All characters belong to Charlaine Harris. But I like them to laugh more.
Thank you to my beta, ehee, who got through this quickly, even though she's sick. And muchas gracias to Tradermare who pre-read this story, twice, with good humor and suggestions.
MISSING GIRLS
A Follow-Up to Like a Knife Through Butter
From "Like A Knife Through Butter":
Her current case was that of a young woman who had disappeared from a local nightclub. The parents were frantic, and the police were at a dead end. The police hadn't noticed that young women had been disappearing regularly. But Sookie paid more attention, because it could affect her.
With Bill's death, everyone became more cautious. Queen Sophie-Anne wanted to know what happened to him, and she wanted her telepath. Eric needed to find an excuse for Bill's being out of touch with the monarch and ultimately for his final death. Plus, he had to protect Sookie, her Gran, Pam and the other vampires who had sworn fealty to him.
Sookie was still working on the case of the missing girl. She discovered that five young women had disappeared throughout the state, two in Shreveport. Locally, the nightclub that they had disappeared from was Fangtasia, although they didn't vanish from the club itself, but from the parking lot or surrounding streets. The police had a officer or two in the club every night, but so far they had learned nothing. Perhaps if they had staked out the parking lot, it would have been more helpful. But girls and booze, not to mention the lure of vampire sex, made staying indoors more appealing. When the sixth girl in Louisiana, and the third from Fangtasia went missing, Sookie decided that she had to do something about it.
Eric was opposed to Sookie's ideas because she used herself as bait in all of them. The police would find out the culprits eventually. Meanwhile, Fangtasia was still crowded every night so he wasn't concerned. Finally Sookie put her foot down, and stated that she was going to hang out in the parking lot, alone, all night long, unless he helped her. Eric heaved a deep sigh and gave in.
"Eric, I have a plan that will cover Bill's disappearance. It uses my job and the missing girls to cover up his death. You're going to have to allow me to work alone. But I promise that you can supply back-up. In fact, I think there are vampires involved, so it will be necessary."
At 1AM, a few nights later, a short girl with thick, spiky black hair and over- made-up goth eyes, left Fangtasia alone. She got into a crappy old car, and slowly drove around to the parking lot entrance, where she stopped, turned on her right-turn signal, and looked to the left. Sitting on a rock, was a girl who appeared to be crying. Soft-hearted, she rolled down her window to see if she could help. "Hey... is something wrong? Can I help you?"
The young woman looked up through tear-swollen eyes, stuttering, "My... my boyfriend left with a vampire. I didn't bring my purse, or anything except my license, so I have no way of getting home."
"Well, how far away do you live? Maybe I can give you a ride..."
"Oh, it's not far, only about three miles towards Monroe."
"Good. That's right on my way. Get in. I'm Addie. What's your name?"
"I'm Pat. It was the first time I came here. I don't think I'll be back again."
"Do you live with your boyfriend, Pat?"
"No! With my Mom and her boyfriend. Just go straight down this road, and I'll tell you where to turn. And he's my ex-boyfriend now!"
The driver kept to the speed limit and stopped at every yellow light. Pat was getting impatient, and urged her to go faster, but the punk-haired girl was the opposite of wild and couldn't be pushed. Just before the three mile mark, Addie turned to Pat to ask her which way to turn; when she did, she faced a small gun being held in previously empty and wringing hands.
"Pat, what are you doing? I'm taking you home! Do you want my money? Take it! Just don't hurt me!"
"Don't be stupid, bitch! We want you! We'll get lots more money for you than your wallet can hold. Make a right turn at the next corner, go straight ahead for half a mile, then turn into the park."
"What do you mean you'll get money for me? Oh...no! This is some kind of white slavery, isn't it? You're going to kidnap me and send me to Saudi Arabia or someplace! This can't be happening!"
"Shut up, stupid! Just pay attention to driving! I don't want to crash before we reach Master Titus!"
"Master? You're doing this for a vampire? Why are we going to the park? Don't you have a home? I can give you a place to stay if you need to run!"
"Why would I run? We have a home! We just don't do business from it!"
Addie stepped on the gas to speed up the little car, then braked with all the force she could put behind her right foot, throwing up the emergency brake at the same time. The car bucked, and Pat, already perched on the edge of the seat, so she could face Addie, was thrown against the dashboard. Addie unlatched her seat belt, and had the gun away from her supposed captor, before Pat could sit back up. Behind her, Pat felt the door open and a large hand pulled her out of the car by her neck. Then cuffs encircled her wrists and she passed out. It was easy to throw her into the back seat of Sookie's car.
