Dead But Not Forgotten

by Shebella

Pam plays match maker with help from a surprising source & things just get better. AU

2. Chapter 2

I forgot this part last time ..... The characters are not mine, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

This is my first attempt at fanfiction, I really appreciate the interest in my story, please review.

This Chapter is longer than the last, please don't count on all future Chapters being this long .... but you never know ... I really love the Viking!

Eric's POV

I am sitting in MY bar while MY child sits in MY office with my King. I cannot understand what he would have to say to her that cannot be said in front of me. I do not believe his brotherly love bullshit for one minute. He asks too many questions about Sookie. Does he want her? I am sure that he does, he has shown me that he does. I will not allow it, I can barely admit it to myself but I cannot allow it. Why I do not know, she is a liability, a week, blond, mortal woman.

How long are they going to stay in there? I have already insured that the redhead and her sister are well. Pam glamoured them, she has such a soft touch and always leaves innocents with a pleasant false memory, but she is the ying and the yang, those who are not innocent are left with false memories that are a thousand times worse than what they would have remembered if she had just left them alone. My beautiful child!

I will never forget the night Pam became my child. She was the youngest daughter of a minor marquess who was a financially destitute man with big ambitions and even bigger debts. His only claim to fame was his tired old title that gave him a tie to the House of Stuart. Pamela Elizabeth was tightly corseted in an ornate blue gown that was lavishly decorated with gems around the very low, broad neckline that left her shoulders mostly bare and caused her breasts to bulge to the top so invitingly. I could hear her heart beating and see the veins pulsing in her neck with every beat, so very tempting, but I resisted. I was not there for Pam, I was there to steal money from the crown, again. God I loved the wigs and powder that were the fashion of the time, the humans powdered themselves until they were whiter than most vampires, giving us freedom to move among them, for a few hundred years, in ways that had never occurred before ... now. I had a very expensive white curly wig, Pam still has it, she brought it out last Halloween to irritate me, but she did not expect me to play along. When I put the wig on she actually laughed until she cried. I looked human enough to steal from both the French and English crowns, while looking the human vermin in the eyes and fucking their wives when they were not looking. Stealing money from human males, who believed themselves to be among the most powerful beings on Earth, was game for me at that time. I was there to amuse myself, nothing more. When I was done I had planned to try the King of Spain.

I watched and listened as her "funny uncle" of a father traded her hand to a rich baronet to clear a gambling debt. The baronet made her "funny uncle" of a father look like look like a saint, the things that he would force upon her would be more disgusting and depraved than the worst things that I ever did to anyone ... that I did not kill before the sun rose. I decided to trail her home.

I listened while he told her who she would be marrying and even more cruelly why she had to marry him. I listened as she cried, she had no choices, no options. She could try to prevent the marriage by giving herself to another, but that was not a sure bet. The baronet would probably take her anyway and torture her to death for stealing her virginity from him. She was nothing more than a pawn, nothing more than a bargaining chip to be used by her father, uncared for, and unloved.

I left to feed and when I returned she was gliding out the back door as silently as a ghost with a human male in tow. She had spirit, she would try the only way that she knew how to save herself. I watched as she threw herself at the human, he kissed her chastely and refused to take her honor. I watched as she returned to her home, I was sure that she would kill herself before she became the baronet's wife. It was at that moment I decided that I would turn her. Beginning that night I was no longer alone, her presence was a relief, I had not even realized that I was lonely. I care for her, but have never been in love with her.

What the fuck are they doing????? I try so hard to relax. I check the bond. She is safe and sleeping. I only open the bond to check on her when I believe she is asleep, any other time her conflicting emotions are too much for me to bear. If I mistakenly open the bond when she is awake I find myself going to her to comfort her. Hell last week I was halfway to Bon Temps before I figured out what I was doing and had the sense of mind to turn around. This is not right! I have lived for more than one thousand years, I do not heel to the call of a woman, let alone a mortal woman, a mere child. I cannot understand what has become of my self control, why can't I stop thinking about her?

I notice a blond head bobbing through the crowd. My heart leaps to my throat before the bond tells me that it is not her, but I still watch. She is not a fangbanger, yet, but she is trying to look like one. She is young, just barely old enough to get through the door and should not be here. There I go again! Why do I give a shit about this blond or her, for that matter. I continue to watch her as she moves through the bar, with Bill Compton right behind her. Fucking Compton, figures, he has always liked his women young and dumb or crazy and cruel. Where the fuck is Pam?

Finally! She and the King are working their way through the crowd. Pam slides in next to me, and the King sits across from us, one of the vermin is there asking if my guest would like anything to drink. "Bring three bottles of Royalty." I pause before asking "Was your conversation productive?" Intentionally not directing my question to either of them.

