Author's notes: I know it has been several months since I last posted. For personal reasons, I had to take some time off from writing. I had so much going on in Real Life, I felt I had to let something go just to keep my sanity. BIG MISTAKE! HUGE! When I got past the "ordeal" and tried to get back to writing, I found myself with a roaring case of writer's block. I guess the Viking was mad at me for ignoring him for a month. Getting back in the groove was positively painful! I have made all my family and friends promise to NEVER let me go more than a couple of days without writing ever again!
Fortunately, just about the time I would convince myself that after all this time, nobody would still be interested in this story, someone would send me a PM of encouragement, or a new review would roll in. Those are really what kept me going, so thanks!
Anyway, the good news is that our favorite vampire finally quit pouting and started talking to me again. I will warn you all in advance, I had to ease my way back into the story. This chapter is primarily fluff. The other good news is that I very nearly have the next chapter finished as well. It was originally part of this one, but it was getting soooo long (40K words!) I decided to split them up. I should have it finished and posted within another couple of weeks at the most.
Recap of Chapter 50: Sookie and Eric go to Hotshot for the birth of Jason's baby. Eric is unhappy to find out that Calvin Norris once offered to be Sookie's man and father her children. Realizing that they have already guessed what she is, Eric admits to his Royal Guards that Sookie is Niall's great-granddaughter. During a difficult delivery, Dr. Ludwig brow-beats Sookie into using her magic to help with the birth, which ultimately leads to Sookie revealing herself as a fairy to the were-panthers of Hotshot (although the only one who knows about her connection to Niall is Calvin.) Claudine shows up to see if by some miracle Jason's son J.J. is the next Prince of the Fae. It is revealed that the future Prince is born with a very distinct birthmark of a butterfly with a halo around it. Although a very beautiful child, J.J. does not bear this mark. Unbeknownst to Sookie, Eric very slyly gets Claudine to invite the Fairy Rhys (aka Preston) to the upcoming dinner party.
On the ride home, Sookie and Eric get into a tiff over his "hit list" of people he intends to kill. Bill is waiting at Valhalla with a package and some documents. Obviously upset, she rather rudely leaves the two vampires on the porch. Bill advises Eric to give her time to settle down, but a little while later they both feel her serious distress. Finding her sobbing her heart out in the garden, Eric and his Bonded have a long overdue talk about their inability to have children. She also confesses about her one-night stand with Preston at Christmas, but does not reveal his name or any way for Eric to find him. Eric takes Sookie to their bedroom. Thinking that she is asleep, he examines his own feelings on the subject of children. She wakes up and begs him to allow her to dream of Alexander, their child from a previous shared dream. He complies, and the chapter ends with their mutual dream of their son.
Sookie's POV: Valhalla
Using such an enormous amount of magic had taken its toll. I was so exhausted by the events of the previous day, I slept long and deep. My vampire had given me such wonderful dreams that I was reluctant to abandon them. Once I finally came awake, I lay there for a long time with my eyes tightly closed, trying to recapture as many details of my vivid dreams as I could... until it began to seep into my conscience that something was not quite right. It took a moment for my sleep-logged brain to figure out what it was, but then my eyes flew open and my heart began to pound. There was no over-sized Viking draped over me! I was alone in bed! Bolting upright, I frantically looked around. There was no sign of Eric, not even one of his famous notes.
Knowing that only a truly catastrophic event could roust my vampire from his daytime rest, I started to go into a full-blown panic... until strong waves of calm tinged with amusement began to flow into me. Apparently my Bonded had sensed my alarm and was now reassuring me that he was fine. Even so, it took my heart a couple of minutes to stop pounding. When I finally settled down, I felt pretty silly. If I had just used our Bond in the first place, I would have known immediately that Eric was no further away than his library, and that he was already up because it was past sunset. Glancing at the bedside clock, I was shocked to find that I had been asleep for over 14 hours. Unbelievable!
After a much-needed visit to the bathroom, I pulled on a robe and padded upstairs. For once, Eric had left the door to our chamber standing open. Stepping into the library, I found him sitting at his desk staring at his computer screen. An untidy pile of newspapers with the The Wall Street Journal on top lay on the floor next to his desk. He was shirtless and barefoot, clad only in a pair of navy blue sleep pants. His long blond hair was loose and flowing over those broad Viking shoulders, and for once it was slightly mussed. As usual, the vampire looked totally edible. Glancing up, he gave me a welcoming smile. "Good evening, Sleeping Beauty."
"Hi, honey. I can't believe I slept this late. Why didn't you wake me?"
With the cutest twinkle in his blue eyes, he replied, "For once, you were sleeping like the dead. It would have been terribly impolite of me to disturb you. Besides, after all the magic you used yesterday, I thought you needed the rest."
Pushing back from his desk, he made a "come to me" gesture, so I went over and climbed in his lap. After a few kisses, he settled me comfortably in his arms. Glancing over at his computer screen, I saw that he had several windows open, most of them complicated-looking spreadsheets. "Whatcha doin'?" I asked curiously.
"Reading over some financial reports from Cataliades. Would you like for me to explain them to you?"
"Ah... no thanks," I said quickly.
"Does my angel need a cup of coffee first?"
"Ha! I'd need a whole pot of coffee plus an advanced degree in finance. How do you ever make sense of it all? Just looking at all those figures makes my head hurt."
He just grinned. "It is a bit complicated, but I enjoy it. It keeps my mind busy."
"Speaking of busy, shouldn't we be getting ready to go to Fangtasia?"
"No. I have decided to work from home tonight."
"Why? We missed work last night because of Jason's baby, and there's so much to be done! I bet Pam is pulling her hair out."
"Let her. It will grow back. I want to spend the night at home with my Bonded."
"Right now, when we're so busy? Look, baby, if this is about the Fairy thing, I promise not to do any magic while we're out."
"Until the next 'emergency' arises, and then what? I know you... you would not be able to resist."
"So we are staying home because of me."
"Well... yes and no. Niall called earlier, and we decided you should stay home for the next few days."
My spine stiffened immediately. "First off, why was he calling you and not me? Second, did you really think the two of you could decide to make me a prisoner and expect me to have nothing to say about it?"
I tried to get up, but the vampire just laughed and tightened his arms to keep me in place. "No, my independent little spitfire, I fully expected you to throw a fit."
"Then why in the blue blazes did you say it like that? Were you just trying to piss me off?"
With a wicked grin, he answered, "I could not help myself. Do you know how adorable you are when you get riled?"
"Grrr! I'll show you adorable!"
I punched him as hard as I could and then tried even harder to slip out of his embrace, which just made him laugh harder. Pinning my arms, he said, "Mmmm. I love it when you wriggle like that. Wriggle some more, Sookie." There was no mistaking the tell-tale lump rising under my butt. The more I struggled, the harder it got.
Instantly, I was stone-still. "I will not, you bad vampire! Arrg!"
Still chuckling, Eric said, "All right. If you are determined to be a spoilsport, I might as well tell you what the Prince said. You are a practical woman, Sookie. Once you hear the facts, I have no doubt you will agree with our decision."
"Okay, then. You can start by telling me why my great-grandfather called you instead of me."
"He tried your old phone number several times during the day. Since he could not reach you, he phoned me at first dark."
"Oh." Truthfully, I hadn't had a chance to give my new number out to anyone. In fact, I didn't even know it myself yet. "So, what did he say?" I asked grudgingly.
"The Prince explained that since most part-Fairies come into their gifts very gradually, they have more time to learn self-control. Your magic has been greatly accelerated because of several factors: my blood, our Bond, and your time in the Portal. The transfusion of pure vampire blood made matters infinitely worse."
"We already figured that much. What can he do about it?"
"He said that although he can take away your magic for a time, he is reluctant to do so. At this early stage, such an action could slow its development or even damage it permanently. We both thought the risk unacceptable. Do you agree?"
"Well... yes."
"I thought so. Unfortunately, short of removing your magic, there is little he can do. The good news is that given enough time and some effort on your part, the situation should resolve itself. As your body manufactures new blood, the effects of the vampire blood will diminish. In the meantime, he encourages you to practice your magic as much as possible, with an eye towards gaining greater self-control."
"Won't that make me glow even more?"
"Probably... which is why it is best if you stay at Valhalla for a few days."
"A few days! As much of your blood as I have in me, it might take weeks! Your Coronation is just around the corner!"
"Believe me, I am well aware of the time-frame. I have given this a great deal of thought. Since the unusual amount of vampire blood in your system is contributing to the overall problem, I think there is a way to speed things up. Ludwig claims that as my Twice-Bonded, your body will manufacture enough blood to keep up with my demand. Therefore, the more frequently I drink, the faster your body will make new blood." His eyes gleamed at the prospect.
Just thinking about it made me get tingly all over... until I followed that idea to its logical conclusion. I blurted out, "Wait... if the point is to reduce the level of vampire blood in my system, I bet that means you aren't going to let me take any from you for a while, right?" Ah, geez. Even though I managed to keep the whine out of my voice, to my shame my Bonded could feel my sharp disappointment. In fact, disappointment was too mild a word for it... it was a sort of crawling uneasiness laced with an undercurrent of panic, much like I imagined a heroin addict would feel when faced with an involuntary stint in re-hab.
"The thought of that displeases you," Putting his lips close to my ear, Eric whispered sexily, "Think of it as an incentive. The faster you learn control, the quicker you can get back to tasting me."
Honestly, as addicted as I was to his blood, it was a hell of an incentive... but he didn't have to sound so danged smug about it! To regain a little dignity, I said coolly, "Hmph. Not being trapped at home is enough incentive for me. Besides, if I get too desperate for vintage vampire blood, I bet I could talk Robert into slipping me a drop or two. It isn't as old as yours, but it still has a pretty good kick to it... and it is French."
That earned me a growl and sharp nip on my earlobe. "Ow! That hurt!"
"My blood is far better than Robert's," my vampire said frostily, "And I thought you liked our home. Is staying here a few days such a hardship?"
Uh oh. Even though he had to know I was just teasing, apparently my words had gotten under his skin. Immediately, I relaxed into his arms and snuggled against his broad chest. "Oh, honey. I love our home, but I also know you have a kingdom to run. You can't stay home every night and babysit me... but if you go to Shreveport without me, won't it cause more problems with our Bond?"
Mollified, Eric rubbed his cheek against my hair. "Who said anything about me going to Shreveport? There are advantages to being King, my love. My work can be brought to me. As a matter of fact, I have several appointments this very evening that require a more private venue than my office at Fangtasia. Even had this issue not come up, I planned to conduct these particular meetings in the comfort and privacy of my library here. I also expect a delivery to be made here tonight. Furthermore, not only is it important for you to practice your magic, I know you have things to do to prepare for our upcoming dinner party. So you see, by staying home, we are killing several bodies with one fang."
Trying not to wince, I said, "Er... I think you mean several birds with one stone."
"No, I did not. We vampires have a few sayings of our own. "
Oh, boy. If that was a sample, I couldn't wait to hear some of the others. "Speaking of damaging the Bond, didn't Dr. Ludwig say we needed to exchange blood frequently?" I asked.
"I have already discussed this with her. She seems to think that as long as we stay close to one another and I feed from you at frequent intervals, we can go a couple of weeks without serious repercussions. She also recommends that we have sex as much as possible."
I had to admit, as far as prescriptions go, it sure beat the heck out of a shot in the butt and a round of antibiotics. Trying to ignore my now-throbbing girl parts, I crossed my legs and cleared my throat. "Well, in that case, I guess working at home for a few days will be okay. In fact, we'd better get busy. Let me up, baby."
Eric closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Instantly, the lump under my butt grew a little bigger and a lot harder. Even though I couldn't detect it, clearly my halfhearted attempt to hide the scent of my arousal had failed. His voice a sexy growl, he said, "Not so fast. As your Bonded, it is my duty to see that the doctor's orders are followed to the letter... starting now."
