Marilyn had spent the last few nights at Fangtasia, it seemed to be how she was spending every evening now. After another body had been discovered in Andy's car the same evening Sookie and Sam had taken care of Rene which was a shock, to say the least. Eric and Pam thought it best she didn't spend her evenings alone and Marilyn recalled them using the word "Vulnerable". According to Sookie the person who had been killed was a lady called Miss Josephine, her heart had been ripped out of her chest, and to make a bad situation worse Tara knew Miss Josephine she had been the one to 'cure' her mother of her Alcoholism or demon as her mother would say. So, Sookie had been busy dealing with the new murders but also spending some quality time with Bill and his progeny. Jason had embraced the ideas of this vampire-hating church called the fellowship of the sun which has meant he wasn't exactly loved by everyone especially Bill, Sookie, and Eric. When Marilyn goes to visit Eric, she's learned it's safer to just avoid the topic of her brother all together. She hadn't even seen much of Jason since he'd been released from jail after being accused of killing all those women, she felt like he was avoiding her but didn't want to push him as they've never really been close. In other news, Lafayette was still missing. No one had noticed right away as they were all caught up in the murders but after that died down Sam noticed Lafayette hadn't shown up for any of his shifts and was now threatening to fire him if he didn't come to work soon. Marilyn had her own ideas about where he might be which was what she was doing tonight. Driving to Fangtasia in broad daylight knowing Eric and Pam won't be up and the only person she'll run into is Ginger, who won't be much of a challenge for her. Marilyn had had her suspicions about Lafayette being in Fangtasia after she learned that Eric had found out about Lafayette selling vampire blood, and after spending several evenings with Eric she knows how much he hates people selling vampire blood and that anyone who does should be punished. She and Eric had been growing close even though they hadn't spent that long together she felt like she'd known him for years. He opened up to her and told her things she knew he hadn't told anyone else, and she did the same, it was a special kind of relationship one she didn't want to ruin with accusations. Hence why she was going to Fangtasia in the day, Marilyn wanted to make sure she was right before confronting Eric but also Pam who seems to have become her new best friend. She pulled up outside the vampire club and just sat there for several minutes hoping she was wrong about where Lafayette was because she didn't need another lecture from her sister about how bad a person Eric is or how it's not good for her to be spending so much time with him. And this was coming the girl who literally spends every minute awake with Bill and when she's not with him she's thinking about him. Marilyn pulled herself out of her thoughts and walked over to the bright red doors, she didn't bother to knock as she knew the doors would be unlocked. Ginger keeps forgetting to lock them during the day both Eric and Pam have reminded her multiple times, but she just seems to keep forgetting. Marilyn opened the doors quietly hoping not to alert Ginger of her presence before going inside, the club looked so different in the day as if the night brought this place to life. Marilyn speed walked over to the door she knew lead to the basement even though she'd never been down there herself because Eric had said the room was off-limits, which was red flag number one now that she thought about it. She anticipated the door would be locked which was why she snatched the keys on her last visit here. Quickly unlocking the door, she slipped inside the darkness on the other side, outstretching her arms trying to find a light switch to illuminate the space around her. After nearly tripping over her own feet several times she found a piece of string which turned on the lights, the bright light blinded her which meant taking several seconds to adjust to her new surroundings. That's when she saw it, a huge metal pole in the middle of the room with several people attached to it. And there in the corner was her friend huddled in a ball covered in what she hoped was just dirt, but she knew better. Marilyn took a few moments to process the image in front of her but even if she had all the time in the world, she would never be able to stomach what she was seeing. How could Eric do this? She made her way down the other steps to where Lafayette is. Once she had walked through the unknown substances that have now caked her shoes, she crouched down in front of him. Marilyn reached out a hand to touch his arm, but he pulled away from her.
"Lafayette, I'm not going to hurt you." She whispered quiet enough that only he would be able to hear her. He turned his face towards her voice revealing his swollen features. Disgust ran through her; she couldn't stand to see someone she cared about like this. She wanted to hug him and tell him it would all be okay and that she would get him out, but Marilyn hadn't thought that far ahead. She was quickly trying to pull together a plan to get him out, but Lafayette didn't look like he could walk, and she wouldn't be able to carry him. At least not without being noticed.
"Marilyn?" Lafayette only now seemed to recognise her; relief filled his features. "You have to get me out of here. Please."
"I will. I promise, I just need to figure out how." She explained to him. "Can you walk?"
"I can try. You need to get these chains off first." He told her drawing her eyes towards the metal chains around his hands and feet. She quickly scanned her surroundings hoping to find something to break the chains with. But then, a loud bang echoed through the club, scaring Marilyn forcing her to instinctively jump backwards, losing her footing she fell down causing her to land in a pile of what she knew wasn't mud. She could now hear voices coming from upstairs it sounded like shouting, which meant Eric must be up. Was it night already? How long had she been down here?