"Oh yes" Figures that De Castro would be the one to answer. "Pam is a child to be proud of. Now I'm just as sure of her loyalty, as I am of yours." He is sure of our loyalty to him! Is he fucking stupid? I am only a few hundred years younger than he, I am his biggest threat, next to the vampire that sent Sigebert after him that is. I know what he is doing ... he must believe that he should ... keep his friends close, but his enemies closer. I cannot blame him, I keep Compton around for the same reason, that and she would be unhappy if anything happened to him.

"Eric, we must plan a celebration to announce my formal protection of your bonded. I would like for the event to be held after the weres make their announcement and I would like the event to be pleasing to Sookie, nothing that will make her uncomfortable, maybe a small gathering here at Fangtasia? Pam, would you please plan this event for me?"

"Your Highness, I am honored that you would ask, of course I love to plan parties." Pam can be such a kiss ass. I am pleased that the celebration has been assigned to my child, this way I will have some control of the events and hopefully the guest list. I do not want that bastard Quinn there or Alcide or Bill for that matter. I will have to bend and allow Alicde, he is the Shreveport pack master and she is a friend of the pack. There will be no getting around Bill either, but I will do everything in my power to prevent the tiger from attending. I know that he was at her house the day after the takeover and I know that she did something to make his mother and sister unhappy with her. I am not sure what happened, she refuses to discuss her personal business with me. I should just kill all three of them and be done with it, they are a threat to her. The crazy bitch, the whore daughter, and the idiot son who never knows when to say enough is enough to his family. He could have had her, how could he have been so stupid?

"Eric"

What does he want? I have no patience for him tonight. "Bill, what do I owe the honor?"

"I would rather not speak in front of your guest" he says referring to the King. What a dip shit, he has pictures of the King in his database, you would think that he would have looked so that he could recognize the King by sight. I did.

"Bill I assure you whatever it is that you have to say can be said in front of King De Castro. I would tell him anyway." I say this so softly that Bill, Pam, and De Castro are the only ones that can hear me. Pam is not the only one who knows how and when to kiss ass. I scored points with De Castro and I made Bill look like the jackass, double score. Bill is taken back, he has never been good at hiding his emotions. He drops to his knees. He can be so amusing. "Why don't you introduce your friend."

"She is mine" He never looks up.

"Yes, and her name is?"

"I call her BeeBee." He calls her BeeBee, short for blood bag, fucking great, more drama from Bill, maybe I will just stake him. Taking a pet and changing the pet's name was a very common practice before the Great Revelation. First the removal of it's name, then the removal of it's family, then the removal of it's free will, and finally the removal of it's life. I never subjected my pets to that kind of humiliation, I just never saw the point. I would use them until I was through and when I was finished I would pension them off, the way he had wanted to do for Sookie, the only difference would have been that my pets did not remember me, they would remember a human male that had married them, provided them with a comfortable

life, and then died, it was the least I could do.

"BeeBee go to the bar and have a drink on me." I Instruct the pet, but she continues to stand there. I growl deep in my chest. Bill nods his head to her and she leaves. "Bill, if you are going to bring your PET" I spit out the word with all of the disgust and loathing that I can mange to fit into a three letter word "in to MY bar or anywhere else in MY area you will train her to move when your superiors speak, is that understood?"

"Yes Sheriff, she is young and I am still training her" Well at least he has some sense, if he would have disrespected me in front of the King I would have had to kill him.

"Rise Bill. Now what is that you wanted?"

"I spoke with the Shifter earlier this evening and he would like to employee a vampire or two the night the weres make their announcement. I told him that I would have to speak with you first." I am glad that Bill was smart enough not to mention that the Shifter in question is Sookie's boss, the same shifter, in fact, who was tied to the bumper of his truck earlier this evening praying that Sigebert did not kill him. I can see why he was too distracted to ask me himself.

"I will have to think about his request and get back with you. You are dismissed."

"That is the creator of the database?"

"Yes"

"He was involved with your bonded, prior to your bond, was he not?"

"Yes"

"Why does he still rise at night? I would have staked him if I was in your position or at least ordered someone to do it. His creation of the database has been completed, someone else can maintain it. I know what we can do. Pam, would you stake Bill for Eric?

"Oh yes your Highness it would be my pleasure!" I have seen that look in Pam's eyes before, she is not just thinking about staking him, she is thinking about torturing him. I can smell her arousal at the suggestion. I remember seeing the same look in her eyes the night I told her we were on our way to the baronet's house. The things she did to him that night still makes my hair stand on end. It was that night that I learned that pretty little Pamela has a sadistic streak a mile wide. Tonight I learned that Pam hates Bill even more than I do. I knew that she did not like him , I had no idea that her feelings of loathing had turned in to pure unadulterated hatred. Bill should be very, very, very careful. My child is very cunning and very patient. She will kill him one day, that I am sure of now. Knowing Pam, she will probably make it look like a tragic accident, she is really good at that. The only thing that troubles me is why does she hate Bill with such an unholy passion? What has he ever done to her?

