Chapter 21

Sookie POV

Pam's nostrils flare a bit, but otherwise she doesn't move at all. I irrationally think to myself that she looks like a frozen crash-test dummy. The maenad continues her easy walk into the middle of the road, and walks toward the car. She stops about ten paces away from the front bumper. The pig squeals.

Pam gets out of the car and slowly walks around to the front of the car, stopping about as far away from the maenad as she can, with the backs of her knees against the bumper. Pam bows and speaks: "Greetings. It is an honor to meet one such as yourself. We ask permission to pass." It may be stupid, but I can't let Pam be out there alone with that thing. I ease out of my seat and open my door to stand beside the car. I consider staying here, but walk up a bit to stand next to Pam, and just a foot or so behind her. I clumsily bow in an attempt to mimic her movement of respect.

The maenad looks me over and turns back to Pam. I try to get a reading on her, but can only sense a really vague sense of curiosity, tinged with anger.

"I have a message for Eric Northman. You are associates of his?" Pam takes a step forward. "Eric Northman is my master. I will deliver any message you have for him."

Oh no.

"Wait, wait!" I call out in desperation. The maenad pays me no attention and strikes out at Pam. Pam is old, not as old as Eric, and therefore not as powerful, but she is very quick. She dodges the maenad's blow, but just barely.

I do not have a plan for this. What made me think I could reason with a maenad again?

Pam has circled away from the car and is now facing off with the naked woman and her pig. They both stand at the ready on opposing sides of the road.

I scramble between them, standing on the dashed yellow line in the center of the road. My arms are out, palms facing both of them, as if I could physically keep them apart. Pam looks flabbergasted for a second before schooling her face into a blank mask. Though the maenad appears impassive, I can sense that her curiosity is quickly outstripping her anger.

Please let this work.

I turn to face the maenad and bow again, as deep as I can, and speak: "I know you love violence, and I know you feel that you need to send a strong message to Eric." I pause, but she is still just standing there. I take that to mean she is willing to listen. "Please, Eric and everyone who works for him understand that you deserve respect. We will throw a party in tribute to you within one week's time. There will be ample alcohol. The humans may even fight, and will no doubt get to all sorts of fornicating. It will be a night of great excess and revelry; all for you. Will this appease you?"

She eyes me speculatively. "You are not often drunk. You have not enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh. Who are you to speak of what you do not partake in?"

"Erm, well m'am," What can I say to that?

"It's, well it's important to have at least one person with their head on straight to plan and organize events of intoxication and… pleasures of the flesh." It's the best I can come up with. Maybe she'll still just mark me. Fine, I can live with that.

"What is your name human?"

"Sookie Stackhouse, m'am."

"I am Callisto. These terms are acceptable to me."

And with that, she's gone.

Pam walks back to the car without a word. I follow, get in, and buckle up. My heart is racing. That could have gone so wrong. I picture the infinite other ways things could have worked out: Pam slain in the road, or the maenad (Callisto, that's right) killing me, counting on Pam bringing my dead body as the message, or Pam fighting the maenad and starting some kind of war…

My stomach feels like a ball of worms, slowly winding and untangling. It didn't go those ways though. I take a few deep breaths. I'm safe, Pam is unharmed.

Ever since I strayed from my Timeline A actions I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop: for my actions to have some horrible, irrevocable consequence. It seems too perfect, that I should be able to fix things.

It's probably still coming. I shake my head. Enough with the doom and gloom. I can only do the best I can.

I look up from my thoughts to find Pam staring at me. We still haven't moved.

Pam raises her eyebrow and says in an almost friendly voice (so much so that it sounds like she's imitating someone, probably me):

"How are you Sookie?"

How am I? My mind rewinds to our discussion earlier.

I crack up laughing.

After the stressful event that just happened, I can't help it. Trust Pam to start being polite because I demonstrated some level of competency in dealing with a maenad. I'm doubled over in my seat, and tears begin to stream down my face.

I risk a glance at Pam, who looks doubtful (that is to say, her face looks exactly as it always does, but her mouth is turned down slightly at the corners). "This is not the usual reaction" she comments.

I laugh even more. After a solid minute my stomach starts burning, the kind of deep burn you only get from a massive belly-laugh. The worms that formerly seemed to reside in my stomach are totally gone.

I sit up and wipe my face. "I'm fine Pam. Thank you for asking." She looks at me for another second before turning on the car. We go forty over all the way to Fangtasia.

Pam leads me through the employee entrance at the back of Fangtasia and goes directly to Eric's office. He is sitting at his desk, and stands when we come in. He's wearing a black t-shirt, black leather pants and heavy boots.

"Pam, you are late." He pauses. "What's happened?" His eyes narrow. "What is that smell?"

Pam stands at attention. "On the way here we were intercepted by a maenad. She was in the road with a wild pig. Given their notorious unpredictable behavior and strength, I exited the car and attempted to request passage. The maenad, wished to harm me as a message to you."

Eric lets out a small hiss, and looks Pam up and down quickly, presumably checking for injuries. I can't help but smile. Eric cares for Pam. His face becomes astonished. "Have you bested a maenad Pam? That is unheard of."