Pushing my hair aside, the Viking sucked on the tiny puncture on my earlobe and then slowly kissed and licked his way down my neck. At the same time, one large hand began to roam over my body, eventually snaking its way under the hem of my short satin robe and between my legs. Soon I was having trouble remembering my own name, much less why I had been irritated with him in the first place. Since we had never gotten around to having sex the night before, it only took a few flicks of my vampire's long, talented fingers to get me to the heart-pounding brink... and then he expertly held me there until I was nearly begging for release. "Are you ready, lover?" he whispered playfully into my ear. Beyond speech, all I could do was nod my head. "Then come for me, Sookie, NOW," he commanded.
Those words and one well-placed stroke in just the right spot, and I fragmented into a million pieces. Instantly, Eric sank his fangs into the curve of my shoulder and began to feed, each pull corresponding to a contraction. Even after the last wave of my orgasm faded away, though, he didn't stop. He wrapped me tightly in his arms and continued to drink. My mind and my body limp, I relaxed against his hard chest and enjoyed the euphoria of a deep feeding.
Suddenly, I heard a startled gasp from the other side of the room. Forcing my eyes open, I saw our housekeeper standing in the open doorway, coffee cup in one hand and a carafe in the other. Eyes wide with shock, she seemed rooted in place, her mouth forming a cartoon-like "O." Since I was once again respectably covered by my robe and both of Eric's hands were in plain view, I knew she hadn't arrived in time to see anything sexual. It was the sight of her employer having his dinner that had knocked her for a loop. Even though she had worked for Eric for a long time, obviously this was her first time to witness a vampire doing his thing.
Normally I would have been mortified to be caught in such an intimate moment. At the very least, I would have jumped to my feet and started stammering excuses to cover my embarrassment. This time, I didn't do either of those things. Of course, getting up would have been a little difficult, since the vampire still had his fangs firmly embedded in my neck, but the real reason was that I was just too blissed-out to move. With a languid hand, I reached up and affectionately stroked my vampire's jaw. "Baby, we have company," I said dreamily, "You need to stop now."
Eric must have been nearly finished anyway, because he only took one more swallow. After a quick swirl of the tongue to seal the punctures, he lifted his head and looked over at our still-immobile housekeeper. After his little Fairy-laced blood binge, he was in a very good humor. Instead of chewing her out for interrupting his snack, he smiled at her... but since his enormous fangs were still in full view, it probably didn't do much to help the situation. "Ah, Juanita," he said jovially, "I see you have brought your Mistress her coffee. Bring it here and set it on the desk."
For a long moment, she remained frozen in place. When she finally managed to get a hold of herself, she began to apologize profusely. "Señor, please forgive me! I did not intend to intrude!... but I heard the Señora's voice and I know how much she enjoys her coffee when she rises. The door was open and I..."
With a careless wave of his hand, he stopped her. "No need to apologize. Come, bring Sookie her coffee."
To Juanita's credit, she only hesitated briefly before complying. After setting the carafe on the edge of the desk, she rather timidly handed me a large mug of steaming, fragrant coffee. Backing away, she cleared her throat and asked politely, "And for you, Señor ? May I get anything for you?"
The vampire chuckled. "No, I am pleasantly full, thank you. In fact, for the next week or two, I will not be drinking any bottled blood. The Queen will be providing for me. During that time, I want you to see that the she drinks plenty of fluids."
"Ah... yes, sir. What about food? Señora Sookie, may I fix you something to eat?"
"Absolutely. I'm starving! I know it's nighttime, but I'm hungry for breakfast. Do we have any eggs?"
"Of course! How would you like them prepared?"
"Scrambled and lots of them."
"I'll have them done in a jiffy." She turned and headed toward the door. Eric called after her, "Fix a steak to go with those eggs, Juanita. The Queen needs to keep up her strength."
"Si, Señor Eric. I'll be glad to." She bobbed her head and hurried to the kitchen.
As soon as she was out of earshot, I said, "You know, I never thought I would say this, but I love having a housekeeper. Juanita is just awesome. I can't imagine what I would do without her."
"I admit, for a human I find her quite useful myself. She took excellent care of me while you were away, and I am afraid that was not an easy task at all."
"I can only imagine. She seems to take everything in stride, though. For example, I don't think she's ever seen a vampire feeding before. Even though it just about shocked the pants off her, she's still in there cooking me a steak. All I can say is, she really deserves that raise you gave her."
"Loyalty should always be rewarded. Which reminds me... I have a little something for you." With one long arm, he reached over to the corner of his desk, snared a cardboard box with a FedEx label on it and placed it in my lap.
"What's this?"
With an indulgent smile, he answered, "Open it and see."
The carton was still sealed shut with packing tape. Leaning over a bit, I slid open the right-hand desk drawer to get out Eric's letter opener, an ancient, extremely sharp dagger that any museum curator would drool over. Just as my fingers were about to touch the metal, the Viking's hand flashed out and caught my wrist. "Have you applied your barrier cream tonight?"
"Ah... no. I came straight up to find you."
"That handle is made from iron. Please allow me." With a quick slash of the knife, he slit the tape and pulled back the flaps of the carton. Inside was another box, but this one was beautifully gift-wrapped and tied with a wide satin ribbon.
"A present for me? What's the occasion?"
"I do not need a special occasion to give my Bonded gifts. Seeing your eyes light up is reason enough."
"Aw, honey, that is so sweet. I can't wait to see what it is." Untying the ribbon, I playfully looped it around the Viking's neck and then lifted the top off the box. Stacked inside was stationery of every conceivable type: letter paper and envelopes, note cards in two sizes, memo pads, and several other items whose use I could only guess at. Made of thick crème-colored paper, everything was embossed with Eric's Royal Seal, but with my name or initials instead of his. Completely shocked, all I could say was, "Holy cow! Look at all this!"
Blue eyes twinkling, my vampire said, "There's more. Open that smaller box, there."
Picking up the slender fabric-covered box, I snapped it open. Inside was a slender gold pen set with Sookie Northman engraved on the sides. Before I could finish oo-ing and ah-ing over it, Eric pointed to yet another box. "And now this one..."
This box was made of inlaid wood fastened with a tiny brass lock. The equally tiny key was tied to it with a satin ribbon. Unlocking it, I lifted the lid and found red sealing wax and my very own royal seal. "For official correspondence," Eric explained, "There should be one more item. Look under the stationery."
I slipped my hand under the envelopes and felt around. There was something flat on the bottom of the box. I managed to grab it and pull it out. It was a thin book, covered in white fabric patterned with gold fleur-de-lis. At first, I thought it was one of those fancy day-calendars, but when I opened it, the pages were blank except for pale blue lines like in a spiral notebook. "Your current notebook is nearly out of pages," my vampire explained, "I thought it was time for a new one."
For a moment, I was speechless. Me, write in something as nice... as permanent as this? Tracing my finger across the velvety-smooth paper, I wondered if I could ever bring myself to write on it. Eric said, "Sookie, you have the strangest expression on your face. Do you not like it?"
"Honey, I absolutely love it. It's beautiful! It's just... well, the thing about cheap notebooks is you don't feel bad about writing down any fool thing that pops into your head... or doodling in them... or ripping out a page for a grocery list. When you fill one up, you can toss it in the trash and trot on down to the drugstore and get another one for a dollar. What could I possibly have to say that would be worthy of a journal like this?"
"You can record our life together. Is that not worthy? When you are finished with this one, I will buy you more. In fact, I am going to order a dozen, so you will always have one waiting. No more trotting down to the drugstore for my Queen."
"But..."
"No buts. I want you to put your thoughts and ideas in this journal, in exactly the same way you have always done in your notebooks. Write in it, doodle in it, tear out pages by the handfuls... My only request is that you do not throw it away when it is full."
I stared down at the beautiful little book. "Even if I never write anything in it worth keeping, I could never throw it away. You gave it to me."
With a smile hovering on his gorgeous lips, Eric regarded me for a moment. Finally, he said, "Did you know that our brother Robert is overly fond of artists?"
I wasn't sure if he meant that Robert enjoyed being around creative people, or if he just really liked the taste of their blood. Either way, I wasn't really sure what it had to do with my journal. I answered vaguely, "Huh. I didn't know that."
"Oh, yes. He always has one or two of them hovering about. Years ago, one of them told me that he considered a clean, blank canvas exciting but also extremely intimidating. He claimed that for him, the first stroke of paint was by far the most difficult. This particular artist went on to become quite famous and his paintings hang in museums today." Picking up the box that held my new pens, he pulled one out and offered it to me. "Why don't you get that first stroke behind you? You can write in your name, just like you always do."
Taking the pen from his hand, I laid the book on his desk at just the right angle. I didn't want to spoil the pretty cover by writing on it, so I turned to the first page and wrote my name. I thought for a moment and then added a few other words. The finished product looked like this:
Sookie Northman
April 19, 2006
This journal was given to me by my loving & thoughtful husband Eric Northman,
who always knows just what I need and provides it.
As usual, my vampire was right. Once the very first dot of ink hit the paper, I claimed the notebook as my own. The feel of the high-quality pen gliding across the soft paper was utterly seductive. My mind was suddenly filled with all sorts of things I wanted to put in my journal: my trip to the Portal, Eric's car collection and our special date, the birth of my nephew... but the very first thing I was going to do was record the fantastic dreams my vampire had given me. Those dreams were much too precious to take the chance of forgetting the least little detail, and I wanted to get it all down while everything was still vivid in my memory.
Eric looked over my shoulder as I wrote. I could tell by the strong emotions flowing through our Bond that he found the inscription deeply gratifying. Still sitting on his lap, I twisted around and wrapped my arms around his neck. I gave him a kiss and then looked deeply into his eyes. "It's true, you know. You've always seen what I needed and provided it. I don't mean fun stuff like jewels and furs, but things I really needed, like gravel for my driveway... or a warm winter coat... or dreams to fill the empty spots in my heart. I love you, Eric Northman. You really are the best husband in the entire world."
Sapphire eyes aglow, he replied, "It gives me pleasure to see you using the things I have given you. I look forward to watching you fill the pages of this journal. Feel free to extol my virtues as often as you like."
"You say that like you'll be reading it yourself. Journals are supposed to be private, honey."
"You are my Bonded, Sookie. Of course I will be reading it."
I supposed the idea of "privacy" between a Twice-Bonded couple really was kind of silly. My vampire already knew everything I was feeling, which was much more intimate than anything I could write down. It wouldn't exactly be the end of the world if he did read my journal... still, it was the principle of the thing. With a mischievous grin, I said, "You think so, huh? Well, you'll have to find it first."
"Why, Mrs. Northman, that sounds like a challenge."
"It is. If you can find this journal, you have my permission to read it. I'll warn you, though. Growing up with a nosy brother like Jason taught me to be a world-class hider."
"Good, because I am a world-class hunter. If it is too easy to find, our game will not be nearly as fun.""
"Oh! That reminds me! I have a present for you, too. I'll be right back."
I jumped up and headed for the foyer, where Cooper had stacked all my boxes and bags from Bon Temps. Once I got to my pile-'o-stuff, it took me a minute to find Eric's present. Cooper had tucked the Wal-Mart sack way in the back, out of view of nosy Vikings. Pulling out the gift bag I purchased for the occasion, I quickly filled it with the two small plastic boxes and all the accessories, stuffed some colored tissue artfully in the top of the bag, and voilà! Instant gift!
Hurrying back to the library, I held the bag behind my back until I was standing in front of my vampire. Producing it with a flourish, I cried, "Happy No Particular Occasion Day!"
Chuckling at my silliness, Eric took the bag. Without removing the tissue paper, he plunged his hand inside, felt around, and by sheer luck, pulled out his iPod first. When he realized what it was, his handsome face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. "This is an iPod!"
"They come in other colors, but I know you like red," I said with a smile, "Keep looking. There's more."
One by one, he pulled out the other items and laid them in an arc on his desk. The very last thing out of the bag was the other iPod. He looked at it in puzzlement. "A second one... in pink?"
"Oh, absolutely," I said with the straightest face I could manage, "This way, the next time you wear those fabulous lycra pants of yours, you'll be color-coordinated."
