A/N: I hope this chapter shows just how complex the relationship between Seren and Russell is. All the relationships in this story are complex and things are never black and white between anyone. But, of all the relationships here, the relationship between Russell and Seren is the heart of this story.

I hope that I have done the character of Russell proud. I hope that I have made him as manipulative and as wonderful as he truly is. He's a truly great and original character and I admit to him being an all-time favorite on the show. Yet, I feel that he wasn't just a villain. He could be charming and he did have the capacity to love.

I have tried to do justice to all the other characters in this story, as well. I didn't take the route that the season did. Part of that was to make the story fresh and interesting. But, part of it was also because I felt the characters were not acting as they normally would. Eric who is usually very calculating would not seem to me to be so foolish as to stake Talbot like he did in the show. Yes, he wanted his revenge against Russell. But, would he do such an act when he had to know that he would be committing a form of suicide by enraging Russell? I could see how the death of Talbot would drive Russell bonkers, though.

We see another side of Seren in this chapter as she confronts her feelings about Russell. She has as many sides to her as there are layers in an onion. I love that she is all my creation.

Chapter 38

Seren paced back and forth in Eric's basement. Her anger and frustration had been on a low simmer all day and, now that night had fallen, her mood wasn't improving. She wondered why she was even cooperating with Eric. Had that bond between them grown so strong that his wishes had precedence over her own common sense? Eric didn't know just how dangerous Russell was. How manipulative he could be. She had listened to him all day as he tried to break her down. Eric also had no idea how hard it was for her to resist Russell. For, she had spent so many years doing her best to please him. If he had known that, he probably would never have left her in charge of watching Russell all day.

Common sense had dictated that they should have dealt with Russell immediately. Russell would still be dead no matter if it was a quick death or whatever Eric was planning for him.

After sunset, Eric had dragged both Russell and Bill back down into the basement. He had checked their restraints and then said that he would be back. And he had once again left her alone with Russell. What the hell was he up to? Her thoughts were interrupted when the basement door was thrown open with a crash. As she lifted her eyes to the stairs, a figure was thrown down the steps. He bounced and skidded down the cement steps in a painful looking descent. At the bottom, he lifted his head and Seren saw a head of dark curls that she knew so well. His hands were handcuffed in silver in front with a chain that also secured his wrists to his waist. Unable to use his hands as leverage, he struggled ineffectively to rise. Humming a little tune, Eric sauntered down the steps, followed by Pam. Everyone else in the basement was silent and the contrast between that lively tune and the drama that was being played out was jarring.

At the bottom, Eric lifted Talbot and dragged him so that Russell could have a good view of him. Talbot flashed wide and frightened eyes to Russell. But, even in his fear for himself, Seren saw his eyes take in Russell's state.

"Russell, what have they done to you?" said Talbot.

"Talbot," said Russell. He turned a smoldering gaze to Eric. "If you harm him, I will make you pay for it. You will beg me to give you the true death before I'm done with you."

Eric flashed a smug smile to Russell. "Your threats won't do you any good, now. In case you haven't noticed, Your Majesty, we are playing by my rules."

"Why is Talbot here?" demanded Seren.

Eric turned to look at Seren and she knew that he was trying to read her emotions with those extra powers of his. She tried to calm herself and keep him from being able to read her like a book. Learning how to shield her mind from other telepaths actually helped her keep Eric out of her head as well.

"We are in this together, you and I," said Eric. "And we are going to finish it to it's very satisfying conclusion."

"Russell is the object of my revenge," replied Seren. "I have no dispute with Talbot."

"They are one in the same," replied Eric.

"I'm warning you, you stupid Viking. Do not touch a hair on his head!" hissed Russell.

Eric reached down and grabbed Talbot by the hair and pulled him upright on his knees. By now, Talbot had started to cry. Seren wasn't sure if he was crying for himself or for Russell.

"But, Talbot never harmed anyone," said Seren.

Eric flashed her an irritated glance. "Do not interfere."

Pam handed Eric the Magister's cane and moved away. Eric held it at his side and looked over at Russell. When he saw a blood tear roll down Russell's face, he smiled.

"Please, please, I'll do whatever you want," begged Russell, softly. "I'll die a thousand deaths, just let Talbot go."

"Talbot is the closest thing to your heart. You should have had a care for all those lives that you destroyed and all the suffering that you caused. I would like to say that I'm punishing you for all the countless souls that you've killed or maimed. Or, all the broken-hearted survivors that you've left in your wake," said Eric. "But, the truth is that my motives are much more selfish. I don't care about any of those other victims. I only care about my own family. My father. My mother. And my baby sister who was only an infant when your wolves ravaged her like a toy doll."