Pam continues: "It is still unheard of. I did not engage with it, Sookie stepped between us as we were about to fight and… reasoned with her." Both of them are now looking at me.

Eric looks at me like I'm some kind of alien, fascinated and disbelieving. "Reasoned with her." He repeats Pam's words flatly, with a tiny questioning inflection.

I guess Pam wants me to tell this part, because she's not saying anything and they just keep staring. I throw my hands out to my sides in a weak shrug. "Well, I didn't want her to attack, and I knew that maenad's like wine and parties. Sam Merlotte, my boss, he knows a maenad and, well, they like tributes right? So… so I told her we would have a party for her." I'm babbling. I didn't really think through how to explain how I knew what to say to the maenad. Hopefully the Sam thing sounds believable; if they've done any research they'll know he's a shifter. Plus, it's not even a lie. Sam did gallivant around with Callisto in Timeline A.

Eric's brow raises. "I see. And when is this party happening?"

I cringe. I hope this isn't a big deal: "I told her within a week. But look, I didn't promise anything you couldn't do, just a lot of booze and a bunch of sexed-up people. You could just offer half price drinks for a while and maybe have the vamps dress a little extra skimpy." I think about exactly what I said. "I said it would be in honor of her, but I didn't promise there would be, like, an alter or anything. Maybe there could just be an announcement about 'the great Callisto' or something. The humans won't even know what it means."

Eric nods. He turns to Pam and says: "Go check on things out in the bar; then get a mock-flier ready for the Callisto celebration." Pam does a tiny bow thing and leaves, but as she passes she pauses and says to me: "Thank you Sookie."

I don't know if it's regular manners, or "you've helped me so now I owe you and have to thank you" vampire manners, but either way I'm pleased as punch.

Eric turns to me with a genuine smile. "If you continue to be this helpful, Cataliades will insist on renegotiating your rates."

I try not to seem too pleased at the praise. "Speaking of rates, Pam said there is a vampire in Texas that wants to hire me?"

"Yes, Bill will be going with you as your escort. He is now the Investigator for Area 5." I smile. Bill has been out of town the last few days; he must have been in New Orleans prepping for his new position. Eric looks at my smile and turns away back to his desk.

"I may go to Texas to check on things as well." I smile at that too, remembering Leif, but he still has his back to me. "I have here your contract for working with other vampires. I have negotiated with Mr. Cataliades that the state of Louisiana should retain a small portion of your income as a finders-fee for the job, and in the service of having our Investigator acting as your protection while you are there. It has already been faxed to Texas and signed by the appropriate parties there." He hands me the contract and I look it over. That's reasonable, and it's good to know I can call on Bill to officially protect me if things go south. My eyes widen at the figure at the bottom. Mr. Cataliades is a good negotiator. Contingent on my completing the assignment, I will make over three thousand dollars, after Louisiana's cut.

I will get fifteen hundred no matter the outcome, simply for my time and efforts.

I scoot my chair up to his desk and sign the paperwork. Included are all my requirements and original addendums, ensuring that I won't be controlled or forced into anything. It almost seems wrong, making so much money so quickly. Then I think about all the danger involved, and the disruption to my life. Hmm, yes, the amount seems fair.

He sets the papers aside, and looks at me. "Have you seen Bill lately?" The question seems really out of the blue, but I guess he wants to make sure I will be comfortable traveling with him.

"Oh, yes. He comes around a couple times a week to visit."

Eric's face is blank. "I see. I am surprised that you would want to be so friendly with a vampire who was sent to use and seduce you." His tone is totally neutral, but I can tell that he thinks Bill weaseled out of telling me. Interesting. Is Eric jealous, or just checking up on Bill?

I think to ask: "Is he still visiting me on orders?"

Eric tilts his head to the side and says: "Not that I'm aware of."

I try to think of the situation as it has actually happened in this Timeline. I shrug and tell the truth: "Bill is a good guy. He helps my Gran out a lot and makes her happy. Why wouldn't I want him around? I get that he came here for somewhat less-than-honorable reasons, but he had orders to follow, and nobody got hurt." I don't know what else to say.

Eric just looks at me. I feel really awkward; what is it he's looking for here? Should I have thrown myself on the desk and yelled "I care nothing for Compton, take me now!"? It's not like I said I want Bill, just that I like having him around, which I do. Maybe he's not even jealous; maybe he's just being a moody vampire. I hate that I can't tell what he's thinking. Sometimes I want that damn bond back just to know what the hell is going on.

I stand up, not knowing what else to do. "I'll talk to you in the next few days to plan out itinerary and all that?"

Eric stands and walks around to the door, opening it. "Bill will have all the information; you both leave next Monday."

I've been dismissed.

I don't want to leave yet, but Eric is practically throwing me out. He's not looking at me, just standing by the door waiting for me to go.

I mumble "Okay, thanks," and head for the door, not meeting his eyes. Why do I feel like I've done something wrong? Why does it feel like I'm being stabbed in the heart? Okay, that's really dramatic, but I do have an ache in my chest where I usually have a flutter.

I pass through the door and out into the hall.

I may have imagined it, but I think I feel Eric's hand reach out and brush against the material of my dress as I go by.