Chapter 8
SPOV
Tonight was a bit more interesting than other times that I have walked into Fangtasia. At least this time I didn't have thoughts of nothing but biting, sex, vampires, sex with vampires, etc. I do have to say though, walking in with Eric and not having every female (and some of the guys too) thinking every nasty thought they have at me, was a nice change of pace. As I glanced around, I noticed that I was the only non-vampire there. Even the human employees were MIA. I glanced up at Eric. "This seems to be turning into a pretty big production." Mentally I thought will anyone here warn the Queen?
Eric had his arm around my shoulder and squeezed. "It's unusual for the Magister to come without it being an official tribunal." All here are more loyal to me than her, no worries princess. He chuckled and kissed my head as I growled at him. The area vampires were milling about, talking amongst themselves, waiting for the show to start. Eric walked us over to the bar and poured me a gin and tonic. As he was coming back from behind the bar, everyone turned to the door when the Magister strolled in.
"Eric, I assume this will be worth my time?" The Magister asked with an air of boredom.
"Certainly, Magister. Come have a seat and we can get started." Eric said as he guided the Magister to his throne on stage. The area vampires started to move about the room and find seats with a good view.
"Alright Northman, bring out your prisoner." Eric gave a slight bow to the Magister and a nod to Pam, who went to bring Bill up from the basement. In moments, Pam was back wearing gloves, dragging a silvered and whining Bill to the center of the room and shoving him to his knees. "What charges are you brining against this Mr. Compton?"
"This seems a bit excessive for a failure to check in-" Bill was cut off by a punch to the back of the head by Pam.
"You will not speak. However, he does have a point Eric. Please tell me there is more." The Magister leaned his head to the side to look at Eric.
"But of course, Magister. I happened to pick him up at my Mate's place of employment. To not make a scene in front of a bunch of humans, that is the only charge I told him of." Eric looked to me when he said Mate, and the Magister looked over to me as well. He gave me a once over and nodded. "He is also being charged with desecration of the blood and trying to come between a Mated Pair." I didn't think it was possible, but there were gasps throughout Fangtasia, and none of those people needed to breathe.
"I did no such thing!" I laughed as Pam hit him again.
"Well, it is looking like this will be worth my time, if you can prove your claim that is." The Magister spoke with a twisted smirk and gleam in his eyes.
With a nod of his head, Eric pulls out his cell phone, pulls up the video and he hands him the phone. "Just press play."
While the Magister can see the video, everyone can hear it. This is not looking good for you Billy boy. Looking at Compton, I can see he is trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. There are murmurs across the room. Everyone can tell that this is going to end bloody for Bill. At the end of the recording, the Magister hands back the phone.
"That was very enlightening. Not that it will make much of a difference, but do you have anything to say for yourself, or should I just pass sentencing?" I glanced at Eric. Rolling over on the Queen in 3… 2… 1…
"The Queen sent me. I had no choice." Eric and I both snorted, called it, we thought at the same time.
"So now we can add treason to your list of charges for going against your monarch. My, my, my you just pull out all the big guns, don't you Mr. Compton." The Magister laughed. At that moment, fate smiled upon us as Eric's phone began to ring.
"Speak of the devil, here she is calling." Eric mused.
"Gag Bill, put her on speaker!" I rushed out. Everyone in the room stared at me for a moment. "Trust me Eric." I said as I tapped the side of my head. She is going to get you to sell vampire blood to help with her IRS issues. You can't be held accountable if the Magister hears it directly from her. Eric nodded to me in acknowledgement. Bill was quickly dragged out of the room right before Eric answered the phone.
"Why hello Your Majesty. Calling to congratulate me I presume?" Eric smirked.
"And why would I be doing that?" Sophie-Anne asked, caught a little off guard.
"Oh, well I filled the paperwork stating that I found my Mate."
"Well, isn't that splendid news. What is her name?" She had a mix of pleasant and bored to her tone.
"Sookie Stackhouse, Your Majesty." There was nothing but silence for a moment, then a loud crash could be heard in the background. She was not happy.
