Dead Ahead

Chapter 1

I spent my lunch shift at Merlotte’s mentally planning my next three days off. Sam could sense my distraction. I just smiled back at his quizzical glances, took orders, and refilled drinks. He had been a bit preoccupied himself lately. I wondered why. My preoccupation with how I would face my newly-found seclusion helped to block out the entire bar. That was an unexpected relief. After work I finished my grocery shopping, stopped by the library, picked up a few movies, and called Amelia. We talked daily since she returned home last weekend. It has been five nights now. It was the first time in my life that I was alone, truly alone. I hadn’t heard from any weres, supes, or vamps for over four months now, including Jason. I haven’t even exchanged more than pleasantries with any human, other than Amelia, in the last month. This was for the best, I reassured myself. No longer would my disability be abused by people who view my life with indifference. Tonight I would not be attacked, or shot at, or staked, and my house would not be set on fire. For the first time since before gran died, I felt safe. I was out of politics, forever. Yeah, yeah, I was a little lonely too.

It was dark by the time I arrived home. Tonight was pasta night, pasta with garlic bread. Perhaps I missed garlic, but most likely it was a spark of deviousness in me that placed garlic in nearly every dinner lately. A subconscious “Take that, Eric!” for not calling, checking up, or even sending Pam or Bill to see how I was doing. Of course, I hadn’t attempted to contact him either. Not to mention that I don’t need to be checked up on! A couple (ok, many, many) times I picked up the phone with intentions of calling, but I never did. It was always when I was feeling strong emotions from the bond. Or were they my emotions? I can’t tell anymore. I cleaned up and put on my nightshirt and shorts. I drug an old blanket out of the hall closet and stacked an astronomy book from the library, a flashlight, and can of Diet Coke on top of it. The security lights were off tonight. They were not needed anymore because my life had returned to normality. Normality, my word of the day. Danger no longer followed Sookie Stackhouse. No, I was in full control of my life now. Thank you.

I turned off the lights in the kitchen and living room so the yard would be fully dark. Guided by the flashlight, I walked out barefoot and unfolded the blanket in the yard. I aimed the flashlight at the sky map, setting it to March and studying the constellations. Every night I am going to quiz myself to see how many stars and constellations I can identify without use of the sky map or star chart. This will be a new hobby. I turned off the flashlight, opened my can of soda, and lay on my back. The sky was mine.

I quickly found Orion, Ursa Minor, Cancer, Leo, Andromeda… It was very peaceful. I could actually see the Milky Way. Huh. I wonder if gran ever did this in this very yard, and if so, with whom? Gran wouldn’t overlook the beauty of the night sky. I miss her. I miss Jason, even though he is a selfish jerk and I never want to see him again. I miss Amelia’s energy and drama in my house. I miss Sam being my friend, we have been cordial, but that’s it. I miss having friends at work, Arlene is too deep into the Fellowship. Even though I haven’t seen, or spoken to, a vamp in months, she is still repelled by me. Quinn flashed through my mind, my tiger, my very ex-tiger. I even miss Pam, a little. Pam wouldn’t pass on an opportunity to tear my throat out in a dark alley, but I always liked her. Yeah, yeah, I know, I miss Eric too. He remembers everything. Yes, everything. Yet we still haven’t discussed anything, not that I want to. It was better when he didn’t know. Now he is never around. Maybe this is for the best. I don’t want drama in my life. On nights like this I even miss Bill. He is always there lingering in the back of my brain. Bill was my first love, my first lover, my first heartbreak. My first everything. He was also the only man I flat out professed my love to. But is he my only love?

Suddenly I was shocked out of my thoughts by the sound of gravel crunching as footsteps approached from behind. My guard was already down. I listened. Void. A blank mind, but the footsteps of a human, not the silence expected of vampire speed. My heart raced and I silently grabbed the flashlight as a weapon, slowly turning to my side. I tilted my head up, just as I heard a voice out of the darkness.

“Sookie?” said a calm, cool voice.

“Bill! You scared me. Why are you walking like that?”

“I didn’t intend to scare you, Sookie.” He said, stepping closer until I could make out his face in the moonlight. He had intentionally walked on the gravel so I would hear him approaching. At least I had finally gotten across to one vampire that I didn’t like them sneaking up on me. His nose twitched slightly as he stepped closer. The garlic. Ha! Several days’ worth of garlic.

“Perhaps I should buy you a cowbell for future visits?” I smiled up at him. He met my gaze and I continued hastily, “What do you want? I am not going to Shreveport. I am not participating in vamp politics. I am not traveling for the new king, or any king, or any sheriff for that matter. I am not….” I trailed off. By this time I was sitting up, I turned my gaze down. I was being rude. Gran would not be pleased. I looked back up at Bill. He was expressionless. That’s Bill for you. I sternly asked, “Are you here to check up on me for Eric?”

“No.” he simply replied. There was something in his eyes behind that stone exterior. I wish for one moment I could read his mind. Or do I? His eyes moved towards the book. The corners of his mouth turning up, just the slightest, “I have no motive, and I ask nothing, Sookie.”

Okay.

“Well, I have a star map and constellation guide. Care to join me?” I asked politely after a minute had passed. Gran would approve of my friendly smile. It was a genuine smile. Bill would know otherwise. It was a hostess smile, not a hey gorgeous, come hither smile. Naturally, I wanted my intentions to be clear. To be honest, I was a little lonely and company would be nice. Other than taking orders and exchanging pleasentries at Merlottes, this is the most human (albeit dead) contact I have had since Amelia left.

Bill hesitated, his eyed boring into my skull. He looked, what was it? Bewildered? Had he finally put me in the crazy Sookie category like everyone else in Bon Temps had? Perhaps he was repulsed by the garlic, but was attempting to formulate a more polite reason to say no? Without a word he moved over the star map, took the flashlight from my grip, and lay on the blanket next to me. His hands interlaced to form a pillow under his head.

I laid back down where I was prior to the interruption. He had placed himself as far away as possible while still having part of himself on the blanket. I pointed out the few stars (ok, I could only remember four) and constellations (I was up to five) I had memorized and could relocate without the charts.

Silence followed for a minute or two. Finally Bill said hesitantly, “Sookie?”

Oh boy, here it comes. I still love you, or I will prove my love to you, or I have a favor to ask of you…

“Bill?”

“Actually, this one is Ursa Minor,” he said gently, pointing south of my previously identified constellation, “That is Ursa Major.” Oh, well, I guess I was down to four. I let out a long breath, disappointed with my progress for the night. Actually, now that I think about it, he knew more about astronomy than I did, but he let me ramble on like that. My anger started to flare. Should I be angry? Yes, this is my night!

“Anything else, Carl Sagan?” I snapped.

Bill huffed out a sound. Was that a near-laugh? Really? I glared at him. He grinned back at me. Vampire smiles are a rarity. Their only regularly occurring expressions are smirks and provocative sneers. After a minute my anger had subsided, but he added, “Well, you did get Orion right” he was downright beaming now. What was next? Was he going to pat me on the head? His lips creeped up higher. Was he about to laugh, actually laugh, a real human-like laugh? He did! Bill let out an audible laugh as my eyes widened in response. It was a flashback to my Bill. The Bill I knew before everything that happened to us. More correctly, everything that happened to me! I couldn’t help but laugh in response. I was down to one for the night, only one constellation in memory. Well, three, I will never forget Ursa Minor or Major again.

“Bill, I am going inside now. I am going eat buttery popcorn, drink soda, and watch a movie, Gone With the Wind, actually.” He stood at vampire speed and offered his hand to help me to my feet. He shook out the blanket, folded it, and handed it to me. As I thanked him he nodded and turned to walk away. A part of me, a soft part in me, didn’t want him to leave. I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to stay, or if I just didn’t want to be alone. He had taken a few steps before I added, “I do not have True Blood, I haven’t had visitors, so haven’t bought any…” I trailed off to silence. Damn Eric. Why aren’t you here? “I don’t have anything to offer you, my house smells like garlic from my dinner and I am going to eat popcorn without brushing my teeth and rinsing three times immediately after,” Ok, that was a little uncalled for. Sorry gran. I continued, “But if you would like to join me you are welcome to do so.” Did I just invite Bill in to watch Gone With the Wind? Vampire Bill? Gone With the Wind? I laughed out loud.

Bill turned around and looked at me curiously. He did think I had finally lost it. Of course, I did just invite him into my house to watch a classic romance movie, and now I am laughing out loud. Have I actually lost it! Or maybe he was questioning if there was more to the invitation. I did just admit that I haven’t had vampire visitors, which would include Eric.

“No funny business, nothing other than a movie. I truly don’t have anything to offer you.” I added, emphasizing the truly.

He paused, glanced in the direction of his house, and slowly turned back to me. He had a date, didn’t he? Was someone waiting at his house for him? He was pale, so clearly didn’t eat yet for the night. Ick. I know, I know, it’s not my business. He is not my business. Why do I feel the slightest bit jealous? Is this natural?

“I will return.” was all he said, as he disappeared at vampiric speed.

I stood speechless. Was he going to return in a minute? Tomorrow? Next month? I stood motionless for a minute. Was he going on a date, just to come here afterwards? Was he going to feed before returning? Ick. Again, ick! Who was he dating anyway? Whoever it is I don’t like her. I shook my head at myself, disappointed at my thoughts. I headed to the door guided by the flashlight, balancing everything in my arms. I opened the door with my elbow and held it open with my back and I swung everything inside on the table. As I turned to close the door, I heard returning footsteps, again with the footsteps on gravel. Bill. He was carrying True Blood, type O negative.

“Please, come in” I invited, allowing him to cross the threshold.

He followed me in and sat at the kitchen table. While I waited for the microwave to finish my popcorn, I searched in the cabinet for a large bowl worthy of my buttery indulgence. I filled a glass with ice, and poured my remaining soda over it. As the microwave dinged, Bill handed me the bag of popcorn and put his “meal” in the microwave. Aren’t we just a happy little couple I smiled to myself, glancing out the corner of my eye towards Bill. He was visibly deep in thought. Or was it discontentment? Perhaps this was a bad idea. Perhaps we will never be able to be just friends and these old feelings will always come back. Perhaps it was because he realized I was going to eat in front of him. I know he hates it, but I am human and must eat. Perhaps it was simply the lingering garlic aroma. He had such a sensitive sense of smell. Okay, now I felt a little bad, just a little, about my recent garlic immoderation. It had to be the garlic.

“Should I open a few windows to let the garlic air out?” I said quickly. Bill gave me a puzzled look. His eyes focused on my face for a few moments, a few long moments. I guess garlic had not been on his mind.

“That will not be necessary” he replied, nodding his head to the gesture. He began shaking the bottle to distribute the temperature evenly. He looked nice tonight, straight out of Dillard’s. Khaki pants, brown belt and shoes, blue button up shirt. Handsome, simply handsome, that is if I were interested in any way, which I am not!

“Shall we?” I nodded to the television. I sat at one end of the couch, Bill on the other. He was as far away as possible, while still remaining on the same piece of furniture. I guess garlic can cancel out the fairy blood. Interesting. I settled in with the popcorn on my lap. I hit the play button and set the remote between us.

“Sookie, before we enjoy the movie together,” he turned towards me, “as friends,” he carefully added, his eyes were poignant “I just want you to know that someday, not today, but someday, I would like to explain my side of…”

“No!” I yelled forcefully, holding my hand up to stop his words.

Bill looked shocked. What was he going to say? I definitely know. Forget it, I’ve heard enough. Yeah, yeah, you are sooo sorry for working too hard and ignoring me; for running away to your ho maker; for arranging a Sookie pension through Eric and Pam; for the incident in the trunk; for making me wait in the other room while you order “room service”; for taking off after a human meals-on-wheels after gunfire in Dallas – oh yeah, you forgot to make sure I was alive before you did so; for saying you loved me under false pretenses; for not telling me your true reasons for moving here until Eric forced you to; for not telling me about Hadley, I could seen her before she was murdered had I known; for flaunting your girlfriend in front of me, day after day at Merlotte’s! Did I miss anything? My teeth clenched and I could feel my face turn red. This is my night and I am not going to have it ruined.

I glared at him and through my clenched jaw I began, “Bill, I rescind….”

“No! Sookie, I will leave on my own” he said in his cool voice. He looked hurt. He nodded before standing to head for the door. He walked at a human pace. Okay, as I said, I do not have a heart of stone. He would die for me, I do know that much. He only wanted to tell me that someday he would like to explain himself. I just don’t want to hear his story.

“Bill, stop.” I said glumly. He stopped, but didn’t turn to face me. I continued, “There is only one question I want answered. Just a simple yes or no, nothing more, okay?” He turned to look at me over his shoulder, and gave a single nod. He appeared to be to mentally bracing himself. I continued again, “The first time we made love. It was my first time ever. Well, you know that.” I paused, looking him in the eye. He looked overwhelmed, like I punched the air out of his lungs (had there been any). I’m not sure if I want the truth or not. But this is the beginning of the new Sookie, and she is strong! I hurried the rest before I lost my nerve, “At that point did you really love me or not?” At the time it felt so pure and idyllic. I considered it the most perfect first time a girl could ask for. If he didn’t really love me, I will never trust my instincts again. I seem to have bad luck in the men department.

He walked back, leaned over me, and gently took my hand, never looking away from my eyes, and replied “Yes. I loved you before that night and I have loved you ever since.” He slowly released my hand and stood up, his eyes still on mine. He finished with a gentle, “Sookie, may I stay for the movie?”

What? No pushing? No attempting to explain further? Sure, he replied beyond just a yes or no, but he did as I requested (or demanded) and answered my one question. Who was this sitting next to me? Could we get past this drama and hurt and someday be friends? Did he just say that he still loves me? I guess I knew that. He did say he would stay away and never force himself on me, didn’t he? He did say he would give it all up for another chance with me, didn’t he?

“Yes” I finally replied.

The movie began and we sat there together in silence. Had we just crossed the ex-boyfriend to friend border? I have never been here before. I don’t know. It suddenly occurred to me that perhaps a movie set during the Civil War was not the best pick for the given company. On the other hand, this was Sookie night. And I love this movie. My popcorn was delicious. Bill finished his dinner and rose to rinse out the bottle in the sink. He refilled my soda while he was in the kitchen. Now that was a first! I tightly wrapped myself in a blanket and relaxed.

Bill retuned, sitting a little closer this time. He reached around me and gently pulled me towards his shoulder. I looked at him hesitantly; ready to rescind his invitation if needed. He simply grinned and said, “As friends,” I leaned my head on his shoulder. It was comfortable. Here we are, Bill and I, after so long, snuggling on the couch watching a movie and eating. I thought of the nights when Eric and I watched TV together. It was also comfortable. I was his everything and I was all he ever needed, or so he thought at the time. I know it wasn’t the full Eric, but I nearly loved the Eric that was here for those glorious nights. Oh yes, every detail of those nights… I could almost hear his voice, could almost feel his lips on my body, could almost sense a shiver down my spine as he called me lover, could almost feel his gracious plenty…

“Sookie?” Bill inquired slowly, sensing the rapid shift in my mood. His head remained forward, but I could feel his eyes on me. Hopefully he wasn’t sensing the direction my mood was heading, surely that would give him the wrong idea, as my impure thoughts were not of him, but of my Viking lover, former Viking lover. Damn Viking. Yes, the one that never calls me, or checks up on me. That’s the one.

Before I could think I blurted out, “Bill, I believe you when you say that you did love me at some point when we were together,” I added did, ignoring his still do, and continued, “and I believed you when you said that you would die for me.” I looked away, remembering how Eric refused to match Bills words that night. “You certainly won the who loves Sookie more contest,” I added with a hint of sarcasm. I looked back into his eyes. He looked shocked at my outburst. To be honest, I was shocked as well. What was I doing? His shock morphed into hope before my eyes. Oh no, he thought this was headed in another direction altogether. Were we about to reconcile? I panicked, quickly adding, “Bill, I trust you with my life, I really do. I believe that you would die for me. The thing is, while I trust you with my life, I do not trust you with my heart. I gave it to you once, but you returned it shattered.” Any look of hope left his entire body; he went rigid. My jaw dropped open, as if I had just slapped myself in the face. I had just lost complete control of my mouth. What was happening to me? What was I doing? Whose words were those?

“You love Eric” Bill stated, looking down towards the floor. It was not a question.

“Bill, I am alone, all alone…” I said sadly. He just tilted my head back to his shoulder and we continued the movie in silence.

As the sound of my own words registered in my ears, tears began to pool up in my eyes. I looked up to force them to stay in. My efforts were unsuccessful, and several streamed down my cheek. Would I spend the rest of my life alone? Would I ever be loved like I wanted to be? Would I ever have an uncomplicated relationship? Without verbally acknowledging my given state, Bill folded a tissue into my hand and gently patted my shoulder. It was comforting. I relaxed and let the full weight of my head rest on Bill’s chest. We remained like this for the first half of the movie. I felt loved. Not the intensely romantic and lustful near-love Eric had for me at one time, which was great, and I missed those days he stayed with me. No, this was a selfless and unconditional kind of love I was feeling from Bill. I hadn’t felt this loved since gran’s premature departure from my life. New tears formed and followed the paths of old ones down my cheek. “I miss you gran,” I whispered out to nobody. Bill’s hand lifted from my shoulder, and his fingers began softly running from my temple and down through my hair, returning back to the temple. It was soothing and I felt my eyelids grow heavy.

When my eyes opened again I was laying on my back, cocooned up in my blanket. My head was resting in Bill’s lap, his hand still gently stroking my hair. I looked up at him. He was thoughtfully watching the movie. I didn’t need to see the TV to know the famous scene that was playing – Scarlett just realized that she truly loves Rhett. She rushed to him to finally declare her undying love, only to find that Rhett was leaving her, his love for her finally drained. I wondered if Eric’s love, near love, for me had finally drained as well. I still had feelings for him, or maybe it was the emotions I was feeling through the bond. What did this bond mean and would it end?

Bill looked down into my eyes. His mouth opened briefly to say something to me, but he hesitated. His lips shut and he closed his eyes for several seconds. I began to ask what was wrong, but stopped at the touch of Bill’s fingers on my cheek, following the paths of my tears. He turned off the TV and scooped me up in one motion. He carried me into the bedroom and tucked me under the covers. His hand tucked my hair to the side of my head and out of my face. I felt his cool lips briefly touch my forehead. I didn’t resist. It was intimate, but not intimate. After a moment, he left my room and walked into the hall.

“Don’t leave me,” I whispered. Silence followed. I couldn’t see through the darkness, but I knew he was standing in my doorway, full of hesitation. My eyes drifted shut. Without a word he lay on the bed next to me, leaving space between us. He was on his back, above the covers. I rolled over to meet him, and rested my head on his chest. His closest arm wrapped around me and pulled me into him. His other hand began to stroke my hair. Bill began breathing (I always appreciated that) and I drifted off into a deep sleep.

The last thing I heard that night was a cool voice whispering in my ear, “I will never leave you again.”


Chapter 2

I woke in the morning well rested. The sun was shining brightly through the window. A warm spell like this was remarkable for this time of year. It was a welcomed reminder that summer was not too far away. I hoped today would be warm enough to work on my tan. Even if it wasn’t, I would bask outside all day, listening to the radio and reading my new books. It was a plan.

I rolled over and saw a note on the vacant pillow that Bill had occupied just hours before. The beautiful penmanship read,


My lover,
Don’t cry anymore. I will call you tonight. Also darling, you reek of garlic!
-E


Several thought bombarded me simultaneously. Eric was here in my bedroom and didn’t wake me, or even attempt to slip under the covers? Not possible. Did Bill relay my entire night to Eric? Was Eric spying on me? Was Bill the spy? Did Eric come in my bedroom and find Bill here? I am sick of these vampire games. I rolled out of bed and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. I took out eggs, bread, sausage links and milk. As I sat the milk on the counter I noticed a note taped to the back of the carton. It read,


Sookie,
You are not alone. I’m glad I was here for you last night, if only as a friend. I have something important I need to talk to you about before I leave. Please let me.
I hope this one finds you,
Bill


This is day 1 of the three-day Sookie-independence celebration. Why did I have the feeling that my independence was about to turn on me and implode? Did Bill leave other notes? What did he think would happen to his notes that he resorted to the back of my milk carton? Certainly nobody would go rummaging around in my refrigerator looking for notes left for me. Why wouldn’t this find me? Leaving? Where was he going and for how long? Forever?

How long was I asleep that my life could change so rapidly? Something told me that I had better rest up for a long night ahead. Perhaps I will leave town. This way trouble won’t know where to look tonight. Of course, given my past couple years, trouble will find me, one way or another it always does.

After breakfast, I caught up on cleaning and laundry. Boy I missed Amelia right now. I attempted to call her, but went straight to voicemail. By early afternoon it had warmed up enough to enjoy the sun. It’s my one indulgence, even though I know it’s bad for my skin, but there is nothing like a glowing tan. I moved a chair out to the yard and read the afternoon away, the radio playing by my side. The sun was warm and relaxing. I daydreamt about my future. I imagined what it would be like to have a family, to have kids running around in the sun, splashing water at each other. We would lie on a blanket, have a picnic in this very yard, laugh and tell jokes the entire day. I imagined waking up to the smell of my husband making us all breakfast. This, however, would not be my future. My heart belongs to a vampire.

My heart belongs to a vampire!

I suddenly found myself short of breath. Did I just think that! Did I just declare to myself that I love a vampire? Do I love a vampire? Do I!!?? Wait, which one? My mind flashed back and forth between Bill and Eric. Oh, great.

Bill, my first love, my first lover. He broke my heart, but would die for me, and would give up everything for one more chance with me. He brushed my hair, carried me when I was weak, and bathed me. He had a great sense of humor, he really did. But Bill had to have human blood, and would never settle for True Blood. He turned to other willing females for blood when I couldn’t give any more. He was always secretive and didn’t always tell me when he would disappear for periods of time. When we fought, he would try to make me feel jealous by bringing by other lady friends. Sometimes he was too rough with sex and couldn’t control it. His vampiric instincts often put me in harm’s way. At least three times. First, when zealots open fired on us in Dallas, Bill chased and drained prey before protecting me. Secondly, he ran back to his maker ho without telling me what was happening. Thirdly, he nearly killed me in the trunk, raped and nearly drained me. Could any vampire resist their vampiric urges if they knew I was in danger? Could Bill ever put me before these preternatural urges? Could I ever trust him again?

Eric. Eric my Viking lover – and what a lover at that. When Bill left me for Lorena he told me to turn to Eric if he didn’t return. I had turned to Eric, even though Bill did return. Well, I turned to the lost Eric, the Eric stripped of politics and power, stripped of his manipulative ways. Eric, my big bullshitter, protected me during the gunfire in Dallas, although he tricked me into sucking out the bullet. He protected me at the orgy and from the maenad’s wrath, although he pushed for sex on the hood of his car. He was there when the Weres returned me to the hotel, after I escaped the Fellowship hostage situation, even let me cry on his shirt (although he wanted nothing more than for me to stop crying). He was there when I was staked at Club Dead, and cared for me afterwards. My Eric, the lost Eric, offered to give up everything to live with me. I was his everything, he wanted nothing more, he trusted me with his life, he took a bullet for me. Actually, both Eric and lost Eric were always taking bullets for me. Both always came to my rescue. But the real Eric would always be engulfed in vampire politics. He would never want a mere human to be a weakness of his. He would not die for me. In Rhodes he said he would never recklessly risk himself for me, but he would try to keep the both of us alive. Plus, I bet not even Eric himself could count how many women he had each week, and I mean had in every sense of the word. Could he ever be loyal or faithful to a mere human? Could Eric ever put me before his desire for power and politics?

I went inside to call Amelia again. Voicemail. I needed somebody to talk to. I showered, dried my hair, and put on a mid-length sun dress in pale pink. I was glad to be able to wear a summer dress this early in the year. I finished the outfit with simple pearl earrings. I grabbed my keys and purse and left the house, headed to visit gran’s resting site. I have been thinking about her a lot these last few months. About everything Niall shared with me. Why did I get the feeling that Niall and Eric knew more about me than they were sharing, a lot more.

I hadn’t been to visit gran in a long time, too long. I took the long way to the cemetery, enjoying the feel of wind on my face, tousling hair over my shoulders.

As I approached, I noticed a large floral arrangement had been recently placed at her site. It flaunted beautiful shades of yellow, mixed with large white blooms. The white blooms looked like graceful butterflies dancing on green stems. I did not recognize the flowers, they looked very exotic, and certainly not anything one would find in Bon Temps. It was lovely. Certainly these were not from Jason, not his style, and I highly doubt he ever visited her. Who did gran know that would have access to such an unusual and exotic blends of flowers? My mind formed a list of potential donors, none. The only exotic flower I had ever seen was when I was in the hospital recovering from the serial killer’s attack….

Eric!

I sat still for several minutes, one hand on the flowers, the other on gran’s headstone. Would Eric have done this? Was our bond so deep that he could sense that I was missing gran? I knew Eric never met gran and had no such sentiments for her. But was he so in love with me that he would project my feelings onto himself and do this for me? Did he know I would come here today and find these or did he do it selflessly, without any desire for recognition?

The sun was setting behind me. I knew what I had to do.

I ran to my car and headed to Fangtasia.


Chapter 3

I spent the drive wondering what I was going to say. What if Eric wasn’t there? What if he had a companion with him? That thought made me angry and I suppressed it with mental images of the flowers. Maybe I would not be welcomed. Or perhaps Nevada vamps were still here, spying on Eric.

I fought the urge to turn around. Full darkness had set in now. By the time I reached Shreveport I was feeling calm and content. I parked near the employee entrance, next to Eric’s Corvette. For a minute I hesitated, sitting in my car with one hand on the seatbelt. A sudden rap on my window caused me to shriek.

“Dammit Pam!” I unbuckled and exited the car, slamming the door behind me.

“Sookie! For what do we owe the pleasure?” she leered at me. Pam was in her soccer mom attire, fitted khakis and a matching pastel shirt set. Had I not known her, I would expect her to hop in a minivan and head to a parent-teacher conference at any minute. At this mental image of Pam, I couldn’t stop the smile that formed on face. I looked down at the ground between us.

She took a step closer, and another, now a little too close for my comfort. She grabbed my chin and lifted my smiling face it until I looked directly in her eyes. She smiled back at me and hissed, “Sookie, it’s about damn time you showed up around here.” And at that she dropped my chin, spun on her heels, and headed back to the door. Over her shoulder, she said “He’s inside.”

I followed Pam through the door. She led me directly to Eric’s office. The bar was fairly empty, just the usual lot of fang bangers. Well, I don’t know if this is the usual lot or not, but they all look the same on any given day. It was the first time today that I realized my shield was down. Before I could think to put it up I heard a flurry of “Who’s this new bitch headed in to please my master”; “I give her two minutes”; “Who the hell is that!”…. .

Pam entered the office ahead of me announcing deviously, “You have a little visitor!”

I slid in the doorway. Eric looked up from his desk and met my eyes. He slowly scanned me up and down, his brilliant blue eyes not missing an inch along the way. He leaned back in his chair, his face expressionless. I was about to lose my nerve. Should I continue on my path, or turn and run back to my car. I imagine I wouldn’t make it too far if I ran. I would give Pam three seconds, if even. I had to continue on. Eric now looked amused, perhaps sensing my indecision and urge to flee, through the bond.

“Sookie, my…” Eric began in his tone that makes me tingle all over, and I mean all over!

“Shhh!” I bolted out, holding out my hand to stop him from talking, my eyes clamped shut. I didn’t want to lose my nerve and I never knew what emotions his presence and words would provoke in me. Well, yeah, yeah, I had an idea of the feelings he induced deep within me.

I lowered my hand and looked up. Pam and Eric both looked bowled over by my unwarranted outburst. Eric’s eyes glowered into me. Pam looked delightfully bemused. Without speaking a word I walked around to the front of the desk and stood right in front of Eric, never taking my eyes off his. I could feel Pam’s eyes on me as approached Eric, like a falcon assessing a rabbit. Eric turned his chair towards me, my legs nearly touching his knees. He looked up at me, his blue eyes full of curiosity and uncertainty, and I felt an unrecognizable blend of emotions through the bond. Without a moment’s hesitation I grabbed a stunned Eric, wrapped my arms around his shoulders and lowered my body to his level. Holding him as tightly as I could I whispered in his ear, “Thank you. Eric, thank you!”

“Pam, leave us.” He said. I heard the door shut.

Eric stood to his full height. I didn’t release my grip, but at my height I found my arms now locked around his chest, his arms pinned against his sides as he towered above me. I had him in my lasso.

“My lover, had I known how easy it would be to get you alone in my office, I would have left a note on your pillow months ago,” he laughed, sliding his arms from my grip and wrapping them around my shoulders. Leaning into my neck he touched his lips to my skin and breathed in my scent. Warmth filled my body and my knees threatened to crumble beneath me. His hand now on my cheek, he turned my face to meet his. Eric was leaning against the desk and I was leaning against him. We stood there forehead to forehead, eye to eye. He continued seductively, “You smell of flowers and sunshine, lover.” Flowers! Tears threatened to stream out of my eyes. I held in my breath to resist.

“Thank you, Eric” was all I could breathe out before the tears unleash. I smiled at him through the tears. His perplexed stare was well deserved. Here I stood, crazy Sookie, bawling my eyes out as I smile contently at my Eric.

“Why are you…” Eric began, before my lips interrupted his thoughts. I kissed him passionately and without reserve. I pressed my body against his as my hands traveled down his backside. He lifted me up to him and sat me on the couch as he lowered his knees to the floor in front of me. I locked my legs around him, feeling his excitement through the jeans. My dress lifted to my thighs and Eric ran his hand up my leg, he groaned in my mouth. Thank goodness I shaved today, I thought to myself. I tugged off his t-shirt, throwing it on the floor. I moved my hips against him and began kissing his neck and chest. My hands reached for his belt buckle, I wanted him, I wanted him now. I wanted him to take me faster than I could say “big bullshitter.”

I felt Eric’s mood shift suddenly. His hands gently eased me off of him. He held me at arm’s length and gazed into my eyes, his golden hair falling to his face. His eyes were piercing into me as if he was attempting to rip me open to see what was happening inside my head and heart.

“Eric, I want you. I want you!” I said a little more submissive than I would have liked. My arms went limp, my posture sank, and I leaned forward to tuck my face in my hands. This hadn’t gone as was expected. I was going to hug and thank him, tell him how I felt, we would profess our undying love for each other, and then we would screw like rabbits! Somehow I missed a step (or two) in this sequence. No wonder he was confused. I began to cry. Yeah, yeah, crybaby Sookie. This new-and-improved Sookie wasn’t working out too well for me.

“Lover, you have finally yielded to me. But you are not being yourself. First, tell me why and I will please you afterwards,” he smoldered at me, the signature Eric grin on his face. He was mentally declaring victory over the body of Sookie Stackhouse. I could feel it in the bond and see it in his eyes.

“Eric, it’s you. It’s you! It’s always been you. I didn’t realize until I saw the flowers, but at that moment I realized that I truly love…”

“Flowers?” Eric inquired sharply. “Bill left you flowers? I thought I removed every trace of him from your house, yet he continues to disobey… ” He was angry now, “Lover, why did I find Bill in your bed?” He leaned his face closer to mine, his eyes tunneling deeper.

“Eric, lighten up. Bill didn’t leave anything,” other than the note, I thought to myself. I rolled my eyes at him. Possessive vampires. I don’t see anyone for months and now suddenly they are both back in my life. I continued, my anger matching Eric’s “Not that it’s any of your business buddy! Where have you been? Why didn’t you come to see me before last night?” I poked a finger at his chest with each word.

“Sookie,” Eric said softly as he kissed the back of my hand.

“Eric, I’m talking about the flowers left for gran, did you…?” I trailed off. From the puzzled look on his face I knew my assumption was wrong. “Well, then, who.. ?”

I leaned back into the couch, my jaw open, ad my hands slack in my lap. This was not how this was supposed to happen. Eric still had his shirt off. His muscular body, intense blue eyes, and long blond hair, and gracious plenty of a bulge made me wish for a moment that we could just skip to the last part of my four-step plan. He sure was something to look at.

“Is this what troubles you so that you cry yourself to sleep, my lover?” he said softly, his hand gently stroking my palm.

“How would you know if I cried myself to sleep or not?” I retorted.

“Sookie, I can feel you.” He said softly before adding sharply, “Plus, Bill called,” emphasis on the Bill.

“Eric, where is Bill going? How long will he be gone?”

“He told you he was leaving?”

“Well, not exactly,”

“He left you another note?”

“Another note?” I snapped.

“Yes, he has an annoying pattern of disobedience when it comes to matters involving you, Sookie”

“Eric, what are you saying? Do you intercept notes he leaves for me?”

“Yes. It is in our best interest that he leaves you alone. All is fair in love and war, my darling”

“Funny, that’s what you said after you made Bill confess his true reasons for moving to Bon Temps! And you can’t just go around talking notes meant for me. It’s my right to decide if they are thrown away, not yours!”

“Yes my darling, but I have always been honest about my intentions with you…” at this his eyes pillaged my body. My dress was still resting on my upper thighs, and both straps were down on top, exposing flesh. Lots of flesh. He added after a minute, “whether driven selfishly or not.”

“Eric, I am so confused. I am going home now. Sorry about this,” I said as I put myself back in order. “Thank you for leaving me a note, but it was not necessary.”

As I stood to leave, he stepped closer and put his hands on my hips. He whispered in my ear, “I find it arousing that mere flowers could make you yield to me after all these months. But, what I find exhilarating, lover, is that mere flowers could make you nearly profess your love to me.” He kissed my forehead, and touched his hands to my cheeks. “Maybe you should go home and ask yourself why you assumed the flowers were from me. It is what you want, and you don’t even know it yet my lover.”

“They are not mere flowers, Eric,” tears pooled up in my eyes. I looked to the ceiling for rescue. “You don’t understand,” and at that, I left.

I was certain that Bill or Eric, or both, would visit that night. But, nobody knocked on my door. Nobody left me a note. Nonetheless, I was certain that someone was watching me from afar. I was certainly not alone. After dinner, popcorn, and a movie, I fell right into a deep sleep.


Chapter 4 That night my dreams were a whirl of emotions. The past few years flashed before me. The people I have met, the experiences I have had, the world opened before me. Gran and I had more in common than I ever thought – she was never happy settling for a mere human, her heart was always with a fae, a supernatural. My relationships, of varying degrees, have all been with supes as well – Sam, Bill, Eric, Alcide, Quinn. All these men appeared before me. I pictured gran running through the woods towards her fae lover. I pictured her running the path that I took every time I went to Bill. I pictured Bill, his smile, the way he would bathe me and brush my hair. I pictured Bill and gran in the living room, together. It was only Bill back then. Those simple days before my life opened to this new world. Bill never once gave me flowers. Throughout our relationship he only once bought me a gift, the topaz earrings. I pictured the earrings, remembered how he snuck them in my ears after we made up once. I pictured him kneeling at the base of gran’s grave, handing her flowers and asking her for forgiveness. What was he saying? He was the last one to see gran alive. I was suddenly reliving the coppery smell of the house when I arrived home that night, the smell of blood. I could feel the stillness of the house and I knew something was wrong. I ran to her bedroom, ran to my bedroom, and ran to the kitchen. Flipping on the light I saw her body on the floor. Blood, her blood, was everywhere. I remembered the crash behind me and the panic I felt before Bill arrived, pulling me away from the kitchen, his arms around me. Bill! Bill!!

“Shhh, Sookie, I am right here,” a cool whisper said in my ear.

I felt arms tighten around me. I was still half asleep, his words registering just at the edge of my consciousness. I felt as though I was standing over gran’s body with Bill’s arms around me.

“Gran!” I said in a panic. I started to run to her, but I couldn’t move.

“Shhh, you are dreaming, Sookie. Wake up. Wake up Sookie,” Bill was whispering in my ear, barely audible.

My eyes darted open to the dark room. My body was in a cold sweat and I trembled. Bill began rocking me gently. I was pressed against his chest and could feel the forced breaths he was taking to comfort me. His hand was running through my hair.

“Bill, when did you…”

“Shhh” he whispered. “No one must know I am here,” he whispered into my ear. “Your house has been watched all night. I snuck in the back as soon as Pam left. Did you get my notes?”

“I don’t understand, why would Pam…” I stopped. There were too many things I needed to know. My mind was still attempting to focus. I continued quietly, “There was only one note, one on the milk. Bill, tell me what is going on. What is so important and where are you going? Eric is very upset with you.”

“You smell like him.”

I pushed him away and glared towards him through the darkness, knowing quite well he could see me.

“Bill, that’s none of your business! Now, tell me what you are doing here or get out,” I was no longer attempting to keep my voice down.

“Sookie, listen, I don’t have much time before sunrise. Will you please come with me? I have something very important to show you.”

“Now!?” I blurted out. My hair was matted, I was in my pajamas, and I needed to brush my teeth. “Bill, you can’t be serious!” I huffed, my hand gesturing to my current disarray.

He tilted my head to his. It was dark but I knew he was smiling down at me. “You will fit right in,” his cool voice sent shivers down my spine. That voice. “Hold on to me. Are you ready?”

“It’s late. I am half asleep. Where are you taking me at this hour?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” I said hesitantly.

We were out of bed, out the back door, and across my yard before I finished the word. I held on and closed my eyes. The sound of my breath and wind past my ears were all that I heard. Bill stopped abruptly.

“Can you identify where we are?” he said, gently setting me on my feet.

My eyes opened and adjusted to the moonlight. I looked around for familiar landmarks. I could barely make out the line of oak trees past the far end of Bill’s property. Off in the distance I could barely make out his house, but only because the upstairs was fully illuminated. I had never been up this far into the field, but I recognized my general location. We were on the highest elevation in the area, which isn’t saying much. The ground around us was clear except for one lonely pine tree next to us. It was oddly out of place. Woods surrounded us.

“Yes,” I whispered, “I see your house and the row of trees. But why…”

“Sookie, could you get here on your own if you needed to?” Bill sounded urgent.

"Yes, but…”

“Listen carefully Sookie. If you ever find your life in danger and don’t know where to turn, come to this tree.” He motioned to the solo pine. His hands moved to my shoulders, his face next to mine, tense. I nodded, and he continued, “Once at this tree, turn left, facing my house, and walk straight into the woods until you will reach a hunting platform. Follow me, I will show you.” He gently took my hand to guide me into the trees.

My legs froze.

“Bill, you are scaring me. Am I in danger?”

He paused and turned back to me, “I will explain everything as soon as I can. But first, please let me show you. I don’t have much time left Sookie.” His eyes pleading with me to stop delaying him, pleading with me to follow him.

“Let’s go!” I said, feeling his urgency.

He grabbed me in his arms and set me in the woods before I knew I had moved the distance. A wobbly ladder lead up to a simple platform, about 15 feet off the ground. At ground level was a little windowless shed. The door was secure with a basic push pad lock. Crushed beer cans were scattered around my bare feet. This was certainly not romantic, if that was what Bill was going for. I would never hide at such a place, out in the open in the woods. The shack was small and unkempt; certainly he wouldn’t expect me to hide inside that.

“Bill, if this is some kind of ploy to get me alone in the woods,”

“If my intent was to woo you, Sookie, I would certainly not take you here,” Bill chuckled, looking around at the refuse and dilapidating structure.

I laughed. Our eyes locked for a moment and we smiled at one other. He was glowing in the faint moonlight.

Urgency returned to his face, forcing him to break from my gaze and walk over to the shed. He pushed buttons on the pad and opened the door, holding it open for me.

“The combination for this lock is the numerical day and month of your birth, those four numbers.”

“Okay,… but why would I ever want to go in there?” I asked pointing into the darkness. I had absolutely no desire to enter and I had no idea why Bill would want me to ever return here. I stood firmly in place.

Sookie, I want to let you in on a secret. May I?”

How could I resist that! Bill was sharing a secret. Vampires were not big into sharing anything. Bill pulled a string on the ceiling. A single light bulb lit the barren room. My curiosity peeked and I pushed past the doorway. Bill closed the door behind me and a lock clicked into place. Dusty wooden shelves and rusty tools surrounded us, nothing more. I looked back at Bill. He was leaning against the door watching me fixedly in the tight space.

I glared back.

“It this a joke? What is soooo secret about this?” I mocked, rolling my eyes.

