Chapter 1

I was officially scared. After Pam and I returned from our girls' only trip to Tunica, Mississippi to enjoy their casinos, Eric had been waiting for us at my house. The trip hadn't been the relaxing trip I'd envisioned. Well since I was with a vampire I should have been prepared for anything. Only our "vacation" included a vampire-related business meeting set up by Victor Madden or he that must die a final death. It shouldn't have surprised me it was a trap to eliminate Pam and I. Fortunately I didn't drink my drugged drink, but Pam did. Obviously we survived although our escape did require my first ever strip tease for the lecherous amusement of the locals. I avoided exposing everything God gave me, but not by much. Gran no doubt rolled over in her grave. It wasn't a total disaster. I held onto my costume. My reenactment really helped to soothe Eric's fury over the attack.

We had mind-blowing sex as soon as Pam was gone. Actually we had great sex all night. He left before dawn warning me to stay close to home, not to come to Shreveport and remain cautious at all times. He told me I might not hear from him for a while as he put his own retaliatory (thank you Word of the Day) plans into motion. Call me coward, but I was okay with being left out of the loop. I'd hoped for some peace after Appius' and Alexi's final deaths. I'd had enough of vampire politics.

I spent time with my now sane fairy Uncle Dermot and my fairy cousin Claude. Claude had moved back to his own house taking Dermot with him. It made sense. Eric had furious at finding my bed covered in the scents of two male fairies. It was only the one time and although outwardly weird, it was a very healing night's sleep.

I also enjoyed hours of interrupted sunbathing. Hey, we all need our guilty pleasures. There were no attacks. No were or two-natured crisis. Just work and peace. After a full week with no contact, I started worrying a bit. Despite his warning, I expected some message from Eric. An update. A visit from Pam even. I would have been happy with an email. Bill Compton had left town with Judith while Pam and I were away so I couldn't ask him. His interest in his vampire database had renewed with his improved health. He left me a message he'd be in Europe for a few weeks.

After week two, I graduated to concerned. I finally called Fangtasia only to be told by a fang-banger I'd never met, Eric and Pam were away on business and she'd be happy to take a message. Eric's cell went straight to voicemail as did Pam's. I told myself that this was just what Eric had been warning me about. He and Pam were working on their plan to take down Victor. Eric would appear any day and kiss me and tell me everything was going to be alright. Who was better at planning than Eric?

That was two weeks ago. There was still no word. Bill had not returned. I emailed him but never got a response. I got nothing but the run-around when I called Fangtasia. I promised Eric I would stay away. I had no one to turn to. Sam had been there for me so many times. I couldn't put this on him too. He preferred to stay out of vamp & were politics. He was also dealing with the protesters who picketed Merlotte's at least once a week. They hadn't scared away the regulars but that could always change. His brother's on-again, off-again wedding plans were causing family tensions. His mom had lost her job. The school claimed there liability insurance would be too expensive for the district if they employed a shape-shifter in the office. The local two-natured community offered to pay her legal fees if she would sue. They were looking to start setting precedents in the courts. She, like Sam, didn't want to get that involved in the civil rights battle.

Alcide had problems of his own too. His pack had been experiencing a lot of government scrutiny. The disappearance of Alcide's neighbor, who'd been a pack member and a government informant, hadn't help matters. I didn't feel right asking him for help. They were trying to keep a low profile. The authorities were hoping to find a reason to lock up any member of his pack and press them for information. Besides vampires and two-natured didn't exactly share friendly feelings. I could be worrying for nothing I reminded myself. Eric said he might be out of touch for a time and it was hardly the first time there had been nothing but silence from the Shreveport vampires. Only this felt different. He was essentially going to war even if he didn't want the other side to know that. If only he'd given me a ballpark figure, I'd know when to freak out.

I looked up at the sound of a knock. It was daytime and I hadn't heard a car. I extended my senses and recognized my uncle's signature. I couldn't really read him but his mind had become a familiar buzz.

"Hello, my dear." Dermot kissed my cheek. Fairies are a touchy-feely race. He took one look at my face. "What is the matter? You look upset."

I hesitated only a moment as we sat at the kitchen table before I explained my worries. It felt good to finally have someone to talk to. I was missing Amelia a lot lately.

