Coffee. I smelled coffee. I popped my eyes open and saw a steaming mug of goodness on the nightstand. I sat up and grabbed it, thinking maybe Eric left it for me as a peace offering.

Seconds later, I realized someone was in the room with me, and it wasn't Eric.

Viviane was in my bubble, catching the mug a split second after it left my hands. I felt numb while I watched her sit it on the nightstand and return to her perch on the end of the bed.

Her chestnut hair was loose and tousled down her back over a white-collared shirt topped by a blue-and-gray argyle sweater vest. I'm not sure she even had any make-up on. Her look was like that pretty English teacher we had in high school who all the Bon Temps boys fantasized about while she taught Shakespeare.

"Who made coffee?" Who did I really think made it? I wasn't fully awake.

"I did. I remember Eric telling me you liked it. It is not the brand you have at your home." She pulled a Lip Smackers from her hip pocket and applied it, sniffing it and ghosting a smile before she put it back.

She knows what kind of coffee I drink? Of course, she does. If I snooped, I knew she did.

"Why are you here?"

"Sookie, this is my house." No blinking.

"OK, what prompted you to come here at this particular moment?"

"Pam needs to speak with Eric, but he isn't answering his phone." She eyed the SIM card on the nightstand.

"His phone is broken. Um, I'm getting him another one."

She smirked. "Why is it broken? And why is John doing this?"

How do they always know everything? Sometimes I really hate vampires for that. "I threw it."

She laughed. "Against the fireplace. A bit extreme, but satisfying nonetheless." She leaned over the foot of the bed and produced an iPhone box and handed it to me. "He says it is fully charged."

I took it and started opening it to figure out how to put the SIM card in.

She took the part of the box I discarded and pulled a little black tool out of it. She reached for the phone. "Allow me."

I handed it to her. "How did you find out?" I probably missed some of the glass or something, unless Quinn told her. I watched as she stuck the doodad in and popped a piece out.

"You should not tell John things you do not wish me to know about. He's very honest with me." I handed her the SIM card and watched as she snapped it all back together.

Well, those were both good things to know for future reference. Viviane handed me the phone back, and I turned it on like I'd seen Eric do on the plane.

"Why didn't you just go into the master suite?" I finally picked the mug back up and started sipping it. It was good.

"I wished to find out if you hate me." She sat there, cross-legged in boyfriend jeans and red Chuck Taylors, just waiting.

"Viv, what are you doing here?" Eric appeared in the door with a towel around his waist, water dripping from his hair and running down his glorious chest. My heart surged a little at seeing him. I wanted to talk to him, and I hoped he'd get rid of Viviane.

She rolled her eyes and didn't even turn to look at him when she spoke. "It is my house. Put some clothes on. Try the other bedroom."

Why did she have clothes to fit Eric? I asked when Eric slipped out.

She shrugged. "Idris is a big guy."

Eric was back a minute or so later, and you could tell the pants and T-shirt belonged to someone else. Eric would never wear any that were that baggy, which I always had more than appreciated. At some point, he'd managed to braid his hair. He dominated the doorway, arms crossed.

"Viviane, you will tell me everything you plan and why. Now."

She turned around and looked up at him this time. "No."

Before I blinked, he was on her, fangs out. Eric had her pinned to the bed about a foot from where I was curled up, his legs holding hers in place, one hand had both of hers stretched above her head. The other hand was around her jaw. "Yes."

I was scared for her. It was irrational. I doubted he would actually hurt her, but the rage rolling out of him was almost painful. I wanted to get away from them, yet I was held by a desire to remain unnoticed.

A bloody tear rolled out of her eye. "Fine." She tried to sit up, but Eric held her down. I really didn't think he was really hurting her, just displaying his strength over her. "In case you didn't know, I plan to overthrow Felipe."

"How?" Eric's eyes bore into hers.

"Oh, the typical way – killing him. My people will sweep into every enemy area simultaneously and eliminate Felipe's and Victor's minions tonight."

I watched Eric's jaw tighten. "And what of my area?"

