PART TWO

Chapter 3

She was alone in the room, the party house alight with strings of lights and a welcome home message emblazoned upon it in gold and tables set with refreshments for the guests of varied persuasion. She had anted to get her first to ensure that things were perfect and she had been pleased that before going to ground that morning, Pam had made certain that the place looked top notch. The tables were set casually and yet had a understated elegance about them too, unlit candles-for now-set into brass candleholders. The floor looked like the floor in the second house on her property, that rustic cabin feel, though there were a few scattered throw rugs set here and there and there was a dance floor to the far right of the room, a place where a sound system was at the ready. "Nice job Pam." Sookie said under her breath as she looked at her cell phone to see what time it was. she knew the flight had landed some time ago and things had to be times and done just right to keep the ruse up, night was fast approaching and Pam had arranged transportation from the airport for Gunnar and that there would be a welcoming committed to ensure he would arrive here safely. As much as she had wanted to be at the airport, Sookie had been told by Pam to let it be, that she had things well in hand and that it stood to reason that with him being part faerie, Gunnar could full well dip into her mind and have the surprise ruined. Though it stayed light outside until after 9 this time of year, Sookie had made certain to give those who would burn in the sunlight small vials of blood that would last long enough to keep them protected from the rays of the sun. even at a low point in the sky, the sun could do real harm and so Keith, Pam, Jess, James and Willa owed her their thanks. Which they gave her as she had visited them late last night before going to bed.

She was somewhat unsuprised as a figure strode into the room, doing his own inspection of the set up. "I hope you were careful. I don't want anyone to know that there is still the chance of seeing a day walking vamp out and about." she poked at his chest with a mixture of playfulness and seriousness, her eyebrows raised in slight displeasure.

"Relax, I drove." Eric replied as he grinned. "The new Corvette….I wanted badly to gun it good but….humans are so easily shattered and I know it would not please you to know I caused a pile up. Though the aftermath could be rather…..delectable."

She knew he was trying to get a rise out of her and she sighed, rolling her eyes, stifling a laugh. She knew he wouldn't endanger innocent people on purpose. So many lessons learned from his past and what not. "Well, what do you think? Pam outdid herself…..though I suspect she made someone else do the manual labor. She seems to work best at giving orders."

"That is very true." a familiar voice called and as of on cue, Pam entered. "Thanks again for the blood sunscreen. "But when I feel like it, I can do manual labor." she was bringing in a case of some expensive looking bottles and it was revealed that it was, in fact, the special blood Pam had promised. "This blood is a one time kind of thing, made special with some kind of added pep, whatever…..all I know is that the base of it is that it is blood from royals of the past. Hundreds of years old but I couldn't get the seller to divulge just what else was in it. Though it stands to reason it has to be some kind of blood, as it is all we can eat."

More and more people filtered into the room in the next hour and it was when Pam got a text that she turned the lights off in the room, leaving only the string lights on, casting the room in a dim, ethereal glow. And there in the doorway appeared two figures-Willa and James who had been sent to the airport to bring back the unsuspecting "victim."

"Surprise!" shouted the elated waitress, leading the cries of the people in the room, all gathered to welcome her erstwhile son home and though he surely looked surprised, Sookie noted, as she ran over to him, he looked different. Older in a way. Wiser. The months overseas had certainly done him wonders. She had run up to him, thanking the others for bringing him and as she flung herself into his arms, Gunnar looked genuinely stunned.

"All this for me?" he asked, his voice soft. "I didn't expect-"

"You haven't been home in two months and I wanted to do something nice, especially since you are not staying. For very long." Sookie said as she brushed tears from her face and looked up at her son who looked so much like his father and yet, he had more of her personality. Either way, it had been largely agreed that he was the perfect mix of his parents and no less deadly or fierce. And as his father approached, stoic as always, Gunnar couldn't help but grin as he watched his father start to smirk at him, first shaking hands but then hugging, tightly, neither one too macho to show such a sight before their friends and family.