Eric gripped Talbot's hair tighter and held the sharp wooden end of the Magister's cane to his back. His eyes bored into Russell's. "You will know the pain that I felt for all these years before you die."

Talbot gasped, "Russell."

"No, stop," cried Seren. "This won't change what happened in the past."

As Seren took a step towards Eric and Talbot, Pam grabbed her and held her fast. She whispered into Seren's ear, "Stay out of it. Eric doesn't want you to get hurt."

Eric plunged the cane through Talbot's heart. As Talbot dissolved into the liquid mass of gore, Russell cried out a howl of such pain and misery that Seren had to place her hands over her ears in an attempt to block it out. The cry seemed to go on for minutes and afterwards, Russell sagged in his chains and sobbed. Eric just stood watching him. Both he and Russell were spattered with Talbot's blood.

"Talbot never did anything to you," sobbed Russell.

"You loved him more than anything else," said Eric. "He had to die."

Seren stared at what remained of Talbot on the floor and her careful control slipped. She had never hated Talbot. He had sometimes gone out of his way to make her life more difficult because he was jealous of her. But, there had never been anything malicious in his actions. Next to Russell, she had probably spent the most amount of time with him.

Eric looked over and could detect Seren's emotions now that she wasn't actively shielding them from him. He had guessed that she would be a problem, that was why he had brought Pam with him.

"Russell and Talbot have manipulated your emotions all these years," said Eric. "They have tried to make you care for them. There isn't any shame in admitting that you did have feelings for them. But, you need to realize that they never truly cared for you. It was just part of an orchestrated plan to make you cooperate so that they could use you. Talbot was your captor, not your friend."

Seren raised her eyes from the floor and looked into Eric's. "No, he wasn't my friend. He was just someone who made the mistake of loving the wrong person."

Russell lifted his tear-stained face and said to Seren, "Are you so sure, Pumpkin, that you are not still being manipulated? I've raised you from a child and I know that you have feelings for that Viking. Feelings that he has manipulated through the blood bond. A bond that he forged without your consent. You need to ask yourself if he is the one that you can trust."

"I've heard just about enough from you," said Eric.

"Afraid that she might hear the truth in my words," replied Russell.

"I can understand why you did this," said Seren. "But, I just want to get this over with. Finish it and let's be done."

Eric turned his eyes to Russell and gripped the cane. "He doesn't deserve a quick and easy death."

"In case you haven't noticed," said Seren. "This is not an easy death."

"I agree with Seren," said Pam. "He murdered your family, Eric. What are you waiting for?"

"He will not just pass away in nothing and possibly find some sort of redemption in the afterlife," said Eric. "He hasn't suffered nearly long enough."

"Are you mad?" asked Seren.

"I need to think," said Eric.

He turned to leave the basement, stunning both Seren and Pam.

"Wait," called Seren. "At least, tell me that you have taken care of Victor."

"Victor was gone by the time I arrived to get Talbot," said Eric from the stairs. "I assume that he has retreated back to Nevada."

"You can't assume anything," said Seren. "Call in the security, at once."

"You're in charge of security," said Eric. "You do it."

And with that he continued up the stairs. Pam started to follow him and Seren grabbed her arm.

"You will help me move Bill to a more secure spot," said Seren.

"He looks plenty secure here to me," replied Pam.

"I'm just about fed up with things slipping out of my control," said Seren. "Bill is mine. Do you understand? And if I need him to be put somewhere else, then you will goddamn help me."

Pam rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Both she and Seren dragged a chained Bill up the steps as Russell silently watched. Seren secured Bill in an extra coffin upstairs and wrapped the lid tightly closed with silver. By the time she came out into the main area, both Eric and Pam seemed to be gone. She called Jeremy on the phone.

"I want you to watch both Fangtasia and Eric's home," she said. "I also want someone to tail him if possible."

"And if I catch someone snooping around?" asked Jeremy. "Do I call Eric Northman?"

"Absolutely not," replied Seren. "You work for me, remember?"

"I would never forget that," said Jeremy.

"If you see my...bodyguards," said Seren. "Don't interfere with them and stay out of their way."

Seren hung up the phone and made sure the door's were locked. She then searched the bar to make sure that both Pam and Eric were gone. She then went downstairs to the basement. She found Russell still chained exactly where he had been. He was also still sobbing. But, by now the sobs were almost silent. She stood before him and he lifted a blood-streaked face to look at her. For a moment, she was taken back by the sorrow that she saw on that face. Eric was wrong, she thought, Russell had suffered enough.