Without missing a beat, he asked hopefully, "Oh? Are you taking me to another orgy?"
Of course, I knew he was just yanking my chain. Normally I would have had some snappy comeback, but just this once I decided to stroke his ego a little. Sternly, I said, "No way, buster! Your orgy days are over! You are MINE, and I don't share."
As intended, that answer pleased him to no end. With a satisfied smirk, he said, "As it should be. Now, tell me, Lover, what is the pink one really for?"
"It's for me. I need it for a little game I have in mind. Yesterday it occurred to me that I don't know the first thing about the kind of music that you like, or vice-versa. I propose that we each put fifty of our favorite songs on our iPods and then switch them. You have to be really honest about it, too. No fair leaving out anything embarrassing."
"I like the sound of this game, but it will be extremely difficult to limit myself to fifty songs. I have been listening to music for a very long time."
"How 'bout 100, then? Eric Northman's Top 100. That sounds like something Time-Warner should be selling on late-night infomercials."
Shaking his head, he replied, "Definitely not. My true musical preferences are very personal and not to be shared outside the confines of our nest."
I started to roll my eyes, but then realized he was completely serious. It was such a typical vampire attitude, I had to laugh. My Viking didn't mind posing nude for a calendar that literally anyone in the world could see, and it was perfectly okay with him for other vampires to watch us having sex... but letting anyone but his inner circle see a list of his favorite music was out of the question. "Don't worry, baby. This will just be for us."
"So how does one go about getting the music on to the device?"
"Cooper explained it to me, but he also said there were specific instructions in the box. We can do it later if you're too busy now."
"Work can wait a bit longer. I want to play with my gift. Come, let's see how this operates." The Viking pulled me back on to his lap, then opened the acrylic box and handed me the instructions. Between sips of coffee, I read them out loud while he performed the tasks necessary to get everything up and running. Once we accessed the iTunes store, he was both amazed and delighted with the extent of the selections available for download. He immediately added a bunch of money to his account. I didn't know what shocked me more, the amount or the fact that he had typed in his credit card information entirely from memory. "Good grief!" I blurted out, "You loaded a thousand dollars!"
"Yes, that should get me started."
"Get you started? Honey, that's enough to buy nearly 900 songs!"
"There are many tunes I want to download that will not necessarily be included on my top 100 list. I can think of twenty or thirty albums I want without even giving it much thought. That thousand dollars will be gone in a flash."
"Um... don't you already have a bunch of them on CD? I think you can load them into your computer then convert them without having to pay for them again."
"That sounds like far too much work. This is quicker, easier, and a great deal more enjoyable. Now, if our respective lists are to remain a secret until complete, you will need your own account. Here, let me set up one for you..."
"Okay, but don't bother putting more than a couple of hundred dollars in it. I don't even think I know 900 songs, much less like them enough to pay for them!"
"Sometimes I forget how very young you are." He typed for a minute and then said, "All right, my child bride, I have started you off with $500."
"That's still too much!"
"Think of it this way... we own a great deal of stock in the Apple Corporation. This is our way of contributing to the health of the company."
"If you say so. Now, I can tell you're burning to get started, and I want to play with my new gifts, too." Climbing off his lap, I picked up my new journal, my new pen, and my mug. After pouring myself more coffee, I curled up on the sofa, pulled a soft blanket over my legs, and opened my journal to the second page. I thought for a minute and then began to write. Eric plugged in his new earphones and got started on downloading the first of what was sure to be a massive digital library. I certainly hoped his new computer had plenty of hard drive.
It wasn't much longer until Juanita brought in my food. I ate a leisurely breakfast and then went back to writing. For the very first time in our married life, Eric and I enjoyed doing perfectly normal, stress-free, non-dangerous activities in the comfort of our own cozy library. It was simply fantastic! When I finally finished recording as many details of my wonderful dreams as I could remember, I added a few notes about the last couple of days and then closed the cover of my book with a contented sigh. I looked up to find my vampire watching me intently, a sexy little smile hovering on his perfect lips. "What?" I asked.
Instead of answering right away, he rose from his chair and strode across the room. After sliding the pocket doors shut, he came over and sat beside me. He took the journal out of my hand and set it on the coffee table. Pulling me into his embrace, he looked deeply into my eyes. "Have I told you lately how happy you make me?" he asked quietly, "I am never bored or lonely as long as you are with me. To me, that is nothing short of a miracle. I thank the gods every night for sending you to me."
"I could say exactly the same thing about you. I love you, Eric."
"I love you too, sweet wife." He gave me a tender kiss, followed by another, and then another. They were lazy, thorough kisses, each one conveying a deep sense of love and connectedness, along with just enough lust to get my motor racing. "I want to feel your skin next to mine," he said huskily, removing my robe and letting it fall to the floor. His sleep pants soon followed suit. Laying me gently back on the sofa, he covered my body with his and rubbed himself sensually against me. For a long time, we did nothing but pet and kiss until neither of us could stand not being joined for another instant. Wordlessly, my gorgeous husband slid himself inside me.
Considering that we had never gotten around to having sex the night before, I knew my vampire was more than ready for it. I expected a thorough pounding with a relatively quick finish, but instead, the Viking seemed determined to take his time. We made slow, tender, dreamy love, and even after things had reached a very successful conclusion, we lay cuddled under the soft cashmere throw, laughing and kissing and whispering silly but heart-felt words of love.
Even the ringing of Eric's cell phone was not enough to disturb the peaceful, contented atmosphere. First giving me an unhurried kiss, my husband rolled to his feet and walked over to his desk to answer the call. Not willing to let him out of my sight, I rolled on my stomach and peered over the arm of the sofa, happily admiring my Viking's magnificent backside as he talked. "Yes?... Oh, good... Yes, they should have moved it by now." Glancing at his watch, he continued, "Twenty minutes? Perfect. Wait for my call at the front gate. Be sure and bring it to the side door."
I waited until he ended the call before asking, "What was that all about?"
"The delivery I was expecting is about to arrive. Bill is bringing it with him. He'll be here shortly."
"What is it?"
Eyes twinkling, Eric replied mysteriously, "Wait and see." Sauntering back to the sofa, he stared down at my bare, upturned butt. "My, my, my. That is a tempting sight. Lean a little further over the arm, Sookie, and let me nibble a bit."
Rolling over and sitting up, I said, "Hold your horses, big guy. If Bill's going to be here in twenty minutes, we need to shower and dress!"
"Why? I love the way you smell! Like Fairy and sex and me." Nevertheless, he scooped me up and carried me downstairs. We were both bathed and dressed in record time. Taking my cell phone from its charger, Eric handed it to me. "I want you to be very careful to whom you give the new number, at least until we capture the caller."
"None of my friends would give out my number to a creep like that!"I protested.
"And yet he obtained it somehow."
"Well... all right. I'll think twice before giving it to anyone."
"Good girl." Glancing at his watch, Eric said, "Bill should be here any minute. Come with me."
He hustled me up upstairs and to the kitchen where Juanita was standing at the sink washing my breakfast dishes. Eric said, "Juanita, I am expecting some guests later. There is a new brand of bottled blood on the market that I want to serve them. I want you to drive into town and get some." He named a brand and told her where to buy it.
"Sí, Señor Eric. I will be happy to get it for you. I will go as soon as I am finished here."
"No. Leave the dishes for later. I want you to leave as soon as possible, so you can be back before they arrive."
"Ah... yes, sir." She obediently dried her hands, got her purse from the pantry, and headed down the hall to the side door.
Through our Bond came a burst of anticipation mixed with amusement. I glanced up at Eric, who was wearing a huge grin. "Come on," he said, "This is going to be fun."
He took off down the hall at a rapid pace. Wondering just what my mischievous vampire was up to, I hurried after him. We hadn't even made it out the door when I heard a burst of agitated Spanish. Poking my head outside, I saw our normally unflappable housekeeper running up and down the side driveway, clearly frantic about something. With his hands stuck oh-so-casually in his pockets, Eric asked calmly, "Is something wrong, Juanita?"
"Sí, Patrón! My car is missing!"
"Missing? Are you certain you parked it here?"
"Of course! I always park it here! Someone must have stolen it!"
"That is impossible. This is the most secure compound in Louisiana. You must have misplaced it."
Our frazzled housekeeper stared at the vampire like he had lost his mind. "Misplaced it? No, Señor. I parked it right here!" Wringing her hands, she moaned, "Oh, this is terrible! The car was too old to insure against theft! I can't afford to buy a new one! What am I going to do?"
"Calm down, Juanita," her employer said soothingly, "I will help you find your car. Perhaps the guards at the front gate know something."
Pulling out his phone, he punched a number on his speed dial. A moment later, he asked, "Has anyone seen Juanita's car? She seems to have misplaced it... It is? Well, bring it to the house right away." Replacing the phone to his pocket, he said to Juanita, "Relax. Your car is up at the front gate. It will be here any minute."
The clearly bewildered housekeeper said, "At the front gate? But Señor, how did it get there? I know I parked it right here!"
"Have patience. I imagine the mystery will be cleared up soon enough." By now, of course, I had an inkling of what was going on. Sure enough, a minute later a brand-new, fire engine red Cadillac sedan came rolling up the drive with Bill behind the wheel. Eric said in satisfaction, "Ah. Here it is now."
"But... but... Mr. Eric, that's not mine!" Juanita cried, "My car is red but old and dented."
"That was your old car. This is your new one. I told you a few days ago you would be receiving a bonus, and here it is."
For a moment, she stood stock still, her soft brown eyes round with shock. She looked at the car, then at Eric, then at the car again... and then she burst into tears. Along with the waterworks came a stream of rapid Spanish. With an amused smile, Eric replied in the same language. They went back and forth a couple of rounds, until Eric finally said in English, "Now, Juanita, dry those tears. Don't you want to take your new car out for a spin?"
Her face now wreathed in smiles, our housekeeper nodded enthusiastically. Bill slipped out of the driver's seat but left the engine running. Like the gentleman he was, he helped her into the car, leaned in to point out a few of its features, and then shut the door and stepped back. Putting the car in gear, Juanita gave us one last wave before heading for the front gate. Joining Eric and me, Bill said mildly, "Well, my King, that's one human you've made very, very happy."
Never one to be caught with his kindness showing, the vampire King replied coldly, "Her happiness is neither here nor there. Her old car was unreliable and an eyesore. Now it will no longer detract from the Royal Residence."
Strait-faced, Bill said, "Of course. Very practical."
"Now that chore is behind us, we can move on to more important matters. Let's go to the library and get busy, shall we?"
"Yes, sir."
While the boys were handling kingdom business, I decided to take care of a few chores of my own. I started by calling Jason to check on Crystal and little J.J. He reported that everyone was doing fine, but I could tell by his voice that he was absolutely exhausted. He surprised me by saying, "Sookie, I want to thank you for all your help last night. I don't know if Crystal or the baby would have made it if you hadn't been here."
"Thank Dr. Ludwig. She's the one who really saved them."
"Well, maybe so, but that's her job. You ought to see the bill she gave me! Anyway, I think things might have gone a lot different if you hadn't helped out. That magic of yours is pretty amazing. I still have trouble believing that my baby sister can do all that cool stuff."
"Sometimes I have trouble believing it myself. To tell you the truth, it takes a little getting used to. I haven't got everything completely under control yet, but I'm working on it."
"Well, you sure impressed the hell out of everyone out here. They can't quit talking about you."
"Only amongst themselves, I hope. Jason, you don't think anybody out there would let it slip to outsiders, do you?"
"Sookie, one thing I can honestly say about these folks is that they can keep a secret like nobody's business. No one here will breathe a word about what you are, and not just 'cause they're scared of your vampire."
"Calvin went out of his way to tell me that now I'm a blood relative to a born were-panther, I'm considered a part of the community."
"Ha! It's more like you're the new town mascot. Everybody out here seems to think you're their personal good luck charm."
"Ah... does that bother you?"
"Heck, no! Bein' the brother of the Good Fairy has advantages. Suddenly, everybody's treatin' me with a lot more respect."
