Chapter Forty-Eight
Hermione finished putting her make up on as Sookie entered the room. They both wore dark make up, mostly reds with blacks and they both had temporarily dyed their hair black. While Sookie's hair was made into a short bob, Hermione's was pulled up into a messy bun. Their outfits also different. Sookie wore a black corset with flames, biker gloves and sleek hip-hugging pants. Hermione wore a lace corset and a mini shirt with fishnet stockings and black leather boots. They both had fake tattoos.
Looking back to the living room mirror Hermione nearly started herself with the realization, Shite, I almost look like Bellatrix.
Sookie put a hand on her shoulder, "Is she the aunt that gave you the scars?"
Hermione nodded, "Yes."
The door opened and Alcide yelled in greeting, "Sookie? Hermione?"
"We're in here," Sookie called after him.
His eye widened when he walked into the living room, "Wow. I guess my sister took to the both of you."
"Debbie's getting initiated into Coot's pack, and she's addicted to V," Sookie blurted out.
Alcide's jaw dropped, "Shut the fucking door. Debbie's a bloodhead? How'd you find out?"
Hermione gave him an apologetic look, "We heard Janice's thoughts."
"She didn't tell you because she's trying to protect you," Sookie added.
His eyes narrowed, "Then why didn't you both let her?"
"Because we know you care about Debbie, no matter what she did to you," Hermione's cousin reasoned. "I figured you wanna know if she were in danger."
"She's gonna let THOSE FUCKING MONGRELS BRAND HER?!" He swallowed, "V's the only reason. It's gotta be."
"Of course it is," Hermione said empathically.
"Maybe it's not too late for you to get through to her," the telepath suggested. "Stop her from ruining her life."
"Fuck!" In a fit of anger, Alcide hit the wall, causing a picture to fall and shatter.
Hermione arched an eyebrow, "Does that mean you are coming with us?"
She rolled her eyes at her cousin's addition, "We probably won't get in otherwise."
Alcide relented, "Fine. We're gonna have to go in separate, though. You both might be able to fool some with your getups. They're just gonna beat the shit out of me, again."
~HG/EN~
As the two cousins walked around the bar, they could see everyone was well into the festivities.
{It's a private party. Hollis isn't here. We're on our own.} Alcide's mind broadcasted to them.
The walked around the bar and were stopped by a man placing two shot in front of the cousins, "Shoot them."
"No thanks," Sookie responded as they looked up to see it was the man from the night before.
{She looks familiar. Did I bang her?} He thought.
"I mean, fuck yeah!" Sookie cheered and took the shot.
I can't drink, Hermione looked around to make sure everyone is too drunk to notice her actions. She quickly dumped the alcohol over her shoulder.
Before they could back away, the man slammed two more shots in front of them, "Again."
They repeated and grew apprehensive when the man placed more shots before them, "One more. Third time's a charm."
The group started cheering as Sookie and Hermione glanced at each other. They both drank their shots; however, Hermione didn't swallow.
"Who the fuck are you?" The two cousins turned around to see a very angry female werewolf staring them down.
"They're with me Debbie," Alcide said, causing everyone to look at him.
With the attention off of her, Hermione spit out the alcohol silently on the floor. Looking back up, even though he had kept his face impassive, Alcide blinked, cueing Hermione that he had seen what she did. She felt her face flush red.
"Don't go through the initiation," The werewolf told his ex-fiancée.
"You thought this knight-on-a-white-horse shit would work?" Debbie narrowed her eyes. "With me?"
Alcide frowned, "What have you done to yourself?"
"I finally got free of you. And I've never been happier in my life."
At this remark, Hermione wanted nothing more than to hex this bitch to oblivion.
"I still care about you," her new friend said softly. "Go through with this, the pack will never let you back in."
"I don't need your pussy pack," Debbie declared. "And I was fucking Coot when I was still with you."
Hermione could see the disbelief in Alcide's eyes, "This isn't about us."
Debbie crossed her arms, "Like hell. You came here and brought these skanks just to make me jealous."
"Skank?" Sookie put her hands on her hips. "Well, coming from you, that's just funny."
"Sookie," Alcide warned.
Debbie laughed, turning to the telepath, "You did not just say that to me at my own fucking party."
"Alcide came here despite every good reason in the world not to because he believes the woman he fell in love with still lives inside you somewhere," Sookie implored.
