Disclaimer: I own nothing...
Great sex is a wonderful sleep aid and I end up happily snoring next to my vampire for the better part of the day. I wake up at 4:30 just an hour and half before dusk. I hurry to do all of the things that need doing before the "party" tonight, and am just finishing up my room service when Eric rises.
As unpleasant as having to be in Nevada is, in this moment I have to say that getting ready with Eric, as though we're any normal married couple dressing for an evening out together, makes me feel really, really happy. It feels natural and normal to be bussling around each other getting this tie or reaching for that earring, and when we're both done and dressed we just stare at eachother for a few minutes. Eric seems to like my dress and I know that I have absolutely no complaints about being on his arm tonight, or any night really, but especially when he's looking like this. After one last up and down appraisal Eric extends his arm for me to take.
"Shall we go honor his Majesty's ascension?" He asks a sarcastic smile spreading across his face. I laugh a little as our arms intertwine.
"Sounds like a plan!" With that we head out the door, meet Pam by the elevator, and head on down to the ballroom.
I have to say that I'm really very impressed by the way the ballroom is decorated. Considering that this is all for a man who wears a cape as though it were an everyday accessory and not a halloween prop, I'm guessing that Sandy is responsible for the elegance that surrounds us.
All and all the night goes off fairly well. Eric and I enjoy dancing together, just like we always do, he introduces me (as his bonded and pledged- not his telepath) to many of the vampires in DeCastro's power structure, and makes small talk and political banter better than any politician I've ever seen. We even have a pleasant and utterly banal conversation with his Magesty while he's making the rounds and mingling with his guests.
As the night heads towards a close I'm beginning to feel good about everything. It seems pretty clear that I'm here as Eric's "wife" and not as a hot commodity to be snatched away. Just before the party offically breaks up DeCastro takes the stage and thanks all of his guests. A long winded speech about his plans for Louisanna and Arkansas follows and I have to say I tune the whole thing out. But I can feel Eric tensing beside me. It's not that he's worried about anything as much as hearing DeCastro talk as though he's the newly elected governor instead of the leader of a bloody coup that could have left us all dead in it's wake tics Eric off. When DeCastro is done with his little speech we prepare to head out but at the last minute Eric spies a vampire that he needs to talk to.
"Lover, I need to have one more conversation before we retire for the night. Do you need anything before we head back upstairs?" I'm doing pretty well, but honestly I'm a little tired of playing "politician's wife" for the night and so I decide to get a drink while Eric smoozes.
"I'm a little thirsty. I'm going to grab a drink, why don't you meet me out on the balcony when you're done." He nods and we exchange a brief but wonderful kiss before he heads over to do business and I get my drink.
When I step out onto the balcony I'm a little shocked by just how hot it is even in the middle of the night. Louisianna is hot too of course but this is just crazy, I feel like I should peel out of my dress and put on a bathing suit even though it's 3:30 in the morning. I'm just finishing my drink and admiring the lights from the strip again when I hear a voice behind me.
"Long time no see Babe." Ugg, I knew that running into Quinn at a supernatural formal event in Nevada was a good possibility, but honestly the night had gone off so well, especially in comparison to some of my more vivid anxiety filled imaginings, that I kind of thought I'd be spared this particular trial. I plaster my best "Crazy Sookie" smile on my face and turn around.
"Quinn, you're looking well. Is E(E)E running things tonight?" Quinn and I didn't part on the best terms, and I'm still deeply offended by both the things that he said and the concussion that he caused, but I am an adult. I have no intention of being pulled into a dramatic conversation about our past relationship, but I have perfectly pleasant conversations with Bill all the time so I know that I can pull off civil chit chat just fine.
"Yes, DeCastro is always very adamant about having us host his events, and really Sandy is such a control freak she practially takes care of everything, I just provide the people and show up and enjoy the free champange." I hold my glass up to him.
"Well it's very good, I hope you got to enjoy a few of them." I say taking another sip.
"I did, but truthfully I spent most of my night watching you. You and Eric seem to have worked out whatever issues you were having." He says the last with quite a bit of bitterness, and I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't just say good night and go find Eric. Sitting through boring political manuverings has suddenly become preferable to staying and seeing where this conversation will lead, but Quinn is standing in front of the door and so I would have to litterally squeeze by him to get inside.
"Yes, yes we have. I'm very happy." I say hoping to put a road block up in case this conversation is going were I think it is. Quinn let's out a deep sigh and rubs his hand over his bald head.
