AN: Thank you for a wonderful feedback. This chapter is definitely less depressing than the last one.

Enjoy!

Big thanks to keiman and kei and treewitch703 for beta-reading this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

Chapter 25

This Kitty Has Claws

GPOV

"I thought you held me dear, Master…" Eric's eyes were blazing when he challenged me, his eyes full of fire. "And yet you've done this…"

"Eric…" I raised my hand but my Child didn't allow me to finish.

"How could you stop me from playing with Compton?!"

"I would not exactly call dismembering someone 'playing'…" Sookie chimed in quietly, sitting more comfortably on the couch and closing her eyes, ignoring my Child.

"Call it whatever you like – turning Bill into a puzzle with missing pieces – that's what I call entertainment."

I barely refrained from rolling my eyes at Eric. He was never particularly bratty but the fact that he had been forbidden from fighting with Bill Compton had turned him into a whiner. (nerdy does not equal a whiner)

"I believe that you have had enough fun on your own," I suggested, sitting down on the couch next to Sookie. I was trying to direct our conversation back to Andre's visit, but the warning that Eric sent though our bond made me pause. His eyes flickedbriefly toward Sookie and he shook his head minutely.

That could mean only one thing – Andre knew about her and whatever had happened at the meeting would not be sitting well with our telepath. She was completely oblivious to our silent exchange, leaving her eyes closed while reclining on the couch. So far she has been taking everything very well, but there were signs of fatigue in her posture. I had sent her on an emotional roller-coaster – and I sorely regretted it. We were supposed to be spending the night laughing and getting to know each other better. How is she supposed to trust me with her body when I have just shattered a person in front of her?

"I can feel you looking at me," smiling gently. "Stop it."

"You can't blame him, Lover; you're quite a vision." Eric helped me out but earned nothing but a snort from Sookie.

"Yeah, right. But honestly, I think it's time to go to bed…" Sookie stood up, smoothing her dress. I cringed, taking a good look at the garment – it was spattered with blood from when she cleaned my face. It angered me when I remembered how much she had appreciated this gift from Eric.

"Yes…" I hesitantly reached for her hand, doing it slowly to give her some time to move away from my touch if she wanted to. She didn't though. Even more surprisingly, Sookie reached for my hand and squeezed it in a reassuring way, giving me another of her warm smiles. I had received quite a few of them from her and I was getting addicted... Every time when her lips curved gently, my heart warmed and I was surrounded by a blissful peace.

"Good night then." She squeezed my hand again and walked over to Eric, giving him a soft kiss on the lips.

"Wait…" He murmured, embracing her tighter. "I have something to discuss with you."

"Is it important? Maybe tomorrow…" She pouted briefly and even without checking Eric's emotions, I knew that he would give in.

"Fine. But promise me that you won't leave the house during the daytime…"

Eric's eyes were serious when he was looking at her and Sookie simply nodded. I had my own suspicions about what he was about to ask her.

When I heard Sookie walking to the bathroom downstairs, I shifted my attention to my child.

"What did he want?" I asked, without any unnecessary delay.

"If I am correct, Sookie is what both he and Sophie Anne want," Eric admitted ruefully. I didn't like the look on his face, but I could understand his conflict. He was a good sheriff and a loyal subject – it's what I had taught him after all. Being loyal to an irresponsible childish brat like Leclerq wasn't easy though. She was one of those monarchs who believed that they deserved respect just because they wore a crown. The concept of earning their underlings' respect was foreign to her.

"Well, they can't have her." I told him simply and my Child chuckled.

"I think we're on the same page with this, Master."

"I think that the whole incident with Compton was planned. Not me dealing with him of course, but showing up at Sookie's while Andre was bothering you."

"Yes, that's what I had thought. Fortunately, they didn't expect you would be there."

We were quiet for a moment, considering how to deal with this delicate situation.