"You know, Jason, maybe that's not the only reason. Maybe it's because you've shown them you're worthy of respect. You have a steady well-paying job, you've done right by Crystal in spite of the circumstances, and now you've fathered a healthy new member of the community."
"Yeah, maybe so. Everybody does seem pretty thrilled with the baby. I don't know why, but Calvin really seems to think J.J.'s gonna be leader someday. That would be somethin', wouldn't it?"
"That would be great. He's a wonderful baby, and I can't wait to see him again. I'll try to get back out there soon, okay?"
"Any time, sis. I'll be staying out here for a few more days so I can be with the baby. Just give me a call and let me know when you're comin' by."
"That reminds me. I had my cell phone number changed." I read it off to him.
"Is it because of those calls you've been gettin'?"
"Uh huh. Do me a favor and don't give my new number out to anyone, at least until we catch the guy, okay?"
Jason was silent for a minute and then said seriously, "You know, Sook, it's possible that this caller is dangerous. I know you're safe as long as you're with Eric, but maybe you should stay at home during the day for a while. That place of yours is like Fort Knox."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be careful, I promise."
We said our goodbyes and disconnected. Next, I made a quick call to Amelia to give her my new number, but it went straight to voicemail. I left her a message and moved on to the next person on my list. I checked in with Chef Sinclair to firm up all the details for the dinner party. Once that call was complete, I was thoroughly sick of talking on the phone, so I decided to unpack my boxes from the farmhouse. I carried the first one to the kitchen and had just started unloading it when Juanita returned from her maiden voyage. She was so happy, she was practically floating. It took a little while to get her to come down to Earth, but once she settled down, we got busy putting everything away.
Fortunately, finding places for all my things was easy as pie. After living my entire life in a house where every conceivable storage space was filled with generations of stuff, it still seemed strange to open a drawer or cupboard and find it empty. Valhalla had been built as a showplace and meant for entertaining on a grand scale, but back in those days, property taxes were based on the number of rooms. Closets were counted as rooms, so even fancy houses generally didn't have many closets, if any at all. Storage was mainly provided by armoires, sideboards, trunks, and other large pieces of furniture.
Luckily, during the mansion's remodeling, Eric had added plenty of closets, pantries, and other storage spaces. Thanks to his foresight, even with all the stuff I purchased in New York and my things from the farmhouse, so far I had only managed to fill a fraction of the available storage space. I commented on this to Juanita, who laughed and told me that stuff has a way of expanding when you're not looking. She swore that in two or three years I would be complaining about needing more room. It seemed hard to believe, but I figured she was probably right.
Even though it was a lot of work getting it all squared away, I thoroughly enjoyed myself doing it. It was strangely satisfying to see my great-grandmother's china stacked neatly in the butler's pantry, and great-aunt Edith's beautifully embroidered tablecloth covering the dining room table. Somehow, the addition of all my family's things made me feel like the house really did belong to me. Come to think of it, though, maybe it was just another type of claiming.
While Juanita and I were busy buzzing around the house, Eric would occasionally wander out of the library, just to see what I was doing and to give me a kiss or two. Once, he came out to remind us that he was expecting visitors. He instructed Juanita to show them to the library when they arrived. Since I would be practicing my magic at some point, he made sure she was absolutely clear on which parts of the house were considered public and which were private and totally off-limits to any guests. As long as I stayed in our private rooms, I wouldn't have to worry about being seen by "unauthorized personnel."
Over the course of the evening, several vampires came and went, much like they routinely did at Fangtasia. To my surprise, I found I didn't even mind having a stream of visitors coming and going through my house. For most of my life, home was my only refuge from the constant barrage of other people's thoughts; consequently, I had never cared much for guests. However, since all of Eric's visitors were vampires, I couldn't "hear" them anyway, plus having people in it gave the big old house some life... in a manner of speaking.
I had to admit, Eric working from home was a wonderful idea. Since we first moved in, I hadn't had many chances to just putter around. If the Viking was home and awake, he always demanded my full attention. On the few occasions he had gone off and left me by myself, I had been too weirded-out by being all alone in the enormous, unfamiliar house to enjoy it. This was a perfect balance as far as I was concerned. Since the Viking was busy doing his King thing, I felt free to run around the house playing Susie Homemaker to my heart's content. Having my Bonded just a few rooms away and available for kissing anytime made all the difference in the world.
Once we finished unpacking the boxes, Juanita and I sat down over iced tea and tuna sandwiches and discussed the upcoming dinner party. I had already selected the menu, but there were still plenty of decisions to be made. Fortunately for me, my housekeeper was pretty well versed on the subject. She prompted me to think about every tiny detail, particularly the all-important seating arrangement. We made a list of things I still needed, like candles and floral arrangements. Sitting back in my chair, I said, "Wow. I never realized how much time and effort went into a party like this... and it's only for seven people!"
"Seven or seventy, thorough preparation is the key to a successful party. If you are confident that everything is completely under control, you will be able to relax and enjoy your guests. If you are having a good time, I promise you, so will they."
Honestly, I was already less nervous than I expected to be. Thanks to Juanita and Chef Sinclair, I had actually enjoyed the planning phase. They were both experienced with this sort of thing, and with their guidance, I was pretty confident I had covered all the bases. I was really looking forward to seeing my family and showing them my beautiful home. I even knew what I was going to wear, one of the elegant new outfits I had just bought at Tara's Toggs.
The only thing I was the teeniest bit worried about was the whole vampire-fairy thing. I knew everyone would be on their best behavior for my sake, but overcoming centuries of animosity and mistrust wasn't going to be easy for either side. I was hoping that this little soiree would provide an opportunity for the Fairies to see that there was more to a vampire than just a pair of fangs. Both the Viking and the Knight were sophisticated, well-read, well-traveled, and good conversationalists. The same could be said of the Fairies... but they could also be arrogant and irritating. I just prayed my nestmates could manage to keep their tempers in check and their fangs to themselves for a couple of hours. If only I could somehow make sure they were in a good mood before the party... Huh. To the bottom of my list I added: Give vampires happy magic right before guests arrive.
Satisfied that my list was complete, I sat back with a contented sigh and put down my pencil. I glanced up at the clock and realized it was way past time for Juanita to leave for the night. It worried me that she had to drive all the way back to Shreveport so late and offered to send a guard with her, but she hurriedly assured me that now she had a brand new car that wouldn't break down, she would be absolutely fine.
She had been gone less than five minutes when the doorbell rang. I hadn't gotten around to doing any magic yet, so I figured I looked normal enough to answer it myself. One of the Area 2 vampires that I knew slightly stood on the porch, so I invited him inside. This was his first visit to the Royal Residence, and he glanced around the foyer with obvious approval. We exchanged pleasantries and then I showed him to the library. Besides Bill and Eric, there were two other vampires present. From the open doorway, I said hello to them, too, and politely asked if anyone wanted any blood.
From behind his desk, Eric asked, "Where's Juanita?'
"She left a few minutes ago."
Glancing at his watch, he frowned. "I suppose it is late."
Bill quickly rose to his feet. "I'll get the bloods, Sookie."
I started to protest that I was perfectly capable of getting a couple of bottles of blood all by myself, but then I realized Bill had that slightly strained look on his face that he always got when I was about to make some sort of vampire faux pas. Instead, I politely excused myself and left the room. Quickly joining me in the hallway, Bill took my arm and steered me right past the near-by wet bar and all the way back to the kitchen, which was out of vampire hearing range. "What the heck, Bill?" I asked softly. "All I did was offer refreshments to guests in my home."
"First, those vampires are not guests, they are here on business. Second, while it is perfectly acceptable for you to offer refreshments, it is not acceptable for you to serve them. Vampire Queens do not wait on underlings. You should have servants for that."
"I do have a housekeeper, but she can't work 24 hours a day!"
"Sookie, I know Eric has not pushed the issue because he wanted you to have time to adjust to your new life... but it's time you faced facts. This may be your home, but it is also a Royal Residence. You are going to have many visitors from all walks of life, especially after the Coronation. From Princes to peasants, everyone will find it extremely peculiar that the King of this Territory has only one house servant. Unless you want them to think less of Eric, you need to hire more help."
He was right, of course. Truth be told, I had discovered that it wasn't just vampires who put a lot of stock in that sort of thing. The Fae were just as bad, if not worse. Any monarch that wasn't dripping in servants would be viewed with disdain and suspicion by the entire Supernatural community. By dragging my feet on hiring more help, I was doing a disservice to my Bonded and our Kingdom. Somewhat guiltily, I said, "I did hire more, but Eric scared them off while I was gone. I just haven't gotten around to replacing them yet. Finding humans who can deal with our lifestyle and be trusted not to reveal any details to outsiders isn't easy, particularly right now. How you guys ever did it before the Great Revelation is beyond me."
Bill shifted uncomfortably. "Strictly speaking, in the old days most vampires did not hire their human servants. They..."
I held up one hand. "Stop right there. I'm probably better off not knowing the details."
"Well, you did ask."
"Look, Bill, the last thing I want to do is embarrass Eric... but Eric wants me to stay away from humans until I get the Fairy thing under control. How am I going to do that and interview domestic help?"
Looking thoughtful, the vampire said, "Hmm. Perhaps you should consider were-animals."
"I don't know," I said doubtfully, "I don't think even female Weres like being cooped-up with indoor jobs, plus aren't most of them too proud to be housemaids? Not to mention they seem to rub Eric the wrong way. Come to think of it, though, the were-panthers know I'm part Fae and a bunch of them are unemployed. Do you think they're too proud for domestic work?"
"I doubt it... but I'd ask Eric first. He may not approve of indoor cats. They smell, you know."
"Oh, for Pete's sake. All right, then, do you have any better ideas?"
"Not really. I wish I could be of more help."
Lightly touching him on the back of the hand, I said, "You do help me, all the time. I'll bet a Lieutenant isn't supposed to be serving underlings, either, but you jumped right in to keep me from looking bad."
"It is my duty to protect and care for you in every way."
"Never think for a minute I don't appreciate it. I always feel better knowing you have my back. It's a good thing you do, since I always seem to be making these kinds of mistakes."
"I think you have done remarkably well. The rules of the vampire world are arcane and not easily mastered."
"I'll say! Too bad there isn't an Emily Post's Guide to Vampire Etiquette. I could look up how to tell an underling when I see one."
"As long as you are talking about residents of this Kingdom, you do not need a book," he said seriously, "It is very simple. Any vampire other than Eric is technically your underling. Outside this territory, it gets a little more complicated."
I gave him a wicked grin. "So you're my underling, huh? I kind of like the sound of that."
"Always at your service, my Queen."
"Wait a minute. I serve you and Pam bloods all the time, and nobody ever batted an eyelash."
"Yes, because we are Lieutenants. You may also serve any of the Sheriffs if you wish, as a sign of respect and favor. Also, any visiting monarch and members of their personal retinue... or any other vampire of equal wealth, age, and power as Eric... but in that case, only if Eric himself asks you to."
"You mean like Luke."
Instantly, Bill's smile vanished. "Luke." He spat out the name as if it tasted like burned blood. "Take my advice, Sookie. Never even think about serving him anything. Eric is never going to forget that Luke helped you escape from Las Vegas after your fight.
Bill had never gotten around to asking me what had happened on Luke's jet, but I knew he was burning to know. Before he could work up the nerve to ask me, I steered the conversation back to the subject at hand, "So... what about Robert? He's old, wealthy and powerful."
"More to the point, he is your nestmate. Even if he were a fledgling, it is your duty to care for him."
This was said in Bill's normal cool tone, but his eyes and our blood tie told a different story. Before my dark vampire could veil his feelings from me, I felt a surge of disappointment and jealousy... and then, just as quickly it was gone. Turning his back to me, he removed the heated bottles of blood from the microwave and then arranged them carefully on a tray. He had cut himself off from me, and even though I knew why, it made me very sad. Clearly Bill felt that I had once again abandoned him for yet another older, wealthier, and more famous vampire. My decision to use Robert as a donor instead of him had hurt him more deeply than I had guessed, and then I had added salt to the wound by forming a nest with Robert and Eric without inviting him to join.
