I never did return the call to my child that night; instead, Sookie and I fell asleep in each other's arms. If there had been a dire emergency in the small yet eventful town that is Bon Temps he would have called me again.
When the sun set and my body became reanimated I was quickly aware of the fact that I was in Sookie's bed, alone. I listened for her, she was in the kitchen. I swiftly dressed in last night's close as that was all that was on her floor and made my way into the kitchen. This was the part that made me slightly afraid… Sookie and I had been on several dates, held hands, and kissed but last night was the first time we had ever exchanged blood and brought each other to orgasm, how would she react? How should I react? I thought through ever possible behavior that either of us could display before also thinking about every romantic comedy Isabel had forced me to suffer through in our nest. Based on my feelings, ones I was not used to having and also on what seemed to be normal human behavior for the morning or night after I thought it best to greet her as I always would.
"Evenin' Godric," Sookie's eyes lit up as soon as she laid eyes on me. She pecked me on the cheek and went back to cooking her human dinner.
"Good evening, Sookie. How was your day?"
"Well I went to the salon and got a manicure, see," she showed me her freshly paint pink fingernails, "then I came back here to change so I could go to the pool and then I had salad for lunch downstairs, and then I came back up and read a book on your deck." I took her newly manicured hands in mine and pulled her close to me, inhaling the scent of sun on her skin and then gently kissing her lips.
"I am happy you had such a good day." I kissed her again. "I will leave you to your dinner while I shower if that is agreeable?"
"Sure," she kissed me again.
"Your lips taste like olive oil and balsamic vinegar; it's nice." I smiled before rushing upstairs.
"You don't call, you don't write, I'm really starting to grow a complex over this, Fader." Eric joked over the phone, "Since I am here attempting to save the possible fairy's brother while you're there spending time with her… Naked, I assume at this point. Tell me, how was it? Let me live vicariously through you."
"Mind your words, Eric. I may have released you centuries ago but I will not stand for you speaking of Sookie in such a way." I sighed. "Now do you have any news?"
"I am sorry, it will not happen again. And yes, I do have new information. There was another murder in Bon Temps today, another woman, strangled, this one both Jason and I have spent time with."
"I am beginning to wonder if this murderer is targeting women that associate with our kind."
"It is possible, both had fresh bite marks and both did spend their free nights attempting to garner the attention of vampires in my bar."
"Keep a closer eye on Mrs. Stackhouse; if she is known to be associating with you she may find herself a target."
"Do you think it's possible Sophie-Anne or Compton could be behind this? It would be a great way to get Sookie out of hiding?"
"Both are young vampires, neither would be able to resist draining a dying human."
"True." He paused, I felt pain surge through our bond, "Godric… It's, it's Pam, something's wrong, ahhh, owe…"
"I am coming, my child." I hung up the phone and quickly dressed. I pulled on a fitted black shirt that exposed the ancient ink on my arms, a pair of black pants, and black boots. I ran downstairs to inform Sookie that I had to go to my child.
"Godric, what's wrong?" She could see and feel the concern coming off of me.
"It's Eric and Pam, they are in danger." I told her, "I must go."
"Well if you're going to Bon Temps I'm going with ya."
"It is not safe; I do not know what kind of situation that I will walk into. It is best that you stay here." I told her.
"Please, take me with you."
"Fine but we are using alternative forms of transportation so dress warm." I did not want to bring Sookie into the line of fire but I obviously had no choice in the matter as she would not take no for an answer.
She returned from changing her clothes quickly. "Come, we will leave from the verandah," I held out my hand to her.
"Good thing I planned on comin' back here or you'd be flying with my luggage too," she winked.
"After last night there is no way that I would not keep you here," I kissed her lips. "Hold on tight, I will not let you fall, I promise." I wrapped my arms around her and took to the sky. Her letting out a few screams before finally calming down. Humans, so afraid.
Sookie and I were perched in a tree over her Gran's farmhouse. We were close enough that I could see with my vampire eyes but far enough that other vampires or wolves on the property would not know of our presence.
"Sookie can you please tell me how many human brains are in your Gran's home?" I requested.
"Only one, Gran. Maybe Hadley's at Merlotte's?" She held her hand to her mouth, "Her brain's like Swiss cheese. A red haired vampire is trying to glamour her. She's weak and afraid."
"Can you pick up any other brain signatures?" I asked.
"Yeah, like red snarly brains there's a few of em but they don't think in real thoughts. It's just images." She closed her eyes and focused. "Pam's inside, the red haired vampire attacked her with liquid silver. I can see it in one of the snarly minds. I also see Eric at the back door struggling to get inside. A couple of them took him down with silver nets right before we got here. He's being tortured at the old Jesse Compton place. A dark haired vampire with a southern drawl has him chained in his basement."
