A/N: Sorry for taking a while, but I've been busy. We last saw Bill trying to prevent Russell and Eric from killing him by offering up a secret about Seren.

Chapter 37

I

Russell stood in front of Bill. To ensure more privacy, they had adjourned to the basement of Fangtasia. Bill was attached to Eric's torture wheel by his wrists and he hung between two of the poles. It reminded Eric of how the Magister had restrained Pam. Only Russell, Bill, Eric and Seren were present. Pam, Talbot and Victor had stayed behind at Eric's home.

"Okay, Mr. Compton, I've indulged you by postponing the festivities," said Russell. "But, I would advise you to get to the point."

"Seren is a fairy," replied Bill.

"Oh, is that all?" chuckled Russell. "Seren, you little kidder, have you been hiding secrets from me?"

"It's true," insisted Bill. "I've tasted her."

"Of everything that you could have possibly come up with, that has to be the most ridiculous," said Russell.

"Her blood tastes like ambrosia. Why do you think that Eric wants to keep her?" replied Bill. "Ask him, Your Majesty. I would wager that she is only one that he feeds from anymore."

Russell glanced at Seren and Eric and turned back to Bill. "I would expect her blood to taste exotic. I tasted her years ago and found her blood to be quite palatable."

"She's a fairy hybrid. It's possible that her fairy traits have only recently started to manifest themselves," said Bill.

"Your Majesty, why are we even listening to him?" demanded Eric.

"Her blood will let you walk in the sunshine," said Bill. "Now, tell me that you aren't interested in what I have to say."

"Oh, that old myth," replied Russell. "Fairies have been gone for millennia. If they ever existed at all."

"The fact that she is a hybrid keeps her from being detected," said Bill.

Russell looked over at Seren and walked around her. He leaned in and sniffed her.

"You're awfully quiet, Pumpkin," said Russell.

"I'm only listening to Bill attempt to save his life by weaving such an elaborate lie," said Seren. "It's no secret that he hates me. That he has already tried to kill me. Maybe, this is his last attempt to finish me off before his own true death."

Russell ran his hand down Seren's curls and said, "Well, there's no accounting for taste, is there?"

Russell then turned back to Bill. "Don't you think that I would have noticed that I was raising a f*cking fairy in my midst?"

"Your Majesty, I-" began Bill.

But, Seren cut him off. "Bill does know a secret. One that is so dear to him that he would kill anyone to keep it hidden."

"Now, things are getting interesting," replied Russell. "Do tell, Pumpkin."

Bill pulled on his chains, "You little monster. I'll kill you."

Seren smirked, "See what I mean, Majesty."

"You've got everyone's attention," said Russell. "There's no secrets between friends, is there Bill?"

"There is a fairy," said Seren. "It just isn't me."

"Shut up!" hissed Bill.

"Mr. Compton, you are becoming a bore," said Russell.

"Bill is in love with her," said Seren.

"His little human?" asked Russell.

"Who's not exactly human, after all," replied Seren. "He's the one who has been guzzling all that delicious fairy blood. Why don't we see if he can walk in the sun?"

"How did you find out?" asked Russell.

"Queen Sophie-Anne's pet was Sookie's cousin. That was how the queen found out about Sookie in the first place," said Seren. "I interrogated Hadley."

"Now, who is fabricating lies?" said Bill.

Russell turned his eyes on Eric. "Why don't you know about this?"

"Because I didn't tell him, Majesty," replied Seren. "That piece of information was only for your ears. I had Franklin kill Hadley after I got what I wanted out of her."

"Ruthless as ever, Darlin," said Russell.

"A testament to your parenting skills, Majesty," replied Seren.

"You're both monsters," hissed Bill.

"Mr. Compton, I'm not going to warn you again about those insults," said Russell.

"Of course, you would believe the lies of that conniving pet over me," said Bill. "But, all you have to do is drink from her and you will find out the truth."

"No one is touching her," said Eric. "She belongs to me."

Seren studied Bill and said, "If I may, Your Majesty, I have a suggestion."

"I'm listening," replied Russell.

