It probably was a good thing that Sookie had not been at work, when Eric and Pam forcibly left with Sam.
Sam's current girlfriend, Luna Garza, had arrived, saw what was happening in Sam's office, and shifted into a lion!
"Fuck this shit, Eric! Let's just make Tara marry Russell!" Pam griped. Sam twisted out of her grip!
"What does Tara have to do with any of this?" he asked. Luna growled menacingly. Eric tore his eyes off of Luna the Lion and looked at Sam.
"You would be helping Tara tremendously, if you came along with us, quietly." Eric warned. "I would not want to hurt the 'lion' here."
"Does Tara know about her?" Pam asked Sam, in reference to Luna. Sam looked confused.
"I don't know! It's not like Tara and I are a couple."
"So you are yet another unrequited love of Tara's?" Eric asked.
Sam eyed him.
"I don't think Tara ever loved me. I don't know if I ever loved her. I do know she wouldn't give me the proper chance, to show her how much I cared."
"That was almost touching." Pam said blithely. "Now come along before I snap your girlfriend's neck."
"She's a fucking lion! How are you going to snap her neck?" Sam challenged Pam.
"No one is snapping anyone's neck," Eric said, "just come along. Like I said, you'd be helping Tara tremendously."
"Why? Is she in some kind of trouble?" Sam asked.
"She will be if you don't come on." Pam purred. Luna returned to her normal self...sans clothes.
"What the fuck is going on? Why does Sam have to leave with you two vamp fucks? And who is Tara?"
Eric eyed Sam.
"Your current girlfriend knows nothing about your old one. Just a word of advice: that's bad business, shifter."
Pam grinned!
"You're looking at Sam's fiancee."
Sam looked Pam up and down like she was crazy!
"What the fuck are YOU talking about?" Sam asked Pam. Pam reached for his chin.
"I'm going to lower myself to not only marrying a man, but a shifter. If only for a couple of hours. Now come along. Otherwise Tara will suffer for it."
"Whoa!" Luna snapped. "Sam isn't going anywhere! And he isn't marrying you!"
Eric walked up to her and began glamouring her...
"You will put your clothes on and leave this restaurant. You will also not give Sam Merlotte a thought for a week. Do you understand?"
"Luna!" Sam yelled. But Luna nodded, put on her clothes and walked out of the back door of Merlotte's. Eric nodded to Pam.
"Get him in the car. I am going to call Tara." he said.
"Tara, we have to go now! We can just barely protect you against Eric!" Sookie cried out in frustration.
"Sookie, Alcide, your offer is nice but it's over. I'm not dragging you into any of this, anymore. I'm leaving town. So I'm not coming to live with you, Alcide and I'm not staying here, Sook. Believe me, this is the best answer for all of us." Tara said, just as her cellphone rang. She looked at it. Eric. Was he going to announce he was coming over to get her good luck ring or what?
"What?" Tara answered, her manner surly.
"Meet us at Authority Headquarters." Eric told her.
"Why?"
"Because there is something here you have to see."
"I'm not coming anywhere..."
"It has to do with Sam Merlotte. And if Sookie is there with you, don't you dare say that shifter's name out loud. Come at once. Oh and make sure you are wearing that ring."
Eric hung up and Tara swallowed. Eric had kidnapped Sam? Really? Over a stupid ruby ring?
Tara hung up and looked calmly at Sookie and Alcide.
"I have to go."
Alcide and Sookie looked at one another, then Alcide spoke.
"What is it? Who was that? Was it Northman?"
"This is something I have to handle myself. Thanks for all the help you two." Tara said, then used her vampire speed to zip away! Sookie stared after Tara's wind, then looked up at Alcide.
"That sounded like a goodbye! Why the hell did that sound like a goodbye?" Sookie asked.
"Because it was." Alcide said sternly. "And we need to find out what's going on. Maybe Bill knows something."
Bill knew everything, but was not at home.
He was at Authority Headquarters, with Roman, Salome, Eric, Pam and Sam Merlotte. He ran a hand down his face! Eric and Pam planned to sell Sam to the Authority?
