I rose from my day rest with only one thing on my mind. Normally I would be consumed with my duties as Sheriff, my business interests, Pam's latest way to annoy me, or finding a tolerable Feed & Fuck. The last being a crude but accurate description of a Vampire's most common meal option, post-revelation. Humans call them Fangbangers, another common but no more endearing term for the hordes of humans who seek out Vampires to offer themselves for sex and blood. They made themselves available and disposable like a bad take-out meal complete with low-budget toy. My bar was full of them and had been every night since I'd opened.
It was convenient but boring. I'd been so bored!
I was bored no longer thanks to one sweet smelling, blonde mystery. I cursed my day rest this morning for the first time in centuries. I wanted to stay with her until she woke and discover her secrets one by one. But not only did the sun call me from her side, but I had urgent duties to attend; one still-living, human attacker and one vampire stalker.
I entered my bar, Fangtasia, through the rear employee door and went straight to my office. We did not open for another hour but I was not interested in interacting with the mundane humans who would be gathering at the main entrance and parking lot.
I still had the scent of her on me and in my head. I did not want it sullied.
When I had left her with the shifter this morning, I had flown directly to my home. I did not bother to shower though there were smears of blood on my hands and clothes from her injuries. As I lay in bed, waiting for the pull of dawn, I looked at the red on my white skin. The blood had dried several hours ago but its smell was still appealing in its sweetness. Giving her my blood had created a blood-tie between us and I could feel her. The tie was muted by distance and likely by her being asleep but I marveled at the awareness of her in my mind.
As I contemplated my other bonds, I could feel Pam's emotions fade out as she died for the day. being several centuries her senior, I would not feel the need to rest for a while yet. My Maker's connection to me was not nearly so clear. Godric had muted our bond from his side in the last few years so that I could not even feel his emotions or the pull of his location. I only knew that he lived.
After Godric and I parted ways in the early 1950's, he went to serve as Sheriff in Dallas and I pledged fealty to Queen Sophie-Anne of Louisiana. As monarchs go, Sophie-Anne is almost tolerable. She's spoiled, undisciplined, ego-driven and far more confident than her accomplishments would warrant. She's not even 400 years old! But I've seen worse. She lets me rule my area with little interference. Her tribute requirements are hefty but not prohibitive. She seems to think that because she attained the position of Queen, it is because she has earned it. She doesn't seem to realize it's because no one else wants it. Monarchy comes with too much paperwork and hassle.
As I looked at the flaking blood on my hands, I was compelled by a desire to know if Sookie tasted as good as she smelled. Old blood does not appeal to Vampires normally. I was not interested in 'food' but because my new little pet's secrets were so distracting. I licked a thick blood spot on my wrist.
My fangs extended and I was filled with heady desire. I had thought of her as a Valkyrie earlier and my imaginings were more accurate than I knew. The mead served in the halls of Valhalla could not have been sweeter. I was consumed with her all the more. Suddenly, I wanted her to think of me. I needed her to want me as I wanted her. I should have spoken to her. She knew nothing of me and I knew too little of her.
According to the Shifter, she was alone in her gifts and otherness, vague as that was, and she would especially be seeking answers after her attack. I would not leave her without them until I saw her next. I lept from my bed and sped to my office. I wrote out a note to her and sealed it. Going to my front door, I dropped it in a special lock box I had made for daytime pick ups for an errand runner I kept on call. Bobby wasn't good for much but he should be able to play mailman at least. I texted him to come now to pick up and deliver the letter then I settled back into bed and slipped into dayrest.
Now as I retreated to the closet at the back of my office for a change of clothes, I chastised myself for my weak need to keep her scent on me. I did not need others becoming interested in her. I did not need her hunted while I was still working to secure her safety and make it known that she was MINE. Few would dare challenge me once I made my claim known.
I quickly showered and changed. Compton would be downstairs waiting for me. I was undecided as to how much displeasure I should show him. Though I found it distasteful and dishonorable, he had broken no rules by failing to help a human. Failing to check in with me was a minor offense unless he was found guilty of some greater intent. The drainers were another matter. Failing to report and/or dispose of drainers was a serious oversight, especially when they had then attacked someone else. Though she was not Vampire, if I leaned on the fact that Sookie was more than human, I had more justification for whatever punishment I gave Compton if the Queen, Magister, or Odin forbid, Compton's Maker questioned me. But using her undetermined supernatural status could expose Sookie to further scrutiny. I would have to consider it further.
I felt Pam arrive and I summoned her using our bond. "Master," she said as she entered the office.
I did not require Pam refer to me as Master, she usually called me Eric when we were alone, but she seemed to enjoy it. She reveled in the fact that she had such a powerful Vampire for a Maker. This pleased me.
"Compton is secure downstairs, yes?" She had texted me last night that he had arrived. He had waited two hours to show up but at least I was not tasked with tracking him down.
"Yes, he whined about having to stay here for the day to wait for you, but he was persuaded." She smirked and I wondered if she'd had to take silver to him to get him to stay. As my Lieutenant she had the right if he was misbehaving but I sensed more enjoyment than irritation from her. I would discover soon enough whether he was willing to cooperate. And I wanted to know why he took so long to report to Fangtasia.
