I was pissed and afraid for Sookie to go to New Orleans without me. She was still so new and knew so little about the goings-on at the palace. Plus I had no idea what she and Pam might find with the queen out of commission and Andre out of the picture. But I was in no state to travel and finally lost the battle. I could have forbidden her to leave, but I trusted Pam to take care of Sookie and knew that Sookie's refusal to do her job could cause trouble for Area Five. I didn't want it to appear that we couldn't handle business as usual. I wasn't as vulnerable as the queen, but I knew that I wasn't exactly in my strongest position ever either.

And so I was relieved when she and Pam came home unscathed. Their reports of chaos in the court were disturbing and the fact that apparently some vampires from Nevada may have attacked the palace guards was even more upsetting. I feared that some ambitious monarch would try and take Louisiana. I wouldn't be too pleased about that happening, and I definitely didn't want it happening while my children were at the palace.

Pam was taking excellent care of Fangtasia and running any business regarding Area Five by me before making any decisions. Sookie was at home, taking care of me. Mostly I just needed blood and rest, but she often curled up in bed with me while I worked on my laptop or read. She would make runs to Fangtasia to bring me any paperwork that needed signing. To an outsider, it would seem that everything was perfectly normal. The only people who really knew that I was still recovering were those that I trusted completely.

In spite of continued pain in my back, Sookie and I were able to make love as long as she was on top and did all of the heavy lifting. She was happy to comply. During one particularly steamy moment, I declared that she was mine, which was a common phrase in our bedroom conversation, as you can imagine. She couldn't answer me because she had a mouthful at the moment, but I caught a definite twinge of guilt from her. I didn't address it at the time because I was…well…busy, but I made a mental note to address it later. But then later, it seemed unimportant. I never for a second worried about Sookie's fidelity. And I knew that such a discussion could easily lead to an argument, and well, frankly, I just wasn't in the mood to get myself stunned by saying something to make her mad. I was too content and didn't want to rock the boat. I just couldn't imagine that it could be anything really important anyway, and so I just let it go.

One night Sookie and I were downstairs in the den watching a movie when suddenly she sat up in alarm and announced that Quinn was here. I couldn't hear or smell him myself and couldn't imagine what the fuck that stupid tiger would be doing at our house, but I got up to see about it. I was on my way to the front door when Sookie stopped me. "Wait. There are also ten vampires out there." That's when I knew that something was terribly wrong. There was no good reason for ten vampires and a shifter to be at the house. I told Sookie to go and tell the staff to get into the safe room in the basement and then come right back to me. I took my phone out and called Pam but got her voice mail. I'd spoken to her earlier in the evening and everything seemed to be fine. But clearly, it wasn't fine anymore.

Sookie and I stood together facing the door waiting and listening. I heard one pair of feet approach the door. Sookie called out, "Who's there?"

"It is I, Victor Madden." My heart sank. There's only one reason that a vampire like Victor Madden would be at my house with nine other vampires. The takeover that I had been dreading was taking place. I opened the door and invited him inside, knowing that I had no real choice.

He stood in the entry way and addressed us. "Eric, you're looking well. And you must be the famous Sookie Stackhouse. What a pleasure. Now before you go and stun me, please know that there are eighteen vampires outside ready to storm the house if I should fall."

"You seem to have lost your ability to count, Victor. There are nine other vampires and a shifter." He turned his fake smile to me when I spoke. I could hear the tiger pacing on the porch. Victor reached back and opened the door.

"I'm inviting my little pet kitty in to join me."

"If he pees on my hardwoods, I'll make him a rug."

"He cannot be stunned, my dear." He addressed Sookie who just stood frozen.

"Eric, your queen is dead." I was expecting that.

"And the others?"

"Some remain. A fellow named Rasul…a few other staff. Poor Sigebert and Wybert have joined their maker. Sookie, we spared your darling cousin who is safe for the moment." There was a definite threat in his voice. I knew Hadley only lived as leverage to control Sookie.

"And the sheriffs? How many remain?"

"Let's see. Hmmm. Oh yes, just one." And he gestured to me with a grand flourish.

"Fangtasia?"

"It is surrounded. Your people are waiting for your call before they surrender. One female who got away has been picking off my people one by one and it is most irritating." I knew that he was referring to Pam. "So what's it going to be, Sheriff? Will you be a good little boy and accept the sovereignty of your new king? Or are you going to be a problem for me to solve?" He took a step towards me and stared at me with a smug smile on his face that made me want to slap it off. I returned his glare, thinking of my response when suddenly his smile faded to a blank expression, his eyelids fluttered shut, and his knees buckled. He hit the floor with a loud thump.

I had no intention of harming Victor, but I wasn't unhappy that Sookie had just bought me a few minutes to consider my decision. I had no idea who had that tiger's loyalty. He had saved Sookie twice (and me and Pam as well) and he clearly had a boner for her, but I wasn't sure why else he would have attached himself to her. He was here with Victor as some sort of bodyguard, and so I didn't trust him at all. He made a move towards Sookie and I had no way of knowing what his motive was and so I backhanded him, sending him crashing into the wall. I felt immediate pain. It caught me off guard and for a second I wondered if he had somehow harmed Sookie before I hit him even though it made no sense. But I knew that I was feeling Sookie's pain. I looked at her and she dropped her eyes to the floor and felt guilt. Suddenly, I put two and two together and it dawned on me that she was bonded to the fucking tiger. I felt her pain because she felt his. I wanted to smash something, kill the tiger. I wanted answers from Sookie, but this was not the time or place. If we argued and I pissed her off now, she could get me killed with one stun. I tried with all my might to control my temper. I gritted my teeth and whispered so that only vampire ears could hear me. "Keep your fucking shields up." She nodded, still watching the floor.

I watched the tiger pacing against the wall. He never took his eyes off of me, but he kept his distance. I tried Pam's cell phone again, but got voice mail. I called the bar and Maxwell Lee answered. I told him to let me know if he couldn't get to Pam and make her return to the bar. I could always call her to me if needed. We briefly discussed the situation and I told him of my decision. As I hung up, Victor began to awaken and leapt to his feet, fangs down.

"I accept the sovereignty of your king."

Victor looked around the room and seemed to realize that he was unharmed and had won for the moment. "Lovely." His fangs retracted and that smug smile returned.

"Now call your goons off of my bar and get that pussy out of my house."

I closed the door as they left, and went to get my human staff out of the basement. I had to make sure that my area vampires had all survived and I didn't have the time or patience to deal with Sookie.