Hermione nodded, "He's willing to risk his life to make sure you hold onto that woman, even if he doesn't get to have her."
Debbie looked between the two and then to Alcide, who replied, "It isn't too late. We can get out of here right now."
New man came over, wrapping an arm around Debbie, "What the fuck is this?"
Alcide's lips thinned, "It's just a conversation, Coot."
"Well, she's all done with you, Herveaux," Coot looked to the cousins then back to Alcide. "She went and found herself a real wolf." Debbie laughed and smiled as he turned to her, "Come on. Let's do this shit!"
He laughed and the surrounding werewolves cheered.
Debbie watched Alcide, "Leave him alone, Coot. Let him stay."
Coot frowned, "No way in hell."
"He needs to see this. He ain't never gonna let us be, baby, till he understands I'm with you for good," she turned to him and they kissed passionately with Hermione glaring at them.
Hermione then saw Coot in the car with Bill. Looking to her cousin, she knew Sookie had also seen in Coot's mind.
Debbie and Coot continued their very inappropriate public display of affection until Debbie was lifted above the crowd and surfed to the stage, her coat ripped off her body.
Sookie looked to Alcide, "Coot. He's the one of the ones who took Bill."
The three looked to see a man on the stage, holding up a fur coat.
"Who's that?" The witch wondered.
"Russell Edgington," Alcide replied. "He's a rich antiques dealer here."
The crowd continued to cheer, the suddenly a light shined on Russell. Everyone except Sookie, Hermione, and Alcide bowed.
"Jetzt trinken wir [Now, let's drink]," Russell spoke to the crowd in German. "Der dunkle Rotwein unserer Vorfahren [The dark red wine of our ancestors]."
Everyone replied in agreement as the tree friends continued to watch. Russell pulled up his sleeve, then his fangs came out.
"What's a vampire doing in a wolf den?" Sookie eyes widened.
Alcide grimaced, "Why are they submitting to this fanger?"
He bit his arm and held it over trays of shot glasses.
"Oh, my God," the telepath in took a sharp breath. "He supplies them."
Hermione could feel her heart pounding as her mind raced, "He must be the vampire leader Eric told us about."
"Holy shit," was the only thing Alcide could reply with.
"Awe, not tonight, pumpkin," Russel told Debbie, who was looking at the shots and the vampire's bloodied wrist with lust. "Otherwise your brand won't last." He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth clean, turning to the crowd, "Tonight…" Everyone stood up, "You continue the grand tradition of expanding our pack. My contribution is but a small token of gratitude for our collaboration throughout the ages."
Everyone cheered as Sookie looked to her friend and cousin, "The ages?"
"Eric did say this was an old pack," Hermione replied.
"Now," Russell spoke as everyone lifted up their shot glasses. "Drink." Hermione watched as everyone drank their shot and felt her stomach drop when she noticed the crowd become energized. "I leave you to amongst your own to celebrate."
As he left everyone cheered as a burning brand was brought on stage. Hermione felt sick as Debbie screamed out in pain as the metal met with her skin.
"Debbie, you dumb bitch," Alcide growled as everyone cheered while his ex-fiancée screamed. "This is so fucking wrong!"
Cooter jumped on stage, taking his shirt off, and howling. Hermione was dumbstruck as he pulled down his pants and shifted into a wolf. He licked Debbie's brand before hoping onto the stereo howling. Everyone threw down their shot glasses in response and Hermione heard the warning bells going off in her mind as everyone began to take off their clothes.
"What's happening?" Sookie looked to Hermione.
Hermione looked to Alcide, "Are they all shifting?"
Alcide was grunting, "You both need to get out of here." He turned to them with amber eyes, "Run. Run!"
They turned away from their friend and sped toward the exit. Hermione followed behind, only to bump into Sookie, who's voice turned into a high pitch scream, "What the fuck is that!?"
Hermione looked over, her face going pale. There amongst the crowd is a European werewolf, towering over other smaller wolves. She fought dizziness at the sight.
"Merlin, he figured out how to shift without the full moon," she felt her heart in her throat. "Fuck. We really need to get out of here."
Sookie began running again, now alongside her cousin, "You know him? Who is that?"
The witch frowned, her eyes threatening to tear up, "Fenrir Greyback."
