I shook my head very, very gently. "How'd he even get to the house? Amelia and Bob put wards on the house," I pointed out with great clarity.
"The difference between the vampire who got fried and Tyrese . . . Well, there are two big differences," Barry said. "Tyrese was a live human without a soul. The vampire was a dead person. The wards stopped him, not Tyrese. I don't know what to make of that, and when Amelia can spare time to think of it, maybe she can tell us. Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow, okay?" he said. "Meanwhile, there are some other people waiting to see you."
Sam came in silently. His hand found mine.
"You gonna tell me what's wrong?" I whispered. I was fading into sleep.
"I can't," he said. "But I couldn't stay away when I heard you got shot."
And then Eric was behind him.
My hand must have jerked, because Sam's tightened around it. I could tell from his face that he knew Eric was there.
"Heard you were going," I said, with an effort.
"Yes, very soon. How are you? Do you want me to heal you?" I couldn't interpret his voice or the fact that he was here. I was too exhausted to try.
"No, Eric," I said, and I only sounded flat. I just couldn't find nice words. "Good-bye. We need to let go of each other. I can't do this anymore."
Eric glared at Sam. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Sam came because I was shot, Eric. That's what friends do," I said. Each word was a labor to enunciate.
Sam didn't turn to Eric, didn't look him in the eye. I held on to his hand so I wouldn't drift away.
Eric spoke once again. "I will not release you." I frowned. He seemed to be speaking to Sam. Then he walked out of the hospital room.
What the hell? "Release you from what?" I said, trying to will Sam to tell me what was going on.
"Don't worry," he said. "Don't worry, Sookie." And he kept my hand.
I fell asleep. When I woke up hours later, he was gone.
Chapter 17
Before I checked out of the hospital the next day about noon, Amelia came in. She looked exactly like someone who'd been held hostage by an armed gunman and watched her boyfriend get shot and sat up all night by a hospital bed. Which is a long way of saying she looked like hell.
"How are you?" She stood by the bed and looked down at me, swaying slightly on her feet.
"Better than you, I think." My head was a lot clearer today. I was going to defer the painkillers until I got home.
"Bob's going to be okay," she said.
"That's a huge relief. I'm so glad. You going to stay here?"
"No, he's being transferred to Shreveport. The best I can tell, once he's had a day there, they'll reevaluate. Maybe they'll be able to send him down to New Orleans, which would really be better for me, but maybe he'll have to stay in Shreveport if transporting him would be too hard on him."
A lot of uncertainty. "Any word from your father?"
"No, and none from Diantha and Mr. C, either."
There were ears all around at the hospital, and we didn't need to say any more to know we were both worried about that silence.
"I'm sorry," she said suddenly.
"About your dad? You didn't have anything to do with it. That's all on him. And I'm sorry about Bob."
"Totally not your fault. We okay?"
"We're okay. Please let me know how he progresses. And the baby." I could feel the presence of another mind - but not any thoughts, of course. This baby was going to be an exceptional witch; I'd never been able to detect a pregnancy this early.
"Yeah, I told the ER doctor, and she gave me a quick exam. Everything seems okay. She gave me the name of an ob-gyn in Shreveport, in case Bob stays there."
"Sounds good."
"Oh, and the wards. Sorry. I couldn't have known that a soulless person wouldn't be affected, so I think I can give myself a pass on that one. How often do you meet someone with no soul?"
"You've got a new piece of lore to tell your coven," I said, and Amelia brightened a bit, as I'd known she would. "Evidently Bill came by here last night while I was out of it, and he left me a note. I can see his handwriting. Would you mind handing it to me?" I pointed to the rolling table, which a nurse had shoved against the wall. Obligingly, Amelia handed me the envelope. I'd read it when she left.
"Sam came by to ask if I needed anything," Amelia told me.
"Not surprised. He's a good guy." And if I felt well enough, next time I saw him I was going to shake the hell out of him, because I wanted to know what was going on between him and Eric.
"One of the best. Well, I'm going back out to the house to take a shower and pack up our stuff," Amelia said. "I'm sorry our attempt to help you worked out so bad."
"So bad for you," I said. "It was pretty great for me. Thanks for coming to my rescue. It shouldn't have ended up with you all getting hurt."
"If I knew where my dad was, I'd kill him myself." She meant it.
"I understand," I said.
And then she left, after giving me a light kiss on my forehead.
I was sure Bill had left me a flowery get-well note, but as I read the fine script, I realized it was anything but.
Sookie, I hope you are recovering. About the incident of two nights ago: I have just received a very reluctant apology from my king. He told me that he regretted that Horst had come into my home territory and caused me so much inconvenience by attacking my friend and neighbor.
Apparently, Horst thought it would please Felipe if he came to threaten you with something gruesome, thereby ensuring you didn't interfere in the arrangements Felipe had made with Freyda. Felipe asked me to apologize to you, too. He will allow Eric's measures to remain in place if Eric leaves for Oklahoma tonight. I have some interesting news to tell you, and I will see you as soon as I can.
I wasn't totally sure I understood Bill's note, but if he was coming to see me, I'd have to possess my soul in patience. Dr. Tonnesen released me, with a long list of restrictions and instructions, and I called Jason. On his lunch hour, he showed up to wheel me out of the hospital. He'd come to the hospital the night before to fill out my admission papers and to give them what insurance information I had, and he'd been out to the house after the police had finished with processing the shooting scene. I was sure giving Kevin and Kenya a workout for their newfound skills.
"Michele put a casserole in your refrigerator for tonight. I hope you don't mind, Sook, but Michele and An are out there scrubbing everything down," he said in a subdued way.