"Good for you Eric. I would like to meet her soon. In the meantime, there is something I need you to do for me, and only my best Sheriff can accomplish it."
"How may I be of service to the crown?" Man, he was laying it on thick tonight.
"As you know, the human IRS has been a pain in my side since the great revelation. I'm going to be sending you some product that I want you to sell. Help me build up my coffers." Almost there, just a little more information…
"And what would this product be? So I know who to start targeting my sales to?"
"My blood. I'll have the coolers delivered to you within the week. I need you to get started on this right away." Jackpot!
"Whatever you need, Your Majesty." Eric ended the call and looked to the Magister. "I hope you know I'm not going to actually do anything, right?" The room was eerily silent. Everyone realized she just signed her own warrant for the True Death.
"This will be handled. Looks like you might be getting a promotion Sheriff." The Magister contemplated.
"I have been summoned by my Maker and leave in a few days. I'm not sure how long it will take. I hope you can find someone in the interim." I know Eric doesn't want to be King but having someone we know and trust on the throne would help with the Russell situation.
"Fair enough. Bring back out Compton, let's get this finished." He said as he walked back to the throne. With that, Pam produced Bill again, and I noticed he had a few blood trails down his face from an already healed injury.
"Mr. Compton, in light of everything that has transpired tonight, I sentence you to the True Death, to be carried out by Sheriff Northman." He said with a hit of his walking stick on the floor like a gavel.
Pam snapped her fingers and another vampire brought and folded out some plastic sheeting onto the floor. She pushed Bill into the middle and vamped away and back holding Eric's broadsword, handing it to her Maker.
"I would ask if you have any last words, but I truly do not care." And with that, he swung, taking Bill's head clean off, the rest of him falling into a puddle on the floor. With that, the area vampires started to leave, the show was over after all. I started to make my way over to Eric and the Magister, there were a couple things I wanted to talk with him about.
I walked over next to Eric as he put is arm around me. "Good evening Magister." I said while bowing my head. "Were the nights events to your liking?"
"They were interesting, that is for sure. I do have a question for you though, how did you know what to do with the Queen's call?"
"Well sir, it's going to come out sooner rather than later, but if you could keep what I'm about to tell you quiet for now?" He nodded in agreement. "My birth certificate says my last name in Stackhouse, but it should say Brigant. So, I guess congratulations on preventing another Fae/Vampire war." I giggled at his dumbstruck face. "There are a couple things I would like to discuss with you though."
He shook of his stupor. "What can I do for you Princess?"
I sighed. "Call me Sookie for one thing."
"Of course." He said with a bow. "And you may call me Jorge." Eric tensed up next to me and I looked up. I've never seen him allow anyone outside the Authority call him by his first name. This is an honor.
"Well, I'm honored Jorge. The main thing I wanted to talk with you about was Nan Flannigan. She has her own agenda within the Authority. She is looking for a kingdom to take over and place a puppet King or Queen who would do her bidding. So, while finding and interim ruler for the state, it would be good to not involve her." I could see him pondering what I am telling him. "Also, now I'm not telling you how to do your job, but I know there is a real tribunal coming up, and sometimes you take humans to serve as part of the punishments. There is a girl, tall redhead, about seventeen. Please don't take her. She's kind of a friend of mine. I know she will make a great vampire someday, but I would want to make sure her Maker is going to teach her right and isn't holding a grudge against her because she was forced onto them." Both men I was standing next to were stunned into silence. I'm good at doing that, I guess.
"What is the child's name? If she is going to turn out as well as you say, I will have someone look into her background and find someone to be an appropriate Maker for her when she comes of age."
"Jessica Hamby. Thank you very much Jorge. I don't want her to get traumatized just because she snuck out to go to a party."
"She will be protected; you have my word." And with another bow, he left Fangtasia.
Eric turned to me, grabbed me in his arms and swung me around laughing. "You, min lilla älva, never cease to amaze me. How did I get so lucky for you to be Mine?" I giggled as I tried to catch my balance.
"I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure I'm the lucky one here Viking." And I pulled him down for a kiss.