Sookie sighed as she watched the two vampires bickering in the parking lot. She was inside a cheap diner on the side of the Highway leading from Shreveport to Bon Temps and was waiting for her 11pm breakfast. Her body was still tingling all over from the ravaging she had experienced earlier at Eric's. Her reflection was dimly lit in the darkened window and as Bill stormed away from Eric he appeared to be walking into her hair.
'Bacon, Sausage, hold the garlic, eggs over easy and 2 hash browns' The elderly lady, with the purple perm and apron said as she put Sookie's meal on the table in front of her. 'You want coffee with that?' Sookie shook her head and the waitress left her to eat.
Eric slid into the booth opposite her and took her hands as she lifted her cutlery, a piece of sausage dangling precariously on the tip of her fork.
'We need to talk my lover. Eat quickly and I will explain as I drive you home. The meeting I was supposed to attend has been postponed which can only mean bad news.' Eric was looking nervously out of the corners of his eyes, although the rest of his body – to the untrained eye – looked calm and relaxed Sookie could feel the tension oozing off him. She began to eat with more relish, piling the eggs, bacon and sausage onto the hash-brown and taking bigger bites than normal. Eric's behaviour was making her feel uncomfortable and although she knew that eating quickly may make her nauseous later in the night, she also knew it was better to have energy and wits when dealing with the un-dead.
As soon as she had finished her last bite Eric dropped a $50.00 on the table, put the salt shaker over it to keep it there and lead Sookie from the diner and into his red convertible.
'Eric, what on earth is going on?'
'Sookie, when I first arranged with Bill to have you come to Shreveport the night before last, it was for business. An informant of mine, let me know that the business I needed to discuss with you was no longer in play, so instead I made love to you. Well it seems my informant was, sadly, misinformed. I have to tell you some heavy Vampire History, and although you may not like it, just remember that I am working against these happening, and any involvement you have will also be to put an end to it.
Over 10,000 years ago an Elder discovered that when turning a Human into a Vampire, whatever is in their system will come over with them. If they have taken peyote, they may have the ability to see beyond the normal realm once they have changed, if they are a Vegetarian in life, then in Death they will not need as much blood to survive. Well, when pharmaceutical companies became popular in the 30s and 40s all sorts of drugs were available to humans and the amount of Humans being turned decreased dramatically – we did not want drug riddled Vampires walking among us. We tend to gravitate towards the most prestigious humans, the great minds, faces and athletes we can find. We are the stronger race and try to remain so by choosing strong newborns.
Well, in 1983 a drug called phentolamine was discovered and marketed by a Dr. Brindley. It was an instant phenomenon within the medical community. Men were paying ridiculous amounts for this new miracle drug. It was praised as the breakthrough of the century so of course some of the Higher up Vamps wanted a piece of the action. They began by buying out all the stock in the company's marketing and selling phentolamine and then once they had the secret recipe they murdered Dr. Brindley.
They began experiments on willing and unwilling humans trying to find a cheaper way to re-create the drug. They found it. However along with finding it came side-effects. The effects of the drug now stayed for many hours, instead of the customary 1-2 hours. The humans taking this drug were now not only having sex for hours, but also had greater confidence, high abilities within their mental capacities and their physical doings –'
'Eric, as interesting as this is, I really don't understand why you're telling me this. And what is phelymitin or however you say it?'
'Viagra.'
'Viagra?' Sookie clamped her hand over her mouth as she tried to muffle her laugh. 'Vampires need Viagra?'
'Have you not been listening? Sookie, they have been feeding humans triple the recommended dosages of this drug, and once they are good and horny, they are turning them into Vampires. Once a Human with Viagra turns, the Vampire they become will have blood full of Viagra properties. Instead of spending money buying the chemicals, getting the licences, etc to make the normal pill, they are chaining up these Vampires and harvesting their blood, drying it out and turning it into powder which then they form into little blue pills.'
'They're harvesting them? Oh Eric, that is just sick! Those poor humans, thinking they are going to be made equal, are now stuck in factory lines? Oh my Lord.'
'Yes. They can make 100x more pills for a quarter of the cost this way. Once the Vampire has been drained, they incinerate the remains – or if they produce a particularly strong pill from a certain Vampire, they will feed them and keep them alive as long as possible, hooked up to machines until the magic is gone from them.'
'Oh my God, Eric we have to help them! I don't care if they're Vampires, it is just inhumane! They are out there targeting good people, praying on their insecurities and they're just going to turn them into battery hens? Oh my Lord.'
Sookie crossed herself and began silently praying. Her brother, Jason, was fertile enough, willing enough, and dumb enough to get caught in something like this. This could have already happened to someone she knew...Maybe one of the many waitresses or short-order cooks that had suddenly appeared at Merlotte's, only to just as suddenly vanish.
An awful though occurred to Sookie.
'Eric, why are you telling me this now? If this has been going on for so long and the higher-up Vamps are the ones running the show, how do you know what's going on?'
'They appealed to me Sookie. They have requested I assist them in finding a woman, they have decided to try marketing to females now as well as males. They know about you. It is you they want. I am supposed to be delivering you to them tonight. I called ahead once I got the message and pleaded ignorance, pretending to not know your whereabouts at the present time. They have given me until midnight tomorrow. If I have not delivered you they will have someone come and take you by force. They requested me as they believe you will come willingly anywhere I ask of you.'
'Why didn't you tell me any of this last night, when we were supposed to be talking about business?'
'As I have already told you, my informant who is working on the inside of their company thought they were moving on to a new town, they had not found anyone of interest. However, very early this evening Bill was in Merlotte's and heard Arlene telling her new boyfriend about how you can always pick up on her mood, or you hand her what she needs without having to ask...'almost as if she reads minds' were her words. The company reps were having a True-Blood at the bar and over-heard this. One of the reasons Bill did not throw off his allegiance to me is because he wants me to save you and he knew he could only ask this as an underling.'
'SO then where are you taking me?' Sookie still did not believe Eric would put her in harms way...but then again, she reasoned, he did not get to be Sheriff of Area 5 by having feelings and being soft. Her hands began trembling slightly and her body felt cold. She almost moved across the seat to lean against Eric until she remembered he would be at least 10 degrees colder than her anyway.
'I am taking you to the only place you'll be safe for the moment until Pam, Bill and I can think of a plan. I am taking you to the Queens hide-out. It is South of Bon Temps, you may know the area. Once we cross South-Sky Bridge we continue down for about 20 minutes. Just try to relax until we get there.'
Relax? Thought Sookie, How am I supposed to relax? Apparently some big Vampire drug manufacturing company wants to fill me with Viagra, turn me into a Vampire, chain me up and harvest my blood to sell to innocent people...Oh my God, I don't know how I'm going to get out of this...Please Lord, if you are listening, help me!
Sookie continued praying with her eyes squeezed shut tightly, until she felt the car slow. Opening her eyes she saw a dilapidated Farm House in front of her. The closer they drove however, the less it looked like a squalor and the more it looked like a manor. Sookies feet began to itch and she wondered why she had such an urge to run.
'This land is magically protected and can only be seen or entered by people under the Queens Power. You may feel uncomfortable here, however as you work for me, and I have pledged loyalty to the Queen my pledge should allow you entrance.'
Eric pulled the car slowly into a high arched adjoining garage, turned off the engine and flipped open his cell phone. He speed-dialled someone and said 'We have arrived'
