A/N: Plans and intrigues are starting to be set in motion.

Chapter 9

I

Eric and Seren were escorted inside to the Queen's artificial sun room. Seren couldn't keep from thinking how pathetic it was. A pale imitation of the real thing. She almost felt a moment of pity. Almost, of course, she thought. For, Seren had met few vampires who deserved her pity. She studied Queen Sophie-Anne who sat on a lounge chair dressed in classic white bathing suit and wearing cat-eye shades. Her pet sat at the pool's edge, dipping her feet into the water. Seren kept the smug smile that she wanted to show off her face. She had been invited much sooner than she expected into the Queen's lair. The Queen had no idea that she had also invited her own doom inside. It was ironic, thought Seren, that the Queen's fate was tied to her own duplicity. For, the minute that she betrayed Eric Northman, she would also set in motion the turn of events that would seal her own fate. But, she must adhere to appearances and meekly bowed her head before the Queen that she planned to destroy.

"Majesty," said Eric, with a little bow.

"You got here quicker than I thought you would," said the Queen. "I didn't even have time to call you and tell you that you weren't needed."

"I don't understand, Majesty," said Eric.

"The prisoner escaped," said Sophie-Anne. "It seems that there were two of them and the other one helped him get away. Almost killed one of my guards, nasty beasts."

"They got away?" said Eric.

"Hello? Didn't I just say that?" retorted the Queen.

"Are you trying to track them?" asked Eric.

"My guards are searching the compound and the woods next to it," said the Queen.

They wouldn't be found, thought Seren. They would be cautious now. Stupid wolves, thought Seren. How did one of them manage to get caught in the first place? She would have a few words with them, later.

"If my presence is not needed, then I will leave," said Eric.

"But, you will stay. You and your pet," said the Queen, passing her eyes over Seren.

Seren dropped her eyes, showing off her long lashes.

The Queen smiled and said, "Are you ready for another round of Yahtzee? It's your chance to regain your losses from the last game."

A painful looking smile graced Eric's face and Seren had to keep herself from snickering.

"If I may be so bold," said Seren. "I would like to use the pool, if that is allowed, Majesty."

Queen Sophie-Anne looked her over and said, "Of course, Hadley will find you a bathing suit."

"Your Majesty is too kind," said Seren.

The Queen watched her pet and Seren leave and said, "You are so undeserving."

"Worthiness has nothing to do with it," said Eric.

The Queen frowned and then had Lutis, who was also present, set up the game. When Hadley and Seren returned, Seren was wearing an apricot-colored bikini that showed off her smooth, firm flesh. Those pert breasts that he had already seen tonight, were teasingly on display, again. Seren gave a smile and ran and dived into the pool and Eric wasn't the only one who watched her gracefully swim beneath the surface. He tore his eyes from the more pleasant sight of Seren and turned his attention to this irritating game. The Queen became excited as she continued to roll high scores and took the lead. Eric turned back to look at Seren and she noticed his attention. She winked at him and dove under. Instead of a pair of feet, a set of flukes appeared after her. His eyes widened and he glanced at the others present, but no one except for himself had seen Seren morph into a mermaid. As he continued to watch her, she walked out of the water, like Venus emerging from the half-shell. With her skin wet and glistening, she did a head toss and gazed at himself and the Queen as she slowly made her way to the table. She dried off and took a position behind Eric. She removed his jacket, her fingers caressing him. She then began to massage his shoulders which were tense from having to endure this maddening game. And giving the Queen every impression that she was only a well-trained pet. After another Yahtzee from the Queen, she smiled victoriously at Eric.

"You still suck at this," Sophie-Anne said.

"Perhaps, my master would care for me to roll his dice, for luck?" asked Seren.

Eric nodded and Seren took a seat next to him. When his turn came again, Seren took the dice and began shaking them in the canister. She took a long time, seeming to enjoy the rattling sound that the dice made. With a graceful flourish, Seren released the dice. Everyone watched as a perfect Yahtzee appeared.

"Yahtzee," said Seren.

She then smiled and said, "Imagine that."

Another round of play happened and when it was Eric's turn again, Seren once again rolled the dice. She rolled a perfect Yahtzee again, much to the aggravation of the Queen.

