A/N: This chapter takes place two weeks after the end of Chapter 25. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter (especially the flashback). I'd like to thank everyone that reviewed the last chapter: persnikitty5, Jamille Shane, Maverick37, CENAORTONFAN69, PerfectLover, PeaceLoveandLife, Firefly-class, MINAH25. I love reading the reviews, they let me know that people are still reading and enjoying the story.

Daly Ranch in New Mexico

Theresa walked into the oversized gourmet kitchen. It was the central hub of the 12,500 square foot Daly Ranch. Stefan and his wife, Andrea, were the stewards of the family homestead. Saoirse oversaw the construction of the home in 1965. Although the palatial pad had undergone several renovations over the years it still stood in the same foot print and many of the matriarch's original design choices remained intact.

The Daly Ranch wasn't just a name. It was a working ranch that turned a profit for the family. The home stood on 1,000 acres of land that was used for livestock and farming. Thirty years ago Stefan acquired the land adjacent to their property and cultivated a thriving apple orchard.

A few fishing ponds dotted the landscape and a local river ran through the property even in the dry season. Several guest cottages and staff housing were scattered throughout the property.

The home was rarely empty as Stefan, Andrea, Calliope, and her husband, Anthony, lived in the home full-time. Stefan's two sons, Connor and Nicholas, lived on the ranch with their families as well. And just a few short months ago Calliope's daughter, Regina, moved back to the ranch with her children after a particularly nasty divorce.

A number of Saoirse's grandchildren and great-grandchildren called the ranch home at various times. The place was always full of life and family. It was truly the embodiment of her dream.

Theresa stood at the breakfast bar and made a cup of coffee. She'd been up since 6:00 in the morning and had only netted two hours of sleep. She was hoping the black coffee would jolt her awake or at least keep her from passing out from exhaustion. She glanced across the room and spotted Tara, Regina, and Sookie sitting in the great room just off the kitchen.

All three women seemed to be enthralled by something on Tara's iPad and hadn't noticed her presence yet.

Rosemary walked into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee for herself. She took a sip and followed Theresa's gaze. "You are going to have to talk to her eventually, Theresa. This has gone on long enough."

The younger woman shook her head. "She is furious with me and rightfully so. I knew how she felt about Alcide and I went there anyway. I gave no explanation and worse…I was a total bitch accusing her of being interested in Alcide."

Rosemary leaned against the counter with her cup of coffee. "Well, you could have talked it out with her instead of getting defensive. However, you weren't doing it to be despicable, Theresa. I know that you had Tara's best interest at heart."

"Well, she doesn't know that," Theresa quipped. The temperature between the sisters had been ice cold since that night. She didn't expect a thaw to be forthcoming. Not many people knew the cause but they could see the change.

Rosemary rolled her eyes and said, "Well, you need to bite the bullet and approach her. The longer you hide from this the bigger the rift will become between the two of you. Fix it, Tessa, or I will get involved. No one really wants that."

Theresa cut her eyes at Rosemary. She was in no mood for her cousin to stick her nose where it didn't belong. "I am scared of pushing her away, Rosemary. She is new to this family. The last thing I want to do is make her feel like she can't be a part of this. She needs us. More than she knows."

"I know that you are worried but letting this friction remain doesn't guarantee that she will stick around. In fact it is more likely that she'll return to Louisiana and never look back. You are the older sister in the situation so it is your responsibility to make this right. So sack up and get in there."

Theresa laughed and repeated, "Sack up?"

Rosemary smirked, "What is confusing about the phrase? Stop being a fucking coward and go talk to your sister."

The younger woman sighed heavily and took another sip from the cup of coffee. "I probably should have put whiskey in my coffee if I am going to walk into the lion's den."

Rosemary lightly nudged Theresa with her elbow. "Go on. I'll putter around the kitchen and pretend to be busy. If it looks like things are getting out of hand I'll come in and break things up."

Theresa frowned at Rosemary but took her cup of coffee into the great room. She had a seat next across from Tara and said, "Tara, we need to talk. Alone. Regina and Sookie, could you give the two of us some privacy?'

Regina quirked a curious eyebrow but didn't question Theresa. She smiled at Sookie and said, "You should let me give you a tour of the library. We have some great family albums in there that I think you'd find interesting. We have several pictures of Eric's maker, Godric. I understand you were with him in the end."

Sookie glanced at Tara questioningly. She'd tried to get Tara to open up to her a week ago. However, she hadn't gotten anywhere with her tight lipped best friend.

Tara nodded at Sookie and said, "I'll catch up with you in a few minutes, Sookie."

The blond lightly squeezed Tara's shoulder in support and followed Regina out of the room. She was rather curious about Tara's unique family history.

Theresa said, "I hate that we are on the outs. I know that I haven't been part of your life for very long but I do love you. I just wish you'd let me explain the situation with Alcide before you write me off completely."

Tara looked up from her iPad and quirked an eyebrow at Theresa. "You are my sister, Theresa. I've never had one of those before. I don't really know how this whole sisterly relationship is supposed to work, but I have to admit…I kind of like being someone's little sister. I'm upset but I'm not just going to end our relationship. Family is family, even when they do really shitty things. I didn't write off my abusive mother. I think you and I can survive this. I love you too."

The older woman was relieved and the tension in her body sort of melted away. She settled back into the chair and said, "Well, that is good to hear. I was starting to get a little worried. You have been giving me the silent treatment unless Uncle Stefan asks you to communicate with me."

