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A Sookie/Eric/Godric fic.

Chapter Twenty-Six.

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Disclaimer: See Ch. 1.

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A/N: Thanks so much for all of the incredible feedback so far, you guys are amazing! (Especially the reviews for the last chapter, I don't think I'll ever wipe this smile off my face!)

Well, now that we've gotten *some* of the fun stuff over with, it's time to get back to the more pressing matters. Sookie falls more heavily under Russell's radar in this chapter, and Sookie makes a "deal with the devil" to protect the ones she loves.

I'll be writing Sophie-Ann a little more as how she is in the books, especially in regards to her connection with Hadley. I hated how little time they spent on that, and how they had Hadley run away from her - if you haven't read the books, Hadley was the consort of the Queen for many years, until she was turned into a vampire, and they continued to be lovers after that. Sophie-Ann loved her more than anything.

I hope you guys like this one, I know I'll love writing it.

As always, please read and review, I live for feedback!

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I'd had a brief moment to wonder what I was going to wear downstairs after we left the bathroom, but I noticed as we all left the bathroom that an assortment of clothes had been left out for us. There were three dresses for me to choose from, and a variety of outfits for Eric and Godric as well. The dresses were each marvelous and exquisite in their own way, and I had been inclined to choose the red, slinky one that flared out around the legs, but I'd thought better of it. With as many unknown, dangerous vampires that were in the house, I didn't want to look too tasty.

I'd ended up choosing the floor-length, midnight blue dress, with a beaded, v-neck front. There'd been a matching pair of heels for each dress, so I wasn't forced to wear my worn-out flat shoes.

I was amazed that they'd managed to find clothes long enough for Eric's impressive body, but the dark dress pants suited him well, while the black and purple striped shirt looked sinfully good against his flesh. Godric had chosen a white, fitted sweater, with a pair of beige pants.

I felt a little strange being escorted by both Eric and Godric, each of my arms curved around theirs, but I figured I was justified in that feeling. I had, after all, just primped and polished myself after my first essential threesome. We hadn't had time to discuss the implications of our little tryst in the shower, and we certainly wouldn't be able to in front of Russell or Sophie-Ann.

We were led into the dining room by one of Russell's men, where Russell, Talbot, Sophie-Ann, and Hadley were waiting for us.

"So nice of you to join us," Russell greeted with a wide grin on his face.

Though we knew for certain there hadn't been any unwanted electronic devices in the room, the way he was looking at us made me think he knew exactly what we'd been up to. Perhaps I was just being paranoid ...

Russell's eyes fell on Godric, looking him over from top to bottom, and then back up again. "Well, I see you have recovered nicely. Far sooner than I'd imagined." His eyes drifted over to me again, regarding me curiously.

"I have excellent caretakers," Godric replied simply, standing passively beside me.

"Indeed," Russell replied. "I do hope that we can let bygones be bygones. My wolves may have gotten a little overexcited while they were ... watching you. I'm afraid they get a little ravenous at the prospect of ingesting vampire blood."

Eric took the lead in the conversation, pulling attention away from his maker's recent trauma. "If you don't mind my asking, your majesty, why do you allow Weres to consume vampire blood? Some consider it sacred." I knew he meant Godric.

Russell met Eric's eyes. "You give blood to your human, do you not?"

Eric stiffened, though not noticeably. I felt his tension through our bond. "She is my bonded."

"And the wolves are my slaves. It is my blood to give. I trust that is not a problem for you?" Russell wondered.

Eric recovered quickly, allowing a slow half-smile to reach his lips. "Not at all. I was just curious about how things are done in Mississippi."

"And now you are schooled," Russell replied. "Please, find a seat." He gestured at the many seats around the long table.

Eric and Godric pulled the arms free, signaling for me to choose a seat first. I chose to sit across from Hadley, whose seat was as close to the Queen's as she could get it without piling it right on top of her. That left Godric to sit down on my left, while Eric sat on my right, closer to Russell.

Moments after we sat down, a trio of waiters came into the dining room and began setting plates down on the table. I had to look away from the vampire's meals - a soupy, red mixture with clumps of meat-shaped things that looked disgusting. Mine and Hadley's meal, however, looked surprisingly appetizing. Long, thin pasta noodles coated in a delicious-smelling sauce, with chopped up chicken and tomatoes on top. There was a little bit of cheese sprinkled on top for good measure, and I found my mouth watering at the sight of it. It had been far too long since I'd had a meal that looked this good.

Eric looked mildly amused at the dish in front of him, but ate it politely.

I noticed Hadley glancing at me a couple of times, clearly itching to say something to me, but I didn't know what. I slipped into her mind without hesitation.

' ... am I ever gonna explain this to her? I can't imagine what she must be thinking of me. It's been so long ... she's changed a lot. Got real beautiful, no wonder the vampires like her so much. She'll probably hate me, once she finds out I told the Queen about her. And what about Gran? She'll probably never speak to me again ... not that she has been. God, I'm so sorry Sook, but you just don't know what it's like. She really loves me, and she's good to me. I can't believe she married that damn King - she doesn't even like him. And now we're stuck in Mississippi! God, this is so messed up! Wait, why is she lookin' at me like that? Oh, damn, she's reading my mind!'