"So," Roman said slowly, "you're telling me, that you are unable to marry Russell Edgington, because you are already married to Mr. Merlotte here? Is that what you are telling me Ms. De Beaufort?"
"It's Mrs. Merlotte now." Pam said blithely. She then linked arms with a reluctant Sam. Yes, poor Sam had been forced into a quickie marriage ceremony to Pam! Papers has been rushed, no thanks in part to Eric's persistent glamouring and now here they were.
Salome looked over the official documents, then eyed Pam and Sam.
"You JUST got married today. So you were not married when you agreed to marry Russell?"
"Look, I never 'agreed' to marry Russell. I was ordered to by Bill Compton over there!" Pam hissed. Bill looked at Sam.
"You're doing this of your own free will?" he asked him. Sam stared back at Bill.
"I'm doing it for Tara. The problem was explained to me, yes." Sam admitted.
Suddenly, Tara whirled in! She had been expected so Roman told the guards to make sure her access wasn't blocked. When Tara got her bearings, she saw Sam standing with Pam.
"Sam? What are you doing here?" Tara asked, then turned to look at Eric. "What have you done?"
"I have done nothing. And the same could be said of you as well. You promised the King of Louisiana a list of names of women..."
"I was given a week!" Tara interrupted. "What is this shit?!"
She now looked to Bill. Bill stepped forward.
"Eric and I felt that it was best to go ahead now, so that Russell's curiosity didn't get more out of line." Bill said, giving Tara a knowing look. Tara said no more. She should've given Eric that fucking ring last night! All of it was connected and once again, she was too slow or stupid to realize it! And now Sam was here...why was Sam here?
"Sam?" Tara asked again. "What's going on?"
Sam looked at Bill, who had told him part of the story. He then looked at Tara.
"It's going to be fine, Tara. Just don't say anything."
But Roman was VERY curious. He moved closer to the group.
"Ms. Thornton, as you can see, your sister was unable to honor our request to marry Russell Edgington. She is already married to this shifter, Mr. Sam Merlotte."
"Even though they just married today." Salome repeated, not buying any part of their story.
"Okay," Tara began, "I get it. I give Eric the ring and you can stop taking this bullshit out on Sam."
She then began to remove her ruby ring! Roman noticed it for the first time and snatched it from her!
"Where did you get this?!" he hissed.
Eric stepped forward.
"A private investigator that Tara was seeing, had it within his possession. When they broke up, he generously allowed Tara to keep it." Eric lied.
Roman was only half listening. He now wore a monocle and was peering at the ring. Salome was looking at Tara. She looked very pretty this evening...
Roman suddenly removed the monocle and glared at everyone!
"This is FUCKING GLASS! WHERE IS THE REAL RUBY?" Roman screamed, looking around at everyone until his eyes settled upon Tara!
"You. Where did you get this ring? And who were you about to give it to? Mr. Northman here?"
Tara said nothing. Roman nodded slightly, then walked over to a table and pressed a button. Seconds later, a tactical unit swarmed in and surrounded everyone except for Salome and Roman.
Roman spoke.
"I'm through asking. All of you will be detained and 'interrogated' until I get the answers I want and need." He then walked over to the head of the unit.
"Put Mr. Compton, Mr. Northman and Mr. and Mrs. Merlotte..."
Suddenly, Sam whipped off his clothes and turned into a fly! Tara's eyes widened, since she had never actually seen Sam change into anything! Pam yawned and everyone else watched as Roman tried to catch Sam, using vampire speed, only to fail as Sam flew into a vent to make his escape!
Salome stepped forward, looking at Pam.
"You know, it's funny. Tara breathed a sigh of relief when YOUR husband escaped. You look as if you could care less."
"Oops." was all Pam said. Roman straightened his tie, then continued his instructions to the Unit Commander.
"Mr. Compton, Mr. Northman and Ms...Mrs. Merlotte are to be taken to interrogation cells. Put Ms. Thornton in the cell next to Russell Edgington and make sure the cameras are on." Roman ordered.