"Pam, Bill maintains the database, we need the income if we are to help rebuild New Orleans and we do not have time to train anyone else right now." This is not my true reason he rises, but it sounds good. I cannot tell them that it would hurt her if I killed him, that would weaken me in their eyes. I focus on De Castro as he stares across the bar at Bill. I see the same look in his eyes that Pam just had, fuck, why does he hate Bill too? Poor Bill, there is no way he will be able to survive the hatred of both my child and the King, especially if they unite. The thought of De Castro and Pam uniting makes me shudder, those two together would be a force to be reckoned with. I am not so sure that I would be able to survive if those two united against me. These are thoughts for another time. I shrug and continue "I am Sheriff of Area Five, I must do what is best for my area."

"Eric, while I don't agree with you that it would be costly to replace him, this is your area and he is under your control, do with him what you please. I will consider him under your informal protection." I read between the lines, Bill can live but his undead existence is hanging by a thread, informal protection means nothing. The human that collects the garbage from Fangstasia has my informal protection because he preforms a service for me. De Castro continues "But rest assured, if you do decide that he has out lived his usefulness to you and you choose to send him to his maker I won't lose sleep. Hell, if you have to pay a fine I will pay it for you. The other option you can consider would be to send him to my area in Nevada. This option allows you to remove the thorn in your side and not have to be responsible for his final death." De Castro laughs deeply "Then I could give him to Pam as a present. Would you like that my dear?"

I really want to puke my undead guts out. Who does this idiot think he is? Who does he think Pam is? I wonder if he knows that Pam prefers women, maybe he wants to watch. What I cannot understand is why he is trying to curry favor with Pam? More importantly why is she so receptive? They seem like old friends and they have never meet before tonight. What is their common ground? I cannot and do not believe that Pam is plotting with De Castro against me and I know that she is not naive enough to be easily manipulated. I hate being left in the dark, when De Castro leaves, Pam will answer MY questions to MY satisfaction or I will remind her WHO taught her how to use torture to interrogate a prisoner.

Without any warning I see Bill's pet flying across the bar, she crashes through the top of a table and is still. The King's fangs have ran out, the tension in his body is visible. "Go! Deal with your problem and remember not to introduce me, I will blend in to the back ground."

I locate Bill quickly, his fangs are out, his hands are curled into claws as he advances on Thalia. Poor Pam, she may never get her chance. De Castro looks at me and raises his eyebrow, wordlessly saying "I told you so". My vampire staff are already herding the humans out the door. The few weres that are left can stay for the fun. Bill and Thalia are both growling. FUCKING BILL ... I am sure that all of this is his fault, the damages to my bar, the damages to his pet, the pain she will feel when I have to tell her that Thalia has ended him. Bill has started to circle closer trying to position himself for an attack when Thalia springs and lands right in the middle of his chest, she pins him to the ground in seconds.

"What is the meaning of this? Thalia, Bill explain NOW!" My fangs are down and I am pissed, this night cannot get any worse. I take that back, for the love of Freya, please let this be the last thing that goes wrong tonight.

"Bill's pet was speaking poorly of your bonded Master, I asked her to stop, when she continued to rant I told Compton to shut her up or I would throw her across the bar and the bastard just stood there. I tried to ignore her, but when she called your bonded an ungrateful whore, I could not and would not ignore her any longer. I picked her up and threw her across the bar." Thalia is the picture of calm, you would never know that she was pinching him and pulling chunks of flesh the size of quarters from his body punctuating her every word. "Master I am sorry that I allowed Compton and his pet to get under my skin. When I cam here you told me that if anything like this happened that I would have to leave your area, please Master, reconsider." Thalia will be punished, with more time at the bar, I will not be making her leave, I know it is not her fault that this happened, especially after her announcement about earlier, I knew that it was Bill all along. I do not tell her this, I choose to leave her wondering "Thalia I will let you know when I am ready to deal with your punishment" I do not tell her to stop torturing him, which seem to calm her.

"Bill did your PET insult my bonded? Yes or no." You can feel the tension in the air, it is so thick you could cut it with a knife. I notice the weres are beginning to inch towards the door, slowly and steadily, they do not want to be noticed.

"Yes" he groans. I can tell that he is in pain and trying not to show it as Thalia continues to pull flesh from his body slowly and methodically.