"I was pissed at you the night it happened because you were out of contact. With everything that was going on that night it was just irresponsible. I was so worried that something had happened to you, Theresa. I'm really used to being disappointed in life and…I guess I keep waiting to wake up and realize this great new life I have was one big dream. But you were partially right…I didn't like that you slept with Alcide. I was jealous and I don't even know why. I'm in love with Eric. He's all I want. He's all I've ever wanted since I started dating him. As much as I care about Alcide. Hell, I love him as a friend, but I'm not in love with him and never could be."

Theresa said, "It is a natural occurrence. You are attracted to Alcide. Who wouldn't be? I mean, he's a solid wall of man with a good heart. He cares about you and your kids. And let's face it…no matter how much you love Eric, he isn't the type that is going to give you everything you need emotionally."

Tara didn't comment but Theresa had hit the head on the nail with little effort. During her pregnancy Alcide had been a great help and a constant companion. He was able to provide comfort and emotional support that Eric wasn't willing to give her. However, things had slowly began to change since the twins were born. Eric was incrementally softening around Tara and the babies. However, that connection with Alcide had already been established and she was unclear how to sever it. "I would never cheat on Eric…"

"I know that you wouldn't want to but life is full of twists and turns and mistakes. You were going to make one of those mistakes and I couldn't let you go through that. I was just trying to protect you from yourself. I know how much you love Eric. The last thing you'd ever want to do was lose him because of cloudy feelings you have for Alcide," said Theresa.

Tara sat up on the couch a little more. Theresa definitely had her attention now. "What do you mean protect me from myself?"

"I had a premonition that you cheated on Eric with Alcide," said Theresa.

The younger woman quirked a skeptical eyebrow at Theresa. "You had sex with him so that I wouldn't? How'd you know that it would work?"

Theresa explained, "When you try to change part of a premonition you change all of it. You never really know what the consequences might be but you have to hope that the situation plays out better than it would have. It wasn't the first time I'd had that premonition about you and Alcide…it was just the most detailed. You were comforting him. I am assuming over losing Debbie. I made sure that you were occupied with Eric and I went to his house that night to seduce him. I knew you'd be furious with both of us and you wouldn't be interested in having sex with him."

Tara stood up from the couch in shock and walked over to the fireplace. Truth be told, she'd had every intention of going over to Alcide's house the next morning to check on him. She was worried about how he was taking Debbie's death. A shiver went down her spine thinking about what could have happened. "Why couldn't you just tell me that?"

"I didn't think you'd take the premonition seriously. You were denying your feelings for Alcide to everyone…even yourself. But it is plain as day that you care about him a great deal. More importantly you are insanely attracted to him. We let you drug him because we knew you could use his attraction to you against him. The downside is that the two of you nearly kissed and…"

Tara sighed, "I was all twisted up about it. I hated the idea of hurting Alcide. I just wanted to make him feel better. He deserves some happiness after all of the pain he's been through because of Debbie. And you are right. If Uncle Stefan hadn't showed up to the house that night…I would have gone over to Alcide's house first thing in the morning. Why didn't you say that when I confronted you? Why'd you have to be such a bitch?"

The older woman frowned and replied, "Well, I felt guilty. I seduced Alcide for your benefit, but I'm not blind and I am a long way from frigid. I enjoyed it. You aren't the only one attracted to the werewolf. It is rare to find a truly good man. One that understands what it means to not be human. We've been texting each other since I've been here."

Tara nodded slightly, "I already know. Alex ratted you out. He wanted to know if I wanted him to shut that situation down. I considered it."

Theresa said, "Listen, you are my baby sister and I am not going to let a man come between that. Not even a man that is built like a Greek God and is hung like a horse."

Tara burst into laughter. "That was too much fucking information. He still works for Eric. I will have to see him on a regular basis. I can't be thinking about the size of his package. Not that Eric is lacking anything in that department."

Theresa started laughing and gestured to a spot on her leg. "I'm just saying it stops about there. Never saw anything like it in my life."

Stefan walked into the room and was pleased to see his nieces laughing and talking. "What is it that you've never seen before?"

Tara bit her lip to keep from bursting into laughter all over again. "Yeah, Theresa, what is it that you were talking about?"

Theresa cleared her throat and as her eyes watered from laughing so hard. She shook her head and said, "I, uh, I can't rightly recall at the moment. I think Rosemary is calling me."

Tara gave up on holding back her laughter as Theresa made a mad dash for the kitchen.

Stefan quirked an eyebrow as Theresa ran from the room. He looked back at Tara and shook his head. "Something tells me I don't want to know."

She shook her head. "I'm afraid that you really don't. Were you looking for either of us?"

Stefan said, "No, I was actually looking for Pam. I wanted to have a word with her."

Tara gave him a curious look but said, "I'm sure that she's with Alex. He made it here a little after sundown."

"Ah, I believe I know where to look then. Thank you, dear," said Stefan.

Tara smiled at him and then headed to the family library. She was interested in the pictures that Regina mentioned.

Sookie looked up when Tara entered the room. "You've got to see this picture, Tara."

She glanced at the picture and paused for a moment. There was Eric looking as if he hadn't aged a day. The only discernible difference was his longer hair in the picture. He was standing next to a woman she'd come to learn was her grandmother Saoirse and a pale looking younger man.

Sookie said, "That's Godric, Eric's maker."

Regina said, "He's the one that made Daly Ranch possible. Our family wouldn't have made it to this country without him."

Tara's aunt, Calliope, was seated in an arm chair with another album on her lap. "Godric was part of my life for longer than I can remember. When my mother told me it was over between the two of them I was…hurt."