"Another Yahtzee!" gushed Seren, smiling. "Make sure you mark an extra 100 points for that score, Master."

But, when Eric looked at her, the smile became a smirk and he knew that somehow she was cheating. He didn't see how one could cheat at this game. Hadn't the Queen said herself that everyone's chances of winning were equal? Evidently, Sophie-Anne had never played against Seren.

Everyone took another turn. And once again, Seren rolled a Yahtzee.

Frustrated, the Queen said, "Are you cheating?"

All meek politeness, Seren replied, "Majesty, how could someone possibly cheat at this game? There isn't any real skill involved, only random chance."

When the Queen still sat with a sour look on her face, Seren added, "We could change the dice, if that would make Your Majesty happy."

The Queen sent Lutis to find another set of dice and once he returned the play resumed. When it was Eric's turn, Seren took the dice and rattled them loudly. She also kept doing it and Eric was sure that she was trying to annoy the Queen. He wondered why she had changed her strategy from trying to charm Sophie-Anne. When Seren continued to shake the dice, the Queen lost her patience.

"For f*ck's sake," she exclaimed. "Roll the dice, already."

"As Majesty commands," replied Seren.

Seren threw out the dice and everyone watched at they rolled across the table. They skittered and turned and ended up with a perfect high score. The Queen gazed at the five 10's and her lower lip seemed to quiver in anger.

"You see, Majesty, it wasn't the dice," said Seren. "I'm just lucky."

The Queen gazed at Seren and, for a moment, Seren stared boldly back before dropping her eyes as a proper sign of respect.

"We could play a different game, Majesty," said Seren, her eyes downcast. "One that does not rely upon such a random thing as chance. Perhaps, poker?"

The Queen reluctantly sent Lutis to find a deck of cards and poker chips. When Lutis returned, Sophie-Anne took the first turn at dealing and everyone began to play. Seren watched everyone and decided that Eric was actually a good player. He could probably defeat the Queen on his own. But, when it was her turn to deal, she thought that a little extra help never hurt. She dealt out everyone's cards not showing off her true skill at shuffling the deck. She noted that Eric glanced over at her the minute he looked at his cards. She knew what his cards were since she had dealt them to him on purpose. He was one card shy of a royal flush. Since Eric went first to discard, he discarded the one card that didn't match and Seren dealt him a card. It was the ten in the correct suit, giving him a perfect royal flush. When the Queen was occupied, he again glanced at Seren. She fiddled with her own cards and ignored him. The play went around and Lutis and Hadley quickly dropped out. Seren played for a while, but she also bowed out, since the point of this game was not to win herself. She wanted to see what Eric did when he had the winning hand. Would he let the Queen win, even though he would have to know that whatever hand she had was not better than his? Or, would he play that winning hand that Seren dealt to him and defeat his Queen? Seren had already shown him that his Queen expected to win and that common sense dictated that it would be smart to let her. When Eric played that hand to the end and took the Queen for all her chips, Seren allowed herself a tiny smile.

"Stupid game," hissed the Queen. "Perhaps, it's time to retire before the dawn. Lutis will show you to your room."

The Queen got up and left with Hadley in tow.

Seren watched her retreating figure in barely concealed amusement and then leaned into Eric's ear.

"Sore loser," she whispered.

"Well, you did cheat," replied Eric.

"Prove it," said Seren, smirking.

She picked up the deck of cards and said, "We should do Vegas. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

II

When Eric and Seren entered their room, Seren brandished the cards that she had taken. As he watched, she began shuffling them and doing tricks.

"Remind me to never gamble against you," he said.

Seren lifted her head and gazed at him and said, "I'm afraid it's too late for that. You are already gambling with me in a much more dangerous game."

She continued to shuffle the cards and said, "Are you getting the feeling that you are outclassed, yet?"

"Is that why you angered the Queen?" asked Eric. "To show off for me?"

"Are you mad about that?" asked Seren.

Actually, Eric had enjoyed every minute of watching Sophie-Anne squirm.

"No," said Eric. "I enjoyed it."

Seren smiled and said, "Good, because she is your enemy."

"She's also Russell's enemy," said Eric.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," said Seren.

"Are you my friend, then?" asked Eric.

Seren looked into his eyes for a moment and said, "I want to be."