"I'm willing to prove Mr. Compton wrong. Bite me," said Seren. "But, my only stipulation is that Bill also drinks from me and he goes out into the sunshine afterwards."

Russell studied Bill and looked to Eric. "Fine. We wait for sunrise, then."

Russell turned away to make a phone call and Eric pulled Seren aside.

"Are you crazy?" he demanded. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm playing my hand to the finish, that's what I'm doing," said Seren. "And trust me, I'm not bluffing."

"They will drain you," said Eric.

"Your concern is very touching," replied Seren. "Or, are you worried that you would have to heal me by giving me your blood? It would be the third time. Are you scared that I might get inside your head for once?"

"They will know what you are," said Eric.

Seren searched his eyes. "I'm not a fairy. My blood won't let you walk in the sunshine. Whatever I am is something that won't fit into any neat, little category."

"I remember you telling me a long time ago that you were the next step in evolution," said Eric.

"Maybe, I am," replied Seren. "And I remember asking you if that scared you."

"I said that you were still edible," said Eric with a little smile.

"Don't be worried," replied Seren with a smile. "They are doing exactly what I want them to. Just be ready."

II

They waited for the sun to rise and Eric dragged Bill upstairs into the main bar of Fangtasia. He had looped a silver chain around his neck and Bill clutched at his neck as Eric propelled him to where Russell stood waiting.

Russell grabbed Bill by the hair and said, "You'll be going out first, just so you know."

He pushed Bill down in the seat next to Seren. Bill gazed at her with a glance of malice and Seren paused. She wondered for a moment why Bill was cooperating. He had to know that her hybrid fairy blood wouldn't protect a vampire against the sun for very long. Perhaps, he thought that he would be able to drain her quickly. She had a little surprise for him on that. She slowly put her hand on the table before Bill. When Bill dropped his fangs, she flinched and he couldn't stop a small smile from forming. Eric stood behind her and bared his fangs at Bill. But, the fact that Eric was powerless to stop him only seemed to increase the satisfaction that Bill got. He quickly grabbed Seren's wrist and bit into it deeply and as painfully as possible.

Seren gasped, "You bastard."

Russell moved in a flash and sat down beside Seren. He took her wrist and also quickly bit into it causing Seren to flinch again in pain.

Whatever animosity Bill had towards Seren seemed to have vanished as he greedily began to suck up her blood. His eyes closed and Seren flashed a quick look to Russell who also seemed equally enthralled by the experience.

As Eric gazed at the scene from behind Seren, he noticed that something was happening. Seren's skin seemed to become a different color and her fingers grew longer with sharper fingernails. As he started to walk around to the front, something began to happen to Bill and Russell. They both suddenly stopped feeding and turned and vomited black looking bile to the floor. They slipped out of their chairs and fell upon their hands and knees, retching violently.

Seren winked at Eric and he saw what she had morphed herself into. An elven face showed him a very sharp-toothed smile.

"Oh, did my blood leave a nasty taste in your mouth?" she asked.

Russell looked up with his hands wrapped around his middle. "What...what did you do?"

Seren changed back and got up from the table. She looked down at Bill and Russell and smiled.

"Hello? I'm a shifter," said Seren. "Don't you remember that I can become anything at all?"

Bill noisily retched and Seren added, "Elf's blood. Highly toxic to vampires. It's always amazing to me that elf's blood and fairy blood are so different. I mean, they are from the same family, aren't they?"

As Eric moved in a flash and wrapped both Russell and Bill in silver, Seren added, "It's a pity that it's not fatal."

"Pumpkin, I don't understand," said Russell.

"Oh, don't you?" asked Seren. "You kidnapped me and almost killed my mother. You really didn't think that I wasn't going to have some hard feelings about that, did you?"

Seren gave Russell a little smile. "Have you even noticed that my mother is gone?"

"You broke the bond," said Russell in surprise.

"It's a shame for you that you didn't notice that earlier," replied Seren.

"You treacherous little shifter," hissed Russell.

"I'm what you made me," replied Seren. "I took every lesson to heart."

Russell turned to Eric. "If she's convinced you to help her achieve her revenge, you'd better think twice, Viking."