Tara had a seat on the arm of the chair to get a closer look at the picture she was looking at. "Uncle Stefan said their relationship ended because she wouldn't become a vampire…"

Calliope nodded and said, "She was steadily getting older and Godric was frozen in time. My mother had long ago made peace with her mortality. She wasn't willing to give up her humanity to become a vampire. Even if it meant an eternity with Godric."

Regina asked, "Are you going to let Eric turn you?"

Sookie perked up at the question because it was something she was interested in knowing. She knew that before the twins were born Tara had mentioned the idea of Eric turning her. However, becoming a mother had made some definite changes in her best friend.

Calliope tsked at her daughter and said, "Regina, stop being so intrusive. Tara, you do not have to answer that question. It is a very personal decision. I understood why my mother didn't become vampire. However, there are times I wish that she had. I think her life would have been much happier. She was never with anyone else after her relationship with Godric ended."

Tara shook her head slightly. "I don't mind answering the question. I know that I'd like to be turned. I love Eric and the opportunity to spend hundreds of years with is…"

Calliope smiled seeing the way Tara's face lit up when she spoke of Eric. "It would seem that you've already made your decision."

"If the Vampire Rights' Amendment passes I want Eric to turn me."

Sookie blinked and said, "We'll know the answer to that in a couple days."

5 months ago…

Tara sat out on the steps of Sookie's house feeling restless. That was her normal state these days. She wasn't thrilled to be back in Bon Temps. However, there was really nowhere else for the young woman to go. She needed her family more than anything right now.

It wasn't that being in Bon Temps was all that bad. The sleepy town she'd grown up in was always going to be her home. However, she couldn't help thinking about the life she left behind when she'd fled Shreveport months ago.

Sookie stood behind her with two bowls of ice cream in hand. She said, "You've been moping for the last week. Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Tara turned her head and gave a small smile. Sookie knew her better than anyone in the world and it wasn't just because she was a telepath. "Butter pecan ice cream?" asked Tara in a hopeful voice.

Sookie nodded with a smile, "Butter pecan can make anything just a little better. Do you want your bowl?"

"You know the answer to that."

The blond joined Tara on the top step. She had a seat and asked, "So…out with it. What's got you so down in the dumps?"

Tara ate a couple spoonfuls of ice cream. It was refreshing on such a balmy summer night. "I don't know…I guess I've been thinking about Eric since I've been back home."

"Why haven't you called him or went to see him at Fangtasia? It isn't as if you don't know where he is every night after sundown."

"Because he probably wants to kill me. Eric, compromised a lot to make me happy in our relationship. I repaid him by running off without so much as a word. Trust me when I say it is better he doesn't know I am here," said Tara. She moved her spoon around in the bowl trying to make the ice cream melt more.

Sookie put an arm around Tara's shoulders. "You never did tell me why you took off the way you did, Tara. Lafayette and I were worried. We didn't know what to think and Sam wouldn't tell us a thing."

Tara chuckled sadly, "You know that I am a self-sabotager. I don't think that I should have anything good in life and I always find a way screw it all up. Doesn't help that Eric is absolutely fucking insane."

"Self-sabotage? How do you mean?" asked Sookie, her brows knitted together in concern for her downtrodden friend. She ate a little of her ice cream and gave Tara time to organize her thoughts. She could tell it was eating at Tara.

Tara blew out a long tired breath and leaned her head against the banister. "I betrayed Eric. I was too scared to tell him about what I'd done. That part is my fault. I devolved into fucking Lettie Mae and didn't pull back until it was too late. Now I'm going to be alone just like Lettie Mae's sad ass. Or maybe I will just go crazy like Ruby Jean and Lafayette can book me a room next to hers."

Sookie's curiosity was piqued by Tara's explanation. She didn't know what part to tackle first. "How did you betray Eric?"

"I'd rather not say, Sookie. I just did in a big way and I hate myself for it. I was finally happy. I mean really happy and I fucked it all to hell. I can't change it…so there's no reason to talk about it," Tara said.

Sookie knew Tara well enough to read between the lines. She was politely telling Sookie to back off and it wasn't any of her business. "I forgave Bill for everything that happened in Jackson. I know for a fact that Eric cares about you. You should have seen the way he carried on the night you left. I thought he was going to kill Bill for information on you."

Tara gratefully slurped the now softened ice cream from her spoon. "That is the second part. Eric is…he has this intensity that always scared the hell out of me. In the right context it made me feel more beautiful and desirable than I've ever felt in my entire lie. On the other hand that intensity can be scary when it is violent, controlling, possessive, and jealous. There comes a time when the hands that hold you and comfort you one night are the ones that hurt you the next."

Sookie set her bowl beside her and looked at Tara with disbelieving eyes. "He didn't? I mean I know vampires can be...Tara. Oh, God. I-I- I never knew. I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry, Sook?" asked Tara.

"I should have known. You shouldn't have had to go through that alone. You shouldn't have had to leave Louisiana to get away from that," said Sookie.

"You didn't know because I never said. I didn't want anyone to know. I was embarrassed that I let him hurt me. It was bad. I was even more embarrassed that I stayed so long after that. I mean I'm a fucking feminist. I always thought…the first time a man hit me I'd be out the door or in a prison cell because I killed him. Instead I stayed because I loved him and other than that night I was happy, but I was scared too. I was scared of what would happen if I ever pissed him off that much again."

Sookie's eyes began to water hearing the private hell Tara had been through. A fat lot of good her telepathy did her in that situation. "How bad was it?"