I looked away swiftly, fixing my attention on Sophie-Ann. "Excuse me, your majesty?"

Sophie-Ann looked up from her dish, gazing at me curiously. "Yes?"

"Would it be possible for me to speak with Hadley for a while? It's been so long since we've seen each other, and much has happened in that time. There's some ... family news that I need to tell her. ... In private?" I hoped that I didn't sound too demanding.

"Is there a reason it can't be discussed in front of us?" Sophie-Ann asked me.

I set what I hoped was a sympathetic expression on my face. "It's rather personal news, and I don't know how Hadley will react to it. It's best if we discussed it alone."

Sophie-Ann stared at me for a line time, and then glanced at Hadley. "Will you be alright, my dear?"

I was surprised to see her asking Hadley what she wanted, and even more surprised to hear the concern in her voice.

Hadley nodded, looking at me worriedly.

"Very well," Sophie-Ann permitted. "But after dinner, I will wish to sit down with you in private as well. We can discuss the terms of your contract."

I nodded at that, feeling a wave of apprehension coming from Eric. I stood gently from my chair, leaning down to kiss his cheek before I left the dining room.

Hadley followed behind me, her pumps clomping on the floor as she took short, quick steps.

I thought about taking Hadley outside, but then worried that the King and Queen might take that as an attempt to flee. There were guards placed at the door, up the stairs, and by the dining room, so I took Hadley through to the study where Russell had taken us to see Bill. As soon as we were inside the room, I turned and pulled Hadley into my arms, holding her tightly against me.

Hadley froze momentarily, but then returned my desperate embrace, and after a moment I felt her tremble against me. When we pulled away, there were tears in her eyes. "I missed you so much!" Hadley confessed, wiping at her eyes.

"Me too," I nodded in agreement, wishing I had a tissue. "What are you doing with these vampires?"

Hadley sniffled, slowly meeting my eyes. "I could ask you the same thing."

I sighed at that. "Fair enough. ... We've been so worried about you, Hadley. We didn't know where you'd gone, or what you were doing, or if you were even alive!"

"I wanted to write, or call," Hadley confessed. "But every time I tried, I thought of how disappointed Gran would be in me, and I couldn't bear the thought of one of her lectures. I just couldn't do it. And I'm happy with Sophie-Ann ... she's good to me."

"Does she ... feed on you?" It looked over Hadley, but didn't see any bite marks. Then again, there were areas of the body that could be fed from that we're necessarily visible while one was wearing clothes. Hadley's white dress fell down just above her knees, hiding the femoral artery from my sight.

"Does the tall one feed off you?" Hadley challenged, standing up a little straighter.

I had to sigh again. "Fair enough. Look, this isn't why I wanted to talk to you. It's ... it's your life, and your decision. I just want what's best for you. I want you to be safe."

"I am safe," Hadley assured me. "Sophie-Ann takes care of me."

I nodded at that, though I was still doubtful.

"What family news did you want to tell me?" Hadley asked me, moving the conversation along into what she probably thought was safer territory.

I cringed internally, hating what I was about to say. Still, she was her Gran too, and she deserved to know. "It's about Gran. She ... she passed away."

Hadley's eyes grew wide, and she began to sway a bit. I grabbed her arm quickly, leading her to a chair in the study. Hadley sat down with a thump, her eyes staring off into space. "I can't believe it ..."

"I know," I agreed, feeling a little wetness begin to fill my own eyes. "I'm sorry."

"I thought ... I mean, I always thought I'd get a chance to talk to her again. I kept putting it off. ... I didn't even get to say goodbye," Hadley bemoaned, covering her face with her hands.

I crouched next to her, holding her shoulder with my hand.

We cried together for a little while, remembering our beloved Gran. Hadley raised her head back up after a bit, wiping at her cheeks. Her makeup was smudged, and her eyes were puffy. I probably didn't look any better.

"Did she ... was she mad at me?" Hadley asked.

Compassion flooded me, and I allowed a sad smile onto my face. "She just wanted what was best for you. She hoped that wherever you were, that you were happy."

Hadley screwed up her face, trying not to cry again. "She was such a great woman ... I miss her."

I nodded in agreement. "Me too."

We stayed together in the study for a few more moments before we headed back. I touched up Hadley's make-up as well as I could, and she did the same for me.

When we returned, both Sophie-Ann and Eric looked at us heavily, trying to get a read on our emotions. Hadley went to her Queen's side immediately, seeking out her hand under the table. I moved back to my spot between Eric and Godric, smiling pleasantly at the rest of the inhabitants in the room.

I finished the rest of my meal in relative silence, trying not to gag when the servers brought out the final course: strawberry ice-cream for myself and Hadley, and a scoop of what looked like frozen blood for the vampires.

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Sophie-Ann remained true to her word after dinner, wishing to speak to me in private. Eric tried to protest, saying that our deal was that he would remain with me at all times for protection. The queen snarled back, daring him to defy her.