"Sending Bill into my area with the intention of snatching a talented human might have been the worst decision in Sophie Anne's career. Procuring humans is forbidden by the Authority…" Eric started hesitantly. I knew where he was heading and I didn't like it. "If she had admitted it out loud in front of me or you… Your word would carry more weight than hers." That was true as well. I was considered to be an Ancient and it gave me an advantage over other vampires – even monarchs. "Not to mention that Compton would easily testify against her if his life depended on it. This man has no honor."

"I can't rat her out, but you, Master…"

"I would rather keep Nora away from this," I interrupted, annoyed.

"The Authority could be our only chance to assure Sookie's safety…"

"Or to put her in an even worse spot," I argued further.

"So, would you rather become a King? Because if this bitch won't back down, that is what's going to happen. We will have to kill her."

"And the Authority might want Sookie for themselves!" I growled and Eric's fangs ran down.

"Stop it!"

We both jumped when we heard Sookie's angry voice coming from the entrance. Consumed by my anger, I hadn't felt her approach.

"It's sweet that you're arguing over my safety as though my opinion didn't matter!" she spat, sarcastically.

"Sookie…" Eric started but she stomped her feet and he shut his mouth.

"I would like to know all of my options before anything is decided. You know –it's my life you're talking about."

There was no point in arguing with her. Her statement was true and simple – we were bargaining over her life. Taking an unnecessary breath, I pointed at the couch, inviting her to sit with us.

"So? What are my options?" she asked again, this time folding her arms and settling in.

"Option one – you can be taken by Sophie Anne," Eric admitted with a snarl. His gaze became more heated as he continued. "She wants you for your gift, but I believe she also wants you for your blood. Knowing her attitude towards humans, I doubt that you will be treated well while living at her court."

Sookie gulped and I could almost see the wheels moving in her head. "I would basically be her slave, right?" she asked quietly and all I could do was nod stiffly at this. Eric's jaw tightened and he averted his eyes. I could feel the blinding fury building up inside of him and I sent him a wave of calm. "This is a big no-no for me. Another option, please!" she demanded and Eric and I snorted at her sharp command.

Eric moved to sit next to us on the couch and slipped one arm around Sookie. She immediately leaned on him and relaxed. Something clamored inside of me protesting that it wasn't fair that Eric was getting this treatment, but I quickly quashed my jealousy.

"We can kill Sophie and then one of us will take over the throne. That is, if we do it legitimately. There's always a possibility of being accused of treason and being sentenced to True Death," Eric explained our second option and Sookie blanched.

"That is definitely a no-go!"

"Sookie, it could be for the best…" I added softly. "I doubt if anyone would miss the brat queen and Eric is greatly respected among Louisiana vampires."

"What's the third option?" she pressed, ignoring our angry hisses. More than a few vampires would have been terrified by our irritation, but Sookie just rolled her eyes.

"Adding the Authority to the mix…" Eric said.

"The bosses of the bosses, right?" Sookie asked and I nodded again.

"We have connections within the Authority." Eric looked at me questioningly and I signaled my permission with a short nod. "My vampire sister - Godric's daughter - Nora, is one of the chancellors in the Vampire Council. I believe that she can enumerate Sophie Anne's offenses and have her punished. Hopefully, Sophie will be prohibited from approaching you."

"On the other hand," I added "this could draw their attention to you. The Authority might wonder what is so special about you that we were ready to go to war with a monarch."

"And they will learn about my quirk…" Sookie murmured.

"Yes, they surely will." I inhaled deeply. "And we will not be able to protect you from the Authority."

"But what about your plan, the one that you told us about in Dallas? That would draw the Authority's attention to me as well." Sookie reminded me and I once again nodded.

"That's true, although I was planning on discussing it with Roman, the Guardian, and only with him." I reminded her. "There is a difference between creating a cell working with human police forces and judging a vampire monarch. Roman is a great supporter of the mainstreaming movement – he actually created it – and I don't doubt his commitment in helping to improve the vampire image. He respects me enough to entrust me with this mission and no one will question his idea. He and I can keep you away from the other chancellors during this project. Sophie Anne is unpredictable though. She may have already informed everyone about your ability…"

Sookie chewed on her lower lip, visibly deeply in her own thoughts.