She shook her head and blinked away tears. "I don't want to rehash that night, Sook. It was bad and it wasn't all his fault. I provoked him."

"Don't do that to yourself. Battered women say things like that all the time and it just isn't true," Sookie said.

"I don't mean I made his dinner wrong or I disrespected him. I mean that I physically attacked him first. I went after him like I'd lost my mind. I hit him…more than once. I was so angry and hurt. Most of all I was incredibly jealous. I'm not saying that it was all my fault because it wasn't. He didn't have to do what he did. Eric could have restrained me easily without…"

"At least I understand why you left the way that you did. Who could blame you? I mean you were scared of a repeat performance."

Tara swallowed nervously and in a quiet voice said, "I was scared that he might kill me but I was more scared of what I'd do. I was petrified that if he didn't kill me that I'd stay with him no matter what he did to me. I couldn't have been in Shreveport or Bon Temps and resisted him. Eric was like…a drug. If he would have come for me…I know in my heart that I would have forgiven him. I would have gone back. I had to go away to get him out of my system."

Sookie looked at Tara closely and asked, "Are you sure that he's out of your system now?"

Tara looked up hearing a cell phone ringing. She smiled sadly and looked at Sookie. "That's not my phone."

Sookie sighed and looked at her phone. "This is Bill. This won't take long."

Tara nodded slightly. She set her bowl on the stairs and walked off the porch to give Sookie privacy. Tara ambled around the Stackhouse property feeling restless and more than a little sad. She missed Eric.

Sookie walked up behind Tara and said, "I need to go. Bill said that some vampires kidnapped Jessica and he just got her back. She's in bad shape. She needs blood and well…"

Tara nodded and said, "Go on, Sook, Jessica and Bill need you. I'll be fine here on my own. I'm tired. I think I am going to go to bed for the night anyway. I really hope Jessica is okay."

Sookie gave her a hug and said, "I'll be back after dawn."

Tara leaned against the tree and watch Sookie run back to the house to gather whatever she'd need to go to Bill's house. Soon the blond waitress was climbing into her little yellow car and speeding off toward the Compton residence.

Tara walked back to the house and collected the bowls of melted ice cream. She locked up the house and rinsed the bowls out in the kitchen sink.

Tara was grateful to have some alone time with her own thoughts as she made the short trip up to her bedroom. She flopped back on her bed and closed her eyes tiredly.

Eric walked around the side of the Stackhouse home. He glanced at the home that looked as if it could use more than a few repairs. He never understood why Bill didn't just give Sookie the money to fix the house. However, knowing the strong-willed Stackhouse woman it was likely she'd turn down the offer on principle.

In the past her principles had annoyed and confounded Eric at every turn. However, there was something special about her and it wasn't just that she was a faerie. The people she drew to her stood as a testament to her uniqueness. Eric had always been baffled by one of those people, Tara Thornton.

At first he didn't understand how someone as jaded and angry as Tara could have ever forged such a bond with Sookie. The young women had little in common from what he could see. And yet they were extremely dedicated to one another.

It took Tara explaining that Sookie, Jason, and Gran had been her safe place to run as a child. They'd shielded her from as much of Lettie Mae's insanity as they could. In return Tara was a fiercely loyal friend that came to Sookie's aid whenever the oddball girl was bullied in school. They both needed one another as children. And even now there was no one they trusted more.

Earlier, Eric had attempted to seem unaffected by Bill's news that Tara was back in Bon Temps. Over the last few months the Viking had tried hard to forget about Tara. He tried to stop feeling the connection he shared with the human.

However, here he was standing outside the house where she was living for the time being. He could feel the relatively slow pace of her beating heart and knew that she was nearly asleep. His eyes flickered shut for a moment relishing the relative closeness he felt with Tara being only a dozen or so feet away. Against his better judgment Eric flew up to the second story and hovered near Tara's old bedroom window. He assumed that she was in the same room.

Eric needed to see her face if only for a few seconds. Then he'd be able to walk away from her for good. At least that is what he'd convinced himself of.

He was glad that it was a particularly humid summer. The inhospitable weather had prompted Tara to leave her bedroom window wide open in hopes of catching a stray breeze.

Eric was also feeling rather grateful that Sookie had never found the occasion to rescind his invitation to her house. He slipped into the window without making a sound.

As soon as he was in the room his gaze was drawn to Tara fast asleep in the twin size guest bed. They'd had many a lascivious late nights in this room, each one more scintillating than the last.

It was made even better knowing they had a casual audience in Sookie and Bill. He remembered teasing Tara about harboring a possible exhibitionist streak. Much to his amusement Tara had become flustered and denied any inclination. However, her quickened pulse had revealed the truth.

He quietly approached the bed and scrutinized her sleeping face. She was still as radiant as the last time he'd laid eyes on her. He was happy to see that she was alone. Whatever man he'd witnessed her interacting with must have been long gone.

Tara shifted in the bed and flipped from her side onto her back. It would seem that she was still a restless sleeper.

Eric found himself wishing that she'd open her eyes so that he could see those dark brown orbs that had once drawn him in like a moth to a flame, but he knew better. If Tara was to wake up now she'd revoke his invitation to Sookie's house and he'd never be able to visit Tara like this again.

Instead he lowered her his head and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. With that he quickly left the same way he'd come in.

Pam was standing outside with her arms crossed over her chest. "Did she see you?"

Eric shook his head. "No."

"Why not? What was the point of coming here if not to talk to her?" asked Pam.

