Chapter Nine
Darcie slept fitfully. She worried about Sookie, even though she seemed to be perfectly healed. There wasn't even a mark on her back to show where those claws had ripped her open. She guessed that vampire blood had it's uses, although to her mind, seeing her cousin drinking Bill's blood had been gross. Her mind also dwelled on Eric. He hadn't helped Sookie out of the goodness of his heart. He expected to be repaid. After waking up for the hundredth time, it seemed, Darcie gave up and just stayed awake. When Ginger arrived, she had already made an inspection of the bar and found limited food items. Being that vampires mainly stayed here, that didn't come as a surprise. But, Sookie would need nourishment when she woke up and Darcie was getting hungry, herself.
"Ginger, is there any other food in this place besides what is in that little fridge in the storage room?" asked Darcie.
"Uh, not really," said Ginger. "That's the thing about vamps, you forget to eat. I've lost thirty-five pounds since I started this job, way better than the fat farm."
"Is there anywhere close by that has food?" asked Darcie.
"There is a little market a couple of blocks away that has a deli," said Ginger.
"Okay, I'm going to make a trip there, can you watch over Sookie?" asked Darcie.
So, after getting better directions, Darcie stepped outside into the sunlight. She breathed a sigh of relief after being in the claustrophobic atmosphere of Fangtasia. That place seemed like a cave with the lack of windows. She enjoyed the little walk there and picked up some deli sandwiches and drinks. She also picked up some toiletries, since she would like to brush her teeth.
When she entered the bar again, she came upon the alarming sight of Sookie holding a gun on Ginger. She wondered what had happened in the short time that she had been gone.
"Take me to him!" yelled Sookie, pointing the gun at Ginger.
Ginger screamed and held up her arms.
"Now!" demanded Sookie.
"Sookie, um, what's going on?" asked Darcie.
"Lafayette is here somewhere," said Sookie.
The interesting cook from Merlott's, thought Darcie. He did look like a naughty boy.
"I know where he is, Sookie," said Darcie.
"What? How do you know?" asked Sookie.
"Eric showed me his little contraption downstairs," said Darcie.
"You are still going out with him after he showed his...his whatever it is down there?" asked Sookie.
"I believe that it's a torture wheel," said Darcie.
Sookie stared at her for a few seconds.
"Sookie, do you really want to shoot Ginger?" said Darcie.
"No, I just want to see Lafayette," said Sookie.
Darcie slowly walked to Sookie and reached out her hand and lowered the gun. She then took it out of Sookie's hand and opened the cylinder and removed the bullets, putting them in her pocket.
"Sweet Jesus," said Ginger. "Thank you."
"Okay, Ginger, us girls need to stick together. Lead the way to the basement," said Darcie.
Ginger turned and headed for the basement with Darcie and Sookie right behind her. As they walked down the stairs, Sookie saw Lafayette and rushed to him. Darcie followed her and Ginger remained on the stairs.
"Oh, my God," said Sookie. "Lafayette, Lafayette."
She knelt and touched him, trying to rouse him.
"Sook, is that you?" said Lafayette.
"What have they done to you?" asked Sookie.
"Do I look like a vampire?" asked Lafayette.
"You look awful," said Sookie.
"I feel even worse," said Lafayette. "I guess that means I ain't a vampire which is good."
"Why would Eric do this to you?" asked Sookie.
"I would guess that it has something to do with illegal activities against vampires," said Darcie.
"Whatever the reason, no one deserves to be treated like this," said Sookie.
Sookie turned to Ginger and yelled, "Uncuff him."
"I don't have that key," said Ginger.
Both Darcie and Sookie could hear her thoughts, Eric is going to be so mad at me. Jesus have mercy.
Darcie knelt down to examine the collar around Lafayette's neck.
"Ginger, go and get my purse and bring it here," said Darcie.
When Ginger reappeared carrying the purse, Darcie stood and began searching through it. She took out an odd looking tool to Sookie's eyes. Then, she knelt again and began to work on the padlock that held the collar closed.
"Darcie, how do you know how to do that?" asked Sookie.
Darcie grinned and said, "I'm full of surprises, Cousin."
After only a short time, Darcie unlocked the padlock and removed the collar from Lafayette's neck. She looked at her watch and noticed that it would not be too long until sunset, maybe an hour or so.
Darcie turned to Ginger and said, "Where are the keys to the cars outside?"
"They are locked inside a key box in the office," said Ginger.
"Ginger, be a dear, and go get your tire iron from your car," said Darcie.
"But, Eric is going to throw a fit," said Ginger, not without a little fear.
"It's alright, I'll take the blame," said Darcie.
Ginger left and Sookie and Darcie helped Lafayette walk up the stairs. They laid him down on the same couch seat in the bar that Sookie had occupied last night. Darcie gave him one of the drinks that she had bought and Lafayette gulped it down. When Ginger came inside with the tire iron, Darcie went to examine the key box. She gripped the tire iron and, using the pointed end, began an assault on the key box. She managed to get a corner up and then pried it open. She grabbed all the keys. And they all went outside to the cars.
Well, thought Darcie, if you were going to steal a car, you might as well make it worthwhile. She walked to a large BMW and began trying the keys in the door. After several tries, one set worked and Sookie and Darcie laid Lafayette in the backseat.
Darcie handed the keys to Sookie and said, "Go home, Sookie."
"But, aren't you coming with us?" asked Sookie.