"Why did you allow your pet to continue her rant when your elder instructed against it and who gave your pet the idea that my bonded is an ungrateful whore?" My voice comes out colder than ice and as sharp as the blade of my sword. I feel fury coursing through my body, burning and flaming, it takes every ounce of my will to stand and wait, never allowing my expression to change. I think I might just send him home with the King, Pam and Thalia could accompany him, they deserve a vacation.

"Master, my pet knows of my past with your bonded, but I NEVER referred to Soo.."

I am flying across the bar before his mouth can even begin to form the "S" of her first name, I knock Thalia to the side, my fingers are closing around his throat before her name can completely pass his lips. "You are not worthy to speak her name, you will refer to her as MY bonded, nothing else!" Each word is accentuated and flavored by my rage. "I also do not understand why you have felt the need to test ME, at My bar, by allowing your pet to insult MY bonded. Thalia, bring me the box of silver. Clancy, Maxwell, get the coffin."

The weres freeze, they have never been allowed to witness the punishment of a vampire, not since I became Sheriff of Area 5. I cannot allow this insult to pass, I must prove myself to the King, especially since the King already wants him dead, this punishment will also serve as a warning for the weres, to carry back to their pack master, just in case he gets any stupid ideas. Punishing Bill in front of the weres is a level of humiliation that I have never inflicted upon another vampire before, but he has left me no choice, an insult to my bonded is an insult to me, I cannot appear weak. "Pam, make sure Bill's pet is well enough to leave." The smile I receive is evil, I can almost see the spider legs moving in Pam's head, spinning and weaving the nastiest, most evil memory to use as a replacement for the pet's current memory of the events. "... and, Pam please remember that this is Bill's fault, do not hold her responsible for her actions, she was not trained as she should have been."

"Yes Master." Pam agrees quickly, Bill is being punished, which has made her so gleeful that she skips to the employee break room, where the pet is being held. Bill watches her the entire way, she is acting this way to fuck with him as much as she can. Pam can be such a rotten bitch when she wants to. De Castro is watching the scene with an amused expression on his face as he turns to follow Pam. His interest in my child is unnerving, this is something that I will have to get to the bottom of, but I do not have time to dwell upon it now. Thalia has returned with the ornately carved wooden box that contains the silver torture devices that I reserve for these occasions and these occasions only ... come to think of it this is the seventh time in fifty years that I have been the Sheriff of Area 5 that one of my subjects has forced me to such extreme measures.

Clancy and Maxwell have returned with the coffin and are now standing behind Bill. They have assumed that they will be helping to hold him because they are wearing gloves to protect against the silver, Thalia is kneeling beside the box with my gloves in her upraised hands. Felicia and Indiria, with the help of the Weres, have cleared all of the tables and chairs some of the other vampires are cleaning the bar, I can hear them asking each other what this or that human does to close the bar. I am overwhelmed at the show of support and solidarity that my subjects have shown me, in front of the King nonetheless, without knowing that he is here, which is even better. I smell a familiar were and look up surprised to see Alcide walking through the front door of my bar, flanked by three other Weres, as if he owns the place.

I release Bill to Clancy and Maxwell's able hands and turn to Thalia taking my gloves "Thalia, you attacked a human in front of witness and you and fought with another vampire, in my bar with full knowledge that these actions are not permitted and with full knowledge of what your punishment would be. I had believed that you were happy here, I cannot understand why you would want to be banished..." I can feel the fear ripple through the room, they all think that I am going to banish her, good that is exactly what I want them to think. "... you risked banishment defending the honor of my bonded, which in turn is defending me .... had you done these things for any other reason I would have banished you. Nevertheless, you have broken our laws and must be punished. You will serve an extra twenty hours a week at the bar, or whatever else I might find for you, for a period of one year, without pay, understood?"

"Yes my Sheriff I understand and accept my punishment." She rises gracefully, her body is no longer tense. I hope Thalia will be pleased when I tell her that she will be her nighttime guardian until Bubba returns. She will not have to sit in the bar thirty hours a week, now that would truly be torture.

"Now Alcide, what brings you to Fangtasia tonight?"

"I was informed earlier this evening that there was trouble at Sam's bar and Sookie was involved, but safe and unharmed. Then I get a call telling me that there is trouble involving her again at Fangtasia. Eric you know that your bonded is a friend of the pack, many times over, I came to insure that she is safe and to offer the support of the pack, if action needs to be taken." I am floored, he could have turned in to the Easter Bunny, whatever the hell that is, and I would have less surprised. I know that during the Witch War the vampires of Area 5 and the Shreveport Weres, along with several covens of witches, fought together against Hallow but she was a Were and a common threat, even taking those things into account the alliance was unprecedented, as my child said we were making history. I wonder what the King thinks about me having an entire Were pack at my disposal offering to go to war to protect my bonded? Alcide continues "I also speak for the Hot Shot panther pack and the Weres & Shifters of The greater Dallas area" Fuck me, that gives me ten times the two-natured at my disposal as vampires. I wonder if this display will cause problems with the King, I must appear strong but I cannot appear to be a threat, loyalty to my bonded is a show of loyalty to me.