What Bill failed to realize, though, was that no one could ever take his place in my heart. We had simply been through too much together. More importantly, we shared a blood bond. I was just now beginning to realize what a sacred thing that was. I loved my dark vampire, and it pained me to know how much I had hurt him. In a low voice, I said, "Bill, about the nest thing... I've wanted to talk to you about it, but we hardly ever have any time alone anymore."
Instead of looking at me, he studiously rearranged the glasses and napkins I had already put on the tray. "You owe me no explanations," he said finally.
"No, but I want to tell you what happened. The whole thing was really spur-of-the moment. After the transfusion, Rhiannon left me some Fairy medicine that had a real kick to it, plus I was chock-full of vampire blood..."
"Which means you had absolutely no inhibitions, and Eric and Robert decided to take advantage of the situation."
"No, I talked them into it. I figured it was my one shot to be a full-fledged member of the nest, so I took it."
"So you just suddenly awakened from your deathbed with a burning desire to join a vampire's nest?" he asked sarcastically.
"Not really... but Eric and Robert had just saved my life. Nearly every drop of blood in my body came from them. The whole experience forged this amazing connection between the three of us. Robert felt like family to me. Making it official just felt... right."
"Well, I must compliment you on your choice of nestmates. Quite the illustrious pair. In fact, I think it's safe to say you now belong to the most exclusive nest on the planet. The Viking, the Knight, and a Royal Fairy. Very impressive."
Ignoring his sarcasm, I said evenly, "Impressive, yes, but not complete. Bill... would you please quit fiddling with that tray and look at me?"
Reluctantly, he turned to face me. Looking into his eyes, I said, "Even though you've never told me the details, I know you don't care for nests, but... it would make me really happy if you would join us."
His voice chiller than ever, he replied, "Be careful, Sookie. Only the Elder of a nest can issue invitations, and I doubt that will ever happen. I imagine it suits your nestmates just fine to have you all to themselves."
"That's not true. It may come as a shock to you, but Eric and Robert fully expect you and Pam to become a part of this nest. We thought about asking you to join the other night, but we all agreed neither of you was quite ready."
He was so surprised by my words that he let his tight block to our connection slip. Instantly, I was nearly overwhelmed with a veritable stew of strong emotions: shock, confusion, elation and... just before he managed to get a grip on himself and slam the barrier back up... fear.
Fear? What the heck? That was the last reaction I had expected. All I could think was that his previous experiences with nests really must have been bad. Impulsively, I laid my palm on his cheek. "Don't do that," I said gently, "Don't block me out. Tell me what's wrong."
Bill's eyes softened. "Sookie, I... just that you have asked is an honor, but..." Just then, the doorbell rang again. With unconcealed relief, he said hurriedly, "I'd better get that and then get back to the meeting. We'll have to discuss this later."
Grabbing the tray, he practically ran from the room. Totally shocked by his hasty retreat, I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. Clearly Robert was right: for reasons of his own, Bill wasn't ready to join our nest... but I still had no idea why. Was it the idea of nests in general, or was it this one in particular? I really wished Bill would just come out and tell me what was bugging him for once. My dark vampire had never been good at sharing information even when we were lovers. Back then, I had been so inexperienced and intimidated that I never pushed him into revealing things that I wanted and sometimes needed to know... but I wasn't that naïve girl anymore, not by a long, long way. We were going discuss this again, and soon, even if I had to pull rank to do it.
In the meantime, since it appeared that Bill had appointed himself the official greeter, I decided that I might as well get down to practicing my magic. It was too bad I hadn't talked to the Prince myself, because maybe he could have been a tad more specific about how to go about "gaining self-control." Faeryn was the obvious person to ask, but I certainly wasn't going to bother her with my problems while she was trying to recover from such a terrible ordeal. I still found it hard to believe anyone could torture someone as beautiful and gentle as Faeryn. I hoped I could persuade her to stay with me a few days after the dinner party. Now that I had a little more experience under my belt, maybe I could help her in some small way.
Since I had no one else I could ask for help, I was just going to have to try to figure it out for myself. Since my biggest problem was controlling my outward appearance, I decided that the first thing I needed was a mirror. There was a big one on the wall in the den, so I popped myself there. I stood in front of it and tried to get in touch with my Fairy side and then switch back to looking human as quickly as possible. Unsurprisingly, since I didn't have a clue what I was doing, I really didn't have much success. I could get the Fairy to come out just fine. Getting her to go back in was much harder. After more than an hour of practice, all I managed to do was make myself tired and glowier than ever. The upside was that our den now smelled really, really good.
Frustrated, I gave up. Eric was still busy in his library, so I decided to watch a little television. I curled up on the sofa and surfed through the channels. I finally found a movie that I had always wanted to see but had never managed to catch at the beginning. It had only been on for a little while when Eric came looking for me, Bill in tow. They were finally done with work for the evening, and even though neither one of them tended to watch much television, they seemed perfectly happy to join me. Eric snuggled up with me on the sofa and Bill settled into one of the big overstuffed chairs.
After a moment of staring at the action, the Viking asked, "Sookie, what are you watching?"
"It's called Highlander. You'll like it. It's all about Immortals and has lots of sword fights and stuff."
"I had no idea you liked sword fighting."
Call me bad, but I just couldn't resist such a great opportunity to tease him. "I don't," I replied blithely, "I like Highlanders. All women find them extremely sexy."
"Oh, is that so?" growled my mate.
"Absolutely. They're such manly men."
Those expressive blond eyebrows came together in a serious frown. "Manly!"
"Yes, manly. And no woman can resist a Scottish accent... yum!"
"For your information, no doubt the reason you find Scotsmen so manly is that a great many of them had Viking ancestors. And real Highlanders from the medieval period sounded nothing like that. Ask Angus McPhearson. He was born around that time."
"Of course Angus's accent is sexier than the actor's," I agreed, "He's the real deal... and even you have to admit how manly he is. In fact, I bet he could tell me what Highlanders really wear under their kilts... or maybe he could just show me..."
"Grrrr! Unless you want this kingdom to be short one Sheriff, you will stay away from Angus!" Eric's own accent had suddenly grown thicker as it was apt to do when he got bent out of shape.
Bill sighed heavily. "Sookie, quit teasing him," he ordered sternly, "We're missing the movie."
Laughing, I did my best to soothe my mate's ruffled feathers and then brought my vampires up to speed on the plot. Through the entire film, the Viking kept muttering rude remarks about Highlanders under his breath. Both he and Bill took great delight in making snarky comments about the sword fight sequences, but despite that (or maybe because of it) I really enjoyed the movie... all except for the scene where the Immortal Highlander's first wife died of old age. I had to admit, I got choked up thinking about how easily that could have been me. I wasn't the only one affected, either. Both vampires had fallen silent. Sadness was flowing through our three-way bond like a river. Bill had to clear his throat a couple of times, and Eric held me so tightly I had to make him ease up so I could breathe.
To break the tension, I went to the kitchen and made myself some popcorn. When I got back, the vampires were back to bantering and picking apart the movie. I couldn't help glancing over at Bill. He seemed completely comfortable staying with us now, just as if he was already a member of our nest. I just couldn't figure out why he was so reluctant to make it official. On the other hand, I wasn't sure why I cared so much. I couldn't explain it, but I had this weird feeling deep in my bones that having Bill join our nest was somehow necessary.
When the movie was over, Bill excused himself and went to his room to read. Eric swooped me up and carried me off to bed, where I finally got my thorough pounding from a very authentic, very manly Viking vampire. Afterward, as I lay cuddled in his strong arms, he murmured something in his old language which sounded suspiciously like a prayer. When I asked for a translation, he hesitated a moment. When he finally spoke, his accent and voice were thick. "If you had been entirely human, Sookie, I would have done everything in my power to convince you to let me turn you... but if you had refused, I would have stayed with you as you grew old. I would have loved you until your final breath. I was just thanking the gods for sparing me from such agony."
"Oh, baby. Even the Fae don't live forever."
Holding me tightly against his chest, he fiercely proclaimed, "One way or another, Beloved, I will find a way to make you immortal. I swear it."
I snuggled closer and kissed his chest. "Eric, if anybody can do it, it will be you. In the meantime, I plan on enjoying every minute of my life with you. Tonight was a great start. It was just about perfect."
"I thought so, too. I love you, Sookie."
"I love you, too."
The next couple of days were every bit as wonderful. I was afraid that Eric would become bored with staying home, but he actually seemed to enjoy it. Truthfully, he seemed happier and more content than I had ever seen him. Without the constant interruptions of Fangtasia, he got a great deal of work done in a short amount of time, leaving him plenty of free time to play with me. Besides having lots and lots of sex, we took long walks around the property, swam in the pool, went flying, took long drives in the country, read, and played chess (even though he sacrificed his queen and a knight, he always beat me anyway.) My gift to him had been a huge success. Eric had fallen in love with his iPod and spent lots of time downloading tunes. He even found a device that would allow him to plug it into our built-in sound system. Bobby had been dispatched to buy one, and Bill installed it later that night. To my delight, the Viking had even volunteered to make a playlist specifically for our party.
As for me, when I first found out I was under "house arrest" for the foreseeable future, I just knew I was going to feel trapped, bored, and antsy... until I remembered that I had just been whining to myself about not having any routine! After that, I settled down and enjoyed being a homebody. While the Master of the house was down for the day, I sunbathed, did a little needlework, worked on my magic, and wrote in my journal (which I went out of my way to hide before sunset.) I also made it a point to call Claude each day, who sounded almost pathetically glad to hear from me. Maybe it was because I was currently his only contact with the Fairy world. Once he got his magic back, he might well revert to his normal surly self, but until then, I was enjoying the opportunity to get to know him a little.
As for my creepy caller, changing my cell phone number had done the trick. I hadn't even realized how much those calls were freaking me out until they stopped. No matter what I had said to Bill and Eric on the subject, knowing that someone that crazy was after me was pretty unsettling. The last thing I wanted was to go through something like that again, so I vowed to myself to be very selective about giving out my number in the future.
To keep from feeling like too much of a slug, I helped Juanita with a few chores around the house. My interest in gardening was growing by leaps and bounds, and I even got up the nerve to dig around in the flower beds a little bit... but only after swearing Juanita and the gardeners to secrecy. The last thing I wanted was another lecture from the Viking on the evils of Queens doing domestic work... but as long as I was doing it because I enjoyed it and not because I had to, I figured it didn't really count. After my talk with Bill, I had made up my mind to hire more help, but since the whole point of me staying home was to avoid contact with strangers, I had to put that project on hold. Oddly enough, when I brought it up, Eric just smiled and said not to worry about it.
Amelia finally returned my call on Friday morning. She was happy to report that a couple of days after taking the potion that Octavia had sent , her morning sickness had all but disappeared. The other big news was that her dad had pulled a few strings and managed to book the cathedral in New Orleans for her wedding. The date was set for Saturday, May 20 at 8:30 pm. Since she still wanted me to be the Matron of Honor, she had deliberately chosen such a late service so that my vampires could attend. She was anxious to start searching for a wedding dress and was pretty disappointed to find that I couldn't leave Valhalla for the next couple of weeks. I promised her I'd work harder than ever to get myself under control as soon as possible.
On Friday night, Mr. Cataliades sent a courier with a whole briefcase full of papers for Eric and me to sign. One of the documents was the deed to the building behind Fangtasia. Now that the property was finally ours, I could hardly wait to get started on the expansion. Eric and I spent many hours discussing what was needed, but he stood firm on his decision that I was to oversee the project. I was excited but a little nervous at the same time. What if I screwed it up? What if the workmen wouldn't listen to me? I had never been in charge of anything, much less such a big project. When I voiced my doubts, the Viking just laughed and told me I was tenacious enough (by that I think he meant stubborn and bossy) to get everything just right.