She'd grown tired of his infatuation with the little blood bag and his ensuing depression. To be brutally honest she wanted to kill the bitch and toss her in an unmarked grave. Tara's little disappearing act had wrecked Eric and she'd just spent months trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Eric said, "I am going to respect her wishes. Tara does not want to see me. We should go, Pamela."

Pam shook her head in disapproval as Eric vamp sped away from the house. She glanced up at the open window. "Yeah, cause that's going to last…

Eric Northman's house in Shreveport

Paolo, Bill, and Alcide sat patiently in Eric's office. The men had taken up residence there for the last two weeks as they worked out how to bring Nan to her knees. Much to their chagrin the blond bitch was safely ensconced at the Authority's Headquarters. Eric assumed it was because of her botched attempt to go after Tara's twins and Jessica.

Since the night of the attempted kidnappings Nan had been relegated to coordinating last minute campaigning issues from within the fortress that was HQ. She'd conducted dozens of green screen interviews with pundits from all of the major cable news networks. It looked as if this final push was working and that the VRA would pass.

However, tomorrow tonight she'd have to leave the safety of the compound to attend the highly publicized Tolerance Rally in Shreveport. She was slated to be the keynote speaker along with Bill and Eric. All of the major news networks were sending crews to film the rally. There was no way she'd be able to avoid coming out of hiding. The Authority wouldn't allow it. The rally was too important to the mainstreaming agenda for it to be shepherded by anyone other than Na Flanagan. She might have been a heartless bitch but she was a masterful spin doctor.

Tomorrow night would be their best shot at taking Nan out. Eric had called this meeting to finalize their plans for after the rally. There could be no mistakes. Nan was a chancellor for the Authority. If their part in her demise was discovered they'd be facing the true death. Bill and Alcide had been instrumental in helping Eric pull the pieces of the puzzle together. Paolo had been helpful to a lesser degree.

Eric walked into the office and closed the door behind him. He walked over to his desk and had a seat. "The weapons are set for tomorrow night and they have been stowed away at the convention center for easy access. We'll have everything we need to take out Nan. I talked to my friend in the police department. He'll keep his men away from our rendezvous point."

Alcide stood up and rolled out the blue prints for the convention center. He cleared his throat. "The marked exits are the ones being used for the crowd. It's doubtful that she'll take any of those. The two in the back are the best targets. My idea is that we make sure she leaves out of the door we want her to. Pick a door and I'll sabotage the other one."

Bill nodded slightly and said, "That's easy enough. That exit on the left opens into an alleyway. When I went there for sound check tonight I didn't see any other buildings with a direct view into that alley and there aren't any cameras."

Paolo shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He saw that Eric was looking directly at him. He didn't know if it was his own paranoia or not but it felt like Eric had been watching him intently since the night of the kidnappings. He had been greeted with a litany of questions from Eric when he returned from Baton Rouge. He tipped Nan off that Eric might be on to them. It was for that reason that she had all but barricaded herself at HQ. "Humans…"

Eric quirked an eyebrow and relaxed against the leather desk chair. "What about the humans?"

"They've been playing candid camera all over the city as the election gets closer. They are trying to get vampires on film behaving badly to derail the VRA," said Paolo.

The blond grew impatient and asked, "And your point is?"

Paolo cleared his throat. Eric's mood was keeping Paolo on edge. His intuition was tingling. "We can't account for humans and smart phones. They'll be leaving the convention center. Anyone could see anything and worse yet they could get it on camera. It doesn't matter what lie we feed the Authority if someone gets video."

Bill grimaced and shifted in his seat. "He has a point. If a human gets that on video we are all as good as dead. The Authority will take all of us out on sight. There will be no hiding from them."

"If you can't make a move on her outside than do it inside. Nan will have to use the stairwell to get to the exit we want her to use. It'll be a killbox. No one in and no out of the stairwell. There aren't any security cameras in the stairwells or by the entrances. We can control who goes in and who gets to come back out," Alcide pitched.

He was generally a peaceable man but this rancid bitch had gone after Tara's babies and that wasn't something he'd stand by for. Alcide had talked to Tara a few times since she'd been gone. He'd given her his word that he'd protect Eric the same way he protected her. Alcide wasn't interested in breaking his promise to her.

Eric nodded with a small smirk on his face. He was amused by the intensity Alcide was showing. It would serve them well tomorrow night. "I like that idea. That means we get Nan and her security team in the stairwell at the same time and we kill them all. Then we blame it on the humans."

Paolo had a dumbfounded expression on his face. "We're going to blame it on the humans? Why not rogue vampires? It would be an easy enough sell with everything going on."

"The humans are the perfect scapegoats in this situation. We can't have it seem like there is infighting between vampires. That decreases stability and makes politicians get antsy. The power the Authority wields over vampires is the only reason they are even considering the VRA. They believe that the chancellors can keep us in line. That security blanket gets snatched away if they learn that vampires are responsible for massacring a chancellor and her security team. If we stage it as an attack by the humans the bitch will be hailed as a martyr for the movement. She died because of violent human prejudice. That should play well in the news," Eric explained.

Alcide said, "That is where the pack comes in. Most of the problem werewolves were eliminated the night that Marcus' house went up in flames. Since then the pack has been taken over by V freaks but no real packmaster has stepped up."

This was a beneficial deal for Alcide as well as Eric. He needed the V users out of the pack if he was going to step up to be the Alpha they needed him to be. They were floundering without someone at the helm. Marcus might have been a son of a bitch but at least he kept them off of V. Most of the bad eggs weren't even local. They were guys from his Jackson pack that moved south after Debbie went missing and was later determined to be deceased when the police finally finished identifying the bodies at what was left of Marcus Bozeman's house.