"Alcide, I appreciate your concern and I am grateful for your offer but I have everything under control. The first problem was solved as I am sure you were informed." He inclines his head in acknowledgment, he is not happy that I am being so cold, I must show him that I am just being formal, this could be the beginning of a powerful and continuing alliance. "The problem here never endangered my bonded and your friend of the pack." I throw the dog a bone and acknowledge the formal tie he and his has to her "A vampire allowed his pet .." Alcide winces at my words, Weres find the taking of pets as unnatural, I think that they just don't like the word, they are animals after all. "... to insult my bonded and then a fight ensued. I will be holding a hearing and the offender's punishment will be voted upon by the vampires of my area who are present, you are welcome to vote with us on behalf of your pack as well as on behalf of the packs you are representing."

I receive a huge wolfish grin "Can I bite him?"

"No Alcide, you cannot bite Bill, we are vampires and vampires do not bite each other, we have more sophisticated methods of punishment at our disposal."

"Bill? Bill Compton? The bastard I met in Jackson? Your right, fuck biting him, let's stake the bastard instead." I am surprised when everyone of the eleven other vampires in the room, not including Bill of course, laughs with Alcide, in an oddly friendly way, which causes the Weres to join in. She is the reason for all of this, vampires moving furniture and cleaning a bar with the help of Weres, Were packs fighting and continuing to offer to fight alongside vampires, they did not do this for me, she is the most amazing creature that has every walked the planet and I must get her out of my head.

"Bring him forward. William Thomas Compton you live in Area 5 under contract, signed by your own hand, to abide by the laws of the sovereign ruler of your state and your area, tonight you made a choice to violate those laws. The manner in which you violated those laws could have damaged the safety of all vampires, I know that you are aware that Fellowship would love to exploit actions such as yours in order to further their cause. In addition to the the dangers you placed upon your own kind your actions could have endangered the national efforts of the Weres on the eve of their announcement, when the Weres of this area have been our allies and battled beside us. These are choices I would not expect from a newborn let alone a vampire as old as you are. I have every right to send you to your maker, but since you are the creator of the database I will grant you ONE final chance to continue to exist. Therefore, you are to be punished by silver in the hope that you will remember to control your actions in the future. The exact number of silver devices that will be utilized and the length of time you will confined in the coffin is to be determine by your peers and the pack master of Shreveport."

"Master" Rainer and Jamari are knelling before me, speaking in unison. The twins, brother and sister, moved here shortly before the Witch War. They tried to tell us that Katrina was coming, they knew her name. They had been powerful witches when they were human and have retained their connection to that power, which is very unusual. "Every Were here fought by our side in the Witch War and they are sworn to protect your bonded with their lives, I think we speak for all of us, they should be allowed to vote in this matter too." I am speechless, they think that vampires are going to honor the obligations a pack of animals has to a human and allow them to vote as equals?

"Vote" The King calls. Pam is close behind "Second" The room responds "Aye" I guess no one told the Weres that they are not allowed to vote yet. Felicia steps forward "All those in favor of allowing the Weres to vote" Again the room responds "Aye" "All those against?" There is sweet silence.

"It is agreed that the Weres will vote with us. Moving forward..." I kneel and open the box, everyone can see the silver gloves, the silver whip, the silver cat of nine tails, the silver ball gag, the silver pincher's, the silver ropes, and the silver stake. "Who will be first to pass judgment?"

Thalia and the Were, Margaret Cooper who arrived with Alcide, rise simultaneously, we all wait until they finally agree that Margaret should speak first. Her daughter Maria Star was killed in the Were War that brought Alice to power. "Vampires and fellow Weres, I know the Sheriff's bonded personally, she was a favorite of my daughter Maria Star and she was a comfort to me and my pack after my daughter's untimely death" Tears instantly appear in Alcide's eyes at the mention of Maria Star and he looks at the ground. "When the offender insulted the friend of our pack and your Sheriff's bonded he in turn insulted each of us. He should be whipped and then be locked in the silver lined coffin for the duration of his punishment. He needs to be reminded that the rules of our world ..." her hand sweeps the bar encompassing vampires and Weres alike "... require each of us to be held responsible for the actions of any human we bring into our world. He failed to control his human companion and by doing so caused her harm as well, that being said, I believe that the punishment should last at least six weeks, this represents the length of time the human will be wearing casts to help heal her broken bones. The offender used her as a pawn in his warped game and he should suffer as long as she does."