I was so anxious to get started, I made Eric put in a call to the vampire architect that had drawn up the original plans for Fantasia. I was dismayed to learn he had been hired to design a vampire hotel in Tokyo and would be unavailable for months. The Viking just shrugged and said not to worry. He seemed confident that we could find someone else to do the job, even if it meant hiring a human. In the meantime, I pulled out my old notebook and went back to work on my plans. When we found the right architect, I wanted to be prepared as possible.
Saturday I bounced out of bed fairly early. I had ordered some especially fragrant blooming plants to go near the front steps of the house, and the head gardener Hector had gone to pick them up late Friday afternoon. I wanted to plant them myself, so I slipped on some shorts and a halter top and headed upstairs. Juanita had already made some coffee, so I grabbed a cup and a freshly baked cinnamon roll (double yum!) and went outside. The weather had been absolutely wonderful all week, with warm temperatures and clear skies, and it was another glorious day. I sat on the front steps to eat my breakfast and then got to work. As instructed, Hector had left my flowers in a wheelbarrow on the side driveway. The only things I had forgotten to ask for were gloves and a trowel. Without even giving it much thought, I wished I had them in my hand... and boom! Just like that, there they were. I couldn't help being proud of myself. Even if I wasn't having too much luck with controlling my appearance, apparently the practice was paying off in other ways. Too bad I couldn't brag to Eric about it!
Smiling to myself, I wheeled the plants around to the front and got to work. There was something about digging in the rich dirt I found soothing, and the sun felt good on my back. Since the beds were already prepared, it didn't take too much effort to get the plants tucked into the ground. I was about half-way finished when Juanita came outside with a glass of iced tea in her hand. As she came down the steps to bring it to me, she exclaimed, "Oh! The color is so unusual! And they smell wonderful!"
"Yes, they do smell good, don't they? I think my great-grandfather will like them. He's an avid gardener himself. I don't know too much about it yet, but I'm learning."
We chatted for a moment, and then she went back inside to start lunch. I had been simply ravenous the last few days, probably because Eric was drinking from me at every opportunity... and he made darned sure there were plenty of opportunities. Come to think about it, no wonder the vampire was so content! He was always half-way lit on Fairy-juice! He wasn't the only one to benefit, though. Besides the intense physical pleasure his bite gave me, for once in my life, I was eating like crazy but not gaining an ounce. Talk about a win-win situation!
With those pleasant thoughts tumbling around in my head, I got back to work. By the time I plopped the last plant into its new home and got everything watered in, my tummy was rumbling loudly enough to wake the vampire in his underground chamber. I was so hungry, I was tempted to leave the evidence of my "disobedience" right where it was and put it away after lunch, but if something happened and I got delayed or forgot about it, come first dark there would be an ass-chewing... but not the good kind. It would certainly take less time if I could poof everything back to the gardening shed, but I had never tried to teleport anything as massive as a wheelbarrow. I decided it was worth a shot, so I gathered my energy, waved my hand, and... nothing. The darned thing didn't move an inch. I tried several more times with the same result. By then I was getting irritated, which meant I was running the risk of setting the stupid thing on fire; so I gave up, piled my tools and empty flats into the wheelbarrow, and then wheeled it to the shed the old-fashioned way.
After tucking it away, I hurried back to the house for lunch. I decided to wash up in the powder room before going to the kitchen. I saw in the mirror that I was all aglow from my unsuccessful attempts with the wheelbarrow, but it wasn't a big deal. Nearly everyone at Valhalla already knew about my secret and were no longer surprised to see me with my "Fairy" showing. The only ones not clued-in were the human gardeners. (Eric had warned me that glamouring them too often might damage them, so I made it a point to avoid them if I had my glow on.) It occurred to me that maybe one of the reasons I had been so happy the last few days was that I could relax and just be myself for a change. Grinning at my luminous reflection, I gave my hair a couple of swipes with a brush before heading to the kitchen.
At my request, Juanita was making her famous chicken salad. Because she refused to use canned chicken, it took a little longer to make, but the wait was always worth it. All the other ingredients were already chopped and she was almost done dicing the freshly-boiled chicken breasts, so it wouldn't be much longer until lunch was ready. I poured myself another glass of tea and filched a few cubes of apple to keep myself from starving in the meantime. I had just hiked myself on a bar stool and popped a bite of apple into my mouth when the doorbell rang. Juanita started to put her knife down, but I waved her off. Mouth full of apple, I mumbled, "Don't stop. I'll get it."
"Are you expecting visitors for lunch? I can throw in some extra apples and celery..."
"You might as well. It's probably Cooper, and you know he's always hungry."
Hopping off my stool, I strolled to the front door, tossing back another chunk of apple on the way. I opened the door, fully expecting to find my burly Were on the other side. Instead, there was a gray-haired human in a very expensive black suit. Like a complete idiot, I just stood there with apple in my mouth, gaping at my unexpected visitor. It was none other than Wilson, one of Sir Robert's butlers from New York. By the stunned look on his face, he was every bit as shocked to see me. Without even meaning to, I let my mental shields slip. He was thinking My God! A Fairy! Master told me what to expect, but nothing could have prepared me for this stunning creature!... closely followed by... Where is this so-called housekeeper? She must be very ill-trained if she allows her Mistress to answer the door herself! I can see I have my work cut out for me.
I didn't know if I was more flattered or annoyed by his thoughts. Either way, it snapped me back to my senses enough to realize the butler wasn't my only unexpected guest. I didn't even need to see the black limousine and the big white transport truck parked in front of the house to know it, either. I felt it. My brother Robert was home! Since the nesting ceremony, I had been able to "feel" the presence of French vampire if he was near, even though the sensation was not nearly as intense as the one I felt with Eric or Bill. Unfortunately, that was where the tie ended. Apparently nestmates do not share each other's emotions.
Finally recovering my manners, I swallowed my apple and said, "Wilson! It's good to see you again. I'm sorry if I seem surprised, but I wasn't expecting Robert until tonight."
"Completely understandable, Madam. The Master completed his business sooner than expected and was anxious to return to your nest. He asked me to give you this." He pulled an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to me.
Opening it, I read:
Ma belle petite sœur,
A little bird told me that you are in need of some competent, trustworthy domestic help. Considering your current situation, I thought Wilson would be the perfect gift.
Love,
Robert
P.S. I brought some of my things from New York. Wilson will handle everything. You are not to lift a finger!
I had to read it twice to make sure I hadn't misunderstood. Sure enough, apparently my nestmate thought he could give me a human being as a gift, much like he would a book or a set of tea towels. Unbelievable! Because Robert was usually so rational, sometimes it was easy to forget that he was, in fact, a vampire. Shaking my head, I muttered something unladylike under my breath. In his very proper English accent, Wilson asked solicitously, "Is there a problem, Madam?"
"Well, you might think so. According to this letter, Robert seems to think he can give you to me as a gift. But you and I both know that's not possible, right?"
"If you say so, Ma'am."
"Vampires need to get it through their thick skulls that humans aren't property to be passed around!" I exclaimed heatedly, "Did Robert even ask if you minded living in the middle of nowhere?"
"Please do not concern yourself on my account, Ma'am," he said serenely, "I am happy to go wherever Sir Robert needs me."
Suddenly, my earlier conversation with Bill on the subject of servants floated through my brain. Suspiciously, I asked, "Wilson... you didn't suddenly wake up one morning and feel an overwhelming desire to come live in Louisiana, did you?"
Eyes twinkling, he replied, "Sir Robert hasn't been up to any of his little tricks, if that is what is worrying you. I thought perhaps at my age a change of scenery might do me good. I might also mention that Stanton and I have agreed to switch locations every so often. However, if you have any objections to us joining your household staff, I am certain other arrangements can be made."
I pinched my lower lip and thought it over. Valhalla was in dire need of domestic help. Was I really going to turn down this fully trained, intensely loyal, Supernatural-savvy butler just to make a point? It took me about ten seconds flat to decide that no, I certainly was not. With a silent vow to myself to have a serious chat with Robert about his attitude towards humans, I plastered a brilliant smile on my face and said, "Welcome to Louisiana, Wilson. Come on in and I'll show you around. Have you had any lunch? Juanita and I are just about to have some chicken salad. It won't take me a minute to set another place."
I didn't have to be a telepath to know that the very formal butler was appalled that I would even think about setting a table, much less eating with the help. Pinning his eyes with mine, I said firmly, "Look, Wilson, we'd better get something straight. This may be the Royal Residence, but it's also my home. I wasn't raised with servants. During the daylight hours, I don't see the point in putting on airs. If I want to sit in the kitchen and eat with you and Juanita, that's exactly what I'm going to do, and I don't expect you to tattle on me to Robert or Eric, either. Do we understand each other?"
"Of course, Madam," he answered faintly.
"Good! Now that we've got that out of the way, would you like something to eat?"
"I thank you, Ma'am, but I should see to getting Sir Robert situated."
"Oh! Of course. Do you need any help? I can call some of the guards up to the house."
"That will not be necessary. Master Robert brought some of his personal security forces with him."
Turning, he signaled to the vehicles in the drive. Immediately, doors flew open and men began to pour out. The first to emerge from the limousine was George, the Were who had acted as my bodyguard both in New York and New Orleans. He gave me a salute and a friendly grin before running around to the back of the transport truck to supervise the unloading. A minute later, two of the other guards brought a set of trestles into the foyer and politely asked where I wanted them to put the travel coffin. I pointed to the formal living room. "In there. The room is light-tight if you close the doors and shutters."
Close behind them, George and another guard wheeled in the gurney bearing the coffin. They stopped long enough for me to give George a big hug and to shake the other man's hand. Once they got Robert situated, they went back to the truck for the luggage. Wilson asked where to put Robert's things, so I led him upstairs and showed him the Knight's bedroom. He looked around the elegantly decorated room with obvious approval, until we got to the closet which already contained some of Robert's clothes. Although it was a huge walk-in closet with plenty of unused space, Wilson frowned and asked if there was anywhere else to put Robert's things. I thought that was a little odd, but told him he could put it anywhere he wanted except for Pam or Bill's room.
"Very well, Madam," said the butler, "Now, I believe our unexpected arrival interrupted your luncheon. Please go eat, and I will have this all sorted out in no time."
I started back down the stairs, taking the far staircase to give the men carrying in the luggage plenty of room. I had wondered why Robert had chosen such a huge transport truck to deliver him. A panel van would have been plenty big enough for just one travel coffin. Now it was abundantly clear. I had never seen so much luggage in my life! Not long after the first batch had disappeared up the stairs, Juanita came bustling up front to see what had become of me. "Robert arrived a little early," I explained, "He... ah... brought a few things with him."
We stood together in the foyer, watching in astonishment as a torrent of bags, boxes, suitcases, and trunks flowed into my house and up the stairs. Juanita whispered, "What do you suppose all that is? Surely no one has that many clothes."
Stifling a laugh, I replied, "Wow. Eric tried to warn me, but I thought he was kidding."
Shaking her head in wonder, the little housekeeper muttered under her breath, "I will never get all that unpacked before nightfall."
"Don't worry about it. You see, Robert brought... Oh! Here he is now." Wilson had appeared on the upstairs landing, and like me, decided to take the opposite staircase to avoid all the traffic. I waved him over to make the introductions.
"Juanita, I'd like you to meet Wilson. He's been one of Robert's butlers for a long time, and now it looks like he's going to work for us. Wilson, this is our housekeeper, Juanita Escobar."
The very proper English butler and the small Mexican housekeeper eyed each other warily. They shook hands politely, but he was thinking She is attractive enough, but the first issue I'll have to address is her attire. Those dungarees are totally unsuitable for any domestic in the Royal Residence, much less the head housekeeper.
Simultaneously, she was thinking A butler! Why didn't somebody warn me? If he is going to work here, who will be in charge? He's good-looking, but judging from that suit, he's an uptight cabrón. If he thinks I am going to kowtow to him just because I'm Mexican and he's got that snobby English accent, he's got another think coming!