“Sookie, this is important,” he said in a serious tone. He walked around me, his body brushing past mine. Reaching to the corner shelf, he moved a kettle aside. On the wall behind it was a hidden latch. He pulled the latch up and in one motion the wall panel slid to one side, exposing a dark void in the soil. The hole appeared large enough to crawl into, but nothing more. I could not see into the darkness, could not tell if it went up or down, or how long or deep it was.

He took a flashlight from another shelf, handed it to me, and nudged me towards the hollow.

“Bill, I’m not going in there!” I pleaded, backing away from the hole.

But from the steely look on his face, I knew I was.


Chapter 4

I was locked in a windowless shed, flashlight in hand, with my vampire ex-boyfriend requesting me to enter a dirt hole like I was some kind of mole. I was scared. I wasn’t scared that Bill would drain or kidnap me or lock me inside. I knew Bill would not do these things. Didn’t I? But this was a dark hole into the dirt! I had every right to be upset and to panic.

I also knew that despite his determined steely eyes, he would never force me against my will.

“No. Absolutely not. I wanna go home now,” my eyes begged him.

“Sookie, I will take you home if you wish, but I request that you look inside first,” his words were cool and deliberate, but his eyes softened. “Please,” he continued in a voice that pleaded for me to stay. I suddenly expected him to drop to his knees and beg me to enter this little hole.

“What is in there Bill?” I inquired nervously.

He gently withdrew the flashlight from my grip, turned it on, and aimed it into the darkness.

I gasped.

The walls were not dirt at all; they were a terrazzo concrete in dark, earthy hues. It looked like a work of art, like a mosaic you would expect on the floors of the Old Louisiana State Capital or in the historic churches of Venice, or so I imagined. I inched closer to inspect the walls, lowering to my knees to peer inside. I reached one arm in to feel the mosaics and noticed two large buttons on the right just inside the opening. One was labeled lights, the other door. Bill knelt beside me and rested one hand on my back. His hand was cold, but the gesture made me feel warm and calm.

After a few seconds his free hand ran down the length of my arm and pressed the button labeled lights. The hole instantly illuminated from a depth below the opening. I sprung forward to peer down, nearly losing my balance. Bill’s hand steadied me. This wasn’t just a hole to nowhere. A series of steps winded down into a cavernous opening about fifteen feet below us. The floor was a terrazzo mosaic of angular intertwined symbols. The walls were painted taupe.

I looked at him, astonished. Did he actually build this? What is this? I realized that my mouth was hanging open and quickly recomposed myself, thankful I hadn’t drooled.

“It’s beautiful,” I finally muttered.

He looked back at me, his eyes large and full of yearning. His lips inches from mine, he grinned, “You haven’t seen it yet.”

I fought the urge to reach my lips out and close those three inches that separated us, “Bill, no,” I whispered as I tilted my head down.

His hand cupped my cheek, “Sookie, I will never force you,” His cool lips gently touched my forehead. “Please, may I show you inside?”

“Down there?!” I huffed. I was too dazed to climb down, but way too curious to resist.

In an instant he descended and called for me to follow. I hesitated, standing on the top step.

“Sookie, you are safe with me,” his cool soothing voice called up. “Please trust me. I ask nothing in return.”

I descended.

At the last step, Bill reached out and put his arm around my shoulder. He turned me and guided me over to a panel on my right.

“This shuts the door overhead. Do this as soon as you descend. In the event that you need to do so sooner, there is another panel on the top, to the right of the entrance, labeled door.” He lifted my hand to the button and pushed it with his hand over mine.

“Okay,” I fought the urge to simultaneous laugh and cry, mostly because I was nervous and overwhelmed, but partly because my ex-boyfriend suddenly sounded like the deep-earth equivalent of an airplane steward.

He continued, “This is the access panel to the main room. Only you and I have access.” He held my hand up to a dark screen. A blue light flashed overhead, followed by a click. After a brief delay, a shallow hiss surrounded us and a hidden door unlatched to my left, leading into further darkness. Now this was getting too bizarre. I was feeling like Alice in Wonderland, or Scully in the X-files.

The air pressure changed and every hair on my body stood on end. I looked up to the sealed door above, back down to the confines of this space, and over to the newly exposed mysterious room. I was trapped, deep in the Earth, with Bill.

I panicked, “Bill, this is too much for me to handle. I need to sit down and catch up. What is this place?" The room spun around me, "Am I in danger?" “Yes, Sookie. Yes,” his cool voice whispered slowly in my ear.

“Are you in danger, Bill?”

“Yes.”

“And Eric?”

“Yes.”

I fainted.

When I came to, my body was warm and I could feel the rise and fall of a chest under my head. Arms wrapped around me. I should have panicked, but instead I felt like a child in the comfort of a parent’s grasp. It was oddly soothing. I rarely feel like this and I didn’t want to let go of him. I was wrapped in a large, soft down comforter.

Silence followed for several minutes as he held me against his chest. I let him comfort me. I welcomed it.

I finally opened my eyes.

We were at one end of an open studio. The rectangular space was divided into three areas, all impeccably decorated. We were on a settee, near a large bed loaded with pillows and blankets. There was a dresser, chair, and mirror on the adjacent wall. This wall was covered in subtle floral wallpaper. A kitchenette was across the space, opposite the bedroom. It was the smallest section, with four cabinets, a sink, refrigerator, stove and microwave. The largest space was in the center of the room, loaded with shelves full of movies and books. There was a couch, television, computer workstation, and numerous monitors mounted in one corner. Large windows lined one long wall, all curtains were drawn shut. These walls were also taupe. The floors were natural hardwood. It was comfortable, cozy even. I felt right at home. Suddenly all I wanted was to stay here, snuggled up next to Bill.

“Bill, what is this place?” I said in amazement.

He smiled down at me. It was a smile full of warmth, love, and longing. It melted me and I smiled back.

“It’s our hidey hole,” he said, fill of pride.

“Our hidey hole! Why do I need a hidey hole?! Aren’t hidey holes supposed to be below ground??!”

In one movement Bill stood and carried me over to a window. While still holding me against him, he freed a hand and swung open one panel of the curtain. Behind it was a light panel mounted on the wall. We were still underground.

“Sookie, it is my hope that circumstances never require you to come here.” His voice was heavy. “But in the event, you will find a month’s supply of everything you need, including water, food and air. The bathroom is through there…” he said, pointed to a door behind me.

“When did you build this?”

“I began this project the night Eric killed Longshadow. That night I understood his intentions with you, his desire to have you, and his determination to control you. He is a rogue. Everything I have done since that night had been to protect you from my kind, from my world. However, in doing so I inadvertently drove you directly into Eric’s arms and now your life is in jeopardy because of it…. I have failed you.”

“Bill, Eric would never harm me! He has taken three bullets intended for me, he has protected me, and he almost loved me!” I declared as tears welled up in my eyes.

“He almost loved you?” he said in a cold voice, his eyes narrow.

“Yes!”

“Did you love him?”

“I could have spent the rest of my life with him. I was his world, his everything, and all he ever wanted. He said he would give it all up for me. That he would mainstream, get a regular job, and we would be together, like a real couple. I could have loved my Eric, but it wouldn’t have been fair to him.” I babbled out too fast to stop my own words.

“Your Eric? The bewitched Eric!?”

Bill’s arms went rigid as he slid me to my feet. His eyes stayed fixed on me, they were wide and feral.

“He wasn’t the Eric that you know! He was different. He was sweet, and caring, and romantic. We chatted like giddy teenagers in front of the fireplace…” I smiled, remembering the nights.

“You two did much more than just chat, Sookie!” His fists clinched and his posture straightened.

“That is not your business! You told me to go to Eric if anything happened to you. Do I need to remind you that you left me!” I poked him in the chest. I may as well have poked the cement walls. Tears streamed from my eyes, angry tears, furious tears. I attempted to compose myself, instead I screamed, “You left me because you became instantly enthralled with Lorena all over again. You stopped loving me and then had the nerve to call Pam and arrange a secret meeting to pension me off to Eric like I was your damn hoar!”

He took a step back and leaned his back against the wall, his eyes wide and bewildered, and his jaw open slightly. His head shook and he looked to me remorsefully, “Sookie, no, that’s not what happened.” Clearly he was caught off guard. “All this time… all this time you thought that I…” he reached out for me.

I stepped back and hissed, “I know what happened, Pam made Eric tell me everything!”

“Darling, this is not what happened. Why would you come rescue me if you thought this all along?” his voice had turned soft and loving.

I, on the other hand, was livid.

“Don’t you dare darling me! I did it to save your life, I loved you and I wanted to avenge Lorena for betraying you. I was hurt, but I would never want you to die,” I paused and looked down, remembering my exact feelings, “To be honest, there was a moment where I wondered if I would save you or stake you when I found you. I loved you Bill, I loved you and you betrayed me. I gave you everything a girl could give her first love, but you betrayed me over and over again!”

“You love me,” he whispered softly and took a small step forward.

I looked at Bill as if he were suddenly speaking Swahili. Was he not listening to me?

This is where I stand, stoically flip my hair in his face, and storm out on Bill. Instead, I sunk down to my knees, buried my face in my hands, and began bawling like a baby. I remembered the pain he caused me the night I found out that he lied to me about Seattle, not knowing if he was still walking the Earth, feeling like he didn’t view my life worth sharing. I remembered the assault in the trunk after I rescued him. I remembered the betrayal I felt when I found out his true intentions for moving to Bon Temps. And I remembered the pain of seeing him with Selah, time and time again.

I whimpered out, “Bill, I gave you everything, and you took everything!”

The air was still but I could sense his presence next to me. He had enough sense to not touch me. I regained my composure, if only slightly. Looking up through my tears I found Bill on his knees in front of me, his face inches from mine. One hand hovering uncertainly over my shoulder, the other was placed over his unbeating heart.

Tears were crawling out the corners of his eyes.

“Could you ever love me again, Sookie?” he asked slowly, pronouncing each syllable cautiously and exactly.

“Yesterday I pictured my future. I fantasized about having a family, about kids laughing and running in the sun, about all of us having a picnic in the yard,” my voice was raspy.

“I can never give you that…” he whispered solemnly, “nor can Eric.”

I sobbed. “I found flowers, exotic flowers. They were the most striking flowers I ever saw, like butterflies, and I thought Eric did it because once he gave me an exotic red flower. I went to Fangtasia tonight and threw myself at him… my heart and my body. I wanted him, but he said I wasn’t myself. Bill, it wasn’t him! He thought it was you. He said I wanted it to be him and I should go home and think about how I really wanted him.”

Bill paused, his body locked in place, but his face a mix of bewilderment and disgust.

“You found flowers and offered your body to… Eric,… and then he turned you down and told you to go home.” Bill was legitimately puzzled. Given my incredibly abridged rundown of my day, I would be surprised if anyone could follow. “This definitely does not sound like you, or like Eric,” he added firmly.

“These flowers, these were special, they were from the heart. It was true love for someone to do that for me, and I don’t know if I was even supposed to find them,” I sulked.

“Why would someone send you flowers and not want you to find them?”

“They were not for me! Why doesn’t anyone understand me?”

Bill let out a long, distinct breath and finally planted his hovering hand on my shoulder. “Do you love me?”

“You don’t understand! Eric doesn’t understand! I love whoever left the flowers! It’s quixotic, I know, but it makes sense to me and I know what I want, or at least I will when I figure out who did this,” I wined like a spoiled four-year-old. I was clearly being adolescent. I took a few deep breaths to recompose myself.

I was exhausted. I had been ripped from my bed, brought deep below the earth into a secret room, and now was pouring out my heart to my first boyfriend, my ex-boyfriend, a vampire.

Bill kissed my forehead lovingly.

“Sookie, we must continue this conversation when I wake. I am sorry to leave you like this but the sun will rise soon. I must get to my resting site.” He wrapped me in the down comforter and grabbed my hand in his, mindlessly rubbing my fingers. “Too many things have been kept secret from you. I will explain everything when I wake. Many changes are about to take place. You will be used as a pawn. ”

“What are you telling me? I don’t understand.”

“Sookie, I will never force you. Will you please stay here until I return at Sundown? Please do this for me. Do not leave. I need to know you are safe. Everything here is yours,” his voice had regained its urgency.

“Because I am in danger?”

“Yes.”

“Bill, who is after us? Who means us harm? Felipe? Victor?”

“I promised that I would…” he stopped himself short, and concluded, “Sookie, I will not fail her again.”

He kissed my hand and disappeared out the door.

“Bill!” I shouted after him into to the empty room, “Bill!”



Chapter 5

A few months ago I was rid of vampire politics. A couple of weeks ago I was carefree. A couple of days ago I declared a new Sookie. A couple hours ago I was sound asleep in my warm bed. Now I am sealed away deep underground and my life is in jeopardy, yet again.

Oh great.

I sat motionless in my underground hideaway as the facts progressively seeped in. Pam, Eric, Bill and I were all in danger. Bill built me a hidey hole. Bill didn’t know about the flowers. Eric didn’t know about the flowers. I am about to stay underground all day like a mole. Eric had been taking notes Bill left for me. Bill was going away to some undisclosed place for some undisclosed time. Eric was upset with Bill’s disobedience. Amelia hadn’t called me back yet. I wondered where Bill and Eric would spend the day. I wondered if Eric was equally concerned with my safety today as Bill was.

Something didn’t add up and I was certainly left in the dark, deep in the dark.

Suddenly I considered that I was in my pajamas… and barefoot… and a long walk from home.

I decided to stay put.

All I longed for was a shower, toothbrush, and warm bed. To top it all off, I really had to use the ladies room. I walked into the bathroom, hoping that a vampire (who had no need for facilities) would have remembered such a thing in our hidey hole. He did.

Bill loves baths so I was only mildly surprised to find this bathroom amply equipped in this department. Right in the center of the room was a jetted spa fit for two, or four even. When we were together as a couple our routine consisted of bathing together, him brushing my hair, and loads of lovemaking. He was my first lover, and set a high bar for all that followed. Well, only two followed, but it was still a high bar.

A glass shower enclosure, large enough for a family of six, stood in the corner. A tiled bench lined the back wall. Every hidey hole has one, I assured myself with a laugh. I was getting the impression that our hidey hole was perhaps originally intended as a secret love lair. Back in those days, Bill’s intensions may have been just that.

Resting on the sink was a new toothbrush and tube of toothpaste. I opened the cabinet and found all my essentials and even my favorite luxuries: toiletries, lotions, makeup, salt scrub, nail polish, and even girly essentials, all in my preferred brands. This was surprising; Bill despised shopping for human needs, of any kind. I grabbed a towel, bundled the necessary supplies inside, and headed to the shower. I indulged in a long and hot shower, standing in the warm stream for an indecent amount of time. The shower enclosure filled with steam and I just sat in the warm mist. It was blissful. I almost felt bad for enjoying the moment so much, for forgetting that danger was seeking me.

In the top dresser drawers I found ample clothing, all my size and style. Each drawer was carefully organized to mirror my dresser at home. There was even underwear, some a little sexier than I would normally select for everyday lounging, hum. I selected shorts and a t-shirt.

I headed to the kitchen to inspect the inventory. Bill had all my favorite foods, even ice cream and Heath bars. Much of the refrigerator was packed with blood, O positive. I gagged and opted for cereal and a piece of toast with peanut butter and strawberry jam.

After cleaning my breakfast dishes, I scouted the main living area. Endless movies, from romance to oldies to Bill’s alien favorites, filled several shelves. The room was well stocked in a wide array of music and a full book arsenal, from romance to reference to suspense. I flipped through books, selected a romance novel, and played music. This was beginning to feel a mini-vacation planned just for me, by someone who knew exactly what I wanted. I had my favorite foods, favorite books, favorite movies, a comfortable couch, popcorn, snacks, and even a spa to soak in. I was just missing sunshine and a phone, but I had all the comforts, and more, of my own home.

I had to admit that I was touched that Bill knew me so well. Yet, at the same time it was slightly unsettling. I hadn’t realized that Bill was so perceptive to my preferences when we were together. Naturally, as a vampire, and scholar of human psychology, he would have mastered the behavior of his prey. I was beginning to feel quite predictable, but I felt like this was a step beyond predator-prey relationship. There was a time that I wanted Bill to ask me to marry him, had it been legal. There was a time that I wanted nothing more than to be with Bill for the rest of my life. Why had he waited so long to show me this place? My heart softened for Bill. Of course, it was here that I remembered all our troubles and the reasons we were no longer together, so it only softened slightly.

I walked to the computer and moved the mouse, intending to email Amelia and let her know that I would not have my phone for the day. I really needed to talk to her. She was my only human, alive, friend. A SafeBoot Data Security screen came up displaying unauthorized access prohibited. The password screen blinked in front of me, so much for that idea.

Yet another secret.

I was cut off from the world for the day.

I settled on The Sound of Music for my afternoon viewing pleasure, complete with popcorn and a sandwich. This was like having the video rental store and library at my disposal. I was in heaven, or as close as possible at this depth. Having no idea what time it was, I snacked when I was hungry, which was all throughout the movie, and drank when I was thirsty. Bill was thoughtful enough to have stocked an ample supply of my favorite drinks, including soda, ginger ale and the fixings for gin and tonics. I stuck to diet soda.

After the movie I returned the book, CDs, and movie to a bookcase. Standing there I glimpsed the intricate silver foil embossing of a book that had fallen behind Bill’s desk. I walked over to retrieve it. The book was bound in deep blue leather and had silver gilding on the spine and the sides. It was magnificent. The pages were thick and worn; each was covered in the graceful inscription of symbols and characters from a language I had never seen, a writing system I was completely unfamiliar with. I flipped through the pages in marvel. Tucked in the back I found an envelope. It was a letter-sized beige envelope that certainly did not match the loveliness of the book. What caught my attention was not the envelope itself, but the writing.

On the front read:

William Thomas Compton

Gran’s handwriting!

I returned the book to its hiding spot and sat for several minutes with gran’s envelope in my hand. I turned the envelope over again and again, imagining what she wrote to him. The envelope was unsealed. I peeked inside and saw the folded up letter. It took every ounce of willpower my body could muster to keep from reading it. I wanted to read it. I knew I shouldn’t. This letter was not intended for me and reading it would not be moral. On the other hand, it was from my grandmother and Bill kept this from me.

Add this to Bill’s list of secrets, I guess.

I decided it would be best to distract myself. I carefully tucked the envelope into my back pocket and headed to the jetted spa. The tub rapidly filled with warm water, and I added body salt and soap. The jets turned the soap into endless mounds of bubbles. I dimmed the lights, stripped off my clothes, and sunk down into the water, wondered what was inside the envelope. My head rested back on a rolled towel.

Bill could not keep this from me any longer. I would have an answer tonight. I will confront him and make him tell me everything. I had no idea what time it was, but I guessed I had several hours before his return.

I closed my eyes and relaxed into my thoughts.

Completely relaxed.


“Sookie,” a smooth voice whispered in my ear.

“Bill!”

I jolted awake, nearly jumped out of the water in the process. My heart raced. Quickly I assessed myself to verify that all private areas were fully covered with the thick tier of floating bubbles. The bubbles were gone. And, much to my surprise, I was not naked. A towel was draped around me under the water.

I looked up at Bill, stunned.

He was rosy. He had eaten. Who, I wondered to myself. I grabbed my neck, feeling for fang marks. It was not me. I had not been dinner.

His eyes were wide and focused on me in amusement as I groped my neck. His mouth was closed, so I could not tell if his fangs were extended. He looked into my eyes and gave me a sly grin. Slowly he lifted a bottle into my view, a nearly empty bottle of O positive.

I exhaled deeply, not realizing I had been holding my breath.

“The water is cool. You must have fallen asleep. I was working and after you had been in here for over an hour I came in, but only to check that you were alright.”

I nodded. This was completely mortifying. My ex-boyfriend found me sleeping in his bathtub, completely naked. Blood surged to my face.

He went to the closet and retrieved a plush robe and slipper set, placing both next to me. He knelt and said, “Come out when you are decent. We have a lot to discuss.” At that he leaned over to kiss me on the forehead, and walked out the room.

I slipped on the robe and walked into the main room. Bill was sitting at the computer. No surprise! He had a second bottle of TrueBlood next to him. He logged off a screen before standing to greet me.

“Did you have a good day, darling?” he looked pleased. Instantly I felt like he was a complete stranger. It was as if I rediscovered this man that walked into Merlotte’s, and my life, so long ago. He was beautiful and radiant, his dark hair, stylish sideburns, glowing skin, broad shoulders. Clearly I was not the only one who had a refreshing day.

Perhaps he knew I had the letter and was anticipating my interrogation. I remained calm.

“Yes, thank you,” I offered sincerely, “It was nearly perfect.”

He guided me over to the desk and sat me down in the chair he just vacated.

“What can I get you, Sookie?” he leaned in and kissed my forehead.

“Get me?”

Before the question left my mouth he was at the refrigerator, door open, with one eyebrow raised in wait of my response.

“Oh, umm, gin and tonic,” I said, surprising even myself. Bill paused incredulously, but proceeded to pour my drink. I admit that it was no occasion for alcohol, being as I was in a bathrobe and all but fifteen feet below the ground and locked in with a vampire ex-boyfriend who just saw me naked. But something told me that I was going to need a drink, or maybe two.

Bill returned with my drink and I took a sip. Woo, strong. Bill must not have been a teetotaler as a human, because he sure made a strong drink as a vampire. Perhaps he wanted me inebriated and off my feet for the night. Ha! I let out a slightly audible chuckle. Bill eyed me suspiciously.

I gave him a wayward smile and nodded to acknowledge the drink.

“Sookie, I have so much to tell you now,” he ran his fingers through my wet hair.

Oh boy, here it goes. I braced myself.

He continued, “You said that you trusted me with your life. I have always trusted you with mine.” His hand caressed mine, “Throughout my travels I have acquired a few very old, very powerful, and very influential colleagues. Some of these vampires wished to keep their whereabouts and existence concealed. I omitted them from the database, and in doing so have earned their fealty.”

“What are you telling me? I don’t understand.”

Bill reached around me to type in a password on the SafeBoot data security screen. There in front of my nose appeared the database.

“I thought this database was only for vampires?” I gasped.

“The password is Mariposa,” he whispered in my ear, spelling it out for me.

I snorted. He’s giving me the password!

“You must remember this, Sookie,” he repeated it over and over again. I committed the word to memory.

I smiled, attempting to suppress the nervous giggles accumulating in my throat. His head turned, and he kissed me on the cheek.

“You are the only mortal with access to the database and the only other person, beside myself, with access to this database. This is the full database. It includes all of my kind. It is searchable by name, relations, location, height, age, race, ethnicity, talent, associations, and facial characteristics. Using this database you can identify any vampire, whenever you need to. Those listed here,” he pointed to a separate file, “have pledged fealty and can be trusted if you need someone to turn to other than myself and Eric.” He spat out Eric’s name with distaste and jealousy.

“Bill, this is too much. I need to gather my thoughts. Why are you suddenly revealing all this to me? The last time we discussed this project you nearly lost everything and I was staked, attacked, raped, nearly drained, and beaten!”

He turned to me, his face heavy with emotion, “I did lose everything, Sookie. I lost everything that mattered most to me.”

“You tell me right now what is happening this time!”

“Many things are about to happen. Eric and I have diverging allegiances. Power is shifting in vampire politics, and the supe communities will resist this change. Eric has been targeted, as have you by proximity. I will betray my kind, if needed, to keep you safe. Only because of your feelings for Eric, I will do the same to protect him. If Eric dies, than you must know that I died fighting for him. In the event of my final death, you must come here.”

“Bill!” I said sternly.

“Everything in this drawer is for you,” he placed a finger on the bottom drawer of the file cabinet, “Inside you will find answers to all your questions, even those you never thought to ask.”

“Don’t you dare go and die on me Bill!” I was irritated. I felt like something big was happening around me and I was the only one who wasn’t invited. I also wondered what was in that drawer.

“I already am dead, Sookie” he smiled.

“Well, don’t you dare run off and finally die on me!” I poked him in the chest, hard.

“You are not to open it unless I am finally dead, agreed?”

“Bill Compton!” I demanded sternly.

“Sookie Stackhouse!” Bill smiled at me, in a false mocking tone. He took my hand and continued, softly “Sookie, please, do you agree?”

“Agreed,” I said hesitantly, my eyes wandering to the bottom drawer. What in the world was in there?

“Now, the next issue to discuss is…”

“Bill! How many issues do we need to discuss?”

Our eyes locked and all expression left Bill’s face. I suddenly realized the full weight of my question. He broke from my gaze, looked down and said regretfully, “I wish we could discuss them all.”

I will need that second drink, after all.


Chapter 6

Silence weighted down the room as we remained motionless. I thought about all the issues we had between us, and mentally prioritized each and every one. I was only willing to discuss the letter from Gran, details of the power struggle that now placed me in danger, Bill leaving, and the notes I never received. The top on my list was actually Gran’s flowers, but nobody seemed to know anything about those. I could only guess Bill’s mental list, and I knew ours would not coincide.

Bill’s gaze remained steady on floor and I watched his face change with his emotions. Loss, regret, sorrow, sadness, anger, rage, contempt. He swallowed and finally looked up. Curling a finger under my chin he tilted my face to meet his.

“What I did to you was unforgivable. I am ashamed and I want you to know how sorry I am. It is my wish that one day you will let me explain. It is my wish that one day you will love me again.”

Oh great, one of the topic I was not willing to discuss.

“Bill, who is after us?” Might as well skip to the chase.

“Indirectly, Felipe De Castro.”

“And directly?”

“Armando Marquez, of Spain.”

“Spain?”

“Your abilities became eminent in our community after the Rhodes bombings. Armando is very influential and very affluent. He is accustomed to getting what he wants through any means necessary. He has expressed an interest in having you under his sovereignty by placing a request to Felipe for your services in Valencia. His proposition is exceedingly generous and would profit Felipe substantially, making him one of the wealthiest and most powerful vampires in North America.”

“And the supes come into this, how?”

“The weres and shifters of Nevada, Lousiana, and Arkansas will form opposition to Felipe attaining this level of power. When they find out, they will form resistance to the transaction. I fear what this resistance means for you.”

“And Eric?”

“Victor is certain there is much he doesn’t know about you, forces that may be set in motion should Felipe accept Armando’s offer. Victor, or perhaps Felipe, will visit Eric soon under the pretext of other business. They will request that you are present. Your loyalty to Eric will be tested. Eric’s loyalty to you, and to the king, will be tested.”

“Can Eric stop them from pawning me off?”

“Eric has claimed you as his bonded. Victor or Felipe could maneuver you into going to Spain willingly; in which case Eric must relinquish his claim to you. They could challenge Eric’s position as Sheriff of Area 5, in which case Eric must relinquish his power and position. If they suspect that Eric is strategizing against them to keep you under his control, or if they suspect he will fight for you, they could kill him.”

Let’s do this. “Bill, give it to me straight. What exactly is on the line here? This is a lot to take in.”

“Sookie, the easiest means for Felipe to guarantee a successful transaction is to kill Eric. The easiest way for the opposition to stop Felipe from gaining power is to kill you.”

My stomach lurched out of my abdominal cavity. Before I could double over, Bill moved me to the bathroom. I arrived just in time. Before I knew he left, a glass of water and a hand towel were next to me. A hand rubbed my back soothingly.

I collapsed to Bill’s chest and wrapped my arms around his waist as I broke down and sobbed. He held me to him and rocked gently, taking deep, purposeful breaths. One hand began to comb through my damp hair.

I am a strong, independent woman, but given that I was about to traded like an international commodity, and that Eric and Bill may die protecting me, I allowed myself the coddling.

“Does Eric know?”

“He has never trusted Felipe.”

“Will you tell him what you know?”

“Yes, when I have details. I believe that Eric may already be forming alliances with other states, perhaps in anticipation of another attack, or perhaps to overthrow Felipe.”

“Oh Bill,”

“Sookie, I came by your house the other night to leave you something. The lights were out, so I assumed you were away. When I saw you in the yard, I watched for several minutes, uncertain if I could bring myself to say goodbye. Eric gave me the impression that you are…,” this is where Bill attempts to backpedal from saying you are his, an expression that I loathe, instead he added, “that you two are still on an intimate level. You invited me to join you and I was glad to accept. You asked me in for the movie and I was delighted to simply be near you again. You said you were all alone and my heart hurt. You asked me to not leave and I promised to never leave you again… And I won’t.”

“Bill, why were you going to say goodbye? Where were you going?”

“I was to leave Bon Temps, Eric’s edict.”

“For how long?”

“Long.”

“This is why Eric is upset? You should have left, but you were with me instead? This is why you left notes for me? The only note I received was in the refrigerator. What did the other notes say? Eric took them and I am certain he read them and knows everything.”

“Sookie, the notes all said that I would be in Spain by the time you read them. I said goodbye and I love you. I needed Eric to think I left. I knew he would discard them; he constantly keeps me away from you. I hoped the milk would be a safe place.”

“Spain? With Armando?”

“Victor knows I would die for you and I would kill anyone who harmed you. If I die, they lose profits from the database. They removed this threat by having Armando offer a handsome sum to create a database for Europe. Eric accepted and sent me. Perhaps Filipe planned to use me as a means to draw you to Spain.”

“You are hiding here at night?”

“Yes.”

“Armando will report that you never arrived.”

“I have taken care of that.”

“Bill, what were you going to leave me the other night?”

“Sookie, I know this is a lot for you, and I am sorry for that. I will leave you to get dressed and wash. Come out when you are ready.” He rose and lightly grazed my cheek with his lips, lingering for a couple extra seconds. I fought the urge to reach up and pull him to me. For a split second I longed for the intimacy we once shared.

I turned my head to meet his lips, but in that instant he was gone.

I brushed my hair and teeth, dressed, and returned to the main room in record time.

Bill was back on the computer. When he sensed my return he stood and walked to the file cabinet. From the bottom drawer he retrieved a long, flat white box. And for the first time ever, he did not log off the computer, his email and database remained open.

Before I could protest he swept me up, placing a bundle in my arms. We were out the door, through the shed, and in the field in a blink. Bill unfolded a blanket and lay on his back, motioning for me to join him. I nestled into him as he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me tighter.

The night sky was brilliant above us. We remained silent for quite some time, simply enjoying the pleasure of companionship and the stars above. Relaxing here in the comfort of his arms made me forget the eminent dangers that lie ahead. I longed for a normal life, for this intimacy with someone in the absence of danger, for simple love, for a simple relationship. I hoped this was not the last time we stargazed together.

“Sookie,”

I turned my head to him.

“I want you to have something,” he said hesitantly, holding out the white box. “You rejected gifts from me in the past, but I do hope you will consider this one.”

“Bill, I can’t accept this.”

“Why? I ask nothing in return and I understand that you are not a kept woman.”

“But, Bill,”

“I only request that you wear this anytime Victor or Felipe are near. Eric will not know it is from me, nor will Victor, but I will know you are protected. May I ask this of you?”

“Bill!”

“Darling, please wear this. If you are uncomfortable accepting it as a gift, then I request that you borrow it. When this threat has passed, you can return it to me, if you wish.”

“Okay,” I agreed reluctantly. It wasn’t a gift, it was on loan I reassured myself. I made Bill shake on it, much to his chagrin.

I sat up and opened the box. It was a necklace. The chain consisted of fine interwoven wisps of brushed platinum that merged in the front to form a solid loop the size of a half dollar. Centered over the circle was an ambiguous animal with wide spread wings that extended well beyond the confines of the circle. Each wing contained a luminous pale blue gem cut in the delicate shape of a dragonfly’s wing, two on each side, each recessed into the single silvery body. I held it in my hands with a faint sense of familiarity, half expecting the dragonfly to take flight before my eyes. While the stones and metal appeared flawless and shiny, I somehow recognized that they were ancient, that mine were not the first hands to touch this precious creature. It was simple and elegant and fascinating. I was absolutely enchanted.

Bill clasped the necklace on me and tucked it under my t-shirt, gently patting the stones that now rested on my breastbone.

We nestled back into each other and faced the sky. It was comfortable and routine. Oh, alright, I admit it was also a teeny bit romantic.

“In one night you have revealed to me more than you did throughout our entire relationship.”

“Yes,” he laughed. “I was a fool.”

“Yes, yes you were,” and it was true.

My eyelids drifted shut. I felt warmth as the blanket tucked around me. Bill’s hand ran through my hair.

“Sookie, you must return home now.”

“Why?”

“Eric will have someone watching you tonight. It is late and you must return before he or Pam enters your house and finds that you are missing.”

I rolled my head from his chest and sat up next to him. To be honest, I didn’t want to leave. Here with Bill I knew I was safe and nobody could find me, but I had Eric’s safety to consider as well. I didn’t want him or Pam to worry about my absence. Not that Pam would worry. Once Fangtasia closed for the night, they may check on me. It was best to return before they did. I would need to shower off Bill’s scent.

Unexpectedly, to both of us, I bent down and kissed Bill. He responded instantly and gently put a hand on my cheek. His lips were soft and cool. His hand slid down my cheek and to the back of my head. My lips parted to kiss him deeper, but he slowly slid away, his hand still embracing the back of my neck. He sat up and gazed into my eyes, his face yielding and gentle.

“I love you Sookie,” he whispered so softly I may have mistaken my ears. Even if I misheard the words, I saw the emotion in his eyes.

“I know,” it was all I could say in return, but it was true.

Bill’s lips caressed my forehead; he tenderly kissed every millimeter from my forehead, trailing to my temple, down my cheek, to my jaw and ear. I wrapped my arms around his neck and moved my body towards his, bending my head to meet his lips. He abruptly pulled from me and withdrew his body from mine.

“Will you stay here again tomorrow?”

I nodded.

“And I will see you at sunset?”

I nodded again.

“Promise me,” he grabbed my hands and looked pleadingly in my eyes.

“I promise.”

He swept me up and said, “I will take you to the row of trees. Can you walk the rest?” I nodded and welcomed the wind in my hair. It was best he stayed far from my house so his presence couldn’t be traced. A moment later he slid me to my feet and kissed my cheek. With one hand on my necklace, he whispered in my ear, “Be careful darling.”

And he was gone.


Chapter 7

I walked warily towards Bill’s house, alone with the night, still in slippers. Lights were blazing on the second floor. Questioning why Bill would leave on so many lights while he traveled through Europe, I walked up his porch and peeked inside. It was void of his belongings. The remaining furniture was covered. Several moving boxes were piled in the foyer, all sealed and labeled. When Bill said he would be gone long, did he mean… he was ordered to leave Bon Temps indefinitely? My heart sank. He was my first boyfriend, first lover, closest neighbor, and a friend. The reality of the entire situation sank in. Even if Bill survived, he would be ordered from Bon Temps forever. I could lose Bill and Eric. What did Armando want with me, Sookie Stackhouse? Why not Barry the Bellboy? I began to cry hopelessly.

I located the spare key and let myself inside. The house was an eerie skeleton of Bill’s life in Bon Temps. He was our only vampire and the locals had warmed up to him, most of them anyway. Certainly some residents, such as Arlene, would be happy at his departure. The phone was still connected, so I dialed Amelia. Voice mail again. I left a long-winded message for her to call me at home tonight about something important, certainly she would sense the turmoil in my voice.

It had been a long time since I walked home from Bill’s. I wept with every step. The realization that this could be the last time I made this journey between our houses surged through my body. My slippers were filthy, my skin chilled. Leaving the pathway I scrambled through brush to find Bill’s grave in the faint moonlight. I knelt down and cried into the soil. I cried for Bill. I cried for Eric. I cried for myself. And I cried for all that I had lost, witnessed, and endured the past years. The tears and soil mixed into mud on my face and hair. I was soiled and cold and I didn’t care.

An abrupt overwhelming feeling of despair and rage surged through me. I yelled, “No!” not really knowing what I was feeling, or protesting.

Suddenly I was up off the ground and flung against something hard, knocking the wind out of my lungs. Disoriented, I began gasping for air to refill my lungs. I tried to scream, but air was not accessible. I flailed my arms and legs to break free. Arms clamped tight around me. I struggled harder.

“Sookie, Sookie, calm down,” a familiar voice demanded.

My heart was racing. I felt a surge of emotions, from fury to relief. I grabbed my chest in hope of air, but it still wasn’t there. I pushed back and looked up to find… Eric.

“Sookie, did they hurt you?!” Eric voice was full of rage. But what terrified me were his eyes, he would kill Bill if he knew where I had been. His eyes were wide and turbid. I struggled to regain my breath. He flipped out his phone and said into it, “I found her… She is frightened but not damaged…. Yes.”

I was not prepared for an explanation of my whereabouts. Had Fangtasia closed already? He will smell Bill on me. Then suddenly, his words registered.

“They?” I mouthed.

“Yes, did they hurt you? Where did they take you? How did you escape?”

“Escape?” I rasped.

“Sookie! Listen to me. How many were there and where did they take you?” Eric was losing patience. His arms were firm on mine, holding me up and shaking me slightly.

The loss of oxygen, the need for air, I collapsed onto him.

“Don’t do it!” Eric lifted me and moved me through the air. The wind on my face sent a cue to my lungs and I forced several long, deep breaths. He sat me down on the floor of an abandoned building and knelt in front of me.

I looked around to the broken glass, spray-painted walls, tattered fabric, books and furniture strewn about, and smoldering remains of a burn pile. The smell was putrid. I heaved.

“Sookie, you always manage to keep things interesting.” Pam proclaimed as she approached. “Dear God, she’s a mess!”

Thanks Pam.

“Where are we?” I asked despairingly to no one in particular, my breaths still deep.

They looked at each other in a motion so fast I could barely perceive, and then simultaneously turned to eye me up curiously. Had I just turned into a lemur? Was I sprouting antennae? Did I suddenly have three heads? Why were they looking at me like I was Crazy Sookie? I returned their gazes, equally perplexed.

After a second, I reassessed my surroundings. It was my chair hanging precariously out the window. These were my walls spray painted in profanities, of which included “she will die”. That was my charred photo of Gran on top the burn pile. These were my broken dishes. This is my house? This is my house!!

“No!” I shook my head in disbelief, “No, no, no!”

“Did they attack in the morning? It looks as though you were ripped from your bed.” Pam asserted, impatiently. She was prepared for battle, body on high alert, fangs fully extended.

“I was.” Pam and Eric exchanged another glance. Realizing my blunder I quickly recovered by adding, “I woke from a bad dream and went to Bill’s. I read, watched a movie, took a bath, and fell asleep. This is the first time I have been home since early this morning.” I reassured myself that I was not actually lying to them. These were all technical truths, right?

“You spent the day at Bill’s house?” Eric demanded. His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed on mine.

I nodded.

Pam snarled and walked from the room.

Eric snapped back to pragmatic mode, “Then they did not track you. You are lucky you were not here when they attacked. This was a ruthless crime.”

His face softened for a moment as he looked at me with compassion in his eyes. He glanced from my dirty slippers to my soiled tear-streaked face, and at the goose bumps on my exposed trembling skin. He pulled me to him and softly whispered, “I’m sorry about your house,” and kissed my cheek, adding “Don’t cry for the loss of Bill from your life, he was never truly there to begin with.”

“Eric, why is Bill’s stuff all boxed up? Is he leaving Bon Temps?” I whimpered, “Why didn’t anybody tell me he was moving?” One lonely tear managed to escape down my cheek.

Pam returned with a suitcase, diverting our conversation, “I salvaged what I could. You will need new clothes, as well as a dress for tomorrow.” She dropped the suitcase next to me apathetically. Turning to Eric she added, “I can’t pick up a scent due to that,” pointing to the smoldering pile of debris where my coffee table should be.

“I can’t either,” his voice returned to the fiery.

“So, we don’t know who did this?” I asked, attempting to catch up.

“No.” they responded in unison.

“I must notify Felipe,” Eric muttered as he flipped his phone open and walked onto the porch.

“Pam, why do I need a dress?”

“For the party tomorrow!” she beamed, which was not a charming sight with her fangs fully extended.

“Party?”

“I’ll leave that to Eric to explain. Sookie, you will need a new dress,” she winked and walked to the porch.

Okay. Looking around at what were once my belongings, a new dress seemed the least of my worries. I needed new everything. I could care less about a party and it angered me that Pam could beam in light of my loss. That’s Pam. I would have to call my insurance. I would need to arrange a place to stay.

Eric returned in haste, grabbed my arm and the suitcase, and in a flash stuffed me in the passenger seat of his corvette and the suitcase in the trunk. In the yard he exchanged words with Pam for several minutes. Perhaps they were deciding what to do with their newly acquired destitute Crazy Sookie, the mere mortal.