"No one needs to go there. If your people are anywhere but Area 5, you should tell them to return or cross the border for tonight." She calmly searched his face. "Trust me. I have done this a few times. And I have the numbers."

"Why skip Area 5?" I squeaked out.

Both turned to me. Viviane spoke. "They are Eric's people, and they are loyal to him, not some two-bit jackass in Las Vegas or a snake in New Orleans. Those vampires will abide by what Eric says." She looked up at him. "I am right, no?" He nodded.

Eric turned back to her. "How do you have the numbers? And what is this Federation Sookie asked me about?"

"Eight children, eight monarchs, several marriages. The territories are surrounded. When I take Nevada, I will head a bloc of states. We will hold great power in negotiation and in influence. The political balance will calm, and takeovers will no longer be of concern. No one is asinine enough to take on a monarch with the backing of 12 others."

"Go on." Eric released his grip on her neck and used his arm to keep his torso looming over her.

"Felipe is increasingly paranoid that you will usurp his throne, and Victor is eager to take you on directly. Victor feeds the paranoia. Fifi believes he can trap you into saying something to incriminate yourself. I will not risk waiting for my move. Felipe cannot resist the limelight or free press, so Tupac will serve as the wool, and I will slip in when he doesn't see it coming."

"And Victor?" Eric pressed her into the mattress when she tried to squirm away again.

"I have it covered."

"Detaljer, kvinna."

She shook her head. "No, you don't have to do anything except protect your people. I've got this."

"Viviane." He growled at her.

"All right, I'm going to chain him in silver and torture him a bit before I kill him. It's the least I can do." She shrugged beneath him. "I've got plenty of backup. Fifi can't accuse you of plotting if you didn't know. He doesn't have any evidence. Felipe is stupid enough to allow two more of my children and small parties to arrive for Tupac. Darryl and Mario are arriving any moment. I need to greet them."

She was so calm about revealing her plans for the takeover, not that I really disagreed too harshly at this point. Maybe it was unchristian of me, but I didn't care where Felipe and Victor were concerned. And she would have three of her children with her. Nothing could go wrong, right?

Eric glared at her, relaxing slightly, but not releasing her. "Why didn't you discuss this with me?"

"You didn't ask me. And I planned to tell you tonight anyway. Anything else you want to know?" She sounded eager yet defeated, but I sure wanted to know something else.

I pulled the picture out of my purse. "Who's Charlie?"

Both of them turned and looked at me. Eric quirked an eyebrow. Viviane looked like I had stabbed her in the heart.

Eric spoke first. "Charles Devonshire is her boyfriend."

I shook my head no, and he looked down at her. Viviane's eyes were closed, but I could see the red tears threatening to come out.

His gaze softened on her. "Viv, did you forget to tell me something about Charles?" I stifled a giggle because vampires don't forget.

I watched her open and close her mouth twice before speaking the third time she opened it.

"I do not wish to speak of him. I have a call time to make." She popped her eyes open, and a tear ran down the side of her face until it dripped onto the maroon duvet. Maybe it wouldn't stain.

Eric sat up and pulled her into a sitting position without releasing her hands. "Viv, tell me."

She bowed her head. Then she started talking to him in a language I heard him speak only in moments of passion or great emotion. At least it sounded the same. She spoke rapidly and softly, not looking at either of us. She finally switched back to English. "Please let me go. You have things to discuss with Sookie. And call Pam. She wouldn't tell me why she was upset."

As is if on cue, the new phone rang. It was Pam's number. I shoved the phone at him. He raised his eyebrows as he took the phone and answered it. "I am here." He stood up and walked to the door before stopping and turning to Viviane. "Stay."

I just watched her to see what she would do. Her shoulders had slumped the second Eric let go of her.

She finally spoke. "You never told me whether you hate me now."

Oh all the things discussed in the past 30 minutes, that's the one she wanted to know. I sighed.

"No. Sure, I'm not happy to find out about the big secret, which I won't be telling anyone. And I'm not happy about how you've manipulated Eric and me. But no, I don't hate you."