"This Roman - he's a friend of yours?"

I chose my words carefully. "By human standards, I believe that he could be called my nephew… My older brother Godfrey had turned him in 1473." Deciding that Sookie may appreciate this snippit of information, I added. "In Transylvania, no less…"

"Oh," she whispered. "Like a real life Dracula…" she murmured.

"This link is something only Godric, Roman and I know. Even Nora isn't aware of this connection. " Eric added. Sookie looked at me, back at him, and smiled brilliantly.

"Damn, now I really feel special!" she exclaimed with an adorable excitement. We laughed at her enthusiasm and I silently thanked the gods for her skill at lightening the mood. "If he is a friend of yours, maybe we can strike a deal with him… Trying not to include any of the other chancellors? At first at least?" Sookie asked with a wistful expression.

"What do you mean?" I asked, surprised by her sudden change of mood.

"This queen wants me for my telepathy… only she will treat me like a slave. Maybe you can suggest to this Roman guy that that much stress is not good for me?" Sookie took a deep breath, getting ready to drop a bomb. "And I will be more helpful if I am left on my own?"

"What are you implying?" Eric asked, his brows furrowed. I had my suspicions of what Sookie was suggesting and I was deeply confused.

"I was thinking earlier, when I thought about Bill, Tara, Sam… About my house, about my brother who left off taking care of his life… I realized that there is nothing that keeps me in Bon Temps. I just realized that if I don't take a bold step, I will be stuck at Merlotte's serving beer until I'm sixty…" We were quiet, watching her expectedly. "I think I have to at least try to use my curse…"

"It's not a curse…" Eric started, but Sookie raised a finger, interrupting him.

"It is for me… I've spent twenty-five years listening to everyone's nasty thoughts, being unable to touch another human without drowning in random thoughts. It has been a real nightmare. But then… Well, I guess I have you to thank Eric, because you have shown me that I can earn some money by using my gift. Something that I cannot do in the human world – I bet the government would send me to some facility where I would be probed and have holes drilled in my head till the day I die…"

The picture that Sookie described was very unsettling, although it was highly possible. For the human world, Sookie would be an abomination, even a dangerous abomination. With her ability, she could steal secrets… Fuck, she could probably find out the nuclear codes.

"I don't wanna jump into it, but… I think that I have to consider it. If you'd take me, that is?" she finished in a whisper and gave us a shy look. "Because I am not gonna do this without you two. I just don't trust anyone else."

Eric smiled broadly at her confession so that it left me worried for his temporo-mandibular joint.

"I always knew that you would realize one day just how unique you are, Lover. If you're willing to do this, I am in. Godric?"

I nodded my head with a smile. "Yes, I believe that you can do a lot of good with your ability and I am honored to be a part of it. You can count on me and I swear that we will be here for you."

"Oh my God!" Sookie said, putting a hand on her chest. "I was scared that you were gonna flip me a bird…"

"Why?" I asked, slightly confused. "Is it some Southern tradition?" Why would I flip her a bird? Eric snorted and I instantly realized my mistake. Especially when Sookie started to giggle. "Oh, I get it – a colloquialism saying. Like Peeing Tim…"

For some reason, they only burst out laughing harder. Clearly, they were having fun on my account and I couldn't decide if it's amusing or annoying.

Either way, I decided to just sit and watch their happy faces – even if they were laughing at me; seeing Sookie and my Child so relaxed, was worth it.

The last nine days have been wonderful. Slowly Sookie's house has been restored but she has chosen to stay with us. Unfortunately she has still been working for the shifter, but only part time. When she informed him that she was thinking about quitting, all he said was "I knew those vamps would lead you astray". Even though his words hurt her, she kept her chin up and, even better, it only strengthened her decision to work as a telepath. It was obvious that their friendship had waned and I personally believed Sam Merlotte wasn't worth Sookie's time.