Oh, Lord. I had no idea what "cabrón" meant, but I was willing to bet it wasn't complimentary. It honestly never occurred to me that Juanita might feel threatened by this guy, but I guess I could see why. I wasn't certain, but I seemed to recall that butlers were considered higher up in the domestic pecking order than housekeepers... at least, in places that even had butlers, like New York. Here in Shreveport, Louisiana, it looked like things might shake out a little differently. Clearly there was a turf war brewing, but short of tying them together at one wrist and giving them each a Bowie knife, I didn't have the vaguest idea how to handle it. Before I could open my mouth, Wilson made things even worse by saying, "The men have finished with Sir Robert's things. I need to direct them to my quarters so they can unload mine."
Where was my mind today? Obviously Eric had sucked my brains out right along with my blood. Wilson lived at Robert's home in New York, so I should have known he would do the same here. Totally unprepared, I stammered, "Um... I, uh... now let me see..."
Wilson said smoothly, "Master Eric mentioned that there were servants quarters available."
"Oh! Yes, of course there are. I'm sorry, I just wasn't thinking," I apologized... and then the full meaning of his words sunk in. "Do you mean to tell me that Eric knew about Robert's "gift" and didn't tell me?"
"Of course. He couldn't tell you or it would spoil the surprise."
Grrr! That vampire! Given our recent conversation about servants, I had naturally assumed that Bill was the "little bird" that Robert mentioned in his letter, when all along it was my dear husband. Now Eric's unconcerned attitude about my current inability to hire more help made perfect sense. It was just like him and Robert to hatch this plot, and then conveniently be dead to the world when the poop hit the fan. At the very least, one of them should have told Juanita, so she could have made sure Wilson's room was ready. She looked every bit as unprepared as I was. In fact, she didn't just look surprised, she looked... upset. Briefly, I tuned her in again. She was thinking, I don't understand! Why does he get to live here? If they wanted live-in help, why didn't they ask me? I would have said yes in a heartbeat! Now this stranger is going to be living in this beautiful mansion while I live in a falling down house with bad plumbing and a leaky roof.
As if none of those things were twirling around in her head, Juanita pulled herself up to her full 5'1" height, squared her shoulders, and said calmly, "Miss Sookie, I will be glad to show Mr. Wilson to the servant's quarters. He can get settled in, and I will get started on unpacking Mr. Robert's things."
Frostily, Wilson said, "You have dishes to wash. I will see to unpacking my Master's things. He is very particular about how things are arranged."
Raising her chin, Juanita fired back, "Señor Robert has stayed here many times, and he is always very complementary about the way I care for him."
I suggested helpfully, "It looked to me like there is plenty of unpacking for the both of you. You two go unpack Robert, and I'll do the dishes."
In the very same breath, they both said a horrified, "No!" Wilson quickly added, "Sir Robert would be most distressed to know you were performing such a menial task."
Suddenly, I was tired of the whole thing. Clearly I was going to have to take control of the situation whether I wanted to or not. Narrowing my eyes, I said coolly, "Not if he doesn't know about it, he won't. Remember what I said about tattling? Now, look. Here's what we're going to do. Juanita, you're going to clean up the kitchen while Wilson gets his stuff squared away. After that, you are going to help him unpack Robert's stuff. Since Wilson has worked for him for a long time and knows exactly how his Master likes things, he gets to be in charge of that project. In the meantime, I'm going to lie down with a cold rag on my head. You two have given me a headache."
Clearly surprised, they looked at each other and then back at me. With a new note of respect in his voice, Wilson said, "Yes, Madam."
Juanita nodded, "Hokay, Señora Sookie."
"Great! I'll see you guys later."
I wasn't fooled into thinking I had solved the problem permanently, but I figured this would give them a chance to duke it out in private. Shaking my head, I turned and started towards the library. I planned to change into a bathing suit, retrieve my journal from its current hiding place and write in it while catching a few rays out by the swimming pool... but then I decided to take a slight detour first. Instead of turning into the library, I continued down the hall until I reached the living room. I pulled one of the pocket doors open just enough for me to slip through, and then carefully shut it behind me. With the shutters closed, it was pitch dark in the room. Well, it would have been pitch dark, if not for the lightly glowing Fairy in it. In any event, I still had enough vampire blood left in me that I could see well enough to keep from having to turn on any lights.
I made my way over to Robert's travel coffin. This was the first time I had ever seen it. Unsurprisingly, it was black with super-ornate hardware and what I assumed to be his family crest emblazoned on the top. Even though it was not too strong during the daylight hours, it was still very nice to be able to feel my nestmate's special energy again. Running my hands over the sleek wood, I whispered, "Robert, I'm really glad you're home, even if you have managed to stir up a hornet's nest. You and I are definitely going to have a long talk tonight."
The rest of the afternoon was spent by the pool. I was so engrossed in what I was writing that before I knew it, I barely had enough time to hide my journal and get cleaned up before first dark. I was about to step out of the shower when I felt my vampire come awake. Instead of turning off the water, I smiled to myself and let it run. A moment later, a deep voice asked, "Mind if I join you?"
After a very enjoyable, quite lengthy shower, we finally got out and got dressed. While I was drying his hair, I said sternly, "You know, I really should be mad at you. You could have given me a head's-up about Wilson."
Two guileless sapphire eyes regarded me in the mirror. "Why? Did you not like your surprise?"
I had to restrain myself from bopping him on the head with his hairbrush. "Don't act so innocent! You had to know I wouldn't cotton to the idea of a human "gift!"
"I confess. I did know."
"And yet, you didn't stop him."
Eric's reflection grinned at me. "Why would I? I thought Wilson was the perfect gift, and besides... you always seem to think that Robert can do no wrong. I am looking forward to seeing him on the receiving end of the Stackhouse temper for a change."
Ignoring the second half of his statement, I exclaimed, "Honey! It's just not right to give people as gifts!"
"And yet, you kept him."
"Well, only because he told me he wanted to stay."
"Admit it, Sookie. Ethics aside, Wilson is just what we needed."
"All right... maybe he is, but Juanita sure didn't think so. The two of them starting butting heads from the word go, plus I think it really hurt her feelings that he's going to live in, even though we've never asked her to do it."
"Until very recently, you barely accepted her working for us. I naturally assumed you would object to her living here."
"Well... she didn't exactly come out and tell me this, but her house isn't in very good shape. She's a widow, and trying to maintain it all by herself is too much for her. Eric... would it be okay if I asked her to live here, too? We have plenty of room."
Rising from the padded bench, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. "You are so tenderhearted, Sookie. Ask Juanita to live here if you it pleases you. Now, I am certain the Knight has risen, and I know you want to have a very important chat with him." His last sentence was said almost gleefully.
Taking my hand, he led me upstairs in search of Robert. There was no sign of him in the library, so we headed for the living room. The gorgeous dark-haired vampire was just sliding the pocket doors open. For someone who had been tossed around in a travel coffin all day, he looked amazingly well-groomed and wrinkle-free. Catching sight of us, his handsome face lit up in welcome. With a huge smile, he cried, "Bonsoir, mes congénères! I am so glad to be home!" He opened his arms wide. "Come, little one, give me a hug. It seems years since I have seen your sweet face."
His obvious happiness in seeing us made my irritation with him melt clean away. Laughing, I ran to give him his hug. Picking me up, he swung me in a big circle before setting me down. Sea-green eyes alight, he looked down at me and asked, "Well? Did I manage to surprise you? Did you like my gift?"
Instead of launching into him as I had planned, I said mildly, "Wilson is wonderful, and I'm really glad he's here... but you do realize that we outlawed slavery in these parts a long time ago? If you don't believe me, ask Bill."
He just looked confused, as if he couldn't quite grasp what that statement had to do with him. I tried again. "Look, Robert. Vampires can't "own" humans anymore."
"Ah. You think I do not pay him. Do not worry your head another moment. All of my servants are very well compensated."
"It's not just that. Is he free to quit if he wants?"
"Why would he want to quit? I treat him very well. He lives in beautiful homes, he travels the world in luxury..."
I persisted, "But could he quit, if he wanted to ? My Gran used to say that a bird in a gilded cage is still in a cage."
He thought that over for a long time. "I suppose I see your point. I would find it difficult to let him go, even if he was so inclined. He has been mine for a long time."
"That's what I thought. From now on when you hire human servants, I want you to keep that in mind, okay? No compelling them to work for you, and they can leave if they want."
"If it will make you happy, ma belle, I will try to mend my old-fashioned ways."
"It will make me very happy." I gave him another big hug and a kiss on the cheek to seal the deal.
"That's it? That's all you are going to say to him?" Eric asked incredulously.
Trying to keep a straight face, I said, "Yep. Not all vampires require a two-by-four upside the head to get the point."
That comment got me the full Viking scowl. I burst into laughter, linked my arm through Robert's and said, "Come on, boys. It's a beautiful night. Let's go for a walk." I held out my hand to Eric, and after a dramatic sigh, he took it.
At long last, the day of our much-anticipated dinner party arrived. Even though I had stayed up until dawn having fun with my nestmates, I was so excited I couldn't sleep. Finally giving up, I wiggled my way out of the Viking's embrace and headed for the shower. After throwing on some shorts, I popped upstairs to the kitchen, only to scare the beejeebers out of Juanita. I hadn't expected her so early, or I would have walked in like a normal person. It turns out she and Wilson had come to a tentative truce. She would work the day shift and he would take over at 10:00 at night, unless we were having a function, and then it would be all hands on deck no matter what the hour. The one thing they both agreed on without reservation was that we still needed to hire some "under maids" but that would have to wait until I was ready.
This gave me the perfect opening to bring up the subject of her moving in. I said, "Juanita, that still means you are working lots of hours. When you add in your commute time, it's even worse. I know you have your own house and all, but would you consider living here? There's plenty of room."
To my surprise, she didn't say yes right away. She was thinking How can I live in the same house with that impossible man! I might be tempted to strangle him in his sleep!
Hastily, I added, "I know you'll have to think it over. Just let me know, okay?"
"Yes, Missus Sookie. I will. Now, what can I fix you for breakfast?"
Even after an enormous breakfast of blueberry pancakes, bacon, and lots of orange juice, I was still full of nervous energy. The caterers and the florist weren't scheduled to arrive until late afternoon, so until then I really had nothing to do. I tried to read for awhile, but just couldn't concentrate. Donning a swimsuit, I went out and swam laps until I was gasping for air. I was still restless, so I got dressed again, walked down to Cooper's trailer and rousted him out. We sat outside on his picnic table under the shade of the tall trees and played bourée for a nickle a point. Since there were only two of us, we dealt a widow hand. The fast-paced card game kept my mind occupied, plus I managed to win five bucks and a quarter off him. To make up for it, I invited him up to the big house to eat a late lunch.
Juanita fed us cold steak sandwiches with homemade french fries. By then it was finally time to get the show on the road, and Cooper offered to stay and help set up. The catering van was the first to arrive. While Chef Sinclair and one assistant toted in all the kitchen stuff, the driver of the van and Cooper unloaded the big round table and chairs that I had requested. Like King Arthur, I figured having a round table would put everyone on equal footing. The two men wrestled the heavy table out to the back patio and set it up. Wanting to have it in just the perfect spot, I kept making them move it around, until Cooper frowned and said, "This is the third time we've had it in this same spot, Sookie. Let's leave it here."
By then, Wilson had turned up, immaculately clad and ready to work. Since Juanita was busy in the kitchen, I took him around and showed him where everything was kept and pointed out the table linens and china I wanted to use. Handing him the seating chart I had drawn out earlier, we went over the menu for both Fairies and vampires so he would know which dishes to put where. While he went off to see if he could borrow a rolling cart from the caterers, I went back outside to see how Hector and Cooper were coming along with their task. A couple of nights back, Eric had suggested rather wryly that we add some strands of "fairy-lights" around the terrace for dramatic effect. Hector had driven into Shreveport to pick them up at the same time he got my plants, and now he and Cooper were busy stringing them up. Hector had produced a ratty-looking boom-box tuned to the local AM radio station, so some old rock and roll was cheerfully thumping along in the background as they worked.
