Chapter 51

We went to our room and stripped each other of our clothes going straight for the huge bathtub. We made good use of our night in the hotel room. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to crawl out of bed the next day. I woke and to my amazement I wasn't as nearly as sore as I expected to be. It was 3:00 in the afternoon. I called Amelia's room and no answer. Then I called Natasha's room – Calvin answered. I couldn't help but smile. "Hi Calvin, it's Sookie, is Natasha available?"
"Hey Sookie, sure."
Natasha said hello, "Slut" was all I could say. We both busted out laughing. "Hey I just wanted to see if you and Justine wanted to get something to eat. But since Calvin answered I am guessing Justine isn't there… and if she is I don't want to know."
"You're funny. Justine went home with Jason last night. Like you would expect anything else. I think they were planning to take their relationship to the next level." She gave a little giggle.
"Calvin's can join us to eat too. Y'all wanna meet at the restaurant?"
She asked Calvin, "He said he'd love to." See you in about 30 –45 minutes."
I got dressed and decided to go by Amelia's room on my way to the restaurant. I knocked on the door and heard in not Amelia's voice, "I'll get it, it's probably room service." The door opened and there was Sam standing in nothing but a towel. As awkward as this was it was even more so when Amelia walked out of the bathroom in just a towel.
"I was just heading to the restaurant, when you didn't answer the phone I thought I would just stop by and see if you wanted to go down with me. But since you're waiting on room service, I guess not. I'll see y'all later." I didn't give anyone else a chance to speak, I turned and walked off. I had a smile on my face, I was really happy for them, I hoped this was the beginning of a lasting relationship for both of them. Amelia knew all about Sam and him about her and they were already friends, seemed like a great way to start a relationship.

I met Natasha and Calvin in the restaurant, "Where's Amelia?" Natasha asked.
"Um, she had already ordered room service." I think I blushed a little.
"She and Sam spent the night together, didn't they?"
"How'd you know?"
"Oh please, it was just a matter of time. They have been tip toeing around dating and sleeping together at least since we have been here. I think the only thing that has kept them apart this long has been you. The fact that Sam used to have a thing for you, maybe he still does and always will, and then there is the whole thing her being your best friend."
"Should I say something to them? Should I let them know I am happy for them if they choose to have a relationship?"
"Sookie, I think you should," this was the first time Calvin spoke, "I know that it would probably go a long way to ease both their minds. For you it's not an issue, but for Sam, he has been in love with you for years and he hasn't hidden that fact for a long time. For him it is probably almost like cheating. Amelia knows how he feels and for her it's probably a little awkward wondering if he is really with her because he wants to be or if he is with her as a substitute or to make you jealous."
"Calvin, how'd you get so smart in this kind of stuff?" I smiled at him.
"When you live in a small community of shifters and you are trying to keep everyone from getting jealous of everyone else while trying to continue to grow your pack. It can get maddening. Look what happened to Jason."
"So Dr. Phil," I smiled again, "should I call them now, go up there and talk to them, or wait until after today?"
"You might want to call and ask if it's ok if you come up and talk to them. You don't want to interrupt anything. You couldn't recover from that."
"Thanks Calvin." I hugged him and flipped open my cell phone.
"Hey Amelia, you guys gonna be here a while? I hoped I could come up to the room and talk to you two. I am so sorry for barging in earlier."
"Uh, sure, we just got our room service can you give us a little bit."
"Sure, I just ordered. I'll come up when I am finished eating."

We were sitting and talking and having a great lunch and I felt I knew Calvin well enough to ask, "Calvin, Is Jason considered a member of your pack, even though he was not born to you guys and he is divorced from Crystal now?"
"That's an interesting question, Sookie. Because Jason was turned the way he was it did automatically make him a member of our pack. Had he been turned by accident we would not have just automatically accepted him into our pack, it is a little odd that he doesn't live in Hotshot but again under the circumstances we don't want to force him, besides with his home and the property he has with the woods it does give us more hunting grounds. Why do you ask?"
"Jason and Justine are becoming very serious about each other very quickly. I just didn't know how your pack felt about Jason hooking up with someone outside the pack."
"Since Jason is not true were panther his blood line actually means very little to us if he does not mate within the pack. If he mates to a human then there is no guarantee if the child will even exhibit shifter traits. Our bloodline is so thin now that only those of us with strong panther blood will be able to produce a chance of carrying on our bloodline with a human. The offspring would not be full shifter but could actually be a stronger better shifter then some of the members we have now, like Crystal, because of all the inbreeding." Natasha was sitting quietly, not a normal characteristic for her. "Natasha, if all of this knowledge has changed your mind about seeing me, I understand. It's better you hear all of this now and from me then later after we have a chance of developing deep feelings for each other." Calvin never seized to amaze me, he was always so practical, straight forward and honest. "Natasha, I also want you to know something else, again, it's better you hear from me, when I first met Sookie and learned that she was different and that was so willing to accept supes I offered her a place in my life, in my bed." Natasha looked from him to me with her eyebrows raised. "She, obviously, did not accept. There has never been anything between us other than friendship. You must understand as pack master my pack looks to me to build our pack and not let it die out. Sookie was the first human that I had met that I thought held that promise for us and with that in mind I tried to persuade her."
"Is that why you are interested in me? You want to breed with me?" Natasha had a hint of aggravation in her voice.
"No, I am growing older. I want someone in my life that wants to be with me. I don't care if I ever produce another offspring. I realize it is not my fault that my pack bloodline is as diluted as it, this has been going on for generations way before me. I want companionship and I hope some day love. I am 43 years old and I have never known true love. To be honest with you, it does help me open up to you the fact that you are aware of the supernatural world and the fact that you yourself are a witch." That's Calvin laying all his cards on the table no holding back.
"Do you two want to be alone for this conversation? I am almost finished with my meal and I am going to head up to talk to Amelia and Sam.
"Thanks Sookie, I think I understand where Calvin is coming from, it is refreshing that he is so honest and I know he has to hold you in high regard and as a good friend to say all of that in front of you. But if you don't mind I think we do need a little privacy." I signed the bill to my room and left a nice tip, took the last drink of my tea and excused myself.