I nodded. There was little on my desk that needed attending to as I had been caught up before I left for Bon Temps last night. I stood from my desk and beckoned her to follow.
Behind a secure door, concrete stairs descended to a basement level 'multi-purpose' room. There was little down here most of the time. A storage area held a few spare coffins and a hidden supply room held what might be called 'rainy day' supplies only Pam and I knew how to breach. Various other treasures were hidden in the walls that even Pam did not know about. I trusted Pam completely, but what she did not know, she could not be forced to betray. Currently a spare coffin sat off to the side of the room secured with silver chain. I assumed Compton rested inside.
In the center of the room cuffed to an iron bar, was the male Drainer from Sookie's attack. His body gave random spasms due to V withdrawal. The main reason that humans should not be allowed Vampire blood as a drug is because the effects were unpredictable and extreme. Humans could simply have a heightened sexual experience, vaguely similar to taking the human drug Ecstasy, or they could go on a killing rampage with superhuman strength. Witches sometimes saw visions brought about by their own magic, while others merely hallucinated. Some became powerfully addicted while others did not at all.
The giving of blood as I had done with Sookie last night was entirely different. I understood from my Maker that the intention behind the sharing played a part in its effects. Our blood is considered sacred. Many believe that the only time blood should be shared is to create a Vampire progeny. When the Vampire gives blood from the source, as opposed to stolen/drained from a Vampire, a connection is created. A Vampire can create a human thrall for purpose of controlling them. This was more common before the Great Revelation so that Vampires might have a human companion to take care of their needs without being able to reveal our secret. A human thrall could become obsessed if manipulated too often or if given too much blood. Too much glamour could damage the human also. A completely mindless human was of little use. I always preferred to glamour the human to forget me only once and only when necessary. Keeping a human pet around had never appealed to me. My employee, Ginger, was the closest I'd ever come and she was more Longshadow's or Pam's pet than mine. What mind she once had now resembled the cheese with holes in it humans were so fond of because she'd been glamoured so often. She'd witnessed more than she should have over the last couple years.
I decided that Compton was to go first. I actually had little interest in the human other than identifying his network of buyers, if any, and then his death. I'd let Pam have her fun with him.
I nodded to Pam indicating that she should release Compton's chains and open the coffin. She used gloves to protect herself from the silver. Compton's eyes found mine as soon as he was released. He stood before me and then nodded his head in a show of respect. "Sheriff."
"William Compton. It has been many years. You've made quite something of your arrival in my area. I thought you had moderated your behavior since leaving your Maker's side. Was I mistaken?"
Bill and Lorena had left a trail of bloody bodies everywhere they went for decades after Bill was made. He claimed he had eventually grown disgusted by the waste and convinced his Maker to release him. I had been in court 3 decades ago when he had requested residency from Sophie-Anne in New Orleans. The Queen had not been interested in accepting someone who was unable to clean up his own messes and left evidence for the human authorities to find. Bill had pled his case and she'd accepted him. I'd heard nothing of him causing problems in Louisiana since then.
"Sheriff, I have no intention of causing any trouble in your area. I have embraced Mainstreaming and only wish to take up residence in my family home." Mainstreaming was the term used for those wishing to live among humans and exemplify the public image desired by the Vampire Authority. That image was the illusion Vampires only drank synthetic blood and were peaceful. It was always a lie, as far as I could tell. I knew of no Vampires older than the Great Revelation who adhered to it in private.
"And Miss Stackhouse?" Bill stiffened.
"I am embarrassed to say the smell of her blood overwhelmed me. I am still young enough that I feared I would be driven to attack rather than defend her," he lied.
"Bill, we are creatures of deception. All your youth tells me is that you still have much to learn." I moved faster than even his eyes could detect being nearly 900 years his senior. I had him around the throat and forced him to his knees. "Let's try this again. Explain yourself."
Bill was not a timid creature, I'd give him that. He glared up at me and growled. I only smiled down at him. He had nothing. Disobedience, suspicious behavior, followed by lies only confirmed to me there was something more a miss here than negligence.
"Sookie is mine," he said.
My smile evaporated. My fingers tightened on his throat. Luckily he had no need to breathe, as it was impossible now.
"Your lies are getting worse. Not only is Sookie NOT yours and never has been; she is mine." He did not attempt to move but his whole body grew still as only Vampires can and I sensed his fear. "She met you two nights ago when she saved your miserable undead existence. I would expect gratitude would be more appropriate than unfounded claims. This is your last chance, Bill. I have no problem with ending you. As far as I am concerned, you were aiding drainers in addition to your other infractions. Tell. Me. Now." And I waited. We stared each other down for several minutes. Eventually, I felt his body shift ever so subtly and I knew he was ready to talk. I loosened my grip. Slightly.
"I am the Procurer for Queen Sophie-Anne. She claims Sookie for herself."
I froze and my grip tightened again. NO! No. That spoiled princess would never get her pampered fingers on Sookie. I'd kill her first!
