A/N: Erhmagehrd, I shat the last chapter out in such haste, I had to edit it lots because there were so many typos lol. I guess this is the danger of being in such a hurry to get it up and having no Beta. Again-much love to those returning to this story after such a long hiatus. I always knew I would come back to it and I always had you guys in the back of my mind. Having said that, start getting in line for me having all your guys' babies, because your comments make me happy and make me go on. I am so NOT begging for comments. No offense, but comment whores annoy me-mostly the ones that hold the story hostage until they get enough. Seriously, are you here because you like to write or to see how many comments you can get?! Is this Facebook or Fanfic? Whew-stepping down from my soapbox. As I was saying, thanks for the interest and comments. Lehrve you guys. What did you guys think of True Blood this season? Not sure how I feel about Billith. Loved the Viking, though-he was awesome. Okay, on with the show...

Ch. 33

Once inside their suite, Sookie made a dash for the shower. She hurriedly shampooed, scrubbed and shaved every inch of her body in record time. Eric's blood has to be contributing to this warp speed. I never get ready this fast. I should've tried this months ago-I would've gotten housecleaning and work done way quicker she snickered, As if!

She lotioned and powdered, then pulled out a very expensive looking white strapless, lacy bra and panty set that had been packed for her. La Perla? Never heard of it. It was beautiful and she knew Eric would love it, even if it only stayed intact for ten seconds. If she didn't know any better, she would think Pam got it specifically for bridal purposes. It even had garters and hose to match. Hmm, suspicious, Pammy.

She put on the underwear, leaving off the garter belt and stockings. She wasn't going to wear the hose or her dress on the plane. That was just asking for wrinkles or a run. She combed her hair, leaving it loose for whatever Lucinda wanted to do with it, threw a robe on and quickly painted her nails and toes. Strangely, it was a light "Bridal Buff" color, thanks again, Pam. While she madly waved her hands in the air, willing them to dry quicker, she pondered why Eric wasn't up yet. Glancing at the clock: 5:13. She figured maybe their mid-afternoon jaunt had worn him out a little. She snorted.

She did another mind scan downstairs. There was the gnarled and fuzzy mind of Manny (reminded her of the Treebeards from Lord of the Rings) and Lucinda...they were conversing about his recipe for Mojitos and then, suddenly, a mental wall went up around their conversation, or Lucinda's thoughts of it, then came back down again. Intentionally. Sookie could physically feel it like a door sliding shut on a vault. She then felt a tugging at her mind, someone trying to get in, like how she'd felt with Barry "the bellboy". "Sookie, we have much in common. I mean no threat to you. I promise." Sookie's mouth fell open, then she threw her shields up on instinct. What the eff is her deal? I am so over this. It's my wedding night and I have yet more suspicious Supe shit to deal with? I'm ending this BS now.

Walking the penguin/duck walk to keep her still wet toenails from getting messed up, she marched as authoritatively as she could downstairs. When she rounded the corner, she found the two of them at the day bar, still in their drink conversation. Manny looked up guiltily, as if he had been "caught" daring to talk to the master's guest. Lucinda looked at her with a twinkle in her eye, like the jig was up, and she knew it.

"Miss Sookie, pardon me, I was just giving Senora Lucinda my recipe for mojitos."

"Yes, dear, you sure got ready in a hurry-bravo. Shall we start beautifying you, not that you need much help. Manny tells me there is a large guest bath right here and has set up chairs for us to sit while I work." She babbled on, leading Sookie to the large bathroom under the stairs, "You have left you hair down, just for me-I love it. I can't wait to get started on you. I feel like a school girl playing dress up, you are so lovely." All the while Sookie let her babble, looking at her through squinted eyes.

Once Lucinda sat her down in front of a large vanity mirror with a huge array of brushes and cosmetics all spread out, she looked her square in the eye and blurted, "Alright, Lucinda, cut the crap. What's your deal? Why are you reading my mind and toying with me?" She felt a rush at being so honest and brutishly straight-forward. That was fun. Another byproduct from the Sheriff blood, most likely.

Lucinda gave her an impish smile, turned to pick up a large comb and started combing her damp hair. Making eye contact with her in the mirror, "It was never my intent to make you feel alarm or threatened, my friend. In fact, I only had a suspicion last night you were a telepath. I came here today with no more intentions than to do your hair and makeup as requested by Pam. But when I felt you prying into my mind once I arrived, this afternoon, I did want to feel you out a little-test your limits." She applied a small amount of styling gel to her hair.

"Okay. Point taken. You know my secret. Great. Now, what are you?"

"Like you, I am a telepath. A powerful one, I am not ashamed to say. Many generations of the women in my family have had the power and we have honed the skill over the centuries. We can read minds that cannot even My great-great-great grandmother served on the court of King Felipe V of Spain. She was a very well known telepath." She said with great pride. "However, my telepathy is not of any fairy bearing, like yours most likely is."

Sookie startled at those words. Uh-oh "How did-?" She didn't even finish her sentence, though she didn't realize it.

"Ah, we have had much time to perfect our skill, whereas you are the first in your family to have this ability, that you know of, correct?" Sookie nodded, still astonished. "You can tell the difference in the different types of minds-humans versus Supes, I mean?" Again, Sookie nodded. "You have a very distinct 'feel' to your mind, like that of a fairy. Just like Manny has his own, forest duende 'feel' to his. Your power is very young, as far as your mind-channeling is concerned. Though I can sense you have other powers that are quite strong." She sat and turned Sookie away from the mirror and began quickly weaving her hair between her fingers, in what she assumed would be a braid. "I can very easily see one's thoughts, memories, past, all of it, in mere seconds, if I choose to. I knew Mr. Northman was a vampire, and could see your light the second I met you. I knew you weren't an ordinary human, though you are disguised very well. There is much power in you, your telepathy is just a small piece of it. Last night, I picked up on your fae blood, but only suspected your telepathy because you never tried to read me. And I have learned, as you most likely have, to restrain myself from reading the thoughts of everyone I meet, unless necessary. Otherwise, I would never be able to function. But your mind had a familiar...feel to it."