"Why did you remove Bill?" asked Russell.

"Because I wanted to see you without his prying eyes," replied Seren.

"Are you here to gloat over your victory, Pumpkin?" he asked. "I would have never taken you for being that cruel. But, you are keeping different company these days."

"I...I did not know what Eric planned to do," said Seren.

Russell stared a long moment at her. "I know that."

"I would have never harmed Talbot. I am an honorable opponent and I don't resort to taking out innocent family members."

Russell gave Seren a slow smile as he realized her intentions. "Of course, Pumpkin. I would extend to you the same courtesy. However, you are a little late in negotiating your family's well-being or, for that matter, the well-being of that wolf pup. Maybe, you should have had a tighter rein on that Viking and known ahead of time what was going through his muscle-bond head."

"You can't blame me for that," said Seren. "Maybe, you shouldn't have slaughtered his family."

"Just as I am paying the consequences for my actions, so will you, my treacherous little ward. For, if that Viking is stupid enough not to give me the true death, I will hunt down everyone that you have ever loved or cared about. And I promise you that they won't die as quickly or as easily as Talbot did."

Seren grabbed the Magister's cane and advanced to Russell. She was crying, now, and huge tears rolled down her face which she tried to wipe way with her free hand.

"I could just kill you right now," said Seren pointing the cane over Russell's heart.

"Do it," said Russell. "Don't I deserve it, Pumpkin?"

"Yes," choked out Seren.

"Then, take your revenge. I'm here helpless before you. You've killed before because I showed you how," said Russell.

Russell stared into Seren's eyes and waited patiently.

"You want me do it, don't you? You're trying to prod me into killing you," whispered Seren.

"A gold star for my best student," said Russell, sarcastically. "Really, Pumpkin, I think your mind is starting to slip being around the intellectual void of that Viking."

"Now is not the best time to insult me, Russell."

"You want to hear the truth?" asked Russell. "The truth is that you can't kill me. That's why you got that Viking to do your dirty work in the first place. However, you are finding that he is not as easy to control as you thought he would be. He's not honorable and he uses little dirty tricks to ensure that he always has the tables turned on you."

"I'm not as under his thumb as you think," replied Seren.

"No, he doesn't have complete control over you and, if you wish to keep it that way, I would advise you to never be foolish enough to let him between your legs. Sex has a way of making women weak and they lose the ability to think logically."

Russell looked at Seren who still held the cane. "Well, what's it going to be, Pumpkin? Are you going to drive that stake through my heart? Because you won't get another chance like this one. Or, are you finally going to admit that you can't because that treacherous heart of yours actually loves me?"

"I...I don't."

"Then, it's very easy to prove that you don't."

Seren stood and the sharp end of the cane wavered as Seren struggled with herself. All those years between them boiled down to this one moment. Seren had plotted and schemed to get to this moment for so long that it seemed to be her only goal in life. She hated him, she told herself. Hated him. He had ruined her life. He had stolen her away from her family and from the life she could have had. Yet, she remembered him sitting with her by the fire as he taught her strategy and about previous military leaders. She remembered him punishing any vampire who dared to even look at her funny. He didn't have to make her his ward. He could have kept her hidden away for who would have been stupid enough to come and try to take her. He had educated her and prepared her to serve beside him. Dammit, she thought, the bastard had even tucked in bed when she first came to live in the mansion. Even, if she could rationally believe that he had done all those things with the cold intent of making her care for him, it still didn't take away from the fact that she did.

With a sob, Seren fell to her knees before Russell and dropped the cane. "You're such a bastard, Russell."

"I know, Darlin, I know," he replied.

"I...I can't let you go," said Seren. "I'm not that crazy."

"But, you have the power to make something right," said Russell. "Or, your blood does."

Seren looked at him with questioning eyes. "Oh, that little prick Bill was right about one thing. You are part fairy. Before you morphed and ruined it, feeding on your blood was like a little slice of nirvana. A word of advice, even if he wants to let you go, which I highly doubt that he does, he is going to find it very hard to part with your delicious blood."

"Thanks for the advice, but I already knew that."

"Yes, but are you smart enough to remember it when he turns those baby blues on you? But, I'm digressing. Your blood has the power to restore Talbot," said Russell.

"How? And how much blood?" asked Seren.

"I'm only coming to terms with the fact that there are still fairies," said Russell. "You'll forgive me if I'm a little sketchy on the details. I only know the very old myths that said fairy blood had magical properties."