Clancy calls "Vote"

Thalia calls "Second"

The room responds "Aye".

"Bill, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Eric, you are wrong I trained BeeBee to do exactly what she has done, anger you, unfortunately Thalia had to interrupt her and she was not able to finish her performance or you would be sending me to my maker."

"Why do you want me to send you to your maker Bill? If you want to end your existence why not just meet the sun?"

"Because, Eric, if you send me to my maker you will not be able to hide it from your bonded forever, eventually she would know what you had done and hate you for it. She will not understand that it is your right and wouldn't care if she did, you see Eric, I know that she will never be with me again, but if I can insure that she will never be with you either then I have not lost everything."

Anger, rage, and jealousy are flowing through my body, I think I will just stake him and get it over with, the King was right, he is a threat, but if I end him she will know, she will be hurt, angry and sad. I cannot be the one to cause her to feel those emotions ... how can I get her out of my head?

Alcide steps forward "Bill I know that you say that you love Sookie, but I am sick and tired of hearing you lie about the friend of my pack. If you really loved her you would let her go and wish her happiness where ever she can find it, even if it is with Eric. You see Bill, if you had been smart enough to get Eric to kill you Sookie could have asked for retribution, she is a friend of the pack, and we would have had no choice but to got to war with the vampires of Area 5, you could have started a war you fucking asshole. You are nothing but a pathetic, sore loser, this is not about love, this is about your ego. You were never right for her and you will never be right for her. Sookie is a friend of the pack, she is under my protection and since she is a female of breeding age, I have every right to pick or approve of her mate, our laws require the pack to back my decision even if it is against her will. Bill, understand here and now you will never be with her, my decrees as pack master must be honored after my death and it is my decrees that you are an unacceptable mate for Sookie." The weres are shocked in much the same way they were when he abjured Debbie Pelt.

Alcide is not done, his eyes have changed, they are the eyes of the wolf he becomes when he changes, the magic shimmers around him as he strains to prevent the change, speaking softly he continues "I know you raped her in the trunk of the car in Jackson, you had almost drained her dry but that was not enough for you, you had to take all of her, willing or unwilling."

I feel like I have been stabbed in my undead heart, my stomach hurts as if I ate human food, I did not know he had harmed her in that way, I believed that had I gotten there in time, I failed her. She never told me what had happened she just had me take her home.

Alcide growls "Sookie may have forgiven you Bill but I have not and neither has my pack or the packs that I represent, we will never forgive you. I know that you are her neighbor, you are to pretend like this has not happened, but keep in mind, in the very unlikely event you are able to convince her to allow you back into her life in a ... romantic way, Margaret or I will take you out and be sure to make it look like an accident. Sookie can only read the emotions of weres readily, if there is an accident and she felt our guilt she would assume it was because we counldn't save you. Retribution from the vampires or not, she is off limits to you and to insure that she does not feel anything through the bond, with Eric's permission, I will whip you for your insults to my pack, the Hot Shot pack, the Dallas weres, and the vampires of Area 5. Your stupid fucking game is over."

I cannot believe this, Alcide has cut to the chase and shattered Bill's final illusion, I will not have to kill him, Alcide will do it for me .. or Pam or the King or Thalia, I really am glad that I am not Bill. Pam is at my side, she has been here since Alcide announce that Bill raped her. I ask very quietly, "How is that the were knows she was raped and I did not? Did you know?"

"Yes, she told Amelia and I during one of our movie nights ... it was very hard for her to discuss it, you know she had a "funny uncle" right?" No I did not, but that is beside the point. Pam continues "Kind of ironic Bill had him killed for what he did to Sookie and then he rapes her. Anyway, she was leaking when she finally finished telling us about the "funny uncle" and Bill, so I went to the kitchen to get her something to drink and Amelia's boyfriend, the were Tray Dawson, was standing there. He put his finger over his lips and left, I am sure that he told Alcide."

"Why did you not tell me?"

"Because Sookie asked me not to, she thought it would hurt you. I believed then and I do now, who she chooses to tell is up to her. I am half-way pissed off at Alcide, I am sure that she did not want her rape to be common knowledge"

"Hurt me, how?" I ask, but this is a rhetorical question, the knowledge has already hurt me, but how did she know that it would? Pam just shrugs and walks off, well at least now I know why my child can no longer stand Bill. Now I have to deciede if I am going to allow a were to punish one of my subjects. I am not sure if this is a good idea or not.