I knocked on the door and Amelia called for me to come in. Sam was sitting on the small couch when I walked in, he looked a little uncomfortable, Amelia was sitting on the edge of the bed. "First, I am so sorry for earlier. I had no idea. Maybe I should have and for that I feel bad. I feel bad for not seeing that two of my best friends in the entire world were interested in each other."
"Sookie, we have been avoiding our feelings for each other ourselves, but after being in each other's arms on the dance floor last night, there wasn't any fighting it anymore." Amelia's voice was just a touch shaky.
"I just want you both to know that I couldn't be more happy for you. At the risk of sounding conceded, I hope that your friendship with me has not been what has kept you apart. I want both of you to be happy and if together is what makes you happy, well, then I am happy for you." I gave my nervous smile and stopped myself from talking before I started rambling on.
"Thank you Sookie," Sam stood, "I think you have been the reason for our apprehension. I will be honest, for me letting myself care about someone else really means there is no hope for you and I on being together. I certainly didn't want whoever I was with to feel like they would come second to you and since you and Amelia are best friends I needed to know that I could keep that promise to myself. Last night during the trouble I found myself worrying about Amelia's safety before yours. When we were on the dance floor I couldn't deny my feelings for her any longer." We both looked at Amelia and she had tears rolling down her face.
"I am so glad you two found each other." I walked over to Amelia and gave her a big hug then I turned to Sam and gave him a big hug. I was so happy. "Thank you both so much for being such great friends! Now I will leave you two alone, you two deserve it." I turned and walked out of the room. Love was definitely in the air this Spring (ok technically it was Summer now but that was beside the point.) Eric and I were getting married, Sam and Amelia were beginning a relationship, Jason had found a new love and I think Calvin and Natasha might even have a budding relationship. Now Bill just needs to move on. I wasn't worried about Alcide, he didn't really love me, it was just an infatuation with something he never obtained. He and Maria Starr were really happy and it still made me sad that he lost her to a pointless death.

My phone rang, I was a little surprised it was Jason. "Hey Sis, can you and Eric skip work tonight? I need a favor."
"I guess, what's up?"
"I'm in Las Vegas. Justine and I were going to elope but we decided we wanted our family to be part of our union. Can y'all catch a flight as soon as it is dark and come to Vegas?"
"You're getting married?"
"Yep, no lectures. This is the right thing to do, I know it is. We both know it is."
"Umm, wow, I don't know what to say." I was speechless.
"Say you will come to Las Vegas tonight."
"I will be there tonight. I can't promise about Eric, but I will be there, I promise. I'll let you know when my flight will land and I'll call you back." I no sooner hung up and my phone rang again.
"Sookie, did you just get the same phone call I got?" Natasha was practically screaming at me.
"Yep, I am gonna go up to my room and make arrangements now. Then I will go home and pack."
"Is Eric coming?"
I knew I was about to go and ask him, but I couldn't tell anyone else that. "I am going to make reservations for him and if he can I will already have the arrangements made."
"That's a good idea. I am on my way home to pack. Calvin is coming with me."
"Really," I stepped off the elevator and showed the security guard my ID while he checked it on the list, "that's cool."
"Yeah it is, I'll see you in Vegas." She hung up the phone. I stepped into the room and lay on the bed next to Eric, "Sweetie, can you hear me?"
"Uh huh."
"I need to take off work for a couple of days and I hope you can come with me." I stroked his hair out of his face.
"What has happened?" He sounded concerned even in his native tongue.
"Jason and Justine flew to Vegas to get married and then decided that they wanted us and Natasha there. I told them I didn't know if you could come."
"He asked me to be there?"
"Yes, he asked for us to both come."
"I will come. Withdraw $5000 from the bank to give to them as a wedding present. They can use it for an extended stay in Las Vegas or a different honey moon or whatever they want."
"Eric, that is really sweet, but Justine has several million dollars, I don't think they need the cash."
"Really, I would have never guessed. Please do it anyway. The King needs to know I am coming, call his day person, look in my phone for his number, let them know that we will arrive tonight and will be in town for four days."
"Four days?"
"This gives the King time to see me if he wishes and we can have an engagement honey moon. If the King chooses to see me we can write off the trip as business expense so be sure to keep all receipts."
"Do we have to fly Anabus?"
"No, just book us first class on any carrier since the trip will only take a couple of hours."
"OK, I will take care of everything, I will go home and pack for us. Should I call Pam and leave her a message?" "Yes, please. Ask her to come and get the Escalade from the hotel, I will take my new motorcycle home and meet you there then we can leave for the airport."
"Anything else?"
"Ik houd van u"
"I love you too, sweetie, now rest and I will take care of everything." I kissed his forehead.

I made our flight arrangements, ended up being on Ababus anyway since they were the only one with a flight timed just right. They were pretty good at making sure they had flights to all major cities within an hour after dark. At least we didn't have to travel with a coffin. Las Vegas had a premier hotel/casino catering to vampires.