Chapter 1

"So, why are we going to this wedding?" Jeremy asked.

"Pam didn't tell you?" replied Eric.

"Pam mentioned a rumor that the bride and groom don't actually like each other that much. That's all she told me."

"I assumed she told you more," Eric replied. "The bride was a good friend of Nora's. Nora spoke very highly of her."

"You've never met?"

"Haven't had the chance."

"But she still invited you," Jeremy commented.

"She invited me for something else, though I don't know what that reason is yet. Her friendship with Nora is the reason I accepted."

Eric and Jeremy arrived at a mansion. As the driver opened the doors to let them out, a woman descended down a large flight of stairs.

"Eric Northman."

"Rebecca Langdon, we meet at last," replied Eric as he gave Rebecca a handshake. "This is Jeremy Pine."

"Your progeny?"

"Pam's," Eric answered.

"Hello, Ms. Langdon."

"Queen to you," Rebecca replied. She gave Jeremy a quick handshake and proceeded up the stairs back into the house.

Jeremy looked at Eric, but Eric simply shrugged. They followed Rebecca with their bags.

"Not queen to you?" Jeremy quietly asked.

"Apparently not."

Several guests, including Eric and Jeremy, gathered in a meeting room later in the evening to mingle.

Jeremy noticed someone glaring at Eric as she approached the pair.

"That look's never been good news when I've seen it on Pam," Jeremy quietly commented.

Upon hearing Jeremy, Eric noticed a progeny of his.

"Willa, it's been a while," Eric noted.

Jeremy's eyes widened.

"I wish it could have been longer," Willa responded. "I wanted to ask the king to get you disinvited, but he seemed as interested in you as the queen is. I don't know why, though, if he's sending me to Massachusetts after the wedding."

Willa noticed that Eric was about to reply, but didn't want to stop.

"Let's get this over with. Hi. Long time, no see. Did you have a nice trip up? Enjoy your stay." Willa then promptly joined a group of others in their conversation.

Jeremy looked at Eric with his eyebrows raised.

"That didn't go as badly as it could have," Eric noted.

"Did you know she'd be here?" Jeremy asked.

"No, I did not."

"Eric," Rebecca called out. She signaled Eric to follow her.

Willa noticed Eric's departure and approached Jeremy.

"Are you his progeny?" Willa asked.

"No, I'm Pam's. You've met Pam before, right?"

"Yes, I have. Is she as terrible a maker as Eric is?"

"I think you were an exception because of the circumstances," Jeremy answered. "Pam's great, and Eric is a really good mentor, too."

"Is he?"

"Yeah. He's become really interested in continuing his bloodline to honor his maker, so he's involved."

"Is that why you're here with him instead of Pam?"

"Well, Pam needed to stay in Louisiana to keep an eye on New Blood. So how did you end up here?"

"The King of Vermont is a good guy," Willa answered. "I was wandering around the east coast, and he found me after I hadn't fed in too long and he helped me."

Meanwhile, Rebecca had ushered Eric into a library. Eric sat down while Rebecca paced around.

Rebecca sighed loudly. "Just one more day, and then I can be rid of all of you and all of this."

"Not a fan?"

"I tried marriage once when I was human. No, I'm not a fan."

Eric looked at Rebecca expectantly.

"What do you see when you look down from your ivory corporate tower?"

"Not enough, I presume from the tone of your voice."

"The Queen of Massachusetts," Rebecca said.

"Willa mentioned going there. I heard from other sources that Elizabeth Cooke is making a move on Connecticut."

"She already has. She's taken over. Half of Rhode Island is shaking in fear and the other half already pledged allegiance, including Cameron Ford."

"You think she's going to move north," Eric realized.

"Everyone is expecting it. My marriage to Vermont might protect us, at least we hope."

"Maine?" Eric asked.

"He wants to support the winning side, but he doesn't know which side that is yet, so he's quiet. It wouldn't matter anyway. If Massachusetts wants Maine, she will be able to take it."

"New York?"

"She's too powerful to threaten, even if Massachusetts takes all of New England. She's also too uninterested to care about what's happening."

"So you invited me up here to ask for my help."

"Yes," Rebecca answered.

"And what makes you think I would help?"

"I don't think," Rebecca admitted. "It's just another hope in a cavalcade of hopes in case my marriage is not enough."

Rebecca sat down near Eric while the latter contemplated his options.

"Nora?" Rebecca suggested.

"You're going to play that card?"

"I'm desperate. I want to keep my queendom."

"After the Authority fell, I didn't think kingdoms and queendoms would mean anything anymore."

"Now you know better. I don't know how it is in the south but in New England, vampires upheld the Authority's appointments. We respected them, Massachusetts notwithstanding."

"It's the same in the south, except Louisiana. We're getting by without a monarch. I hear Oregon and Missouri are, too. If you want, I will help you. I'll threaten to cut off the supply of New Blood to Massachusetts."

"I was hoping for more than that."

"What?" Eric asked.

"If the Queen of Massachusetts threatens us, I want you to bring back the Authority, with you leading it."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm not interested in politics," Eric answered.

"You were a sheriff."

"Not by choice."

"And you were a chancellor."

"Not much of a difference there," Eric responded. "Why would vampires even recognize a new Authority?"

"They will recognize you. Short as your tenure was, vampires will respect your previous place in the Authority. You control New Blood. That's why Louisiana doesn't need a monarch. It has you. You are also the oldest vampire in the western hemisphere."

"What about Nikanor Pappas?"

"He returned to Greece a few months back. He's planning on living there indefinitely."

"Anton Blanc?" Eric asked.

"He chose to meet the sun three weeks ago. You really should look down from your tower more often."

Another person entered the room and approached Eric to shake his hand.

"Ah, Eric Northman, good to finally meet you in person. I'm Geoff Liboiron."

"Hello, Geoff."

"Has Rebecca completed her pitch yet?"

"It has become clear to me that I am not as informed as I should be concerning our politics, despite the reach of New Blood. I've been busy attending to matters of my bloodline."

"Pam's progeny?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes, and Pam herself. I've been helping her become stronger and better. I mention my ignorance because I'm admitting that I don't know how things are going in New England. Rebecca said that this Massachusetts situation is not typical."

"No, it's not," Geoff replied.

"But that only means that Elizabeth Cooke is the only one amassing power," Rebecca added. "She could take over here. She could even re-establish a new Authority. That's another fear of ours, hence my request."

"That's not possible from controlling only New England," Eric countered.

"It's a good start," Geoff replied. "Five states, six if Maine becomes an ally or is annexed, and political maneuvering in other areas will get her that Authority. She does have friends overseas who can help seal the deal."

"Can we count on you if The Queen of Massachusetts decides to pursue either?"

"Does Cooke even want to start a new Authority? Perhaps she just wants New England."

"We don't know yet, but either is a problem for us," Rebecca answered. "Don't rule out a new Authority for yourself. It really might be a good idea."

"One step at a time, Rebecca," Eric answered.

"The Sun's coming up," Geoff announced. "We'll discuss this after the wedding. I'm sending Willa Burrell to meet with the Queen after. I'm hoping she can determine her intentions."