Addie relaxed and pulled off the spiky black wig. She shook out her long blond hair and turned back into a badly made-up version of Sookie. "Darn it's hot under that!"
Eric gathered her into a hug. "You did very well, lover. I hope you never have to get that close to a gun again."
"Get real, honey. This is my job, and as you can see, I'm damn good at it! If I was alone I would have cuffed her and brought her to the police station."
"I still prefer that you stay safe."
"Deal with it, Viking! Not my style! Anyway, this isn't the right time for a discussion. You have to go to the park for her Master. He'll be wondering what's taking her so long."
"Mmm, Sookie, I like it when you talk tough! How many, Lover?
"Three vamps, no humans. Go get 'em, tiger!"
'I am so NOT a tiger!' he grumbled as he took off.
Sookie drove back to Fangtasia with her prisoner still out in the back seat. Pam met her at the employee's entrance and brought the unfortunate girl into the club and down to the basement. She added a chain and collar around the girl's neck and left her in the dank, unlit space.
When Eric arrived twenty minutes later, Sookie was having a drink with Pam, enjoying the retelling of the night's activities. She had already washed the nasty black make-up off her face, brushed her hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. After Eric locked up the vampire he was carrying in the basement, he joined them for the next part of their plan.
He sat at the table next to Sookie and put his arm around her.
"Lover, I brought Compton's wallet with me. I want a hint of Titus to be picked up on the cloth. (Bill was going Green and only used a wallet of native cloth woven in Peru. It smelled like Bill, Peruvians and Guinea pig.) Now we have to search Titus' nest and see if there are any papers there that implicate Bill. After I interrogate Titus, and you read Pat, I'll do away with him, and glamour her."
"I'll go over to Bill's house and search it. I'll call you when I'm done. Maybe you should come over to search it again..."
"No, lover, I've already searched it twice. With fresh eyes you're more likely to find something than I am. But if you'd like help, I'm sure Pam wouldn't mind going with you."
"That's a good idea, Master. I'll enjoy going through Compton's private papers. Who knows what is to be found."
"Right. Let's go downstairs and see what we can learn. I'll throw out that yellow car on my way over to pick up Pam, later tonight. Drive your Toyota home, and walk over to Compton's. Tomorrow night we'll put everything together and I'll call the Queen."
After Sookie finished learning all she could from the unfortunate Pat, she and Pam left for Bon Temps.
Pam and Sookie stopped to say hello to Gran before they went to Bill's house.
Gran wanted to come along, and another pair of eyes, as wise as hers, was welcomed. In case their scent lingered, their story was that they came to visit Bill, and to talk to him about his presentation at the meeting of "The Descendants of the Glorious Dead."
Pam started in the attic, working her way down to the second floor, while Gran and Sookie stayed on the ground floor. They finished up at the same time and everything would be searched thoroughly. No one was worried about turning on the lights, Bill's house was as isolated as Sookie's.
In an antique chest that she discovered in a false corner of the parlor fireplace, Gran found modern paper money. Piles of it, about $60,000. Pam said it smelled like Bill, and a little like Titus. Perhaps their story wasn't fiction after all. In a secret compartment in his roll-top desk, Sookie found a family tree sketched out, with her name at the top. That scared her more than anything, and she showed it to her Gran with trepidation. Gran held it in her shaking hands, and said, "Sookie, I think it's time for us to have a little talk."
Those were the only discoveries of the night. Why Eric didn't find them...who knows. Maybe Gran's knowledge of hiding places during the American Civil War helped her to find the chest. He'd be mad at himself for missing them, but at least they were found. The cash was left in the chest. They took the family tree with them, when they returned to the Stackhouse home.
Eric went back for the chest of money when he was told about it. He didn't want Gran's scent on it, but he knew he had to give it to Sophie-Anne, although he didn't want to have to explain how he had missed it the first two times he searched. In the nest where the three vamps had lived with Pat, he had discovered more hidden cash, but in more easily found places. He would work that into the story too. Eric also carried Titus' shirt with him, and rubbed it lightly on the sofa, before taking it outside to burn.
With dawn fast approaching, Eric took off with Pam to Shreveport, and the Stackhouse women went to bed.
Both Gran and Sookie slept late that day. By lunch they were awake for a meal and conversation. Gran had been fearing this moment for 24 years, but the truth had to be told. They sat at the kitchen table with cups of coffee warming their hands. Sookie was silent, waiting for her Gran to start speaking.
