro. “She’s got guardians.” He gave Eric a cool look. Eric held out his hand and I took it to stand up.

 […] “Did I love you?” I knew Eric wasn’t going to give up, and I might as well figure put an answer, “Maybe. Sort of. But I knew all along that whoever was with me, it wasn’t the real you. And I knew sooner or later you’d remember who you were and what you were.”

“You don’t seem to have yes or no answers about men,” he said.

“You don’t exactly seem to know how you feel about me, either,” I said.

“You’re a mystery,” he said. “Who was your mother, and who was your father? Oh, I know, you’ll say they raised you from a child and died when you were a little girl. I remember you telling me the story. But I don’t know if it’s exactly true. If it is, when did the fairy blood enter your family tree? Did it come in with one of your grandparents? That’s what I’m supposing.”

“And what business is it of yours?”

“You know it is my business. Now we are tied.”

“Is this going to fade? It will, right? We won’t always be like this?”

“I like being like this. You’ll like it, too,” he said, and he seemed mighty damned sure.

“Who was the vampire who tried to kill us? I asked, to change the subject. I was hoping he wasn’t right, and anything there was to say on the subject, as far as I was concerned.

“Let’s go find out,” he said.

Extrait 2 : Sookie, Quinn

“Tell me how you’re feeling,” I said.

“Like I had a real close shave,” he said. “But I’m gonna be fine.”

[…] “You’re bound to Eric,” he said.

“Yes.”

“You know he can turn you whenever he feels like it?”

“Any of us could be turned whenever the vampires feels like it, Quinn.” […]

“It wouldn’t take that long if he made up his mind, now that you two have swapped so often. And this is Andre’s fault.”

“There’s nothing I can do about that now. I wish there were. I wish I could cut Eric out of my life. But I can’t.”

“Unless he gets staked.”

Extrait 3 : Sookie, Bill

Sookie and Bill are in the elevator.

“You did well this evening,” I said, too tired to hate him. I nodded at the forms.

“Yes, we’ll all make a lot of money from this,” he said, but he didn’t sound particularly excited.

I waited for him to step out of my way, but he didn’t do that either.

“I would give it all away if I could erase what happened between us,” he said. “Not the time we spent loving each other, but…”

“The time you spent lying to me? The time you pretended you could hardly wait to date me when it turns out you were under order to? Those times?”

“Yes,” he said, and his deep brown eyes didn’t waver. “Those times.”

“You hurt me too much. That’s not ever gonna happen.”

“Do you love any man? Quinn? Eric? That moton JB?”

“You don’t have the right to ask me that,” I said. “You don’t have any rights at all where I’m concerned.”

Extrait 4 : Sookie, Jason, Calvin, Crystal

“Not only are you promising to be faithful, you’re swearing to keep our secret.” (Calvin)

Jason nodded again.

“And to help out other members of the community if they’re in need.” (Calvin)

Jason scowled.

“Example?” I said.

“If Maryelizabeth’s roof needs replacing, we might all chip in a bit to buy the material and we’d all make time to do the work. If a kid needs a place to stay, your home is open to that kid. We take care of each other.” (Calvin)

Jason nodded again. “I understand,” he said. “I’m willing.”

“Mean this from the heart or call it off now,” I said, keeping my voice very low. “You’re committing my life to this, too. Can you keep the promises you’re making to this woman and her community, or not?”

[…] “I’ll keep my promises,” Jason said, his voice hoarse.

‘I’ll keep mine,” Crystal said.

The difference between the two was this: Jason was sincere, though I doubted his ability to stick to his word. Crystal had the ability, but she wasn’t sincere.

“You don’t mean it,” I said to her.

“The hell you say,” she retorted.

“I don’t usually say one way or another,” I said, making the effort to keep my voice low. “But this is too serious to keep silent. I can see inside your head, Crystal. Don’t you ever forget I can.”

“I ain’t forgetting nothing,” she said, making sure each word had weigh. “And I’m marrying Jason tonight.”

A venir...