"I saw, babe, I saw. Well I'm glad for you, if nothing else, I'm glad to see you happy." Wow, I didn't see that statment coming. I smile at him and decide that if he's really being honest than I can more than do my part and have a pleasant conversation with him.
"Thank you Quinn, truly." I say. He smiles at me again and I feel very good at this moment, so much so that I drop my pleasant chit chat facade and actually confide in him. "I have to tell you that I was really worried about coming here. I didn't want to make anyone more interested in me and my abilities than they already are, but honestly it's turned out to be quite a nice night, and I'm glad that we got the chance to see each other." Quinn gets a puzzled look on his face.
"You haven't heard then I take it." His tone only implies puzzlement and not concern and so I try not to let my anxiety run away with itself.
"Heard what?"
"Sookie, I don't think that you have anything to worry about here anymore. DeCastro found himself a new telepath about two months ago. I think your in the free and clear." I'm sure that my face betrays my utter shock. Another telepath? It isn't as though we're growing on trees waiting around to be snatched up by any old vampire.
"Really? Who is it? Did Barry decide to leave Texas?" I ask hoping to get Quinn to tell me more.
"No, Barry's still with Stan. I don't really know who this new person is. I met a couple of the weres who guard him during the day while I was helping Sandy prep for the party, but they didn't say much." The way Quinn says this last sets off my alarm bells. I wasn't with Quinn overly long, but something tells me that he knows more than he's saying. I lower my shields just a bit and probe his brain. Were thoughts aren't really clear to me, but I've been able to get a couple of good reads off of Quinn in the past, and sure enough I get a good one now.
He was honest that he doesn't know who the telepath is, but not honest that the weres didn't say much. I get a fuzzy mental image of him talking to the them about the telepath and then a very clear couple of words: "just a boy" says one of them. I reel back in shock at what I've seen in Quinn's mind. He frowns at me.
"Are you okay babe, you look like maybe the alcohol just hit you." He says leaning forward, offering his hand to steady me. Instead of taking it I lean back and grab the balcony rail for balance. Just as I get my feet under me again Eric's form appears behind Quinn's.
"Lover, are you alright?" Eric asks. The question is banal but the tone is not. I know that Eric saw me stagger and that he can feel my utter inner turmoil. He would sever Quinn's head in one swift motion if I gave him the okay right now. Instead I brush past Quinn as nonchalantly as possible and take Eric's arm.
"Just a little dizzy from the champange I think. I'm ready to head up now Honey." I say smiling up and letting him know that everything is okay. He nods and just before he pulls me back into the ballroom I turn to Quinn. "It was nice to see you again Quinn. Have a good night." With that I let Eric usher me back inside and out of the ballroom. When we're safely in the elevator Eric hits the stop button.
"What happened out there Lover, you're an emotional wreck?" Eric is clearly concerned, but there is also a hint of something else in his emotions, something hard to define but I think it's...insecurity. I want desperately to reassure him, to tell him that nothing that Quinn could say or do would ever tempt me from his side, but honestly I'm absolutely reeling from what I saw in Quinn's head, and I can't seem to do anything but replay it over and over again and worry.
"I'm fine Honey, just tired and a little frazzled from talking to Quinn. He's the one ex I could definitely do without having to see." Eric seems satisfied with my answer and hit's the start button again. When the elevator doors open I feel his hand on the small of my back, ushering me out of the elevator and into our room.
Once inside Eric takes me in his arms and gives me one of those deep amazing kisses that I'm so addicted to. I want nothing more that to lose myself in his embrace, to feel the saftey and the love that I find only in his arms. I want to let his passion and desire sweep me away, but I just can't. The more I think about what I heard in Quinn's head the more I feel agitated and uneasy. So instead of returning the kiss I push away from Eric slightly and tell him that I'm tired. He frowns at me, but doesn't push the issue. Instead we undress and lie down together. Sleep doesn't take me, I won't let it, but I do let Eric hold me and try to allow his nearness to calm me.
I feel the moment that dawn arrives. Eric's hold on me goes slightly limp and his emotions seem to turn off, leaving just the hum of his life force inside my head and heart. I crawl out from under his arm and go into the living room sitting infront of the now closed light tight shutters. I lower my sheilds and try to let my mind relax.
"Hello, can you here me? My name is Sookie Stackhouse, I'm another telepath. Are you there?" I send out into the dinn of mental voices that now rush into my brain. I wait for only a moment before I hear the answer that I knew was coming but hoped desperately wouldn't.
"Aunt Sookie, is that you? Sookie, Sookie where are you. Please help me." I hear more than feel the gut renching sob that comes out of my own mouth.
Hunter!