Two of the guards lead Tara from the room. Pam rolled her eyes and walked over to Eric!
"This is getting really old! How many times are we going to have to put up with being harassed by these people, because of HER?"
"Until I get what I want!" Roman snapped, walking over to her. "And YOU. You'd better come up with a very good reason, as to why you tried to deceive this council with a fake marriage to a shifter!"
Two guards then grabbed Pam and dragged her off! That left just Bill and Eric. Roman eyed the both of them.
"I thought you were on my side." he told them. Bill answered first.
"We are, Chancellor Zimojic. But to be blunt, you were not honest with us. We could not help you, if you weren't going to tell us the real reason you were so intent on imprisoning Russell Edgington. We could still find the real ring you seek." Bill said humbly.
"Oh I know you will. Because you know more about it than you have revealed! That is clear by the events that unfolded today!" Roman snapped and turned to motion four of the guards over to where they stood.
But Eric wasn't worried. He had noticed how Salome had been looking at Tara and a plan was forming.
Meanwhile, Tara sighed with disgust at who was in the cell next to her! Goddamn! She had hoped never to see this fucker again!
Russell sensed her disgust and just LOVED IT!
"Where do I know you from?" he asked, making his voice sound very gentile and humble.
"Fuck you!"
"Now, now, darlin', that isn't very nice. I'm just asking a question." Russell noted, eyeing her. The girl was a vampire now, though when Franklin Mott had first brought her to his home, she had been human. Had Mott turned her before she killed him?
"Fuck off!" was Tara's reply and she moved to sit as far away from the bars that adjoined their cells. She prayed Sam had managed to get as far away from this place as he possibly could. She found herself struck out how strongly she felt about Sam at that moment.
"Who turned you?" Russell asked, interrupting Tara's thoughts.
"Fuc..."
"Don't tell me to fuck off again. It's tiresome. I know who you are. I remember Franklin..."
Tara jumped up and faced him!
"Don't mention that fucker to me! Ever!"
Russell now grinned!
"So I'm right? He turned you?"
"No, you're not right! And stop talking to me!" Tara huffed. Russell raised a brow.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"Ask the Chancellors. And fuck off!"
Russell suddenly gave the girl more thought than he ordinarily would have, seeing that she was no more than a means to an end.
"If Mott didn't turn you then...was it Compton? Is Bill Compton your maker?"
"I wish!" was Tara's snarky reply. Russell smiled coyly.
"Franklin isn't your maker. Bill Compton doesn't have that privilege...tell me it isn't the whiny ass Viking?"
Tara eyed him.
"Whiny ass Viking?"
"Honey...he's still pissed off because I slayed his family. I was a different person back in his day. I have changed my ways. I couldn't believe anyone would hold a grudge that long."
Tara eyed Russell.
"You KILLED Eric's family? And you're surprised he hates your ass?"
Russell smiled coldly.
"You clearly don't like being under his control, do you?"
"Did I say that?"
"You didn't have to. I think we can come to some kind of deal, Tara Thornton. One that will get us both out of here, and you from under Northman's control." Russell told her.
"What kind of fucking deal would I ever make with you?" Tara snorted.
"The Authority is insisting that I surrender to their mainstreaming bullshit. They want to find me a wife and a job..."
"I know all that. I was helping with the search. I found a nice, drunk woman for you." Tara said slyly.
"Errr...well...how about we ratify the list? Meaning, YOU agree to marry me. In name only. I, in return, will make it very clear to your maker, Mr. Northman, that he is to stay the fucking hell away from you. Or else he'll meet a true death by my hand."
Tara just stared at him. Was he joking?"
"I'll sweeten the pot. All of my security, are a combination of werewolves and vampires that her older than Northman. There is no way he will be able to even speak to you, without fearing for his own life. You can lead your own life as a young vamp, without worrying about Eric Northman. What do you say? Do we have a deal, Tara Thornton?" Russell asked.
