A Bit of Warm Comfort (A True Blood - Sam/Tara Fic)

Chapter 8 - Catch a Detective By the Toe

Tara stared out the passenger window at Jason Stackhouse's cozy, one level bungalow. The exterior of the house and its grounds were immaculate. Despite Jason's philandering ways, he took extreme pride in caring for his home and possessions, a trait that Tara had always admired in him.

Movement from the other occupant in the car caught Tara's attention. She darted a glance at the vampire sitting in the driver's seat. He hummed an unfamiliar tune, bobbing his head and tapping a beat against the steering wheel with his long, slender fingers.

"I thought you said we were going to see Andy Bellefleur," she said accusingly. "You mind telling me what we're doing here?"

Franklin flashed his signature creepy grin. "Patience, my sweet. You'll see your dear detective soon enough."

Was he planning to hurt Jason? A nagging fear rose within her.

"If this is a fucking joke, I've got better things to do," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Franklin turned to face her, his pale skin partially glowing under the moonlight. "Like doing your lover boy, the shifter?"

"The what?"

Franklin slid across the seat, leaving only a couple of inches of space between them. Tara shrank back, pressing her body against the door. There was something dark and sinister in his eyes that made her heart race. Her hand closed over the release lever, ready to escape if needed.

"You know, Tara, whatever you have going with him will have to stop. I'm a very selfish boy, and I don't like to share…at all. I've been known to do some extremely horrible things when someone threatens to come between me and what is mine."

Tara swallowed over the lump in her throat. "I-I don't belong to you," she said, but her voice lacked the confidence she desired.

Franklin trailed a finger down her throat and between her breasts, his eyes probing her with their intensity. "Not now, but you will…soon." He bent his head.

Tara stiffened. Her hand tightened around the door release, but didn't open it. Despite her fear and wanting to flee from his advances, there was a part of her that craved what he offered. Death…lust…power…immortality. It was tempting, to say the least. His fangs grazed her skin and she held her breath. There was no sense fighting him. She knew he could easily overtake her if he wanted.

She squeezed her eyes tight, waiting for that slight pinch. When it didn't happen, she stared up at him. His expression had softened to something akin to tenderness.

His hands caressed her face. "You are a goddess. Do you know that? A precious diamond made of sharp edges, whose clarity and beauty cannot be matched. I never thought I'd find such a rare jewel, especially in backwoods town like Bon Temps."

The emotions in his words confounded her. There was no way he could feel so deeply when they just met 24 hours ago. Yet it was there in his eyes, a mixture of love, vulnerability, awe and possessiveness that she had only seen from one other man: Sam Merlotte.

"You will be my vampire bride and I will take care of you for all eternity. No one, and I mean no one, will ever hurt you again or come between us. If they do, I will rip their throats out and tear them to shreds."

The crazed, determined look in his eyes said that he meant every word…literally.

Her eyes widened with shock and horror as the realization hit her like a blow to the head. Franklin Mott was certifiably insane.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

In her peripheral vision, Tara saw a figure moving in the darkness, coming from the rear of Jason's house. She turned her head.