I couldn't help the growl that came from my chest. It was guttural and something inside of me snapped. I had not been out for blood in centuries but I would end anything or anyone that brought harm upon my child.
"Can you sense any minds coming from the house on the other side of the cemetery?"
"Only two voids, no humans, no snarly brains."
"Excellent, you will remain here while I rescue Eric. It will only take a few moments."
I flew up into the sky without waiting for her response, "But, but… Godric." I heard her huffs but I could not risk her safety in this. I knew the vampire holding my child prisoner was none other than Mr. William Compton. He has had it in for my child for decades. My child had reported William and his Maker's savagery to a Monarch and they were punished.
I surveyed the property to be certain that Sookie's ability left nothing out. The last thing I wanted was to walk into a trap. Her ability served us well; she was correct there was only Mr. Compton and Eric in the dilapidated home. I touched down on the overgrown lawn and carefully moved towards the home. I could hear Eric's cursing from my place on the front porch. I could also hear Mr. Compton's snide remarks towards my child. I made my way into the house and followed the sounds that led me to the basement. There was a hidden door under a closet floor that led to the basement. I would lose my element of surprise but Mr. Compton was a young vampire, I was ten times older and could easily subdue him.
"I've wanted to do this to you for decades… What you put my Maker and I through. We lost our fangs, a year in silver. After your spouting off at the mouth the only Monarch that would take me was Sophie." I heard the crack of a silver dipped whip hit my child's skin. I was proud of my Viking warrior he didn't falter, he let out not so much as a grunt.
I used my super strength and speed to fly through the hidden basement door. "Who are you? Where did you come from, boy?"
I threw back my head and chuckled at Mr. Compton's words, I slowly stalked over to him. "Youngling, I am no boy, I am death and if you do not release Eric this instant I will be your death."
"I will do no such thing; I am protected by the Monarch of Louisiana. I am following her orders." He spat cockily.
"It is not surprising that a child queen would surround herself by child vampires. You disappoint me Mr. Compton, you truly do embody the savagery our kind doles out." He lunged towards me but in one swift punch he was against the wall across the room. "You should really learn to respect your elders."
I quickly moved towards Eric and unchained him. "Master, let me kill this fucker."
"No my child, we will show mercy and spill no blood." I looked back at Mr. Compton, "But you should probably chain him to the wall, we would not want him alerting the Queen next door."
"Sookie, we are going to rescue your Gran and Pam now." I told her as Eric and I returned to the tree.
"I figured out why I can't hear Hadley… She's bein' made a vampire."
"How do you know?"
"Gran watched this crazy red-headed bitch drain her and feed her, her blood." I tensed as I heard a pickup truck pull up to Sookie's farmhouse. I could hear country music coming from the car. "What the hell? Why's Rene here?"
"Who is Rene?" I asked.
"He's my friend Arlene's boyfriend; he's Cajun, great guy, loves her kids. He works on the road crew with Jason." She looked towards the house, "Why's he driving Jason's truck?" What I found very interesting was that the wolves in the yard did not stop this Rene from entering the home. "You know what's funny… I've never listened to Rene before, he speaks with a Cajun accent but thinks just like everybody else, no accent."
"Fuck, he's the killer." Eric yelled.
"Well we better do somethin' real fast because he's excited about killin' his first fanger." We both looked at Sookie, "Hey, his words not mine."
"You will stay here. As soon as we have removed the threat I will bring you to your Gran."
"Oh god, he just stabbed her. I see her, she's falling on the kitchen floor." Sookie screamed.
Eric and I flew towards the house and quickly snapped the necks of every wolf on the property before heading towards the door. "How do we get in, Master?"
"Adele, she's fallen in the kitchen, we will go to that door." We quickly moved around the house to the back kitchen door. I kicked it in so that I could see Sookie's Gran on the floor. "You need to invite us in." I told the older woman.
"Where the fuck did ya fangers come from?" Rene asked, he leaned down and held Adele by the hair.
"Please, come in" she barely whispered before we were able to rush through the door and pull Rene from her. "Thank you," she was losing blood quickly. We had to get this woman to a hospital or she would surely die.
"My, my, my, Northman. I didn't expect to see you here." Sophie-Anne waltzed into the kitchen. "How do you know the lovely Stackhouse family?"
"The recent murders in Bon Temps… The two women liked to walk on the fangy side so I was duty bound to investigate."