"Sookie, I don't want you to say anything until after I've finished. Do you think you can do that for me?"
"Sure, Gran. I promise." Gran jumped right in.
"Your grandfather was sterile. He had mumps when he was fifteen. All my life I wanted children, and he wanted children too. We were both heartbroken. One day while I was hangin' out laundry in the yard, a man walked out of the woods and asked me for a drink. Oh Sookie, he was so beautiful! To me, he shone like the sun, I couldn't see anything but him. You know how you felt when you first saw Eric, that's how I felt when I first saw Fintan. I was married and my husband was a good man. I wasn't going to shame him or myself by leaving him, especially after I learned what Fintan was, and that we couldn't live together anyway, but I couldn't stop myself from loving him.
"Fintan was so irresistible, I tried to, but I couldn't keep away. I didn't tell your grandfather. Once I got pregnant, he never brought it up to me. Even after I got pregnant again, two years later, he never asked. Only he and I knew that the children weren't his. I never wanted to tell you, because I didn't want you to think poorly of me." Gran lifted her chin stubbornly, "Yes, I was unfaithful. But if I hadn't been, I wouldn't have had your Dad and Linda, and ultimately, Hadley, Jason and you.
"I loved Fintan like you love Eric. I loved your grandfather differently, but it was still love. Fintan couldn't stay here, in this realm, to help me raise our children, and your grandfather loved them even before they were born... You see Sookie, Fintan was half fae, that makes you one eighth fae. Fairy."
Sookie had no problem not interrupting Gran. She was speechless. 'Fairies exist? What else? She was one eighth fairy?' She started laughing, thinking of "Peter Pan" and "The Wizard of Oz." '"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!"' 'Vampires, fairies and what else? Witches? Werewolves? Oh my? Oh my Lord! I really have to talk to Eric!' 'Tinker-fuckin-bell!'
She sat, stopped laughing, and shook her head. "Gran, don't you think I should have been told that I'm not the only freak in existence? May I meet Fintan? Maybe he can answer some questions for me."
"No, Sookie. Fintan died last year. He was murdered in the ongoing war between the different fae clans. We kept this secret to keep you safe. We didn't want the war to reach you, and so far we've succeeded. Eric is strong enough to protect you. But now, if the Queen wants to use you... I don't know how going public will affect your fate."
Sookie got up an hugged her Gran, "Don't for a minute think that this makes me love you any less. You're still the Gran who loved me when no one else did. But I think I'd like to go for a walk, and think for a while. I'll talk to Eric later, first we have to clear up this Bill business."
Sookie walked down to the pond on the edge of the forest and sat onto the thick grass to didn't even want to think about her Gran having a love affair. Oh! Ick! Lying back on the soft grass she looked at the sky, 'If I could feel this way about Eric, of course Gran could feel strongly about Fintan. They were both supernatural beings and I'm sure Fintan was every bit as charismatic as Eric.' Plus, now, she better understood Gran's tolerance for people and their foibles, even vampires. It had been an emotional day following a stressful night, and Sookie, concentrating on her problems, and comfortable in the quiet woods, fell asleep.
"Sookie, wake up, lover. It's late and your Gran is worried about you." Darkness had fallen, and her love had flown to search for her.
"Oh Eric. You're here already. I had so much to think about. Gran told me about my real grandfather, and I'm one eighth fae. Did you know that?"
"I wasn't sure what you were, lover, but I knew you were more than just human. Come, let us go back to the house and speak with her."
When they reached the house, Sookie ran up to her Gran and hugged her. Gran hugged her back, then fussed a little, and told Sookie to heat up a blood for Eric, that dinner was ready. They sat and talked, while both species enjoyed their meals. They were each other's best company. Eric told Sookie what he knew about the Fae, adding to Adele's information. When Adele told him Fintan's full name he was shocked, "Brigant? Fintan Brigant? Was he related to Niall?"
"Yes. Niall was his father."
"So Sookie is the great-granddaughter of a fairy prince. No wonder you tried to keep her existence secret. My love, I'm afraid you're too high-born for me. You are a princess. Niall will never allow us to be together." He had a twitch of a smile at the corner of his mouth, but his words were serious.
Sookie looked fierce. "There's no way in hell that my great-grandfather or anyone else will come between us!"
"Sookie," Gran remonstrated with her, "Your language!"
