A/N: OMG what is wrong with me... two chapters in the span of one week! LOL I'll try to write another chapter and post it by next week sometime.

Marten's POV: (still the same night as the previous chapter)

It's starting to stink in here. The mixture of alcohol, sweat, cheap cologne and perfume permeate the air. Don't get me wrong. I like the scent of a woman's sweat especially when she is on top of me or under me or between me, but the sweat of male humans is particularly disgusting. However these humans make me richer and more powerful, so I tolerate it.

I lean back on the black leather couch and watch them all enjoy themselves. The women in particular are staring at me with lust in their eyes hoping that they will catch my attention. Natasha is leaning against me trying to strike up a conversation but I ignore her. She's very attractive and somewhat interesting, but still just another 'elite' fangbanger.

My father and his woman left earlier. Things seemed a little strained between them. I check my maker/child bond and can only sense great enjoyment and pleasure from him. He must be finally getting some from Sookie. Either that or he is pleasuring himself. This gets me thinking. Do vampires over 2000 years old still jerk off? Or have they found new ways to pleasure themselves that can only be learned after thousands of years of 'life' experience? Hmmmm...(I rub my chin briefly) I doubt he is seeking solace with another woman. He values monogamy (absurd! I know) with her. He would never tarnish their relationship with infidelity.

I have never seen or felt my father care so much about a woman (human or supe) so much since I've known him. I am happy that he found Sookie. For awhile I was starting to worry about him. During the last few decades I haven't seen my master take a woman to his bed, at least when we were together. Speaking of Sookie, she is one gorgeous, sexy and best smelling woman that I have met in a very long time. She is the kind of woman that I would keep around me for a few weeks, hell, maybe even for a few months. But still, I am unsure what her true intentions are, especially when it concerns my master. Sometimes I wish I can give her my blood to be able to sense her emotions. She cares about him, I can see that. But I can also see that she still cares about Eric. She still looks at him the same way when I had first met her in Las Vegas. I am fiercely protective of my maker and I don't want to see him get emotionally hurt, something that she is capable of doing. I might have to consider ending Eric. I still consider him a friend, but he stands in the way of my father's happiness.

I take a look around the room again. Some women are dancing seductively and give me glances, as though trying to beckon me to come to them. Amateurs! I don't go to women, they come to me. I would make the exception for Sookie though; but if that ever happened, I fear my father would hang me by the balls (literally) for a decade at least. I like the shape they are in now, thank you very much. I don't see any other women that catch my eye. It looks like it is going to be Natasha's lucky night; she will get me all to herself.

Speaking of Eric Northman, I see him walking down the stairs followed by Pam coming out of the doors that lead to my offices. Pam is beautiful; she is also another woman I would go to, but not tonight. Fuck was she ever hot earlier challenging me to a fight. She is probably the only vamp I would lose to on purpose, as long as she doesn't kill me. He scans the crowd, probably looking for Sookie and finally settles on me. I stare right back at him. He and Pam start walking towards me.

He stands in front of me. "Where are Sookie and your maker?" He looks irritated.

"They left over an hour ago," I respond casually. "So what were you, Rosamund, and Felipe doing in the back?"

"That's none of your business," he snaps back. Okay no need to get feisty. "I want to speak to you and your maker," he demands.

I raise my eyebrow. "Ask nicely."

I just get him even more aggravated. "Do not toy with me," he seethes. "Your precious maker isn't here to protect you."

He did not just say that. I stand up to face him. "I don't need my master to protect or to fight my battles for me as I am more than capable of taking care of myself. Let me remind you, I am only less than a hundred years younger than you and have far more extensive training in the art of combat. My master has taught me all that he knows."

He sneers at me, "Really? Maybe one day we will get to test our skills against each other, but not today. I have something important to discuss with the both of you and since it has to do with your kingdom. I thought that would make you interested in what I have to say."

I glance around him; about thirty yards away I see Rosamund practically staring daggers at me. They must know about that cretin Etienne.

I just smile at her then at Eric. "Of course, let's go back into my office. Pamela, why don't you keep Natasha here company? I'm sure you can find ways to entertain each other."

Eric nods at Pam to stay put and he follows me towards my office. When I reach the stairs Rosamund is standing by and she follows us as well.

"Where is Felipe and Madden?" I ask.

"Gone," he is all says.

We reach my office and I sit behind my desk. They both continue to stand even though I gesture them to sit.

"So what can I do for the happy newlyweds?" I asked, my voice dripping in sarcasm.