"No, I can't," said Darcie.
"Ginger wasn't lying, Eric will be furious," said Sookie.
"Let me worry about him," said Darcie. "I'm not without my charm, Cousin."
"Are you sure?" asked Sookie.
"You need to go before it gets any later," said Darcie. "Lafayette might need a doctor."
"Will you be back later?" asked Sookie.
"No, I'll stay in town at my other place," said Darcie.
Darcie stood in the parking lot and watched them drive away. She went inside and waited with Ginger for sunset.
Eric came out to find Ginger and Darcie alone out in the bar. Darcie was on her stomach and propped up on her elbows, reading a magazine.
"Where is Sookie?" he asked.
"She left," said Darcie, not looking up.
"I swear, it's not my fault. They held a gun on me," said Ginger.
"What?" asked Eric.
"I told them that you would be mad, but they wouldn't listen," said Ginger.
Eric turned to Darcie and said, "What is going on, Darcie?"
"Your prisoner and Sookie are gone. They took one of your cars, that very nice BMW," said Darcie.
Eric walked to the office to find the key box broken and pried open. The other keys were in a pile on his desk. He wasn't too angry because Darcie had stayed and not tried to run away. And the favor of letting Lafayette free would just be added to her debt. He walked back out to where she was. She was still reading the magazine when he returned.
"We need to talk and I would like your undivided attention, Darcie," said Eric.
Darcie sat up and looked at him. All her reserve was back and she gazed at him unemotionally.
"I'm listening," said Darcie.
"Lafayette imparted to me information that implicates Jason in the disappearance and probable murder of a vampire," said Eric.
"That's crazy, Jason isn't a killer," said Darcie.
"He is or was a V user and Lafayette knows this because he is the one who sold it to him," said Eric.
"Being a V user doesn't make you a vampire killer," said Darcie. "And Lafayette isn't exactly a stellar witness in this matter."
"He is telling me the truth," said Eric.
"Are you a mind reader now?" asked Darcie.
Eric almost smiled. She was going to fight anything that might increase her obligation to him. But, he had not expected her to totally give up.
"No, but I have seen enough humans come through that basement to know when one of them is telling me the truth," said Eric.
"Until you have concrete proof, I beg to differ," said Darcie.
"I have as much proof as I need to bring him here and make him a guest downstairs," said Eric.
"Our little agreement says that you have to leave Jason alone," said Darcie.
"That arrangement doesn't cover murder of vampires," said Eric, growing irritated.
"Unless that was specifically spelled out, then it did," said Darcie.
Eric decided to move on to the matter of Lafayette.
"You broke out Lafayette from my basement and let him escape," said Eric.
"So?" said Darcie.
Eric was on the verge getting irritated enough to have his fangs come out.
"I'm holding you responsible for that," he said.
"Lafayette told me that he had been down for days, maybe more than a week," said Darcie. "If you were going to kill him, you would have done it by now. Besides, he's too potentially useful to you."
"And how is that?" asked Eric.
"He's smart and ambitious and I'm sure that you can find a use for him, perhaps in one of your illegal affairs," said Darcie.
Darcie was right, again. He began to wonder if she could read his mind.
"There is still the matter of saving Sookie's life," said Eric.
Darcie frowned a moment in thought.
"You need me, more than I need you. It's in your best interest to keep me happy," said Darcie.
"Are you saying that you don't owe me anything for saving her life?" asked Eric.
"No, I'm grateful, of course," said Darcie.
"You will work for me and give up these little conditions," said Eric. "Now."
"No," said Darcie.
"Do you want to find yourself downstairs?" said Eric.
"Not a very smart move," said Darcie.
"I don't have the time to play these games with you. I have an important matter and I need your skills and your loyalty," said Eric.
"For the favor of saving Sookie, I will return the favor and help you," said Darcie. "But, I will not alter the terms of this agreement."
Eric could force her and let her cool her heels down in his basement, but he doubted that he would get any more cooperation out of her. It would take much more time than he had to break her spirit.
"A friend of mine in the Dallas area, his name is Godric, has gone missing. The circumstances of his disappearance are unclear. I need to find out what happened to him," said Eric.
"So, you want my help to find this Godric?" asked Darcie.
"Yes," said Eric.
"Then, I will help you in this matter in return for what you did for me," said Darcie.
Eric decided to accept her terms since he would not willingly get anything else from her. And, he was sure that she would keep her word. She was much tougher than he thought, or else, she was too afraid to be under his total control.
"You will need to leave right away for Dallas. It would be faster to fly and I can make the arrangements," said Eric.
"Very well, " said Darcie.
She looked at him and studied him a moment.
"This is going to be dangerous, right?" she asked.
"Probably," said Eric, honestly.
"Then, I need to send for Mr. Turner," said Darcie.
"Who is he?" asked Eric.
"He's, uh, my butler," said Darcie.
"You actually have a butler?" asked Eric.
"Yes, but he actually does several different jobs for me," said Darcie. "He would be of assistance to me."
"If you need him, of course," said Eric.
"I'll call him and let him know to meet me there," said Darcie.
"Stay here and I'll go arrange everything," said Eric.
Eric turned to go back into the office and Darcie said, "Wait."
He paused and waited.
"I forgot to tell you that your new look is very flattering," said Darcie.
"I didn't think that you noticed," said Eric, running his fingers through his shorn hair.
Darcie smiled and said, "I noticed, but don't let that go to your head, vampire."