"Let's cut through the shit, Eric. Where is my telepathic fairy?"
"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about Sophie-Anne."
"The girl, the one that lives here. My Hadley told me all about her."
"Do you truly believe that a fairy that is used to being surrounded by luxury on another plain of existence would reside in this Podunk town in a farmhouse that's falling down around itself?" Eric asked.
"Keeping an asset from me is treason, Viking."
"And glamouring humans into killing other humans and poaching are illegal Sophie-Anne." I spoke up. "So is holding a Sheriff hostage."
"Are you hiding the telepathic fairy?" She turned her questioning eye on me.
"You are delusional." Eric yelled at her. "Now where is Pam?"
"Oh no, I'm not giving you, your child back until you give me my telepath."
Eric growled and lunged towards Sophie-Anne, "Tsk, tsk, Northman, it's treason to attack the Monarch in which you swore fealty to."
"You are not my Queen," I moved so fast even her vampire senses could not feel me. I wrapped my arms around her neck, "This can go one of two ways Sophie-Anne, I can end you or you can leave this family in peace and return to New Orleans."
"You have no power here." She screamed.
"I will give you ten seconds before I rip your head from your body. Ten, nine, eight,"
"Fine, I will leave."
"And you will take your little bitch boy Compton with you." Eric told her.
"No, he's allowed to remain here… He's restoring his ancestral home."
"If he comes anywhere near the Stackhouse home I will kill him and then come for you. Am I understood?" I asked. "And you will cease forcing my child to deal V in his area. You will also stop poaching peculiar humans immediately."
"So you admit, she is a telepath?"
"No, she is not but what she is, is mine."
"You've got to be kidding me, you barely went through puberty as a human and you expect me to believe you claimed a human female."
"Believe what you will." I threw Sophie-Anne across the kitchen as Eric started to chuckle. "Now, where is Pam?"
"She's in the trunk of my limo. If you get one of the wolves I'll tell them to let her go."
"You no longer have any wolves. It's just you in here."
"Eric, I must really get Adele to the hospital." I looked over Sookie's Gran.
Eric raced out the door and I felt his relief surge through me when he found Pam and removed the chains from her body. I called for an ambulance to come for Adele and tied up Rene so that the police could take him when they arrived.
"You will leave my child alone, are we clear?" I crouched down in front of Sophie-Anne.
"Crystal." She gritted her teeth as the word passed her lips.
"Very good." I flew out the front door and back to the trees where Sookie was waiting. I scooped her up in my arms and brought her to the farmhouse. "Your Gran was badly injured before Eric and I were able to gain entrance into the home. An ambulance and the police are on their way."
"Is she gonna be alright?"
"I believe so." I told her but I was not certain.
Sookie rushed over to her Gran's side. "Oh my God, Gran… I'm so sorry. All this because of me. I'm so, so sorry."
"Hush, child. I'm gonna be just fine." Adele told her.
"This is the fairy, I can smell her." Sophie-Anne used her vampire speed to move towards Sookie. Her fangs ran down and she was ready to bite. I quickly pulled Sophie-Anne from her. "Keep your fangs out of my human, youngling."
"What is she talkin' about, Godric?"
"Sophie-Anne believes you to be a fairy. A race that has not existed on this earth in centuries."
"Let me just taste her… I bet she's sweet. Just like my Hadley." She licked her lips, "I had told Hadley I would turn her if she brought her special cousin to me."
"I swear it's like the deaf leadin' the blind." Sookie shook her head. "Where'd ya even meet Hadley?"
"I found her in an alley, on drugs and raped. I saved her."
"Well I thank you for saving my cousin but everything else you've done since it's just messed up."
The paramedics coming through the door stopped the discussion between Sookie and Sophie-Anne. They raced Adele out the front door on a stretcher and were on their way to the hospital in Shreveport. Sookie and I would follow behind after we spoke with the police about Rene.
"I should head back to New Orleans before the police arrive. I will be in touch." Sophie-Anne waved as if what had transpired over the last hour never happened. Sookie and I joined Pam and Eric in the living room.
"I'm sorry that I was not able to protect your Gran." Pam apologized while downing a bottle of True Blood.
"There's no way ya'll coulda known what she was doin', I'm not mad." Sookie walked up to Pam and wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you for everything."
"Eric, my son, you are going to have to become king." I could not allow Sophie-Anne to remain in charge. She was obviously unhinged and if Russell, a vampire even older than myself was coming for her… She had no chance. "Glamour the police when they arrive, I will take Sookie to the hospital to see her Gran. We will go to ground with you this night. When we rise we will discuss your takeover."