Russell was interrupted from continuing because he doubled over and threw up.

"You're not in a position to threaten anyone," said Eric. "But, Seren isn't the only one who has a score to settle with you."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Russell.

"Of course, a little thing like the murder of a human family wouldn't be something that you would bother to remember," said Eric. "A thousand years ago you brought your wolves among the Vikings to murder a human family. My family. It seems you wanted my father's crown for your vast collection of useless shit."

Seren looked to Eric since he had never divulged the secret of his connection with Russell Edgington. This was something even more terrible than her own story. Maybe, Russell had stopped killing to attain what he wanted. Or, maybe, thought Seren, he was smart enough to realize that she would have never cooperated with him if he had killed her parents.

"So, the two of you have hatched this plan to get your revenge against me?" chuckled Russell. "And here I thought that it was a real love match between you two."

"Oh, you won't be laughing much longer," replied Eric.

"Throw them out in the sun," said Seren.

"Not yet," replied Eric.

"What? Why not?" demanded Seren.

Russell smiled and said to Seren, "Pumpkin, I think that your hero is starting to show his true colors. Did you really think that you could trust him?"

"Shut up," said Seren.

"Do you think that he'll just let you walk away after this is over?" asked Russell.

He studied Seren and gave her a gave her a condescending smile. "You actually thought that, didn't you? You think that he cares for you and will just let something as priceless as you go?"

"You forget that I'm not so easy to hold onto," replied Seren.

"It just takes the right leverage, Pumpkin," said Russell. "You've made the mistake of showing him your weaknesses."

Bill retched again and said, "Whatever is going on between you and Russell doesn't involve me. Let me go."

Seren gazed coldly at him. "But, you do have something to do with what's going on between you and me, Bill. And I'm not the forgiving type."

"She got that from me," said Russell.

Seren looked over to Eric and said, "We have him exactly where we want him, thanks to me. Why are you stalling?"

"First things first," replied Eric. "I've waited a very long time for my revenge and I can wait just a little longer."

Eric secured the silver chains holding Bill and Russell. He then took off the leather gloves and locked the front door.

"I want you to watch them until sunset," said Eric.

"I'm not staying here so you can take a nap," replied Seren.

"Ginger will be coming in later and they will glamour her in an instant," said Eric.

Seren turned away from him and muttered, "Fine."

Eric walked to the back and turned before disappearing to a daytime resting place.

"Do not stake them," he said.

"Whatever," muttered Seren.

As Eric disappeared, Seren moved to his chair and began reading a magazine. Her foot twitched and she was highly irritated. Why was she even listening to him, she thought. He was planning something and whatever it was, he had not told her. No matter what he said, they still had an issue of not trusting each other. Her thoughts were interrupted by Russell. Great, she thought, now she had to listen to him harass her all day.

"Pumpkin," he sang out.

"Don't bother me," replied Seren.

"He is under the impression that he's the one who gives all the orders," said Russell. "Are you so sure that you haven't exchanged one master for another?"

Seren sat in Eric's chair and wondered the same thing. But, Eric couldn't control her anymore. She could simply disappear to fairy land if she wanted to. With Russell out of the way, she would be completely free.

"Pumpkin," said Russell. "I will kill him for you."

"That still leaves me with you," replied Seren.

"We're family, Seren," said Russell.

"Hmmm, thanks for clearing that up for me," replied Seren. "Because, I was under the distinct impression that you considered me to be your possession."

"After three thousand years, I can't help but have a little bit of a God complex," said Russell. "But, you've shown me that you deserve to be treated as an equal. Give me that chance to make things right."

"You've had more than enough chances to make things right, Russell," said Seren.

Russell was silent for several minutes and asked, "Why did you help with removing The Authority?"

"Vampires without a governing body and leaderless are more vulnerable. Plus, humans will finally see you for what you are if you're not pretending to be something that you're not," replied Seren.

"Logical, I must admit," said Russell. "Did you share these reasons with your Viking?"

"Now, why would I do something like that?" replied Seren.

"Do I have to listen to the two of you all day?" complained Bill.

"Vamp up, Bill," said Seren. "Very soon, it will just be about me and you."