"A toast to the prodigal son, who will depart yet again for the life he wishes to lead but we can only hope this is not his last visit home." Pam had shouted for the crowd to be silent as Eric made a brief speech, addressing his son. Working as servers, Jess and Willa served the guests wine or blood and with all in attendance with glasses in hand-no kids were here at this little shindig thanks to the late hour, forcing Jason's Bridgette to remain home with Harper-the toasts were made and everyone started in on their modestly filled glasses. And for some time, all was well, everyone was enjoying the refreshments, the food that was on offer for those who were able to have it. But a hour or so into the party as m ore blood was served, Sookie couldn't help but notice that the vamps in attendance, save for Willa, were acting funny.

"I took a sip but didn't like it." Willa said as she was taken aside by Sookie as they watched the other vamps acting somewhat…unusual. Almost like…children. They were all pushing and shoving one another, playfully and yet there came some name calling that was quite….juvenile.

"Hey, that's my glass, give it here stupid head." Pam said as she lunged to grab her glass from Eric, who had taken it out of her grip and was holding it over her head. Not much of a challenge, as she could hover and fly but instead she was hoping up and down like a child would. And as he stood there, Eric found himself rather amused. So amused that he reached to the nearby food table and took a spoonful of pulled pork and put it straight down the pink blouse Pam was wearing . Within five minutes, a food fight had broken out among the vampires and the party stopped dead in its tracks as all the partygoers that hadn't lost their minds, dove under tables to avoid being splattered with the blood, the food, that was flying all over.

"What the hell, Sook?" Jason had pulled her aside, her face transfixed up at the scene they were watching from the safety under the table. "You've only seen him act weird when having too much faerie blood, but something tells he this is something different." all eyes were on the vamps, a car wreck you couldn't help but look at.

Chapter 4

"They are acting like…like kids. Like mentally backwards. Whatever was in the blood, I can imagine it was no accident or fluke. If Pam gave a name for the order, no doubt that would….." she paused as she watched Pam down a entire bottle of the blood, letting out a uncharacteristic belch after finishing. "Huh….I didn't know vamps could do that…" Sookie mused, a slight amused look on her face that hardened as she wanted to know who was responsible for this. And how it could be undone. The next thing the non vamps gathered knew, the other had bolted from the building, a mob unleashed and faster than most of the others, they took off into the night, leaving the trip of Jason, Sookie and Gunnar to gape open mouthed at their newest calamity.

"I took a sip of the stuff and I seem unaffected. Maybe it only works on full vamps." she said. "I wouldn't want to test that theory now but we seem to have some large, fanged children, for all intents and surprised running amok and I doubt will listen to reason. Whatever was in that blood….." she looked at the guests who were still there, staring at the aftermath of the rowdy vamps' actions. "Go home, we are going to sort this out. Thanks for coming." she couldn't help but add that last part with a sheepish grin. Though there were offers from some of the guests, like Lafayette and Andy to help in the wrangling of the vamps, she sent them all home, wanting them to be safe from those who had become unpredictable. Crossing the room, she took a look at one of the few bottles of the blood that hadn't been smashed in the melee. She sniffed it and used her magic to try to detect whatever it was in the blood that had so clearly affected her friends and loved ones. "Its faerie blood….but there is something else to it, some kind of….ugh, so sick of dark magic….."

"Well it would explain why they are acting crazy and like they are kids…name calling, I mean, really?" Jason interjected. "Maybe it will wear off." he added hopefully but she was looking less than hopeful and to her relief, Holly had returned and helped her try to focus their combined energies to see just what was in this stuff. "Its like…..concentrated faerie blood, not enough that the regular stuff when ingested too much by vamps makes them drunk….but this…." holly's skills were impressive as always as she spoke. "But this, I can sense what it does and I think you, no doubt can too."

Nodding, Sookie couldn't believe this. "I didn't imagine there could be anything more dangerous than plain old faerie blood for vamps but with this added problem of making them act like kids….though I admit my past experience with a drunk vamp….its not that much of a difference."

"Save for the fact that we need to find a counter to it or they will remain as they are. At least plain, untainted faerie blood wears off." Holly said with a serious look on her face. "And with them all out of control as they are, they can cause a lot of damage in a short time."

"Looks like we need to go on a search and capture mission." Gunnar said as he looked to his uncle. "Jason, you can get some supplies from the police station, right? Or anywhere else that you can think of?"

"No sweat." Jason grabbed his cruiser keys and left the others to formulate some kind of plan. A plan that would need to save not only his brother in law, but Pam, Willa, Jess, James and Keith. No small task indeed.

TO BE CONTINUED