Eric grinned and said, "And I've made them an offer that they are too stupid to resist. I've agreed to give them a truly impressive amount of V in return for showing up at the convention center that night. We'll kill them when we kill Nan. It'll look like we killed them to defend and then avenge Nan."

Alcide nodded in agreement.

Paolo asked, "What should I do? I feel like I haven't really helped much with the execution of the plan. You know that you can count on me, Eric."

The Viking gave an unsettling smile. "Paolo, you are going to be the lynchpin in the whole plan. I need you to be lookout. No one can come in or out of that stairwell. It's up to you to make sure the door at the top of the stairs remains secure."

Bill smirked at Eric's statement but kept his thoughts to himself.

"I won't let you down, Eric," Paolo promised.

Eric glanced at Bill and tipped his head slightly before shifting his gaze to the laptop in front of him. He had several e-mails in his inbox from his lawyer. There were a lot of changes to be made. Chief among them was making Tara the sole owner of his home. It was a necessary evil to keep her safe. A vampire wouldn't be able to enter the home without an invitation.

Bill said, "The sooner we get this taken care of the sooner the girls can come back home. Although, Jessica seems to be enjoying her time away. She keeps sending me pictures. She expects me to comment on all of them. Luckily, Sookie has been keeping an eye on her so that she doesn't post them on Facebook."

Paolo perked up hearing Bill talk about Jessica sending him pictures. "I'd imagine she's having a good time. You know, being a young vamp…I bet she's never been out of Louisiana before."

"This would be only her third time leaving Louisiana, but she's an excitable girl. Everything is amazing to her at this stage," said Bill, he smiled thinking about how far his progeny had come in the last couple years.

"Eric, have you heard from Pam?" asked Paolo. He relaxed as it seem the mood in the room had lightened.

The Viking nodded and said, "We've spoken. She is enjoying her time as well. Pam has done a truly impressive amount of shopping in Beverly Hills. Rodeo Drive didn't know what hit them. Jimmy Choo might as well be her knew residence."

Paolo smiled, "That definitely sounds like Pam. She's never met an expensive store she didn't like. Tara and the babies are okay too, right? I mean they're with Pam…"

"They're fine. Tara has been shopping just as much as Pam. I'm not sure where they intend to put all of these purchases when they return home. Tara has taken to buying Jax and Jade designer baby clothes. No doubt it is Pam's influence."

Bill nodded and said, "I believe Pam has had the same effect on Jessica. I'm sure I will have to send more money soon."

Paolo chuckled and said, "Women. Well, if you don't need anything else I am going to head to Fangtasia for the night. You know you can't leave Ginger alone for too long."

Eric nodded and waved him off, "Go ahead. I'll probably stop by there later on tonight. It feels like it has been awhile since I've spent the entire night at Fangtasia."

The younger vampire stood up and nodded in Eric's direction. "The humans will be thrilled to be graced with your presence, brother. They do miss fawning over you."

Bill chuckled and quipped, "I am sure Eric misses ignoring them."

Eric flashed a smirk and said, "Sweaty and disgusting. How they ever thought I'd be interested I'll never know. Just because I am a vampire doesn't mean I'll drink from anything."

A strange looked flickered behind Eric's eyes briefly. He missed feeding from Tara. Eric was depending on Tru Blood and donors in her absence but no one tasted the way she did. They were just poor substitutes.

Paolo noted the look on Eric's face but didn't make mention of it. He exited the office on his way to Fangtasia and to call Nan. She needed to be warned so that she could come up with a plan to avoid the trap Eric was setting for her. There was no way he could intervene on her behalf tomorrow night without Eric discovering his duplicity. In that case he'd be no help to anyone because Eric would kill him on the spot.

Alcide followed Paolo out of the office and watched until he was off of the property. He returned to Eric's office and closed the door. However, there was no need. They were the only ones left in the house.

The rest of the security team had been fired or murdered by Eric and he'd sent Greta on a vacation for her years of loyal service. The oversized home was eerily silent now with just Eric, Bill, Alcide, and Paolo.

Alcide nodded at Eric. "He's gone."

"Good," said Eric, he turned up the volume on his laptop and he pulled up a program.

Bill asked, "Did you see the way he lit up when you mentioned Rodeo Drive?"

Alcide added, "And he took off as soon as he got confirmation that they were all in the same place. He's definitely working for Nan Flanagan."

Eric shook his head and said, "We don't know that he's working for Nan, but we know that he is working for someone."

The Viking stood up from his desk and quietly paced the floor waiting for what was looking to be the inevitable. He couldn't fathom a situation where Paolo would betray him. Nan had to have powerful leverage over him.

Bill and Alcide glanced at one another. They'd never seen Eric be quite this sentimental with anyone other than Pam and Tara.

Moments later a crackling noise was heard from Eric's computer. It was followed by the sound of a phone ringing.

Bill quickly walked to the other side of Eric's desk and stared at the screen. Alcide was right on his heels. They'd suspected Paolo of being complicit with Nan since the night of the kidnappings but Eric refused to make a move without concrete proof. This wasn't something that he took lightly. Paolo was his brother and that meant something to him.

Nan answered the line. "What is it, Paolo? You better have a damn good reason for interrupting me. I am working on my speech for tomorrow night."