In an instant Pam vanished and Eric climbed in and sped down my driveway, kicking up gravel the whole way. Eric was focused and determined. This intense concentration was not, however, focused on the road and we sped down the interstate to Shreveport as if our lives depended on getting there in record time.

Perhaps they did.

My eyes closed tightly and my hands gripped around one another. I hoped we would survive the car ride. Even more, I prayed we survived what lay ahead. I prayed we all survived. Eric reached out and put his hand over my clinched bundle of intertwined fingers. I could feel his eyes on me, which was unnerving given our current velocity. We remained silent the entire drive.

Eventually we turned into an upper-middle-class suburb that I immediately recognized. I pictured the ranch style home with a manicured lawn as it was the night of the face off against Hallow. The night I turned down an offer to keep my Eric all to myself for the rest of my life. He said he could stay with me always, that he could work and support me, and that we would not be poor. We would live like a married couple (or as married as a dead man and partial fairy can get). He pulled into the three-car garage in the back of 714 Parchman Avenue, Pam’s house.

Eric gathered my suitcase and opened my door. I couldn’t move. My legs wouldn’t swing out of the car, my arm wouldn’t unbuckle the seatbelt. I stared blankly at the garage wall. Eric reached down, unbuckled my seatbelt, and tapped my shoulder in an effort to snap me out of my stupor.

“You could have loved me, that’s what you said….” Tears pooled in my eyes, “Was I a total idiot?”

“Sookie,”

“Eric, I don’t want to lose you again!” I divulged much to my dismay, the tears flooded down my face. I thought of the pain I would feel if Victor or Filipe killed Eric. The void I would feel if Eric or Bill were out of my life. I couldn’t lose them. I would rather die than endure that pain. I would rather die than become exported goods. I needed to tell him everything Bill knew.

“Lose me? Sookie, you were the target of this attack.” He reached one arm around me, lifting me into his embrace. His lips met my cheek and he whispered in my ear, “You are so much trouble, my lover.”

He grabbed my hand and led me through the laundry room, kitchen, and family room and into a guest bedroom. After placing my suitcase on the bed, he left the room, returning a moment later with a glass of water and towel. He leaned into my ear as his sultry voice hissed, “Would you like me to shower you, lover?” His tongue flickered along my earlobe, sending chills straight to my core. His hand slid down my back, encircled my hips, and pulled me to him.

“Eric!” I pushed away from him slightly. My mouth said no, but my body screamed yes, yes, yes! “I can bathe myself, thank you.” And I stormed off to shower, half expecting Eric to follow, half hoping he would. But he didn’t. I threw my clothes on the floor and carefully took off the necklace. I hid it inconspicuously in the back of the second drawer of the vanity. I showered, dried off, and brushed my hair, returning to the bedroom wrapped in the towel.

Eric was propped up on the bed, leering at me questioningly. A clean nightshirt and undergarments were set on the bed next to him. “I put your clothes in the washer,” his eyes narrowed on me, focused and intent on reading my reaction. One eyebrow rose in anticipation of my response. I was feeling a little uncomfortable. He was clearly waiting for some response. To what, I wondered. Why was he looking at me so attentively? Big deal, the Viking can use a washing machine. Did he think I would drop the towel and pounce on him for doing laundry? Not that I would ever consider such a thing as pouncing on a tall, handsome, Viking worrier who was fabulous under the sheets, and above.

“Okay, thanks.” I murmured. Clearly this wasn’t the reaction he intended to receive, a splash of disappointment crossed his face. Agitated, I added, “Eric, I need to get dressed.”

“Lover, who is Fintan?”

My mouth dropped open. This was a shock from left field. My knees weakened and I leaned against the wall for support. “He was….”

Eric shot to his feet and approached me with wrath in his eyes, “What did Bill give you with the letter?” His face was inches from mine, his voice demanding.

The letter! It was still in my pocket, or was it now in the washer. I yelled, “Eric, where is the letter?”

He smiled.

“Eric! Give it to me. What did it say?”

His smile grew, “You didn’t read it, lover?”

“Eric, no!” I shook my head violently, and stormed out to the laundry room. I ripped open the washer and grabbed my shorts, empty. I sifted my arms through the suds, nothing. I screamed and threw my sopping shorts at him, “What did you do with it?”

Now he was simply beaming.


Chapter 8

The thought of Eric destroying a letter from gran brought fury to the pit of my stomach. My house was just vandalized and nearly everything I own damaged. I had one suitcase worth of possessions remaining and he seized the most personal item possible. Well, okay, technically it wasn’t mine to begin with. But still.

“Eric Northman, if you destroyed the letter from my grandmother I will never forgive you as long as I live!” The words came out with an authority and decisiveness I didn’t know I possessed. I meant every word. My hands clinched in fists so tight my neck strained. I shook with pure ferocity not certain if I would lash out and attack Eric or not. Attacking a seasoned Viking warrior wouldn’t be a wise choice for anyone, let alone a mere mortal half his size and one teaspoon his strength. It would certainly make ‘for as long as I live’ an idle threat.

His beaming smile gradually faded to a stoic, emotionless face as he absorbed my words. Certainly he was feeling my anger through our bond.

“Lover, I…”

“Eric, you have no sentiment!” I retorted. “How could I ever think you were capable of love. You are all about you. I could never be first in your world.” My outburst took the last energy I was capable of for one day. The rage was turning to misery and I did not want him to see me cry, not tears for him.

He stepped closer, blue eyes purposefully on mine. Through clenched teeth he declared, “What I was going to say, Sookie, is that…”

Just this moment is when Pam chose to waltz through the door. “Eric, I have everything from your list. Sookie, we must get you back in your own house as soon as possible. I cannot stand to have human food in my kitchen.” She walked to the kitchen, placed one bag on the counter, then turned to us and added with a grin, “Oh dear, I do believe I intruded on a lover’s quarrel. Is that what they call this nowadays? Please continue. I would love to stay and watch the show. Sookie dear, why are you the only member of this party who is wet and naked?”

“Pam!” Eric demanded, his eyes still set on mine.

She turned to leave but I held out my arm to stop her. Certainly I could never actually stop Pam, but she halted and grimaced to Eric for further instruction.

“Pam, please stay, this is your house and you do as you wish. Eric, Pam, I am going to bed and I don’t want to be disturbed. Tomorrow I will stay at Bill’s house. Sorry to have inconvenienced you both.” I turned and walked down the hall, feeling two sets of eyes bore a hole in my back. I didn’t slam the door, although I did consider it briefly.

I coiled up in the unfamiliar blankets on an unfamiliar bed and eventually cried myself to sleep. This was a day for tears.

At some point in the night I heard whispering in my ear. I was not coherent enough to make out the individual words. But I did register the familiar arm that wrapped around me and the lips on the back of my neck. I was too exhausted to kick Eric out of my bed.


When I woke the room was flooded with sunlight. It was warm and welcoming. It was noon already and I had to get back to Bon Temps and figure out who ransacked my house. Since I was targeted someone must know of Filipe’s negotiations with Armando. More significantly, they know that I am the trump card. I need to find out who is behind the attack and offer to join forces with them, working from inside the vampire community for information, in exchange for my life.

If I can find who is after me, can I convince them to join forces rather than killing me?

On the inside I have two options. I could make myself so indispensable to Filipe that he would reconsider trading me. That ratbastard! I already saved his life and earned his protection, yet he has the audacity to trade me like a barrel of oil to the highest bidder. The drawback to this option is that if he finds me too indispensable, he may want me for himself, and I have another Andre situation to deal with. Alternatively, I could make myself appear inadequate for Armando’s needs so he will not want me under his sovereignty and reconsider the negotiations. I wondered what Armando needed me for in the first place. This option risky because if Filipe sensed that I willfully sabotaged his deal he would kill me, potentially taking Eric and Bill in the process.

My life depends on being valuable to the Filipe (but not too valuable), yet useless to Armando (but not too useless). Whatever I do it must appear that Pam, Eric, Bill and I are not conspiring.

If I can accomplish this without Eric’s involvement, then Eric and Pam will be safe. If I can accomplish this without Bill’s whereabouts being discovered, then Bill will be safe. If I can do this at all, then I will be safe.

Can I do any of this without Bill, Eric and Pam? Maybe. Probably. Yes.

I prepared for the day. My suitcase was full of random articles of clothing, but I pieced together jeans and a short-sleeve blouse in pale blue with white pinstripes. I was still missing shoes. I carefully tucked the necklace into my front pocket and tidied up the bathroom and bedroom.

Making the bed I found a note,


Lover,

I never want to bring you tears. We will discuss your house at a later time. For today, buy a dress and shoes. Tonight we entertain guests from overseas. Victor’s people will be here to investigate your attack. Tell no one of what has happened. Drew will escort you.

I will see you at nightfall, my lover.

E


Tonight! Certainly our guests from overseas were Armando’s people here to scope out the goods. Perhaps the attack on my house was not from a group attempting to stop Filipe’s negotiations, but rather planned by Filipe himself as an excuse to get Victor and Armando’s people in Shreveport at the same time. This was more than coincidence, and it was too soon. I hadn’t yet had time to mentally prepare for upcoming events, but tonight Eric and I would be thrust into a snake pit. I had to get to my hideaway and notify Bill that this was all happening tonight. I had to somehow tell Eric what I knew without exposing Bill.

And who the heck is Drew?

Hoping Pam left me a form of transportation (and some shoes) I rushed out to the living area, plowing directly into the back of an unsuspecting man. We ricocheted off one another and my suitcase flew. Swiftly he spun around and grabbed my arm to stop my fall.

“You must be Sookie,” he laughed, adding in his velvety voice “from Pam’s description I should have expected a dramatic entrance.”

Thanks Pam.

He was thin and fit, with the broad shoulders and the muscle tone of a hardened athlete. Smooth, brown skin, like Swiss mocha, set off his blazing hazel eyes. While he was in his mid-thirties, his eyes had the liveliness of a child’s. His hair was dark and purposefully disheveled. He wore fashionable jeans, a tight navy t-shirt, and thick studded belt. His persona was a bizarre medley of guitar rocker meets pop art, not a look most men could pull off, but he looked fine enough to eat. Not literally. I wasn’t sure if I should lick him, ask for an autograph, or run like hell.

“Drew?”

“Yes, Drew Lewis. I’m Eric’s daytime eyes and ears, so to speak. But mostly I’m Pam’s boy toy,” he winked, “So hand off little darling. I have been warned that you are quite a temptress.”

I rolled my eyes. “Nice to meet you, Drew. Tell Pam thank you. I am off to Bon Temps.”

“Yes, I have been given explicit instructions. In Bon Temps we are to stop at Tara’s shop for a dress and shoes. Pam said to get any other incidentals you may need for the night. I believe her exact words were, ‘tell her to pick out incidentals for her after-party reunion with Eric’ ”

I was beginning to dislike this guy.

“We? Drew, I appreciate the gesture but I will go alone. If you just tell me where I can find a car…”

“I don’t think I’ve been clear. You wandering off alone is not an option. You can drive yourself, but I will follow you the entire day. Quite frankly, why waste the gas on driving around two cars when we can carpool?” No wonder Eric hired this guy; I have never met such a pragmatic human in all my life.

In that instant, I realized that I could not hear him. My shields were down. His mental signature was not human, it wasn’t emotions like other supes, nor was it blank like a vampire.

“What are you?!” I asked incredulously.

He laughed vibrantly and put one hand on my shoulder, “Boy does Pam have you begged, she said you would say those very words, her impersonation is impeccable.”

I really dislike this guy. I glared at him.

He turned and walked over to two thick books on the kitchen counter, “Eric wanted me to give you this.” From between the books he pulled out my envelope and handed it to me, “He said it was important to you and to give it to you first thing when you awoke. It was crumpled up so I took the liberty of putting it here to flatten.”

Gran’s letter.

“Thank you.” My words were heard only by Drew, but they were intended for Eric. I held the envelope tightly to my chest and closed my eyes. I thought he disposed of it, as he had all the notes from Bill. He hadn’t.

“Would you two like a few moments alone, or should we get started on the day?” Drew was grinning at the envelope. Jerk. “Also, these are from Pam,” he held out a pair of sandals.

“Let’s go,” I huffed, throwing on the oversized sandals.

We hopped in a dark blue Saab and headed to Tara’s. I hadn’t seen Tara since the holidays. She looked magnificent, JB was treating her well and I was happy for the couple. I picked out a blue silk dress, fitted around the bust, ruched at the ribs, and flared at the hips. It fell just above my knees. The straps and wide-cut collar were accented in a textured silk, which matched the shawl. Tara picked out silver shoes and purse. While admiring the ensemble in the fitting room I slipped on the necklace. The dress was classy, elegant, and refined, very Holly Golightly, but the focal point was my dragonfly. It was perfect.

I changed back into my clothes, slipped out of the dressing area, and slid into the back of the store. Drew was busily ordering some Rock and Republic jeans from Tara, so both were adequately distracted. I picked up the phone and dialed Bill’s cell phone, expecting voicemail at this hour. Instead I received a message that the number was disconnected. I dialed Amelia, voicemail.

I slid back to the dressing area and carried my selection to the counter. Tara skillfully packed up my dress and shawl so they would remain wrinkle-free for tonight and put them in the bag on top my shoes and purse. After handing me the bag, she winked at Drew and handed him a second bag. He nodded knowingly and accepted it. Before leaving I hugged Tara and wished JB my best.

Walking out to the car I inquired, “Were you instructed to be my bodyguard the entire day?”

“Yes, little darling. Aren’t you lucky?”

Ick.

“Not really. I need to stop at my house.”

“I am specifically instructed to avoid your house and Bill’s house.”

Okay then, on to option two.

“What’s the next item on our agenda? I’m hungry.”

He looked at me considering, and nodded, “Well, we should eat. Where would you like to go?”

This was the last of my three day off stretch, but I needed to strategize. I considered my options and suggested Merlotte’s.

Our entrance was greeted with a mixture of admiration of this exceptional man by my side, nosey stares, and scorn of me waltzing in with yet another man. Sam’s eyes widened at the sight of Drew. They exchanged an unnervingly drawn out gaze. Sam met my eyes, shook his head, and came over to greet us.

He guided us to a table, leaning in to whisper, “I heard about your house. Glad you are okay. Any idea who did it?”

I shook my head

“Sam, this is Pam’s friend Drew. Drew, this is my boss Sam.” They nodded towards one another. Unfortunately we were in Arlene’s section. She was bitter cold. We ordered and before our food arrived I excused myself. On the way to the ladies room I stared intently at Sam. When he finally looked up I motioned with my head towards his office. He responded with a small nod.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to say to Sam. He was awfully tired of getting involved in my drama, and rightfully so. He had been shot, brought to a were war, and tied to a car bumper, to name a few. I could hardly blame him. A minute later he slipped through the doorway. “What’s up?”

“Sam, I have a favor to ask,” he looked down. I knew how much I demanded of him already. “I’m sorry to burden you, I really am. I just need you to put this note in my refrigerator, on the back of the milk carton.” He looked up at me like I just requested that he turn into a tortilla.

I handed him a note that read, “I’m ok. It’s tonight.” I hoped that Bill would check this spot. It had been the only place his note made it to me.

“Cher, are you okay? What’s tonight?”

“Sam, I’m scared and I’m in trouble, a lot of trouble. Please do this for me,” I fought back tears. Sam walked over and hugged me. “I also need to contact Alcide and Calvin and tell them that Filipe is about to gain great power by bartering me. Tell them that I have details and I will help them anyway I can to stop him. I can’t get Eric involved.”

“Okay, tell me what you know. By the way Sookie, what are you thinking hanging around with a…”

“Everything okay in here?” Drew questioned authoritatively from the doorway, his hazel eyes were swarming with distaste as they pierced into Sam. “Sookie, our food arrived.”

Sam and I disengaged. “Sookie is quite upset about her house. Perhaps I will go check it out for her to see if I can track something that the vampires overlooked.”

“Thanks Sam,” I beamed up at him.

“Anything for you and you know it.”

I returned with Drew to the table. I didn’t see Sam again that day. Perhaps he headed right to my house. Perhaps my plan would work? Perhaps.




Chapter 9

Drew and I pulled in Pam’s garage shortly after five, allowing plenty of time to prepare for tonight’s party for our overseas guests. Almost certainly these were Armando’s spies from Spain, here to ‘check out the goods’. I cringed, grabbed my dress, and turned to head inside.

“Sookie, you forgot this one,” Drew winked, holding up his bag. I paused and looked down to make sure I was holding the right bag. Dress. Shoes. Shawl.

“This one’s mine,” I held my bag open to reassure him.

“They’re both yours. Pam called ahead and told Tara to have this one ready.” I didn’t want to know what was in that bag. I’m sure I could guess. Thanks yet again, Pam. Sensing the loathing I was feeling for Pam, he added, “Pam’s not all heartless Sookie, there is a little piece of other in her. Don’t be so quick to judge,” and again with a wink. “Also, she picked that up for you,” pointing to a box on the dryer. “You better begin your transformation, my little butterfly.” Wink.

I really despised this guy. And his winking.

Several potential responses went through my mind, but I settled on the most cordial of the bunch, “Thank you for driving me around today. I’ll be in the guestroom.” I gathered the bags and box and headed to my room. In the second bag I found flats, shorts, two shirts, and a pair of jeans. Not what I expected. However, not to disappoint, there were also panties, bras, stockings, and a silk negligee. Pam! The box contained makeup, toiletries, and a lotion that smelt of ginger and brown sugar.

I unpacked my dress, wrap, purse, shoes, and coordinating undergarments and spread them on the bed. The dress was beautiful. I have an unfortunate habit of ruining dresses and I hoped this one survived the night (with me still in it).

In the shower the weight of my situation came crashing down on me. I stood in the hot stream for several minutes working out what I would reveal to Eric. I had to guarantee that we all walked away from the situation unharmed. I promised Bill I would be there tonight, but I won’t be. He would wake soon, find me gone, find my house, and hopefully find the note. I hoped Bill would know I was not harmed in the attack. I wondered how much Eric knew about the situation. He had often been one step ahead of Bill, so perhaps he knew more. On the other hand, he was one step behind Filipe. This worried me most – Filipe had outwitted Eric, Eric the almighty and powerfully cunning Viking Warrior Deity himself. Eric!

I didn’t stand a chance.

I toweled off, moisturized, dried my hair into voluminous spirals, and applied makeup. I fastened the necklace and sat looking at my reflection in the mirror. The dress was irrelevant because this necklace would carry any outfit, even wearing this towel I would win the best dressed award. I was mesmerized by it. I touched my hand to the stones and hoped for an uneventful evening. My mind wandered to Bill, to the promise I would be breaking tonight, to the kisses he withdrew from, to the book and letter I found.

I grabbed the envelope and stared down at it. I wanted to read it. I knew I couldn’t. Despite my inner turmoil of the upcoming events, I began to feel overwhelmed with a calming sensation. Was it the letter?


“Read it,” my soaring Viking demanded from the doorway.

Startled by his sudden presence, and audacity to just waltz into the bathroom, I sneered, “Eric, get out! I’m not dressed,” and made a shooing gesture with my hand. He was beautiful in his tailored charcoal suit, golden hair framing his face, radiant blue eyes. He didn’t leave.

Eric shook his head and revisited, “Read it.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?” one eyebrow twitched at me, the blazing blue eyes fixed on me.

“I inadvertently snooped at Bill’s house and found it tucked behind his desk. Bill doesn’t know I have it.…. ”

“He failed you and in doing so he failed your grandmother. Yet after all he has done, you trouble yourself with the morality of opening a letter he concealed from you, a letter written by your deceased kin. My lover, that is madness.” He grabbed the envelope, removed the letter and proceeded to read it out loud, despite my pleading objections.


William,

When the night comes, pass this on to her and reveal everything I have told you. Keep her shielded from your world, as Fintan did for my family. Protect her, love her, and cherish her.

Don’t fail her.

Sincerely,

Adele Hale


These words weighed heavy on my heart. Keep her shielded from your world? Bill came into my life initially intending to catapult me at Sophie-Anne. He left me for Lorena. He told me to go to Eric. I am Viking-deep in his world because of him. Keep her shielded from your world! Don’t fail her! You failed Bill, you failed. And when, exactly, was he to give me the accompanying book? What is he to reveal to me that gran couldn’t tell me herself? What was gran thinking comparing Fintan and Bill?

Were Bill’s recent actions an effort to redeem himself in gran’s eyes?

In a faint whisper Eric said, “I’m sorry Bill failed her.” He carefully tucked the letter back in the envelope and leaned down to kiss my cheek, adding, “Nevertheless, the necklace is in your possession as she intended.”

It struck me that Eric had assumed the necklace was what gran intended to pass on to me with the letter. He assumed wrong.

Leaning down for closer inspection of the necklace he flinched ever so slightly, his eyes turned wide and riveted. He slid his hand down my shoulder, traced my collarbone, and landed on the dragonfly, “It is curious that a mortal could have acquired these gems, or even a fae….” A perplexed look flashed across his face. His cool hand pressed firmly against the stones.

“Ouch Eric,” he quickly withdrew his hand.

My astute former lover questioned, “What I don’t understand is how you were compelled to wear the necklace, but hesitant to open the letter. Were they not found together?”

I wondered how I could explain that I found the letter in an ornate book filled with ancient symbols and text. He may want me to retrieve the book. How would I explain that Bill gave me the necklace, not gran? I couldn’t lie, but I couldn’t tell him about Bill not being in Europe, about the hidey hole, about my access to the database, about my knowledge of Armando, about Bill loaning me the necklace for protection, about sitting under the stars and kissing Bill (or trying to).

I opted for ambiguity, “Well, as you said, all that matters is that the necklace is in my possession.”

His eyes narrowed on me, “Sookie, Sookie, Sookie….,” he said shaking his head. His internal deception meter was ringing off the charts. Rightfully so.

“Eric, I need to get dressed,” I said, flipping my wrist in another shooing motion.

He loomed over me, his eyes roamed my legs, torso, neck, shoulders. I could feel his desire to rip off the towel and throw me on the bed. Or, maybe, that was all my impulse.

“You’ve seen it all before Eric, no need to gawk.”

“Oh yes, I remember quite well,” he purred in that voice. I rolled my shoulders back and straightened my posture. This aided in making me look assertive, but was mainly to keep from melting to the floor like a pool of hot butter. I fought the overwhelming urge to drop my towel to the floor. His body closed the inches between us. Cool lips touched my shoulder and trailed up my neck, ending on my ear. My breathing deepened as he rhythmically flicked his tongue on the edge of my earlobe. Heat spread from my core. Pure lust pulsed through my body, suppressing all other emotions I had been experiencing. The anxiety, stress, and strain drained away. I tilted my head back into him and offered my neck to my ex-lover. He returned to my neck and nibbled and kissed my flesh, never puncturing the skin. I swung my legs around and turned my head toward him, pressing my lips to his in a passionate embrace. His hands wrapped around my hips and he lifted me to him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and arms around his neck. Our kiss deepened. His hands and lips were everywhere, rediscovering every curve and crevice, reclaiming every inch of my flesh. He sat me on the edge of the bed and leaned back to look in my eyes. I dropped the towel to the floor.

He grinned down at me then lowered to his knees to begin caressing me with his tongue. I leaned back on the bed, my calves over his broad, hard shoulders. His finger entered me in a rhythmic dance. His pace began slow and gentle, but soon had sped and deepened. I wanted him inside me, every ounce of his gracious plenty. I moved my hips to match his pace, my eyes never leaving his face. His lips and tongue withdrew from my nub, but his fingers intensified inside me. The pleasure was overwhelming. I was ready to scream. His eyes blazed into mine as he positioned his mouth to bite.

“Now!” I cried out and arched my back.

Suddenly he was on his feet towering above me. I was teetering on the edge and needed him to thrust into me. I spread my legs in anticipation of his entrance, of the first push to throw me off the edge. But he didn’t.

It took me a moment to register that he had not jumped up to enter me, but rather he was focused intently on listening. Every hair stood on my body. I lowered my legs and sat up to wrap the towel back around myself. His body went rigid, pupils dilated. He was prepared for battle. He leered down at me with fiery eyes that demanded for me to remain motionless. His face was downright terrifying and I froze. He flew out the bedroom faster than I could see.

I listened closely but couldn’t hear anything, not a sound. I scanned. There were four vampires approaching and two nearby, Pam and Eric. I wondered if Drew were here. I couldn’t sense anything from him, he was somehow immune to my radar.

My dress and one shoe had been thrown to the floor. I dressed and sat on the bed with my head in my palms. Minutes passed, but it felt like hours. All six bodies were in the house now, but my ears couldn’t make out their words.

There was one point in my life, back when I was risking my life to save my unfaithful ex-boyfriend, that Eric (the real Eric) and I were almost intimate. At that time I was thankful to have been interrupted by Bubba. Tonight, however, I was not glad or thankful to be interrupted. I wasn’t sure if it was me, or the bond, but there was no regret in wanting physical pleasure without a committed relationship. I should be disappointed in myself, but I wasn’t.

Despite the fact that I almost just reunited my flesh with my beautiful Viking ex-lover, and was about to enjoy every inch of his pleasure, my mind drifted to Bill and I felt a ping of regret. It was not regret for letting Eric almost pleasure me, but regret for how my actions would hurt Bill. Right now Bill would be discovering that I was missing, my house a wreck. And I wanted physical pleasure - I wanted Eric. Even now I wanted Eric to reenter the room and take me like only a thousand-year-old warrior could. Why was my body screaming for Eric, who just gets me and has been there for me (although manipulative and egocentric the whole way), but my brain screaming for Bill, who lied and betrayed and couldn’t always control his vampiric impulses (although also tender and sweet when not being such a jerk). Bill was my first love. Eric was my first lust (and a contender for my second love).

I heard my body. I heard my mind. But I couldn’t hear my heart.

I was feeling very anxious. At least twenty minutes had passed. I contemplated my next move. The urge to get up and pace was overwhelming, but I wanted to remain silent as best I could. I was hungry and stressed. I shut my eyes.

Three successive raps on the door brought me from my concentration. The door slowly opened, revealing Pam and Drew. I sat up and scanned the house, only picking up Pam’s presence.

Pam was wearing fitted light grey slacks with a pale blue sleeveless sweater. Her hair was meticulously pulled back into a tight ponytail. To top off her look was a pearl earring and necklace set.

“Sookie,” she said. Her face was impassive, but she had a pit of regret behind her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” I eyed them both. Pam looked at Drew. He withdrew from my sight as Pam entered, shutting the door behind her.

She walked over and sat next to me on the bed. I wasn’t too concerned until she put one hand on my shoulder. “Apparently Victor’s group discovered…. evidence, shall we say, at your house. Eric’s presence at the site was ordered by the king. The party for our guests has been postponed until tomorrow evening. On Eric’s behalf we are to entertain a few members of our guest’s entourage for the night.”

“Pam, I work tomorrow night. I’ve had three days off in a row and I’m not about to ask Sam for another.”

She chose her next words carefully, “I do not foresee this to be a problem, Sookie,” and tapped my shoulder as if I were a stray puppy about to be euthanized. “Eric must regain control of his emotions. I will not stand back and watch his position be jeopardized. Do you understand what I am telling you?”

“You want to kill me?” I attempted to lighten the mood, but was half afraid of the answer.

She laughed and withdrew her hand, “If I kill you I would be the target of Eric’s wrath. I would only kill you if absolutely necessary. I like you enough, but vampires first.” Her smile faded to ice, “There is a reason Filipe is separating Eric from you tonight. It is not a coincidence that he has ordered you to join me in entertaining our overseas guests. I hope Filipe could not sense Eric’s reluctance to leaving you, if so….” She stood and headed through the door, adding, “Change into something more casual. Come out when you are ready.”

I changed and headed to Fangtasia with Pam.


Chapter 10

The drive to Fangtasia was short. I strained to remember a time I drove anywhere with Pam. She was the closest thing I had to a vampire friend, but she was certainly not a friendly vampire. I knew to use caution. Per Pam’s orders I had changed from my dress into an outfit Tara set aside for me, jeans and a red silk kimono-style top and matching flats. My (Bill’s) necklace was tucked in the inner pocket of my purse for safekeeping.

I hesitantly broke the silence, “Who are we entertaining tonight?”

“The entourage of Eric’s European associate. Their sire has a vested interest in Bill’s little project.”

“If they are interested in the database, why is my presence requested?”

“Exactly!” her eyes flashed to me and back to the road.

We entered the employee entrance and headed to a booth adjacent Eric’s usual chair in the center of the floor. We ordered a bottle of A+ and a gin and tonic and sat in awkward silence as she examined her patrons and staff.

“Pam, have you heard from Bill?”

“He is in Europe,” she answered brusquely, evading the question.

“Has he checked in? Does he know about my attack?” I inquired. Pam’s mouth tightened in irritation. I had received all the information I would for the night. I was hoping for some sign that Bill knew I was unharmed.

Shortly after our second drinks arrived, so did our guests. Pam had a clear view of the door and while I couldn’t see their entrance, I observed the tension in her posture and flare of her nostrils the second she detected the unfamiliar vampires. Seconds later we were greeted with three newcomers who nodded and introduced themselves to Pam.

The two women were tall and beautiful with shiny, dark hair. Clara had long wavy hair that fell to her hips, she was a classic beauty with a full hourglass shape and delicate nose. Amanda had straight shoulder-length hair and radiantly green eyes. She was slim and tone and had a wide jovial smile. If she were human she would appear social or outgoing, these traits are uncharacteristic of vampires on the whole. She could easily pass for a cheerful kindergarten teacher on her first day of class. The third guest, Mark, was superbly striking. He was a couple inches past six feet tall, refined posture, strong jaw line, warm smile, thick dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. His attire appeared to be deliberately selected to mask his loveliness. He was wore wire-rimmed glasses, a white button up shirt, and pleated khakis, appearing much like a county auditor from rural Ohio. He most likely carried a graphing calculator and periodic table in his back pocket.

Pam introduced me to the guests as if I were irrelevant. Amanda and Clara nodded in my general direction. Mark slid in the booth next to me and took my hand, gently kissing my knuckles. His lips were smooth as silk. Clara sat next to Pam, and Amanda slid in next to Mark.

The four of them immediately launched into conversation in a language I didn’t understand. While I am only fluent in English, the obvious guess was that they were speaking Spanish. I took the opportunity to scan the bar. As expected, all I picked up was sex, sex, and more sex. I shook my head and took a sip of my drink, slapping the shields back up.

“Miss Stackhouse, I apologize if you feel excluded from our conversation.” I jumped slightly and saw Mark staring at me with interest. I smiled my game face. Pam, Amanda, and Clara were engrossed in conversation, mainly carried on by Amanda. She was expressive and lively with her hand gestures and voice, making me wish for a moment that I could understand them. Pam was enthralled and actually laughed! “Would you like me to translate?” he continued in his mildly accented voice.

“No, no, not a problem.”

He laughed, “A wise choice Miss Stackhouse. You think ‘girl talk’ is bad in your world, welcome to mine!” and nodded his head in the direction of Amanda.
I laughed. The thought of Pam partaking in ‘girl talk’ of any kind was quite amusing. I wondered what vampire ‘girl talk’ consisted of, and just as quickly abandoned the idea.

“Please call me Sookie,” I responded.

He smiled and said, “Tell me about yourself, Sookie. What do you do?”

“I am a barmaid at a restaurant an hour from here.” I carefully attempted to appear amiable, without revealing anything to Armando’s spies that they wouldn’t already know.

“Does this make you happy?” he smiled caringly.

I couldn’t say it pays the bills, this would imply that it is only a matter of money. While I lack formal academic training, I am quite happy to have a steady job with a boss that I respected. However, sometimes it was difficult to deal with unruly, disrespectful clientele and coworkers, all the while keeping out their thoughts. I went for this angle. “Sam, my boss, is great. I would never want to work for anyone else. I was born in Bon Temps, lived there all my life, and can’t imagine doing anything else.” I returned his smile.

“I understand,” he nodded and leaned back, “I cannot imagine doing anything else either.”

“Vampires never can,” I smirked under my breath.

“Well, yes, I am a vampire. I cannot imagine being anything else. But what I mean is that I cannot imagine doing anything else but run my bakery.”

“A bakery!” I squelched, nearly choking on my drink. This was shocking not only because vampires do not eat, and generally don’t enjoy mortals taking pleasure in food, but also because it was a business that would cater exclusively to humans, live humans.

“It is one of many business adventures. Oddly, baking is my favorite pastime,” he laughed. “Yes, I guess this would seem odd to you, but I make the most famous ensaimadas and almendrades in the greater Valencia area.”

“What are those?” I was enthralled with this bizarre group of vampires. It was the complete opposite of the hierarchal intensity of the American vampires I have experienced. Perhaps this is what the vampire commoners were like when the bosses weren’t around, when politics weren’t involved. While the cat’s away type of thing. It struck me that he was much like Bill. Sometimes with Bill I forgot that he was dead, that he was a vampire, and I just saw Bill, the human Bill. Other times, unfortunately, I experienced the vampire Bill. I once experienced the human side of Eric, but the real Eric was very much the vampire Eric. As young vampires, Mark, Amanda, and Clara may still grasp their last ounce of humanity. Old vampires were engulfed in power and politics, their human qualities largely discarded centuries ago as a liability.

I refocused on the ongoing conversation “…flaky coiled pastry while almendrades are meringue-almond cookies. They smell amazing while baking. Unfortunately I cannot personally appreciate the taste but I take get great pleasure in watching my creations being savored…”

“You watch people eat!” I blurted out, sounding less and less intelligent with each turn of speech, but I have been blown out of the water here. Thrown off guard. These were either the worst spies ever, or very young vampires who took this assignment only for the excitement of travel. I had the distinct feeling they were not here for me, and if they were they were not taking their job seriously. In fact, Amanda and Clara hadn’t said a word to me since they sat down. Had Bill been wrong? Were they here for Pam?

“Yes, yes I do. If you said I did not behave as a vampire ought to, you would not be the first, or last, to say such. I am very untraditional,” he laughed. “Sookie, we are here for a few days. I will bake for you!”

“Oh no, that’s not…”

“Then it’s settled!”

He ordered a round of TrueBlood for the table, and a third drink for me. I settled for ginger ale. It was kind of him to talk to me instead of engrossing himself in the conversation with the rest of the table. I was certainly the odd duck of this vampire flock, but Mark made me feel at ease. Every human eye was on our table. Several fangbangers had attempted to approach, but were batted away like flies by Clara. They seemed to have no interest in all the fresh blood available on tap surrounding them.

“If you don’t mind my asking, are you a young vampire? Is this why you still bake and are so… well, nice? I don’t mean to be disrespectful,”

“No, no, ask away Sookie. I am not young. Amanda, Clara and I have been… associates… for a few hundred years. We have all the wealth and power we desire. Now we simply sit back and enjoy life, or death as it happens.”

“You are quite different from any vampire I have ever met.”

“Sookie, you are different from any human I have met. What is it about you that is so unique?”

“I’m simply a barmaid from northern Louisiana,” and if I had a dime for every time a supe wondered why I was unique….

“In that case, to northern Louisiana!” and he raised his bottle in a toast. He took a drink and questioned, “So, what does a northern Louisiana barmaid do when she is not tending tables or accompanying Pam on business matters?”

“I read, watch movies, listen to music, suntan, eat, sleep… You know, all the basics. I am quite simple really”

“You smell like candied ginger,” he leaned in slightly and pulled back.

“Yes, Pam gave me a new lotion. This is the first time I have used it,” I smelt my arm. It did smell quite wonderful.

“It’s lovely. Are you and Pam close?”

I wasn’t exactly certain where this question was aiming. Was he assessing my availability? “No… well maybe, I guess” I answered cautiously. It was best to stick with less is more in this case, instead I rambled like a fool. Heat rose to my face.

Sensing my unease, he instantly diverted the conversation, “What music do you like?”

“Anything really, country, rock, oldies, some classical,”

“Ah, I am quite fond of rock and roll myself. Between the Bob Dylan and Rolling Stones anthologies, I am set for the next century. You know…”

“Oh no Sookie, don’t you dare get him started on Dylan!” Amanda warned me in her thick Spanish accent. She shook her head at him and laughed.

Clara laughed and rolled her eyes, “Really Mark, leave the poor thing alone, she’s Pam’s!”

I flinched at the assertion and looked to Pam. She actually looked shaken for a nanosecond, then a smile crawled across her face and she leaned into me, inching closer and closer to my lips. What was she thinking! Surely she would pull away. “Pam!” I yelped when I realized that in less than an inch her lips would lock on mine. They laughed and commented in Spanish. Damn Pam. Let’s all get a good laugh at Sookie. I couldn’t wait to tell Eric! On second thought, would he reprimand her or would he think it was amusing? It was not funny. I am not the piñata of this vampire party. I could feel my face flush again.

Their conversation continued, as if uninterrupted. Mark slid his arm around me and gave me a quick and friendly sideways hug, saying, “I’m sorry if we made you uncomfortable. I believe Clara was assessing Pam’s availability for the night and I assure you that she did not mean to cause you discomfort.”

“I’m fine,” I mumbled, still embarrassed.

“I will punish her for you. How about her left index finger for your trouble?”

“Ah!” I gasped and jumped away. He laughed so loud Pam, Clara, and Amanda broke conversation midstream to look at the two of us. Pam eyed me inquisitively. Clara and Amanda told me to ignore everything he said. Their conversation continued.

“Tell me something funny, Sookie,” this caught me off guard again. This guy was so… normal, bizarre, but normal. He was not like a real vampire.

“A joke?” I shook my head in disbelief. He nodded and suddenly I couldn’t think of a single funny joke… “I don’t know…”

“Well, tell me a funny story about yourself.” I thought of several stories, but none I could share with him. The return from Mississippi after rescuing my cheating ex-boyfriend from sure death. After rescinding his (and Eric) invitation to my house, in that moment I realized that the precious database was in my hidey hole. We all risked our lives for the darn thing, and there is was in my hands, and not Bill, or Eric, or the queen could retrieve it. That was funny! Can’t share that one.

How about Eric’s outfit at the orgy! Nope, can’t share that either.

I suddenly found myself wanting to tell him everything, each and every story I had. Under different circumstances, perhaps I would have indulged. What was this guy doing working for a rat bastard like Armando?

I shrugged my shoulders to indicate that I had nothing. He proceeded to tell me story after story. I laughed and laughed until my side ached. We discussed music and movies. I revealed my favorite romance novels, movies that made me cry, memories with Gran. He asked about siblings, but I skirted around this by saying that Jason lived nearby and we were close growing up. He never asked about parents, romances, boyfriends, local vampires, Rhodes, or my ability. He never asked all the questions I was expecting from Armando’s spies. Perhaps on first sight I was out of the running and they decided to just enjoy the night. In which case, I was successful. Could it be that easy? Did they immediately write me off? Or, did they want Pam and I was the diversion?

By the time the evening ended, Pam and Clara were getting uncomfortably friendly. I was not one for excessive public displays of affection. Pam excused herself and went to check on the employees and the closing of Fangtasia. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

“Oh, Sookie I apologize if we made you uncomfortable in any way this evening,” Amanda said, “I forget that you are not accustomed to our obnoxious behavior. We are in vacation mode!”

“No problem,” I replied with a smile. She appeared sincere. I could actually like her under different circumstances. I excused myself to the ladies room. When I returned everyone was standing and ready to depart. Pam had her arm around Clara and I fought a sudden panic. What if Pam was bringing the enemy into her home? Worse, what if Pam left with Clara and I had to go with Mark and Amanda. They would have me separated from Eric and Pam!

My stress must have broken through my years of expert facial control because Mark was instantly in front of me. “You look like you saw a ghost. Are you unwell Sookie?” He looked genuinely concerned and put his hands on my shoulders, rubbing gently. I glanced to Pam, she was distracted with Clara. I wanted to scream for her to not leave me.

“I’m just tired, it’s been a hard day,” I sighed. I had to act fast.

“Do tell,”

“My house was nearly destroyed yesterday, and someone is trying to kill me” I said sadly. He would already know this, as it was the reason their party was postponed. This gave me an opportunity to assess his reaction.

He looked shocked. Literally shocked! I had not expected this, of all the responses. “What happened? Were you injured?” He moved closer, but not intimate close, still in the radii of a concerned friend.

“No, I wasn’t home. I don’t know what happened or who did it.”

“This is why our revelry was postponed.” It was not a question. Clearly Filipe had not revealed this to Armando’s entourage. Although, I wondered if Mark was the leader of this pack, or if these three were just hitting the town while the bosses were negotiating back at the hotel. This information may not have trickled down from his superior. “Perhaps our efforts here would best be spent in assisting with the investigation. Who is your regional Area Investigator? I will contact them directly.”