Sookie was at a loss for a few moments, and Lucinda left her to her thoughts, while she quickly worked magic on her. "But you read me a few times today and I never felt it, like I have before", she quickly filled her on Barry, the only other telepath she knew. "So, I never felt it but then you would say something I had just been thinking. Until just now, when I was upstairs, I felt you prying into my brain. What's the diff-"she gasped "Lucinda! You know you can't let any vampires know of your power, right? They'll try to steal you for their own use!"

Lucinda's musical laughter stopped her worried talk "Sookie, my dear, I appreciate your concern, but please know I am more than aware of the danger associated with them knowing of my powers. Part of the skill I spoke of perfecting was masking my ability. You had no idea, until I made it quite obvious by raising and lowering my shields, correct?" Sookie nodded. "And when I very obviously tried to read you when you were upstairs. My mother, as well as her mother before her, and so on, taught me how to conceal when I am doing it. I have worked and been around many a vampire here on the island and in my travels and not a one has ever suspected. Nor have any humans or Others. Only the ones I impart with the knowledge. It is a necessity of the power, don't you agree?

Sookie half-heartedly agreed, "Unless you don't know the implications of those powers when you're a kid, growing up in a small town. Then you get labeled as a freak."

"Tsk-it's a shame. You had no one to help you, to explain and guide you as a child. You could have been shown the ways very early on and avoided all of the trauma. But it is no one's fault-just an unfortunate part of life. Yet, you managed. And you've ended up a lovely, tough, yet sweet woman, with a strong, handsome vampire at your side."

Which made Sookie think, with a start, and say in barely a whisper, "You can't...uhm...read vampires, can you?"

Instead of her usual lightness and laughter, Lucinda kept a very serious tone. "Unfortunately, yes." She gulped and got a little nervous, which made Sookie worried for her. "Not 100 percent, like I can humans and most others, but I get key words, expressions, enough to get the gist of what they are thinking at that moment. If I touch them, I can also get some of their memories-even back so far as their human lives in some of the younger vamps." She finished Sookie's hair and moved on to makeup. Opening a large cosmetics bag, "Sookie, I have told very few" she looked her pointedly in the eye "people of this information. You understand the mortal danger I could be in, if that information got to the wrong person. Or vampire," she corrected. She gestured for Sookie to close her eyes and started applying makeup.

Still in very hushed tones, "I will be honest, I have an ulterior motive in telling you" Sookie's eyes popped open. "Oh simmer down, it's not as bad as you think. Close, please." Sookie gave her a sideways glare then did as she was told. "I am only hoping that, my assumptions about Mr. Northman being an important vampire are correct. And that his very obvious love and respect for you and your opinion could serve to help me, if I ever needed...let's just say, a powerful friend among enemies."

Sookie immediately understood what she meant. "Oh, so if you were ever kidnapped to be a King's telepath, something like that, you mean?"

"Something like that."

"Well, there are so many ins and outs to their politics, that I am not sure how much we could help, but if we could ever help in any way, we absolutely would."

"Open", Lucinda started on applying a light coat of mascara.

"But, how would we ever know? There are so many powerful vamps all over the world. What if the vampire King of Spain stole you away? And I would be in the U.S., completely oblivious." Thank you word-of-the-day calender.

"Now that we have made a connection, I should be able to mentally speak to you, despite being a far distance away."

Sookie fought off a smirk. "You mean like communicating satellites or something?"

Lucinda did smirk. "Sure. For me, all brains have a specific...signature to them. It's like knowing someone very well, then seeing them far off in a crowd. You can pick them out pretty easily, because you're so familiar with them."

"Ah. Gotcha. Neat."

"Now your lips, keep still. No talking." Sookie snorted, then made a duckface while Lucinda started brushing on some lip liner. "Continuing on, you might have to listen and feel very intently, but you could feel it if I spoke to you or called you." Like a maker calling their child, she silently snickered. "Regardless of how it might happen, I would feel better knowing I had you and Mr. Northman as my allies. I would be willing to help you with your telepathy also, to show you I am not trying to use you."

Trying to talk while keeping her lips still, Sookie slurred out, "Sure! We will help any way we can. I promise. And I would love some lessons-" was all she got out before Lucinda shushed her.

Lucinda let out a breath, "Thank you, my friend, that is all I ask." Changing tacks, so Sookie wouldn't talk, "I would love to show you how to hone your skills. I never had children and passing it on to you would make me so happy. I have a feeling, if my sources are correct," she winked "you, your little one and your soon-to-be husband will need any extra powers you can bring to the table. He may be a big, powerful vampire, but he cannot read minds. There-all done"

Sookie felt Eric stirring upstairs. "Speaking of my powerful vampire...Feels like he's up."

Another A/N: I swear I'm not dragging this out intentionally. It's just that these convos and chappys feel like an eternity to me, like days pass in one scene that really only takes minutes. And I am completely defunct at scene changing mid-chapter. As we go along, I will try to make them longer. In fact, I am thinking (I'm not big on surprises, can you tell?) I will have one more chappy of setup for the wedding then the wedding/bonding itself will be the next chapter. So, those two will probably be long as hell, honey boo-boos. Yes, I did just go there.