Maxwell speaks "Master, I know that the pack master has suggested that you allow him to whip a vampire, which would be a great humiliation to any vampire" Fucking great all the brotherly love is about to go out the window, Maxwell is not a fan of weres, but is a big fan of vampire superiority, he continues "I for one want to insure that Bill understands how we, the vampires of Area 5, feel about his behavior. I understand that the decision will remain yours." I nod my head and an evil, but humorous grin springs to his face "Vampires only this time, vote, all those in favor of the pack master whipping Bill."

Catherine, a vampire who moved to the area shortly after Katrina, calls "Second", which surprises the hell out of me, she has been quite and withdrawn since she came her, I do not think I have heard her speak more than ten words in all the time that she has been here.

I am even more shocked when every vampire in the bar, including the King, says "Aye".

I look into the King's eyes and he nods his head, he wants Bill to be whipped by the were. I will allow it, I have to allow it, the King has more or less ordered it. Fuck, I wanted to whip him, even more so now that I know what he really did to her in Jackson. I slowly remove the silver whip cat of nine tails from the box, Alcide has Maxwell's gloves on he has partially changed to his wolf form and silver burns weres too. I swing the cat several times, Bill never takes his eyes off of me, as I slowly walk toward Alcide, when I hand him the cat I lean close to him and say "Make it hurt."

He snarls back "No mercy." Looking me in the eyes, he raises the whip and strikes.

Bill does not scream when the cat strikes him the first time or the second time, but the third time he grunts. I will have to hand it to Alcide, he might just get him to beg by the end, Alcide has drawn his arm back for the the fourth stoke, another grunt, this one deeper in Bills chest, almost a growl. Alcide's eyes are still locked on my own, strokes five and six come in quick succession, still nothing more than a grunt, hit him hard Alcide. Strokes seven elicits a whimper, fucking break you asshole! You humiliated her, you stole from her, I want to hear him scream at least once, stroke eight has cut him so deeply I can see his ribs and his shoulder blade, tears are streaming down his face now. Alcide winds up for stoke nine, he is literally shaking from the effort to stop the change to his wolf form, Bill cries out softly as the cat strikes, one of the cords wrapped around and sliced into his chest. Alcide locks eyes with me one final time and strikes. In that instant he allows himself to change to his wolf form, the sound of his howls mingling with Bills screams is music to my ears.

Bill has stopped screaming by the time he is placed in the coffin and wrapped in silver chains. I had Clancy and Maxwell use the chains covered in cloth, I do not want to burn him any further, his punishment by the were pack master was more than adequate both physically and mentally. The chains are a necessary precaution for the safety of the vampire that removes him from the coffin at the end of his punishment, the chains will weaken him and allow more control. I am not happy that it has come to this, but I am relived that this is over.

Alcide is walking towards me wearing a Fangtasia t-shirt and sweatpants, his clothes were destroyed during his change "Eric, got a minute?"

"Sure Alcide what do you need?" I concentrate on keeping my voice neutral, I really do not want to speak to Alcide right now, I do not want him to say anything to piss me off, I am almost happy, but Alcide has just done me a huge favor, so I really do not have a choice.

"I ... I don't know how to say this or where to begin." He takes a deep breath and continues slowly "I want to thank you personally and on behalf of the Shreveport Pack, the Hot Shot panther pack and the Weres & Shifters of The greater Dallas area for your acceptance of our formal tie of protection to your bonded, through her friend of the pack status. I want you to know that the packs acknowledge and accept your blood bond with Sookie, we may not fully understand what it means much in the same way you and your kind do not fully understand her friend of the pack status, nevertheless, the bond is respected. I would like it if we could discuss a more formal alliance, it would allow for more seamless protection of Sookie, and maybe a tribunal to deal with disputes between vamps and weres. Eric, before we can move forward you have to understand, I love Sookie ..." I growl at his words, why is he testing me? He raises his hand "... but I am not in love with her, those dreams died the night I became pack master, we can never be together."

"I do not understand why your increased status has caused such a shift in your position." The increase in Alcide's power base would have had the opposite affect on a vampire, if I had just been made Sheriff I would have used my increased influence and assets to further my position.

"Eric, pack masters are obligated to increase the pack, I can't increase the pack with Sookie." Realization dawns on me as he continues, she is not a were or a shifter, children that they have together would not be were, they would not be able to shift and his position requires that he father full were children, with as many woman as possible. It is not unheard of for the pack master to have a child with every female member of the pack. The weres weakness in breeding is that only the first child born of a coupling will be were all subsequent child are human. I hear the bitterness in his voice has he continues "Do not think for one minute that Sookie would sit at home waiting for me knowing full well that I'm spending the night in another woman's bed? How do you think Sookie would feel when my children by those woman came to our home? I love her Eric so I am letting her go, I will not cause her any more heart ache or pain, but I will protect her, she is a friend of the pack. I would prefer it if she finds herself a man who breathes, but if she chooses you I will not interfere."