“Well, it’s Bill Compton, but…”

“Ah yes, I’m afraid he is in Prague. Who is regional Sherriff?”

“Eric Northman,”

“Of course,” he smiled down at me, “I will offer our services to Mr. Northman.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary. Filipe, Victor, and Eric are investigating the scene. I have sworn protection from several supe packs in the area, they will be investigating as well. Some odd theories have been circling…” He looked down at me attentively. I rolled my shoulders and added casually, “Plus, if anyone ever hurt me forces beyond my control would come into play. I would hate for it to come to that.”

My underlying message was clear and I hoped it would be relayed straight up the chain of command to Armando’s ears.

Mark quickly glanced to Pam, who was still distracted, and leaned to my ear, “Your threat has been noted, Sookie. However, sometimes it’s difficult to see exactly who’s on your side and, more pertinently, who’s not. The true enemy is often closer than you think.” His lips lingered for a second after the last words left his mouth. He pulled back to look into my eyes and gave me a heartfelt smile, it was uncanny. I felt like I could trust him, like I could tell him everything I know. Thankfully I was armed with Bill’s information and I knew of Armando’s agenda, otherwise I may have cracked.

Perhaps Armando sent the best suited spy after all.


Chapter 11

After closing Fangtasia we parted from Armando’s secret agents. Pam made arrangements to meet them, Clara in particular, at their Inn after dropping me off. I was glad Pam offered to do so as I was extremely exhausted and just wanted to sleep. The drive was pleasantly silent and I rested my head back in the seat. Pam hesitated momentarily in the garage before entering the house, her nostrils flared. She turned and I mindlessly followed her in my sleepy stupor intending on heading straight to bed.

“Change of plans,” she informed me casually. I turned. Pam’s outstretched arm held out a note from Eric.


Pam,
Leave Sookie here. Join us at the Hilton, room 1304.
Eric


She had planned on entertaining Clara for the night, so I assumed the change of plans was because Pam would be joining Eric instead. I shrugged my shoulders and headed down the hall. My plan remained unchanged – sleep.

Suddenly Pam was blocking the hallway. I took a deep breath and exhaled exasperatedly. She grabbed my arm and walked me into the bedroom where she turned to me and put one finger over her lips in a shushing motion. She silently packed some of my clothes and toiletries, shuffled the bed to make it appear freshly occupied, and propped up a cell phone on the nightstand. Pam looked at me as if anticipating an answer. I had no idea what was going on, let alone what question she could expect me to answer. She shook her head in frustration and stepped closer, touching one finger to my forehead, followed by a wide sweeping motion around the room with the same finger. It took me a minute to realize what she was asking me. My guard was down so I swept the area. Surprisingly, I picked up three blank signals some distance from the house. I held up three fingers and pointed to her to signal that they were vampires.

She nodded in understanding and said, “Goodnight Sookie. I will be in room 1304 at the Hilton if you need to reach me. Call if you have any problems.”

My mouth dropped open and I scowled at her, shaking my head in disapproval. She was not going to leave me here with three stalking vampires! She signaled for me to play along. I wasn’t exactly sure what game we were attempting to play, so I tried my best. “Ok Pam, goodnight,” I rolled my eyes.

She grabbed me and fled to the garage where she motioned for me to hide in the back seat. I obediently got in and curled up on the floor. We drove for less than five minutes and parked in front of the Shreveport Hilton. Pam opened the back door and I crawled out hesitantly, following her to a dark blueSaabidling nearby. It was Drew.

Once in the car I let loose, “Pam, explain!”

Drew laughed, “Hi Sookie, nice to see you too.”

After a pause Pam finally said, “Eric was warning me to make it appear that you were alone in the house. He was also informing us that a car would be waiting at the Hilton for an exchange. He booked a room here as a cover, but we will stay up the street.” I was exhausted and just wanted a bed. Frankly I didn’t care where, as long as I was the only one in it.

Eric’s note was obscure, to say the least, and I didn’t gather any of this from my initial reading. Speaking of Eric, where was he?

“Will Eric be there?”

My question fell to deaf ears. A few minutes later we pulled up to a stately southern-style mansion with lights blazing in the first floor parlor. Several people were gathered in this regal room, a dozen or so vampires surrounded by countless undiscerning, sparsely-clad fangbangers. If I had a list of events I would least like to participate in, a vamp party complete with human buffet would be near the top. As we parked in the back I wondered briefly if Eric was inside. I let my mind slip to the idea of him partaking in these indulgences. Even at one a month, he had been with over ten thousands women in his years on Earth. Knowing this insatiable Viking, this was an extraordinarily conservative estimate. A hundred thousand sexual partners? I shook the thought and tried to sooth the deep ache building in the pit of my stomach.

Drew pulled up to the back entrance. Pam proceeded to get out and walk up the steps.

“I’m not going in there!” I sat with determination, bag clinched in hand, “Take me somewhere else.”

“The back bedroom of the Inn is separated from the guests by the kitchen and dining room. The vamps have no reason to enter and the humans know better. You will go unnoticed.” Drew reassured me as he turned to face me, “You will be safe.”

I followed Pam in the back door and through a hallway into a large gourmet kitchen with endless granite, white cabinets, and professional appliances. I half expected Rachael Ray to waltz in and greet us. Pam handed me a key and pointed to a door at the back of the kitchen.

“Goodnight,” I murmured and headed to my room.

“Goodnight,” Pam said softly to my back, “Eric will be in soon to tuck you in.” I didn’t turn to see her expression.

The room had an ornate canopy bed, several chairs, and vanity with mirror. Every fabric and wall in the room was floral. The furniture and decor were excessive given the size of the room, but all I cared about was the bed. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, combed my hair into a ponytail, and changed. The bed and pillows were soft and I fell into them.

Just as I began to drift off I heard voices near my door. I put the pillow over my head in frustration. The voices intensified as more bodies joined in the kitchen, eventually pulling me out of my slumber. I let down my guard. There were three humans and one vampire. One girl was thinking about how she could get rid of the other two so she could have the vamp to herself. The jumbled images of sexual acts she intended to perform with him were too deviant for my taste. The second girl was wondering why the vamp wasn’t responding to her advances. Her cleavage went unnoticed as she unbuttoned her shirt and when she reached down to stimulate him he turned away. She began strategizing alternative methods to arouse him. The third female, however, was thinking about Victor! I honed in on her, ‘I need to get information, someday I will queen by Victor’s side, his woman, his love, he loves me, he says I am the best he’s ever had, why isn’t this guy fucking me yet, it’s never been this difficult for me, look at me, Victor will be rich, rich, rich and buy me everything I want, he’ll marry me, need to spy….’

The girls were nauseating, but my focus turned to the vampire. Who was he? If it was Eric could I refrain from ripping open the door and slapping these tramps silly? Probably not. Why did Victor send a spy to this gathering?

In an attempt to identify the fourth member of the jamboree, I tip toed to the door and pressed my ear against it. The fangbangers were practically begging to be taken, in every sense of the word. One was pleading for him to draw from her instead of drinking from his bottle. They were detailing how exactly they wanted to pleasure him all night. Unfortunately for my ears, they were describing in excruciating detail, each girl fighting to be heard over the other two.

I sincerely hoped they would not fulfill these fantasies right there in the kitchen, thirty feet from my bed.

Finally the vampire spoke, “Silence!” demanded an authoritative voice. Had I not been still already, I would have frozen in place. His voice was vaguely familiar, but not Eric. The girls instantly stilled and he continued, “Ladies, focus, scissors and tape.”

The girls scrambled and upon his command went on a scavenger hunt. They were all thinking they would be the favored flavor of the night if they found his requested items first. Were they not curious about why he needed scissors and tape? I could hear them scurrying around like mice in a barn.

Eventually, “Here, here, I found them!” a voice shrilled with excitement near my door.

“Thank you Kim,” he said flatly.

“What are you going to do for me in return,” she moaned. She probably intended for her words to purr off her tongue, but she sounded more like a desperate cat in heat.

“I am not interested. You can all depart now. Wait, I believe I smell….” He trailed off. When he resumed the voice was closer, only inches from the door, “Ah, yes… candied ginger.”

I froze. It was Mark. We were in the Inn with Armando’s posse. I was about to sleep under the same roof as the enemy. I was terrified to move. I quickly wondered if it was worse to move or to stay. If I moved his vampiric hearing would sense my movement. If I stayed my smell would be stronger. I closed my eyes hoping to somehow magically disappear. I could feel him right up against the other side of the door. He knew I was here, inches away, separated only by a wooden door.

“We meet again so soon. What a pleasant surprise,” he said to the door in his soft subtly accented voice. I began to sweat and my hands were trembling. I fought the urge to swallow, fought the urge to move. He knew I was listening. “Please come out and protect me from these galling vermin,” he laughed softly.

The girls tartly rebuffed his comment. His statement did not require a response so I remained motionless. I wanted to scream for Pam. I wanted Eric to intervene. My mouth opened, but the air was blank. I tried to say I was too tired. I tried to say please don’t kidnap me and take me away to Armando. I tried to fight the urge to laugh nervously. He was the most dangerous form an enemy could take. Instead of being a big frightful vampire monster with beaming red eyes and three heads, he was an adorably funny, if somewhat nerdy, teddy bear with friendly eyes. I could squash an evil three-headed monster, but I couldn’t even jab a friendly teddy bear.

“I won’t bite,” he laughed, “Come out and keep me company. These girls are mind-numbing.” The girls huffed at his accusation.

“I’m in my pajamas,” I whispered.

“Then let me in,” he whispered back.

“I’m tired,” I sighed, “and just want to go to bed.”

“I can help you with that.”

“I would never let you in my bed!”

“That’s not what I had in mind you little pervert. How presumptuous of you!” he laughed. “Give me a minute to rid of these vermin so you come out, pajamas and all. I’ll make you a bedtime treat.” As he moved from the door he yelled sternly, “Leave!” The girls scattered, not pleased at his dismissal or rejection. Over the next few minutes I heard rustling and banging, but no voices.

I jumped at a sudden tap on the door. Against all better judgment I opened it. Mark was standing at the island counter, smiling widely with a steaming mug in his hand. The sweet smell of chocolate filled the air and my mouth watered in anticipation.

“Sookie, you are even more exquisite sans makeup… ” My face flushed and I looked down to hide from his gaze. He walked over and gently touched my elbow to guide me to a stool at the granite island. I sat awkwardly in my stool staring at the floor. Mark sat across from me and slid the hot cocoa under my nose.

“I overheard your umm… friends,” I admitted.

“Friends? It seems everywhere I go I have a gaggle of friends trailing me mindlessly. They are ubiquitous and undesirable.” I looked from the floor into his eyes, he smiled down at me and grabbed my hand, adding, “You, on the other hand, are unique.”

I wasn’t quite sure how to respond to this, so I took a long sip of the warm cocoa. It was rich and heavy and absolutely delightful. I smiled and closed my eyes in my own chocolate bliss.

Mark let out a laugh and said, “It pleasures me greatly to see you smile Sookie.”

Not quite certain of the intention behind these words I opened my eyes to gauge his expression. He was simply smiling contently. His fingers caressed my hand and I was suddenly acutely aware that not only was he holding my hand, but our fingers were interlaced. I felt as though time had fast forwarded ten seconds without my consent. I instantly withdrew my hand and added, “I hope I haven’t given you the wrong impression here, I’m with…” I trailed off. I wasn’t technically with anyone. Bill was out of the country, or so everyone thought. We hadn’t been a couple for quite some time. Eric and I were buddies, and sometimes more, but not in a relationship. Would Eric want this group to know we were bonded? Was it an asset or weakness for him if Armando’s group knew? I figured they most likely knew already. I finished my thought, “Eric Northman and I are bonded.”

Mark nodded and seemed to be searching for the right words. Finally he asked, “Do you have photos of the ceremony? I would love to see.”

Vampire-human weddings were now legal in Louisiana, so I figured this is what Mark was referring to. In truth, I would never care to ever see photos of our actual bonding – Andre overseeing the deed was done in the back hallway, certainly a far cry from a joyous event. I took a long sip of my chocolate to delay answering and give myself a moment to think of the best, or most indirect, answer. I wanted to blurt out, “It wasn’t a ceremonious event I’m afraid. We were forced into it by a jerk of a vampire, who I let die by a tiger’s hand.” I refrained. In a different world, in a different time, I could have told Mark everything. But not here, not now. All I could think to say was, “Nope.” It wasn’t eloquent, but it was the best I could muster.

“I’m afraid I have upset you, my apologies.”

“I’m not upset with you. It’s just that I have met many bad vampires who have tried to hurt me and make me do their bidding. Eric didn’t want to bond with me, but he did it to save me. I was forced to choose between bonding with Eric or a horrible vampire who would have done evil things. I get upset when I think about the situation I was forced into, we were forced into. Vampires can be manipulative, selfish, violent jerks. I used to be a naive girl with a simple life, but now I have been manipulated, lied to, beaten, dumped, heartbroken, staked, raped, nearly drained, shot at, and kidnapped. I have seen many die, and I have been forced to kill. Sometimes I just want to go back to my naivety and forget all I have done and seen.” The words came pouring out faster than I could stuff them back in. It must have been the exhaustion. It was like my consciousness was moving in slow motion while my mouth was in real time. I couldn’t catch up to myself, “Can it Sookie!” I threw my hand over my mouth to keep from continuing.

Mark was staring at me with wide eyes blazing. I suspect he thought I was a bit of a lunatic. I knew the look well. After a second he began laughing. He shook his head and said between chuckles, “So, your grand plan to get back to your simple life was to earn protection from not only the local vampires, but the king of your state, and all the local Were packs?” He picked up my hand and whispered in a sober tone, “Sookie, this was an awful means to attain your goal. You have cast a large web, one that will be nearly impossible to escape.”

I laughed. He was right. There was no turning back for me, caught in my own supernatural web. Our eyes met and I felt safe for a moment. He looked genuinely concerned for my wellbeing. I fought the urge to reach out to hug him. Not a sensual hug, but just the comfort of knowing someone cared. This was the type of hug Gran or Bill could provide and I was momentarily disappointed in myself for thinking of Mark in this capacity. As if reading my mind, Mark was at my side and his arms wrapped around my shoulders. His hug was gentle and cordial, nothing more, nothing romantic. Surprising even myself, I leaned into him and let him hug me. I let myself be comforted for one minute of this relentless day.

“Miss Sookie!” We both turned to identify the intruder.

“Bubba!” I wailed and ran to give him a friendly pat on the shoulder. “What are you doing here? It’s been a long time, how are you?”

“Good Miss Sookie, real good.”

“Bubba, this is Mark. He’s from Spain.” Mark nodded, looking at Bubba with determined recognition, I quickly added, “Mark, this is Bubba.” I looked at Mark and gave him a quick head shake to deter any undesirable comments. Mark looked disappointed, but nodded in acknowledgement.

Bubba didn’t return Mark’s nod, instead he turned to me and said, “I can only talk to you, Miss Sookie. I cannot talk to nobody else…. You shouldn’t be alone with a vampire other than Bill or Mr. Eric.”

“You’re right Bubba, will you please join me? That way I won’t be alone with him.” He smiled proudly and sat in the stool next to mine. Without a word, Mark heated up a bottle of TrueBlood for Bubba.

I sat again, taking a drink of my cocoa. I smiled, not just for joy of warm molten chocolate, but because of the safe comfort I felt knowing Bubba was watching over me. Now it was time for me to put on the spy cap.

“This is delicious,” I said taking another drink. “How long are you in town? You should open shop here in Shreveport.”

“We are only here a few days.” Mark smiled at me.

“Why, of all places, Shreveport?”

“We have a business matter with Filipe that pertains to your local Sherriff, so we decided to appeal directly to Mr. Northman for his consent.”

“Consent for what?” I asked innocently.

“You are asking a lot of questions for a tired, simple, pajama-wearing northern Louisianan barmaid,” he looked at me and gave a sly grin. Bubba shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“Come on, you’ve seen me sans makeup, my hair in a knotted ponytail, and wearing pajamas! The least you can do is telling me what you’re really doing here.” I sipped the cocoa. “This is the best cocoa I have ever tasted!”

“Miss Sookie,” Bubba sounded strained, “you shouldn’t…”

Mark abruptly interrupted Bubba by whispering, “My secret is the chocolate. You are drinking a custom dark from Knipschildt Chocolatier.”

“Any other secrets I should know?” I whispered back and looked in his eyes. I thought he might attempt to glamour me, but I didn’t feel a spark. I knew I was toeing a dangerous line, but if I could get under Mark’s skin, he may give me information. Bubba knew to seek help if I needed it and both Drew and Pam were nearby.

A curious look crossed Mark’s face as he sat in contemplation. He leaned even closer and said, “Sookie, I have many secrets you should know. I will tell you everything if you so desire.”

“I so desire,” I smiled.

“Secret number one, I have a gift for you,” he said as he pushed a flat package across the granite. “I intended on giving it to you tomorrow, but since you are here now...”

“Oh, I can’t accept….”

“It’s nothing, just a ‘thank you’ for entertaining me tonight at Fangtasia. To be honest, it is selfish. I am simply spreading his word.”

“You bought me a bible?” I gaped. He laughed and shook his head. I opened the package and found The Essential Bob Dylan CD. “Thank you,” I added. It was certainly not a gift I would have expected from a dead man. I blurted out, “Are you sure you’re a vampire?”

Mark laughed and pointed to his bottle of TrueBlood, “If not, I had better see someone about this addiction I’ve had for a….”

Suddenly Mark was on his feet. With urgency he said, “Sookie, my associates have become concerned by my absence. Unless you would like to meet the entire entourage, I must beg your forgiveness for my abrupt departure.” Turning to Bubba he added with a nod, “I trust you will see her safely to her room.” Mark leaned down and gently kissed me on the cheek. The action was so fast that I didn’t react until after his lips had departed. He whispered in my ear, “Until we meet again,” and exited at human speed.

Bubba shifted uncomfortably. “Miss Sookie!”

“It’s okay Bubba. It’s okay. Who sent you?”

“The man at Bill’s house. He’s mean Miss Sookie.”

“Who’s mean?”

“Mr. Sergey, he is a bad man.”

“Was Bill with him?”

“No,”

“Was Eric with him?”

“No,”

“Okay Bubba, you be careful. You did well.” He stood with pride and I patted him on the shoulder before he returned to the side doorway.

I returned to my room and repacked my bag. I had to make sure Eric, Bill, and Amelia were safe. I couldn’t sit here and wait to be discovered by Mark’s superiors. Mark could be telling them right now that I was under their noses. I couldn’t run through the house looking for Pam. How did Bubba know where to find me? Who was this Sergey and how did he know I would be here? I was a sitting duck, a lamb in the wolf den. I scanned my immediate surroundings. It was clear. I didn’t have a phone, nor did I have a direct number for Eric or Pam or Bill. I didn’t have a car, nor did I know where to go if I had. However, I did know that I had to leave the house, and fast. I crept out the back door, closing it slowly behind me.

As I turned around I slammed into Drew’s chest, “Where do you think you’re going, you little seductress?”

“Drew!” I jumped. “Get me outta of here. Now!”

Drew didn’t seem the slightest bit concerned. He just looked down at me like I was a teenager caught sneaking out of the house. I turned to walk away, but Drew caught my arm and held it firmly. I attempted to pull away, but his grip was unyielding. We just stood there for several minutes, me pulling and him gripping. Then we just stood motionless.

“Enjoy your cocoa?” he winked.

I glared at him, “Now you’re spying on me?”

“Not spying, just overseeing.”

A Cayenne pulled into the darkness at the back of the parking lot. Drew began pulling me towards it by my upper arm. I fought against him and just as I broke his grasp another set of hands grabbed my shoulders, I spun on my heels and plunged my suitcase at the second assailant. It was Pam. She grabbed the suitcase and leered at me, “Sookie, why are you so tense tonight? Get in the car.”

Pam, Drew, and I all got in the back. I was demoted to the middle seat. Clancy was the front passenger and I let out a long sigh of relief to discover Eric was the driver. I resisted the urge to reach out and touch Eric. I wanted to tell him how happy I was to see him. Our eyes met in the rearview mirror and I smiled. I took notice that Eric did not return my smile. I tucked that away for further consideration after I got some sleep. We turned from the parking lot into a residential neighborhood.

“Sookie, tell me about the man you were engaged with all night at the bar.” Pam inquired, earning her a sideward glance from Eric, and a full-on glare from me.

“He’s a baker,” I rolled my eyes at her. She smiled widely and looked at Eric. I could feel Eric’s eyes on me in the rearview mirror.

“He’s handsome. I like that type. Delicious.” Pam continued, licking her lips.

“You missed the best part. They were just snuggled up together drinking cocoa by the fire,” Drew winked at Pam, Clancy glanced back at us, and Pam turned in her seat to face me.

“Sookie! Just now? In there?” Pam gasped with a sly grin.

“Pam, we were not snuggling, and there was no fire,” I snapped.

“First he had his arms around her, then he gave her a gift, and then he kissed her. Is this not true Sookie?” Drew mocked. Pam’s jaw dropped and the car jolted forward on the road. Eric was dead silent as he stared ahead.

“Sookie the Seductress!” Pam laughed.

I turned to Drew and said flatly, “I despise you.”

“What did he give you Sookie, other than kisses?” Pam snickered.

I remained silent, ignoring their continued jabbing. Now they had Eric thinking I was kissing some Spanish baker immediately after our near-encounter earlier in the evening. Eric didn’t meet my eyes in the mirror. This made me feel queasy. I never intended to cause Eric additional stress. He already had to deal with Armando’s crew, the king, Victor, and the attack on my house. I only wanted information from Mark, that’s all, right? We were driving excessively fast, even for Eric. The night was exhausting and all I wanted was sleep.

I could feel tears pool up in my eyes but I refused to let them out. I rested my head back and closed my eyes. Pam and Drew continued to reenact, poorly if I might add, my night. Out of pure exhaustion I snapped, “I think Eric is concerned with more pressing matters and could care less about your shenanigans!”

“Oh please enlighten us mortal one,” Drew droned sarcastically under his breath. Pam and Clancy laughed. Vampires rarely suspected a mortal like me could even begin to comprehend the complex politics of their world. This angered me and I instantly found myself enraged at their relentless ridicule and belittling. Eric must have sensed the sudden change in my mood because he attempted to catch my eyes in the rearview mirror. I turned away.

“Stop!” he demanded of them, but it was too late.

I felt exhaustion, terror, and nausea all bundle together inside me. A nervous laughter poured out of my lungs. “Oh I will Drew,” I sneered. My temper flared uncontrollably and before I could control my thoughts the words flew out my mouth, “One, Victor plans to overthrow Filipe. Two, some mean vampire named Sergey is living in Bill’s house and knew to find me here tonight. Third, I think Victor planned the attack on my house so he had an excuse to be here at the same time as the Europeans. Maybe he plans on taking out Filipe soon, or maybe he didn’t think Filipe would come and he hoped to take out Eric before his negotiations with the Europeans. Isn’t it a little convenient that the only person in the world who has publically declared he would die for me was sent to Prague? Also, Filipe knows Eric and I are bonded, so how convenient that we were separated by an hour drive tonight while I entertained the European associate’s entourage. Lastly, I think the Europeans are here because they want me under their leader’s reign and are either going to buy me or just take me. Is this enough for you or do you want more!?”

I hadn’t realized several things until I stopped my tirade. First, I had increased my tone to a scream and now in my silence my ears shot with pain. Secondly, at some point the car had come to a screeching halt on the side of the road and my chest hurt from the seatbelt recoil. Thirdly, I just revealed way too much information for my own good and would need to climb out of this hole I dug. And lastly, my overnight bag had somehow shredded into pieces on my lap.
I was stuck in the middle seat between four pale, unblinking faces staring at me in utter astonishment. Their faces faded as I felt myself slip away to unconsciousness. Several hands touched me, a breeze brushed my face, and I heard the sounds of trees dancing in the wind.

The last words I heard were shared between Pam and Eric.

“He is here?”

“Yes.”

“She must have…”

“Yes.”

“But that means…”

“Yes.”



Chapter 12

After closing Fangtasia we parted from Armando’s secret agents. Pam made arrangements to meet them, Clara in particular, at their Inn after dropping me off. I was glad Pam offered to do so as I was extremely exhausted and just wanted to sleep. The drive was pleasantly silent and I rested my head back in the seat. Pam hesitated momentarily in the garage before entering the house, her nostrils flared. She turned and I mindlessly followed her in my sleepy stupor intending on heading straight to bed.

“Change of plans,” she informed me casually. I turned. Pam’s outstretched arm held out a note from Eric.


Pam,
Leave Sookie here. Join us at the Hilton, room 1304.
Eric


She had planned on entertaining Clara for the night, so I assumed the change of plans was because Pam would be joining Eric instead. I shrugged my shoulders and headed down the hall. My plan remained unchanged – sleep.

Suddenly Pam was blocking the hallway. I took a deep breath and exhaled exasperatedly. She grabbed my arm and walked me into the bedroom where she turned to me and put one finger over her lips in a shushing motion. She silently packed some of my clothes and toiletries, shuffled the bed to make it appear freshly occupied, and propped up a cell phone on the nightstand. Pam looked at me as if anticipating an answer. I had no idea what was going on, let alone what question she could expect me to answer. She shook her head in frustration and stepped closer, touching one finger to my forehead, followed by a wide sweeping motion around the room with the same finger. It took me a minute to realize what she was asking me. My guard was down so I swept the area. Surprisingly, I picked up three blank signals some distance from the house. I held up three fingers and pointed to her to signal that they were vampires.

She nodded in understanding and said, “Goodnight Sookie. I will be in room 1304 at the Hilton if you need to reach me. Call if you have any problems.”

My mouth dropped open and I scowled at her, shaking my head in disapproval. She was not going to leave me here with three stalking vampires! She signaled for me to play along. I wasn’t exactly sure what game we were attempting to play, so I tried my best. “Ok Pam, goodnight,” I rolled my eyes.

She grabbed me and fled to the garage where she motioned for me to hide in the back seat. I obediently got in and curled up on the floor. We drove for less than five minutes and parked in front of the Shreveport Hilton. Pam opened the back door and I crawled out hesitantly, following her to a dark blueSaabidling nearby. It was Drew.

Once in the car I let loose, “Pam, explain!”

Drew laughed, “Hi Sookie, nice to see you too.”

After a pause Pam finally said, “Eric was warning me to make it appear that you were alone in the house. He was also informing us that a car would be waiting at the Hilton for an exchange. He booked a room here as a cover, but we will stay up the street.” I was exhausted and just wanted a bed. Frankly I didn’t care where, as long as I was the only one in it.

Eric’s note was obscure, to say the least, and I didn’t gather any of this from my initial reading. Speaking of Eric, where was he?

“Will Eric be there?”

My question fell to deaf ears. A few minutes later we pulled up to a stately southern-style mansion with lights blazing in the first floor parlor. Several people were gathered in this regal room, a dozen or so vampires surrounded by countless undiscerning, sparsely-clad fangbangers. If I had a list of events I would least like to participate in, a vamp party complete with human buffet would be near the top. As we parked in the back I wondered briefly if Eric was inside. I let my mind slip to the idea of him partaking in these indulgences. Even at one a month, he had been with over ten thousands women in his years on Earth. Knowing this insatiable Viking, this was an extraordinarily conservative estimate. A hundred thousand sexual partners? I shook the thought and tried to sooth the deep ache building in the pit of my stomach.

Drew pulled up to the back entrance. Pam proceeded to get out and walk up the steps.

“I’m not going in there!” I sat with determination, bag clinched in hand, “Take me somewhere else.”

“The back bedroom of the Inn is separated from the guests by the kitchen and dining room. The vamps have no reason to enter and the humans know better. You will go unnoticed.” Drew reassured me as he turned to face me, “You will be safe.”

I followed Pam in the back door and through a hallway into a large gourmet kitchen with endless granite, white cabinets, and professional appliances. I half expected Rachael Ray to waltz in and greet us. Pam handed me a key and pointed to a door at the back of the kitchen.

“Goodnight,” I murmured and headed to my room.

“Goodnight,” Pam said softly to my back, “Eric will be in soon to tuck you in.” I didn’t turn to see her expression.

The room had an ornate canopy bed, several chairs, and vanity with mirror. Every fabric and wall in the room was floral. The furniture and decor were excessive given the size of the room, but all I cared about was the bed. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, combed my hair into a ponytail, and changed. The bed and pillows were soft and I fell into them.

Just as I began to drift off I heard voices near my door. I put the pillow over my head in frustration. The voices intensified as more bodies joined in the kitchen, eventually pulling me out of my slumber. I let down my guard. There were three humans and one vampire. One girl was thinking about how she could get rid of the other two so she could have the vamp to herself. The jumbled images of sexual acts she intended to perform with him were too deviant for my taste. The second girl was wondering why the vamp wasn’t responding to her advances. Her cleavage went unnoticed as she unbuttoned her shirt and when she reached down to stimulate him he turned away. She began strategizing alternative methods to arouse him. The third female, however, was thinking about Victor! I honed in on her, ‘I need to get information, someday I will queen by Victor’s side, his woman, his love, he loves me, he says I am the best he’s ever had, why isn’t this guy fucking me yet, it’s never been this difficult for me, look at me, Victor will be rich, rich, rich and buy me everything I want, he’ll marry me, need to spy….’

The girls were nauseating, but my focus turned to the vampire. Who was he? If it was Eric could I refrain from ripping open the door and slapping these tramps silly? Probably not. Why did Victor send a spy to this gathering?

In an attempt to identify the fourth member of the jamboree, I tip toed to the door and pressed my ear against it. The fangbangers were practically begging to be taken, in every sense of the word. One was pleading for him to draw from her instead of drinking from his bottle. They were detailing how exactly they wanted to pleasure him all night. Unfortunately for my ears, they were describing in excruciating detail, each girl fighting to be heard over the other two.

I sincerely hoped they would not fulfill these fantasies right there in the kitchen, thirty feet from my bed.

Finally the vampire spoke, “Silence!” demanded an authoritative voice. Had I not been still already, I would have frozen in place. His voice was vaguely familiar, but not Eric. The girls instantly stilled and he continued, “Ladies, focus, scissors and tape.”

The girls scrambled and upon his command went on a scavenger hunt. They were all thinking they would be the favored flavor of the night if they found his requested items first. Were they not curious about why he needed scissors and tape? I could hear them scurrying around like mice in a barn.

Eventually, “Here, here, I found them!” a voice shrilled with excitement near my door.

“Thank you Kim,” he said flatly.

“What are you going to do for me in return,” she moaned. She probably intended for her words to purr off her tongue, but she sounded more like a desperate cat in heat.

“I am not interested. You can all depart now. Wait, I believe I smell….” He trailed off. When he resumed the voice was closer, only inches from the door, “Ah, yes… candied ginger.”

I froze. It was Mark. We were in the Inn with Armando’s posse. I was about to sleep under the same roof as the enemy. I was terrified to move. I quickly wondered if it was worse to move or to stay. If I moved his vampiric hearing would sense my movement. If I stayed my smell would be stronger. I closed my eyes hoping to somehow magically disappear. I could feel him right up against the other side of the door. He knew I was here, inches away, separated only by a wooden door.

“We meet again so soon. What a pleasant surprise,” he said to the door in his soft subtly accented voice. I began to sweat and my hands were trembling. I fought the urge to swallow, fought the urge to move. He knew I was listening. “Please come out and protect me from these galling vermin,” he laughed softly.

The girls tartly rebuffed his comment. His statement did not require a response so I remained motionless. I wanted to scream for Pam. I wanted Eric to intervene. My mouth opened, but the air was blank. I tried to say I was too tired. I tried to say please don’t kidnap me and take me away to Armando. I tried to fight the urge to laugh nervously. He was the most dangerous form an enemy could take. Instead of being a big frightful vampire monster with beaming red eyes and three heads, he was an adorably funny, if somewhat nerdy, teddy bear with friendly eyes. I could squash an evil three-headed monster, but I couldn’t even jab a friendly teddy bear.

“I won’t bite,” he laughed, “Come out and keep me company. These girls are mind-numbing.” The girls huffed at his accusation.

“I’m in my pajamas,” I whispered.

“Then let me in,” he whispered back.

“I’m tired,” I sighed, “and just want to go to bed.”

“I can help you with that.”

“I would never let you in my bed!”

“That’s not what I had in mind you little pervert. How presumptuous of you!” he laughed. “Give me a minute to rid of these vermin so you come out, pajamas and all. I’ll make you a bedtime treat.” As he moved from the door he yelled sternly, “Leave!” The girls scattered, not pleased at his dismissal or rejection. Over the next few minutes I heard rustling and banging, but no voices.

I jumped at a sudden tap on the door. Against all better judgment I opened it. Mark was standing at the island counter, smiling widely with a steaming mug in his hand. The sweet smell of chocolate filled the air and my mouth watered in anticipation.

“Sookie, you are even more exquisite sans makeup… ” My face flushed and I looked down to hide from his gaze. He walked over and gently touched my elbow to guide me to a stool at the granite island. I sat awkwardly in my stool staring at the floor. Mark sat across from me and slid the hot cocoa under my nose.

“I overheard your umm… friends,” I admitted.

“Friends? It seems everywhere I go I have a gaggle of friends trailing me mindlessly. They are ubiquitous and undesirable.” I looked from the floor into his eyes, he smiled down at me and grabbed my hand, adding, “You, on the other hand, are unique.”

I wasn’t quite sure how to respond to this, so I took a long sip of the warm cocoa. It was rich and heavy and absolutely delightful. I smiled and closed my eyes in my own chocolate bliss.

Mark let out a laugh and said, “It pleasures me greatly to see you smile Sookie.”

Not quite certain of the intention behind these words I opened my eyes to gauge his expression. He was simply smiling contently. His fingers caressed my hand and I was suddenly acutely aware that not only was he holding my hand, but our fingers were interlaced. I felt as though time had fast forwarded ten seconds without my consent. I instantly withdrew my hand and added, “I hope I haven’t given you the wrong impression here, I’m with…” I trailed off. I wasn’t technically with anyone. Bill was out of the country, or so everyone thought. We hadn’t been a couple for quite some time. Eric and I were buddies, and sometimes more, but not in a relationship. Would Eric want this group to know we were bonded? Was it an asset or weakness for him if Armando’s group knew? I figured they most likely knew already. I finished my thought, “Eric Northman and I are bonded.”

Mark nodded and seemed to be searching for the right words. Finally he asked, “Do you have photos of the ceremony? I would love to see.”

Vampire-human weddings were now legal in Louisiana, so I figured this is what Mark was referring to. In truth, I would never care to ever see photos of our actual bonding – Andre overseeing the deed was done in the back hallway, certainly a far cry from a joyous event. I took a long sip of my chocolate to delay answering and give myself a moment to think of the best, or most indirect, answer. I wanted to blurt out, “It wasn’t a ceremonious event I’m afraid. We were forced into it by a jerk of a vampire, who I let die by a tiger’s hand.” I refrained. In a different world, in a different time, I could have told Mark everything. But not here, not now. All I could think to say was, “Nope.” It wasn’t eloquent, but it was the best I could muster.

“I’m afraid I have upset you, my apologies.”

“I’m not upset with you. It’s just that I have met many bad vampires who have tried to hurt me and make me do their bidding. Eric didn’t want to bond with me, but he did it to save me. I was forced to choose between bonding with Eric or a horrible vampire who would have done evil things. I get upset when I think about the situation I was forced into, we were forced into. Vampires can be manipulative, selfish, violent jerks. I used to be a naive girl with a simple life, but now I have been manipulated, lied to, beaten, dumped, heartbroken, staked, raped, nearly drained, shot at, and kidnapped. I have seen many die, and I have been forced to kill. Sometimes I just want to go back to my naivety and forget all I have done and seen.” The words came pouring out faster than I could stuff them back in. It must have been the exhaustion. It was like my consciousness was moving in slow motion while my mouth was in real time. I couldn’t catch up to myself, “Can it Sookie!” I threw my hand over my mouth to keep from continuing.

Mark was staring at me with wide eyes blazing. I suspect he thought I was a bit of a lunatic. I knew the look well. After a second he began laughing. He shook his head and said between chuckles, “So, your grand plan to get back to your simple life was to earn protection from not only the local vampires, but the king of your state, and all the local Were packs?” He picked up my hand and whispered in a sober tone, “Sookie, this was an awful means to attain your goal. You have cast a large web, one that will be nearly impossible to escape.”

I laughed. He was right. There was no turning back for me, caught in my own supernatural web. Our eyes met and I felt safe for a moment. He looked genuinely concerned for my wellbeing. I fought the urge to reach out to hug him. Not a sensual hug, but just the comfort of knowing someone cared. This was the type of hug Gran or Bill could provide and I was momentarily disappointed in myself for thinking of Mark in this capacity. As if reading my mind, Mark was at my side and his arms wrapped around my shoulders. His hug was gentle and cordial, nothing more, nothing romantic. Surprising even myself, I leaned into him and let him hug me. I let myself be comforted for one minute of this relentless day.

“Miss Sookie!” We both turned to identify the intruder.

“Bubba!” I wailed and ran to give him a friendly pat on the shoulder. “What are you doing here? It’s been a long time, how are you?”

“Good Miss Sookie, real good.”

“Bubba, this is Mark. He’s from Spain.” Mark nodded, looking at Bubba with determined recognition, I quickly added, “Mark, this is Bubba.” I looked at Mark and gave him a quick head shake to deter any undesirable comments. Mark looked disappointed, but nodded in acknowledgement.

Bubba didn’t return Mark’s nod, instead he turned to me and said, “I can only talk to you, Miss Sookie. I cannot talk to nobody else…. You shouldn’t be alone with a vampire other than Bill or Mr. Eric.”

“You’re right Bubba, will you please join me? That way I won’t be alone with him.” He smiled proudly and sat in the stool next to mine. Without a word, Mark heated up a bottle of TrueBlood for Bubba.

I sat again, taking a drink of my cocoa. I smiled, not just for joy of warm molten chocolate, but because of the safe comfort I felt knowing Bubba was watching over me. Now it was time for me to put on the spy cap.

“This is delicious,” I said taking another drink. “How long are you in town? You should open shop here in Shreveport.”

“We are only here a few days.” Mark smiled at me.

“Why, of all places, Shreveport?”

“We have a business matter with Filipe that pertains to your local Sherriff, so we decided to appeal directly to Mr. Northman for his consent.”

“Consent for what?” I asked innocently.

“You are asking a lot of questions for a tired, simple, pajama-wearing northern Louisianan barmaid,” he looked at me and gave a sly grin. Bubba shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“Come on, you’ve seen me sans makeup, my hair in a knotted ponytail, and wearing pajamas! The least you can do is telling me what you’re really doing here.” I sipped the cocoa. “This is the best cocoa I have ever tasted!”

“Miss Sookie,” Bubba sounded strained, “you shouldn’t…”

Mark abruptly interrupted Bubba by whispering, “My secret is the chocolate. You are drinking a custom dark from Knipschildt Chocolatier.”

“Any other secrets I should know?” I whispered back and looked in his eyes. I thought he might attempt to glamour me, but I didn’t feel a spark. I knew I was toeing a dangerous line, but if I could get under Mark’s skin, he may give me information. Bubba knew to seek help if I needed it and both Drew and Pam were nearby.

A curious look crossed Mark’s face as he sat in contemplation. He leaned even closer and said, “Sookie, I have many secrets you should know. I will tell you everything if you so desire.”

“I so desire,” I smiled.

“Secret number one, I have a gift for you,” he said as he pushed a flat package across the granite. “I intended on giving it to you tomorrow, but since you are here now...”

“Oh, I can’t accept….”

“It’s nothing, just a ‘thank you’ for entertaining me tonight at Fangtasia. To be honest, it is selfish. I am simply spreading his word.”

“You bought me a bible?” I gaped. He laughed and shook his head. I opened the package and found The Essential Bob Dylan CD. “Thank you,” I added. It was certainly not a gift I would have expected from a dead man. I blurted out, “Are you sure you’re a vampire?”

Mark laughed and pointed to his bottle of TrueBlood, “If not, I had better see someone about this addiction I’ve had for a….”