It wasn't long until the florist arrived with the flowers. I went around the house with her, pointing out where I wanted the various arrangements to go. Once everything was in place, she wished me good luck, thanked me for my business and left. By the time I got back to the patio, everything was nearly in place. I had to admit, it looked really nice. The table was perfectly set with crystal and china (not to mention the all-important cloth napkins!) At night, with all the candles lit and the tiny fairy-lights glowing, the setting would be truly romantic. Just as I was congratulating myself on how well it had all come together, I felt a cool breeze at my back. At the same time, the sun on the patio seemed to dim. Looking up, I saw a cloud had rolled in out of nowhere and covered the sun. Cooper, who had finally secured the last strand of lights and was climbing down from his ladder, noticed it at the same time. Seeing the look on my face, he said comfortingly, "Don't worry. I checked the forecast this morning, and we only have the same ten percent chance we've had for the last two weeks. We might get a few late-afternoon clouds, but they should clear off by nightfall."
I knew he was probably right, but what if it did rain? Good Lord, what a disaster that would be! Squeezing my eyes shut, I wished as hard as I could for clear skies, and then said a few heartfelt prayers for good measure. Glancing around, Cooper said, "Well, it looks like everything's done. This looks fantastic, the house is perfect, and the grounds are the best I've ever seen them. All you have to do is relax and enjoy yourself."
Forcing a smile, I said, "I know. I've just got first dinner party jitters."
"You'll do fine. Look, why don't you go on and get dressed? A long soak in the tub and a glass of white wine will settle those jitters."
"I guess you're right. Thanks for all your help, Coop."
"It was my pleasure. Call me if you need anything." Shouldering his ladder, he took off towards the gardener's shed, whistling "Paint it Black" as he went.
Since I wanted my relatives to feel safe to be themselves in my home, all humans were to be off the grounds before 8:00 except for Juanita, Wilson, and Chef Sinclair (who had finally confessed that, thanks to his vampire girlfriend, he already knew about the existence of Fairies). Hector picked up the box of unused lights and said, "Have a good party, Mrs. Northman. I'm going to put these away and give all the walkways one last sweep before heading home."
"Thanks for all your hard work, Hector. Everything looks amazing."
Once he was gone, I ducked into the kitchen to make sure everything was on track. Chef Sinclair had dinner well under way, and from the smell of things, the food was going to be scrumptious. After telling Juanita I was going down to dress, I made a short stop at the wet bar and then went to my room. My Were's advice turned out to be excellent. A long bubble bath and a glass of wine later, I was relaxed and ready to be the perfect hostess. I took my time getting dressed and doing my make-up. I even managed to wrestle my unruly locks into a tidy chignon. By the time I was tucking the last bobby pin into my hair, it was just before first dark. I was so busy thinking about what the evening might bring that I was a little startled to look up to find my vampire lounging in the doorway. I had no idea how long he had been there watching me. "Did I frighten you?" he asked with the cutest little grin on his face.
"Not really. I guess I was daydreaming." Giving my hair one last pat, I stood up and smoothed out the slacks of my new outfit. "What do you think? Do I look okay?"
"If you looked any better, I would not let you out of this bedroom for hours. Our guests would just have to wait."
"Thanks, honey." I went to my jewelry drawer and got out my diamond solitaire, but before I could put it on, Eric said, "Not that one. Wear the Sunrise Necklace. It will look spectacular with that outfit. In fact, allow me."
With nimble fingers, he deftly plucked it from its little compartment and securely fastened it around my neck. He couldn't resist kissing the nape of my neck and breathing in a deep lungful of my scent. Instantly, two bright, shiny fangs made an appearance. He lightly scraped them across the back of my neck, and I shivered in pleasure. Against my skin, he mumbled, "Why is it I am always hungry around you? I can never seem to get enough."
I playfully swatted him away from my neck. "No snacking before dinner! You'll ruin your appetite!"
"Whatever the Chef has concocted, it cannot hope to match your blood. Just one sip? Think of it as an appetizer."
"Hmm. I just love it when you beg. Okay, one little sip... but don't muss me, okay?"
"Very well. I promise."
As always, the Viking was good to his word. He only took a small sip and was even careful not to get me too worked up in the process (which I admit was a little disappointing.) He made sure to heal his marks, too, stating that he didn't want them to detract from my necklace. Glancing at the clock, I said, "You'd better start getting dressed. They are supposed to be here by 9:00, and it's nearly 8:00 now. Remember, you still have to set up the music."
"Where are you going? Aren't you going to stay and help me dress?"
"Spoiled baby. You managed to dress yourself for over a thousand years, I think you can handle one more night."
"You are a cruel woman, Mrs. Northman. Go on then, I will muddle through without you."
Blowing him a kiss, I popped myself upstairs. I wanted to make one more turn around the house just to make sure everything was perfect, so I materialized in the foyer. Already fully dressed in a finely tailored blue suit, Robert was making his way downstairs when I popped into view. Even though he was too calm and collected to jump or gasp, I could tell that I had startled him. He jerked to a stop and blinked a couple of times before recovering himself. Then with a broad smile, he continued down the steps. "Bonsoir, ma belle. You look ravishing this evening."
"Thanks, Robert. You didn't have to hurry. They won't be here until 9:00."
"I wanted to give you something before your guests arrived." He pulled a black velvet box out of his coat pocket and handed it to me.
I opened it and gasped. Nestled in the box were an exquisite bracelet and a set of earrings. Obviously designed to match my necklace, they were fashioned from gold and set with sparkling yellow and white diamonds. "Oh, Robert! These are beautiful!"
"Do you like them? I made them myself."
"They are perfect! I can't believe you went to all this trouble for me!"
"I wanted you to have something I made with my own hands. I am glad you like them, little sister. Let me help you put them on."
He slipped the plain diamonds out of my earlobes and replaced them with the new ones and then fastened the bracelet around my wrist. "Much better. Now you are perfectly matched."
"You are absolutely, positively the best nestmate in the world. Thank you so much!" I gave him a big hug and kiss. Standing back, I said, "I do have one tiny complaint, though."
"Oh?"
"This is supposed to be an informal family dinner. We're eating outside. You need to lose the suit."
"But this is my most casual suit!"
"This is Louisiana, honey. There is no such thing as a casual suit. Now indulge me. Run upstairs and put on some slacks and a less starched shirt. No tie, either."
He started to grumble until I added, "They call those power suits for a reason. You look totally formidable in it. I think a certain half-Fairy would find you much more approachable if you'd change into something less formal."
That did it. Without any more argument, he obediently turned and started back up the stairs. Smiling to myself, I went back to the kitchen. Everything was well in hand, so I went to the patio for one last look. The outdoor lights had come on at dark, and Wilson was just lighting the candles. The pool looked beautiful, the underwater lights making it sparkle like a big blue gem. As I stood there admiring everything, a pair of muscular arms slipped around my waist. "Everything looks perfect, Sookie. I am very proud of you for arranging all this," Eric murmured in my ear.
"Thanks, honey. You know, I think Juanita was right. Preparation is the key. I really feel like everything is going to go just right." While I was saying this, I was stroking his arm, thereby completing the last task on my list. As I sent the subtle but potent waves of magic through him, he sighed happily. "I suppose I should see to the music now," he said in a dreamy tone.
"Okay, baby. Oh, dang! I forgot about the hurricane lamps on the front porch," I called out, "Wilson, I'll go light those. I want to see how the house looks from the outside, anyway."
"Yes, madam."
While Eric went gliding off to get the music going, I headed for the entry hall. Pulling open the door, I was surprised to find Hector running up the front steps carrying an enormous arrangement of flowers in a crystal vase. I didn't realize it, but my calm, perfectly organized evening was about to go to hell in a hand basket. Without the slightest premonition that those flowers were trouble with a capital T, I opened the door wider and motioned him inside. Smiling, I asked, "Where did these come from? I didn't order them."
"They were delivered just as I was leaving," he panted, "It was a different florist than the one that was here earlier. Since no unauthorized strangers are allowed in the compound, I thought I'd better bring them to you myself. I think there's a card."
The arrangement looked extremely familiar, big orange lilies with lovely black spots, with a sprinkling of other flowers mixed in, just like... oh, crap!... exactly like the ones I had received in Las Vegas. The ones that no one would admit to having sent. Quickly, I searched for the card. The envelope was larger than an ordinary florist's card, but on the front was written SOOKIE in the very same block letters I had seen before. Hector was saying something about the flowers, but I wasn't really listening. "This is a beautiful arrangement," he said, "I wonder where they found these this time of year? Tiger lilies usually don't start blooming until later in the summer. I guess they must be your favorite, since we planted so many. The hundred we got right before you went to Las Vegas should be in bloom by July. Do you know that some people believe that smelling tiger lilies will give you freckles?"
While he prattled on, I pulled a piece of note paper from the envelope. With a feeling of dread, I unfolded it and read:
Dearest Sookie,
Please forgive me for losing my temper. I beg you to give me another chance. PLEASE! Stop punishing me like this! ANSWER YOUR PHONE! I can't live without at least hearing your voice...
There was more, but I didn't read it. The note fell from my fingers and went fluttering across the foyer, propelled by the sudden gust of wind that blew through the still-open front door. I stood stock still, my mind racing. There was no way around it... that note made it clear that whoever sent me the flowers in Vegas was also the crazy jerk that had been calling me! But who? Who could it be? I was so absorbed in my thoughts, I barely registered the peal of thunder when it rolled through the air or the flash of lightning that was right on its heels, until Hector groaned, "Oh no! It's going to rain! Take the flowers, Miss Sookie, and I'll run around back and help them move everything inside."
With his words, the first few drops began to fall. Hector tried to thrust the flowers into my arms, but I just stood there, frozen in place. "Miss Sookie? Are you all right?"
Without even realizing I was doing it, I took the vase into my hands and stared down at the handsome orange-and-black flowers. In a far-away voice, I asked, "What did you say these flowers are called?"
"Why, they are tiger lilies, of course."
In that instant, all the random, unexplained events of the last few months flashed through my mind like so many pieces of a puzzle, magically re-arranging themselves into a coherent whole. Who had sent me the mysterious flower arrangement in Vegas? Who had sent me a hundred lilies before I ever left for that trip? Who was crazy enough to antagonize a thousand-year-old Vampire King by making nasty calls to his wife? Whose mother was known to be crazier than a bedbug, and could have easily passed that strain of madness to her son? Who, when in his alternate form, would consider a slaughtered deer a suitable gift to lay at the feet of his intended mate?
A fucking Were-Tiger, that's who!
The rage that tore through my body was so terrible that for a moment, I went completely numb. The beautiful crystal vase slipped from my nerveless fingers and fell to the floor, instantly shattering into a thousand pieces and sending flowers and water in all directions. In the wake of the numbness, a surge of pure adrenaline shot through my system, jerking me out of my immobile state. Completely mindless in my anger, I ran out the open front door, down the front steps, and into the pouring rain. I pounded down the drive to the first bend and then veered off across the grass, heading toward a long, curving bed of perennials. Behind me, I could hear poor Hector huffing and puffing as he tried to keep up, no doubt wondering if I had suddenly gone insane. If so, he would have been right.
While I ran, my magic was raging inside me, a burning force that was demanding to be let out. I wanted so badly to incinerate every last one of those horrible plants, those AWFUL FUCKING TIGER LILIES that had NO RIGHT to be growing in the soil of our beloved Valhalla. I came to a screeching halt a few feet from the first clump of lilies and held out my hands... but just before I let loose the first blast of magic, a tiny, irritatingly calm voice in the back of my head reminded me that Hector was not only human, he had no idea there was such a thing as Fairies. I guess my "self-control" practice had actually done some good, because at the very last second, I was able to stop myself from letting go... but as Gran always said, there's more than one way to skin a cat, so I scrambled over the wet grass and plunged straight into the flower bed. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed a double fistful of the leafy green stalks and began to pull with all my might.