"You read my journal." It was a statement of fact.

I knew this was coming. "I shouldn't have. My Gran would be horrified if she knew. How long were you with Charlie?"

"More than three years. And then I decided to be completely truthful. You seem to know how that went."

I nodded. "Did you not want me to know at all or not want me to leave Eric over it?"

A tear leaked from her eye. "I would not wish this pain on Victor Madden. You are very young and temperamental and instinctive."

"Instinctive?"

"Yes, you are ruled by your emotions and instincts, and they tell you to run, which you have clearly demonstrated a propensity for. Gain dominion over them, and you will be more powerful as a woman."

Viviane got up and washed her face in the bathroom. Eric came back as she returned, so we both focused on him.

He blocked the door and crossed his arms. "Viv, is there anything else I need to know? Anything at all?"

"No, you know all of it." She either recovered quickly or was a master of disguising her feelings. I'd go with the second one.

Eric eyed her like he was reading her mind before he lifted his head and stepped into the room. "Off you go."

Viviane scooped my dress off the chair I'd slung it over. "I'll have it cleaned and sent to you before you leave. You can't very well carry it back in with you." She waved her arm at the closet. "Anything you need. Show starts at 9. The opening can-can is not to be missed; it's a shame I'm not actually in it. And Eric?" He quirked a brow at her. "I've always hated that line." And with that she slipped into the master suite and back out with her vampire speed.

Eric groaned. "Pam will be elated. She made me watch that damn Baz Luhrmann movie more times than I care to admit allowing, and then describe the real scene to her. She will start her theme night plans up again."

"What's so wrong with a can-can theme? The costumes are cute. And the movie is about a club." It could be a lot of fun actually. Playing with the skirt would be fun enough on its own.

"I will not wear a top hat again. Ever." Eric just looked at me, obviously listening for Viviane to leave; I could still feel her brain. I heard the door slam. He nodded and moved around to where I was before he sat on the bed.

We both blurted out "I'm sorry" at the same moment, which brought a little smile to our faces. Well, that was a good start.

I started again before he could beat me.

"I'm sorry about how I reacted to what you told me about Viviane. I shouldn't have slapped you or broke your phone. It was childish, and while I am still upset, I am a grownup and plan on acting like one." I stared at his stony face until it softened a bit.

"I am sorry. For locking you out. For not telling you. For letting us get here." Eric slid closer to me on the bed. So I slid toward him a little.

"Why did you lock me out?"

"Why did you run away the night before?" He didn't blink; I didn't feel anything from him.

"To get some space and think about everything that was going on." That's when it dawned on me maybe he needed space after my reaction. "You needed space."

"As did you, dear one. A calm Sookie is a smart Sookie." He smirked at me when I pushed on his shoulder. "I like you when you are calm like this; you would not have been calm staring at my sleeping form all day nor would you have figured out something was amiss with Charles Devonshire. I am sure your other discoveries will fascinating."

"There's more to discuss than just what I snooped around and found out. I made a list." I was nervous and trying to not freak out.

He moved even closer and was within inches of my face, staring into my eyes. "Yes, there is. I would very much like to start with the part about you acting like a grownup."

I knew he wasn't being a jerk when he smirked at me the tiniest bit.

Eric wanted to kiss me. And I wanted it, too, so I closed the distance and crushed my lips against his. It was soul-shaking, like I had been in a kissing desert for months. I pulled back when his cool hand crept up my thigh under the nightgown.

"Eric, kissing you is not a green light, all systems go for launch. Not until we get everything sorted. I am still upset about more than a few things." He nodded and pulled his hand back. "And now I'm worried about her plan. What if it goes wrong? Why didn't she ask you to help her? What will she do to you when she's queen? What if –" Eric cut me off with a chilly finger to my lips.

"First, I think we need to discuss why Pam thinks Victor has some sort of evidence against me that relates to you and whatever you did the night you went out."

Well, that shut me up with my mouth hanging open.