Even though Seren could lie as easily as she changed forms, Eric felt that he had heard the truth in her statement. Maybe he just wanted to believe her, he thought. Was this a power of hers also? The ability to make him like her even when he knew that she was probably his enemy?

"What else does Seren want besides being my friend?" asked Eric.

"I want what everyone else does," replied Seren.

She stopped playing with the cards and looked down upon them in her hands.

"I don't want to be locked away in a cage," she said in barely a whisper.

The reckless girl that he flew with tonight would never be happy with having her wings clipped, thought Eric. He knew that her fear was a very real one. She was an oddity, something that would be coveted and feared by even vampires. Russell Edgington had controlled her since she was a child. And if The Authority ever found out about her abilities, they would probably step in and decide her fate.

Eric pulled Seren to her feet and said, "Don't you think that it's time that you showed me your true self?"

"I just did," said Seren.

"I would still like to see more of the real Seren," said Eric, touching a curl.

"I'm waiting for you to show me the real you, first," said Seren.

"Aren't I exactly what I appear to be?" asked Eric.

"If that were true, I wouldn't be here," said Seren.

Eric smiled and said, "Which side of the bed do you want?"

"Neither," said Seren. "Even if my heart didn't belong to another, I would still be smart enough to stay away from you in that way."

"Smart or scared?" asked Eric with a smile.

"I concede to your superiority in that field of battle," said Seren. "After all, Russell didn't train me as a courtesan."

"So, you haven't been teasing me all this time?" asked Eric.

"I'm only guilty of showing you what it would be like to have me around all the time," said Seren. "Of trying to make you like me."

"Why is it so important for me to like you?" asked Eric.

"I've told you that I don't want to go back to Russell," said Seren.

Seren moved away from him and went into the bathroom to change. She reappeared in a simple gown that she must have gotten from Hadley. Seren took a pillow and blanket off the bed. She readied a spot for herself on a small chaise in the room.

She reclined and looked over at Eric for a moment. She then said, "We need to find you a girlfriend."

"Are you telling me that you're a procurer, now?" asked Eric.

"I'm multi-talented," said Seren. "Leave it to me."

She gave him a little smirk and said, "I have a feeling that Bill's girlfriend is going to become available very soon."

III

The next day while the vampires slept, Seren looked for the werewolves. She found their tracks and decided to wait for them to patrol back this way. Incompetent wolves, she thought, as she waited for them in hiding. They had been given a simple job to do, to observe only. How could they screw that up? She might have decided to teach them a lesson on what failure means, except their mistake had given her this unexpected opportunity of gaining access to the Queen's home. She had already completed several important tasks this morning and she was feeling rather generous about the Weres fate. All the pieces were falling into place.

When the werewolves walked past in human form, Seren stepped out of hiding.

"If I were a vampire, you two would be dead," she said.

The Weres whirled around, but relaxed when they saw it was her.

"Seren," one of them said.

"Your job here is done. They will be looking for you and find you if you stay. Go back to Mississippi," said Seren.

They seemed reluctant for a moment, but nodded. Seren then pulled out a couple of tubes that she had found when she had explored the Queen's home. As the werewolves saw them, a look of eagerness passed over their faces and they licked their lips. Interesting, thought Seren. This could explain why this pack was so different and why they obeyed Russell as their master.

"You know what this is?" she asked them.

"Yes, give them to us," said one of the werewolves.

"First, I want some information," said Seren. "Is Russell having me followed?"

"Not that we know of," said the Were.

"Is Russell having anyone else in Jackson followed?" asked Seren.

"No," said the Were. "I would know about that."

"So, you haven't heard any...gossip about me from Cooter or Debbie?" asked Seren.

"Like what?" demanded the Were, his need causing him to be bold.

"Anything," replied Seren.

"No, but Coot doesn't confide in anyone except for Debbie," said the Were.

Seren tossed the tubes to the werewolves and said, "There is more than one source for that."

They gave her an keen look and the first one said, "We're your wolves, then."

Seren watched them a moment as they drank the vampire blood. Regular werewolves would be disgusted by them. But, still, thought Seren, they could prove useful. She just had to come up with some more vampire blood. With her thoughts on her plans, Seren made her way back to Queen Sophie-Anne's mansion.