Suddenly Mark was on his feet. With urgency he said, “Sookie, my associates have become concerned by my absence. Unless you would like to meet the entire entourage, I must beg your forgiveness for my abrupt departure.” Turning to Bubba he added with a nod, “I trust you will see her safely to her room.” Mark leaned down and gently kissed me on the cheek. The action was so fast that I didn’t react until after his lips had departed. He whispered in my ear, “Until we meet again,” and exited at human speed.

Bubba shifted uncomfortably. “Miss Sookie!”

“It’s okay Bubba. It’s okay. Who sent you?”

“The man at Bill’s house. He’s mean Miss Sookie.”

“Who’s mean?”

“Mr. Sergey, he is a bad man.”

“Was Bill with him?”

“No,”

“Was Eric with him?”

“No,”

“Okay Bubba, you be careful. You did well.” He stood with pride and I patted him on the shoulder before he returned to the side doorway.

I returned to my room and repacked my bag. I had to make sure Eric, Bill, and Amelia were safe. I couldn’t sit here and wait to be discovered by Mark’s superiors. Mark could be telling them right now that I was under their noses. I couldn’t run through the house looking for Pam. How did Bubba know where to find me? Who was this Sergey and how did he know I would be here? I was a sitting duck, a lamb in the wolf den. I scanned my immediate surroundings. It was clear. I didn’t have a phone, nor did I have a direct number for Eric or Pam or Bill. I didn’t have a car, nor did I know where to go if I had. However, I did know that I had to leave the house, and fast. I crept out the back door, closing it slowly behind me.

As I turned around I slammed into Drew’s chest, “Where do you think you’re going, you little seductress?”

“Drew!” I jumped. “Get me outta of here. Now!”

Drew didn’t seem the slightest bit concerned. He just looked down at me like I was a teenager caught sneaking out of the house. I turned to walk away, but Drew caught my arm and held it firmly. I attempted to pull away, but his grip was unyielding. We just stood there for several minutes, me pulling and him gripping. Then we just stood motionless.

“Enjoy your cocoa?” he winked.

I glared at him, “Now you’re spying on me?”

“Not spying, just overseeing.”

A Cayenne pulled into the darkness at the back of the parking lot. Drew began pulling me towards it by my upper arm. I fought against him and just as I broke his grasp another set of hands grabbed my shoulders, I spun on my heels and plunged my suitcase at the second assailant. It was Pam. She grabbed the suitcase and leered at me, “Sookie, why are you so tense tonight? Get in the car.”

Pam, Drew, and I all got in the back. I was demoted to the middle seat. Clancy was the front passenger and I let out a long sigh of relief to discover Eric was the driver. I resisted the urge to reach out and touch Eric. I wanted to tell him how happy I was to see him. Our eyes met in the rearview mirror and I smiled. I took notice that Eric did not return my smile. I tucked that away for further consideration after I got some sleep. We turned from the parking lot into a residential neighborhood.

“Sookie, tell me about the man you were engaged with all night at the bar.” Pam inquired, earning her a sideward glance from Eric, and a full-on glare from me.

“He’s a baker,” I rolled my eyes at her. She smiled widely and looked at Eric. I could feel Eric’s eyes on me in the rearview mirror.

“He’s handsome. I like that type. Delicious.” Pam continued, licking her lips.

“You missed the best part. They were just snuggled up together drinking cocoa by the fire,” Drew winked at Pam, Clancy glanced back at us, and Pam turned in her seat to face me.

“Sookie! Just now? In there?” Pam gasped with a sly grin.

“Pam, we were not snuggling, and there was no fire,” I snapped.

“First he had his arms around her, then he gave her a gift, and then he kissed her. Is this not true Sookie?” Drew mocked. Pam’s jaw dropped and the car jolted forward on the road. Eric was dead silent as he stared ahead.

“Sookie the Seductress!” Pam laughed.

I turned to Drew and said flatly, “I despise you.”

“What did he give you Sookie, other than kisses?” Pam snickered.

I remained silent, ignoring their continued jabbing. Now they had Eric thinking I was kissing some Spanish baker immediately after our near-encounter earlier in the evening. Eric didn’t meet my eyes in the mirror. This made me feel queasy. I never intended to cause Eric additional stress. He already had to deal with Armando’s crew, the king, Victor, and the attack on my house. I only wanted information from Mark, that’s all, right? We were driving excessively fast, even for Eric. The night was exhausting and all I wanted was sleep.

I could feel tears pool up in my eyes but I refused to let them out. I rested my head back and closed my eyes. Pam and Drew continued to reenact, poorly if I might add, my night. Out of pure exhaustion I snapped, “I think Eric is concerned with more pressing matters and could care less about your shenanigans!”

“Oh please enlighten us mortal one,” Drew droned sarcastically under his breath. Pam and Clancy laughed. Vampires rarely suspected a mortal like me could even begin to comprehend the complex politics of their world. This angered me and I instantly found myself enraged at their relentless ridicule and belittling. Eric must have sensed the sudden change in my mood because he attempted to catch my eyes in the rearview mirror. I turned away.

“Stop!” he demanded of them, but it was too late.

I felt exhaustion, terror, and nausea all bundle together inside me. A nervous laughter poured out of my lungs. “Oh I will Drew,” I sneered. My temper flared uncontrollably and before I could control my thoughts the words flew out my mouth, “One, Victor plans to overthrow Filipe. Two, some mean vampire named Sergey is living in Bill’s house and knew to find me here tonight. Third, I think Victor planned the attack on my house so he had an excuse to be here at the same time as the Europeans. Maybe he plans on taking out Filipe soon, or maybe he didn’t think Filipe would come and he hoped to take out Eric before his negotiations with the Europeans. Isn’t it a little convenient that the only person in the world who has publically declared he would die for me was sent to Prague? Also, Filipe knows Eric and I are bonded, so how convenient that we were separated by an hour drive tonight while I entertained the European associate’s entourage. Lastly, I think the Europeans are here because they want me under their leader’s reign and are either going to buy me or just take me. Is this enough for you or do you want more!?”

I hadn’t realized several things until I stopped my tirade. First, I had increased my tone to a scream and now in my silence my ears shot with pain. Secondly, at some point the car had come to a screeching halt on the side of the road and my chest hurt from the seatbelt recoil. Thirdly, I just revealed way too much information for my own good and would need to climb out of this hole I dug. And lastly, my overnight bag had somehow shredded into pieces on my lap.
I was stuck in the middle seat between four pale, unblinking faces staring at me in utter astonishment. Their faces faded as I felt myself slip away to unconsciousness. Several hands touched me, a breeze brushed my face, and I heard the sounds of trees dancing in the wind.

The last words I heard were shared between Pam and Eric.

“He is here?”

“Yes.”

“She must have…”

“Yes.”

“But that means…”

“Yes.”

Chapter 13 Sitting on the bed I mulled over my mission for the night. At eleven I would arrive at Fangtasia with Mark, Amanda, and Clara and attempt to divert Victor from Filipe and Eric. Pam knows I would not participate in unseemly physical activities with Victor, so it went without saying that this was not her intent. At least, I hoped not. Following her instructions, I would keep Victor within eyesight of Mark. Inexplicitly this made me feel more comfortable with my mission. Not only did I feel oddly content around Mark, but I knew his presence would keep Victor in line, should Eric and Pam be preoccupied. Mark was the most humanlike vampire I had ever met. This didn’t seem possible and I wished I wasn’t so quick to trust him. He was, after all, the enemy’s spy. And he was, after all, a vampire, an old vampire with plenty of years to master manipulation tactics on his prey. Nonetheless, I hoped Mark’s presence would deter any inappropriate advances from Victor.

My only encounter with Victor in the past had been an unpleasant one, to say the least. He threatened my life, as well as the lives of Amelia, Bill, and Eric. I may be a semi-forgiving person, but this action set him permanently on my ‘do not forgive’ list. I was not as pragmatic as Eric, who found himself able to instantly accept this new reign.

I also considered how Mark asked me to dinner in front of Eric. I had not accepted, nor denied, his offer. To be honest with myself, under different circumstances I would accept a date with Mark. Under different circumstances I would enjoy getting to know him. This was not the current situation, and I knew it. Lives were on the line here, people were missing, and I wasn’t about to move to Spain. What struck me as odd was that Eric seemed to anticipate Mark’s invitation. Perhaps this was another part of Eric’s clever plan. I knew Eric had a plan, at least one. Eric always had a plan. I would accept Mark’s offer and get at much information as possible from him.

A knock on my door brought me back to the present. The door slid open enough to reveal Mark. He was wearing grey dress pants, undoubtedly custom tailored to his frame, and a black fitted t-shirt, exposing his well-toned arms. His hair was still down and fell just shy of his shoulders. With his glasses off his eyes were the highlight of his face, radiant and gleaming, one could get lost in those eyes. And this was exactly what I was afraid of doing. No doubt he was a lovely and superbly striking man, if one were interested, which I am not. He walked over to the end of the bed and offered his hand to me. I took his hand and he gently guided me up, standing by his side.

He turned my hand palm-up, placed a box in it, and said “Amanda tells me that this is the custom in Northern Louisiana.”

I recalled the CD he gave me the night before. At the same time I also recalled the joke he made at the bar after Clara teased me about being Pam’s human. I joked, “This isn’t Clara’s left index finger, is it?” I truly hoped not. The fact that it even crossed my mind was probably a sign that I had spent too much time around unsavory vampires.

He chuckled and shook his head. “No, but if you prefer…” he teased.

“No, no,” I responded and opened the box. It was a corsage, a bona fide 1950’s style wrist corsage with three pink carnations and a sprig of green. Simple, yet elegant. I suddenly fought the overwhelming urge to laugh at the scene. Amanda, Amanda, Amanda. She clearly watched too much American television. This was my senior prom revisited, only this time I would not be going with JB, but a man even more handsome (albeit dead) who renders the most tender kisses. A dead man, possibly older than Eric, had just given me the keepsake of a high school prom. If Gran could see me now! I giggled under my breath. I bit my lower lip in a failed attempted to refrain from laughing. This only served to make my laugh escalate out of control. I sat on the edge of the bed to attempt to damper my amusement. How rude this must appear to Mark. He was only being considerate of American traditions and here I was laughing at him. I pulled it together and looked up at Mark.

He was watching my outburst with a hint of amusement. He rubbed his head thoughtfully and sat on the edge of the bed next to me. “Have I committed a social faux pas?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just this tradition is reserved for prom. You know… high school… teenagers. You are what, seven hundred years old?”

“Twelve hundred, actually. But I don’t look a day over seven hundred due to all the Botox.” He patted his cheek and let out a longwinded laugh. He grabbed the box and lined up his arm to aim for the trashcan across the room.

“No, don’t throw it away!” I yelped and grabbed the box from him; more accurately, he let me grab the box from him. I walked over to transfer contents of my purse to the new one Amanda gave me. It was black, matching my shoes and the thin black belt of my dress. I carefully tied the corsage to the handle of the purse and smiled back at Mark as if to say, ta-da!

He was now on his feet and smiled down at me, “Our entourage is looking forward to meeting you. May I have the pleasure of introducing you?”

I was hesitant about this. I wondered how many people were in Armando’s entourage. It would be an opportunity to assess the group hierarchy. If I could simply repel the leader, then maybe this whole aspect of my problems would end. Eventually I would be meeting these vampires, but I would prefer to do so in the presence of Eric. At least I would have Pam nearby for safety. “Sure,” was all I said.

“I sense that you are apprehensive.”

“Yes.”

“I will not leave your side. If you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable, squeeze my arm and we will depart. As I told your sheriff, I will not put you in danger.”

I nodded to signal that I was ready to get this over with. He held out his arm. I took it and he guided me through a hallway, down a grand staircase, and to the front foyer. As we approached the front parlor voices grew louder. I could feel my face stretch as a nervous smile overtook my face. I remembered the glimpse of the parlor from the night before – endless scantily clad fangbangers hanging from a dozen or so vampires. I hoped that I would be walking into a different scenario.

Suddenly we took an unexpected detour from the foyer. Instead of turning left into the parlor, we turned right into a library. The room contained three walls of books from floor to the eighteen-foot ceiling. The wood was a dark cherry, matching the frames of several reading tables and chairs in the center of the room. The carpet was a deep blue, walls burgundy, and the furniture dark patterned leather. The room was masculine, dapper, and sophisticated. He guided me to the far end of the library to sit in a chair. He sat opposite me and just watched me for a minute without a word. I enjoyed the silence, but would have preferred to get these formal introductions over with.

He reached out and grabbed my hand, whispering “Sookie, you are appallingly nervous. I would like to help you relax before our introductions. May I?”

I wasn’t exactly sure what he was requesting. I looked around the room to assess my escape options, not that I could outrun or outsmart a twelve hundred year old vampire, but I still needed to know my options. Other than the main entrance, there was a door in the back of the room, over my shoulder. Presumably it led out to the main hallway. He was still watching me, studying me. I could feel my smile falter under his gaze.

He laughed and said, “At least I succeeded in stripping you of your broken smile. Your real smile is beautiful, I would like to that one, please.”

I just stared at him. It is quite infrequent that someone knows me well enough to differentiate my smiles. This was often reserved for intimate friends and lovers, Mark was neither. I smiled, it was not my nervously tight smile, but it was a well-rehearsed neutral smile that never failed me.

“Nope, not the one,” he laughed.

I could feel my mouth drop open. I quickly recomposed myself and let go of his hand to reach over and squeeze his arm. It was the signal we discussed upstairs. It was all I could think to do and I was at a loss for words.

“Point taken,” he whispered quite seriously. “Would you like a moment to relax, or would you prefer we get this over with?”

“Is there a third option?”

“Always.”

“Door three, please,” I requested, feeling a smile escape from my tightened lips.

“There it is,” he beamed proudly, signaling with his hand to my smile. This made me smile wider, although I tried to hold back. He added, “Mission accomplished.” I mockingly shook my head in defeat. He grabbed my hand again and smiled contently at me. “Sookie, I could take you out of here now for option three, but it would only delay the inevitable. Unless….” he thought for a minute before adding, “Unless you want to run away with me.” He wiggled his eyebrows, making it impossible to tell if he was serious or teasing. I wish this was an option the real Eric would have offered. I wish that Bill would have offered this option before running off with Lorena and after coming clean about his original mission from Sophie-Anne. There was no point dwelling on the impossible. Even if Bill wanted to, he could never turn back the clock and do it right. Even if my Eric once offered this option, the real Eric was self-admittedly first and foremost about Eric.

“Okay,” was all I said, intentionally ambiguous.

“Excellent selection,” he laughed and leaned back in his chair. We were still holding hands, fingers interlaced. It felt so natural. I wondered if it was a cultural thing in Spain, like the French greeting and departing with kisses to the cheek. Do Spanish men simply hold ladies hands all day, a touchy-feely cultural thing? We simply sat for a couple minutes listening to stages of conversation in the nearby parlor: laughing, talking, and then a sudden silence.

Abruptly Mark dropped my hand and stood to guided me to my feet. His hands properly folded in front of his body, and suddenly I was in awe of his class and mannerism. I am certainly not gauche, but this man by my side was refined, sophisticated, and cultured. He oozed charm, as only a distinguished man could (if a distinguished man oozed anything at all, that is). In haste he added, “I apologize in advance. I had hoped to prepare you better for this moment, if only we had more time…” he abruptly clinched his jaw and looked at me apologetically. I eyed him curiously, having no idea
why he suddenly altered his behavior. I hadn’t realized the bustle swirling the house until now that it was gone. The house was silent. Dead silent.

“Well, well, well. What is this?” a faintly accented voice inquired from the library doorway. I jumped and turned to see a spitting image of Mark, but this clone had shorter hair and was perhaps an inch taller, but he was just as lovely as Mark, with dark shiny hair and a beaming smile. He rapidly crossed the room to approach Mark and said, “This house is infested. Whose doing is this? I want these vermin out. Don’t tell me you are partaking in such indulgences? I thought you were the one with morals and character.” At the words such indulgences, he nodded in my direction but his eyes never once focused on me.

Mark said with a smile, “Have you seen this indulgence?”

The clone turned to me and focused intently as he squinted. His lips pursed and he nodded, “I beg your pardon miss.” He leaned in and kissed each of my cheeks in turn. They were more of air kisses as our cheeks touched, not lip-to-cheek contact. He took my hand and continued his rant, “Hours of flight only to be welcomed by a room full of vermin,” he nodded his head in the direction of the parlor, “a lady such as yourself has no place under a roof with such ghastly creatures.” He waved his hand as if this would somehow expunge the house of all fangbangers. Given the current silence, perhaps he had already expunged them all. I attempted to hide my smile. Finally I meet vampires who are repelled by fangbangers, only to have them be the spies of Armando, the vampire who wants to kidnap me.

My hand was still in the clones, as Mark said, “I would like to introduce you to Miss Sookie Stackhouse.”

“Ah yes,” the clone said slowly, sounding more like Ahhhhhh yeeessssss, his eyes bore deeply into mine. Mark shifted his weight uncomfortably. I looked back and forth between the two. The clone continued, “It is my pleasure Miss Stackhouse, I take it you have met all three Musketeers?” he turned to Mark to added, “And where are Porthos and Aramis?”

“I resent the implication that I am Athos! And yes, they have met. Clara and Amanda will be accompanying Miss Stackhouse and me to Fangtasia this evening.”

“We will join you. Have our negations come to term? I anxiously await my return to civilization and culture.”

I jumped in, “You anxiously await your return? You just walked through the door!” While Shreveport was not my hometown, I felt a ping of resentment for anyone making fun of the lack of refinement in small-town-USA. Bon Temps was significantly smaller than Shreveport, but it was my town. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it may not be Madrid or Velencia, but there was no need to be disrespectful. Plus, this was Eric’s city. Be respectful of my Viking’s city!

The clone grinned down at me and then turned to Mark with a smirk on his face.

Mark appeared to be carefully thinking through several potential scenarios as to how this conversation could proceed. After a moment he looked down at me and said unequivocally, “I rather like what this uncivilized and uncultured town has to offer.” He said uncivilized and uncultured with an undertone of disdain for the clone’s uncouthness. I fought the urge to smile up at him, it would not have been wise. They shared a conversation in the silence above my head. I watched Mark’s emotionless face the entire time. I took a moment to scan the area. Six vampires were approaching. Rapidly. I wondered how I could squeeze Mark’s arm from this distance without my signal appearing ridiculously obvious to the clone.

Suddenly the six vampires were in the room, flanking the clone. My pulse quickened. I wish I could have controlled it, because I’m certain they could all sense my primitive fear. They each followed Mark’s gaze to me. Now all eight of Armando’s entourage were eyeing me like snakes as if I were a mouse being lowered into their cage. I assessed from the positioning of the six recent additions, that the clone was the highest ranking man in the room. The men flanking him were each standing by his side, but slightly behind. All men were dark haired, but differed in height, weight, and build. They were all alluring, but not as stunning as Mark (or Eric, or Bill).

The men began conferring in Spanish. I was certain I was the foci. What I would give at this moment to read a vampire’s mind, or comprehend Spanish. Finally Mark broke through in English to say, “Friends, this is Miss Stackhouse. We will have the pleasure of her company this evening. She is to be regarded as one of our own.” All six men nodded in unison.

The clone added, “Miss Stackhouse, this is Hugh, Juan, Elias, Manual, Paco, and Javier.” Each man stepped forward in turn as their name was called and nodded to me. I nodded back to each and offered a cordial smile.

Mark stepped closer, a smile bolted across his face and he exclaimed, “And the man accompanying Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Sleepy is my brother… Doc!” I put my hand over my mouth to hide my smile. Mark took another step and held out his arm to me, I quickly accepted and squeezed, hard. He nodded to me in acknowledgment of my request to depart.

“How brave of you to jest only after you position yourself next to the lady. Coward!” Doc leered at Mark. I was still stuck back at the brother part to fully appreciate the sibling rivalry taking place under my nose. These two were brothers? Vampire brothers? They were certainly acting like typical human brothers from anywhere-USA. I could only imagine the damage fighting vampire brothers could cause. Perhaps I could crawl under a chair and out the library door without anyone noticing me. They were tossing jibes back and forth.

I slowly let go of Mark’s arm and took a couple discreet steps towards the side wall. Dopey (or was he Grumpy? Hugh? Juan?) eyed me with a grin, probably anticipating that I was slowly aiming for the door. He was middle aged when he turned, tall and stout, with silver streaks through his dark brown hair. His age and the grey served to make him appear authoritative. I slid two steps down the wall and had one hand on the doorknob of the side entrance. Dopey cleared his throat and the room went still. I was plastered against the wall and for a brief moment wished my pink dress would blend into the wallpaper. The men, all eight of them, turned to me. Dopey was grinning, Mark and Doc chuckled, and the other men just ogled me in bewilderment. Ahh, I knew it well, the crazy Sookie look.

Mark concluded, “Gentlemen, if you will please excuse us, I will introduce Miss Stackhouse to the remaining members of our group.” Doc nodded and the group parted to allow room for our departure through the front entrance. Mark stepped over and once again offered his arm, this time with an apologetic grin. As we took our first step towards the group I could feel Dopey attempt to influence me. As we passed I looked directly into his eyes and smiled, raising one eyebrow in contempt to make it clear that he would not be playing that game with me. His attempts to influence me intensify, so I paused in step and gazed back at him. It was a stare down, and while I would be the first to blink, I would certainly not be the one to fall under his spell. Turning to see the source of my abrupt halt, Mark yelled something in Spanish and covered my eyes, quite unnecessarily I might add. Doc and Happy moved towards Dopey in a flash. Before I could see what happened next, Mark moved me to the foyer. He turned me towards him and with a finger lifted my chin to face him, “Sookie, do you know what just happened?”

“Of course I do! Dopey just attempted to use his Jedi mind tricks on me.” I snapped at him.

He looked relieved. Apparently he thought I stopped because I was entranced. After a moment he laughed and said, “Perhaps I should offer you Dopey’s index finger next?”

“No, Ick.” I wasn’t quite sure how to proceed, but I figured this was general knowledge so I said, “I cannot be glamoured, it just doesn’t work on me.”

“You are strong willed.” He confirmed. Although I was certain he had never attempted to influence me, he seemed to know something I didn’t about my inability to be glamoured. I tucked this away for future consideration.

A group of fangbangers trailed out to the foyer, towing a tall, slender vampire behind them. I turned to peek into the parlor only to find it infested with additional fangbangers. For the three remaining vampires, there were ten humans, eight females and two males. The vampires appeared to be exceptionally preoccupied with their human guests. I was revolted by such public display of bawdiness. Mark cleared his throat. Obediently the vampire in the foyer recomposed himself and apologized, pushing the girls back into the parlor. Mark bent down and whispered in my ear, “Let’s skip these introductions.”

I nodded frantically.

Suddenly Doc appeared in the foyer. They nodded at one another and Doc flew up the stairs. Mark grabbed me and we flew out the back door. I found myself standing in the open door of a white BMW. I sat and buckled up. He shut my door and instantly appeared in the driver’s seat. A moment later Doc and a human male, about thirty years of age, sandy blond hair, tanned skin, cute, jumped in the adjacent car. Mark and the blond rolled down their windows. Mark asked, “What is your favorite restaurant in Shreveport?”

I shrugged my shoulders, “Only been to one.” I attempted to recollect the location of the Supe restaurant where Eric took me to meet Niall. I’m not certain if I would even choose to go there, the last time was quite intense. I could go for a burger and fries, greasy fried food. My stomach growled.

“There was a burger joint back on the main street. They had a TrueBlood sign in the window. Let’s check it out.” The blond suggested. Mark looked at me for approval and I nodded. He rolled up his window, and we pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main strip behind Doc.

“Have you only been to one restaurant because of Eric’s dietary needs or do you have a peculiar dietary requirement of your own?”

I laughed, “Actually, we’ve never been on a date.” It was true, unfortunately. We had been intimate, we had shared blood, and we had saved each other’s lives, but we had never been on a real date.

Mark slowly turned his head to gauge the seriousness of my statement. I shrugged my shoulders in defeat. He shook his head in mock disapproval. Or, perhaps, his disapproval was genuine. “You two have a bizarre relationship. You share a blood bond but are not intimate, he does not feed from you, and you do not appear to heel to his every desire. Would you consider yourself spoken for?”

This was a dangerous statement and deserved a carefully planned answer. I selected to deflect the question with ambiguity, “Even if Eric and I were married, I would consider myself my own woman.”

“Certainly, you will always be your own. But, do you consider yourself to be dating Eric, or are you open to considering dating opportunities with other people?”

“Are you asking me out?” If so, this may be the most indirect route possible. Even Bill could do better than this. Well, come to think of it, Bill was awful at asking me out! I had to continually ask him. At least Mark was asking me. Eric had never asked me out. He asked me plenty of times for other activities, but never a date. At least Mark wasn’t requesting sex. Vampires!

He laughed and said, “Yes. Yes, I am. I do not date very frequently, is this as bad as the corsage?”

I laughed, keeping my head forward, and said, “Dating would not be a good idea, for either of us.”

“May I ask why?”

This was the million dollar question. I wanted to respond with ‘because you work for the man who wants to buy me like I’m a purebred Yorkshire Terrier, because you are too nice and too human-like to be real, because I trust you even though I shouldn’t, because I could actually like you, because even though you work for the enemy I got in the car with you and didn’t even think to get Pam, because you kiss so tenderly’ I began to feel panic build in my abdomen. Suddenly I realized that I forgot to bring Pam. In my rush to depart the parlor I forgot about the danger I faced with Mark alone and Eric’s promise to have Pam beside me through the entire meal. This was reckless of me. Mark now had me alone. He had the upper hand and I wondered if he would lay his cards down. Had I walked into a trap? The most disconcerting aspect was that I felt completely safe. Had I not been privy to the deceptive nature of vampires, I would not even be thinking that Mark could ever manipulate and betray me. I felt like Mark would not harm me or send me to Spain against my will. This all flew through my mind simultaneously. I settled on something I didn’t know I would say until the words spilt out, “My first boyfriend was Bill Compton. I fell in love with him hard and I was ready to spend my life with him until he left me for Lorena. What was worse is that I later found out that he initially came to Bon Temps intent on seduce me to get me under Sophie-Anne’s control. The worst part is that Eric had to force him to tell me the truth. He didn’t even come clean on his own. I still feel pain to think about it.”

“You would never date me because of Compton’s indiscretions?”

“No. It’s because you remind me of him. I feel too at ease around you and it makes me uncomfortable because I feel like you have a hidden agenda in getting to know me, just like Bill. I won’t be the fool again.”

“I noticed that your longwinded rejection didn’t include Mr. Northman.”

“Eric is a given. We are bonded and that’s that. He means a lot to me and we have unresolved issues between us.”

“You love him?”

“None of your business.”

“Does he love you?”

“Again, not your business.” I sounded as agitated as I was. This was the end of the discussion. We would not date, not in this lifetime. I had too many unresolved feelings remaining from Bill, Eric and Quinn.

We followed Doc into the parking lot of a local burger joint. Doc and the blond climbed out of their vehicle and waited for us. Two cars pulled in behind us and parked in an adjacent row. Mark continued to stare ahead and finally broke the silence, “I would never leave you for my maker. My superior did not send me here to seduce you. I chose to come along. It just so happened that I ended up liking you and I want to get to know you better. Sookie, you are correct, however, in thinking that my group has a hidden agenda.” He was smart to pull into a public parking lot for this little discussion. Had we been isolated I would be nervous, or more nervous than I was already. Even here I could feel panic welling up from deep within. He took my hand and gently rubbed my fingers with his, “I will explain everything as soon as we can get alone. All is not as you think and I genuinely care about your wellbeing.” I looked up into his eyes, which was a mistake on my part. He looked genuinely concerned, my panic melted away.

I nodded, but added, “This is not a date, right?”

He laughed and said, “Correct, this is business.” He flipped open his phone and said, “I will text Clara so she and Pam know where to find us if they so desire.” In an instant he was at my door, once again offering his arm. I accepted and we began walking toward the entrance. Doc and the blond followed.

As we walked to a booth in the back, all eyes were on us. Actually, all eyes were on the three men. The only eyes on me were those of jealousy at me being lucky enough to be escorted by not one, or two, but three gloriously beautiful men. I put up my shields to block further insight to the minds of fellow patrons, I had already picked up everything from envy, to gangbang, to lust, to disgust.

The blond appeared to be quite close to Doc, in an intimate sort of way. In fact, they appeared to be romantically involved, sharing glances, just happening to brush against one another. I guessed that they were holding hands under the table. Their exchanges were subtle, but once I began to notice it was apparent these two were in love, or lust, or whatever vampires experience.

They were smitten.

“Miss Stackhouse, this is Hal.” Hal reached across the table to shake my hand. Hal was human, simply human. Doc continued, “Hal is my husband, lover, and bonded.”

I gaped. My attempts to recompose myself were thrown off track as I jumbled for the right words to say in response. I was certainly not a homophobe, and they were not behaving lewd or inappropriately. I wondered if I even knew a married gay couple or even a monogamous gay couple. Although, being bonded did not imply monogamy, look at Eric and me. But, the married part definitely implied such. Embarrassingly, my mouth was still open waiting for the words to form. I took his hand, shook, and said simply, “Sookie, Sookie Stackhouse.”

Mark added, “Sookie is Eric Northman’s bonded.”

Now it was Doc and Hal’s turn to gape. They turned to each other and smirked. In unison they said, “Mr. January?!”

Oh my goodness. Where was Pam? I felt the sudden urge to crawl under the table and curl up in a ball. Perhaps they were simply here for Eric, and not me. Maybe this Armando fellow just wanted to distract me and Pam long enough to kidnap Mr. January and sweep him off to Spain. Had I ever turned my Vampire Hunk calendar from January to view the other months? Certainly Bill must have been in there too. I had the advantage over most calendar viewers (or so I hoped) of knowing, quite intimately, Mr. January and his gracious plenty, every inch of it. He was an amazing lover and I could never forget our nights together, even though it has been a long, long time since we’ve been fully intimate. It’s been a long time since I have been fully intimate with anyone, who knows about Mr. January’s current status. Given his sex drive (sex overdrive) I doubt he has ever gone without pleasures of the flesh. How long had it been for me? Just the one time with Quinn since Eric was living with me, my Eric, the Eric without memory of who he was. The Eric who could have loved me, and I him. My Eric, not Mr. January. We were not even in a relationship so I hardly had the right to wonder about his current sex life. I hadn’t even heard from him until these last few days. First I try to kiss Bill, and get rejected. Then I throw myself on Eric’s desk, again rejected. Now here I am, staying in some Inn with the enemy, kissing strangers. Although, Mark was one hell of a kisser, I must admit, so tender, but no Viking…”

“You kissed her!” Hal bolted out, turning his head to Mark.

I looked up. Mark’s jaw was open. Doc’s eyes were wide and shifting between Mark and Hal.

“Hal!” Doc demanded sternly.

Without turning to look at me Mark asked, “Sookie, were you thinking about our… accidental tryst?”

I was frozen, my gaze fixed on Hal. Shit. Tell me this was not happening. I let down my guard. “You’re a telepath!” I shouted in my head.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to. I was ordered to stay out, but you are so interesting. I just slipped in and found your jumbled mess of thoughts. I was shocked because he hasn’t kissed anyone since Sabine died…since before the 1940’s! Sorry, Sookie, I’m Sorry. The rest will stay secret in here, I promise.” Hal pointed to his head, but blurted out loud for the world to hear, “Wait, wait, wait a minute…. gracious plenty? Mr. January has a GRACIOUS PLENTY? That’s too…” Doc slapped a hand across Hal’s mouth. Hal slumped back in defeat, raising his hands.

Could the Earth please swallow me up whole right now?

Mark was looking down at the table. Doc appeared to be astonished and he eyed Mark, apparently waited for affirmation of Hal’s claims. Hal closed himself off to me, which was for the best given the choice words for him swirling through my brain.

And wouldn’t you know it, this was the exact moment the waitress selected to swing over and take our orders. I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and Diet Coke before excusing myself to the ladies room. As I retreated I heard Doc demanded under his breath to Mark, “I did not fly five thousand miles just to have you sabotage our negotiations. Explain your terms with Northman.”

For a moment I wished I could call for Eric through our bond, to have him sweep me away from all this. I dared not even reach out, he was with Filipe and Victor. I wished I had Pam’s number to call her, although she would only be amused at this situation. Amelia? Unreachable. Bill? Unreachable or missing. Sam? Missing. I was going to handle this with calm and cool that only the new Sookie possessed. I would hold my head high and get through this. Splashing cool water on my face may have ruined Amanda’s superb makeup job, but I felt refreshed. It would be a fib to say that the new Sookie didn’t contemplated crawling out the window of the ladies room and running to Bon Temps. I could feel my face tighten as tears began to pool up in my eyes. Had I said anything that would cause Eric even further troubles? Did I reveal anything about Bill? No on both accounts, I believed. Although…. Now they know that I know about Armando!

I crept out of the ladies room and through a back hallway, clenching my purse. I exited the back entrance and leaned against the building, blotting my face and breathing in the fresh night air. It was cooler tonight and I wished for a shawl, of all things. I would recompose myself and face this trio headstrong. Tonight I would successfully distract Victor, keep Mark in sight, and allow Eric space and time to do business. I would keep my distance and make sure that I would not distract Eric from his vampire politics. Every thought would be planned in case Hal slipped into my mind again. When my mind wandered I would think only about Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to keep from revealing information.

I looked up at the sky and found Orion, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor. This brought a smile to my face and I relaxed.

Unfortunately my relaxation was abruptly terminated as a woman’s voice nearby yelled, “It’s her!” I looked up just in time to avoid the fist aimed at my nose.


Chapter 15


Orion, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and now… a fist.

What a night this was proving to be.

The words “It’s her!” had barely left the nearby woman’s lips when I turned to see who she was proclaiming to identify. Before I could focus on her face her fist was between us, aiming for the bridge of my nose. I had just enough time to tuck my face to the side. The blow landed on the back of my head and I went down like a lead brick, landing face-down in the gravel. Hands were all over me, one set tying my wrists, another binding my ankles, and another attempting to immobilize me. I struggled, but I was pressed down into the gravel under the mass of a stout man sitting on my back. He had the weight of a Giant Sequoia and I strained to breathe through my compressed lungs. A cry barely passed my lips, but without oxygen the sound was not even audible to my own ears.

The swirls of tangled emotions in their minds were those of Weres. Angry Weres. Weres ready for a battle. Six in number, all in human form.

The woman tying my hands was a short, thin brunette. She looked frail, but had the strength of an elephant. From the position of my head, which was pinned down to one side by the Sequoia on my back, I could only see one other assailant. He was tall and tan with thick wavy chestnut hair, his muscles rippled under his white shirt. He just loomed over me with a haughty smirk on his face.

Two cars approached on the loose gravel. I was hauled to my feet and pulled by my hair to the front car, a dark Ford with Arkansas plates. My ankles were bound together so I frantically hopped to catch up to my hair, falling on my shins in the process. A small bundle of hair ripped from my skull as I fell to my knees. I cried out at the unexpected pain. Hands gripped me under the arms and hurled me into the back seat. I was yanked further into the car, now on my back. When the short brunette began to crawl in after me I aligned my legs and kicked with all my might, sending her out the door and landing on her backside. Another Were grabbed my arms to pin me down against the seat. I swung around to align for another kick but was shoved backwards and slammed against the door. The window shattered, showering my head with cubes of glass. Warm blood trickled down my temple.

I mentally cried out, “Um, Hal, please help me outside the back exit. Eight Weres are trying to kill me! I will personally introduce you to Mr. January in return. Thanks!” I thought to tug at the bond for Eric, but I reckoned he would already sense that something was amiss. He would track me.

Please don’t let this episode hamper Eric’s progress with Felipe!

I swung my legs out the open door and aggressively hopped towards the restaurant exit. Only a few feet were gained before I was off the ground. The muscular Were in a white shirt threw me over his shoulder and stalked back to the second car, a full-sized SUV. The driver slid in and was ready for departure, engine running, the car inched forward to meet us. I kicked my bound legs and bit him on the back. He bit my calf in response and I screamed out in pain. My head jerked up by the hair. A blond woman slapped a piece of Duct tape across my mouth and climbed in the front seat. Mister Muscles lowered down and began to shove me into the back. I stiffened my body to make this as difficult as possible for him, but he folded me like a waffle iron and gave a shove. A second man was already in the back and pulled the rope binding my wrists. He slid me across the seat until my back was pressed against him. Mister Muscles climbed in and I took the opportunity to plant a kick on him. He anticipated my assault and simply grabbed hold of my legs with ease. He looked down at me with his eternal haughty smirk, and then he turned his gaze to my thighs. During the struggle my dress rode up and I was now revealing more of myself than I would have preferred to my present company. He groaned with pleasure and began readjusting his pelvis under my legs. I kicked and kicked but he simply gripped me tighter. The man holding my arms let out a low, deep groan and slid his hand around my waist.

Suddenly a yelp of pain cried out into the cool night air. I looked up. The Weres looked around in confusion.

“Where the fuck did they go?” Mister Muscles demanded to the other passengers.

I looked out to realize that the remaining four Weres had vanished. The driver’s door of the first car was open, engine still idling, headlights on. But not a sound.
“Should we leave them?” The driver’s husky voice asked briskly.

“Dammit, go find Tony and tell him to stop fucking around.” Mister Muscles ordered to the man behind me. The man at my back promptly released my waist and exited the car.

Mister Muscles took this opportunity to push me onto my back, utilizing the now vacated space behind me. He pushed down with one hand on my stomach to pin me in place, while his other hand stroked my thigh. He groaned again and gyrated his pelvis under me. I began kicking for all I was worth. He simply gripped me tighter and slid his hand up my inner thigh. Another yelp filled the air outside the car. The driver and passenger doors ripped from their hinges and a hand grabbed Mister Muscle’s neck and snapped it like he were merely a toothpick. His limp body began to fall forward onto me, but was swiftly yanked from the car like a rag doll.

Suddenly Mark appeared in the open door. He looked down at me amorously and reached out to touch my face. While keeping his eyes on mine, his second hand pulled my dress down to put me back to rights. He gently removed the tape from my mouth, which somehow his touch managed to make painless, and slid me from the car to move me away from the wake of terror. He sat us under a tree, several hundred yards from the sight. I was across his lap.

A yelp came from the last remaining Were. I looked back to see Doc and Hal loading the Weres into the cars. Surprisingly, they were all still alive, with the exception of Mister Muscles. Hal was binding them in silver as Doc did the manual labor. All evidence of our struggle was already gone. Doc flipped open his phone as Hal tended to the gash on his upper arm.

Mark turned my head away from the scene and towards him. He was smiling down at me, which was disconcerting given the knife in his hand. With one rapid stroke he cut through the rope on my hands, and moved down to my feet. He cautiously looked me over to assess the damage. My knees were bloody, arm scraped up, rope burns circled my wrists and ankles, a cut on my temple, teeth marks on my calf, and my dress was soiled and ripped in several locations.

Before I had a chance to further evaluate my condition he wrapped me tightly in his arms. He squeezed me like I was a priceless ruby that was almost stolen from him. He whispered, “You should never endure pain like this or witness such violence. You deserve better.” Fortunately for me we were sitting, as my legs would have given out otherwise. I wondered what exactly he meant by saying that I deserved better. Was this statement all-inclusive, or specific to Eric? He continued, “When I saw his hand on you I lost control. I should have killed him out of your sight and I apologize for doing it in front of you.”

I noted that he did not apologize for killing Mister Muscles, only for doing it in front of me. Regardless, this was the most bizarre turn of events. A vampire caught in blood lust just apologized. The Were was attempting to put his hand where it didn’t belong without my consent. Bill or Eric would have done the same. In fact, Bill or Eric would have killed all the other Weres as well. Mark just saved me from a kidnapping and potential rape and he wanted my forgiveness?

Ironic. The disciple of my potential Spanish kidnapper just rescued me from a kidnapping.

I pulled back to look at him. His face and arms had a couple surficial scratched that were healing before my eyes. If I watched long enough he would look as good as new. He beamed down into my eyes and touched his fingers to my cheek. I readjusted and held up my arm, offering him the warm blood running down from my shoulder.

It was, after all, proper vampire etiquette.

“No, I can’t” he whispered hoarsely. His lips said no, but I could see the desire in his eyes. I wondered how long it had been since he drank from a human if he hadn’t kissed for the last fifty years. I wouldn’t push the subject too far, but he did just rescue me.

I made a last offering, “I insist. Or should I offer it to your brother?”