There was a pause on the line before Paolo said, "I am calling to save you from the true death. Do you have enough time to talk to me or would you like for that speech to be the last one you ever give?"

Nan went quiet and then asked, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I just left Eric. He was working on a plan with Bill and the werewolf. They are coming for you tomorrow night after the tolerance rally. They're planning to blame the attack on humans to the public and V addicted werewolves to the Authority. You and your guards will never make it out of the convention center."

Nan snapped angrily, "Why am I just hearing about this plot against me? If this is some sort of double cross, Paolo, I will string out your execution for weeks before I put you out of your misery!"

"I couldn't tell you about something I didn't have information on. Eric didn't ask me to help with the planning. He's been relying on Bill and Alcide because they have connections in Shreveport that I don't have. Alcide was able to get the blueprints for the venue from a friend in the parish clerk's office. Bill knows all of the logistics of the rally because your forced him to organize it. Eric has an in with the local police chief and he is going to get him to change the location of his officers after the rally to ensure there are no witnesses. I'll just be there for support," said Paolo.

"That simpering little bastard…he has the audacity come after me! Me?! I am a chancellor for the fucking Authority!" bellowed Nan.

Paolo boldly replied, "That isn't going to be of much help when Eric decapitates you in a stairwell tomorrow night. They've assigned me as lookout. I am supposed to ensure that no one goes in while they are killing you."

The chancellor sat in silence for a moment and then a smirk settled onto her angular features. "Well, since Mr. Northman likes surprises so much…I'll have something waiting for him in the stairwell. I need the entire plan so that I can set something up for him and Mr. Compton."

"I am already texting the information to you. What do you need me to do?" asked Paolo.

"You do exactly what Eric told you to do. You'll just be doing it for me. Make sure no one else comes into that stairwell. I'll take care of the pompous asshole," Nan promised.

"There is one more thing," said Paolo.

"What?" asked Nan, her voice highlighted her irritation but also a little fear. Bill and werewolves were easy enough to dispatch, but Eric was older, stronger, and faster than Nan and anyone that worked for her. If her counter attack was off even slightly Eric would surely kill her even if he was ultimately killed as well.

"I have a location on Eric and Bill's progenies and humans. Eric said that they've been shopping on Rodeo Drive," said Paolo.

"Beverly Hills? I suppose hiding in a crowded location is probably the best idea. Not to mention Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Los Angeles tend to be very vampire friendly. I'll get my people on it. We'll talk again later, Paolo. You're finally beginning to pull your weight," Nan said.

"Do you promise to hold up your end of our bargain, Nan?" asked Paolo.

"Of course."

The call ended abruptly and silence again filled Eric's office.

Bill looked at the older vampire waiting for him to speak. He knew that Eric had been silently hoping to be proven wrong. "What do we do?"

"We shift gears and stick with our original plan…the one we made in Paolo's absence. Nan thinks she has the playbook and will be caught completely off guard. We finish her cleanly and quietly so that the Authority is none the wiser."

Alcide asked, "What about Paolo?"

Eric shook his head. "Paolo isn't your concern. I will take care of my brother…"

The deadly glint in Eric's eyes would have been enough to send chills down any man's spine. There was a quiet determination in his response that spelled out just how personal Eric was taking this betrayal. Eric walked over to the fireplace and stared at the roaring fire. He considered what it would look like for Paolo to meet the sun.

Bill and Alcide took Eric's silent contemplation as their cue to leave him alone. The two men quietly exited the office and closed the doors behind them.

Eric heard the door close and walked over to his desk. He had a seat and pulled up an e-mail from Tara. His lips twitched into an involuntary smile seeing Jax and Jade dressed up in ridiculous jack-o-lantern onesies. Tara looked absolutely thrilled and he could just see Pam off to the side looking unamused by the scene.

He missed all four of them more than he was willing to admit. He was Eric Fucking Northman. He didn't miss anyone. Least of all infants in Halloween themed onesies.

Eric picked up his cell and called Tara. Their separation had taken a toll on her. He could hear the longing in her voice whenever they spoke. Every conversation ended with Eric promising to bring them home soon. If everything went to plan he'd be able to make good on that promise sooner rather than later.

He frowned deeply when the call went to voicemail. He thought briefly about leaving a message but ultimately decided to just end the call.

Daly Ranch in New Mexico

Pam sat on a bench with Sookie and watched with some amusement as Tara was knocked on her ass for what seemed to be the 20th time that night. Every night for the last two weeks Pam would sit and watch the Daly family's spirited training simulations. The room was an oversized gym that the family used on a regular basis. She was particularly interested in the equipment locker in the back that was stocked with several types of weapons. It didn't appear that Tara had graduated to that level in her training…yet.

There was no doubt that Tara was getting better and stronger with each passing day. However, she was still no match for some of the older, more experienced, and more powerful members of her family. Tonight she and Alex were paired together as sparring partners for their warm up.

Over the last two weeks Tara had met all of the Daly family. She was overwhelmed by the sense of family and love she received from these people that barely knew her. Tara was one of ten Daly grandchildren. However, each of her cousins had at least two children. Her first introduction was an oversized nighttime bar-b-cue hosted by Stefan. Rosemary had jokingly made nametags so that Tara could associate names with all of the new faces.

However, all of the new family in the world didn't stop her from missing Eric. Each day her fear for him increased tenfold. She wanted to go back to Shreveport and stand with him, but Pam wouldn't allow it. And as Tara well knew…the blond could be a formidable opponent when doing Eric's bidding. She glanced across the room and saw Pam keeping a close eye on her.