Also, her attitude towards me and Eric was getting warmer; she has been very playful and open lately. I would even venture to say that the relationship that she had created with my son has been blooming. Sookie had taken some of Eric's blood the night that we were discussing our plan and I noticed that it has eased his mind greatly. Eric was almost always smiling and whispering sweet words into Sookie's ear, forgetting that I could easily hear him. Their sex life was pretty intense and by extension, my shower sessions were getting longer every day.

Sophie Anne called Eric once, informing him about her displeasure regarding the treatment of her future Area Investigator. The fact that she had decided to nominate Bill Compton to this position was only more proof of her incompetence. The young vampire hasn't been a problem, at least not just yet - growing back missing limbs usually takes about two weeks.

Beside this little stunt, Sophie was quiet, too quiet in my opinion and we were both on high alert. She basically forced us to attend her ridiculous ball, sounding disgustingly pleased with herself when we agreed. What she didn't know though, was that we had something up our sleeves. Roman was intrigued when I called him to inform him that there is a gifted human in my Child's area. When I let him know that this gifted human is considering working for vampires of her own free will, Roman became ecstatic. He wanted to meet the telepath immediately, but after I had explained the situation in which we were embroiled, he had agreed to meet her after giving Sookie some adjustment time. Godfrey's son was surprised when I shared with him that Sookie was my and Eric's companion, but his congratulations sounded sincere to me. I was hopeful…

Two days ago, something changed amongst the three of us. Usually, each one of us was spending time separately with her. Eric had obligations at Fangtasia, but he was still trying to do something nice for Sookie every night. They went out on two dates and I could see how excited our companion was with those events. Although, it was a silent rule that Sookie will dedicate some of her time for only me every day. She and I were watching TV, I was teaching her to play chess, we were eating outside... To put it simply, we were trying to get to know each other better and I was pleased with our progress. On Friday though, she suggested that we should do something together – the three of us.

Eric and I looked at each other behind Sookie's back, both wearing the exact same expression – raised eyebrows and wicked gleams in our eyes. My tormented libido had only one idea and I was praying to my Old Gods to listen to me. Well, they hadn't. At least not fully.

We ended up eating a picnic in the garden. It was nice, it was playful and it was somehow satisfying. What was the best in this encounter (aside of Sookie's short dress that kept sliding up her thighs) was a goodnight kiss. I was used to seeing Sookie kissing Eric softly on the lips, but this time, she gave him a searing passionate kiss that made my fangs run down. And then the gods took mercy upon me because Sookie turned to me and gifted me with the same steamy kiss that she had given Eric earlier.

"I think we're over the 'baby steps' phase," she whispered, brushing my lips lightly and winking, causing my Child to laugh with delight. I was too excited to utter a word.

As I said, it was two days ago and since then, Eric and I have been scheming, trying to gently push Sookie into more… intimate activities.

"I told you – women love candles..." I said through gritted teeth.

"We're going to fuck her or set her on fire?" Eric huffed, looking around the room, pursing his lips when he noticed the candles that I had put there. "Sookie is not SO MUCH into candles. She prefers flowers!" He raised a bucket of red roses to prove his point.

"She was afraid that we will not put any emotions into our sex with her. Candles are good because they create an intimate and romantic atmosphere," I argued.

Eric opened his arms and looked at me, dumbfounded. "And you know that how?!"

"From the Internet," I told him proudly.

"Hm…" he growled. "Pam says the Internet is a good source of knowledge on the subject of human customs…" he murmured, making me feel very, very proud of myself at that moment. "But we should put out flowers too. Roses smell nice."

There was no point into arguing with him – roses do smell nice. "You're right, my Child. Just make sure not to put them too close to the candles. As you had said earlier…"

"We want to fuck her, not to set her on fire. Got it."

The room was almost ready when we felt a surge of fury, undoubtedly coming from Sookie.

"Call Alcide!" I ordered and I was outside within a second.