"Even if it did work by some miracle, I would have a very angry Talbot to deal with," replied Seren. "I would have no way of controlling him or you. Forgive me, if I doubt that you would not still seek some sort sort of retribution against me."

"He would be compelled to obey the blood. Your blood, Pumpkin. You would become his maker."

Seren took a moment in thought and Russell pleaded, "Please, whatever conflict was going on between us didn't involve Talbot. I promise to not harm your family or the Herveauxs or anyone else you want protected."

"And what if I ask for Eric?" asked Seren.

"You drive a hard bargain," hissed Russell. "But, you leave me with little choice, Pumpkin."

"What about any new found kin?" asked Seren. "Since, if there are hybrids in this world, there must be some fairies left to create them."

"Agreed," replied Russell. "Are you done, yet? This is getting tiresome."

"Just one more," replied Seren. "What about me?"

Russell gazed at her. "We are well-matched adversaries. Equals, if you will. You would want to best me on your own merits."

Seren smiled and said, "I thought that I just did that."

"Touche," replied Russell. "Very well, I still want you as my lieutenant and I won't stop in that endeavor. But, your physical well-being will never be in jeopardy. We're family, remember?"

"Alright, we have a bargain," said Seren. "But, I want to see if this is going to work first."

Russell dropped his fangs. "Prick your finger and let a drop fall on the remains."

Seren reached over and pricked her finger. A large blood drop welled up from the cut and she held it over a portion of Talbot's remains. Both she and Russell watched with bated breath as the drop fell and splashed down. At first nothing seemed to be happening, then suddenly the piece of sinew that the drop fell on moved and started to form into something. There wasn't enough blood to fuel the process and it stalled. Seren got up and found Eric's pair of gloves. She put them on and pushed all of Talbot's remains into a tight circle. She looked to the walls and counters and found a knife. She passed a look to Russell and then cut her arm at the wrist. She let her blood flow over Talbot's remains. They began to move and a form started to take shape. As the shape grew, it started to rise off the floor. At first it was an unformed blob of blood, but it moved with a purpose as if it was remembering the genetic code contained within it's blood cells. Seren's blood fueled this reaction and it seemed to go faster and faster. Suddenly, the unformed shape shot up to full height. There the blood and sinew within it seemed to shimmer and the process continued. The form rippled and the outline of a man could clearly be seen. Seren held her bleeding arm above it and the form began to change again. Blood and sinew became bone, organs and skin. As Seren's wound finally clotted, she stepped back and watched the process to its completion with fascination. Talbot stood before them, knitted back together by the miracle of Seren's fairy blood. Seren passed her eyes over him. He stood still with his eyes closed. His naked body was as beautiful as ever, not that she had ever seen him in his birthday suit before, thought Seren.

"Call him," said Russell. "He answers to your voice."

"Talbot," said Seren. "Hear my voice and come back to me."

Talbot's eyes fluttered open and he gasped in surprise and he tried to figure out what had happened to him. Seren and Russell stared at him intently wondering if his mind had made the return journey along with his body. For several seconds, Talbot stood there and gazed around in shock while he made little keening noises. Just when Seren thought that he was a complete vegetable, Talbot turned his eyes to Russell. Recognition flooded his eyes.

"I...I thought that I died," he said.

"You did, my love," said Russell. "But, Seren brought you back."

Talbot flashed his eyes to Seren and seemed to notice that he wasn't wearing any clothes. Pausing only a second, he dropped down and hugged Russell. As his fingers hissed from the silver, Talbot attempted to release Russell.

"Stop," said Seren. "Do not release him."

Talbot froze and a look of nausea came over his face as he attempted to disobey Seren's command. He turned back to Seren with a look of confusion.

"What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing, Talbot," replied Seren. "But, I'm your maker, now. You answer only to me."

Seren held out her hand to him and Talbot turned and looked at Russell.

"It's okay, Talbot," he said. "You are released from my hold. It was the only way to bring you back. Seren is your maker."

Talbot moved to Seren and dropped down on his knees. Slowly, he put his arms around her and sobbed. Seren began to pet him.

"Don't worry, Talbot. I'll take care of you."

A/N: Russell was carrying around Talbot's remains in the show for a reason. He thought that Sookie's blood could revive Talbot which is why she poured his remains down the garbage disposal at Fangtasia (Bad Sookie). Since we couldn't see the process on the show, I tried to improvise and imagine it. Originally, I think Russell probably intended to drain Sookie in this process. But, if the fairy lived and the vampire was restored with their blood, I would think that the fairy became the new maker which is how I wrote it.