"Alcide, I do not know what to say. I think that we should discuss a formal alliance and a tribunal, maybe even bring the covens in. I would also like to explore the possibility of daytime protection for ... her" I cannot bring myself to say her name.

"The protection is already loosely in place, Tray and Sam try to be with her when one of your people is not there, but more needs to be done. "

"I agree. I can meet with you on Monday, 8pm, here?

"Done, I will be bringing Margaret with me, she is my second, cool?."

"Done. Alcide ... thank you." I get a look of surprise and a response of "Done" as he walks out the door taking all of his weres with him, Now that it is just vampires I must deal with the King, who has seen and heard things that I wish... speaking of the devil here he comes ... "Eric! I knew it! I knew it! You are the loyal, pragmatic warrior that Akakios raised you to be! I could not be more proud to have you as one of my Sheriff's." Realization sweeps through the room and instantly all of my subjects dropped to their knees. He is proud of me? Whatever, I am proud of THEM. "Eric you honor me with the assets that you have brought to my kingdom ... the loyalty of your subjects, the gifts of your bonded, your affiliation with three were packs, I cannot believe my luck!" I have never known a vampire King that was this willing to sing the praises of one of his subjects ... that he was not fucking, he needs to stop before he gives my subjects the idea that ... swing both ways. Do not be mistaken, I have tried everything at least twice, that is just not my thing.

Time to kiss a little ass "Your Highness, my subjects and I would like to publicly swear our fealty to you. Will you accept?"

"Eric , I accepted the pledges of fealty from you, your child and second, Pamela, earlier this evening, it is closing in on dawn, your subjects may swear their fealty to me, individually, at the celebration to announce my formal protection of your bonded. In the meantime, do you each swear fealty to me, fealty to Eric and the powers of his office imparted by me, and finally do you agree not to discuss my order of formal protection or anything else that has transpired tonight until the celebration?"

My subjects speak the formal response in a loud collective voice "I do hereby swear my fealty to you, my sword is at your service, my life is yours." I feel the pride swelling in my chest again. I love the formal responses they remind me of when I was human.

"Please rise and go to your resting places dawn is coming." De Castro has released my subjects, good I want some alone time , I have much to think about.

"Eric, I have a plane to catch early tomorrow night, is there a place for us to stay here?"

Not what I have planned. "Yes, there is a secure nest below the bar. Pam will you show the King to the nest, he can have his pick of the rooms." I am sure that bastard will pick my room. I check the bar, again, to insure that we are the only ones here, checking the doors to insure they are locked as I go. Finally, I shut out the lights return to my office, set the security system and use the same key pad to open the door in the floor of the closet revealing the stairs that descend to my home away from home.

The bastard not only took my room, he is fucking my child, in my bed. Well good for Pam, it is about time she got herself some dick, hopefully it will improve her attitude, but I doubt it. I am relieved they are entertaining each other. I walk into the room that Pam unusually uses and go straight to the bathroom and turn the shower, I had an instant, tank-less water-heater installed, I love showers and hate running out of hot water.

I begin to think of her, too much has happened tonight, I cannot stop the memories from flowing through me, when I told her that I remembered everything, I meant everything, every minute detail. I remember the first night I spent with her, just lying next to her watching her sleep while holding my hand, the way she reached for me when I left the bed to go to her "hidey hole" for the day. My mind drifts to the first time we made love, exactly how she sounded when she gasped loudly, just short of a shriek, as I stepped into her shower, the feel of her skin under my hands as I kneeded her shoulders. I am unbearably hard now, I begin to stroke my length, slowly. I remember her fear of my size, how she called my length a "gracious plenty". The images are coming faster now, the feel of her body as I entered her and pressed forward into her center. My hand is moving faster now. I remember how she tasted when I messaged her nub with my tongue. I remember the pleasure it gave her when I drank from her femoral artery. My hand moves faster yet, the strokes are hard and fuller. I remember her yielding to me, accepting me, wanting me, crying out, my name on her lips, her eyes locked on mine, finding our release together. It is at that moment that my memory and realty merge for a split second, I feel as if I am inside her for an instant, I release calling out "Sookie jag behöver dig ... Thor hjälpa mig ... Vad har jag gjort för att förtjäna den här smärtan."

When I have gotten myself back under control I decide I will spend my day in the shower, maybe the water will wash away the thoughts of her and the pain I am always left with when I give in and allow myself to think of her. She does not want me and it is killing me, to her I am dead and forgotten.