He moved his face down to mine until we were cheek to cheek. I felt him take a long, deep inhale. He whispered, “You don’t smell of candied ginger tonight, just your pure essence.” Keeping one hand on my cheek and his eyes on mine he bent down and slowly trailed his tongue up my arm and to my shoulder, healing my wounds. He did so slowly and deliberately, and being a woman of flesh and blood, my body responded. I would dare any warm-blooded woman of heterosexual orientation to not be aroused by him in this moment. His tongue and gaze were intensely erotic. My body filled with warmth but I sat perfectly still and pretended to be impartial to his actions.

With his eyes still on mine he tilted my head up to meet his and leaned in. I exhaled in anticipation of his tender lips, but rather than kissing me he slid his cheek past mine and softly nuzzled against my face. He moved away ever so slightly and trailed his tongue from my temple up to my hairline. I knew he was simply cleaning the wound on my forehead, but it felt far more intimate. His tongue was soft and gentle as it caressed my skin. My breathing deepened and I found my arms tightening around him.

When he finished he leaned into my ear and whispered, “It would be so easy to love you.”

The breath of these words sent a tingle emanating from my core, down and out my limbs. I melted for a moment, frozen in his arms, and nuzzled against him.
Suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, I felt a bolt of anger and betrayal.

Although I couldn’t place the origins of these emotions, several potential sources simultaneously flashed in my mind: Armando, Eric, Bill, Victor, Filipe, Amelia not responding, Sam missing, Were attack, legs hurt, Pam not being here, still hungry, another ruined dress, the necklace in my purse. But none of these thoughts explained my sudden overwhelming feelings. Mark had just saved me from a kidnapping and potential rape. I was not angry, I was relieved. I was not betrayed, I was protected and defended.

An immediate urge to distance myself from Mark was overwhelming, yet I didn’t want to. I stood and took a large step back. And then another. It was as if someone had taken control of my legs. I reached out for Mark, but only my arms responded, my legs continued to carry me backwards. Still facing Mark, I continued to walk backwards, my arms were still reaching out to him as they had been when my arms were around him. I looked from my arms to Mark in absolute bewilderment. The look on his face spoke volumes. He knew. He understood why my body was betraying me. His eyes were full of agony as he watched me recede. It was as if he wanted to brake me free of a spell but couldn’t.

Mark’s eyes turned black and icy with discontent as he glared over my shoulder. Before I could turn to see the target of his abhorrence, a hand grabbed my shoulders to hold me in place. In my next step backwards I collided with a solid object. I couldn’t turn. I couldn’t move. Not that I couldn’t, but my body simply wouldn’t. I involuntarily raised the arm that Mark had just cleaned. A cold hand trailed the former path of Mark’s tongue on my arm, and then moved to my forehead. A growl emanated from deep behind me. I couldn’t see the source of the growl, but Mark appeared livid and just as fast flashed to stone.

“You have overstepped your boundary Spaniard.” Eric growled from behind me.

“As have you,” Mark retorted, turning his gaze from Eric to me, “and soon she will realize to what extent.”

The only thing I realized at this moment was that my arms were oddly lifted in the air. I released them down by my side and wondered what had just happened. Why had I walked backwards into Eric? Was I feeling Eric’s anger and betrayal? Did Eric just make me walk to him?….

“You will not have her.” Eric growled.

“That is not your decision to make.” Mark stated and stood to his full height. He took a step towards us.

Several whirls occurred around us. Pam was suddenly by Eric’s side. Amanda and Clara joined Mark’s side. I hoped that battle lines were not being drawn. While I was certain that Pam could take on Clara and Amanda, I wasn’t sure about my Viking verses a twelve-hundred year old. It would be a fair match, but that only gave him 50-50 odds. Where did Doc and Hal scoot to?

Pam spun me around to take in my disarray, and exclaimed “Sookie, Sookie, this dress didn’t even last an hour!” then bowed to Eric and said, “Master.”

“How kind of you to join us.” Eric said through gritted teeth, his eyes boring into Pam.

He was upset with Pam for not accompanying me, for not being here to protect me, and for permitting Mark to be my savior. He may have been projecting his own anger onto Pam, his anger for not being the one to come to my aid, for not being my hero of the day. Either way, this was my wrongdoing, not Pam’s. Pam should not suffer his wrath, I should. That is, if he had any right to bare wrath at all. It takes two to form a relationship and he has hardly expressed an interest in anything of the sort. It has been months since I spoke to him and then suddenly when someone else is interested he comes running. Suddenly my life is in danger and he is there.

I just want someone to be there. Not for protection, not out of obligation, not just when danger abounds, not when my talent is required, and not solely for sex. Just to be with me always. To be my everything, and I his.

I confessed, “Eric, it’s my fault. I left the Inn without telling Pam.” He would obviously decipher that I meant we, Mark and me. I needed to tell him that it wasn’t just the two of us trying to be alone.
He didn’t turn to me, his eyes didn’t even flash in my direction.

The pain from his reaction, or lack thereof, hurt deeper than the scrapes, bruises, and burn marks I endured. My eyes started to tear up, but I fought them with all my remaining strength. I, the new Sookie Stackhouse, would not let these people see me cry. I was strong.

Eric must have felt this through the bond because he rested a hand on my shoulder and pulled me to his chest. Or, perhaps, he did it to show Mark that I was still his. Regardless, I was relieved. He held up my hand and flipped it over, running his fingers around the rope burns. His fingers trailed my arm, shoulder, and temple wounds. He moved me back to look down at my legs and ankles and inspected the bite on my calf.

He stood to his full height and growled slowly, “Weres.”

Mark responded, “Eight total, they await interrogation and reprimand.” The look on his face implied ‘your territory, your punishment’. I wondered how much harder it was for a blood-lusting vampire to simply restrain his victims, rather than killing them. Certainly it took more restraint and control.

Pam and Eric looked to one another incredulously. Eric eyed Mark suspiciously and said, “They’re alive?”

“All but the one who fondled Sookie.”

At that Eric’s face went fiery. He looked me up and down again, searching for evidence of the Were’s indiscretions. I was certain he wondered exactly how I had been touched, and where.

“And what do we have here?” A thickly accented voice inquired from some distance.

We all turned to see Felipe de Castro watching the exchange curiously, his minion Sandy at his side. He stood off to the edge of our assembly, as if he were the ring leader in a boxing match. His hands were folded across his chest, shoulders back and down, and posture straight. The stance of an affluent king. Pam and Eric bowed deeply. I followed a moment later, as did Amanda. I noted that Mark and Clara only gave small nods. Felipe seemed to release the group and everyone rose. He watched Eric intently, apparently waiting for an explanation or update on the current events.

Eric stated factually, “Your Majesty, Sookie was attacked and injured while under their protection. It is evident that she needs to remain with me for proper safeguarding.”

Mark eyed Eric with discontent yet he bypassed responding directly to Eric, and instead turned to Felipe and said, “Certainly your subordinate is not questioning my competence? The High King of Spain would demand recompense for insult to his personal entourage.”

The air was still as Felipe and Mark appeared to be locked in a stare-down. Felipe nodded slowly in silent understanding of the weight of Mark’s words.

Game. Set. Match.

Certainly Eric wasn’t going to let Mark get the last word, was he?

Just then Victor Madden slithered onto the scene, grinning with the full arrogance of a Cheshire cat, “Your Majesty, perhaps it would be best to have her under the safeguard of a neutral party. May I offer my services?”

Oh great, let’s all fight to protect the pathetically feeble mortal blond! Poor little Sookie.

Vampires!

Unfortunately, the arrogance behind Victor’s grin may be warranted. He made the best case for Felipe. If Felipe sided with Mark, local vampires may begin to question his intentions. If Felipe sided with Eric, he would be insulting the supposed High King of Spain.

I felt panic and fear well up inside me. I wished my purse was not on the ground by the exit door. My necklace was stowed in the inner pocket. I gulped down the lump in my throat. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Pam give me a ‘way to go Sookie’ glare, well deserved I might add. I could somehow feel Mark eye me and I looked up to him. He looked half tempted to grab me and run off into the sunset, figuratively speaking of course. He mouthed, “option three?” and raised an eyebrow. I responded with a minute nod. I knew that this was not a reference to the current exchange, but rather to my third option back at the Inn – the ‘take me out of here now’ option. What was he trying to tell me?

Mark and Eric may currently be in a mental Sookie-tug-o-war, but I caught a brief reconciliation on their faces as they both realized that Victor may win their battle. I certainly was not up for being their wishbone. They shared a momentary exchange and appeared to have come to an agreement.

Their exchange was significant, but I didn’t know how or why. I only knew that I would be affected by its outcome.

Eric responded first, “I am amenable to this arrangement provided that Victor takes full accountability for Sookie’s safety.”

Seriously Eric? I looked back at him in disbelief. He would actually let Victor take me? I bit my lip to keep from ripping him a new one.

Mark added, speaking to Felipe, but his eyes on me, “I too agree, trusting that you will put Miss Stackhouse in the custody of someone who has her best interest in mind. If anything should happen to her my King will demand retribution of her protector.”

Felipe turned to Victor, as if contemplating the weight of Eric and Mark’s words. I felt that their words had meaning far more significant to Felipe than they did to my ears.

Victor noticeably shifted. I was glad to see the smug grim disappear as if he had been slapped.

“Perhaps…” Filipe pondered after a moment and then turned to me. “Miss Stackhouse,” his thick accent purred my name charmingly, “would you care to express your thoughts on the matter?”

While I appreciated finally being included in the conversation (a conversation about me, after all), I couldn’t help feeling like he was directing me into a trap. All eyes turned to me. I felt Eric push courage at me through the bond. I wasn’t sure exactly what the best thing to say would be. I wanted to run away, alone, to my hidey hole. If I said flatly that I choose Eric, would this put Felipe in an awkward situation? Not that I particularly cared, but I needed Eric to remain of Feilpe’s good side (assuming he had one). Also, I was certain Eric had a plan and I didn’t want to foil whatever he had up his sleeve. Mark winked at me. I wasn’t sure how to take that, and I wondered if anyone else saw him do it.

My response was humbling, terribly so, but the only neutral one I could muster. “I will do whatever Eric wants of me,” I said with much more misery and less confidence than I intended.

Pam made a gasping sound next to me. I took it as a sound of surprise but didn’t turn to see her face. Mark looked deep into my eyes and seemed to somehow admire my cleverness. I felt something resembling pride through the bond.

I didn’t feel clever or proud at the moment.

Victor said with the sly grin returning to his face, “Your Majesty, if you permit, I will return Miss Stackhouse to the Inn while you confer.”

Amanda looked from Mark to me and blurted out, “I will assist her. She will need help bathing and dressing”

“And I will tend to the wounds, if your Majesty permits,” Pam added.

And this is how I wound up alone in a car with Victor Madden. Pam and Amanda chose to follow on foot.

This was destined to be another long night.


Chapter 16
Victor pulled out of the parking lot with a jubilant grin on his face. The last time I saw Victor this satisfied was after he forced Bill and Eric to pledge their loyalty to Felipe. I was afraid to even ponder his current state of glee.

I watched the dark Ford sedan and silver SUV pull out in the opposite direction. I was certain that vampires were driving and that the seven remaining Weres within would not last through the night. There wasn’t a thing I could do about it, even if I wanted to. I turned around to glance through the back window. Eric, Mark, and Clara were in a vamp huddle. Eric’s eyes flashed up and I fought the urge to call out his name. Mark was watching the car recede over Clara’s shoulder. Their faces were expressionless.

I hoped Eric knew what he was doing sending me off with Victor Madden. Victor has proven himself to be crafty and deceitful. Yet here we are… alone! Perhaps Eric suspected that Victor was behind the attack. Perhaps he wanted to remove Victor from the scene because he knew Victor would kill the witnesses before they could speak. Surely Eric wouldn’t send me off with the man who planned my capture. Would he?

No. Not without some safeguard….

Not without Pam and Amanda.

Although, if Victor intended on overthrowing Felipe, why would he want to cause me physical harm? Victor was clever. He would want to keep me safe so he could barter with Armando, propelling himself into position to be the wealthiest and most powerful vampire in the country. Plus, any vampire would know that Eric would find me. I have a built-in honing system for one strong and powerful Viking. What good would kidnapping me do? Unless….. Unless Eric was dead….

If Eric was definitely dead and Victor overthrew Felipe, I would be a goner, and Victor would be victorious.

Thankfully it was a short drive back to the Inn. I wanted to get out of his car and away from him. I decided to take the opportunity to probe for information.

“So, what will happen of them?” I asked with an air of naïveté. I knew damn well what would happen to each and every Were. Death. Certain death. They would endure immense pain. Eric would not be quick or merciful. He would probably wait for Pam so they could party it up vamp-style.

“Eric will clean up his mess,” he said smoothly, as if buying my act of innocence about their world.

“Yeah… but… will he kill them?” I asked innocently enough, as if I couldn’t picture my sweet little Viking harming a ladybug. Obviously Eric would kill anything from a ladybug up to a tiger (yes, the tiger), if given enough motive and clear opportunity.

Victor’s grin was unwavering. Only after a moment did he ask, “There were survivors?” His words were impassive. I couldn’t get a read.

“Seven.”

Nothing. Just his relentless grin. I wouldn’t be gaining any information from this source.

We pulled in front of the Inn. I didn’t want to spend another moment alone with Victor. As we approached the front door I was relieved to see that the parlor was, for the first time, fangbanger-free. Mark and Doc must have finally rid of their vermin infestation. A few fangbangers called out from a bench in the dark corner of the yard. Apparently the doors had been locked to keep them out. I could just picture Doc and Mark in my mind, saying ‘Vermin! Call an exterminator! Out with you!’ In my mental scenario the brothers swept them away with brooms, brushing each and every one out the front door. I laughed, earning me a sideways glance from Victor. It was a crazy Sookie look.

He eyed me and stated benevolently, “It must be difficult for you around other humans,” as if he had an ounce of sympathy within him.

It took me a moment to realize that he was referring to my ability. I thought back to the night I heard his vermin-mistress attempting to seduce Mark. Now that he knew I was within proximity of his spy he was assessing my full range. I fibbed, “I only get strong signals when I touch someone. I would never touch one of them,” I motioned to the vermin in the yard.

His Cheshire cat grin was the only response.

The front door opened. “Sookie, how kind of you to stop by for a visit,” Pam gleamed.

Amanda grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs. She turned on the water in the tub and I immediately felt uncomfortable. I was hardly about to bathe in front of her. Not gonna happen. I shook my head in objection. Obviously she had already seen me naked, but now I was conscious and could bathe alone. “Silly, we have to clean your wounds.” Amanda sang cheerfully as she whipped off my dress and wrapped me in a towel. I sat on the edge of the tub Pam and Amanda cleansed and bandaged me up. Embarrassing.

After an hour I was good as new. Well, not quite new, more like gently worn. And, I should mention, it was a very rigorous hour.

Amanda insisted on doing my hair and makeup. Not just styling my hair, but blow drying, brushing, curling, and settling on an updo. In the end I had a huge mass of curls on top my head. She checked my nails, filling in any chips, and attempted to cover up the burns on my wrists and ankles. She moisturized my skin, made me drink water for rehydration, and had Hal pick up my dinner. Admittedly, I felt like a movie star. As I sat there eating my cheeseburger I was transformed from a battered barmaid to a glamorous woman. Perhaps this little sister thing isn’t that bad.

“Sookie, you’re such an American right now!” Amanda declared proudly.

How do you respond to a statement like this? I wasn’t quite sure, so I figured I would do what Gran would recommend, stay neutral and keep everyone happy… “Thanks.”

“You just need a milkshake with your burger and fries and you could be on the set of Grease. I love that movie!” In the mirror I caught Pam roll her eyes in disgust. Apparently Pam didn’t appreciate my big sister’s chattiness. She was pretty loquacious, for a vampire that is.

This did explain the corsage. Obviously Amanda thought Mark to be my very own Danny Zuko. I wondered if I would ever walk off with a man singing You're the One That I Want. If so, I hoped to not be wearing skin tight black leather pants.

Simultaneously their cell phones rang.

Pam’s conversation was expectantly short and concise. She turned to me and said, “Everyone is at Fangtasia,” her eyes seemed to be telling me more than her words, she added, “a car will be sent for you and Victor.” Her eyes flashed to Amanda, who was being gabby-miss-butterpants on her phone, and back to me. She added quietly, “You are clever. Think on your feet.” Her voice was stealth, but she winked. What I would give to understand her. Pam had never been much of a winker. I suspected she spent too much time with Drew.

Eric, could you just once tell me what you’re up to?!

I’ll tell you what he’s up to… a 6’4” tower of unadulterated mischief.

We walked down to the Parlor. Victor was finishing his dinner, two bleach blond vermin from the yard. Where was that broom?

Pam and Amanda left, so I waited in the library. I looked myself over in the mirror. Pam’s choice in my clothing seemed slightly off par with her character. My jeans and comfortably modest knit shirt seemed in stark contrast to my glamorous updo and impeccable, yet minimal, makeup. Amanda had pushed for a dressier and sexier number, one that Eric would have indeed found more appealing, but Pam was persistent.

I slipped on my necklace, thankful to Hal for retrieving my purse when he brought my food. To add a piece of flair to my humdrum outfit, I untangled the corsage from my purse strap and pinned it to my shirt, just over my heart.
Several minutes later Victor waltzed in, his grin now accessorized with bright, rosy cheeks. “Madam, the car awaits,” he leered. I followed him to the front door and out to a limousine. I thought it odd that Eric would send a limo for an informal gathering at Fangtasia, and especially for Victor. Something big was going on here. Victor did not appear surprised to find a limo and I wondered if this was the car Eric sent, or if this was Victor’s doing.

Victor opened the door and I slid to the far bench. Victor sat facing me and after the car merged onto the road he said with a grin, “Ahh, alone alas with the unprecedentedly beautiful Sookie Stackhouse.”

My skin crawled. I wished that Amanda hadn’t done just an impeccable job on me. I was suddenly pleased that he managed to sneak in a quick bite back at the Inn. Hopefully he didn’t save room for dessert.

He continued, “I’m afraid our first encounter was not under idyllic circumstances. I do believe I can make it up to you, yes?”

“You came to my house intent on killing me and my friends. No, you can’t make it up to me,” I snapped back. As the words left my mouth I wished I had thought through my response more carefully. I surely didn’t want to anger Victor while confined in a tight space with him, alone, and without a stake.

I sulked and stared out the window.

Generally I only visited Shreveport for business with Eric, but I was familiar enough with the city to know that we were headed out of town. I thought this odd because Pam clearly said Fangtasia. She even emphasized that everyone was there. Was she warning me about this diversion, or informing me. Should I resist or play along?

I felt panic well up inside me.

In a sudden moment of terror I had the overwhelming impulse to escape. Fight or flight. Against Victor, I chose flight. Victor’s was not intending on taking me to Fangtasia at all. He set us up. I braced myself to grab the door handle, jump out of the moving vehicle, and run with all my might. This may not be thinking on my feet, but my instincts told me that I was in danger. I was a caged animal. A fox with its leg in a fur trap. I suddenly realized the impulse that the fox would feel under these circumstances, often chewing off their own leg just to escape imminent death. Chewing off my leg would not have done a damn bit of good, but I would sure as hell run my legs off.

Victor’s eyes locked onto mine. He was undoubtedly sensing my fear.

I acted quick as a whip and tugged the door handle, positioning my body to jump out the moving vehicle.

It was locked.

I screamed.

Victor jolted into attack mode, feeding from my fear and sudden movements. I saw the flash of suspicion in his eyes. He was looking at me with eyes full of mistrust, as if I was pulling one over on him. His eyes narrowed on me and then flashed open, as if he suddenly realized that I was in full panic mode because we were heading in the wrong direction. In one movement he yanked me to the seat next to him and then flew forward, slamming open the window to the driver, and demanding to know our destination.

I couldn’t hear the driver with my ears, so I opened to hear him with my mind. It was empty. The driver’s seat was empty.

Suddenly I had an ah-ha moment! Pam winked at me. It was Drew, Drew was our driver. She knew about this detour and intended for me to play along. Was Victor being setup by Eric? Eric wouldn’t let me venture off into danger like this without a plan or backup, there must be some safeguard on me, some reassurance that I would be okay.

My arm was suddenly jolted forward as Victor pulled me to the window.

“Read him,” he demanded.

I reached through the window and put my hand on Drew’s warm shoulder. I had never been happy to see this man until this very moment. He was as irritating as an older brother, and I know all about that. But at this moment, I welcomed his endless winking and relentless tormenting.

Had Victor had breath within him, he would have been breathing down my neck. A long blade was at his side and I knew he would use it in a heartbeat, a human heartbeat, if he suspected anything amiss.

“Where are you taking us?” I asked flatly.

“To Mr. Northman’s house in The Grove,” his voice mumbled shakily.

“Under whose orders?” Victor demanded firmly, his eyes silver with rage.

“Mr. De Castro,” Drew muttered. He was visibly trembling. Either he was the greatest actor in the world, or truly fearful of his life. I just hoped he was on Eric’s side.

I sat back and sighed, “He’s telling the truth.” Although, this was a lie. I had no idea what the truth was.

Victor relaxed and sat next to me, sliding his knife back into his jacket. He put one hand on my shoulder and gave me two taps, as if I was a dog and he was giving me a ‘good boy’ scratch on my belly. I wondered where we were really going. Maybe we were driving to Eric’s house. I wondered what type of house he would have. Masculine loft, secluded bungalow, opulent mansion, minimalistic ranch, flamboyant chalet, cabin on acreage?

“Your talent could be of great use to me,” Victor broke through the silence, as if contemplating my worth. His grin was a full sneer. I knew with every bone in my body that this man did not have an ounce of good intention in his soul.

I felt utter disgust.

He inched his torso forward and whispered, “When I am king, you will be mine. I will have you in every sense of the word.”

I gagged at the thought of him touching me.

Suddenly the limo jerked off the road, tires screeching to a halt on the gravel. Drew yelled out a few choice curse words. My body was momentarily airborne, heading to the wall separating us from Drew. As if in slow motion, Victor pulled me to him before I sailed through the glass. While I was thankful, I was also certain that this was not a selfless act. He was merely protecting his future asset.

A second set of tires screeched nearby, closing in on us rapidly. Victor dropped me and growled. It was low and deep and scary as hell. His fangs were extended and he focused on something outside. Suddenly he crashed through the door and I heard the sounds of battle. I crawled to the sliding window to check on Drew. His hand was suddenly on me and he said calmly, “You’ll be fine. Don’t do anything stupid. Don’t attempt to injure them.” And he jumped out of the limo, hands up in surrender.

I looked out into the night. There were two dead Weres on the ground. Victor was bound at the ankles and sitting motionless under a silver mesh netting as three Weres kicked, punched, and stabbed him. Drew was being bound with duct tape, but was not being beat or abused. This was probably why he surrendered, a smart move that perhaps I should have followed. As the driver, the Weres would not take Drew as a threat. Although, Sam’s hair had certainly stood on end at the first glance at Drew. Perhaps this Were was being gentle for another reason altogether. Respect? Fear?

I wondered why Eric would put me in this situation. Why not just attack Victor while traveling alone? Why did I get the feeling that this wasn’t over just yet? I planned my exit strategy. One escape was through the door Victor broke through, but then I would be spotted. The door on the other side was locked and if I kicked through I would be heard. My only exit was through the front passenger door. I shimmied into the sliding window, thankful that tonight Pam selected jeans and not a dress, and slid quietly onto the front seat. Just as I reached for the door handle, it clicked open. My heart sank. The door opened slowly, as if tormenting me with the anxiety of what lies ahead. A large hand reached in for me and I saw the roll of Duct tape. I was hardly about to be bound for the second time today. This was definitely not part of Eric’s plan.

I braced myself to fight for my life.

I struggled, but my energy drained rapidly and it was certainly not a fair match. I found myself, once again, bound at the wrists and ankles. My arms were bound in front, which seemed oddly more convenient for both sitting and fighting. I was carried to an extended cab full-sized pickup truck and dumped into the bed. I briefly saw that Victor was still alive. He looked livid, his silver eyes watching them take me. Drew was bound to the front bumper and appeared cool as a cucumber. He winked, or did I imagine that?

The pickup spun its tires and the diesel engine roared us up the road.

Perhaps Eric was attempting to get me in the Guinness Book of World Records for number of Were attacks survived in one day. Two kidnappings, two times bound, and fourteen Weres, oh my!

I searched the bed of the truck for a weapon. I was surrounded with all the anti-vampire paraphernalia available on the market, or so I imagined. These Weres were not just prepared for Victor, they were set to attack an entire vampire contingent… flamethrower, stakes, silver, guns…

Fangtasia!

While I had no idea how our bond magically worked, I attempted to throw all I had out there for Eric. My mind and soul were screaming to survive. I was fueled not only by the will to survive, but by the thought of Eric being double crossed. How did these Weres know where to find us? Why did they keep coming after me in droves? Was Drew with them, or with Eric?

I called out to Hal. This had worked once in Dallas when Barry the Bellboy helped me. Unfortunately, Hal had been ordered to shut me out, so who knew if he could receive my plea. I sent to him, “It’s Sookie, I’ve been kidnapped again, please send Eric if he isn’t already gone, tell him they are armed for war.”

While I waited for his response I took a stake and began poking through the Duct tape binding my ankles.

Suddenly we came spinning to a halt behind an abandoned gas station. The stake cut into my foot and I cried out in pain.

A dark BMW was idling nearby, waiting for us.

Suddenly a clear thought came through my mind. I focused harder expecting Hal to come through. Instead I heard, “Cher, give me a sign. Can you hear me?”

Sam!

I nodded subtly and began searching for him with my eyes. I needed to see him, needed the visual verification that Sam Merlotte was alive.

“I see you Cher. It’s alright. We will get you out of this mess and then I’ll take you out for a proper night on the town. Screw these damn vampires!” I bopped my head once and tears pooled in my eyes. Tears of joy. I began to cry hysterically. I was so relieved to hear Sam. At this moment I wanted nothing more than to hug him, to have him take me away from this mess.

Sam slid out of the BMW and pulled two large envelopes from his jacket. The Weres unloaded and walked halfway to meet him. One Were opened the first envelope and thumbed through handfuls of cash, nodding in satisfaction. I imagined the second envelope was equally rimmed full of cash. I was being bartered. I wondered how much a telepath went for these days. Maybe they would sell me on eBay next… up to the highest bidder, a northern Louisiana barmaid who can also read minds! I was glad to see him thumbing through hundreds, and not a pile of singles.

They were close enough that I decipher their conversation. Sam was saying “Your friends are alive. Here is the address and photos of the two remaining vamps. If you do the same to them that you did to the one back there, I will quadruple the money. I only want the girl in return.”

“How do we know they are still alive?” A were grumbled.

“Ask the girl. She probably saw them.” Sam replied.

‘Why do you want her so bad?” Another one asked.

“She was mine until the damn vamps took her from me. I want them dead, but I want to kill them myself. Understand?”

There seemed to be an anti-vamp rally building in their minds. Sam would never really wish Bill or Eric to die, right? I mean, he may wish it, but he would never want me to suffer the pain of losing one of them. What was he doing getting them all riled up like this?

I decided to fuel the fire. “I saw your friends!” I screamed. They looked at me skeptically so I continued, “One was tall and muscular, he had on a tight white shirt and he grinned a lot. And there was a thin, frail looking brunette. The third was a guy, I think his name was Tony? And then a blond with…”

“It’s them!” one man declared, which was fortunate because I was running out of descriptions. The anger was building around me. These men wanted vengeance.

“How do we know you’re not settin us up?” The largest of them muttered.

Sam walked back to the car and pulled out a bottle of tequila. As he walked back he said, “Here’s how certain I am of this mission… You take the girl for collateral. Bring her back with the vampires.”

A consensus occurred between the Weres, and they all nodded.

A consensus was not occurring in my head!

Sam held up the bottle and yelled, “To victory!” and took a drink. Everyone cheered and yelped and drank. I wondered if perhaps I was sleeping. Maybe I fell down Bill’s hallow and I was dreaming all of this.

Sam opened himself to me and said, ‘It will be alright Cher. Don’t panic. I knew they wouldn’t drink unless I did.’ His eyes momentarily met mine and he smiled. Sam’s smile made me warm and comfortable. He was important to me and I felt a weight lift from my heart at finding him alive and well.

Oh how I wished Sam was a telepath.

One of the Weres slurred “What’s the deal man!” It hardly seemed like enough time had passed for these men to be sloshing around already. Lightweights. Huge, burly, lightweights.

As if in slow motion, one by one the men dropped like flies. They simply plunked to the Earth as if hit by a giant bug zapper. I yelled for Sam. Nothing

What a night indeed.

Perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket if I make it out of this one alive.

Now was my chance to escape. I would throw Sam into the BMW and take off. I struggled to stand and yelped out at the pain in my foot. I swung my wounded foot over the tailgate and jumped down.

I didn’t fall as expected. Instead, cool arms wrapped around my hips and slowly lowered me to the ground. I spun around as his arms gripped me tightly and pressed me to his chest. I half expected it to be Eric, the other half expected it to me Mark.

Then he spoke in his cool, sweet voice that I once knew so well, “Darling, you have been injured.”


Chapter 17

“Darling, you have been injured.”

These words swirled through the few inches of air separating us before finally falling into place. This wasn’t Eric or Mark.

“Bill!” I gasped and looked up at him. He was smiling down at me. His being here with Sam was no coincidence. He was clearly anticipating my arrival. While I was genuinely glad to see that he was unharmed, glad that he had Sam, and glad that he knew I was alright, this wasn’t the time or place to ponder these feelings. I had to warn Eric before these Weres woke from their stupor. My mind flew into action, and I ordered, “Put Sam in the car and I’ll drive him back to town and find Eric. Keep these guys sedated.” My voice came out far more authoritative than I had intended. And suddenly I felt much too calm for the situation at hand.

Bill’s smile faded. “Eric didn’t tell you?” he whispered, but it wasn’t really a question, and it was more for his ears than mine.

His nose continued to flare at the smell of my blood.

“Tell me what Bill? These guys are about to attack Fangtasia!”

“Yes, that’s how it will appear to Felipe,” he grinned off to the distance, fangs extending slightly in anticipation.

“Does Eric know you’re here? Does he know about this? Does he know about Victor up the road?”

His lips upturned into a devious grin, affirming all three questions at once. This was all my Viking’s calculated scheme.

I suddenly felt a surge of calm, almost sedative in its potency.

Eric.

Eric was calming me through the bond. Eric knew that Bill, Sam, and Drew would watch over me. Eric must have gauged exactly what stage of his plot I was enduring with each successive pulse of panic I felt. Now that I knew Sam and Bill were alive, my relief would queue him in that it was over. At least, I hoped this was all over. I was definitely displeased at being blindly thrown into this situation, as bait nonetheless. And what good did all this serve if in the end Victor was still alive?

Bill’s eyes swept over me, taking in the wounds from my first attack, taking in my recent injury. Without a word he knelt down and lifted my foot. The stake had impacted the grove between the bones leading to my big and second toes. Blood was dripping off my foot and onto his hand. I could see the lust, the bloodlust, in his eyes. I saw him tremble, torn between wanting to comfort me and wanting to lick my foot.

“Which one did this to you?” his voice was frigid, his eyes wide and dilated. Fangs fully extended.

“I was trying to cut the tape with a stake, but when the truck came to a halt I punctured my foot.”

“And the other wounds?”

“I was attacked by eight Weres earlier tonight, a couple hours ago.”

“Yet you agreed to this?”

“Agreed? I still have no idea what’s going on!” I yelled

Bill’s face was ice. He was suddenly very distant.

He released my foot and took three quick, hesitant steps back. I knew that the few drops of blood on his hand were setting him into an internal flurry of emotions, and not the emotions of a human, those only a vampire could unleash. His fangs were extended and he was looking off into the distance. “I must finish this. I will be back,” he whispered in a cool, impassive voice.

“Don’t leave me tied up!” I insisted, looking around to the Weres in their stupor. I certainly didn’t want to be around when they woke. “Give me the keys and I’ll drive Sam back to Bon Temps,” I demanded sternly.

Eric, Drew, and Bill could clean up this little mess alone.

In one swift motion he scooped up Sam and me, carefully loading Sam into the backseat of the BMW, and sat me by Sam’s side. Sam’s head was in my lap, he was warm and smelt of tequila. Bill reached one hand down to check that I was not bound too tightly, but he didn’t cut me free. His cool lips brushed my forehead and he said, “Sweetheart, don’t watch. Just keep your eyes on Sam.”

I nodded. I didn’t think I wanted to see the next series of events anyway.

But, curiosity killed the cat.

I watched Bill move quickly and without restraint. I struggled to keep up with his actions. He loaded the Weres back into the truck, making no attempt at being gentle. Something told me that Bill’s mishandling would be the least of their worries tonight. He pushed the truck back onto the road. Seconds later I heard a thunderous bang, the sound of metal on metal, the crack of a tree snapping.

I hopped around the abandoned building, peering down the faintly moonlit road. Bill had lobed the truck against a tree as effortlessly as a child would toss a Matchbox car. I understood that Bill was setting the scene to appear that our Were friends had been driving under the influence of a wee bit too much tequila when they inadvertently collided into a tree. It was dark and Bill was fast, but I knew he was making certain that there were no survivors. Smoke bellowed into the night sky. Even from my distance I could tell it was a gruesome site. Bill reappeared along the road holding a container. It’s hard to say, but it looked like it was full something dark. Blood? I momentarily wished I had listened to Bill’s request to not watch. The odd thing was that he wasn’t drinking it. If it was blood, it clearly had some other purpose.

I felt the swirl of Bill returning. He looked at me hesitantly as he realized that I had been watching him. His lips parted several times, but no words formed.

Finally he whispered, “It will appear that you were thrown from the truck during the collision.”

I didn’t like the sound of that one bit.

I glared at him. “Bill, untie me!”

Bill looked down at me, his face was uncharacteristically expressive. Sad. He closed the space between us and reluctantly picked me up, tucked his head between my bound wrists, and slid my arms around his neck. He turned and began walking down the middle of the road at human speed, as if he wanted to absorb each every step and not rush these last moments together. He looked distant and thoughtful.

“Bill?”

“Yes, Sookie?”

There were four hundred things I wanted to say, all fought to be the first off my tongue. I blurted out, “Why isn’t Mark in your database? Is he on your special list? Who can I trust from Armando’s group?”

“You must trust none of them. And I know of no Mark in Armando’s highest echelon.” He looked down at me, his eyes intent, “Sookie, we haven’t much time and I want you to know…”

The other three hundred and ninety-seven things fought for a turn and I abruptly cut Bill off, “Why is Sergey after me? Does he plan to avenge for Lorena? Why didn’t you tell me about the book and letter Gran gave you? I read the letter. What does it feel like to be heeled? I think Eric might have…”

With each word his eyes grew wider and wider. It is a rarity to get a significant reaction out of this man walking me down the road, about as rare as spotting a snow leopard in northern Louisiana. But his current face made up for all those times I sought emotion and received steel. His jaw would have dropped to the pavement, had it been able to reach that far.

We stopped abruptly in the center of the road.

“What did he make you do, Sookie?” Bill’s voice was so frigid I expected icicles to form on nearby trees.

I found it odd that of the three issues at hand, this was his main concern. I replied, “I think he made me walk backwards.”

Bill looked at me as if I told him that Eric finally used his superhero powers only to make me eat a stalk of celery. Bill would guess that this wasn’t the full story, but I wasn’t sure how much I could reveal. This was new territory for us and I was hardly about to tell him that Mark was licking me, telling me I would be easy to love, and all the while my body was lusting for him.

No, our friendship had not yet advanced to this level.

“Sookie?” Bill said very slowly, making it clear that if I wanted to know if Eric made me heel he would need more information.

I settled for abridged honestly, the truth with hurtful details omitted. “During the earlier attack I was rescued by two vampires. They both suffered injuries so I offered the blood from my wounds. But, suddenly I got up and walked to Eric without even knowing he was there. I tried to stop walking, but my legs wouldn’t stop.”

From Bill’s expression I knew I had been heeled. What was equally worrysome was the way Bill tilted his head, as if contemplating if this was a semi-reasonable reason for Eric to control me. “Who?” he asked at last.

Bill was a man of few words and I knew he was asking who rescued me. I had hoped to avoid this question altogether.

“Two of Armando’s people.”

“Who?”

“Mark and Doc.” I confessed. There was no point hiding it.

But Bill just looked at me blankly. His eyebrow twitched and his eyes flashed several emotions at once. “How many are here?” he said at last.

“Fourteen. At first I only met three, but tonight seven more arrived. I didn’t meet the other four.”

“Are the twins with them?”

“Mark and Doc are twins?” I laughed out. I figured there couldn’t be too many vampire brother sets in Spain, let alone twins. Twins must have been quite rare back in those days with such primitive medicine. They were certainly a unique pair.

Bill tightened his grip, “They rescued you?” His eyes turned feral, “Did Eric get you away in time, or did one have your blood? Did they touch you Sookie?” He was practically shaking me, but a very subtle and gentle shake. I could see the confused mix of fury and restraint in his eyes. I could also sense that he thought Eric did the right thing. He seemed to suddenly be over his disapproval of Eric’s heeling me. If I could read his mind, I wouldn’t be surprised to find him mentally patting Eric on the back. This upset me. Eric had best never make me heel, ever, under any circumstance. I glared up at him.

I suddenly recalled the moment Eric walked in on Mark and me after I woke from my fainting spell. The first thing Eric did was asked if Mark had touched me. I had assumed he meant touched, in the intimate or lustful sense of the word. I was getting the impression that Eric’s question had a different meaning altogether.

“Bill, Mark didn’t touch me like that. He just cleaned my wound. He was gentle and he wouldn’t have touched me like that without my consent.”

Bill shook his head, and said, “Sookie, sometimes I forget how naïve you are.”

He was smiling down at me lovingly, but his words stung. “Bill, did Eric make me heel?”

“Sookie, if either of the twins were in physical contact with you at the time, Eric was justified in doing so… It was not time for you to read the letter.”

The abrupt change in topic threw me off guard. “So you chose to keep another secret from me?”

“No. I would rather break my word to Adele than have you mistrust me further.”

“So, what great event are you waiting for? When what night comes and what are you suppose to reveal to me?”

“The night you realize your fae abilities.”

“Bill, you know I’m already fully aware of my abilities. Don’t you dare lie to me!”

“Your telepathy is from Adele’s bloodline, not Fintan’s. This is what initially drew Fintan to Adele, and me to you…. ”

“You weren’t drawn to me, you were ordered to me!”

“Yes, initially. But my feelings for you became a reality and every time I told you I love you, I meant it.”

“You left me for Lorena! Even if that wasn’t enough, you never came clean about your initial orders to seduce me. Even if that wasn’t enough, you trotted Selah around to publically declare that you were done with Sookie Stackhouse. And you did it in front of all Bon Temps! You brought her to Merlotte’s night after night after night! You were my first boyfriend, I had an excuse for my naivety! You have had nearly two hundred years and countless relationships and still you screwed it all up! So who’s the naive one now Bill Compton!?”

“Yes, I was naïve Sookie, but I love you more than you will ever know. I would give up everything to make things right between us.”

We approached the site of the accident. Bill turned his body to block my view of the truck. Over my shoulder he gave the scene a quick survey and then looked down at me. His eyes were once again sad.
“I love you Sookie and I will do anything for your forgiveness, but we must continue this conversation at a later time… I am very sorry to have to do this …”

“Do what Bill?” my voice was a little shaky.

His hand pressed against my mouth. It was wet and smelt of tequila. I gasped in surprise.

I went lip in his arms.

Darkness.


Chapter 18
Darkness weighed down on me.

My body slowly released to the ground as Bill slid me from his arms and arranged me into a contorted position on a bed of soil. I tried to reach out, tried to speak, but couldn’t. A warm liquid poured down my neck, abdomen, and foot. His lips pressed to my cheek and he whispered, “Sweetheart, you have been sedated. The affects will last less than an hour. Do not panic. There is a lot of blood but only your foot is wounded. Eric will be here soon with Felipe’s faction. I must leave… I do love you… There is nothing I can say that will make what I did all right. While I couldn’t control the situation with Lorena or Sophie-Anne, I should have handled both differently. I should have told you everything. For parading Selah around Bon Temps, there is no excuse. I can only say that I cared for her very little. I never loved her as I love you.... I will spend the rest of my days seeking your forgiveness.”

And he was gone.