Where had that come from? I didn't even know the girl. I did not know what she was and here I was practically swearing treason for her. For her, my very own Valkyrie...
Stupid as it was, I knew I'd do it too. I'd kill Sophie-Anne and take that God-awful crown of hers for a slip of a girl. Clearly I'd been bewitched.
"That's a shame," I said calmly. I continued to give nothing away with my stoney expression.
Bill looked confused. "You will release her to me?" He tried to hold back his surprise.
"Oh, no, Billy-Boy. Sookie isn't for you to claim. Miss Stackhouse is under my protection, but she isn't human. The Queen has no right to take her." I paused for effect. Bill was so young compared to me. I would use that to my advantage. "You've smelled her, even smelled her spilt blood. Even a youngling such as could tell she is not human." I looked at him expectantly.
He only looked confused, uncertain. He had no idea. He knew only that she smelled incredibly good; but good in a way that no human ever had though. That helped my argument. Whatever Sophie-Anne had told him, she had left out the details of Sookie's mysterious otherness.
I decided it was safe to push it. "You do understand, don't you, Bill?" I cocked my eyebrow and waited.
"I... haven't encountered her kind before. I was... unsure." Yes. I could enjoy playtime now that I had the upper hand again but I still needed answers.
"The Drainers, these Rattrays, tell me, did you arrange for the attack on yourself, or only the attack on Sookie?" I was taking a leap but my instincts were solid. I knew he was to blame somewhere in all this.
"I... They introduced themselves to me two nights ago at Merlotte's. I could tell the male was an addict." Bill's gaze shifted to Mack Rattray who was chained not ten feet from him. "I glamoured them to tell me their intentions while the shifter was out of the room. I knew they planned to drain me. I asked them about Sookie since she seemed to dislike them. Her Majesty was not sure if she was Psychic or Telepathic but knew it was one of those. Sookie obviously knew what they intended. She was trying to tell me not to go anywhere. The Drainers told me she was considered crazy by the locals, a little slow mentally too. So I let them 'capture' me after I glamoured them. They would not have taken much blood before I 'escaped' unless Sookie appeared. Her Majesty wanted to know if her gifts could be useful."
I interrupted him, "Of course she is useful. And potentially powerful. I'm surprised she used you instead of coming to me. You blundered it so impressively, you could have gotten her killed. She should have sent me." I knew why she didn't, of course. Whatever Sookie was, one whiff of her and I would never have turned her over to anyone, Queen, King, or Authority. Sookie was mine and I feared it would take everything I had to protect her.
I commanded Compton to remain for the rest of the night. I needed to get ahead of the situation. How could I protect Sookie when neither of us knew what she was?
Psychic or Telepath?
There were Psychic and Telepathic humans, of course. They were just witches of varying types but that's not what Sookie was. Her otherness was not human. Of course her mental abilities could be related to her human side, a human-witch relation plus a supernatural element, but witches have a distinct aroma. Frankly, witch magic stank and witches usually needed to have some intention to their powers. Sookie had no idea, according to Merlotte, about the origin of her gift.
Mostly she just did not smell of witch.
I really didn't know if she was psychic or telepathic. She had been attacked, something that her gift, whichever one, should have prevented. Either she had no premonition of her near-death, which seemed both unfortunate and unlikely, or she had not heard the thoughts of her attackers for some reason. Both options puzzled me.
Would the powers-that-be not let her see her own death coming? Or was she distracted enough not to hear the thoughts of those two vermin-humans?
My logic leaned towards a busy evening leaving her distracted which equaled Telepathy.
What Supes were Telepathic?
I was stumped. No real creatures that I knew. I'd had a psychic-witch once. It hadn't lasted long. I think she knew it wouldn't. She was psychic, after all. She must have known. She died quite happy, though. I made sure of it.
The thought of Sookie's death, though, was NOT happy. My body tightened, prepared to do battle at the mere suggestion. What magic was this that compelled me toward this wisp of a girl?
I released Pam to proceed with the human's questioning and confined Bill in a secure area where he could not hear them. I needed to plan. I had a great deal to process and a small window of time to prepare. Sophie-Anne would come for Sookie unless I found a way to hold her off. Bill would lurk around us both waiting for his opportunity. He wasn't going to give up his assignment and I could not hold him indefinitely.
I would need to discreetly call upon all my resources. I needed both information and, likely, powerful allies. I considered my list of options:
Godric. Despite our distance, my Maker would respond to my need. He is over two thousand years old and could offer valuable insight.
Dr Ludwig. With any luck, the supernatural doctor could identify Sookie's genetics right away. She was only a phone call away. Please let it be that easy.
Nora. My Vampire sister, and Godric's only other Progeny, was amember of the Authority. She had access to resources that I did not. I would have to ask for assistance as Family and hope her political affiliations would stay out of it. It would be a risk and likely only called upon as a last resort.
Pythia. No, the Ancient Pythoness was truly my last resort. She was too powerful and no one ruled her. She could use us for her own ends or kill us before we knew it had happened.
Dangerous options...