The couched sagged under the weight of its new occupant as Eric snuggled up to me at first dark the next day. I leaned my head against his cool chest and was too tired to protest that millennium-old Viking vampires are not meant to share tiny couches.
"How are you feeling, my lover?" He asked gently.
"Like I've been used as a pincushion. I've been meaning to ask you if I smelled like fairy last night."
Eric shook his head miserably. I found myself wondering where the hell Claudine was when I was in need of fairy godmothering, but it wasn't really fair to expect her to constantly save me. She did caution me against doing just that.
"I'm going to go get some fresh air," I informed him after shoving him with all my might. It of course produced no effect whatsoever aside from making him mildly amused with my human weakness.
"Do not fight me on this." He murmured in my ear and for a horrifying moment I was afraid. He could feel this through our blood bond and patted my arm comfortingly. He raised a wrist to his mouth and bit down with a sickening crunch.
"Eric," I snapped warningly. "No."
He offered his wrist to me and held the other one cupped underneath to collect the blood that was dripping. His eyes flashed with anger at my defiance.
"The bond is so strong already. You don't know what this could do to me. I'm sure that I'll fully recover on my own."
I could feel his power pushing at the edges of my mind as he tried to glamour me for the thirtieth time since I met him. "No."
"I could force you," he whispered.
I'm sure that he could hear my heart beating itself to death against my ribcage. Thankfully, one of Eric's daytime fangbangers chose that moment to open the door to the office. She blanched and stepped back, knowing that he was going to be angry.
Eric was on his feet in an instant and was already running a tongue over his wound to seal it. "What do you want?" He demanded in a dangerous tone.
"I'm s-sorry, Master, but there is a woman outside waiting for you." The fangbanger stammered. She was wearing a black and purple corset and a leather fuck-me miniskirt. I wondered what time it was, and whether the bar was going to be opening anytime soon.
Eric snarled at her viciously and she squeaked before hurrying from the room. He extended his hand and pulled me to my feet, giving me a look that told me this particular debate was far from over. We walked into the main floor of the bar which was empty except for Felicia who was organizing things. I collapsed into one of the chairs and rested my head for a moment.
The front door slammed and a young woman with gorgeous brown hair, long legs, and almond-shaped eyes stepped tentatively into the room. She was wearing high black boots with gray jeans and an expensive leather jacket. The most identifying thing about her, though, was the quiver and bow that were slung across her back.
"Eric," she greeted warmly as though they were old friends. He nodded to her respectfully.
I tried to read her thoughts but couldn't find anything substantial at all. It was like she simply was not there at all. My eyebrows crinkled together as I thought over this new development. Vampires left a hole that my ability couldn't pick up on and Weres were just difficult to read. Never before had I encountered a creature that simply left no signal whatsoever. After concentrating for a few minutes I could pick a few words out here and there, but she obviously had been taught how to shield against telepaths. When I honed back in to real life I saw that Pam had returned in her black work clothes.
"Who's your new pet?" The Hunter asked curiously.
"I am not—"
Pam cut me off abruptly. "Her name is Felicia and she's settling in. The bartenders in this place have all met with some unusual and unfortunate final deaths."
I balked to see an apparently human woman referring to a vampire as a pet. I knew humans who had been killed for far, far less. I stole a glance over at Felicia and her fangs were partially out.
"Is there some place more private that we can talk? I don't like discussing business in front of vampires I don't know." The woman explained. Felicia looked ready to throw a glass at her. She left the room at a look from Pam.
Eric cleared his throat in a very human way and gestured for everyone to be seated. "Arty, this is my… friend Sookie Stackhouse."
I bobbed my head in her direction. "Nice to meet you."
"Sophie-Anne Leclerq would not shut up about you. It's nice to meet you too, Sookie. You're quite famous by now. My name is Artemis."
Pam snorted. "Could you pick a more pretentious name? Last time we spoke you were going by Eva."
Pretentious was on my Word-a-day calendar back home. I was happy that someone had used it while I was around.
"It's not my fault that the King of California felt that I needed a nickname indicative of my use. I'm so glad that someone staked that bastard. Oh wait, that was me." Arty quipped. She had removed her weapons and set them beside her and it seemed to lighten the atmosphere a bit. I could tell that Eric didn't seem at all stressed by her presence, and that was honestly good enough for me.
"Oh," she cried suddenly. "I have gifts for you!"
Pam and Eric visibly brightened at the prospect. I wondered to myself exactly how influential Artemis was in the supernatural world. Obviously it was worth half a million dollars just to get a visit from her.
"I can hardly wait. Hurry up." Pam ordered as she dug through her backpack. I almost laughed until I saw that Pam was being serious.
Arty produced a small wooden case and unlocked it with a key from around her neck. She removed two vials and set them delicately down on the table. I knew that it was blood from the color and the way it rolled against the glass. The vampires were enraptured and could barely tear themselves away from staring at it.
"Is that what I think it is?" Eric breathed.
"100% fairy's blood. There's a vial for each of you. Let me tell you that it was not easy to get."
My great-grandfather Niall was a pureblood fairy and he would not be pleased to know that Artemis had bled or murdered one of our kind. I knew better than to object because this strange woman, though slight in build, looked as though she could snap my neck without messing up her nail polish.