Sookie, stubborn mule that she was, refused to have a vampire watching over her while she was working at Shifter's bar. She couldn't argue about the werewolves that we have been sending there though. They were human-looking and since they were paying for their meals, Shifter had no reason to turn them out. Sookie's fury turned to anger and then to a strange satisfaction and finally, to something that I could only call giddiness.

Even though Sookie wasn't in pain, I was flying at my top speed and I was at the bar within a few minutes. Truth be told – I was angry myself. We had decided to seduce our telepath tonight and someone – and I swear that if it was this stupid Shifter, I'm going to turn him into a rug – ruined it for us.

I didn't expect to see what I saw though. When I entered the bar, there was a group of people cheering. When I moved closer, I was dumbfounded, noticing that they were cheering over two fighting women, one of whom was Sookie. They looked similar – both blonde and curvy and I could understand why all the men were so enthralled, especially when Sookie turned on the floor, sitting on the other woman with her shapely bottom high up in the air.

"Get a fucking hold of her!" I felt a tug on my shoulder and I turned to see Merlotte who was looking slightly scared. "I was trying to separate them, but Sookie punched me in the nose!"

He was correct. His nose was bloody and my heart swelled with pride at the sight of what my Sookie had done to him. Gods, I can't wait to have this spitfire fighting me between the sheets.

"Damn, that's a fine woman you have there…" I heard Alcide whisper from his table. The fucking wolf was sitting there sipping a beer while Sookie was wrestling on the floor. It looked like I would have a rug after all…

The other woman got the upper hand and when I saw her pulling at Sookie's scalp, I decided that enough was enough. Whoever Sookie was fighting with was dangling in the air where I was holding her, gripping her by her skimpy top.

"Bitch!" Sookie snarled from the floor and raced over to us, reaching under my arm for her opponent. It took some effort to stop her with only one hand.

"Little One, calm down…" I soothed her, but it was like someone had turned my sweet innocent Sookie into a pit bull. I felt Eric landing in front of the bar and I was relieved that he would be here to calm down his lover. Alongside of him, there were four other vampires approaching – hopefully the cleaners.

"It's all her fault!" Sookie yelled, eyeing the other woman with disgust. "She fucking sold me out!"

I loosened my hold on the girl, glaring at her and I was surprised when I saw her smug smirk. "My Queen will make you regret it…" she spat at me with satisfaction.

"Oh, will she?" Eric asked, entering and smiling at our small gathering. He nodded and a few vampires appeared behind him, measuring the crowd with bored expressions. "Clean it up, glamour humans, confiscate all cell phones and every recording device. I don't want to see online a video of my and my Maker's companion brawling in a cat fight." My Child smiled broadly, walking closer to us when his underlings started to straighten things up. "And what do we have here?" he asked, walking over to Sookie and raising her chin with a finger. There was a small cut on her lip where the woman had struck her earlier. "It looks like someone spilled your blood, Lover?" Eric turned his attention to the girl that I was holding and I noticed a glimpse of fear on her face. She might not have known me, but she surely knew Eric. "Is it your doing, bloodbag?" my Child snarled and I sighed when the woman was ripped from my hold and was then in Eric's far less pleasant one. His hand was tightening around the girl's neck, cutting off her supply of oxygen.

"Who is this, Sookie?" I asked, watching Eric showing the other blonde his fangs. She was not as smug anymore, instead she looked like she was about to pee herself any minute. I looked at our telepath, expecting her to feel uncomfortable because of Eric's actions, but she wasn't – in fact, she was smirking slightly.

"It's my cousin, Hadley. It was her brilliant idea to use me like a telepathic blood whore." Sookie hissed and I cringed when I heard a soft crack when Eric punched Hadley's head over a table. Everybody looked at him, even humans who were being glamoured, but my Child only shrugged at our shocked expressions.

"What?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, watching Hadley slump to the floor with a soft bang. "That bitch had it coming…"

AN: So, what do you think? Surprised to see Hadley back in Bon Temps? :)

Please, leave a review!