I was aware of the soft Earth below, rustling leaves above, and cool air engulfing me. Coppery blood intermixed with diesel fumes overwhelmed my olfaction. The soil was a cool, wet putty below my cheek. While my mind was fully conscious of my surroundings, my body remained completely anesthetized. My fingers refused to lift, my eyes declined to open, and my voice was lost. My body was an unresponsive shell. I remained motionless for several minutes listening to crickets whistle out into the still night.

Eric was honing in on me. I could feel him. He was calming me, willing me to stay in my sedative state. I released into it. His presence became so overwhelming it felt momentarily as though he was physically touching my mind.

Cars converged around me. Distant voices blended into a low hum. Seven vampires approached.

Eric.

His cool hand reached through the darkness and touched my cheek.

“Is she alive?” Felipe’s thick accent posed the question tentatively. He was hovering above me.

“Yes,” Eric replied simply.

“She has lost a lot of blood.” Felipe stated emphatically. There was stillness in the air as Eric gently rolled my motionless body on my back and peeled the tape from my wrists and ankles. His hands trailed my head, torso, arms, and legs, pausing at the recent wound on my foot.

“Master, has she lost too much?” Pam asked restlessly.

“No.” Eric said as he held my hand and casually stroke my palm with his fingers.

Felipe moved towards the truck. “Explicate!” his voice resonated into the night. The four vampires that had been shuffling around the scene of the accident gathered near him. Several unfamiliar voices responded in turn.

“Four Weres, all dead on impact. They smell intoxicated.”

“Majesty, they have enough arsenal in the truck to fight the entire state.”

“Your Majesty, I found two envelopes. One full of cash and the other….The other…”

“What is in the second?” Felipe demanded impatiently.

“Majesty, you may want to see this yourself.”

I heard the rustling of paper and felt the immediate shift in emotions. I remembered Sam handing the envelopes to the Weres. One was packed with hundred dollar bills. Sam said the other contained information on the vampires he wanted the Weres to target. I deduced from Felipe’s rage that he had been targeted. After a few moments, a deep and ominous growl belted through the silence. Felipe’s voice thundered, “Find Victor! Bring him to me. Question any survivors or witnesses.” A scurry of activity flooded the scene.

Felipe added, “Leave us! Now!”

They departed, leaving only my Viking and his King.

Felipe paused significantly before saying, “Sherriff Northman, it appears that we indeed have a breach in the rankings. There is a price on our heads. These Weres were given weapons, cash, and both our profiles from the database.”

“Only vampires have access to such data.” Eric declared.

“Precisely.”

“And you suspect Victor?” Eric guided Felipe.

“Victor knew you would track the girl and I would follow.”

“And you suspect he paid the Weres to take her and kill us when we approached?”

“Indeed.”

“I will take great pleasure in killing him.” Eric’s growl was slow and fiery.

“Indeed.” Felipe concurred with a glint of anticipation.

Felipe’s phone rang. There was a long silence. I suspected that everything was going precisely as Eric planned because he continued to calm me and stroke my hand softly. I wondered if he knew I was fully conscious in this immovable shell.

Felipe said, “Yes, keep me updated,” and closed his phone. He reported to Eric, “There is a second telepath at the Inn. He located the mortal that Sookie informed you about. This Kim girl began to sing only seconds into interrogation. She claims Victor sent her in to gather information about the Europeans and that when Victor is king he will be rich and chose her for his mate.” The words rolled off his tongue dripping with revulsion to the absurdity of her delusion.

Eric made a nasally snorting sound and Felipe let out a deep chuckle.

Two vampires approached rapidly from the road. “What has happened?” Felipe demanded of them.

“Your Majesty, Victor is up ahead. He reports that the truck ran them off the road and eight Weres attacked him and took the girl. He killed two and has been wounded.” Sandy reported.

“I sense there is more?... Yes?....”

After a moment she added, “However, the driver claims Victor gave the Weres two envelopes, sedated and bound the girl, and then directed the scene to make it appear that he struggled. He further claims that Victor promised the
Weres additional funds if they completed the task.”

“Why would Victor spare the driver?”

“Victor bought his cooperation. The envelope of cash on him matches those found here. The bills are sequential.”

“Ahhh.” Felipe growled.

“Sherriff Northman, I trust you have the provisions and resources to prosecute Victor on short notice?”

“Certainly Majesty.”

“And I trust that you will notify your regional underlings to the charge. I want them as witnesses. We will make an example out of Victor. Let the state of Louisiana know that I will not tolerate disloyalty.”

“I will post a notice immediately. What charge shall I put on the announcement?”

“Treason. Punishable by death. I will let you have the honour as this is your region.”

"With pleasure," Eric growled.

The joy and thrill of my Viking’s sweet revenge was felt through the bond. He gave my hand three discrete squeezes. He knew I was consciously listening and that I just put the pieces together. Victor would die by Eric’s hands and there would be no penalty. Victor threatened our lives, and now he will pay with his own. And Eric will simply appear to be following the orders of his King. Yes, I saw exactly where my cunning Viking was going with this. It appeared that Victor staged the entire incident in an attempt to kill Felipe. Eric would sense that I was threatened and he would track me. Felipe would follow Eric and the Weres would kill all vampires that came with them. After killing Eric and Felipe, the Weres would obtain additional funds and Victor would be king. Victor 'staged' the scene because he would be suspected of treason if he didn’t fight to protect me.

Nobody would suspect a thing. Bill was in Europe. Sam was elsewhere. All Eric’s minions were in Fangtasia. Eric's bonded appeared to be severely wounded, so clearly he had nothing to do with it. In addition, he was also targeted.

Eric, Eric, Eric, you deviously deceitful genius.

After a moment of silence, Felipe added, “I will need you to wake the girl for questioning,” Felipe demanded. “We will need her testimony.”

“Your Majesty, she is unconscious and badly wounded. She will be of no use tonight. I need to heal her.”

“She is one lucky girl to survive this.” Felipe stated obscurely.

“Victor will not be so lucky. She was in his charge when this happened. He took full accountability for her safety.” Eric stated crossly.

“She is important to you?” Felipe asked wily.

“She is important to all of us. Her intellect and telepathy have saved countless of our kind. Such loyalty is invaluable to any sovereign. She saved our former queen three times, and you once already. Certainly you understand my desire
to keep her content. She will be of no use to you otherwise.”

“Understood. Return the girl to the Inn then immediately meet us at Fangtasia so we can finish this.”

“Armando will demand retribution.”

“Very well, bring someone from his entourage.”

“Yes, Majesty. I will take the girl back to the Inn and heal her.”

Eric lifted me effortlessly into his arms and we sailed through the cool night air. My body was beginning to gain responsiveness. My fingers twitched and my toes wiggled. I weakly reached up to wrap my arms around his shoulders. I opened my eyes to find him peering down at me with his bright blue eyes and radiantly glowing skin. We were magically soaring above the tree line. Instinctively, I gripped Eric tightly. I felt a laugh reverberate through his chest. We slowed and gradually descended to the back entrance of the Inn. Eric flew through the door and carried me directly to the bed, laying me on my back.

His lips met mine and he kissed me deeply. My lips parted and our tongues found a rhythm. He lifted my wounded left foot, bent the leg around his hip, and pressed his hardness against me. His hand slipped under my shirt and cupped my breast, caressed my nipple. I moaned, and it was not a sound of discouragement. He pulled back to look in my eyes. His were full of lust, but also something deeper, something more primitive and torrid. For the first time I looked down at myself. I was covered in blood. My shirt was saturated, my jean leg torn and soiled. “Eric!” my voice trembled as I took in my appearance. “Is this about us, or are you on a high from your victory and bloodlust?”

“You, the thrill of a victory, the blood… I just want to fuck you and taste you and bite you all over.” And his lips found mine again with greater urgency. I wanted him too, but not like this. Not accelerated by the thrill of victory, not covered in someone else’s blood, not as he is about to leave to kill Victor, and certainly not under the same roof as the Europeans.

I broke the kiss and whimpered, “Eric, no! Not like this. It will be our first time since…. Well, our first time while you are really yourself… I want it to be special.”

“You want me too. I can feel it,” his eyes and voice were pure carnal lust.

“Yes, I want you. But not like this.”

“Don’t you miss my lips on your body?” his voice said innocently as he kissed my earlobe.

“Eric, who wouldn’t?”

He laugh.“Let me convince you….” he whispered into my ear and his hand trailed down my stomach and unzipped my jeans. His hand began to slide under my panties, but I grabbed his arm. He let me push him away.

“Eric, this isn’t exactly how I imagined things would be after these long months apart.”

He let out a long purposeful breath and admitted, “Nor I.” He put a hand on my cheek and nodded in agreement. He pulled me to a seated position by his side and swung my foot on his lap. He left for a moment and returned with a
first aid kit to cleanse the wound and bandage my foot.

When he finished he stated with pure desire in his blue eyes, “I will have you again, Lover.”

“Eric, I don’t want to stay here. Can’t you take me somewhere else?”

“Lover, you will be safest here.”

I found it hard to believe that I would be safest surrounded with Armando’s entourage. I got a sneaky suspicion that I had not seen the last of my Viking’s cunningness for one night. I asked hesitantly, “Eric?”

“I have a task for you. During daytime go retrieve the laptop from the back of the Cayenne.” He handed me the keys from his pocket and added, “You are the only one who has seen all fourteen visitors. We need you to identify them in the database.”

“The database?”

“Yes.”

“Bill left this computer?”

“Yes.”

“Is he in trouble for disobeying you?”

“Yes.”

“Eric, please don’t punish him. Please don’t make him move from Bon Temps. He is my only neighbor and I like the comfort of knowing that he is close in case I need help. Please do it for me, not for him.” I pause for a moment and added more forcefully, “You threw me into this situation tonight without any warning. I was terrified, Eric! I thought the Weres were going to go after you and then I saw Sam and Bill and it was so confusing. This is the least you can do in return.”

“For you Lover, but not for him.”

“Eric, did you make me heel to you?”

The bedroom door burst open and Amanda was instantly on me. Her cool hands embraced my face and began frantically rubbing my head. “She’s alive!” her joyful voice shrieked out to no one in particular.

“She is not badly wounded, but she will need rest and space.” Eric declared with a smirk. He put a hand out and cautiously pushed Amanda from me. I saw the relief in his eyes for the interruption. I would definitely revisit this question in the future.

“There’s so much blood…” Amanda whispered.

“It’s not all hers...” Mark declared from the doorway, his nose flaring in verification. Indeed, little of the blood was mine.

“No,” Eric replied simply.

“Sookie, we heard what happened.” Amanda said solemnly.

“We have Victor if you would like to claim your retribution,” Eric notified Mark.

Mark replied, “Indeed.”

“I’ll go,” Clara requested from the behind Mark, a glint of excitement in her eye. Mark nodded.

Eric looked down at me, his sultry blue eyes piercing to my core. His lips closed on mine and he kissed me so lustfully my knees went numb, thankfully I was sitting. I gripped his shoulders to keep from throwing myself down on the bed. His arms tightened around me. I wasn’t sure if this was for his benefit, or Marks, but at that moment I didn’t care. The potency of my Vikings kiss was unequivocal. My breath deepened and I felt warmth spread through my core.

Clara said something in Spanish and I was nearly certain it was to the effect of “get a room!”

Eric pulled back and leered over me. He whispered, “Lover, we will continue when I return.”

Amanda guided me into the bathroom and drew a bath. She turned while I undressed and sunk into the warm pile of bubbles, releasing all tension I had been carrying. Clara stepped in and handed a pile of clothes to Amanda. She left the door open, and from the tub I could clearly see and hear Eric and Mark. While the ladies carried on I focused intently on the men behind them.

“This was the plan?” Mark’s stern voice demanded.

“It was successful.” Eric replied flatly.

“Gentlemen…” Amanda cautioned, attempting to gesture to them that I was listening to their every word. Neither one turned in her direction. She looked back to Clara and rolled her eyes, as if to say, “Men!” Mark and Eric continued unhindered.

“She was thrown from a truck!” Mark yelled.

“She is uninjured.” Eric retorted.

“Your damn lucky about that Northman.” Mark said in a deep growl.

“Gentlemen!” Amanda warned again. Neither man even registered her presence. Her lips curled under into a frustrated scowl. This docile swan of a vampire was about to blow. Clara took a prudent step back.

“Are you threatening me Spaniard?” Eric growled.

After a long exasperated exhale Amanda screamed, “You love-stricken idiots take your drama elsewhere! Let Sookie be!”

They instantly silenced and turned to her.

And at that Amanda slammed the bathroom door on one stunned Viking and one severely displeased Spaniard.


Chapter 19
Amanda slammed the door with considerable vigor. This tall, slender, unassuming vampire had clearly bowled over Mark and Eric, if their expressions were any indication. In that last moment their eyes flashed between Amanda and me, and I wondered if their shock and anger were due to their realization that I was eavesdropping, or due to Amanda’s momentary disregard for their authority. Perhaps both.

“Amanda,” Clara scolded, shaking her head in disbelief as she gazed at the door. Her eyes were a mix of dread and amusement.

Amanda stood still for a long minute and watched the door as if waiting for it to burst off its hinges at any second. Eventually she turned to face us. Her wide green eyes and faltering grin suggested that she had even startled herself, or that she knew she would regret her recent outburst. She muttered, “Fool.”

I wasn’t certain if she was addressing Eric, Mark, or herself.

Clara leaned against the vanity and eyed Amanda with reverence.

Amanda and Clara were unmistakably anxious about Mark’s retaliation. I wondered if they shared the same relationship with Mark that Pam did with Eric. The first night I met Mark he said that they had been associates for a few hundred years. I took that literally. But, Mark did hesitate during his explanation, so perhaps he was their sire in addition to being their associate.

Clara and Amanda shared a glance. Suddenly they both stood attentively and left the room. On her way out Amanda held up her finger to indicate that she would be back in a minute.

I sank down in the water, my bandaged foot resting awkwardly on the tub ledge. My mind began to filter through events of the last couple days.

From the three separate exchanges I witnessed between Mark and Eric, the only definitive information I had was that they negotiated and came to some terms that pertained to me, Eric didn’t want me to know these terms but Mark did, Eric said Mark overstepped some boundary of these terms when he found us together after the first attack, Mark said the same about Eric after I forcibly walked away from him, and Mark didn’t know that I wasn’t really thrown from a truck.

It also appeared that Eric and Mark knew each other previously. Why would Eric trust Mark, Clara, and Amanda enough to leave me here alone, while Bill said to trust none of them?

After the Were attack Eric said “you will not have her,” I wondered if he meant Mark would not have me, or if he meant Spain would not have me. Eric would not let me be bartered, but he certainly couldn’t stand up directly to Felipe either. He couldn’t even stand up to Andre in Rhodes, the best he could do in that situation was negotiate a better offer (for me). Perhaps this is what he was doing with Felipe. Eric knew that Victor would sell me in an instant if he were king. This would no longer be a concern. Now my main concern was making Felipe see the merits of keeping me, and Eric had already planted this seed.

But why wouldn’t Eric have warned me about his setup? Certainly Pam could have relayed information beyond a wink. Maybe Eric knew there was another telepath. Was he keeping me in the dark so that Hal couldn’t gain information from me? Eric would never knowingly put me in jeopardy. He knew Drew, Sam, and Bill would be there every step of the way tonight and, other than my foot, I didn’t have a scratch on me. All injuries were preexisting from the first attack.

Eric was up to something big and sneaky. If he needed me to identify these fourteen vampires in the database, I would do it for him. Pam and Eric knew Mark, Clara, and Amanda, but I had no reason to believe that either of them had met Hal, the seven dwarfs, or the remaining four vampires from the parlor. I was the obvious choice for this task as I could already identify ten of the visitors. I wondered if Eric knew about the additional guests from my conversation with Bill, or from another source….

“Sookie, are you okay?” Amanda cooed over me like a mother hen.

“un-huh,” I blurted out, turning my attention back to the present. Amanda had slipped back into the bathroom and was now sitting on the edge of the tub, adding warm water, and checking my bandages. Clara had presumably gone to the “2009 Fangtasia Funhouse”. Clara and Pam would be as giddy as schoolgirls at the county fair. The
night wouldn’t be so pleasant for Victor or the Weres.

“Your poor corsage was ruined.” She held it up and took a deep inhale. Her jovial smile was worrisome given that the corsage had been given a douse of blood. She looked at me and put one hand on my forehead, “All this blood but no new wounds other than your foot. Curious.” She gave me a knowing grin.

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Are you tired?”

“No,” and surprisingly I wasn’t. Nothing like a beating, two kidnappings, and a run-in with your ex-boyfriend to keep a girl on high alert.

“Hungry?”

“Yes,” I was famished.

“You just relax for a spell and come out when you’re ready. Dinner is on the oven…. or something like that. Okay?” She smiled as she put towels and pajamas on the edge of the tub and slipped out the door. Thankful for the moment of solitude I closed my eyes and sank down into the bubbles.

--

The strange tickling sensation of mind-to-mind communication broke through my peaceful trance. “Sookie, Hal here. Everything okay in there?”

“Yes,” I thought back and attempted to steady my thoughts to only neutral events and images. The water had gone tepid and my fingers were prunes. My leg was cramped, bent at the knee to keep my bandaged foot out of the water. It was time to get out. I wondered who was here. I wondered if Mark stayed behind with Amanda and Hal.
As soon as Mark slipped in my mind I realized my blunder and turned my focus to…. to…. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups…

“Quit! You’re making me crave chocolate. And yes, he’s here. You two are clearly smitten.”

“Get out of my head!”

“But I’m starving and Amanda won’t let me eat until you’re ready. I’m forbidden from communicating with you telepathically, but I’m about to wither away! Please join us in the kitchen. Over and out.”

“I’ll be right out,” I sent back, but he was already gone.

I dried off and put on my pajamas. Amanda selected pastel pink cotton pajamas pants patterned with tiny fuchsia hearts. The matching tank was solid pink with one large fuchsia heart on the center front. To top it off were fluffy slippers, pink of course. I was a walking pink Crayola.

I brushed my hair into a ponytail and put on a dab of lip gloss. I would only be deceiving myself if I said I didn’t want to look nice for Mark. I just put on lip gloss for crying out loud. For a moment I wondered if it would be appropriate to wander out in pajamas, but this was all Amanda gave me. After one final glance in the mirror, I limped through the bedroom and opened the door to the kitchen.

Amanda, Mark, Doc, and Hal were sitting around the kitchen island chatting in Spanish. Their conversation ended abruptly as I opened the door. Amanda smiled widely in approval as she took in my pajamas. All four of them were wearing everyday clothing, not pajamas. And the men were staring at me like I was a walking turnip.
“Oh my God!” Hal busted out laughing, “Amanda, what did you do?”

I instantly put my hand up to the bandage on my forehead thinking that he was fussing over my wounds. So I’m a little dinged up from my two kidnappings – what do you expect?!

“She’s not your personal Barbie Doll,” Doc added, joining Hal’s laughter.

Mark was clearly attempting to hide a grin. He looked down to the floor, but I saw his lips curling up.

I was half tempted to jump back into the bedroom, but the kitchen smelt of an intoxicating blend of rosemary, thyme, oregano, and saffron. There was a beautiful rice dish, yellow in color from the saffron, in a shallow round pan in the center of the bar. My stomach growled.

“Shut up! She looks adorable you pipsqueaks!” Amanda declared with a scowl.

Doc snorted, “She’s adorably…. pink!”

“Fuchsia hearts everywhere…. I’m blinded!” Hal teased as he sang the last part, hand over his eyes.

“You’re just jealous because you’re no longer the cutest mortal prancing around!” Amanda laughed and threw a roll at Hal. It bounced off his forehead and landed in the center of the beautiful rice dish. Everyone laughed.

“Besides,” she added with a smirk, “it’s his favorite color.”

All eyes, including mine, turned to Mark.

Mark put up a hand, declaring a truce.

Doc leaned over to Mark and said, “I think Amanda needs a pet.”

“Amanda,” Mark chuckled, “You have never nurtured anyone like this before. We didn’t know you were so… well… so maternal!”

Amanda smiled down at the floor.

“And you!” Mark pointed to me and smiled, “You do look utterly adorable. Please join us,” he motioned to an empty seat at the bar between himself and Doc. He offered his arm and helped me hobble over to the barstool. I sat and eyed the food ravenously.

“Paella valenciana,” Doc informed me as I sat beside him, “a traditional Spanish dish.”

Mark, Amanda, and Doc had wine glasses of blood. Mark had me select between sangria and several wines I had never heard of. I told him to surprise me, and he did. While I am no wine connoisseur, it was the most delicious wine I had ever tasted. When I smiled in approval, he smiled back as if I had acclaimed his very own creation. Perhaps I had.

“Let us drink together!” Mark declared as he lifted his glass.

“Salud!” they cheered and I couldn’t help but laugh. I had no idea what I was walking into and it had been one long and bizarre day. I held up my glass and cheered along. I was certainly not one for segregation, and I believe fully in vampire rights, but I found it a little odd to be toasting a meal with vampire-mortal mixed company. I hoped that we wouldn’t be truly ‘drinking together.’ Conversation burst out around me.

“To your health,” Mark said as he clanked my wine glass. I smiled in response. Our eyes met and he whispered, “Beautiful.” I wasn’t sure if he whispered the word or only mouthed it, but it came across loud and clear. His eyes were full of something akin to longing. I felt my face flush.

Mark turned his gaze away and scooped up my plate to fill it with food. The paella was a stunning rice-saffron blend with plentiful vegetables and meats. He grabbed a lemon wedge and sprinkled fresh lemon juice over the steaming paella. I devoured the first couple bites. It was absolutely delicious. I hummed, “ummm” with each taste.
Mark watched me with a smile on his face, clearly pleased at my reaction.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, his eyes roaming the bandages on my forehead and shoulder, scratches on my elbow, and back to my eyes. His hand rested lightly on my knee. I remembered Bill’s comment about being in physical contact with the twins. I certainly didn’t feel that he was attempting to control or glamorize me through his touch. In fact, the only thing I felt was a warmth.

“You look great considering everything you’ve been through tonight,” Doc whispered to me, touching one hand to my shoulder, “You’re one tough lady.”

“I’ve been better,” I said truthfully, “and I’m not feeling so tough. I don’t appreciate being kept in the dark.” I wondered if I should subtly brush their hands away.

They shared a significant glance and Mark leaned in to whisper, “Finish your meal, and then we can go out for a stroll and have a chat.” He rubbed his fingers across my kneecap and, embarrassingly, I felt a tiny ping of excitement in his words. To be truthful, it was a bit more than a ping. And it wasn’t so tiny. I found it upsetting that my body responded this way to him. Bill said I couldn’t trust anyone here. Of course, maybe Bill was just being jealous and selfish in his reasoning.

It suddenly occurred to me that Bill knew the twins. However, he didn’t recognize the names Mark and Doc when I told him who rescued me from the Were attack….

Mark and Doc were clearly not Mark and Doc!

I dropped my fork and froze.

I heard a choking sound from Hal. His eyes were wide and focused on me. He leaned over and whispered in Doc’s ear. I wondered if he had just read my mind and was telling Doc my hypothesis. Admittedly, I tried to eavesdrop and when that was unsuccessful, I tried to read Hal. He simply turned his head to me and said, “Nice try,” with a smirk on his face. He was a brick wall. Whatever Hal said to Doc seemed to permeate straight to Mark because he nodded to Hal. This was definitely getting frustrating. I wished I could read all of them.

Suddenly Mark and Doc sat upright.

Mark jumped to his feet and said with urgency, “Sookie, let’s go to your room.”

“Get her out!” Doc urged.

Amanda said something in Spanish and rolled her eyes. If I had an English-Spanish dictionary I’m certain I could find her quote under “Shit!”, or worse.

I began to say “What?!” but before the word could form I understood the sudden commotion.

“Fabulous darlings, dinner smells wonderful!” A striking woman with thick chestnut hair said as she entered the kitchen. She was trailed by an exotic Japanese woman and two vampires, both male. The brunette sighted me and paused, adding with a smile, “Darling, those pajamas are charming, love them!” She gave me a warm smile.

The second girl nodded along in agreement.

“They’re from me,” Amanda said proudly, giving the woman a look that would make most mortals pee their chinos.

“Darling, you have never given me a gift!” the brunette said with a hint of friendly jealousy. She gave me a wink and gave Amanda a mammoth smile. I got the impression that these two enjoyed tormenting one another.

“She’s different.” Amanda declared with a hint of disrespect for the brunette.

“Yes.” Mark verified, “Indeed she is.”

Amanda beamed up at him in surprise. I caught the brunette and Japanese women exchange a significant glance.

“Who’s the new girl?” the brunette inquired with a sense of entitlement.

Before I could respond, Mark proceeded with introductions, “Friends, this is Sookie Stackhouse, barmaid of northern Louisiana. Sookie, this is Michelle, Mazeika, Mohan, and Brian.” I recognized Brian as the vampire in the foyer with the vermin earlier in the night. Mohan was a beautiful Indian man with rich eyes. The brunette was
Michelle, and the Japanese girl was Mazeika.

The four approached the bar and joined in the meal, although the women were clearly not welcomed. Mark and Doc made gallant efforts to encourage Michelle and Mazeika to take their meal elsewhere. Michelle stubbornly sat next to Amanda and appeared to be smiling at me with approval. In fact, she seemed rather obsessive with her continued ogling.

“Sookie, we have been looking forward to meeting you.” Michelle said from across the bar.

Mark visibly shifted on his barstool.

Now that I had a chance to look closer she was even more beautiful than I first thought. Her skin was tanned and flawless, highlighted chestnut hair fell just below her shoulders, emerald green eyes. I wondered if she was with Mohan or Brian. Her smile was radiant, teeth perfect, and I was certain her outfit cost more than I made in two months. She had an enormous ruby ring with matching earrings. This woman was certainly not a vermin, and certainly too sophisticated for Mohan or Brian.

I replied with a smile, “Nice to meet you too.”

I dipped into her mind to find her preoccupied with me. She was imagining how tough I must be under this innocent demeanor to have saved so many in Rhodes. She was imagining what she would have done and if she would have courage in such a situation to save her beloved vampire. She was picturing his coffin. She was thinking that I would fit right in with them in Spain. I immediately felt the urge to have her dislike me. I contemplated burping, or picking my nose, or shouting profanities, or throwing food at her. I felt my face flush and I turned my focus back to my meal, taking a few more bites and more wine. My leg began to bounce nervously under Mark’s hand.

Mark gave my knee a couple reassuring squeezes, but it didn’t help. He glanced at Hal.

“It’s so nice out. You should go take that walk now that you’re done eating.” Hal asserted through gritted teeth and opened his eyes wide for my benefit. My mouth full of food clearly indicated that I was not done eating. Hal tilted his head to the other end of the bar, perhaps signaling to Mark that I read Michelle’s thoughts.

Michelle was having none of it. “Darling, tell me about your adventures in Rhodes. I want to hear the stories from the source herself,” she said with fascinated eyes. I could tell she was genuinely interested, but the last thing I wanted to talk about was Rhodes… the arrow Quinn took for me, the arrow even Eric hadn’t seen coming, Eric saying he wouldn’t have taken the arrow for me but he would have gotten me out of the way had there been time, Andre telling me life as I knew it was over, Andre forcing his blood, Eric negotiating for my freedom and in doing so forcing me to bond with him, the soda can bomb in my hands, the first explosion, the trembles felt through the building, trying to wake Pam and Eric, Bill’s face burnt ragged from exposure to the sun, Andre’s limp body in front of me and the momentary desire to kill him, the smell of death, the smell of vampires burning….

“Sookie!” Hal yelled across the table, jolting me from my thoughts. I looked up from my plate to find Hal’s eyes as wide as saucers. He had clearly been in my mind. He said, “What the hell was all that?!”

Mark and Doc shared a glance. “Hal…” Doc started, but seemed to be at a momentarily loss as to what he should say.

Mark leaned over and wrapped his arms around me like a protective shield. He appeared to be a contrast of emotions, wanting to comfort me and, on the other side, unleash fury on Michelle for upsetting me. It was as if he wanted to shield me from his world and punish all who interfered.

“What upset you?” Mark whispered softly against my ear. His breath sent a chill from my earlobe down to my toes. I leaned into him.

“You would not believe the things she saw in Rhodes.” Hal muttered, confirming that he had been reading my mind.

“I told you not to read her!” Mark rumbled to Hal.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I looked around to find that this assertive voice had come from the mouth of Mazeika. And she was staring directly at Mark. She was clearly not thrilled to see me in his embrace. Were they lovers? Ex-lovers? I pushed back from Mark with a determined effort. He let me slip from his grasp, but kept his eyes on me intently.

“This is delicious,” I said, scooping a forkful of paella in a failed attempt to change the topic.

The table remained silent.

I sat there chewing and wondering if I could crawl back to the bedroom before anyone would notice.

“You will leave her alone.” Doc said slowly with a raised eyebrow, clearly signaling to Mazeika to drop the subject. Mazeika and Michelle were eying Mark with something close to betrayal. Mark’s eyes were still on me.

I turned to Mark and said, “Is she your girlfriend?”

He fidgeted and replied, “Sookie, they are two of the High King of Spain’s lovers.”

“Two of them! How many does he have?” I blurted out with disgust.

I heard the following simultaneously. Mazeika and Michelle said, “Four,” while Doc and Mark said, “Three.”

Certainly I picked up on the discrepancy.

These were Armando’s concubines. You can dress vermin in rubies and couture, but they’re still vermin underneath. I eyed Michelle and Mazeika with contempt for what they were, high-class fang-bangers. This was all because Armando wanted a fourth for his harem. I wasn’t wanted for my telepathy at all, I was wanted for…. for….sex.
Why me? For sex and telepathy? Felipe was considering selling me off as a sex slave to the High King of Spain!

Was I was the missing digit?

“She just did the math,” Hal clarified for everyone’s benefit, his arms in the air admitting defeat.

Amanda turned to Mazeika and Michelle and said in her most pleasant voice, “Know your place in this hierarchy. You are both expendable.”

Mark reached out to put his hand on my cheek. “Sookie, I am…”

I recoiled and jumped to my feet.

“I have Sookie. You three take care of this mess before the whole house finds out,” Hal said from behind me.

Mark, Amanda, and Doc stood and faced the four guests.


Chapter 20

As Mark, Amanda, and Doc stood and turned towards the four guests, Hal put his arm around me to usher me to the bedroom. I stubbornly refused to budge. Amanda escorted Mohan and Brian out the side hallway. Mazeika and Michelle had their backs to me and were peering up at Mark. He was leaning over them and whispering in Spanish. Doc was at his side. Neither one looked pleased.

“Sookie, let’s go for a walk,” Hal suggested, once again attempted to nudge me out of the kitchen.

I pushed him away and kept my eyes on Mark. I felt like I was about to observe something significant. Mark was now touching both women. It was just a touch, just a hand resting lightly on their shoulders, but I wondered if it was more. What did Bill and Eric know about his touch? I watched attentively, unblinking for several moments, afraid I would miss something magical.

Out of sheer determination, I remained glued to the floor, despite Hal’s persuasive efforts. I obstinately blocked him out and focused all my energy on Mark, his body language, his lips forming each successive word, his focused eyes, and his hands on their shoulders. I was steadfast, determined to witness The Touch.

Unexpectedly, Mark looked up and met my gaze, and in that instant, my mind derailed.

Mark was absolutely, breathtakingly radiant. Instead of studying his body language, I sidetracked to his broad shoulders and defined biceps. Rather than hear words, I only saw his soft and smooth lips. His eyes were no longer focused; they were sensual and radiant. His large and skilled hands were resting on Mazeika and Michelle when they should have been on me.

Doc followed Mark’s eyes to locate the sudden distraction. He was visibly displeased at finding me still in the room. He frowned at Hal.

Hal threw up his arms and said, “She’s stubborn!”

Doc and Hal were background noise. I was transfixed and immobilized by Mark’s gaze. He approached me and cupped my cheek in his hand. I didn’t lean in. Not that I didn’t want to, I simply couldn’t move. He tilted my chin up and said, “Sookie, do you trust me?” His eyes were begging for confirmation. The scary truth was that I felt I could trust him. I felt I could just release myself when he was near. I wanted to curl up in his arms and feel him against me. I wanted him to scoop me up and press his sensual lips to mine. I needed him to….

There was a thought tugging at the edge of my awareness, pulling me away from my fantasy, yet still out of grasp. What was it?

“Some Bill guy told her she couldn’t trust anyone here,” Hal revealed to Mark over my shoulder.

Yes, that was it. That was the thought tugging at my mind. Bill’s words echoed in my conscious. I shook myself and took a step back. Mark released my face, but did not take his eyes off me. Clearly, Hal stowed away my every thought. Did I think about Bill’s words during dinner? When did Hal pick this from my mind?

“Bill?” Mark questioned slowly, his eyes weighing my reaction, “Bill Compton?” I attempted to clear my thoughts and went back to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, over and over in my mind.

“Oh, not this again!” Hal muttered.

Mark’s eyes flashed to Hal, and back to me. He inched closer and ran his fingers from my shoulder down to my palm, then interlaced our fingers and smoothly drew me closer to him. He leaned down to my ear and whispered, “Compton told you not to trust me?” Running a finger from my ear down along my jaw line, he added, “Sookie, do you still hold his opinion in such high regard? You said Compton seduced you to get you under Sophie-Anne’s control, left you for Lorena, didn’t even come clean on his own, and still pains your heart.”

He eased back and kissed my forehead. After tucking a stray hair behind my ear he added, “I only ask for a chance to heal your heart. You can trust me.”

I didn’t respond. I only looked up at him. This was a mistake. His eyes were full of longing and his face was alluring. I wanted to release into him.

“Do you trust Northman?”

I nodded.

“Unequivocally?”

“Yup,” I managed to rasp.

“Northman entrusted us with your safety. If you trust him, then you must know that we, too, mean you no harm.”

I’m not sure if it was his eyes or his logic, but I nodded in agreement.

He leaned in and kissed the flesh at the top of my neck, behind my ear. Fire pulsed through my veins. His silky lips lingered for a moment and then whispered, “I pledge on my life that you will not go to Spain unless you do so willingly and in my arms.” My legs began to quiver and I felt a tingle down my spine. He grabbed my elbow to steady my balance.

Pulling away he added, “It is imperative that these ladies forget they met you. No harm will come to them. Will you please let Hal escort you into the bedroom?”

I nodded and attempted to gulp. My throat was dry and my body was nearly trembling.

Mark pulled me to him in an embrace, his arms sheathing me. He nuzzled his cheek to mine and said, “I understand that this must be confusing for you. When I return we can be alone and I will explain everything.” He gradually released me.

I turned and accepted Hal’s extended arm.

After a couple painful steps, I looked back to Mazeika and Michelle. Doc stood over the women and put his hands on their shoulders. He gave me a reassuring smile and said, “It is alright, Sookie. We are just going to have a chat with the ladies, and we will be right back.”

Mazeika and Michelle stood to follow Doc and Mark out of the room. I knew the vamp ‘erase the memory’ routine well enough. I thought this was mighty dangerous to do to the High King’s lovers. Michelle was the last to exit. She turned and grinned as she waved bye.

I suddenly snapped to reality.

The king wanted a telepath in his harem!

Doc isn’t Doc!

Mark isn’t Mark!

How could I let my legs quiver in reaction to a complete stranger? I was momentarily ashamed. I looked up just as Michelle slipped out the kitchen door. Mark, Doc and Mazeika were out of sight. I acted.

“Michelle?” I asked with the softest voice I could muster.

She stepped back into view and eyed me inquiringly. With a smile plastered on my face, I beckoned her toward me. She hurried back into the kitchen with a beaming smile and eyed me with interest. I wasn’t certain how much time I had before Mark or Doc returned for her. I wasn’t even certain what I was doing.

Hal reached out and put his hands on my shoulders. I shrugged him off. I could feel the tingling as he tried to read what I was up to. I knew he would damper anything I was planning, so I didn’t plan anything. I didn’t take the time to think, and just acted impulsively.

I reached out and touched her arm. “What is it Sookie?” she asked. Her mind was a confused mess of excitement and anger. These emotions dominated the thoughts. I dug deeper to find that she was provided for, taken care of, nurtured, and content with life. She went from humble beginnings to having everything she ever desired. She wanted nothing more than to please her king in return. I was getting nothing useful from her mind.

I blurted out, “What are the twin’s names?”

She looked surprised, but quickly recomposed herself and said, “Dom…”

Suddenly Michelle went blank. She was in a daze, her eyes focused behind me.

“Oh great,” Hal muttered.

Doc and Mark reappeared, their eyes dancing over the scene questioningly. Mark took a step closer and crossed his arms over his chest. He did not look pleased to find Michelle in a trance.

Before I could turn around, Amanda’s jovial voice said, “What? She was bothering Sookie again.”

I wanted to lash out at all of them. Finally, my question would be answered, but now Michelle was frozen.

“Ahhhh!” I cried out in frustration.

Everyone turned. I didn’t bother to look up and see if I was the recipient of crazy Sookie glances.

Amanda reached out to me but I pushed her arms away (well, she let me push her arms away). I hobbled backwards towards my bedroom door and said, “I just want to be alone. I will not be the fool in this game of yours.” I knew I was minutes from tears and wanted to get back into the bedroom before they saw. Amanda and Hal attempted to help, but I refused their aid.

“Sookie, what’s wrong?” Amanda strained through her concern.

“You!” I added, pointing at Mark, “How dare you stand there, twice now, and act superior to Bill. You are keeping things from me and you lied to me.”

Mark flinched as if I had slapped him with my words.

“What did you do?!” Amanda squealed at him.

The look on Mark’s face revealed that he had no idea what I was asserting.

Hal, once again, declared my internal monologue from dinner. “She told Bill that Mark and Doc rescued her from the Were attack. Bill didn’t recognize these aliases, but he knew you two. She thinks you both lied.”

“Hal, this is the type of information you share with us!” Doc declared, raising his arms in aggravation.

“Well, I can’t keep it straight anymore. You’ve both lectured me for blabbing on her and now I’m in trouble for not blabbing! What’s a telepath to do?”

Doc put up a hand to stop Hal’s spiel. He stepped closer to me and said, “Sookie, please tell me you did not actually believe that I was named after the tubby dwarf with glasses.”

“If she thought you were a dwarf she would have called you Dopey,” Amanda retorted.

Hal and Mark laughed. Despite my anger and confusion, I felt my lips curl up at the edges.

“Didn’t you hear anyone say my name or reference me otherwise?”

I shook my head. I guess it hadn’t even occurred to me that his name never came up in conversation. Come to think of it, no one had addressed him or Mark in my presence. However, when I thought of Mark, Hal knew who I was referring to.

He closed the gap between us and stuck out his hand. “Sookie, a pleasure to meet you. My name is Dominic, but you can call me Doc for short, if you wish.”

I felt my face flush. After shaking his hand, I turned without another word and entered my room. I didn’t look back.

I sat on the bed and looked up to find that Hal had followed me.

“Get out!” I ordered, pointing to the door. I knew tears were about to stream down my face, and I wouldn’t let him have the pleasure of seeing me cry.

He walked to the bathroom and returned with Kleenex and a glass of water. “Even if I walk out, I can still hear your every thought. Why not let me be a shoulder to cry on? I will take no pleasure in your tears.”

I repeated, “Out!” My finger still aimed at the door.

He shrugged his shoulders, sat the water and Kleenex on the nightstand, and slipped out the door.

Tears flooded down my face and I sat alone in the quiet room for several minutes.

I thought about dinner. Why would the High King send two of his concubines? Did he keep the third back home to tend to her ‘duties’? Sometimes it’s hard to fathom the ways of the old world, to grasp the concept that vampires have lived long enough to experience times when having a harem or concubines was socially acceptable. I know I am from small-town Louisiana, but even I acknowledge that some men of the world today keep mistresses. To me, the most perplexing part was that Michelle appeared content and happy with her lifestyle. The confusing part was that Mazeika would be upset about finding me in Mark’s embrace.

Why was it that every time I was in Mark’s arms someone was upset? First Eric. Now Mazeika.

Why did they need to erase the memories of meeting me? Who were they protecting by doing this? It was getting awfully difficult to assess friend from foe. I was once told that vampires were by definition twisty and deceptive, without exception. I was beginning to believe it.

So, if Doc was Dominic, who was Mark? Marminik?

I lay back and stared at the ceiling until my eyes drifted closed.