In the end, I put my hand on Eric's chest, assuring him that I would be fine. I was confident that I could protect myself from Sophie-Ann if I needed to, though I didn't say the words out loud.

Talbot arrived to try and ease some of the tension, offering to give Eric a tour of the house. Russell had some business "in town" to deal with, and went so far as to invite Godric along with him. Eric's maker politely refused, insisting that he was in need of rest. Though my blood and light had aided in his recovery, he did still look a little weak. I hoped it would pass soon.

Hadley retired to the Queen's room while Godric went to ours, and Russell left the manor.

I spared a final look for Eric before I followed Sophie-Ann through the house. We ended up in the back yard, where there was a large pool surrounded by an even larger yard. I had to wonder just how much land was on Russell's property.

"Sit, fairy," Sophie-Ann suggested, motioning to a small poolside table.

I sat across from her, pursing my lips. "So, you haven't forgotten about my abilities, then?" I wondered.

Sophie-Ann stared back at me. "I have not."

"But you're not going to tell Russell." It wasn't a question.

"Russell Edgington is a vile, toad of a man, who loves nothing more than his sickening collection," Sophie-Ann stated with derision.

"And yet, you married him," I pointed out.

"I had little choice in the matter," the Queen informed me. "There was no other way for me to get what I wanted."

I scoffed at that. "Which was me."

"Among other things," Sophie-Ann replied. "If I had it my way, your bond with the Viking would be null, and I would keep you all for myself."

I tensed at that, clenching my fist on the table.

Sophie-Ann's eyes followed the movement, and in her mind's eye, I saw her recollection of the attack at Godric's Quebec home. I sensed her apprehension at the memory of my abilities. "However, circumstances being what they are, it seems that we have both bitten off more than we can chew." She met my eyes again, steady and strong.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Russell Edgington, while ridiculous and full of himself, is not as stupid as I would have hoped," Sophie-Ann began. "He can already tell there is something different about you, far beyond telepathic abilities. He might not know what it is yet, but he'll soon figure it out. When that happens, he will not only punish me for lying to him, but he will waste no time in claiming you as his." She sneered at the idea, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"Even if he tried, we both know I could stop him." I clenched and released my fist, allowing a flair of golden energy to emerge briefly before pulling it back in.

Sophie-Ann watched the movement with equal parts fascination and fear. "Don't be stupid, Miss Stackhouse. Your light tricks might have worked against myself and Compton, but Russell Edgington is three-thousand years old. His home is protected by vampires at night, and wolves during the day. Even if you could stop him, a dozen more would take his place. You and your vampires would never make it out of here alive."

I sat in silence for a moment, thinking over her words. I wanted to believe that she was wrong, but there was logic to her words. On instinct, I looked around us, wanting to be sure that we weren't overheard by the guards that Sophie-Ann was talking about. There weren't any by the pool, but there were a couple on the roof corners. With work, I peered into their minds, checking to see if they'd noticed anything amiss. They hadn't. I sighed with relief, turning my attention back to Sophie-Ann. She was regarding me with an amused expression, and I wondered briefly if she knew I'd been reading the vampires' minds. "Okay, I get it. We're in a tough situation. Why should I trust you any more than Russell?"

"Because Russell isn't the one about to offer you the deal of a lifetime. You might have fooled Russell into thinking you were compliant, but I know better. I know you don't want to be here, and if you'd used your powers back in New Orleans, you probably would have escaped. Your Viking told you not to, that much is obvious. Whatever you're doing here, he has a plan. But, so do I. You remember Andre?"

I nodded quickly, remembering the large vampire who'd gone after Godric in Quebec.

"He and a dozen of my loyal subjects are prepared to besiege Russell's home and put and end to this madness. They will do so at my signal. When that time comes, my darling little fairy, you and your vampires will kill Russell Edgington." There was no trace of deceit in her face, or her mind. This wasn't a trap.

"And what's in it for me if we do?" I had to ask.

Sophie-Ann sighed. "I will release you to your Viking," she relented. "You will not have to be mine, but you will provide your services to me when I require them."

I narrowed my eyes. This sounded too good to be true. "How often would you require them?"

"Twice a week," the Queen replied immediately.

I scoffed at that, snorting at the absurdity. "I'm not gonna haul my butt to New Orleans twice a week. Try once a month."

She stared back a me. "Two weekends out of every month, and any large ceremonies or summit meetings. Final offer. Take it, or I tell Russell your Viking is a traitor."

I considered my options, wondering what Eric would think of all this. He would probably tell me not to do it, that he would think of some other way to get us all out of this. Maybe he could ... but I couldn't take the risk. Not with his or Godric's lives on the line. "Fine. Deal." I extended my hand for her to shake.

She smirked at it, staring at me levelly. "That's not how vampires make a pact."

I blinked, pulling my hand back. "How, then?"

She reached under her dress and pulled a small, metal dagger from a sheath on her thigh. "You must swear it in blood."

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End of chapter twenty-six.

Well, what did you guys think of that one? Like it, hate it?

Reviews are appreciated, flame if you must, but constructive criticism is much more useful.

Until next time ...!