She tried to get up whilst wincing in pain, but she pretended not to notice as she climbed back up the stairs. Marilyn turned back hoping to catch Lafayette looking at her and he was. She gave him a look that said I'll be back for you hoping he understood. She opened the door just enough to be able to see what was happening on the other side. Her sister was lying on her back, bright red streaks covered her shoulders all the way down to her waist. She's crying out in agony, Bill was stood next to her shouting at Eric to do something. Marilyn wanted to run out there and go to her sister, she wanted to know what happened and why she's the only one hurt. Marilyn knew Sookie was to spend the evening with Bill and Jessica (Bill's progeny), Sookie had been trying to get to know Jessica better for Bill's sake. A piercing scream cut of Marilyn's train of thought, a small woman was stood over Sookie putting something on her back. It looks to be causing Sookie more pain and Bill had seen that too. He was now shouting at the short woman who seemed to be able to hold her own. Eric stood with his back to Marilyn, but she could tell he wasn't enjoying this anymore than Bill was. Marilyn shut the door cutting off her view of the scene occurring on the other side, she couldn't stand watching her sister in that much pain. She felt selfish staying in the basement instead of going to her sister, but Marilyn had to decide which was more important her sister's injury or her relationship with Eric. And in that split second Marilyn decided that Sookie being hurt was more important than her 'love' life if you could even call it that. Marilyn pushed open the door and silently walked out of the basement, limping slightly from her fall. No one noticed her presence right away, but then Eric slowly turned around to face her taking her in fully. There was no emotion present on his face, but she knew him too well and knew how she must look at this exact moment. Marilyn could feel the grime start to dry on her clothes. She knew Eric was angry, but her sister took priority. Marilyn didn't move any further away from the door she just stood planted in place.
After a few minutes of hearing and seeing her sister in pure agony, Marilyn was silently wishing she had stayed in the basement. That's when she heard him, Eric was talking to her just not verbally. They had been practising this, it was a way to strengthen her abilities but also it was good for when Eric wanted to talk to her without anyone hearing.
"What were you doing down there?" He thought knowing she would hear him. Marilyn didn't know what he wanted her to say or do. She could answer him out loud and sadly Eric couldn't read her mind even though sometimes it felt like he could. "I can explain." He better have a good explanation as to why he has all those people including Lafayette chained up. "My office. Now."
Marilyn quietly slipped into his office as she was closing the door behind her she saw Eric talking to Bill. A few moments after she turned her back Marilyn heard the door open and close and felt him come up behind her. She slowly turned around to face him and there he was this Viking God in all his glory. His anger was radiating from him and if his cheeks could fill with colour, she bet they would be scarlet.
"So, you want to discuss what you're doing with those people down in your little torture chamber or what happened to my sister? Your choice" Marilyn asked getting straight to the point. She hoped it would gauge a reaction out of him but nothing. He was a statue.
"It's not a torture chamber because I don't hurt them down there. I do the 'torturing' as you call it in here and as for your sister, something attacked her whilst she was out with Bill. She'll be fine, she just needs to rest now." He says matter of fact only displaying emotion when explaining what happened to her sister. Before Marilyn had time to answer Eric had beaten her to the punch.
"Do you want to explain to me why you were in the basement to begin with?"
"I had my suspicions about where Lafayette was. I wanted to see if I was right. And I was."
"He's being punished for selling vampire blood."
"That's not all, is it? I know you Eric you never do anything without some secret agenda." She accused.
"I need him." That was his answer. She waited for more, but Eric didn't look like he was going to explain.
"For what?" She asked sternly
"You don't need to worry about it."
"I do need to worry Eric that's my friend!" She was now shouting at him. "I want to know why you feel the need to hurt him and keep him down in that disgusting place, I want to know why. Now you can just tell me because you know I'll get it out of you anyway!" She was now angry with him. Eric couldn't just chain her friend up period but not telling her the real reason why. She wasn't accepting that.
"I need him to sell vampire blood for me."
"Excuse me?! I thought you were punishing him for selling vampire blood."
"Yes, but I need to get those who are buying the blood and your friend seems to be very skilled in that area. " Eric explained
"So let him go." She was now begging. Marilyn couldn't stand the idea of leaving Lafayette down there injured and amongst all the dirt.
"I will." Happiness quickly blossomed inside of her. "But I need a favour from you first." That happiness she felt quickly shrivelled up and died.
"What kind of favour?"
"I'll explain more later. I need you and your sister. And as you clearly saw she's in no state to talk to anyone. Once she's better we'll discuss the favour I need."
"And in meantime?" Marilyn questioned whilst feeling a little embarrassed. She had forgotten Sookie was hurt, it slipped her mind. She had no idea how something like her sister being hurt could have slipped her mind, but it did. Marilyn wanted to go out there and see if Sookie was okay but maybe Eric was right about this one. She needed to rest.
"You can sleep on the sofa behind you. Ginger will get you a pillow and blanket." Eric stated whilst moving towards the door. Once there he called out for Ginger who instantly came running, she couldn't hear what they were saying but she could guess what he was asking her.
"Why would you assume I would want to sleep here?" Marilyn queried
"Well because your sister is hurt, and I practically had to bribe Bill to leave, and let's be honest I won't have much luck persuading you. Anyway, I can tell our conversation about your friends isn't over." This is what she meant when she said he could read her mind, but she put it down to her not being great at hiding her emotions. Marilyn didn't bother answering him she had nothing left to say.
Eric was halfway out the door when he said, "Don't worry I haven't tortured anyone on that sofa, I just might have fucked a few instead."