Jessica walked into the gym. It was her first time being in the room since their arrival to the Daly Ranch. Her presence had been requested by Stefan. Jessica was puzzled but gladly obliged. She had a seat next to Stefan and said, "This looks awesome."

Stefan smiled at her. "The fight hasn't even began, young lady."

Alex saw that Tara had become distracted and easily knocked her to the ground again. He yelled, "Get your head in the game and focus!"

Tara was stunned out of her thoughts and looked up seeing Alex offering her a hand. She smacked his hand away and hopped onto her feet. Thinking about Eric and Nan sparked something inside of Tara and she began to fight harder instead of merely sparring. She hit Alex with a roundhouse kick to the face. It was followed immediately by an upper cut to his chin and a right hook to his side.

The sudden shift in pace caught Alex off guard. All it took was a leg sweep and he was flat on his back with Tara's tennis shoe covered foot resting against his throat.

A few catcalls went up from some of the other members of the Daly family and there were more than a couple of chuckles.

Stefan smirked slightly and walked over to the pair. "I think we've had enough sparring for the night. Tara, that was a very nice take down."

Tara gave a sheepish smile and removed her foot from Alex's throat. She offered her brother a hand to help him off of the floor.

Alex batted her hand away and got to his feet on his own. He chuckled and said, "Nice move, baby sister. Perhaps you have some hidden depths."

"I'm sorry. I think I got a little distracted and didn't pull my punch."

"Well, you definitely caught me off guard. That blow to my kidney is going to leave a bruise. Where'd you learn the moves?" asked Alex.

"Sorry. I briefly did mixed martial arts," Tara explained.

Stefan shook his head. "There is no reason to apologize. This is what the learning process is all about. It's not just your powers that will keep you safe…it is also the fighting skills you learn here."

Alex put an arm around her shoulders. "You did good, kid. Real good."

Tara smiled slightly and nudged his injures side slightly. "Thanks."

Stefan turned toward the bench and said, "I asked Sookie, Pam, and Jessica to join us tonight for a reason. Humans are easy enough for us to pick off. However, other supernaturals present their own set of challenges. Just like all of you Tara will have to learn how to defend herself against the known and unknown. What do you ladies say?"

Sookie offered a bright smile and said, "I'd love to help out. Although…I have to warn you I'm not what you'd call consistent with my powers."

"Well, this might give you the opportunity to hone your own skills. It is my understanding that you are seeing a vampire as well. They are fiercely protective of their humans but they can't always be there. Having skills of your own might come in handy," Stefan ventured.

Sookie nodded slightly. She glanced at Jessica and asked, "Are you in?"

Jessica grinned like crazy. "Hell yeah!"

Pam had already joined the group as well.

Tara's eyes widened slightly. "I…I don't know about that. I mean what if someone gets hurt?"

Stefan said, "I've been doing this a very long time and I've never let anyone be seriously injured yet. I don't intend to start now."

She nodded slightly.

Stefan glanced at his grandson, Quinn, and said, "Go get the others…"

The younger man appeared to be in his mid 30's. He nodded at his grandfather and quickly exited the room.

"The others?" asked Tara.

"The thing about being supernatural is that it is hard to live in the human world. It is even harder to have a meaningful relationship with a human. They have no powers of their own and some unscrupulous individuals have tried to use our kind for ours. Finding another diviner would be the optimal solution. However, when that isn't possible…marrying another supernatural being is the next best option," Stefan explained.

"So, shifters and werewolves?" asked Tara.

The older man gave a warm smile and said, "You are new to the supernatural world. It is a lot bigger than you would imagine. Connor's wife, Irene, is a Siren. Nicholas' wife, Delilah, is a Banshee. Rosemary is married to a Werewolf. Ari is married to a Shapeshifter."

Tara blinked slightly in disbelief. "A siren and a banshee. I thought those were just mythological creatures. I never imagined that…"

Stefan interjected, "I'm assuming that you never imagined that Vampires, Werewolves, Faeries, and Shapeshifters were real either."

"Point taken. So is everyone married to a supe?"

"Not all of their spouses are supernatural. Some of your cousins have chosen to marry humans. However, they are trustworthy humans that we know would never betray this family's secret," Stefan explained.

The door to the gym opened and several people walked into the room. Tara recognized them from the family's bar-b-cue meet and greet a couple weeks ago.

Stefan nodded to his niece Rosemary and his son Connor before walking over to the bench to have a seat.

Rosemary, Connor, and Alexander moved to the center of the group so that everyone could see and hear them.

Connor said, "We are going to split up into three teams. Everyone on the same team gets an armband so that we can remember who is on what team. We are going to do this elementary school style. Each captain gets to select one team member at a time to keep it fair. Any questions?"

Rosemary gave a mischievous grin. "Well, I am going to go first. I choose Irene. Having a Siren on my team will be helpful."

The fiery redhead smirked and walked over to Rosemary's side. During her time in the Daly family she'd come to enjoy these simulations more than anything else. It was a chance to let go and work out any aggression you were harboring.

Connor chuckled and said, "You chose my wife before I could? You are going down. My first pick is Ari."

Alexander shook his head at the rivalry that was beginning to bubble over already. "I'll take Sookie. I've never seen a faerie in action. I can't wait."

They continued choosing people until everyone had been selected for a team. They took five minutes to work on strategy and then the fun began.

Stefan was pleased at what he saw from the bench. No one was pulling any punches. Bodies were thrown and tossed around the gym. Most important, Tara appeared to be giving as good as she got. She just might be prepared for what lay ahead.