"Sorry, Gran, but no one will part us! If anyone tries, I'll have Eric turn me immediately!"
Eric brought Sookie outside to sit on the swing, and tried to calm her down. "Lover, you know that there are things we can do, other than turning you, that will make it harder for Niall or Sophie-Anne to separate us. We could bond. Then no one would have the right even to touch you without my permission. Sophie-Anne couldn't take you, and I don't think that Niall could either. Being bonded is like being married in the vampire world, but it's forever, there's no divorce."
"What else? Come on, Viking, I need more information...
"We'll be able to feel each other's emotions. We'll be happier when we're around each other. Your gift might expand to include me, but your shields will probably become stronger too. And it's permanent. It will not fade."
"Is there a downside to that?" Sookie smiled.
"You would have to live with me and share my bed every night." Eric smirked.
"I'll repeat the question."
"No, lover, for us there is no downside."
"Then let's do it!"
It looked like the night would be full with Sookie moving into Eric's house. Gran wasn't thrilled about her leaving so abruptly, but because they still couldn't get married in Louisiana, she understood that bonding would be the best thing for them. They put off reporting to the Queen until the bond was set, and they knew exactly what story they were telling about Bill's unfortunate end.
Three nights later Eric finally called Sophie-Anne. At least calling first, he would have a slight advantage.
After he announced himself to the Queen's secretary, he was hastily put through to her. "Good evening, my Queen. I have news for you about Compton."
"Good news or bad, Northman?" 'Today had started out boring, but seems to be taking an interesting turn,' Sophie-Anne thought.
"Depends on how you feel about him meeting his final death." 'Thank Amun! I'm finally rid of Compton... Get control, Sophie! That's not the image we want to project.'
"What? Explain! How could this happen in your area, Sheriff?" 'I hope there was a good reason, you're worth ten of him.'
"It was unexpected, Your Majesty. We were hunting murderers, and discovered a human slave business being run by Compton and three other vampires. In the ensuing fight, all four were killed. There is some good news... I found $60,000 in Compton's place, and another $120,000 at the nest of the other vamps. Of course, it is all yours. Also yours is whatever they owned, despite any existing wills, because they were acting illegally in your state."
"That doesn't sound like such a bad outcome, Northman. 'Cash in hand: $180,000. What I get from Compton's and the other three wills: at least a cool million. Never seeing that smarmy shit again: priceless!" What about the other matter? The telepath?"
"Majesty, things are very tricky with the telepath. You can't force her to work, nor would you be able to believe whatever she told you, if she was to work under duress. So I have become bonded to her. This way, I can accompany her whenever you need her, and I can keep her happy for you."
"You formed a blood bond with her? That seems extreme, Sheriff! You have never had one before, have you?" 'Give me break, Northman, there must be something more...'
"No, my Queen, but it's the only way I could convince her to work for you. She cannot be glamoured, and she is very stubborn. I'm sure that eventually she will become a well-trained pet." 'Riiight, Northman. Pretty little blond...'
"I am disappointed, Sheriff. I wanted her here with me. I'm not sure I can accept your decision. Her cousin also wants her here." 'Hadley is such a whiny bitch when she doesn't get her own way. I should make you deal with her!'
"As you know, Your Majesty, a bond cannot be transferred nor tampered with." 'Quite an insurance policy, Viking.' "I'm sure you will be happy with her telepathic services, and you do have her cousin for your pet. They must taste close to the same; human with a little extra?"
"Yes, Viking. Quite delicious... Oh, very well. I don't want to go to war with you over a pet!" 'Or anything else.' "You may keep the telepath, as long as you bring her to me when I call."
"Of course, Your Highness. I will have a courier bring you the money and my report on Compton's death tomorrow night."
"I will be expecting it." And the Queen hung up the phone.
Eric took a deep breath, which he didn't need, and let it out slowly. He was aware that he had dodged a messy end, not just for him, but all his loyal vampires in Area 5, plus Sookie and her family. He also knew that the large amount of cash, plus whatever the dead vamps had left, was tempering the Queen's decision. And perhaps, just perhaps, she had believed his reasoning about keeping Sookie happy as being the best way to have the truth told when she was working. Whatever the justification, the outcome was what he had desired. They were in no danger because of Compton's death, and Sookie was free to be his.
He got into bed where Sookie was sleeping. He enjoyed her warmth when he turned in at dawn, and her enthusiasm when he awoke in the evening. He spooned around her, and let the death of the day take him, looking forward to the night.