Quinn.

Of course he would be here. I just hadn't thought about that in the rush to get here.

He was exiting the elevator with a tall, blond man who easily could have been Eric's descendant. He shook hands with the man and nodded at me before he stepped back inside the waiting elevator we almost reached ourselves.

The blond man met my eyes as he passed me and his were the same icy blue Eric's were. He smiled at me. It was unsettling, seeing essentially the human version of my vampire.

"Mr. Quinn, wait for our guests." Felipe called out. Eric tensed, apparently not having seen Quinn.

Quinn nodded and held the door.

We filed past him into the box, and I looked up at him, meeting his eyes.

What I saw was immense sadness yet contentment. It shook me.

"Mr. Quinn, how is our star this evening? Fucked and fed, I presume, based on that tasty morsel I saw leaving." Felipe was crass.

Quinn is Viviane's guard. That's why she said he wasn't allowed into Area 5. Why didn't I make that connection at the car lot?

"Yes, your majesty. Viviane was most content minutes ago." Quinn bowed his head.

I dipped my shields to see if I could get anything from him. He was thinking how much better following Viviane around was than the other stuff the vamps made him do. At least she was pretty and was nice to him in private.

"Ah, then you better hurry back and make sure she stays that way. Can't have my marquee asset pouting. She breaks things or humans when she get in a mood." Felipe laughed. Eric and Pam smiled. Quinn nodded. I couldn't see Bill or the guards.

Quinn thought if Felipe only knew.

Only knew what? I'd have to file that away to contemplate later.

"I need to make a pick up on 17, your majesty." Quinn looked uncomfortable.

"Whatever you need to do." Felipe was very casual and began listing the amenities available to me during the day. Spas, restaurants, gambling, shops, all of them on the premises. I thanked him for telling me.

When the doors opened on 17, I was in for another shock.

Alcide stood there, just waiting, clean shaven and with a sport coat over a white T-shirt and well-fitting blue jeans. His hair was as unruly as ever.

The bond betrayed nothing from Eric. I was beginning to think he knew a whole hell of lot more than he'd bothered to tell me.

"There you are, Quinn. I thought I would meet you at the elevator." He nodded to me and the others as he entered the compartment. "Your majesty. Sheriff. Sookie."

"Packmaster," Eric acknowledged. I smiled at him. Hey, I'm good at faking that.

"So you know Miss Stackhouse as well?" Felipe questioned.

"Yes." Well, he sure was succinct this morning.

"You must be this honored guest Viviane said she invited." Felipe looked irritated.

"Yes, she invited me to visit when I had a chance back when she played in Shreveport." He was quiet. "Can you deny her anything she asks for?"

"It is difficult. But I manage. Or I would not be king." Felipe's face was a mask of nothing.

The elevator reached the 30th floor, which was ours. Everyone exited.

Felipe handed envelopes with the swipe cards for our rooms and asked Quinn to make sure we reached them. "Until tonight, Sheriff." He got into the elevator with his guards and was gone.

Pam's and Bill's rooms were first. Alcide walked quietly behind Eric and I.

"Alcide, why are you really here?" I asked.

Quinn turned around abruptly and shook his head.

"Visiting Las Vegas. A little vacation," Alcide said, evidently knowing what was up.

"Alcide, Sookie, perhaps you would allow me to take the two of you to lunch. At 12:30? Meet in the lobby." Quinn looked to Eric for approval.

I wasn't expecting Eric to nod his head in agreement.

"I would not want my wife cooped up in the room all day." Eric emphasized the wife part.

I knew Alcide wouldn't be an issue, but I hadn't seen Quinn in some time. I just hoped that whatever anger he had dissipated since things went south for us.

Quinn handed Eric a card. "This is my contact information. If you'll excuse us, dawn approaches, and Ms. Viviane was most insistent she see Alcide the minute he was settled." He nodded to Eric. "Sookie, please call if you change your mind."

He stared at me intently, so I dipped in his head.

He was thinking at me. He told me he didn't want to worry about my safety, and that he and Alcide would be able to protect me during the daylight hours. And listening devices. I couldn't pick that entire thought up, but I caught the gist of what he meant.

I nodded, letting him know I got the message.

"I guess I will see you later Sookie," Alcide said, following Quinn down the hall.

Eric ushered me into the room. The bags were waiting, clothes already in the closet. Neat.

I quickly got my hands on the stationery and began scribbling questions down for Eric.

I found out with nods that yes, he knew Alcide would be here; no, Quinn's lunch invitation was not expected, but it was OK, I guessed because Alcide would be there; and that yes, he trusted Viviane explicitly, Pam was for show.

The words he wrote startled me.

Viv may act strangely. Go with it. She may be hurtful, but it is an act. React accordingly.

I looked up at him as he casually lit the fireplace and asked if I was ready for bed.

I scratched down a question mark for an explanation.

"Lover, you have a big day ahead with your lunch and your shopping trip with the biggest diva in Las Vegas." He kissed me long and hard.

So Viviane already acted like a diva. Albeit, a sweet, polite and generous one. Maybe she was a different sort of diva in Vegas. I guessed I would find out later.

Eric grabbed the sheet we'd written on and the one beneath it and tossed them into the fireplace. We watched them burn in silence before he shut it off, and we retired for the dawn.