Some while later I opened my eyes to hear a rustling sound at the door. The door cracked open a few inches, and a tanned arm slid into view. Hal. He was clasping something in his hand. His fingers released one at a time, unveiling the object slowly, eventually revealing a familiar orange package. It took me a minute to recognize the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

Despite the events and stress of the last few days, I felt my lips curl up into a smile. He wiggled the package and eventually stuck his head in to gauge my reaction.

“Ha! I knew it would work,” he laughed as he jumped in and shut the door behind him. As he walked over, he opened the package and handed me one peanut butter cup. He sat next to me and ate the other. He gave me a friendly jab in the side and said, “I like you Sookie.”

I attempted to hide my smile while I jabbed him back.

He chuckled, “And it’s because I like you that I’m here offering a bit of free advice.”

“Uh huh,” I eyed him suspiciously.

“Do you realize that I have known you for less than one full day?”

I had to pause and think about that. Yes, indeed, it had only been this short time. “Yeah.”

“Don’t you think you’ve been through a lot in that short amount of time?”

“This hasn't been an average day.” Thankfully, I added to myself.

“Well, don’t you think you’ve been put through more than your fair share of vampire drama?” He reached over and put my hand between both of his.

This seemed like an odd comment from a man married and bonded to a vampire. A bond by choice. I commented, “You know what it’s like in their world.”

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to tell you. I don’t. With this family, it's not like that. While they treat vermin as vermin, they treat mortal companions with respect. They would never put me in the danger that their world brings. I have been with them for eight years and never have I been manipulated, lied to, beaten, dumped, heartbroken, staked, raped, nearly drained, shot at, or kidnapped. And I have not been forced to kill.”

I wished I could rescind invitations for telepaths.

I snapped my hand from his. “Certainly you are not suggesting that I join ‘the family’ and become a concubine for your King? I am not that kind of girl.”

“No, you are not. I am not suggesting that you become a concubine.”

What the hell was he trying to tell me? Couldn’t someone, just once, tell me what they meant to tell me! “What are you suggesting? Cut to it.”

“Well, since you clearly need to get laid, how about you and…”

“Excuse me, buddy! You will not talk to me like that.” Get laid? Sex life? Ha. Lack thereof!

“I heard you at the restaurant. You thought it had been a long, long time since Quinn. I checked into him. Clearly, you haven’t had any since before De Castro’s take over. Girl, that’s a long time. You reflected on how Bill rejected your kisses and Eric rejected you when you threw yourself on his desk.”

“This conversation is over!” I pointed to the door.

“Sookie, all vampires are twisty and deceptive by nature. The older they get the more self-centered and narcissistic they become. In their world, the altruistic and selfless ones don’t last a decade. But, while very rare, there are a few out there that are genuine. Mark is a good one.”

My mouth dropped open. I was at a momentary loss for words. Not because the words weren't there, but because I wanted to say too much all at once. Who is Mark? What is it about their touch? “Who…. What…..”

“Have you known many other telepaths?”

“One, Barry the Bellboy of Texas.”

“Did he turn?”

“Turn?”

“Is he still mortal?”

“I think so, why?”

“I just wonder if I will have my talent when I turn.”

“Turn!?”

“Yes, I don’t want to grow old and have Dominic go on without me. He’s my partner in life and will be my partner in death.”

“But vampire relationships rarely work.”

He laughed, “They do in this family. Plus, Dominic will not be my maker. This will eliminate the sire-child complications. We asked Mark to turn me.”

“But then he can make you do things! I’ve seen it done before. Sophie-Anne and Lorena both made their underlings do things…”

“You don’t know him as we do. He is not one to abuse his power. This is why he is respected and has such a loyal following.”

I shrugged, "I will never be a vampire."

“Sookie, I came in here for two reasons. First, before I turn I want to teach you to better utilize your talent. I am a very skilled telepath, and I will teach you all I know. I will travel here monthly for lessons.”

“Can you ever read vampire minds?”

“Sookie, be very careful here. If I could, I would never admit it! Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“In a hypothetical world perhaps telepaths can experience such a skill after blood exchanges.”

“Perhaps.”

We shared a knowing smile.

“Look, we just ran out of time. The second reason I came in was to forewarn you about what Amanda and Dominic are about to do to you.”


Chapter 21

My heart sank at Hal’s words. What were Amanda and Dominic, a.k.a. Doc, about to do to me?

I sighed, “Now what?”

Hal laughed, “For once, I won’t have to suffer through this alone.” He pulled me back against him until we were sitting hip to hip on the bed. Folding an arm around my shoulder, he tucked my head against his chest. His body was warm, and I could hear his heartbeat.

“Suffer through what, exactly?” I asked curiously.

The door swung open, and Amanda and Doc were suddenly standing directly in front of us. They were both wearing pajamas. Dominic sported silky pajama pants and a very fitted shirt, accentuating his lean, muscular build. Amanda wore plaid pajamas in hues of blue and grey.

Amanda gave Hal a suspicious glance and then spotted the candy bar wrapper. She belted, “Cheater!”

“I didn’t buy her vote,” he declared, raising his free hand.

“What’s going on?” I asked hesitantly.

“We came to cheer you up, Sookie!” Amanda beamed. “Pick a number between one and ten.”

I looked around at Amanda, Doc, and Hal for any indication of what the repercussions for each number might be. I wasn’t sure I wanted to play along with any vampire games. I looked back at Amanda. Her arms were folded in front, and her right hand tapped three fingers on her left elbow. She winked when I noticed.

I glanced around the room, shrugged my shoulders, and said, “Three.”

“Who’s the cheater now, Amanda?” Hal accused with a smile.

A look of pure innocence flashed across her face. She smiled. Doc took a step to the side, allowing Amanda center stage in front of us.

Hal handed me the tissue box and said with a smile, “You may need these.”

Amanda cleared her throat for effect and began. “A string walks into the pub and orders a scotch. The bartender says, Hey buddy, we don’t serve strings here. Get out! The string sulks and leaves the bar. A minute later, he gets a great idea. He twists and contorts his body into a loop and then messes up his end. He walks back into the bar and orders a scotch. The bartender says, Hey buddy, aren’t you the string I just kicked out? The string says, I’m a frayed knot!”

My mouth had dropped open at some stage during her skit. She was ready to burst at the seams for my reaction. I snorted out a laugh. I wasn’t sure what was funnier, the joke, or the fact that my jovial pajama-wearing vampire-big-sister told it. I looked up at Hal. He started laughing, most likely at my expression and not the joke. He squeezed me against him, and I joined in his laughter.

Doc stepped forward into the comedy spotlight.

He started, “Two penguins are standing on an ice floe. The first penguin says, You look like you're wearing a tuxedo. The second penguin says, What makes you think I'm not?”

I laughed. Hal shook his head and moaned, “After a millennium, that was the best you could come up with?!” He turned to me and chuckled, “I vote for the string, how about you?”

I looked at the three of them. Amanda and Doc were both pleading with their eyes. Dare I take sides? Clearly one joke was funnier than the other was.

“Vote!” Hal demanded with a squeeze. He leaned in and threatened, “Or else I will tell Amanda juicy gossip about you…”

“What?!” Amanda yelled and jumped on the bed, her hands in a light hold around his neck. “Tell me everything, you little penis breath. What have you been withholding from me?”

Hal turned to me and leered, “You have five seconds, or I will…” He turned back to Amanda and asked, “Did you just call me a….”

“I picked it up from E.T.! Isn’t it funny? You two are like E.T. and Eliot.” She released his neck and pointed from Hal to Doc.

“Well, at least I am Eliot,” Doc snorted.

“Yeah, Hal does look like E.T.” she laughed.

“I would rather be E.T. than a pudgy old dwarf,” Hal laughed. He turned from Dominic to Amanda and said, “Just for that, I won’t tell you who Sookie kissed earlier.”

“Nice try, idiot. I was there.”

“You saw her kiss Mark and didn’t tell me!”

“No, I saw her kiss your precious Mr. January.”

Boy, this was indeed a long day, one full of kisses, apparently. In unison, they realized that they were both right.

“He kissed her!” Amanda squealed.

“January was here! Why didn’t you come get me?” Hal whined.

Perhaps I could slip back into the kitchen while these two worked out their issues. I looked up at Dominic. He watched Hal’s every movement with adoration in his eyes. It was heartwarming. Doc caught my gaze and looked at me questioningly. I was smiling like a lunatic. He gave me an award-winning seductive grin and said, “Sookie, you know you want to vote for me.” He was every bit as charming and lovely as his twin. Tall and muscular build, strong jaw line, sensual eyes, radiant persona. No wonder Hal jumped this man…

“Uh hum,” Hal cleared his throat and elbowed me. Under his breath he added, “Not available! But, rumor has it he has a twin.”

“I was not…” I stopped myself short. What good was it to deny anything around a seasoned telepath?

“Sookie, did you mentally violate me?” Doc asked, jokingly covering his private region. My face flushed. Feeding off my evident embarrassment he added, “For that alone you should forfeit your vote to me.”

“Who’s it going to be?” Hal nudged me. “In the lead is option one, the string. Or will it be option two, the penguin?”

I looked back and forth between Amanda and Doc. My mind was set.

Before I could vote, a voice beckoned from the kitchen, “There is always option three.”

Without looking up I voted, “Option three.”

I turned to find Mark standing in the doorway, grinning. He was still wearing grey dress pants and a black fitted t-shirt, exposing his well-toned arms. His dark, shiny hair fell just shy of his shoulders. One could easily get lost in those radiant gleaming eyes.

He glided over to the bed and offered his arm. I stood on my own by his side. I could feel Hal, Amanda, and Dominic interpreting our every movement.

“Do you trust me enough to be alone with me for an hour, or would you prefer that they stay?”

The truth was that I didn’t know if I could trust myself alone with him for an hour. My body was begging for a solo hour with this sexy Spaniard. My mind was reciting Bill’s words on autopilot, “You must trust none of them. And I know of no Mark in Armando’s highest echelon… Did Eric get you away in time, or did one have your blood? Did they touch you Sookie?... If either of the twins were in physical contact with you at the time…” I wanted to be alone with him and have my questions answered, but what if he touched me? Of course, they were all one jolly family. If Mark intended to harm me, Dominic, Amanda, and Hal were certainly not going to stop him.
The advantage of having the group was that I was less likely to let lust take over my brain.

“May I?” Hal said hesitantly, raising his hand in the air.

I rolled my eyes. Why do I bother to think through anything if he is just going to pick my brain like a ravenous condor?

“Hal!” Mark scolded. “Sookie, tomorrow Hal will teach you how to block him out.”

“Can you teach me too?” Amanda laughed.

“Look, I’m just trying to help. She has been warned to avoid your touch. You need to explain your touch and who you are before she is comfortable. She wants to be alone with you but she’s afraid she will jump your bones.”

I moaned and felt my face flush. Thanks a lot Hal.

Amanda, Dominic, and Mark shared a silent, yet rapid, conversation. Amanda and Dominic grabbed Hal and glided out to the kitchen.

Mark leaned down to me and said, “Clear your mind.” I understood that he didn’t want Hal to read me. My mind returned to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

He shut and locked the bedroom door, grabbed the comforter from the bed, and nodded towards the window. In an instant, he was out and standing below, waiting for me to jump down the couple feet. I landed in his arms, and he bolted off, deep into a residential neighborhood, taking several turns along the way.

We stopped in a quaint park boarded by turn of the century mansions. He slowly crossed the bridge at the edge of a pond where gazebos flanked both far sides of the water. We ducked below the swaying branches of an old willow tree. Mark spread out the blanket and sat me down on one corner, and then he sat next to me, wrapping me in the excess blanket. We sat in silence for a few moments listening to the gentle sway of branches in the faint night breeze above us.

He grabbed my hand and pulled it toward his lips. He kissed my knuckles, wrist, forearm, elbow. My breathing deepened, and I didn’t pull away. His tongue joined as he continued the journey up my shoulder to the base of my neck. He inhaled deeply into my hair, and my body shuddered.

He whispered in my ear, “Mark is short for Marquez.”

His words resonated through my eardrum.

Mark… Marquez

The king of Spain, Armando Marquez.

A chill jolted down my spine, and I jumped to my feet to sprint from the park. I tangled in the blanket and fell to the ground. Mark, Marquez, gripped me tightly.

“You’re the king! I will die before I become your whore. You can’t buy me!” I yelled as I struggled to free myself from the blanket and his arms. I pushed and pounded on him, but he was a boulder. I quickly lost energy and began screaming. He gently put his hand across my mouth to mute the sound.

“Sookie, Sookie, calm down. I’m not Armando, I’m Manolo, Manolo Marquez, and I have never lied to you. I have no bad intentions. I want to help.”

“Dominic is Armando?”

“No, Dominic is Dominic Marquez”

“So, who’s Armando?”

“Our brother.”

“You’re bullshitting me,” I said irritably as I struggled to free myself.

“No. Let me explain. My mother provided my father with four sons. He was a proud man, proud to have four sons to carry on the family legacy. Dominic and I were the youngest and favored by our father. He cared very little for our mother. This was a different time and he viewed her as little more than the family baby producer. Several mistresses lived on our estate and he spent his nights with them. When we were twelve years of age, our mother died in her sleep. We buried her on the grounds. Father took on several young wives successively after mother passed. Each one died in her sleep within the first few month of marriage, and none bore children. His mistresses died as well. He grew lonely, depressed, and bitter.”

He paused to look at me. I inhaled deeply, realizing I had been holding my breath. I wondered where this story was headed and how it related to him being here, wanting to protect me from his brother.

He leaned closer and put his hands on my shoulders. “Dominic and I lived out our lives as was expected for men of that time. Armando died on his thirtieth birthday. Father buried him beside Mother. On our thirtieth birthday, Mother appeared before us. She was vampire. She turned us and left our bodies for Father to find. Our deaths were his breaking point. He ended his life after burying us alongside her and Armando.”

I took another breath. “Your mother took vengeance on your father by killing his mistresses, wives, and children?”

“Yes.”

“Because she was upset that he had several mistresses and didn’t love her?”

“Yes.”

“And now she is okay with Armando having a houseful of mistresses?”

“Now she is dead.”

“Oh.” I was suddenly at a complete loss for words. My heart was racing. This was a lot of information for one day. I was on overload, afraid my internal hard drive would crash.

“Negotiations were in place with your King, so Armando sent four of his men here to attest to your beauty. Amanda, Clara, and I joined because we wanted to meet the infamous Ms. Stackhouse.”

“To attest to my beauty,” I said tartly.

“No. To meet the mortal who dared smart off to the Ancient Pythoness. I knew instinctively I had to meet you. I was drawn to you. After meeting you, we were to leave Armando’s men here for four days while we took the jet to Albuquerque. My plans were foiled the second we began talking. By the time you threatened me at Fangtasia, I had already decided to help you. We stayed in Shreveport, and I made a pact with Northman. Armando found out we stayed, and now we have gone from our initial four to fourteen plus three mortals.”

“Why does he want me?”

“He does not bother with vermin, but he always keeps long-term lovers. He takes care of them emotionally and financially. They are with him by choice and are quite content with their situation and each other. After Virginie’s departure, he heard about you.”

“Certainly he can find a girl he doesn’t have to buy!”

“Indeed, but you were a potential lover and telepath in one. Eight years ago, he secured Hal, however Dominic fell in love with Hal. Dominic does not allow Armando to abuse Hal’s talents.

“What if I refuse him?”

“You would be the first to do so,” he said flatly.

“You want me to trust you, but how can I believe that you would help Eric over your own brother?”

“I am not helping Northman. I am helping you, Sookie.”

“I don’t understand why.”

“Must be the pixie dust,” he chuckled.

“What do you want from me?” I asked nervously.

“Everything and nothing,” and at that his lips met my neck. Smooth as silk he ran his lips from my neck across my shoulder, and slowly trailed down my arm. His tongue flickered against the edge of my finger, sending desire ringing through my body. He interlaced his fingers with mine and returned to my neck and earlobe. He kissed my temple and whispered in my ear, “Seeing you smile gives me great pleasure. I want to see you happy, and if that means I get nothing in return, so be it. If that means that someday you will let me into your heart, I would have everything I ever desired.”

Mark leaned in to kiss my willing lips, but suddenly pulled back and gave a sly grin. He inched away and looked out into the night.

“What are you two doing under there?” Doc asked from the edge of the tree.

“Snogging!” Hal exclaimed, as he and Amanda bent down to peak under the branches.

Suddenly all three joined us in our little tree fort under the swaying willow.

“I can’t believe you two snuck out the window like a couple horny teenagers,” Hal laughed.

Amanda laughed and added, “Sookie, are you still afraid?”

“I’ve been given a lot of information, but I still don’t understand anything,” I admitted.

Suddenly Doc grew still and motioned for silence. He looked at Mark and said, “You have a problem.” They appeared to come to some shared conclusion and motioned to Hal and Amanda. Doc grabbed Hal as they bolted out with Amanda from under the tree.

Mark pulled out a cell phone and said, “I assume you have a direct number for Eric.”

I thought about that for a minute. “Nope. But I can call Fangtasia.” He looked at me unbelievingly, then shrugged his shoulders and flipped open the phone. He dialed the number as I recited it and then stepped out from under the tree.

Sick of being out of the vampire-loop, I hobbled after him. By the time I caught up, I heard, “We have only minutes before…. She is here with me…” He cringed, “Fine.” He swung around and handed me the phone.

I put it to my ear, waiting for his voice.

“Sookie?” Eric soothed.

I relaxed. “Yeah.”

“Get in the car and drive. When you are away from the telepath, call me and I will give further instruction.”

“Okay,” I huffed.

“What are you two doing? I hear the outdoors.”

“Are you jealous?” I probed, my curiously getting the best of me.

“Yes.” While I tried to fight it, his admission made me feel warm and gooey inside. I fought a grin, and I’m certain he knew the reaction he was inducing within me. “Now scoot, Lover.”

And he was gone.

Before I could close the phone, Mark grabbed it and made another call. As he waited for an answer, he had me list everything I needed from the room. He recited my list over the line, and suddenly I was back in his arms, being swept to the edge of the park.

Setting me down, he looked at my foot and asked, “Are you okay to drive?”

I nodded, knowing I had enough adrenaline pulsing through my veins to pretty much do anything. The Cayenne approached.

Mark handed me his phone. “Be careful,” he said as he bent down and gave me a tight, protective hug.

Doc pulled directly in front of us and hopped out. He motioned for me to hurry. I limped over, and he lifted me to the driver’s seat and reached down to pull the seat forward. The passenger door opened. A hand touched my right shoulder. I began to turn my head, expecting to find Mark next to me.

Doc looked up and yelled, “No!”

I heard Mark yell from behind Doc.


I was suddenly alone in the dark.

My body swayed back and forth with the ground beneath me. The sound of moving water surrounded me from all sides. Wind blew my hair. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the moonlight. I looked in the distance to find myself surrounded by water, moonlight dancing on ocean waves. Looking down, I found myself barefoot on a teak deck, a boat. A sailboat. I looked up to see two sails bellowing to the right. My equilibrium adjusted to the slow, methodic rocking of the sailboat in the water as it rushed forward into the night. The salty breeze was warm and moist against my face.

I became aware of someone watching me.

I turned around to face the back of the boat. Mark was watching me with a hungry look on his face. His hunger did not appear to be for blood, but something more intimate. His hair was pulled back and his rich brown eyes glowed hazel in the moonlight. His white linen shirt and tan pants flowed with the wind. Slowly, seductively, he approached. With each step, his gaze intensified. He didn’t want to bite me; he wanted to devour me.

He traced the line of my jaw with his finger. A moment later, he retraced the same path with his tongue and lips, sending chills through my body.

He pulled back and knelt before me. Taking my hand in his, he kissed each finger, beginning with my pinky, our eyes locked the entire time. He reached to me and released the belt from my waist. My robe fell open, exposing bare flesh. Mark remained motionless as his eyes inched down my body. I tugged at the robe modestly, feeling my face flush.

“Trust me,” he whispered.

Smiling, he reached up and lowered my arms to my sides, urging me to relax. He drew the robe off my shoulders. It slipped off my body and pooled around my feet. He slid his fingers up and down my arms as his eyes devoured my body. He leaned forward, his face touching my abdomen, and inhaled. I shuddered. He kissed the flesh at the same spot, and my body convulsed under his lips. His lips traced my stomach, belly button, hipbone, curve of my hip, and up the side of my breast. I moaned deeply and wrapped my arms around his neck. He gently pulled my arms from him, kissed my fingers, and put my arms back at my side.

His insatiable grin indicated that he was intent on taking his time pleasing me.

His eyes roamed my body as his hands slid from my hips down my outer thighs and calves. He stroked the top of my feet with the back of his hand and then traveled back up, this time on the inside of my calves, ending at my inner knees. His lips replaced his hand and continued the journey up my thigh. A pool of warmth filled my core. My breath was raspy and deep. I moaned and tilted my head back. My body bucked, and I reached out to his shoulders to stabilize myself.

When he reached the top of my inner thigh, I gripped his hair between my fingers to urge him forward. Instead, he continued his sweet torture with his tongue. He stopped inches from my nub and diverted up the side, his tongue teasing a circle around my core. His hands trailed up my side and circled my breasts, but did not enclose them.
Freeing his hair from my grip, he took each finger in his mouth, one at a time. His tongue found a seductive rhythm as he flicked it across my fingertip. I tried to take a step forward to close the inches that separated us, but he held me back, his hand on my hip.

I writhed and cried out for him to end his sweet torture and take me in his mouth.

He released my arms back to my sides and stood to his full height. Cupping my face in his hand, his thumb traced my lips. His hungry hazel gaze set me on fire. He whispered, “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

He glided his fingers from my scalp, down my face and neck, and to the crest of my breasts. As he walked around me, his fingers slid across my collarbone, around my shoulder, and to the back of my neck. He ran his fingers through my hair and moved it to one shoulder as he kissed my ear and the tender flesh at the base of my neck. His lips and tongue explored the length of my spine, from the base of my neck and down. His hands roamed up and down my sides and wrapped forward to circle around my breasts. Once his lips reached my tailbone, his hands began exploring my legs, running down the outer thighs, and up the inner. His lips trailed down to the back of my knee.

My body trembled with yearning. The fire raging through me needed to be quenched. Without touching the most intimate parts of my body, Mark had me teetering on the edge of an internal volatile eruption. In my weakened state, I lost my balance.

Mark held me up, embracing me against his body, his arms around my stomach. I could feel his hardness pressed against my back. He whispered in my ear, “Sookie, do you want more?”

“Please,” I urged. My breathing was deep and raspy.

Pressing me against him, he urged me to relinquish control of my body. My full weight fell back into him. His hand slid down past my bellybutton and found my core. He stroked my nub. My hips urged him further. Keeping his thumb on my nub, his finger plunged into my warmth. I moaned and matched the movement of my hips to his strokes. His second hand cupped my breast and rolled my nipple between his fingers. He whispered in my ear, “Beautiful Sookie, do you want me?”

“Please,” I begged, needing to quench the fire burning within my core.

Sensing my need, he quickened his pace and deepened his strokes. He kissed my neck and earlobe as his hands threw me off the edge and into a release so strong my body convulsed and quaked against his. He didn’t stop. His fingers plunged deeper, faster. His other hand was everywhere, while his lips and tongue claimed my neck, shoulders, and ears.

I came two more times before he stopped. He held me back against him in an embrace as I quivered with aftershocks. He held me until the last tremor ended.

He lifted me into his arms and walked over to a padded bench. He lay me down and began to re-explore my body with his hands, lips, and tongue. I reached between us and unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off his shoulders and onto the deck. My fingers roamed the taught muscles of his stomach, chest, and biceps. He was divine, glorious, and beautiful.

I sat up and pulled him to me, needing to feel his lips against mine. He smiled and met my request willingly. He kissed my right cheek, my left, and then settled his silky lips against mine. The kiss began soft and tender, until I gripped my arms around his body and pulled him down on top of me. His hardness pressed between my legs. He growled deep in his chest as his desire let loose. His kiss deepened with an added urgency. Our lips parted, and his tongue caressed me, finding a rhythm in harmony with the rocking boat. His hips rocked against mine. He kissed down my neck, my shoulder, my arm. He took my nipple in his mouth and rolled it between his lips. He turned to the other one while his hand caressed the first. His other hand traveled up my outer thigh and seized my backside, pulling me closer to him. His mouth moved back to mine. After a few minutes, his tongue trailed back down to my breasts, down to my stomach, and further down to the source of my heat. His tongue found my nub and began a new rhythm in a higher frequency than the boat. I moaned out, my head already feeling faint from the endless foreplay. My body was aching for him as if it suddenly realized what it had been missing, as if the missing piece of itself had suddenly been returned. A finger slid into my warmth and matched the rhythm of his tongue. I moved to his rhythm, moaning and pressing my body to him. The pleasure intensified, and I yelled out.

He whispered, “My beautiful Sookie, do you want me to take you?”

I wasn’t certain if this was a statement or if he was asking for the green light. I rasped, “Please.”

I was filled with a new wave of pleasure as he slid into me. He smiled down and touched my face. His thrusts were not thrusts at all. He slid in and out slowly, millimeter by millimeter, as if surveying me inside out. Each time he moved forward, he would hold himself at the deepest depths inside me, pressing against me for a few moments before once again withdrawing. Each time he pressed, I felt a wave of ecstasy I have never felt before. It was a drug, a drug I needed more of. He was slow and methodic, tender and gentle. He was making love to me, not simply fulfilling a sexual desire. With each feeing of pressure against my depths, my releases accumulated, and my body trembled. His hands continued to explore my body, caressing as he sucked and kissed with his lips. My individual moans merged to form one long cry of pleasure. Sensing my need for release, he pushed against me, but this time he did not withdraw. Instead, he made subtle circular motions with his hips. I felt the movement deep inside me and was catapulted to a new, elevated realm of climax. Fireworks lit the sky. My body burst open with pleasure. I grabbed him and pulled him against me. He lifted me and held me against his chest.

My body went limp in his arms. He simply held me against him and gently stroked my back. He was still inside me, still hard, still waiting for his own release. We rocked with the boat. I turned my head to look at him. He smiled contently and kissed me passionately. Once I regained my breath, his hips began to gyrate below me. He held my hips and moved my body up and down along his entire length. This time he was faster and less restrained. His thrusts were faster and deeper, yet gentle. I arched my back to allow full penetration. One hand held and moved my hips while the other taunted my nub. I felt another release approach rapidly. His pace quickened and his lips pressed to mine passionately, linking our bodies into one. The fire within me raged one last time as I screamed out in pleasure. With his last few thrusts, he cried out into the night, “My beautiful Sookie!”
Once again, he held me against his chest and stroked my back. We remained intertwined and rocked with the boat for endless minutes.

Tilting my head to his, he tenderly kissed my lips, smiled, and moved back. Still smiling, one hand on my cheek, he moved from our embrace. He flew backwards, off the boat and into the darkness, his eyes on me until he was lost to the night. The boat stopped. The boat vanished.

I was alone again in the darkness.


I blinked.

I was tucked in a warm bed, deep under the covers. My eyes strained against the sunlight blazing through the window. Drew was at the foot of the bed. His eyes were wide, mouth open slightly, and he looked momentarily speechless. It took me a moment to take in the abrupt change in surroundings.

“Good morning sunshine,” he smiled with a wink.

“What happened?” I asked nervously.

Chapter 22

Drew approached, looking like a misplaced rock star with his fashionable jeans, fitted print T, smooth mocha skin, blazing hazel eyes, and purposefully disheveled hair. “I have no idea what happened, little darling.” With a wink he added, “Eric showed up in the wee hours of the morning looking mighty distressed. He directed me to watch over you for the day. You have been out cold since.”

“Where am I?”

“Siéntete como en tu casa.”

“What?” I demanded impatiently, my eyes narrowing on his.

With a laugh he responded, “I thought your boyfriend was Spanish?”

I rolled my eyes, hardly in the mood for his banter.

He softened his tone and said, “Make yourself at home. This is my pad. You’re stuck with me for the day.”

He winked.

Suddenly the covers were jerked off the bed, leaving me fully exposed. He gaped at my pajamas and laughed, “No wonder Eric was so pissed. Who did this to you?”

“Amanda,” I smiled.

“Ahh, this explains Pam’s shitty attitude. Amanda stole her favorite human pet.” He grabbed towels and clothing from the chair and handed the pile to me. “I called Tara. She’ll help us with this disaster,” he said, waving a hand at my pajamas and nearby bag of clothes.

“Oh, I can’t…”

“Frankly, you’re a mess. You look hungry, pasty, and tired.”

I blew out an annoyed breath and scowled. Thanks Drew, you know how to make a lady feel beautiful. Jerk.

He winked and added, “I have a plan. Let’s order pizza and lounge in the sun. After that, we’ll watch a movie while you finish your homework.”

“Homework?”

“Eric left a computer. He said you’d know.”

I nodded.

The database.

Drew left to order pizza. I showered quickly and robotically stumbled through my morning routine. My mind distracted. Every thought drifted back to the sailboat. I could practically smell the sweet salty mist in the warm breeze. I could hear the sails bellowing as the wind pulled us further to sea. I could feel the warm teak deck below my toes. It felt so real. But it wasn’t. It couldn’t have been. It was physically impossible to travel from Shreveport to the open ocean and back in the couple hours before sunrise.

It was just a dream. It was a dream so vivid, realistic, and unforgettable that I could still feel Mark’s hands and lips on me, caressing in his sweet torture. I could feel him inside me. I could hear each and every word whispered against my ear.

I dreamt that I relinquished my body to someone I was told to not trust.

And I enjoyed it.

Really enjoyed it.

Several times.

At some level, I must have known it wasn’t real. I had never been sailing or out on the open ocean. Yet after being transported on a sailboat, in the open ocean, at night, I was tranquil. I was calm even before I knew Mark was with me. In reality, this would have been an ‘oh shit moment’ the instant I was found myself on the boat.
With a sigh, I resolved to stop dwelling on my dream.

Straining, I focused my thoughts on what did happen. I jumped in the Cayenne, someone touched my shoulder, Doc yelled ‘no’, and suddenly I was dreaming. Who touched my shoulder? Why did I suddenly fall asleep? And how did I end up here?

Cued by the doorbell chime, I rushed to dress in the girl counterpart of Drew’s wardrobe, short boardshorts, Roxy tank, and a matching hoodie. Departing the bedroom, I found myself in a loft overlooking an open living space with floor to ceiling windows. Every external wall contained chinked logs, slate, or glass. The decor was an eclectic medley of unmatched furniture. Several guitars were showcased throughout the room. A drum set loitered in the corner. Trees surrounded the cabin in every direction.

I descended the stairs and followed the music to find Drew in the kitchen. He led me through the house and out the back door. We sat in the afternoon sun, eating pizza and drinking soda. Our conversation was casual, and I enjoyed his mental silence immensely. After a couple hours, we retreated indoors and settled in front of the TV. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was playing on HBO. Drew handed me the computer and left me to my task. He excused himself and drove off to meet Tara. His Saab disappeared into the distant trees.

I powered up the laptop and anxiously waited for the SafeBoot Mobile Data Security login screen. Immediately after typing mariposa and hitting enter, a window popped up on the screen.


*
Sookie,

Eric says you need the database for detective work. Below is a compiled list of Armando’s top personnel.

The damage to your house is mainly cosmetic. Greg Aubert filed your claim. Alcide arranged for contractors. Sam is fine.

Please be careful.

William Compton
*

I spent the better part of an hour clicking through Bill’s profile links. I was thankful for his list, as this saved me from wading through Spain’s entire database. As it was, I had over a hundred vampires through which to sift.

Starting with a name I knew, I clicked on Manolo Marquez. His database profile opened, revealing a limited history and a stunning photograph of him in a tuxedo, his hair down, his smile fixed beyond the camera. Born in 783 C.E, and sire to Kveta Horváth, Adéla Szabó, Amanda Sullivan, Clarinda Page, and Sabine Gabrielle. His
mother and maker, Jovita Marquez, turned him in 813 C.E. She died in 1951 by fire. Current position and standing is Marshal of Area 3, Spain. Talents include neuromanipulation and neuroprojection.

This information led to far more questions than it answered. Yes, he told the truth about his history. Yes, it appeared that he was indeed Amanda’s maker. However, who were these other four, and was Sabine the Sabine? What were neuromanipulation and neuroprojection? Both terms sound straight out of the New England Journal of Medicine. I wondered if Bill invented these evasive terms. This told me nothing about his touch and only implied that Mark may be a brain surgeon on the side.

In turn, I clicked the links for Mark’s ‘children’. Amanda was indeed my big vampire sister, born in Ireland in 1668, turned in 1695. Clarinda was Clara, born in England in 1541, turned 1572. Lastly, I clicked on Sabine. The aged photo revealed a gorgeous human with long dark hair and light eyes. She had all the physical characteristics of a glamorous 1940’s movie star. Born in 1908 in France, turned in 1950, died 1951 by fire.

This struck me on several layers. First, Mark’s mother, Jovita, and lover, Sabine, died in the same year, and both by fire. Second, Sabine was forty-two years old when she turned while Mark’s body was that of a thirty year old. Why did they wait? Why not turn her sooner?

I continued down Bill’s list, eventually identifying twelve of the fourteen Spaniards. Doc was Marshal of Area 2 and had sired eight vampires, all men. The only other interesting tidbit was that Dopey was really Hugh Marquez, born in 799, turned in 849 by Armando Marquez. Current position was listed as Chief Adviser to the High King of Spain. Talents include neuromanipulation and neuroprojection.

This led to an entirely new train of thought. Hugh was born while the Marquez brothers were still human. I wondered if Armando was Hugh’s biological father in addition to his vampiric father. And I wonder if Hugh touched my shoulder last night. Although, if Dopey touched me, why would he ‘neuroproject’ Mark to me in a dream? Hugh was a middle-aged stout vampire with silver streaks through his dark brown hair. I could not have mistaken him for Mark.

I wrote out my list for Eric.


*
Vampires
1. Manolo (Mark) Marquez
2. Amanda Sullivan
3. Clarinda (Clara) Page
4. Dominic (Doc) Marquez
5. Hugh Marquez
6. Juan Fernández
7. Elias Morales
8. Manual Gutiérrez
9. Paco Martín
10. Javier Serrano
11. Brian Romero
12. Mohan Lal
13. (unknown male)
14. (unknown male)

Humans
1. Hal (telepath)
2. Michelle (concubine)
3. Mazeika (concubine)
*


Rewarding myself for completing the task, I decided to enjoy some downtime. I wrapped up in a blanket, threw my feet on the coffee table, and flipped between channels. The sun was setting in the horizon. I wondered what the night would bring about for yours truly.

Suddenly, it occurred to me that I had the entire vampire database at my disposal. I wondered if Bill could, and would, track my activities on this computer. Letting my curiosity get the best of me, I logged in and typed ‘Northman, Eric’ into the name search field.

I felt a little naughty spying on Eric like this. While every vampire has access to his profile, I knew as a mortal I shouldn’t. My eyes flashed across the screen trying to take in his entire profile at once. Alias is Leif. I remembered him using this alias in Dallas as well as in Jackson. He was sire to two vampires in addition to Pam. “Pam Ravenscroft!” I found myself laughing out loud in disbelief. Up until this point Pam was just Pam, like Prince or Madonna or Tupac. I would have taken her for a Jones, Burns, or Smith. Pam Jones, not Pam Ravenscroft!

The dominant component of Eric’s profile was a large unabashed close-up. His smoldering blue eyes leered at the camera, and his shirt stretched across his chest, revealing his strapping stature. The mighty Viking lover, I thought as I ran my hand down the computer screen, tracing Eric’s face with my finger. I sighed to myself and smiled.

“Enjoying yourself, lover?” Eric whispered in my ear.

I jumped and slammed down the computer screen.

His words resonated down to my toes.

I said dryly, “Just finishing my research.” I attempted to appear unscathed by being caught fondling the virtual Viking.

He strutted around the couch, his black pants and Fangtasia shirt hugging every curve, crevice, and bulge of his glorious body. He moved intently, watching me watch him. He sat on the coffee table in front of me and swung my legs up on his thigh. I braced my libido, expecting a seductive grin, a wandering hand, and two traveling eyes. Instead, he looked deep into my eyes, his face impassive.

I knew how to handle the infuriating, relentless, insatiable, entertaining, witty Eric. I had no idea how to handle this Eric. Anxious to fill the silent void I said, “Here’s the list,” and handed him my notes.

Without turning from my eyes, he set the list aside carelessly. He was pale, his eyes fixed on mine worriedly. Resting his hands on my knees, he said warily, “Tell me what he did to you.”

“Eric, I don’t know,” I said with a frustrated exhale. I was hoping he would tell me. “I climbed in the Cayenne, Doc adjusted the seat forward, someone touched my shoulder, I fell asleep, and I woke up here with Drew staring at me.”

“Who touched you?” His face remained stoic, but there was a hint of fire behind the word touched.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, “But it wasn’t the twins.”

He took my hands in his and gently probed, “What happened in your sleep?”

I shifted nervously while I thought about the most suitable answer, “I was sailing in the open ocean.” This was pretty much the end of what I was comfortable talking about with my former lover.

“And…” he encouraged.

“Eric!” I snapped.

“Please, Sookie.” His tone softened and his eyes pleaded. “Who was with you?” I could sense a degree of urgency and significance in these questions.

“Mark,” I mumbled, looking away.

“What did he say?”

Oh, boy. Well, I could hardly tell Eric that Mark said, “Trust me… Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? …Do you want more? ...Do you want me? ...Do you want me to take you?” And I said, “Please… Please… Please!”

Nope, I remained silent.

His eyes narrowing, he added, “What did he do?” His voice had regained a sprinkle of feistiness. He leaned back and studied my face.

“It was just a dream, Eric. No need to overreact.” My face flushed at the very idea of my transgression. Every sensation felt so real, every touch, every kiss, and every movement. I was a little upset with myself for blushing about sex in front of Eric. I hadn’t been with a man in months. Eric had certainly not been celibate. Yet here I was, blushing at a naughty dream, as if I should have been ashamed.

“He touched you.” This was not a question, and now the fire in his voice was obvious. “Did you…?” He appeared to reconsider that train of though and asked, “Did you consent?”

“Eric, really!” I huffed, getting up and rushing away from him. My face was four shades of red before I could move from the couch. I’m certain this was all the answer he needed for both questions.

Before I could get to the stairs, he blocked my path. “Don’t run,” he insisted, putting his hands on my shoulders.

“Eric, I….”

Before I could finish, I was wrapped in six feet four inches of Viking. He wrapped his arms around me and held me against him. I inhaled his scent. He was like a big pillow and I wanted to sink deeper. “It was an illusion, lover. He didn’t do anything to you,” he soothed. I got the impression that this statement was more to comfort and calm himself than it was for me.

“Eric, what are neuroprojection and neuromanipulation?” My voice was somewhat muffled against his chest.

He pulled away and said, “The ability to alter sensory systems of the human brain.” I looked up at him confusedly. He added, “Your sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell would all be affected, as would your perception of temperature, balance, location, even the chemical composition of your bloodstream… including hormones.”
“I would feel like I was sailing?” I asked.

“Or having sex...” His eyes narrowed, gauging my body language.

“When you found us after the Were attack, did you make me heel because you thought Mark was doing this to me?”

“You do not know him, Sookie. You know less about him than you did Bill or Quinn.”

“Or you,” I added tartly. “Why do you trust him?”

“I said nothing of trust. His loyalty is to his brothers.”

“But you trusted him enough to make a deal with him.”

“To guarantee your safety.” His voice gained a guarded edge as he spoke these words.

“What are you doing? What’s your plan?”

He smiled down at me thoughtfully. “To protect you.” I knew from his expression that this was all I was going to squeeze from him about his master plan.

“Just tell me. I don’t appreciate being kept in the dark like this.” My voice had resorted to a louder, more authoritative tone I was proud of.

“Everyone on your list has pledged fealty to Spain, including your telepath friend. Never forget where their ultimate loyalty lies. Knowledge could put you in danger.”

“Then why do you keep pawning me off on them? Keep me with you.”

“I don’t. These are not my decisions.”

“You know, Armando wants me for more than my telepathic skills.”

From the troubled look on his face and fire behind his eyes, it was obvious he knew, too. He put his hands on my cheeks and said, “It is not your fate. You are too unsullied for his needs.”

After a significant pause, Eric added, “Felipe will request your presence tonight at Fangtasia. I am concerned about his intentions. We are in a precarious position, one that is unprecedented.”

He kissed my forehead, whispering, “I will be back in one hour, Lover,” grabbed the list, and flew out the door.

As soon as the red corvette disappeared down the drive, the Saab