I earn another scowl from Eric. He frowns too much. Doesn't he know that when he does that all the time it will eventually cause permanent, unattractive wrinkles/lines on his face?

"You have Etienne!" Rosamund huffs dramatically.

"Shut up!" Eric tells her. I smile trying not to laugh at their exchange.

"Really?" I respond. "Of course I deny the accusation. And right now we will probably get into an argument that will go on for too long. So to speed things up, I guess the next step is me asking you two if have proof.

"The warehouse across town," Eric says. "He is being held there and that building belongs to you." He throws a picture and a copy of the deed that I signed years ago on the desk. I pick up the picture and the paper and pretend to look them over.

"I own many buildings in New York. Naturally, since this is my home and area. But this name on the deed is something that I am not familiar with," I say.

"You used that name when you first met me years ago," Rosamund says angrily.

I smile at her and look like I am thinking about it. "Oh your right. I remember that time. You had been passed around the room and used by at least twenty men that night. When it came to me I didn't have to tell you to spread your legs. You did it without any type of egging from me, like some sort of advanced trained dog. I used that name that night because I was ashamed to have been the twenty-first vamp to have a go with you. Also you seemed a bit clingy and I didn't want you to contact me."

"You little bastard!" she yells furiously. She tries to lunge for me across the desk but Eric stops her by stretching his arm in front of her. She almost knocks herself over.

"That is enough!" he says strongly to her. She is still very angry and staring at me with hatred in her eyes but she's not dumb enough to disobey Eric.

"You have him. I doubt that he has technically did anything wrong and it is illegal that he is being held by you. He is to be released at once or we will go to the council with this issue. And you will get into more unnecessary trouble if they become involved. We will make sure that you are punished to the fullest extent especially since he is the child of a queen," Eric threatens. Rosamund smirks at me.

I hate threats. I rarely receive any, but when I do, I know precisely how to handle them.

I kick my feet up on my desk and lean back. "Let's say that you were correct and that I was holding Etienne in one of my warehouses. The questions are why would I do that? What is the purpose of why I would be holding a pathetic, eighty year old vampire? What would I need him for?"

"It was not you, it was him, you maker, that took him," Eric answers back.

"Ahh I see... It was my master," I say in a cheerful tone. "Well unfortunately he is rather preoccupied at the moment with a certain bubbly blonde telepath, so I can't ask him if he took Etienne. But I will ask tomorrow night, the first chance that I get."

My words rile Eric up and he looks about ready to kill me. "You will get him to come here tonight," his voice lethal.

"Tsk, tsk... Another threat Eric?" I ask, my tone flat. "Oh please I am too tired of all your threats tonight. Tell you what, why don't you come back tomorrow night. This gives you a chance to come up with a bunch of new threats and gestures."

I can tell Eric is at the breaking point. If it wasn't for his age and experience, he would have lunged himself at me awhile ago.

"Leave," he snips at Rosamund.

"But Eric..." she whines.

"Get out now!" he yells, his voice thunderous. Even I almost jump. She leaves the room right away.

"I read somewhere that that isn't healthy for a relationship to always yell at your wife," I smirk.

He ignores my comment. "Tomorrow night, at 8 pm, at your office downtown. I will speak to you and your maker or else I take this matter to the council. I will make sure that they will agree to return Sookie to me. I will get Sookie back either this way or by some other method. And believe me, the other methods won't be so kind to you and him."

I stare at him. "I'll mention it to my master."

"Good. You be sure to do that." Eric starts to leave.

"Oh yeah, by the Eric," I say. He stops and turns around. "If I did hypothetically have Etienne, you should ask Rosamund why he would not been able to respond to some of the questions I hypothetically may have asked him. Such as why he was in Canada. She probably gave you some lame excuse, but to me, it seems like there would be more to the story. You can ask her why my hypothetical 'persuasive' tactics to get him to talk haven't worked and what he may be hiding. We both know that Etienne is weak and pitiful. Under normal circumstances he would easily fold to persuasive tactics. It seems to me that he would have been ordered only by his maker to stay silent on some secrets. I wonder then, what kind of secrets would he, in theory, be keeping? Just something to think on."

He dwells on my words for a moment before leaving the room.

I take the moment to probe my bond with Marius. I can still feel pleasure pulsating from him. I sit up and reach for my phone. If he's getting some pussy, then I should be getting some too. I text Natasha to come to my office so that we may leave. Fuck it, I can't wait that long.