He squeezed my hand. "I wish I could relieve your mind but I have as little contact with vampires as possible."

"I know." Fairy blood is like the ultimate chocolate to vampires. "It helps just to have someone to talk to." I took a deep breath. "So what brings you here today?"

"I had hoped to have some one on one time to try to uncover the gift from your fae blood. I understand you have not yet discovered what your ability is."

My face scrunched in confusion. "You mean my telepathy?" I didn't always have perfect control over it but I had improved a lot over the last couple of years.

"No." He clasped my hand. "Surely my father told you telepathy is not a fae ability. You get that from my human mother. That was part of the reason she was drawn to my father. She could not read him."

My jaw literally dropped. "I thought," I tried to remember everything my great-grandfather had told me. "I didn't know."

"Her ability kept her very isolated. She was quite happy that Fintan and I took after our father."

"So you're saying that I might have some fairy ability too?" My mind started racing. I wouldn't mind the ability to poof in and out places like my fairy relations could. It would have saved my ass on more than one occasion.

"Not might. You have the spark. You have a fairy ability. All fairies have fae magic but they also have a gift or sometimes gifts that are unique to them, much like vampires though it pains me to make the comparison."

"What about Jason?"

He shook his head. "He does not have the spark which is why he merely has a manifestation from his blood. His attractiveness, his magnetism so to speak is from the result."

My great-grandfather said something like that. Jason would not be happy about missing out. "Why have I never noticed anything?"

He gave my hand another squeeze. "You have shared many things about your life with me since my father's curse was broken. Claude has also told me many things of you."

"Claude? We haven't exactly been close for very long or at all."

"That is true, but he and his sisters kept no secrets from each other."

"Great. Claudine, my very own fairy godmother, liked to gossip about me."

"You are our family. Your life is our concern. You are much beloved by my father."

"I'm sorry. Claudine died saving my life. I miss her."

"As does Claude, but my point is that you have the habit of suppressing yourself. You keep walls between you and those you love. You try to suppress your telepathy. You resist your blood bond. You fight yourself."

"But that's not fair. I didn't choose that! Well the blood bond part. Eric and I were forced to exchange blood which just happened to be the magic number."

Dermot sighed. "My dear, you have spoken of your relationship with this vampire named Bill. How many times had you had his blood?"

"Well there was the time he saved me from the Ratts." I struggled to remember our times together something I tried to avoid whenever possible. "Then right before Eric forced me to do my first reading for him at Fangtasia, Bill thought I should be extra strong just in case. Oh and there was also the time in Dallas." I stopped as a realization I did not want to have begun forming.

"Three times at the very least. That is a very powerful, magical number." Dermot rubbed his chin as he absorbed this information. "How many times had he had your blood?"

"Many, many times," I whispered.

"It is as I thought. Blood is a powerful force. It is life for all human derivatives (another Word of the Day word). It can be used. It can be manipulated. It can be channeled. It can certainly be abused, but its magic can never truly be forced. Blood magic has a will of its own. Your and Eric's blood exchange may not have been of your choosing. However the blood bond was chosen by your blood. It was inevitable. No bond was ever created between you and Bill, and it never would have been."

"I loved them both, well you know what I mean, not at the same time. Why would my blood choose Eric?"

"Deep down you know the answer to that. You need to truly embrace everything that you are. To take from a human saying, you need to get out of your own way. When you do you will find your fae ability and simply be able to tap into it. It will be as instinctual as breathing but now is not the best time for us to try to explore this. Your thoughts are consumed by your bonded. We shall wait until he returns to you. Now tell me. What have you felt through your blood bond?"

"I've felt Eric is worried which only makes me worry more. Now I'm so scared I can't tell what are my feelings and what are his." I tried to blink back my tears. "I want him here. I need him, uncle." It was a truth I resisted. I loved Eric but he was rather overwhelming at times.

"He will return to you. Claude tells me he is very capable and intelligent for a vampire."

I smiled. "He is and I know Pam is watching his back. They'll both be fine."

The sun set shortly before my shift ended. Of all the vampires I would have liked to see leaning against my car as I entered the employee parking lot, the one I found wasn't even on the long list.